Singapore Secret Society

The first secret societies


The secret societies which formed in Singapore can be traced to mid-18th century Fujian province in China, with the local offshoots adopting an organizational structure mirroring the parent organization. The Hongman (洪門), the first secret society to be established in Singapore, traced its origins to the Heaven and Earth Society (Tiandihui) in Fujian.

List of secret societies

•   Ghee Hin Kongsi

•   Hai San Kongsi

•   Cho Koon Kongsi

•   Ghee Khee Kongsi

•   Ghee Sin Kongsi

•   Ghee Soon Kongsi

•   Chen Chen Kow (Tsung Peh Kongsi) 松柏公司

•   Ghee Hok Kongsi 義福公司, 义福公司

•   Ghee Khee Kwang Hok Kongsi

•   Hok Bing Kongsi (Hok Hin Kongsi) 福興公司, 福兴公司

•   Hen Bing Kongsi

•   Choo Leong Kongsi

•   Ang Bang Kongsi

•   24 Ghee Hai Kim

•   Angsoontong

•   Sio Yi Ho

•   21 Tong Meng Ge

•   Pa Hai Tong 21

•   Ang Meng Tong 21

•   Salakau

•   Hai Lo San

Ghee Hin Kongsi

The Ghee Hin Kongsi (Simplified Chinese: 义兴公司; Traditional Chinese: 義興公司; Pinyin: yìxīng gōngsī) is a secret society in Singapore and Malaya, formed in 1820. Ghee Hin literally means "the rise of righteousness" in Chinese. The Ghee Hin often fought against the Hakka-dominated Hai San secret society.

Ghee Hin was initially dominated by the Cantonese, although Hokkiens formed the majority by 1860. Teochew, Hainanese, Hakka and Foochow form smaller minorities. Their main lodge was located in Lavender Street, which contained the ancestral tablets of important ex-members, before being donated to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital when it was torn down in 1892, following the Suppression of Secret Societies Ordinance.

The Ghee Hin were notorious for riots against Catholic Chinese in 1850 (killing over 500), as well as post offices in 1876, against a new, and more expensive, monopoly on post and remittances. The colonial government began to move towards surveillance, control, and finally suppression from 1890s onwards.

Ghee Hin and Hai San were the two secret societies that were involved in Perak civil war in the 19th century.

Ang Soon Tong

Ang Soon Tong is a secret society based in Singapore. According to a former police officer, the society was active as early as the 1950s, mainly in the Sembawang area. In 1998, a 19-year old youth was arrested for setting up a website dedicated to the society. As recently as 2007, Ang Soon Tong was still active, with one of its members sentenced to reformative probation that year for clashing with members of another secret society.

Salakau



The gang was formed during the early 1960s in the early years of Singapore's Independence when the police force was more relaxed in its enforcement. 369 recruited members mainly in prisons and ex-convicts who wanted to belong to the most powerful gang. Until recently, 369 was a group of the '18' (Chup Pueh Sio Kun Tong in Hokkien) secret society.

It has since declared its independence from the '18' group and has opened its own branches in many parts of Singapore. Places like Tanjong Rhu, Kallang Airport, Teck Whye Lane, Clementi, Tanglin Halt, Mei Ling Street, Joo Seng, Bishan, Thomson, Geylang and places like Yew Tee are the main branches in which many members are recruited.

The strict laws serve as a deterrent to potential gang members and has successfully decreased the number of gang-related street fights and attacks although gang-related violence occurs sporadically but remain no cause for alarm in the interest of public safety. The most recent case was when '369' gang members launched a premeditated attack with machetes and other weapons against a rival gang outside a 7-11 convenience store at Central Mall which left a 46-year old rival gang member dead.

The culprits have since been arrested and imprisoned due to the swift action of the authorities. Recent cases of fighting in popular nightspots such as Ministry of Sound and Club Momo have been attributed to '369' gang members but the situation remains under control by law enforcement agencies.