Chua Cheng Bok


Chua Cheng Bok was one of Malaysia’s most prominent businessmen in the first half of the 20th century, and opened the region’s first cinema. He was born in Malacca in 1880 as the second son of an immigrant family coming from Fukien,. His father Mr. Chua Toh started his life as nutmeg dealer in his young age. He had five sons: Chua Cheng Tuan, Chua Cheng Bok, Chua Cheng Hee, Chua Cheng Hock and Chua Cheng Liat. Chua Toh died in 1908 and was buried in Bukit Cina.
Following his older brother, Chua Cheng Tuan, Chua Cheng Bok worked for Riley, Hargreaves and Co and Federated Engineering for a few years. They started their first business, Federal Stores, before forming the Cycle and Carriage in Kuala Lumpur on July 15, 1899. In the early 1900s, the Cycle and Carriage business was successful. It opened a branch under the name of C&C Co in Singapore in 1926.
Chua Cheng Bok was a philanthropist. Some famous buildings built by him are the oldest cinema in Malaysia, the Coliseum Theater and Café in Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, the Chua Cheng Bok Building in Ipoh, and Bok House in Jalan Ampang. Bok House was known for a story that it was built for the daughter of rich man in order to impress her father. The statement later was rejected by one of Mr. Chua’s great-grandchildren Mr. Chua Wye Man. One of his final acts was making a donation to upgrade the equipment for the Chua Cheng Bok Ward of the Chinese Maternity Hospital, Jalan Pudu.
Chua Cheng Bok died at the age of 61 on April 25, 1940 in his residence in Ipoh. He was cremated in Sam Poh Tong Cave temple.