Monday August 3, 2009
Watts lived up to Brown’s generous ways
THE Brown family owned several large plots of land in the Straits Settlement.
Besides Kampung Buah Pala, the Brown estate included plots in Sungai Nibong and Sungai Ara.
The Sungai Ara land, measuring close to 404ha, was managed by the late H.R. Watts, a manager employed by Brown, who later became a majority shareholder of the Sungai Ara Estate.
Sungai Ara resident Khor Ewe Chye, 70, said he was forever indebted to Watts.
Forever grateful: Khor holding an old photograph of Watts “My father was his carpenter who also helped build roads in the former rubber, durian, rambutan and cocoa plantation.
“Because Watts valued my father’s contribution, we were compensated with a triple-storey shoplot.
“The land was offered to me in 1985 by Watt’s daughter, Ann Barton at RM10 per sq ft. I asked for a 50% reduction, and instead of selling it to me at half price, she sold it at a token of 50 sen per sq ft” the former Sungai Ara Resident’s Association chairman said, adding that the building was now worth more than RM900,000.
“I believe some 90 houses and shoplots were part of compensation given to early residents of Sungai Ara, when Watts entered into joint ventures with developers to develop the land.
Another resident, Tan Boon Hoe, said his father worked as a clerk for Watts in 1936.
“I believe Watts did not intend to develop the estate, but the then Chief Minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, persuaded him to do so because the state was building a free trade zone and intended to develop the Bayan Lepas area.
“Watts made sure the labourers of the estate received proper compensation and negotiated with the developer to provide double-storey terrace units for them.
“He told the developer ‘if you want to build on my land, make sure the squatters are well taken care off’,” said Tan.
M. Nagamal, 85, was among those who received the units.
“The land was sold to me for RM8,000, very cheap. He even allowed me to pay in monthly instalments.
“Watts and his wife could speak Tamil and allowed their daughter to play with the labourers’ children.
“They treated us very well and even helped pay for school fees, school uniforms and medical bills when our children were sick,” she said.
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