This new edition replaces the former publication “KB Shops from 1940” after the TripWow, home of photo slideshows, closed in June 2017. Many New antique photos have been added to reflect the actual buildings, but most of them have been replaced with modern concrete structures.
There was a multipurpose brass gong (the round cycle) hanging at the corridor of the Police Station (1) announcing the hour of the day -1 strike means 1 o’clock; one high strike followed by a soft strike means 1.30 (2) 2 strikes +2 strikes all police back to the station (3) continuous strike means emergency (such as air strikes during the WWII)A temporary store was built at KBRC Padang by the Australian Army, which defeated the Japanese invasion army in 1945.1953 Collecting sands from the Belait beach to construct concrete buildings around KB and Seria.1945 A temporary out door cinema and the wide screen was outdoor in front of this building built by the Australian arm and Brunei Shell at Panaga before the concrete Roxana Theater
新照片如上图。修改日期为 1949 年
Permanent Building of former Pai Cheng School, Kuala Belait – 4 July 1938
在 Jalan Narkhoda Ragam 和 Jalan Tepi 义口隣近地區The building behind the 4 bicycle riders was the Chinese Engineering Association, which was used as our classroom. In this photo, Al Marhum Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan visited the “Fah Khion” shop, owned by the late Kapitan Cina, Mr Sim Yen Sue(on the RH) .”Before the electric supply, all the shops used this kerosene lamp that needed to be manually pumped to the gas pressure. My father’s shop had 10 lamps to light up the whole shop, and my brother (13) and I (10) were tasked with keeping the lamps lit. By the time we completed the 10th lamp, the first lamp needed to be pumped up again, so our tasks seemed to be in a cycle, but we took each turn like clockwork!The late School Principal, Mr T S Sung, accepted the MBE (Member of the British Empire) from a British Resident, D.C White, witnessed bySultan Sir Omar Ali Saifuddin.Typical General textile Shop “Fah Khiong in 1954Modern Concrete shops were completed and occupied in 1954. This view is looking from the Custom Department towards kampong China.
There are only a handful of cars & locally constructed lorries, buses at that time.Prize-winning Shop Decorations competition to celebrate HM Sultan’s Birthday in 1955 – The creator of the best elegant decoration, Mr Chong See Kui, stands proudly in front of his father’s Shop Fah Hin, No.8 Jalan Pretty, KB.Typical General sundries shop “Yick Yuen in 1954Typical Shop #8, Jalan Pretty, Fah Hin marketing manual winding record player, manual operating Sewing machines, etca newly created Jalan Pretty with 8 blocks of modern concrete shops in 1955 – view from Custom towards the beach of South China Sea. Please note there were only a handful of cars & wooden buses with 10 seats, many Shell motorcycles but lots of bicycles The trees at Jalan Pretty had grown taller and more motorcars -1956This is a unique, rare photo of the Chinese Engineering wooden Building (left) opposite the first wooden building, Chung Hua School, at Kuala Belait in 1952.First Post War II Chung Hua School Administration office and classroom Building that middle section could be converted as a performing stage OPENING OF THE CONCRETE ADMIN OFFICE & CLASSROOMS BUILDING
In 1954, Al Marhum Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, is seen cutting a ribbon in an official opening ceremony.
Holding the ceremony tray was the late Shim Yin Zu, Kapitan China
This is an extraordinary aerial bird-eye photo of Kuala Belait Town Center, completed in December 1954. The empty side is still vacant for the construction of the Chinese Commercial Association. So, as for the construction of the Hainan Association, I can see the Goverment Electric Department, where I worked for 4 years from 1956 to 1960. The Belait Police Station is opposite the street from Hong Kong Shanghai Bank. Can you find any particular building by name? Can you find the cinema and what its name is? * We are very grateful for this photos from the courtesy of Dr Rozan Yunus, Author of Brunei Heritage
Credit: Mr Anthony Err, a professional Image-maker @ Karen Anthony & Co, with his remarks: Circa 1953 -1954 Kuala Belait had new brick and concrete shops along Jalan Pretty. These historical photos were scanned to improve their tonality and “sharpness”. Thanks to Uncle Tom Chong See Kui for giving me the honour to “re-live” these memories. from Anthony Err
Disclaimer: Some photos are from social media. Some images in this blog are copyright to the respective owners. Please let us know if you have any issue with copyright and we will promptly remove.
Old memories educate younger generations to understand how KB is being progressively developed of what it is today with oil revenue. There were a lot of immigrant workers and credited for their hard works. I attribute the splendour and development of KB Town to the Chinese society and their reputation for business minded community.
Received the above comment from Suhajima676 via WhatsApp on 24 May 2022 at 7:51AM
Welcome to our blog, He Wenwei. I hope you have read some of the articles written by many of our senior alumni who are now in the 1980+. That was the past! We are just starting to publish the first 2022 winners to a student essay competition. We hope that you will join us to develop our future destiny! BTW, how do you find us? Are you still loving in Belait District? Hope to hear from you soon. Best regards from Chong See Kui ex-RTB
Dear PS Osman, Welcome to our kampong Kuala Belait when Belait was busy moving forward from the ruin after the Japanese military invasion. If your father had a camera, he would take the photos as posted in this article. It would be even better if you have many questions asking your father to confirm the captions of our B&W photos! We hope you enjoy reading our blog. How did you find us? Through searching at multimedia or through your friend? We hope to hear from you soon. Have a nice day. Best regards from Chong See Kui, ex RTB.
Looks good
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Thank you. Keep on watching!
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講起當年的故事時,耳際彷彿正飄散著一首又一首的懷舊金曲,如今回首,只好用文字,用相片,用行動去延續他的生命。
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Hi there,
These pictures brought back of our times in KB and Seria. Please keep publishing. We now live in Perth WA and not that far from our roots.
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Thank you for your supporting comment. You are welcomed to share your memories and current news from Perth here as well.
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Good tp know you are living in Perth where the weather is almost similar to Borneo, especially in Kuala Belait where you once called home!
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Old memories educate younger generations to understand how KB is being progressively developed of what it is today with oil revenue. There were a lot of immigrant workers and credited for their hard works. I attribute the splendour and development of KB Town to the Chinese society and their reputation for business minded community.
Received the above comment from Suhajima676 via WhatsApp on 24 May 2022 at 7:51AM
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Many thanks Brother Chong for sharing one of the important and interesting history events of Kuala Belait in the1940s
Received the above comment from Pehin Mahdini via WhatsApp on 24 May 2022 at 5:24 AM
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Excellent …
The lens into our KB’s past ,today n future destiny…
Well done …🙌🙌🙌
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Welcome to our blog, He Wenwei. I hope you have read some of the articles written by many of our senior alumni who are now in the 1980+. That was the past! We are just starting to publish the first 2022 winners to a student essay competition. We hope that you will join us to develop our future destiny! BTW, how do you find us? Are you still loving in Belait District? Hope to hear from you soon. Best regards from Chong See Kui ex-RTB
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Born in early 50s. KB was already transformed. But thanks for the pictures. Brought memories of growing up there.
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Dear PS Osman, Welcome to our kampong Kuala Belait when Belait was busy moving forward from the ruin after the Japanese military invasion. If your father had a camera, he would take the photos as posted in this article. It would be even better if you have many questions asking your father to confirm the captions of our B&W photos! We hope you enjoy reading our blog. How did you find us? Through searching at multimedia or through your friend? We hope to hear from you soon. Have a nice day. Best regards from Chong See Kui, ex RTB.
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Thank you for bringing back the 1940s memories
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This publication has been recently updated and revised on 10 March 2024 by the Administrators.
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