Fact of Life - Another Former Classmate of Lok Yuk School KK Has Left For Good

I have been thinking for some time whether I should write another blog about death and afterlife. Would it be one too many for some readers? In the end, I decided to continue writing.

As the writer in Ecclesiastes 8:8 says, "No one has the power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the time of their death...".

Last Saturday, 27.07.2024, I went to Eddie's tyres shop to have my car's tyres changed. Eddie is one of my former high school classmates at Lok Yuk School, KK. While waiting for the replacement, we went for a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop. As usual, we updated one another about recent happenings and also talked about some of our former classmates. We talked about Thau Min whom we last saw quite a while ago in CNY February 2020 in a class reunion lunch (Read here). He was quite active in the Class Chat Group last year but very quiet in this couple of months. We were talking about calling him one of these days for coffee.

Coffee with Eddie Chow on 27.07.2024.

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Then on Monday morning (29.07.2024), I received a WhatsApp message from Ivy, daughter of Thau Min informing that her father has passed away on 27.07.2024. I was rather shocked to receive the news considering that we were just talking about him on the very day he died two day earlier.

As I notified our Class Chat Group about his passing, I couldn't help but said that "Life is truly unpredictable!".

In our visit to the Funeral Parlour to pay our respect on 29.07.2024, Ivy told us his father died of lung infection which started about two months ago.

With Eddie and Wife of Thau Min.

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Thau Min was a very quiet student in the class and hardly mixed with the other classmates. We were classmates for just three years from Form I to Form 3 (1965-1967). He failed to make it to Form 4. We lost touch since we parted way at the end of 1967.

Then in 1990 in one of my projects which I handled, I bumped into him. He was working as a Project-in-Charge for the Contractor for that project: The Construction of Staff Quarters for SESB Melawa Power Station at Sepangar Bay. We re-established connection since then.

He was a keen participant of class reunions. He joined the class reunion when one of our former classmates, Miao Ling came back from Hong Kong in early 2019 (Read here). He too signed up for another class reunion when another former classmates came back from Australia in October 2022 (Read here). He failed to turn up. When I called him after the event, he said that he had to forego attending because he could not find any parking lot to park his car that day. When I chatted with Thau Min's wife at the Funeral Parlour about the incidence on 29.07.2024, she told me that he in fact went but could not locate the venue of the get-together, i,e, the Hyatt Hotel. His daughter also told us that her dad had mild dementia since a couple of years ago. Clearly, many of my peers are beginning to be affected by health issues related to advancing age!

This photo was taken by Edward Greenawald when he was teaching in Lok Yuk School, KK (Read here). Thau Min in Form 1 (1965) was seen sitting for school examination. 

A class photo of Form 3 (1967). I was standing partially hidden at the left of the Form Teacher, Ms. Ruth Moody. Thau Min is hardly visible and hidden behind Ms. Moody's right.

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Eddie, Thau Min and I met up on 01.10.2016

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At the home of another former classmate, Yap Kim Tong on 25.11.2016.

Chitter-Chattering in Weekly Yam-Cha Sessions

These days, one of the popular subjects of chitter-chattering during the weekly Sunday yam cha sessions is the final resting place. The conversation went on like this:

Kaki A : Have you booked your burial chamber?

Kaki B: Yes. In Row C for me and my wife.

Kaki C: Mine and my wife are in Row D.

Kaki A: In that case, I better book two nearby. By then, if I need to look for friends and kaki to yam-cha or to have a cup of coffee, I will just move over to your chamber and give you a shout!

Kaki D: Sorry, Alfred and I won't be able to join you all for yam-cha because our cremated remains will be kept in a columbarium!

That chitter-chattering was indeed humorous and funny!

Clearly, at this stage of life, talking about death and afterlife is no longer a taboo but can be a candid and laughable subject!

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The burial chambers they were talking about is at the south-western slope of BCCM KK Cemetery. Yam-cha kaki know that I have been involved with the construction of burial chambers in this cemetery for a significant period. In actual fact since 1999. 

When available land for the conventional burial utilizing the flatter ground at the cemetery was exhausted at the end of the 1990's, I decided to explore the feasibility of utilizing the unused slopes for burial purpose. The feasible option is the construction of reinforced concrete burial chambers over the slope. Construction work finally started at the north-eastern slope in 2004. After 10 years, this area was fully used up. Construction of similar burial chambers started at the south-western slope in March 2015 soon after the completion of a new access road to this part of the cemetery.

Still, there are some who have yet to accept cremation as an alternative to conventional burial. As long as there is a demand for conventional burial and no shortage of burial ground, construction of burial chambers will continue.

Taken on 19.01.2022.

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On the subject of Final Resting Place, this has always been one attraction where tourists are brought to see and spend some time. In our 2018 Eastern Europe Tour, we were taken to a cemetery for the Jews in Prague, Czech Republic (Read here). In the 2019 South America Tour, we visited the Recaleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentine where Evita Peron is interred (Read here). All these final resting places allow a glimpse of how different peoples and cultures treat the people who have departed. 

First Time Meeting My Niece's Husband

We first "met" my niece Erika's husband in December 2020 in a virtual reunion (Read here). That encounter happened just less than two months after they were married on 27.09.2020 in UK.

We finally had a chance to meet this couple physically on 20.07.2024, about two months short of four years since their wedding on 27.09.2020. Erica is the younger of the two daughters of my youngest brother.

In conjunction with the couple's visit to Sabah, my brother organized a family's dinner at a local restaurant in Inanam Capital to enable us to meet up with this young couple. After the dinner, the whole group adjourned to my house for a glass of beer and chit-chat.

