GEORGE TOWN: In life, Choi Hon Ming often dressed up as a clown to spread laughter and cheer among children. In death, fittingly enough, his casket will be accompanied by people dressed as clowns.
The funeral of the 32-year-old, one of three people killed in a shooting rampage on Thursday, will also see 32 helium-filled balloons released, marking his age and as tribute to all the good deeds in his life.
For his was a life his 75-year-old father, Wee Hong, and sister, Poh Peng, 37, described as filled with good deeds.
At Hon Ming’s wake at the Batu Gantung funeral parlour yesterday, Poh Peng was subdued. Wee Hong, on the other hand, alternated between angry and anguished.
Speaking to the New Sunday Times, Wee Hong lashed out at the man who killed his son, saying that not only had Hon Ming’s life been taken prematurely, but that he himself was now mentally tortured.
Teary-eyed and fighting to remain composed, the septuagenarian said his son was an innocent bystander who had nothing to do with the man alleged to have killed his son, nor the man’s employer.
“Why did the bodyguard shoot my son who was not involved in the argument with his boss? He had no right to shoot anyone, let alone my son. He should leave innocent people out of his rampage because they did not deserve to die.
“I am devastated by my son’s death. Hon Ming was a young man with much talent who had a bright future, but his life came to a premature end,” said Wee Hong.
On whether he would forgive the gunman, Wee Hong, a former security supervisor, skirted around the issue, saying his reaction did not matter anymore as Hon Ming was already dead.
“It does not matter if I forgive the gunman or not... all I want is for the law to take its course and penalise him for killing my son.”
Poh Peng said it would be most fitting to have other people dressed up as clowns to accompany Hon Ming’s casket at his funeral tomorrow.
“Hon Ming did so much to extend laughter to his clients and the public, so I plan to engage a similar clown service to commemorate his passing,” she said.
Tears flowed freely yesterday as family, relatives and friends arrived to pay their last respects, one of whom was Hon Ming’s fiancee, Sun Siew Chin, 32, back from Saudi Arabia.
Hon Ming will be cremated at the Batu Gantung crematorium about 11am tomorrow.