“We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.” – Unknown
A FEW days, I have been in Kuala Lumpur, busy reconnecting with some of my former classmates from the Class of 1970 at SUDC Primary School No. 4 in Sibu.
Since SUDC Primary School No. 4 was a co-ed school, I had been interacting with both male and female friends and hearing about their lives.
The Class of 1970 reunion was made possible by a former classmate, former journalist turned billionaire, Tan Sri Clement Hii Chii Kok.
“We used to meet at reunions in Sarawak. I thought getting together outside the state would be something special,” he explained to me.
Besides the Class of 1970 from SUDC Primary School No. 4, the generous billionaire had also gathered, at the same time, his former classmates from the Class of 1975 at Sacred Heart Secondary School in Sibu.
“I am gathering former classmates to talk about old times and get to know each other better.
“It is good to meet up with friends we have not seen for 50 to 55 years. It is one way of recalling what we did and what we did not do when young.
“It is also a good time to pause and assess how far we have come in life and where we came from,” Hii added.
The Class of 1970 and the Class of 1975 had been busy since their arrival in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
That afternoon, they attended a talk and discussions on ‘Graceful & Productive Retirement’ by professors after touring the SEGi University campus at Damansara.
Hii, who is the founder and managing director of SEGi University & Colleges, said, “Since I’m gathering classmates who are old and retired, I thought it would be a good idea to have academicians share ideas on how to make their retirement more dignified and purposeful.”
On Friday, the Class of 1970 and the Class of 1975 visited HCK Tower and were treated to a sumptuous lunch there.
The 42-storey tower is owned by the HCK Capital Group led by Hii.
“I brought my friends to my place of work to show them that even though we’re past 60, we can still be active in business and contribute to the country’s economy.
“Malaysians should also get out of their comfort zone and come to Peninsular Malaysia as way of integrating and diversifying interest.
“Do not be fearful of competition. Adjust and expand the scope of business within Malaysia itself,” he said.
The billionaire, who has two daughters, a son and seven grandchildren, admitted, with a laugh, to be “somebody who is dreaming of retiring”.
However, he said, “All my businesses are of equal importance. The secret of my businesses is to try and go into new frontiers.”
Despite his busy schedule, Hii took his former primary and secondary classmates to Pulau Ketam, an island located off the coast of Port Klang, Selangor, on Friday afternoon.
Their mode of transport was ‘Lady Phoebe’, Hii’s beloved yacht. There, he treated his old friends to a sumptuous seafood dinner.
Yesterday, the Class of 1970 and the Class of 1975 travelled to Genting Highlands to have breakfast at Gohtong Jaya, a satellite town there.
In the evening, they dropped by HiiChiiKok Children Home in Kuala Lumpur. Named after Hii, it provides food, shelter and education to over 30 underprivileged children.
The reunions for the Class of 1970 and the Class of 1975 in Kuala Lumpur ended last night with a memorable durian feast at a durian outlet.
For Ngu Kee King, who belonged to both the Class of 1970 and Class of 1975, the trip to Kuala Lumpur and meeting his old classmates felt like he was in a dream.
“It’s almost unreal and oh, so nice. Apart from free food, transport and accommodation, et-cetera, it is so nice to meet each other again, sharing our childhood memories and knowing our outlook in life is so similar,” said the retired instrumentation engineer.
Bernardine Chieng Siu Hee, a housewife who belonged to the Class of 1970, was happy to reconnect with Tan Sri Clement Hii and Lee Ching Kheng.
“I am greatly touched by Tan Sri Hii’s kind and generous gesture of reaching out to us to reconnect for old time’s sake. It is truly wonderful.
“I enjoy the trip and it is a great opportunity to be introduced to the great corporate empire our dear classmate HCK built,” added the mother of three.
Meanwhile, Datin Lucy Lau, a businesswoman, said it was good to meet members of the Class of 1970, Lee Ching Kheng and Tan Sri Clement Hii Chii Kok, after 55 years.
Like the others, she also enjoyed the reunion in Kuala Lumpur.
