Old Friend at Signal Hill Eco Farm

Even though Signal Hill Eco Farm had been appearing on my Facebook feed for quite some time, I had no idea that the man behind it was actually a former primary school classmate - someone I hadn’t seen since 1963, the year we completed Primary 6. That was 52 years ago!

After I made a call to the contact number listed on the Facebook page, a WhatsApp message soon followed. The name that popped up was Lee Thien Fook, along with a profile photo that finally revealed the true identity of the person behind the farm.

From the location map on Facebook, it was clear that the farm wouldn’t be easy to find - especially at night. So, on 29.07.2015, we decided to visit the place in the daytime, before our actual dinner appointment there. Even then, it took a few wrong turns before we finally arrived.

Lee Thien Fook is someone I could never forget, and that’s due to a rather traumatic memory from our final year at Lok Yuk Chinese Primary School in Kota Kinabalu. I’m not sure exactly what happened between him and the boy seated next to him, but it must have been a serious incident. So serious, in fact, that it led to a public caning - a shocking and unforgettable event.

During the end-of-school assembly, one of the boys was summoned to the front. To our astonishment, it was the Principal’s own son. Before the punishment, the Principal walked to the edge of the school compound, broke off a small tree branch roughly 10mm in diameter, stripped off the leaves and twigs, and fashioned an impromptu cane.

The boy was then made to stand, facing the entire school. With everyone watching in stunned silence, the Principal raised the cane and began whipping his son’s buttocks. The silence was absolute; no one dared to move or speak. It was a moment burned into our memories. Surprisingly, Lee Thien Fook was not called up or punished at all.

We could only speculate why. Perhaps he was the victim, not the aggressor. Or maybe the Principal made the calculated decision to use his own son as a cautionary example to avoid any backlash from other parents. After all, disciplining one’s own child publicly leaves little room for complaint. Rumor had it the poor boy had to sleep on his stomach that night due to the severity of the injuries.

That incident remains the only public caning I have ever witnessed. It was traumatic to watch - and it has left a permanent mark on my memory. To this day, I’ve never mustered the courage to ask my wife (a teacher herself) whether she’s ever administered such punishment. Frankly, it takes incredible nerve and conviction to lift a cane and deliver that kind of disciplinary action.

On 01.08.2015, our group had our first dinner at Signal Hill Eco Farm. The owner, Lee Thien Fook, explained that the farm operates based on the principles of Natural Farming, which he emphasized is different from conventional Organic Farming. According to him, Natural Farming focuses on working harmoniously with the ecosystem, minimizing external inputs and avoiding synthetic chemicals altogether.

One particularly interesting detail he shared was about the chicken feed used on the farm. It’s specially formulated in collaboration with a lecturer from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Uniquely, the feed is said to be enhanced with Tongkat Ali extract - a traditional herb known for its medicinal properties and often associated with boosting vitality. Lee claimed this addition improves the health and quality of the poultry.

The farm also houses a halal-certified restaurant that serves only chicken, fish, and duck - all of which are raised on-site. That evening, we were served only chicken and fish, as all the ducks had already been consumed by earlier guests.

Out of the seven dishes we enjoyed, five were vegetable-based, all freshly harvested from the farm itself. For vegetable lovers, this place would be a culinary delight. The freshness of the produce and the farm-to-table concept offered not only a unique dining experience but also a glimpse into a more sustainable way of eating.