BALIK PULAU: An 80-year-old bachelor sang to the delight of his audience. It was a karaoke session of a charity event organised by a five-star hotel at Rumah Charis old folk’s home here when Steven Wong Pay Fatt,who spent his entire younger life as a labourer, went up to the microphone and crooned his way to the heart of his hearers.
He was called upon to render a tune and Steven had no second thoughts but swaggered to the front with a compact disc and requested if they could spin his song.
He has been the resident of the home ever since he was 70, and yesterday, Steven seemingly defied his age to belt out not one but several Chinese oldies much to the delight of the elderly folk and visitors.
While admitting that singing had been his favourite pastime, his past vocation as a labourer had also moulded him into becoming a fitness buff. Apparently, Steven had continued to exercise regularly even in his advancing age.
“I don’t sing in front of an audience that often throughout my nine years staying here, but when I do, it really brings me back to the good old days,” he said when met after the singing session, which was held as part of the activities organised by Lexis Suites Penang to bring cheers to the 25 underprivileged senior citizens at the home.
The home for the elderly houses those aged between 63 and 92, and Steven has been staying there since last year. He spent his working life in Kuala Lumpur and upon retiring at the age of 70, decided to stay at an old folk’s home there until he decided to move to the home’s new branch in Pulau Betong here to be closer to his relatives.
“Despite that, I never had the opportunity to attend any family reunion dinners with them (his relatives) during Chinese New Year,” said Steven, who felt that he was still happy to have friends at the home despite “destined to be forever alone” as a bachelor.
Lexis Suites Penang organised the charity event as part of its corporate social responsibility programme and its general manager, Ben Ho also presented angpows, food and household items to the residents of the home. – Bernama
