The Chong's Visit to YLCO 'Museum of Families' - Descendants of General Lam To-Kai

The Chong's. Seated Chong Cheong Wah, l/r Monica Chong, Amy Chong, Bonnie Chong, Edwin Chong and Alex Chong

The visit of the descendants of General Lam To-Kai to YLCO museum was to be normal visit. The descendants led by Alex Chong had a year ago applied to Ignatius Chew to be given a space in the museum to display the exhibits of Dr Wu Lien- Teh a descendant of General Lam To-Kai. This would be an extension of the museums function under the segment ‘Museum of Families’.

Alex came with his uncle Chong Cheong Wah and his family. Alex and his descendants, a day earlier, launched the ‘Dr Wu Lien-Teh and General Lam To Kai Heritage Organisation’.  Uncle Chong 90+ years generally did not speak much. He was a former police officer in the Special Branch during the communist Emergency years, a prime candidate for Professor Gary Lit, a WWII historian for an interview.  

..it was normal YLCO visit posing with the clan photos ......

It was a normal visit viewing what YLCO was about and posing with photos of the YLCO clan. Uncle Chong mentioned that he knew Yeoh Ghim Cheow of Kinta Rubber Works and also Yeoh Ghim Leong was his classmate at St Michaels School in the 50's. Ghim Leong is a close YLCO relative now living overseas. 

Yeoh Lam Swee shows uncle Chong his grandfather Yeoh Ghim Cheow

.. Agnes showed uncle Chong a photo of Yeoh Ghim Leong his classmate .....

After that revelation uncle Chong seemed to open up and spoke a bit more. Later he revealed that he knew everyone at Ban Hoe Seng Belfield Street, described Chew Choon Siew as a big sized man and Chew Choon Kok the one who sat upstairs. He also knew the 2^nd generation Yeohs and enjoyed sharing a drink with Yeoh Kian Hin and Yeoh Kian Teik. The energy in the room was charged when he enquired about Yeoh Oon Kok to which Agnes responded that Oon Kok was ill.

Uncle Chong knew the 2nd gereration Yeoh brothers and Yeoh Oon Kok 

It all became clear that a mention of a particular time could trigger a memory of a specific time and inspire one to participate in storytelling at that date. Probably that will be the role of the Museum of Families-inspiring descendants to remember their yester years.  

JAG