DAD'S DEATH ON 1 AUGUST 2016 WAS SADDEST DAY IN MY HAPPY LIFE

KEE@FSWMAG.COM
IF I CAN CHOOSE, IN A MILLION REINCARNATIONS OVER COUNTLESS KALPAS, I STILL WANT TO BE REBORN AS THE SON OF KEE NAI SENG, NOT AS CROWN PRINCE OF MIGHTY EMPEROR, KING, PRINCE OR POTENTATE.

MY FATHER KEE NAI SENG. AS MY MOTHER SAID, HE HAS GONE TO MEET PUTCHOR (HOKKIEN FOR BUDDHA) SO HE IS A BETTER REALM. BUT EASIER SAID THAN DONE AS WE STILL WEPT BUCKETS

 SIMPLE FUNERAL UNLIKE MY GRANDFATHER WHICH WAS SO COSTLY AND ELABORATE COMPLETE WITH STREET PROCESSION, STILT WALKERS AND PROFESSIONAL WEEPERS!

 MY FATHER'S ALTAR AT KELANTAN BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION

 MY FATHER DIED AGED 95 WHICH EXPLAINS WHY THE FLOWERS ARE ORANGE AND BRIGHTLY COLORED AND NOT WHITE AS HE WAS SO OLD. IF DAD HAD DIED AGED 100 THE FLOWERS WOULD BE BRIGHT RED!

 MY FATHER'S COFFIN OR 'GRAND MANSION' (TUA CHU IN HOKKIEN)

 I STOOD HERE FOR HOURS TO WEEP

 MY FATHER!

 SLEEP WELL PAPA

 SO PEACEFUL

 BUDDHA GRANTED MY WISH FOR HIM TO HAVE A PEACEFUL, PAINLESS, PERFECT DEATH

 DAD DIED IN HIS SLEEP. NO PAIN, NO SUFFERING ON HIS PART. NO SUFFERING OR WORRIES FOR MY MOTHER AND ME

 DUE TO BUDDHA'S BLESSINGS, DAD DIED IN HIS SLEEP, CAUSING HIS WIFE AND SON NO PAIN, FEAR OR WORRY.

 ONE DAY I WILL BE LIKE THIS ALSO

 PUTCHOR (HOKKIEN FOR BUDDHA) AND AVALOKITESVARA AND MANJUSRI

 BUDDHA AND GODDESS OF MERCY AND GODDESS WHO DISPELS IGNORANCE

 AS ONLY CHILD, I HAD TO SLEEP NEXT TO FATHER'S COFFIN ALONE FOR 2 NIGHTS FROM MONDAY 1 TO WEDNESDAY 3 AUGUST TO ACCOMPANY MY FATHER. I BEGGED HIM TO FORGIVE ME FOR NOT GIVING HIM A GRANDSON/DAUGHTER AND THAT I WOULD REPAY HIM IN MY NEXT LIFE

 MY BED ROOM FOR 2 NIGHTS. DAD DIED ON MY BED IN MY BEDROOM IN KOTA BARU AROUND 4 AM AS WHEN MUM TRIED TO WAKE HIM AROUND 6.45 AM HIS HANDS WERE ALREADY COLD

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE AND HIS FATHER'S ALTAR

 AS I FLEW IN FROM BANGKOK I HAD TO BORROW WHITE T-SHIRT AND BLACK PANTS FROM COUSIN KEE HUI PENG

 SADDEST TIME OF MY HAPPY LIFE

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE AND COUSIN FROM MOTHER'S SIDE RICHARD KOE

 RICHARD KOE, LUCY KOE AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE

 SON AND HIS PAPA

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE, MUM ANG SIEW SOH AND LUCY KOE

 WITH RICHARD KOE

 DESOLATE

 FIRST WREATH FROM GINTELL GROUP OF COMPANIES. THANKS SO MUCH ALY WONG, I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU AS YOUR GINTELL WREATH WAS FIRST TO ARRIVE

 DAD WENT TO SEE PUTCHOR AGED 95 SO HIS PHOTO WAS FRAMED WITH BRIGHT, HAPPY ORANGE FLOWERS

 NO LENGTHY HOSPITAL STAY, NO LIFE RESPIRATOR, NO PAIN BUT STILL INSANELY SAD FOR HIS WIFE ANG SIEW SOH AND ONLY CHILD DATO KEE HUA CHEE 

 KEE NAI SENG. A SMALLTIME BUSINESSMAN, NO BUSINESS EMPIRE, NOT AT ALL FAMOUS, NOT AN EXPERT IN ANYTHING, A MR EVERYMAN BUT I WOULD NOT CHANGE HIM FOR ANY OTHER FATHER

 IF I CAN CHOOSE, IN A MILLION REINCARNATIONS OVER ENDLESS KALPAS, I STILL WANT TO BE BORN AS HIS SON

 HAPPY HUED FLOWERS AS DAD LED SUCH A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE TILL 95. IF HE HAD REACHED 100 THE FLOWERS WOULD BE BRIGHT RED

 DAD PROMISED MUM HE WOULD LOOK AFTER HER WILL HE WAS 95 AND HE DID!

