28 Facts About Ngan Shing-kwan

Ngan Shing-kwan was educated at Queen's College and St John's University in Shanghai during his early years, and took over the family's rickshaw business in 1920.

Ngan Shing-kwan was the chief team leader of the Hong Kong delegates to the Sixth National Games of the Taiwan in 1935 and the coach of the Chinese Taipei national football team at the 11th Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany in 1936.

Ancestrally from Chaoyang, Guangdong, Ngan Shing-kwan was born in Hong Kong on December 18,1900, the only son of Yen Wing-chi and his wife.

In 1901, the Hong Kong Government set up a committee to investigate the serious loss of manpower in sedan chair and rickshaw coolie, and Ngan Shing-kwan Wing-chee was invited by the committee to give evidence.

Years later, Ngan Shing-kwan Chim withdrew his power of attorney on December 10,1917, declaring that Ngan Shing-kwan Luk no longer had anything to do with the Wing Hing, Wing Lung and New Tak Lung.

In 1920, at the age of 20, Ngan Shing-kwan returned to Hong Kong to take over the family rickshaw business.

In 1927, Ngan Shing-kwan married Wong Yi-mei, the daughter of Wong Ping-chun, and the two families became in-laws, and Wong Yiu-nam became Ngan Shing-kwan's great-uncle, so it is clear that Ngan and Wong had a close relationship.

Ngan Shing-kwan Shing Kwan took up the position of Chairman of the Board and Supervisor of the reorganized CMB, while Wong Yiu Nam took up the position of Vice Chairman and Manager, each of whom is a permanent director of the new company.

In May 1942, Ngan Shing-kwan was appointed by the Japanese government as a member of the Chinese Cooperative Council; and in October of the same year, the Japanese government instructed all public transportation companies in Hong Kong, including the China Motor Bus Company and the Kowloon Motor Bus Company, to form the Hong Kong Automobile Transportation Association, with Japanese as advisors, and Ngan Shing-kwan was assigned to the new company as its manager.

Ngan Shing-kwan served on the boards of directors of Chong Hing Bank and Chong Hing Enterprise for many years until 1984, when he retired.

Ngan Shing-kwan has held key positions in a number of family companies, including Chairman of Island Express Enterprises Limited, Chairman of Kwan Mui Limited and General Manager of Wing Hing Lung.

Ngan Shing-kwan was heavily employed by the Hong Kong Government in the 1950s and 1960s, but by this time he had already stepped down from most of his public offices for some time, and his relationship with the Hong Kong Government was not as close as it used to be.

Ngan Shing-kwan is very nervous about CMB's salary and benefit expenses, and every year he must personally preside over a closed-door meeting with the labor side on salary adjustments, sometimes arguing over adjustments of as little as 20 cents.

In 1990, KPMG, commissioned by Mr Ngan Shing-kwan, completed an internal review of CMB's governance, but the KPMG report only recommended the hiring of additional staff at certain grades and the appropriate upgrading of internal staff.

However, Mr Ngan Shing-kwan argued that KPMG's report did not make the relevant recommendations and that the existing management of CMB had sufficient experience to cope with the day-to-day operation of CMB, and objected to each and every one of the Legislative Council's recommendations.

However, the three Ngan Shing-kwan sisters were accused of being unmotivated to run their father's franchised bus business, and the service standard of CMB had not improved.

Ngan Shing-kwan has been active in community affairs since he founded CMB.

In 1931, the Tung Wah Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital and Tung Wah Eastern Hospital were merged to form the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, resulting in Ngan Shing-kwan being elected as the Chairman of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals for the year of Xinwei, the first chairman of the Group, by a vote of 13 to 12 against his rival, Lian-bo Chen.

On 27 April 1932, Ngan Shing-kwan was awarded an unofficial Justice of the Peace by the Hong Kong Government, in recognition of his participation in public service.

Ngan Shing-kwan put forward favourable suggestions such as the construction of more public baths and the improvement of public toilets.

Ngan Shing-kwan had served on the Urban Council for seven years before he resigned in April 1953 on the grounds of heavy public service.

Ngan Shing-kwan was appointed a member of the University of Hong Kong Council in 1951 and a member of the Board of Education in 1952, and was invited to serve as an Honorary President of the newly formed Young Teachers' Association in 1959.

Ngan Shing-kwan was a member of the Council of United College and Chung Chi College of The Chinese University of Hong Kong after its founding in 1963, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, which was founded in 1968, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

In May 1959, Ngan Shing-kwan was further appointed by the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Robert Black, as an unofficial member of the Executive Council as a non-official member of the Hong Kong Executive Council, at one time serving as a member of both the Executive Council and the Legislative Council, and it was not until May and June 1961 that he stepped down from the Executive Council and the Legislative Council respectively.

Ngan Shing-kwan served as Vice-President of the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children in the 1950s and 1960s, Vice-President of the Hong Kong Playground Association, Supervisor and Vice-Chairman of the Wan Chai Kai-fong Welfare Association, and Honorary President of the North Point Kai-fong Welfare Association, among others.

Ngan Shing-kwan was involved with the Rotary Club of Hong Kong's Eastern District, where he served as Vice President in 1947.

Ngan Shing-kwan was involved with the Rotary Club of Hong Kong East, and became vice-president in 1947; although he withdrew in 1953 due to heavy public service, he was invited by the Rotary Club of Hong Kong East to become an honorary member in 1955.

Ngan Shing-kwan served as Honorary Advisor to the Hong Kong Kowloon Chiu Chow Association, and was elected Permanent Honorary President in 1960, Under his presidency, the Association organised the construction of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Chiu Chow Public School in Mong Kok Sai Yee Street in 1955.