My niece's other half, Dan, a college music teacher is chatty and he claimed to love durian. Unlike my wife and I who do recreational cycling for exercise, he cycles daily to work covering a distance of 50Km to and return. As he said, this one and a half hour routine is sufficient as a daily exercise for him!

Group photo in my house.

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My niece was married in UK on 27 September 2020 in the midst of the Covid pandemic which started in early 2020. I remember soon after we came back from our cruise to South America, in one of our morning cycling to Karambunai Nexus Resort Hotel, we were stopped at the hotel entrance by the security guard to have our body temperature checked (Read here). We were then not aware that it was the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic that would soon engulf the whole world into chaos.

None of her family members in KK was able to fly over to UK to be present in the wedding ceremony. But thanks to IT technology, we were able to witness the wedding ceremony via Zoom.

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I recall having blogged about my great grandfather who first came to Sabah in year 1909 (Read here). Now after 115 years, many of the 5th generation have moved to other countries like Australia, Singapore, USA and UK. Now, this niece chose to settle down in UK and married a British. Another niece, a daughter of another brother moved to US and married a US citizen of Chinese descent.

Nowadays, moving to another country to find greener pastures is becoming a norm rather than a rarity. This phenomenon started in my generation and has since accelerated in my children's generation!

New Married Students Quarters & Historical Display of STS

Five months after starting work in mid-February 2024, the contractor managed to get ready two of the 8 units of new married students quarters just in time for the opening ceremony on 13.07.2024.

Earlier, STS decided to convert 24 units of the basement car park at the Multi-Purpose Education Centre into 8 units of new married students quarters. The old married students quarters converted from two timber school blocks of the Lok Yuk English Secondary School were considered too old and rundown for continuous use. 

Car park before renovation started.

After the renovation.

Balloons bursting ceremony to declare the opening of the married students quarters.

Living Room.

Bedroom.

Bathroom/Toilet.

Kitchen with space for washing machine.

Kitchen sink, cooking range and fridge.

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Immediately after the opening ceremony of the married students quarters, we proceeded to the Main Hall of the Multi-Purpose Education Centre to continue with the second session, which is the opening of the Historical Display of STS.

Ribbon Cutting for the Historical Display.

Soon after the ribbon cutting, a number of individuals were called to receive souvenirs presented by the Principal and the Chairman of STS. This part of the program was an event I did not expect. I was one of the four individuals called to receive the souvenirs. As a recipient of the souvenir, I do feel a strong sense of accomplishment and appreciation. The presentation of the souvenir in such historical event is a recognition of the effort and dedication are being acknowledged and valued. 

I feel honoured to be included in one of the display posts in the History Display.

Some of the current members of STS Board of Governors, Advisors and Principal who attended the functions.

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I am privileged to have the opportunity to serve in the Board of Governors of STS almost since its establishment in 1988, some 36 years ago.

The infrastructural development started with the construction of the Administration & Teaching Block in 1991; then the 6-Storey Lecturers Residential Apartment in 1997 (Read here); followed by the 9-Storey Students Hostel Block in December 1999 (Read here) and finally the Multi-Purpose Education Centre with the conceptual design started in 2006 (Read here) and the project was finally completed in 2011. The interior of the old Chapel was refurbished and added with air-conditioning in 2007.

Old photo of the main entrance to old Basel Church KK Chapel and Lok Yuk School, KK before it was converted to become the premise of STS.

The same entrance now has the Administration and Teaching Block of STS as the backdrop (Photo taken on 18.02.2024 when old classmate, Teresa Chee came back from Canada for a visit).

Another Unexpected Departure of Former High School Classmate to Eternity

On Monday, 8 July, a former Form 6 classmate in Sabah College texted in the Class 69 Chat Group that Lau Vui Ching has passed away. 

In actual fact, I am not a student of Sabah College Class 69. But I got to know some of them when I joined the Form 6 Class of Sabah College in 1970-1971. They added me into their Chat Group and invited me to join their reunion dinner in 2019 (Read here). I belong to Lok Yuk KK Class 69 (Read here).

The news of the passing of Lau Vui Ching was indeed unexpected. In the Sabah College Class 69 Reunion held on 13 April 2024, Vui Ching was conspicuously absent from the series of photos taken (See here). His deteriorating health must have prevented him from joining. The end of life could never be scheduled and is beyond the control of each individual!

As a non-member of Sabah College Class 69, I was surprised to see my name being included as one of the members of the Class in the wreath delivered to the Funeral Parlour to convey the condolences!

At the Funeral Parlour on 10.07.2024, I met Vui Ching's older brother, Siew Ching. Coincidentally, Siew Ching was my colleague when I worked at Permodalan Bumiputra Sabah Berhad from 1984 - 1988 (Read here).

Based on conversation with Siew Ching, the late Vui Ching was not aware of any health issue even up to March this year. In January this year, he visited Melbourne where his son now stays and took the chance to watch the Australian Grand Slam Tennis Open 2024.

A photo of late Vui Ching in Melbourne shared by classmate.

His health issue started to surface in March when he had chest pain and breathing difficulty. After numerous rounds of examination and tests, it was confirmed that he had lung cancer. Unfortunately, he died before the oncologist could prescribe the treatment for him.

I am sure Lau Vui Ching will be missed by the Class of 69!

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Good time during Form 6 period in 1970-1971. Left photo from left: Ar. Lam Choi Sing, Chin Hin Pok, Lau Vui Ching and me at an outing to one of the islands near KK. Right photo from left: Me, Lau Vui Ching, Jumaat, Edward, Ken Wong, Richard Liang (partially hidden) and Kok Yee Siang during break of a basketball match.

The autograph he penned at the end of Upper Sixth in 1971.