 DAD SAID IF HE REACHED HIS 96TH BIRTHDAY ON 8 SEPTEMBER 2016 HE WOULD LOOK AFTER HER TILL HE WAS 100

 BUT BUDDHA LOVED HIM AND WANTED HIM BACK

 DAD LOOKING SO PEACEFUL AS IF ASLEEP

 HE CAUSED NO ONE GRIEF IN LIFE AND SAME IN DEATH

 MY FATHER KEE NAI SENG THE BEST DAD IN THIS KALPA

 SLEEP WELL PAPA WE WILL MEET AGAIN

 ALL SAID HE LOOKED REMARKABLY YOUNG FOR A 95 YEAR OLD MAN

 DAD'S COMPLEXION STILL SO SMOOTH AND RELATIVELY UNLINED

 DAD HAS HARDLY ANY WRINKLES LIKE HIS SON

 DAD LED A PEACEFUL LIFE AND WAS REWARDED WITH PEACEFUL DEATH FOR HE DIED IN HIS SLEEP AFTER DINNER WITH MUM. HE ATE KOLO MEE, ORANGE AND APPLE AND TOLD MUM THE DINNER WAS DELICIOUS. THEN AROUND 10 PM ON SUNDAY NIGHT 31 JULY 2016 HE WENT TO SLEEP AND NEVER WOKE

 KELANTAN BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION BUILDING AT LEFT

 PRAY TO BUDDHA

 SIMPLE FUNERAL AS DAD OUTLIVED ALL HIS FRIENDS

 TUASOH WITH FRIENDS

 CHINESE LAYMEN AND WOMEN CHANTING BEFORE PICTURE OF BUDDHA AND BODDHISATTVAS IN MANDARIN

 WE HAD THAI MONKS CHANTING IN THAI EARLIER

 MY TUASOH (WIFE OF MY LATE COUSIN KEE HUI KANG), DATO KEE HUA CHEE, LUCY KOE AND MUM ANG SIEW SOH

 RELATIVES AND FRIENDS

 DESPAIR

 DESOLATE

 I WAS DAZED AND CONFUSED. THESE PHOTOS TAKEN BY COUSIN RICHARD KOE

 KEE HUA BOON AND HIS COUSIN DATO KEE HUA CHEE

 KEE HUA BOON AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE WERE PLAYMATES WHEN KIDS

 BUDDHA GRANTED MY WISH BY GRANTING MY FATHER A LONG, HAPPY, HEALTHY LIFE AND PEACEFUL, PAINLESS, PERFECT DEATH BY LETTING HIM PASS AWAY IN HIS SLEEP SO WHEN HE WOKE, HE WOULD BE IN HEAVEN WITH BUDDHA. SO THANK YOU BUDDHA

 MY COUSIN'S SON KEE HUA LIANG WHO ACCOMPANIED ME TILL 1 AM ON MY SECOND NIGHT SLEEPING NEXT TO MY FATHER'S COFFIN OR 'GRAND MANSION' (TUA CHU) AS THEY CALL IT IN HOKKIEN

 PICTURE OF DESPAIR

 NOTHING IS SADDER THAN LOSS OF A PARENT

 NOTHING MUCH MATTERED NOW

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE WITH LAST FAREWELL TO FATHER 

 TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY 3 AUGUST 2016) MY FATHER'S COFFIN WILL BE TAKEN TO CREMATORIUM AFTER FINAL RITES AT KELANTAN BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION IN KOTA BARU

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE AND HIS FATHER KEE NAI SENG

 SON AND FATHER TOGETHER

 MUM SELECTED THIS 'GRAND MANSION' (COFFIN) HERSELF

 2 BRO---KEE HUA HEANG AND KEE HUA BOON

 COUSINS OF DATO KEE HUA CHEE

 WITH KEE HUA LIANG AND FAMILY FRIEND FROM PASIR MAS

 MY COUSINS RICHARD KOE AND KEE HUI PENG

 RICHARD KOE AND KEE HUI PENG

 TAKING A SNOOZE BEFORE CARRYING OUT DUTIES

 IN DEEP SLUMBER FROM WHICH THEY WILL WAKE

 IN DEEP SLUMBER FROM WHICH HE WON'T WAKE!

 OFFERINGS TO MY DAD KEE NAI SENG

 MOURNERS

 DAD OUTLIVED ALL HIS CONTEMPORARIES AND FRIENDS!

