A Tailor's Son (2E4 Xinyi's father)

    My father, Chiu Joon Fook was born in KK hospital on 28^th November 1963.We live in West Coast Drive, Hong Leong Garden Condominium. My father does not come from a wealthy family. He has five siblings. He was the second in his family. His elder brother, Chiu Yoon Keong  was born on 26^th February 1962 which was one year earlier than my father. His brother, Chiu Joon Loy was born on 15^th May 1965 which was the year Singapore became independent. Chiu Joon Hooe was born on 23^rd June 1966. His youngest sister, Chiu Bee Ling was born on 8^th April 1975.

    His father, Chiu Kee Fatt was a tailor in the past. He taught my father the trade and passed the business to him after his death on 26^th March 2000. His mother was a very capable housewife as she looked after a total of six children on her own without anyone’s help. They lived in Pasir Panjang, 5th milestone, #207, S’pore 5. My father’s life with his parents was excellent.

    During my father’s childhood, he often played marbles with his friends, “chapteh”, caught spiders, climbed trees and fish. He did not have any opportunity to visit other countries in the past as his family could not afford the fares. He once tried to steal durians from his neighbour and was scolded severely by an uncle which had a bald head so my father always called him “Mr. Bald Fogey”. In school, he was often bullied and teased by his classmates as he was so skinny and short. His discipline teacher was very strict and the punishment he gave was harsh. The students would be caned using belts and my father saw the person screaming till my father could not tolerate it. He saw blood splashing out and he had to grit his teeth. He studied at Pasir Panjang Road, 6th milestone which was near Haw par village at Hwa Kiow Primary school. My father ended his education at the age of twelve which is primary six, as his family could not afford his studies so he was ordered to help out in his father’s shop.

    Usually, when he was at home, he would cook for his family, wash toilets and look after the shop when his father went out for his meals. He could only manage to remember some of his primary school teachers. They were Mr Yang, Mr Ho, Mr Lim and Mdm Yang. He only studied four subjects at that time which were English, Mathematics, Science and Mother Tongue. Their education at that point of time was very different from ours. We have to study eight subjects whereas they only had to study four subjects. He had various CCAs. They were choir, basketball and table tennis.

He is a Taoist, he often prays at home or the ‘guanyin’ temple in Bugis. His family’s rules for his marriage ideal partner were very simple. If the ideal partner could cook and can endure hardships, then the ideal was suitable. My father held his wedding at 88 seafood restaurant in Pasir Panjang. To my father, their marriage was a grand wedding. He enjoyed that day very much and he will not forget that first kiss with my mother.

He does not hold a position in a committee or volunteer services. In the army, he was a storekeeper as he was too skinny and short at that time so the commander was prejudiced against him. But now things have changed a lot, my father has become a very strong and bold man as compared to the earlier days; there is really a big difference.

My father finds himself very fortunate to own a luxury home, car and have a family (the most important).My father finds family more important than anything in his life. He said that “if we cannot trust our family members then who can we trust?” He trusts us very much, he will never stop believing in us no matter what we have done wrong. He will try to negotiate and reason with us. Well, that’s him!

My mother and father are a loving couple. Even though they might bicker with one another sometimes, they still loved each other. He once quarrelled with my mother until she had to go back to her mother’s house (which is my grandmother’s house) over some small matters. But hours later, my father was so worried that my mother might have had gotten into difficulty so he  called all our relatives and friends to find out my mother’s whereabouts. This proved that my father was very concerned for my mother so she came back. My father was depressed over his father’s death in the year 2000. He did not sleep for 3 days as he could not accept his father’s death.

My father hobbies are swimming, cycling and racing. He loved to play basketball from young so he still loves it very much even as a grown-up. I find my father very unique as he just bursts into song, even if he is in the bathroom, toilet or even in public! He just sings out loud or hums.

He was born in 1963 so he did not go through WWII so he could not describe it to me. He feels that Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong is a very capable person. He was very impressed by what he has contributed to Singapore. My father was actually one of his fans. He felt that he is very proud to be a Singaporean as Singapore has good leaders.

Most of all, my father is very pleased that he is being interviewed as he hasn’t been interviewed before. 

                                                                        Xinyi (#05)