Wee was born into a Hoklo family with ancestry from Quemoy island on 22 July 1890 in Kuching, Sarawak (now part of Malaysia), a British established puppet colony. He was the family's second-to-eldest son. His father was Wee Tee Yah (died 1889), and his mother was Song Kim Keow, a local born widow. The younger Wee attended Saint Thomas Secondary School, and spoke Hokkien and English fluently.[1]
In 1924, Wee established the Bian Chiang Bank (now known as CIMB Group) in Kuching, Malaysia.[2][3][4] In 1975, Fleet Group Sdn Bhd bought a 100% stake in Bian Chiang Bank, making the bank a wholly owned unit of the Fleet group. Subsequently, the bank moved its headquarters to Kuala Lumpur from Kuching.
He became the Treasurer of the Kuching-based Chinese General Chamber of Commerce upon its inception in 1930, before being promoted to president. In addition, Wee was the Hokkien Association (福建会馆)'s President.[5]
In 1931, he was elected as Chairman of the Sarawak Chinese Chamber of Commerce. He resigned from the post in 1946.[2]
On 6 August 1935,[6] he established the United Chinese Bank with six other partners. The bank is now known as the United Overseas Bank (UOB).[7]
Wee staffed his bank with Hoklo employees to serve his Hoklo clients.[8]
The Kapitan Cina Ong Tiang Swee (Chinese: 王長水; pinyin: Wáng Chángshuǐ), who was then Kuching's wealthiest person, was impressed by Wee, and decided to let him marry his eldest daughter, Ong Siew Eng (Chinese: 王秀英; pinyin: Wáng Xiùyīng).[9][1] Wee was then given the role of manager of the Sarawak Chinese Bank,[1] which Ong owned. Wee soon got to know more prominent businesspeople and other important figures; he shortly started a string of businesses, including farming and goods importing and exporting.
He was married twice and had fifteen children (five sons and ten daughters).[2] Wee's second wife is the mother of Wee Cho Yaw, chairman of Singapore's United Overseas Bank.
In 1978, Wee died in his Kuching residence. His fourth son, Wee Cho Yaw, was subsequently appointed to head United Overseas Bank.[5]Jalan Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang, a road in downtown Kuching, is named after him.
Wee Kheng Chiang was posthumously hailed as the "uncrowned king of Sarawak" in Queen of the Head HuntersbyRajahVyner Brooke's spouse, Sylvia Brooke.[1] Ranee Sylvia Brooke also used this sobriquet, in her 1939 book The Three White Rajahs.[2]
In 1941, Wee was presented with the Commander of the Star of Sarawak by the Third White Rajah of Sarawak.[2] In 1964, he was awarded the Panglima Negara Bintang Sarawak by the first Governor of Sarawak.[2]
