My grandpa was diagnosed with nose cancer about a few months ago, and completed his chemo and radiotherapy treatment regimen. However, he remained very weak after, and was unable to completely recover from the physical stresses of the treatments.
Affectionately known as gong gong to me and all of his grandchildren, he passed away peacefully earlier this week. He was 75 years old.
The entire incident took me completely by surprise, as he was one of the fittest and active old men that I knew. Gong gong has been staying in Terengganu alone with my grandma for as long as I can remember, tending to the house, and his plantations there. Just earlier this year, I was up in Terengganu with him, accompanying him to look for a skin doctor as he got sunburnt from tending to his plantation. He was perfectly fit and healthy at the time. Life can be so awfully fleeting sometimes.. 
I have many fond memories of the village there, as I travel back every Chinese New Year without fail ever since I was born. It was about the most peaceful, laidback place you could imagine. In the earlier days, there wasn’t even a proper plumbing system and water had to be taken from a well.
I remember fishing and swimming in the rivers, running around and playing with dragonflies, getting burnt by fireworks, drinking gong gong’s coffee and eating my grandma’s Hainanese chicken rice every year.
Playing together at the Kemasik Beach
But as time passes, things change, and almost never for the better. The well had to be closed as the water became contaminated, rivers became unswimmable due to pollution and sedimentation, more and more people moved out of the village, and age eventually caught up with everything else..
Grandpa carrying me when I was barely 2 years old..
He was one of the kindest and nicest grandfathers anyone could have, always enquiring after my well being, and never sitting down to eat until he was sure everyone else had eaten. Among the last words he ever spoke to me, was to ask me to find a good gf/wife, and to eat more. My only regret, as the eldest grandson in the family, was not being able to give him a great grandchild to play with.
Gong gong, you will be sorely missed…
P.S. : Smoking KILLS - in more ways than one. Even when it doesn’t cause cancer, it still creates a whole load of other complications when your time comes.. Friends of mine, I IMPLORE you to stop before its too late. It’s one of the most pointless and worst vices anyone could have.
P.S.S : My deepest apologies to Ebrahim and Khai for not being able to attend their upcoming weddings. As a sign of respect for the departed, I will be following a customary 100 day mourning period according to Chinese tradition.. (it isn’t merely superstition people..)
