By Maryam Mei Ling Lum

 
My grandma came from the Province of Kwang Tung. Sailed over the Nanyang Sea to begin a new life escaping the turmoil and unrest in Southern China. Her  name is Chan Sun Lin aged more than 80 blessed years. She lived in Kuala Lumpur with my Uncle. Granted citizenship in 1952. Due to help by the kind China Consulate Chief Haji Ibrahim Ma Yin Ting in Ipoh, Perak then a prosperous booming tin town with many Austin, Ford and Vauxhall cars.

 
I am one of her thirteen grandchildren and my name is Maryam Mei Ling Lum . My sister name is Melati Mei Lee Lum

and my elder brother Imran Lum Kai Shek .

 
We got several inter-related/mixed marriage cousins and I like to pen down their unique and unforgettable names :

 Pauline Lum Mei Ling

Dr. Mark Lum Ying Jun

Ruth Lum Meu Yin

Cheryl Lum Mei Yee

Pamela Lum Mei Ling

Dr. Lum Ying Wei

 Yeah, we almost forgot to congratulate and proud of our Grandma four prodigal successful and well educated sons. They all graduated with flying colors and become Doctors !  Bull eye. All the four  are Yi Shengs as below :

 
Dr. Lum Siew Meng ( my Dad’s lah… he graduated from Belfast Queen College circa 1988. Strict disciplinarian, generous with smiles)

Married to my Mum Dr. Rokkiah Tawi. He fraternize with jovial friends like – Dr.Izhan Chew, Dr. Amin Ho of Johor, Dr.Yasmin Cheng (Wife of Dr.Khalid HUKM, Dr.Aishah Ong (UMMC), Dr.Fuad Yeoh, Dr.Osman Chua (UIA), Dr. Ibrahim Lee Bao Yi (ISTAC), Dr.Eusuff Teh, Dr.Anqaravi Lee, Dr.Mazeni Alwi IJN), Dr.Che Husna (UKM), Dr. Helena, Dr.Abdal Qadir Xin, Dr.Sachiko Murata, Dr.Rosey Ma and Dr.Hafizah Cheong (UIA).

( You see when we got fever, two Doctors will force us to take extra medicine and sleep early. No television ! )

 
Dr. Milton Lum Siew Wah ( my first Uncle , blah blah)

(Need third opinion or medical diagnosis, go to his Specialist Child Clinic at  Suria KLCC,1 8^th  Jade Floor, East Wing. Married to Auntie Patricia Ng Sok Ai. She always gave us the best overseas chocolates )

 
Dr.Lum Siew Kheong ( you guess what… we what called him ? He lives at a bamboo banglow in Bukit Tunku. Married to Auntie Yvonne Ho Seok Inn. Now serving as Cardiac Consultant at Singapore Elizabeth Medical Centre. We like to visit his lovely children.. our cousins la..Cheryl, Judith, and Pauline )

 
Dr.Lum Siew Heng ( he is our youngest Uncle. His favorite Chinese Tea is Shushien from Yunna and earned a salary of RM15,000. Peanuts … ! he barked, compared to our Auntie Dr. Lalitha, married to Dr. Lum Siew Heng who easily commanded a monthly pay of Sterling Pound 20,000 while serving in Dubai al-Buruj Blue Lagoon Medical Spa).

 
I just feel old when reached my  8^th year come this Summer Time on 18 August 2006. Now I am Enrolled at Ritz Garden International School. I also take subjects of Japanese language, Science of Haiku, Karate-do, English , Eastern Architecture, History (ah very important not to lose sight of your country and great family connections !) Arabic and horsing riding at week end at Bukit Kiara Equistrian Park. Soon our dad promise to bring us to Perth Equine Farm, Western Australia to buy our ponies ! Not so soon until you graduate  with honor in Archictural Studies, ha ha ha. ( Don’t be taken in by my account, just add six more years to the day I  am seeing the sunlight and trees of Malaysia. Happy Merdeka… 49 years. My dad is younger by ten years. Ha ha ha..). My dad perform the pilgrimage of Hajj in year 1420 Hijriah and still not brave to use the title Haji to his muslim name. This secret you have to pay a price to unravel. Ming bu fu shi. Born in Rabbit year or Horse, you guess ?

 
My English teacher, charming Sharifah Khoo Su Nin gave me this assignment to write a short essay and biography of my Blessed Family Tree. Where East meet West, three of us always get more Ang Pows and Hari Raya money than other cousins. We celeberate Gong Xi Fatt Zai, Aidil Fitri, Moon Cake Tanglung Festival, Aqiqah, and also Christmas. My teacher graduated from Berkeley, California University and offspring of the famous Khoo Clan lineage in Penang. Islam embraced and captured her heart and certainty in 1998.

 
Before I pen out, some last precious bit of facts : we got two very young  Nephews – Muneer Buckley and James Inglis. And one Niece- Anisa Buckley and not to left out cute baby Ilyaas Inglis. He is the first ever great Grandson to our beloved Grandma Madame Chan Sun Lin.

 
May Heaven bless Grandma…she passed away peacefully on 16 September 2006. Always in kind loving remembrance and embrace, when we gather, play and running around her. Zhenzhu baoyuni. Greeting of Peace.