Family Story #1 - About my father Part 3

My Dad's 60th birthday, one month before he passed away 1976.

My dad had many friends and a few of them in "high" places. Among them were the Perak Menteri Besar those days, late Ghazali Jawi, one of his doctor schoolmate was the Director of Health Department and another a Director of Education Dept. I remember them because I followed dad to visit them on a few occasions. Dad's other friends that I remember were some Chinese and Indian shopkeepers. It was during some Chinese New Year visits that I saw my dad drank beer (he whispered to me "Don't tell your mom") but those were the times before he did his Hajj. Among his HA colleagues, I remember two - Mohd Isa and Thambyrajah.
My dad went to Mecca for his Hajj with the Tabung Haji Medical Mission in 1971. Those days, people went to Mecca on ships whether from Penang or from Port Klang. There were two ships chartered from a Hong Kong shipping company - the Malaysia Kita and Malaysia Raya (my mom went for her hajj in 1972).
For some years, after my father finally bought our house in Asamkumbang, he could not own a car. Dad only rode a Honda motor-cycle. The Honda motorbike was a 55 or 65 perhaps. So, how did I go to school in those days? I remember during my kindergarten, I rode a trishaw - "powered' by Pak Kassim and Pak Hassan. Pak Kassim passed away quite early but I once met Pak Hassan in my early years of working when he drove a taxi.
Early primary school years, I rode a neighbour's car driven by Chor Esah. She used to sent me together with her kids to school (Chor Esah was a widower. Her husband was a Captain Shukor who died in a Communist terrorist ambush in Pahang during The Emergency).
For several years, I rode a school bus and Form Two onwards, I rode my own bicycle right up to Form 5.
I remember my father bought a Fiat 128 in 1971 and upgraded to a Fiat 124ST in 1973 (That Fiat 124ST was handed down to me as my first car later).
One incident I got to share with you here. My dad was caught in a speed trap in the Kampar district while on a return trip from KL to Taiping. Those were the days of local trunk roads (no PLUS highways). The speed limit of JKR roads was 60 MPH and my dad must have exceeded that limit somewhere between Tapah to Kampar. The fine then was a RM10 per 1 MPH that you had exceeded. So, if the speed reached 70 MPH, 70-60=10x10=RM100. Poor dad. Back then, all fines can only be settled at the Police District concerned within 14 days and that incident being a Sunday, dad had to go back to Kampar later to pay his fine.
By the time father reached retirement, I was the only one left still schooling. So, on many a Saturdays, my dad would take me out together with him on his errands. Remember, those were the days when offices were opened half-days on Saturdays. On many occasions we would stop for tea and cakes at Yut Sun Restaurant. Sometimes he would treat me a beef or chicken chop. Since my mom was a regular home-maker, my dad would treat all of us for dinner at the Casual Market once a month.
Quite many times, my dad would also pickup his best friend, Thambyrajah, out for tea at the Yut Sun's (I would meet one of Thambyrajah's son, many years later at work - Dorasingam).
Dad did not live long. You see, dad had diabetes late in his employment which was under control with medication. While in retirement, he had a heart condition. His first heart attack happened one night but was saved because the ambulance took him to hospital in time. In th 1970's, heart medication and technology were not so good, unlike today with baloons, stents and better medicines.
My dad died of a severe heart attack while being treated at Hospital University KL in 1976. His remains was brought back to Taiping for burial. Many people turned up for his funeral and they were of all races. Other than family relatives, there were people from his old hospital staff, the Prisons Dept, Police and some Chinese shopkeepers. The sadest sight I remember was Uncle Thambyrajah, my dad's best friend. He had lots of tears when he visited my father for the last time (I paid my respects to Uncle Thambyrajah when he passed away some two years later).

So, that was my dad. He was only an ordinary Hospital Assistant but somehow, he had touched many people's lives. I was a boy of 15 when he died. Many of his friends came up to me told me to have patience and strong for my mother. So, what was my dad to these many people? They told me my dad (Mohamed bin Hussein) was good.