A Man in A Million

Photo of papa, Kam Beng Soo, taken when he was 62 years old.


I am very grateful to the Creator for having given me the most wonderful papa. Indeed to me, he is a man in a million.

Although papa did not have the opportunity to study music, he taught himself to play over twenty musical instruments. His specialty was the saxophone and clarinet. He was also able to arrange music for his bands in the Nightingale Melodians which often performed in concerts that helped to raise funds for charities. Papa also worked part time in the nightclub where he was the bandmaster. Despite his busy schedules, he still found time to give free music lessons to the poor children in our Jelutong village. Papa liked to spread joy through music. His favourite words, "Music has power!" It is this power that had moved the hearts of street urchins who gradually became disciplined. Papa's passion as a teacher had imbued them with a new purpose and direction. Some of papa's students later became professional musicians. Papa shared how exasperated he was with my eldest brother, Kee Yong, who was constantly playing and fighting with the village children. He was afraid eldest brother would be a bad example to his younger siblings. Papa bought him a violin, and brother loved the violin so much that he became disciplined and practised his violin several hours a day!

I remember once we were heading back to Penang from Singapore. In the train, we met a group of 40 boy scouts with their Scoutsmaster from Brunei. They were heading for one week of Jambouree in Penang. Seeing that the boys were playing their guitars, papa also took out his clarinet and played with them. My parents invited them to our humble attap house for lunch. Mom was a good cook, and I was pleasantly surprised when one of the boys apologised, "We thought your papa must be a very rich man to invite 40 hungry boys for lunch in his big bungalow! I live in a three storey bungalow in Brunei, but I would certainly like to trade places with you. Dad earns a lot but I hardly see him.... he's always away on business trips." I felt ten feet tall that moment!

Papa never believed in corporal punishment. He preferred to reason with his children and students. He detested sending errant students to the principal for caning; he preferred to counsel them.

Our humble home always had many visitors as people loved to visit our family. Though we were not rich, my parents were always very hospitable. Papa was very entertaining and made everyone roar with laughter with his jokes and mimicry. Once we were having a picnic at Tanjung Bungah Beach. We met a French lady who was travelling on a shoe string budget. My parents just invited her to stay with us for a few days.

Although papa was very busy, yet he found time to sometimes cook us special meals. He always encouraged me to read and write. He never pressurised us in our studies or performance. He always advised us to try our best for whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well.

Even though, papa taught Chinese in a primary school, he was quite Westernised and modern in his thinking. Mama always said that primary school education would be sufficient for her three daughters; but papa argued that if education was important frr his sons, it would be even more important for his daughters, for should they end up with lousy husbands, they could still help to work and provide for the family!

I can write very long essays and perhaps even a book on papa, but due to blog constraint, I will conclude with the most memorable and wise words that papa had given us. He said, "I will not be able to leave my children with lots of money and properties, but I will give them the best love a father can give, so that they will grow up confident and secure. As an earthly father, I can only do so much, and if I love my children, the Heavely Father loves them even more, and He will be the one to bless my precious offsprings". People say that a good man will have his 3 generations greatly blessed. Indeed we have been blessed. If papa knew that all his 12 grandchildren are doing very well, and that his grand-daughter, Kam Ning, has now become a world class violinist, he would be very proud.

It has been 34 years since papa passed away, but the scene at the funeral wake is still vivid. People from all walks of life came to pay their respects from trishaw men to millionaires and ministers. It was quite moving to see burly gangsters weeping unabashedly and I was told that the late Mr. G.K. Tan, the Commissioner of Police, was one of the pall-bearers. Papa always advised us, "There's no need to look down or look up to a man. We are all equally loved by God". Truly, papa was the pillar of our family and his love and compassion remain etched in our hearts and in the memory of all those who know him.

Wishing all my friends, associates, colleagues and clients a "Happy and Blessed Father's Day".

Ganchau:-)