Tay Ee Ai (Bukit Brown)

Touted as Syonan's first public funeral, it was held on 23 April 1944  for Tan Ean Teck and Tay Nee Ai.  Attended by Colonel Koichi Okubo (Mayor), Mr. Kanichi Naito (Deputy Mayor), Mr. K. Toyoda (Minsei-bu Cho), Mr. M. Nakata (Kosei-ka Cho), Mr. M. Shinzoaki (Keimu-bo Cho), Mr. S. Ogata and other high officials of the Tokubetu-si. The funeral was well reported and the Syonan Shimbun describes that prior to the hearse leaving for Bukit Beown cemetery, a simple yet impressive memorial service was held at the O.C.A and service was led by Mr. Lu Thien Poh, Chairman of the O.C.A Propaganda Department and of the Funeral Committee. 

Mr. K. Toyoda (Minsei-bu Cho) gave the eulogy while Mr. M. Nakata (Kosei-ka Cho) also gave a brief address during the memorial service and paid tribute to the great work done by Messrs. Tan Ean Teck and Tay Nee Ai and declared that they gave their lives while rendering public service. Hundred of wreaths and hundreds of people attended the last rites held at Bukit Brown. The Police Band was also in attendance.  

Tay Ee Ai (also spelt at Tay Nee Ai)

What was not mentioned in the newspapers was how the died. Fortunately in the memoirs of Yap Pheng Geck (Scholar, Banker, Gentleman Soldier: The Reminiscences of Dr. Yap Pheng Geck) , the stories of their deaths was not forgotten in the sea of time. Both Tay Ee Ai and Tan Ean Teck died in an ambush by the Malayan Anti-Japanese People's Army. 

About 10 miles after Kota Tinggi, he was shocked to see bodies lying by the side of the road (but the convoy of vehicles not within sight). Stopping his vehicle, Yap Pheng Geck rushed out to first see, Lee Choon Seng with a bloodied face and an unhurt but shocked Teochew shopkeeper from Endau. Two lifeless body was also discovered; a gentleman later identified as Mr. Tay Nee Ai and the other who was recognised immediately as Tan Ean Teck, a prominent Hokkien merchant and brother of Tan Ean Kiam, managing director of OCBC.

New Syonan 

The first settlers arrived in Endau in September 1943. By March 1944, it was reported (Syonan Shimbun 6 March 1944) that the "Grow More Food Pioneers" at New Syonan (Endau) is 1,591. By April 1944, the numbers reported are approximately 3,000 including 1,764 settlers (359 Chinese families) and more than 1,200 workmen. By May 1944 this figure went up to 3,584. There was a bold claim on the Syonan Shumbun (19 April 1944) that nearly 10,000 chinese have registered to go to "New Syonan" . A total of 640 acres of forest land has been cleared to date while 315 acres of agricultural land allocated to settlers.  

Variant Names

Tay Ee Ai is also spelt as Tay Nee Ai

Location of tomb 

Tay Ee Ai is buried in Block 3 Division D, plot P 222 (not to far away from Tan Ean Teck, but just beside the tomb of Lee Pek Hoon)