A CHILDHOOD FRIEND
February 15, 2021
by Garry Loh
In the mid sixties, some 54 years ago, my late father enrolled me with St.Xavier's Branch School at Jalan Brother James, Pulau Tikus.
Back then, I did not have many friends until I met my fellow classmates from this primary school, many of whom are from Pulau Tikus area. Among my new found friends was a slim, fair and petite boy with a built-in smile and charismatic character.
His name is Kam Keng Leong and we fondly call him Keng Leong.
Our friendship developed quickly along with the others namely Boon Hor @ Lau Hor, Maung Gyi @ Bandit Maung, Boo Beng @ Rojak, Chee Pok Eng, Teoh Seng Poh @ The Boss (deceased) and a handful others, and we became very close friends.
Being young and adventurous, We would regularly hike up Cliff Hill at youth park and spend a whole Saturday morning up there.
A day can hardly pass by without going for bicycle rides to Gurney Drive, Scott rd, Midlands Park and Adventist area and Keng Leong will always be there riding alongside us with his racer bicycle.
We played football at Scott Road field and Brother's College in Kalawei Rd as well as College Square. We quench our thirst by drinking tap water shared from a garden faucet.
During his teenage years, Keng Leong lived with his parents and sisters in a shophouse selling/repairing electrical appliances located opposite the Pulau Tikus police station.
We spent our school holidays and weekends playing badminton on a makeshift court which we improvised on an unused road at Gerbang Midlands. For the record, Keng Leong was one of the best players in our team with the ability to execute very sharp drop shots, hence earning him his nickname sharp.
In the evenings, we used to gather at my neighbour's carpenter workshop @ our Kampung (opposite CPT) along Lebuh Raya Maktab or known as College Avenue during those days.
We sat on piles of wooden planks for jam sessions and sang an endless repertoire of songs from Lobo, Bee Gees to Rod Steward. Freddie Aguila's top hit song Child, Glen Cambell's Rhinestone Cowboy and Freddy Fender's Before the next teardrop can be heard in repetition several times a night but Paul Mc Cartney's "Band On the Run" was our all-time favourite. Keng Leong was musically talented and played the guitar with ease and sings like a pro.
On Tues and Thursday evenings, We would cycle from Pulau Tikus to the Hock Chew Association at Argyll Rd to attend Sao Lim martial art classes. At that point of time, Keng Leong was at a different level in martial arts by being a team member of the Hock Chew Association dragon dance troupe. I can fondly reminisce how we used to treat ourselves to Swatow Lane Ice Kacang while enjoying a few games of billiards & table football while heading home after martial arts practice sessions.
Around 1977, we went seperate ways to pursue our respective careers and lost contact indefinitely until recently.
I managed to reconnect with some of the lads via social media through which I learned about Keng Leong's passing.
The devastating news left me in shock, disbelief and heartbroken.
May these memories of Vincent Kam Keng Leong remain in our hearts forever.
My dear friend Keng Leong. I will always cherish our friendship and till we meet again...Rest In Peace
Lots Of Love...Your Childhood Friend & Brother.
Back then, I did not have many friends until I met my fellow classmates from this primary school, many of whom are from Pulau Tikus area. Among my new found friends was a slim, fair and petite boy with a built-in smile and charismatic character.
His name is Kam Keng Leong and we fondly call him Keng Leong.
Our friendship developed quickly along with the others namely Boon Hor @ Lau Hor, Maung Gyi @ Bandit Maung, Boo Beng @ Rojak, Chee Pok Eng, Teoh Seng Poh @ The Boss (deceased) and a handful others, and we became very close friends.
Being young and adventurous, We would regularly hike up Cliff Hill at youth park and spend a whole Saturday morning up there.
A day can hardly pass by without going for bicycle rides to Gurney Drive, Scott rd, Midlands Park and Adventist area and Keng Leong will always be there riding alongside us with his racer bicycle.
We played football at Scott Road field and Brother's College in Kalawei Rd as well as College Square. We quench our thirst by drinking tap water shared from a garden faucet.
During his teenage years, Keng Leong lived with his parents and sisters in a shophouse selling/repairing electrical appliances located opposite the Pulau Tikus police station.
We spent our school holidays and weekends playing badminton on a makeshift court which we improvised on an unused road at Gerbang Midlands. For the record, Keng Leong was one of the best players in our team with the ability to execute very sharp drop shots, hence earning him his nickname sharp.
In the evenings, we used to gather at my neighbour's carpenter workshop @ our Kampung (opposite CPT) along Lebuh Raya Maktab or known as College Avenue during those days.
We sat on piles of wooden planks for jam sessions and sang an endless repertoire of songs from Lobo, Bee Gees to Rod Steward. Freddie Aguila's top hit song Child, Glen Cambell's Rhinestone Cowboy and Freddy Fender's Before the next teardrop can be heard in repetition several times a night but Paul Mc Cartney's "Band On the Run" was our all-time favourite. Keng Leong was musically talented and played the guitar with ease and sings like a pro.
On Tues and Thursday evenings, We would cycle from Pulau Tikus to the Hock Chew Association at Argyll Rd to attend Sao Lim martial art classes. At that point of time, Keng Leong was at a different level in martial arts by being a team member of the Hock Chew Association dragon dance troupe. I can fondly reminisce how we used to treat ourselves to Swatow Lane Ice Kacang while enjoying a few games of billiards & table football while heading home after martial arts practice sessions.
Around 1977, we went seperate ways to pursue our respective careers and lost contact indefinitely until recently.
I managed to reconnect with some of the lads via social media through which I learned about Keng Leong's passing.
The devastating news left me in shock, disbelief and heartbroken.
May these memories of Vincent Kam Keng Leong remain in our hearts forever.
My dear friend Keng Leong. I will always cherish our friendship and till we meet again...Rest In Peace
Lots Of Love...Your Childhood Friend & Brother.