Peter Chong

Chong Seh Jam a.k.a. Peter Chong, PBM is the pioneer of Kyokushin karate in Singapore and a former Assistant Superintendent of Police in the Volunteer Special Constabulary (VSC) of Singapore.

Early life Chong was born in 1941 in a kampong at Ah Hood Road. He grew up during the Japanese occupation. As a young boy, Chong was taught Chinese martial arts by his uncle for self-defense. When he arrived, he found out that his father had already died. The dojo was located in a kindegarten at 88 St. Francis Road off Serangoon Road. It was the first full-contact karate dojo in Singapore and as such, was unable to join the Singapore Karate Federation which only had sports karate. and was at that rank until at least 1979. Chong was responsible for training Inamullah Khan, pioneer of Kyokushin karate in Pakistan. In 1973, the kungfu film Ring of Fury was released starring Peter Chong, which had featured various locations around Singapore.

In 1978, Chong expanded his karate school into a society, the Singapore Oyama Karate-do Kyokushinkaikan (SOKK). Under SOKK and SMAIA, he raised funds for various charities such as the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Chong is currently the chairman of the International Karate Alliance KyokushinRyu (IKAK) and a 9th dan in Kyokushin karate. He was promoted to that rank in April 2019.

Volunteer Special Constabulary Peter Chong joined the VSC in 1959. After training to become a police officer, he was posted to various police stations such as Joo Chiat Police Station. Chong was posted to the Police Academy in 1964 and put in charge of training the VSC and Police National Servicemen in self-defence techniques. He was also in charge of the range where VSC personnel took part in their annual shooting test.

Chong retired in 2000 as an assistant superintendent of police.

Personal life Chong is a Roman Catholic.

Chong married in 1964. Chong has two sons who are also Kyokushin karate practitioners: Jackie, 6th dan, and James, 4th dan.