Another Empty Seat in Our Class

There’s a certain stage in life when our reunions and conversations become less about plans for the future and more about memories of the past - and, too often, farewells. School friendships, once filled with chatter about exams, sports, and youthful ambitions, now carry the weight of decades lived, and of lives gradually drawing to their close.

Lately, I’ve noticed a shift in the tone of my postings - more often than before, they’ve become farewells to friends, classmates, and acquaintances. Sadly, this is inevitable. Many of my peers are now in their seventies, already at or beyond Malaysia’s current average life expectancy of 75.2 years.

On 13.08.2025, a message appeared in our High School Class WhatsApp Chat Group: our former classmate, Richard Chua, had passed away on 10.08.2025.

Richard and I shared the entire journey of high school together at Lok Yuk Secondary School - from Form 1 in 1965 right through to Form 5 in 1969. In the early years, from January 1965 until mid-1966, our lessons were held at the old school premises on Signal Hill. In August 1966, we moved to the new campus along Jalan Teluk Likas. The old school premises, steeped in memories, have since been transformed into the Sabah Theological Seminary.

As a student, Richard stood out - not only for his academic ability but also for his natural leadership. In 1969, he was appointed Deputy Chief Minister of the School Council, a role that suited his steady and responsible nature.

After leaving school, Richard’s career path was as varied as it was interesting. He worked with trading companies dealing in veterinary products and agricultural tractors, and even ventured into breeding guard dogs. Eventually, he turned to vegetarian food marketing - a step that marked his gradual transition into a vegetarian lifestyle. In time, he became, as one classmate put it, “a diehard vegetarian.”

In 2006, Richard suffered a serious stroke that left him wheelchair-bound and made speech difficult. In 2019, when a classmate who has migrated to Hong Kong returned for holidays, several of us visited him (Read here). That was the last time I saw him. His speech was slurred and hard to follow.

On the afternoon I received news of his passing, three other former classmates and I gathered at the funeral parlour to pay our final respects. From his wife, I learned more about the long battle he had endured. Richard had lived with the effects of that stroke for 19 years - nearly two decades confined to a wheelchair, unable to move independently, and struggling to communicate. It was a grueling journey, endured with quiet strength. Equally moving was the steadfast devotion of his family, who stood by him through every challenge, ensuring he faced those years with dignity and love.

Now, another familiar face from our class has gone - but the memories remain: his smile, his spirit, and the echoes of our youth, carried in the hearts of all who knew him.

11.09.1948 - 10.08.2025

With Richard's wife at the funeral parlour on 13.08.2025.

From left: Johnny Loo, Peter Tan, me and Eddie Chow.

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With Richard's passing, it feels only natural to leaf through old photographs, revisiting the moments and laughter we once shared. They bring back the warmth of friendships and the joy of those bygone days, now etched forever in memory.

Colourized photo.

An old photograph taken in 1965 (Form 1) during class recess at the old school in Signal Hill. Back then, students often lingered along the corridor just outside the Chapel. In the picture, Richard stands second from left while I am beside him at his left.

Colourized photo.

An old photograph from 1967, taken when we were in Form 3 at the new school in Likas. Standing at the rear, Richard is fourth from the left, Peter Tan is fourth from the right, Eddie Chow is fifth from right while I am at the far left. In the front row, Peter Loo is second from the right.

An abstract of the first publication of School Magazine in 1969, "The Hornbill".