Down with polio at three and orphaned at five, Too Hing Huat sees hope in life as long as he can walk.
By Foong Pek Yee
At 82, Too Hing Huat still rides a tricycle and tends to his vegetables and fruit trees daily.
Having to support himself with a walking stick does not stop him from moving around and being productive.
A typical day for him revolves around his village – his vegetables and fruit trees, his home that double up as a sundry shop and the coffeeshop to meet up with friends.
Hing Huat from Raja Hitam New Village in Manjung, Perak says he sees hope in life as long as he can walk.
Never give up: Hing Huat’s life motto
Born in 1940 and growing up in a turbulent era, he learned survival at a very young age.
“I woke up one morning and cannot walk.
‘The day before I had fever .”
Hing Huat who regained his mobility but with a limp, has likened it to a new lease of life.
Youngest among nine siblings, they lost their mother during World War Two.
In 1945, Hing Huat ‘s ailing father who wanted to seek treatment in China wanted to take him along.
Barred from boarding the ship when they found him limping, his father went ahead, and that was the last time he saw him.
“Until today we don’t know if our father had arrived in China.”
Without formal education, Hing Huat took up odd jobs when he turned 13.
He was 16 when he landed a job at a Foochow pau shop in Ayer Tawar town.
It was at the shop that Hing Huat made some friends, including Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh, who is three years his junior.
“He (Dr Ting) used to ride a bicycle from his village and parked it at the back of the shop before taking a bus to his school in Sitiawan.
“We did chat a bit when he returned to get his bicycle after school,” Hing Huat recalls the good old days, and a friendship that has remained over the decades.
Hing Huat married Tin Chon Heong in 1968, and they returned to his village the following year to set up their Foochow pau shop and raised their five children – all sons who are aged between 52 and 41 now.
Old faithful: The tricycle that serves Hing Huat well over the decades
Choice location: Raja Hitam New Village is conducive for living and doing small business since the old days.
Community first : A well kept garden and playground for the villagers.
Education a priority: The village’s Chinese primary school SJKC Pei Min Kg Raja Hitam.
Hing Huat’s wife passed away about
eight years ago, shortly after the couple retired and closed down their pau business.
Two of his sons settled down in Johor, one in Singapore and one in Pantai Remis, Perak.
Hing Huat stays with his youngest son, Too Song Yee and his family in their shop house in the village.
Song Yee and his wife Joan Law have two children.
Orphaned at age 5, Hing Huat has come a long way.
“Three generations living under the same roof is a blessing.
” Due to my physical disability, I dare not think of marriage initially for fear of not being able to provide for my family.
“It is my wife who gave me the confidence that we can together raise our family.”
Perseverance runs in the family.
Song Yee, 41, works about 15 hours a day, six days a week running his sundry shop.
A typical day for him starts at 5.00am.
He will be in Ayer Tawar town, about 10 minutes drive from his village, to get fresh vegetables for sale in his shop.
His shop opens by sunrise and closed at 8.00pm daily.
Returning to his village from Singapore for good 12 years ago, Song Yee never looked back.
