Section 70: Persatuan Ko Chou Bahau
was completed. However, there was a significant gap between the construction expenses and the funds raised, causing much anxiety among the members. In February of the same year, a joint meeting of the preparatory committee and the Ko Chao natives was held to discuss the outstanding debt issue. It was collectively agreed that additional donations were necessary. Thanks to the generous contributions of fellow Ko Chao natives, the remaining funds were raised in just half a month, and the building expenses were settled. The various decorations and finishing touches were completed progressively. The splendid association building now stood proudly in the city center, officially owned by the fellow Ko Chao natives. Many gatherings and celebrations, including weddings, were held in the association hall, further promoting unity among the members.
In March 1957, during the spring festival, the inaugural general meeting of members was held, and the first board of directors was elected, with Zhu Qunying (朱群英)serving as the first president. On June 16 of the same year, the grand opening ceremony of the new building took place. Colonel Tun Sir Henry Lee Hau Shik（陆军上校敦李孝式爵士）, the Minister of Finance of Malaya, was invited to preside over the ribbon-cutting ceremony, but due to other commitments, he sent his son, Dato Lee Kam Chye（拿督李剑挢）, as a representative. This event was celebrated by various societies and Ko Chao associations in Negeri Sembilan Kuala Pilah, and congratulatory messages and plaques were sent. Government officials also attended to extend their congratulations, and the Minister of Justice, Tun Leong Yew Koh, came to the celebration, adding more glory to the association. On that day, the association was brightly lit with decorative lights, and a 20-foot-high '高' character-shaped archway adorned the front of the building, shining brightly at night, symbolizing the bright future of the KoChao Association. The opening ceremony was lively and full of excitement, followed by a banquet with over a hundred tables, a rare scene in Bahau.
In 1968, a scholarship fund was established to reward the children of members who achieved outstanding academic results. In 1980, a welfare group was formed, and in 1981, a 25th-anniversary celebration dinner was held in the hall of Bahau St. Aiden Primary School.
In 2006, the association celebrated its 50th-anniversary milestone, publishing a special commemorative publication, and words of encouragement were exchanged among the members.
The wooden house was located far from the busy market area in Bahau Chu Ward district, making access quite inconvenient.
On October 9, 1955, during the autumn ceremony gathering, many fellow Ko Chao natives attended and proposed the establishment of the Bahau Ko Chao Association, which was unanimously agreed upon. After searching for a suitable location, the current address was chosen at No. 106 Gurney Road, Bahau, at the cost of RM5,000. However, the drawback was that the land deed had a lease period of 66 years. To meet the government's requirement for organized development, ten shops had to be built together, and construction began in the spring of 1956. In November of the same year, a preparatory committee was formed to oversee the building process. Due to the substantial cost of building the association, they had to resort to fundraising from Ko Chao natives across the whole of Malaysia, pooling their resources together.
Construction of the new building started in February 1956, and by January 1957, the main structure
In the late 1920s, there were quite a few Ko Chao natives living near Bahau area, working in nearby rubber plantations or villages. Before and after World War II, many people from southern China, especially Ko Chao, immigrated and settled in the area after getting married, leading to a gradual increase in population. Initially, their communications and gatherings were mostly conducted in inns or teahouses, as there was no fixed meeting place, which was very inconvenient. In light of this, some fellow natives came up with the idea to raise funds and purchase a wooden house as a temporary Ko Chao Association venue. Despite being scattered in different places, they would hold regular ceremonies and gatherings twice a year.