Peter Chong (karateka)

Peter Chong, PBM (born 1941) is a Kyokushin karate master and a former Assistant Superintendent of Police in Singapore. He is the International Committee Chairman for Asia and the Middle East in the International Karate Organization founded by Masutatsu Oyama (1923–1994) and now led by Shokei Matsui.

Chong was born as Chong Seh Jam in 1941 in Singapore. As a boy, he was bullied by his classmates. Chong began training in martial arts under his father in 1955, at the age of 14, but the training stopped when his father adopted a non-violent philosophy due to its perceived conflict with his new Roman Catholic faith.

Prior to studying Kyokushin karate, Chong had practised judo and was a judo instructor in the Singapore Police Force. In 1965, Chong sailed to Japan to train under Mas Oyama, without informing either his wife or his father of his intentions. He attained the ranks of 3rd dan in 1968 and 4th dan in 1972. At some point after 1968, Chong established his own dojo, which was not registered with the Singapore Karate Association. Chong had attained 5th dan by 1975, and was at that rank until at least 1979. Chong was responsible for training Inamullah Khan, pioneer of Kyokushin karate in Pakistan.

In 1988, Chong received the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Medal) from Ong Teng Cheong, then Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, for services to the martial arts. Chong is currently ranked 8th dan in Kyokushin karate, and was promoted to that rank in 1999.

Chong has two sons who are also Kyokushin karate practitioners: Jackie, 5th dan, and James, 3rd dan.