Happy Father's Day 2015

What is the best gift a Dad ever give?

My dad is one who would put family first especially me. His life has always been very hard because he is a migrant from Malaysia. When he met my mom in Singapore, he knows, she is the one. He was a Malaysian and for more time to see my mom, he leaves his hometown and came to Singapore. He knew at that time, to marry a Singaporean, he must be a Singapore Citizen. And to be a Singapore Citizen, he has to serve the National Service. He signed up as a small post with the Army. He went through thick and thin and finally he got the Citizenship and marries my Mom. My mom marries my dad even at the disapproval of my grandfather. Over many years in marriage, my grandfather gave in to him seeing how happy his daughter is being married to my father.

When I was borned, he save everything he has and eat nothing but porridge with soy sauce everyday. All for the hospital fees and milk powder. He saves up for a better house, a school fee in future and walk rather than taking bus to save that few cents worth of fare even though the 2 hours walk can be accomplished with a 30 minutes bus ride. One day, he took up smoking under influence of his friend. When I learnt the harmful effect of smoking, I encourage him to stop smoking but the addiction of nicotine is too strong for him. He decided to quit when I keep coughing whenever he smoke. He quit but he continues to use the money that he buy the cigarettes and kept away from us. We never know about this habit.

When he suddenly passed on due to an accident, My mom and I were caught totally unprepared. I was 3 months away from my Polytechnic graduation. His funeral is a short and simple, He has prepared a nice looking shirt for the ceremony many months ahead and it became his funeral shirt instead of something he wears for a grand event. He have put me through Primary, Secondary, ITE, and the final stage, Polytechnic always saying I must learn as much skill as I can in school and he is willing to pay for it. He did not see me graduate. His greatest investment is in me but he did not managed to live long enough to see that. His cigarette money was recovered after his death hidden from us, the school fee for University and my future marriage ceremony. He had planned this when I was young and know it was a vast amount and saves all these years. He has been saving up his cigarette money everyday, eating simple and stays home with my mom, went out to look for cheap and good place for my birthday celebration. After his death, my mom does not go out as often anymore. She is afraid to go outside because he had brought her to many wonderful places when he is alive and these brings back the sad memories if she revisit the places again. His greatest gift for her, a wonderful time together and shown her wonderful places. For me, a very worthy advise of learning because he is illiterate, He wants me to be what I want to be and not what he wants me to be. Today, I am multi skill in every area. This is his fruit of labor. Although he is gone for more than 10 years, we always put one more seat on father’s day every year as a remembrance to him, feeling he is beside us as always, at his favorite restaurant Bealieu House that is located in Sembawang Park every year.

His greatest gift: Unconditional Devotion Love as a father to a family.

Happy Father’s Day to my Dad.