▁at ▁his ▁father ' s ▁portrait ▁daily ▁and ▁took ▁to ▁drink . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁try ▁to ▁ear n ▁a ▁living ▁to ▁support ▁his ▁family ▁and ▁instead ▁lived ▁off ▁his ▁annual ▁allow ance ▁of ▁$ 1 3 0 ▁( St ra its ▁dollars ) ▁from ▁the ▁family ▁trust ▁in ▁g ente el ▁pover ty . ▁Tan ▁Ch eng ▁Lock ▁refused ▁to ▁em ulate ▁his ▁father . ▁ ▁The ▁young ▁Tan ▁attended ▁Mal ac ca ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁Tan ▁Te ck ▁Gu an ▁Sch olar ship ▁awarded ▁to ▁top ▁perform ers ▁in ▁the ▁school . ▁He ▁later ▁continued ▁his ▁education ▁at ▁R aff les ▁Institution ▁in ▁Singapore . ▁He ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁proceed ▁to ▁England ▁to ▁study ▁law ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁financial ▁situation ▁so ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁teach ▁instead , ▁and ▁taught ▁at ▁R aff les ▁Institution ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁He ▁was ▁unh appy ▁with ▁his ▁lot ▁and ▁was ▁too ▁imp at ient ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁teacher , ▁so ▁his ▁mother , ▁Lee ▁Se ck ▁Bin , ▁ins isted ▁he ▁return ▁to ▁Mal ac ca ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁B uk it ▁K aj ang ▁Rub ber ▁Est ates ▁Ltd ., ▁a ▁company ▁which ▁belonged ▁to ▁his ▁mat ernal ▁cousin , ▁Lee ▁Ch im ▁T uan . ▁Being ▁a ▁rub ber ▁plan ter ▁su ited ▁him ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁quick ▁lear ner . ▁So on ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁visit ing ▁agent ▁to ▁N yal as ▁Rub ber