 AFTER ME CAME MY MOTHER AS 'GEK KIM' (SILVER CURRENCY) IS PRESSED FROM FOREHEAD TO FEET BY AH SIANG THE UNDERTAKER

 MY MOTHER ANG SIEW SOH

 THE COFFIN COVER IS FULLY LIFTED

 LUCY KOE

 THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE WOULD SEE MY FATHER IN HUMAN FORM

 FOR HE WOULD SOON BE CREMATED

 FROM ASHES TO ASHES

 CLOSING AND NAILING OF MY FATHER'S COFFIN!

 DAD! FARE THEE WELL! WE WILL MEET AGAIN!

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE AND MUM ANG SIEW SOH HAD NO MORE TEARS LEFT

 LAST LOOK FROM GRIEF-STRICKEN SON AND WIFE

 YELLOW CLOTH WITH SACRED INCANTATIONS FOR A SAFE, SPEEDY PASSAGE

 RELATIVES PAY LAST RESPECTS

 RICHARD KOE AND SIS LUCY KOE

 BOWING TO MY FATHER KEE NAI SENG

 ONLY COFFIN LEFT NOW

 MAY BUDDHA AND KUANYIN TAKE CARE OF MY FATHER!

 I LOVE MY PAPA SO MUCH!

 VAN TO CARRY THE GRAND MANSION

 SOME WORKERS ARE MALAY MUSLIMS AS WE LIVE IN HARMONY HERE

 MY FATHER INSIDE THE COFFIN!

 ENTERING THE HEARSE

 I SAT IN FRONT WITH DRIVER WHO WAS MALAY MUSLIM WHO DID NOT MIND LISTENING TO BUDDHIST CHANTING FROM CD WHICH PLAYED NONSTOP FROM KOTA BARU TO KAMPUNG DALAM WHERE THE CREMATORIUM WAS LOCATED

 SIANG LEONG PROVIDED FUNERAL SERVICES AND LAST RITES

 I CRIED TILL MY LEFT CONTACT LENS FELL OUT OF MY EYE AND DID NOT REALISE IT TILL I WANTED REMOVE THEM TO SLEEP

 I ALMOST PULLED MY LEFT EYEBALL OUT BEFORE REALISING THERE WAS NO CONTACT LENS INSIDE

 PICTURE OF SORROW

 DRAINED, BLURRED AND CONFUSED

 EXHAUSTED

 A MIRACLE! I THREW THIS 'GEK KIM' PAPER OUT OF WINDOW GAP ABOUT AN INCH LIKE I DID 2 PREVIOUS PAPERS. THIS TIME, IT SLID SLOWLY BEFORE MY ASTOUNDED EYES FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, NEATLY ENTERING THE TINY SLIT AND STAYED THERE INSTEAD OF FLYING OFF! I STARED AND OGLED IN DISBELIEF AND THEN THE TOP END FLAPPED A LITTLE AS IF MY FATHER WAS SAYING GOODBYE TO ME BEFORE IT TOOK FLIGHT AND WAS BLOWN AWAY! I KNEW THEN MY DAD WAS BIDING FAREWELL TO ME WHICH COMFORTED ME SO MUCH. MUM SAW A BROWN BUTTERLY AROUND 6.45 AM AT HOME WHILE EATING BREAKFAST AND KNEW IT WAS HER HUSBAND! THE BUTTERFLY APPEARED MIRACULOUSLY ATOP KITCHEN DOOR BEFORE FLYING IN CIRCLES THRICE. MUM CALLED OUT, "SENG, I KNOW IT'S YOU! THANK YOU FOR COMING HOME'. SHE WENT TO WASH HER HANDS, TURNED AND THE BUTTERFLY WAS GONE.

 WAT CHONPRA CHUMTAT CREMATORIUM

 MY FATHER'S COFFIN ENROUTE TO FURNACE!

 I WAS GRIEF STRICKEN AS I KNEW DAD IN HUMAN FORM WOULD BE BURNED INTO ASHES AND BONE FRAGMENTS!

 FINAL PRAYERS

 I ALMOST FAINTED WHEN I SAW THIS! MY FATHER ENTERING FURNACE IN HUMAN FORM TO EMERGE AS ASHES

FROM ASHES TO ASHES! I FELT MY HEART WAS SPLINTERING INTO ASHES TOO! DAD I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. MAY YOU ENTER NIRVANA AND BE PART OF BUDDHAHOOD OR ENTER A BLESSED REALM OR BE REBORN SPEEDILY INTO ANOTHER GOOD PERSON! ONE DAY I TOO WILL BE INSIDE SUCH A COFFIN AND WE THREE WILL BE REUNITED AGAIN!