REMEMBERING THE LESS FORTUNATE DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON

Saturday February 13, 2010
Single mums stand tall at reunion
By YIP YOKE TENG
Photos by SIA HONG KIAU

teng@thestar.com.my

THE reunion dinner is the most important meal of the year for the Chinese, and it should be a happy, heart-warming occasion with every one in the family coming together to celebrate the bond they share.

However, the occasion may be tinged with sadness for some families, in which some members are absent for one reason or another.

Still, the fact that they were from “incomplete” families did not stop 220 single parents and their children from revelling in a reunion dinner organised by Persatuan Rumah Caring Kajang at Fortuna Palace Restaurant in Kajang on Monday, alongside 20 old folks and 90 former drug addicts.

The single mothers kept their chins up, having embraced independence, and stood proud as their children, despite having had to endure pain and hardship in their growing years, had passed their examinations with flying colours or excelled in their career.

Thanks, mum!: Hiew Yoke Kuan (left) and Fu Xiang sharing Chinese New Year dishes with Liew at the reunion dinner

The hard work of 12 children who had scored straight As in the UPSR and PMR exams was recognised when they received awards from Kajang assemblyman Lee Kim Sin.

Among them were Hiew Yoke Kuan, 17, and her 12-year-old brother Fu Xiang, who had scored eight and seven As in their PMR and UPSR examinations respectively.

Nine years ago, their father succumbed to illness on the third day of Chinese New Year, leaving their mother Lim Mee Hua, 50, to fend for the family by ferrying children to school and making cakes.

Lim was thankful that she had a driving licence, which allowed her to eke out a living while keeping a watchful eye on her children.

Cherish the moment: Tan playing with her grandchild Looi Rui while Looi and his wife Tang Yi share the warm moment during the dinner

Two years ago, she started taking part in activities organised by the association and established close ties with its members.

“The Chinese New Year and reunion dinner used to remind me of the poignant moments of losing my husband, but now, these occasions fuel my spirit to brave the challenges ahead,” she said.

Another single mother, Tan Teaw Sim, 64, was all smiles at the reunion dinner, which she attended with her son Looi Joo Koon, 39, daughter-in-law Tang Yi, 39, and her four-year-old granddaughter Looi Rui.

When her husband left her, Tan took up to four jobs to raise Looi, who was then only seven years old.

A doctor now, Looi recalled helping his mother at a food kiosk and working part-time to earn tuition fees when pursuing his medical degree in China.

“The opportunities are out there and every one has an equal chance to taste success, so don’t be disheartened,” he told the children present.

He said the reunion dinner should not be the only occasion in the year to show love to one’s parents. “Find time to chat with them as often as possible; it will be good enough.”

Lim Mian Loong, 21, who amazed those around him with his excellent score of 3.97 out of 4 points in the first year of his accountancy degree at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, cherishes the reunion dinner as an occasion to thank his mother, Ong Lian Hiang, 51, who had raised him single-handedly since he was five, working in a restaurant.

Lim, who juggled his school work with part-time jobs, said it was time for his mother to enjoy life while he took over the role of breadwinner.

The festive mood was intense as the participants tossed yee sang, tucked into Chinese New Year dishes and were entertained by a world champion harmonica ensemble.

Residents from Caring Old Folks Home danced gleefully to the music while residents of six drug rehabilitation centres in Cheras and Kajang praised God in song.

Lee also penned chun lian (Chinese New Year couplets) on the spot and gave them to those present.

The association’s founder, Wendy Yap, said dedicating more than a decade to helping single mothers had proven rewarding.

“We believe helping single mothers is not just about giving them money and provisions; we must also make sure they can eventually live an independent life and, most importantly, their children grow up to be useful persons,” she said, thanking the 10 donors and sponsors who had made the reunion dinner a success.

“It is great that the children understand that only education can pull their families out of poverty and bring about a better life.

“Their mothers have done a great job in guiding them, despite the hardship they have had to bear,” she added.