Gan Yue Cheng; alias Yan Zhang Bi (1922-1988)
A native of Yongchun in Fujian province, China, Gan Yue Cheng was the founder of Gan Clan Association.
He was born in Kuala Lumpur in March 1922 and was an entrepreneur based in Singapore and Malaysia. He was educated in English and Chinese. After completing his secondary education, he worked at his father’s company, Hong Bee Textiles Company Limited. At the same time, he also started his own business ventures. Gan Yue Cheng held the post of Managing Director in numerous companies in Singapore and Malaysia. He was active in the Chinese community and took on important roles in various Chinese community groups. In 1966, he founded the Gan Clan Association and was its President for 14 years. He also donated money to the building projects of Gan Clan Association in Singapore and the region as well as Taiwan and China.
In October 1986, he led The Gan Clan Association on an expedition to the Yan Temple in China to pay respects to the revered ancestor Yanzi and to re-establish ties with other Gans. Gan also contributed financially to the construction of bridges and school facilities in his home town, Yongchun. His public service contributions to Singapore earned him the prestigious Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Star) (BBM). Gan Yue Cheng passed on in 1988 at the age of 66.