Foster dad helps Orang Asli kids find better future
Found family: Seng with his foster children, some of whom are proudly holding up Fathers Day cards. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: Paul Sia Yong Sin was a school dropout for about two years, before his foster father took him in and he was given a chance to continue his studies.
After completing his SPM, the 21-year-old Orang Asli pursued a diploma in solar technology.
He became the first higher education graduate in his village, Kampung Orang Asli Pasir Salam, in Ulu Tiram.
Not only was he able to complete his formal education and work in Johor Baru, his three sisters also followed in his footsteps.
'My parents, both fishermen, could not afford to pay for my studies so I dropped out after Year Six and worked at a fish farm in my village for two years to support my family.
'Things changed when my foster father Jonathan Seng Chin Heng decided to take me and my siblings in as his own. He provided us with shelter, education and even sent us to and from school daily,' Sia said in an interview.
Sia, who now works as a fast food chain trainer in Johor Baru, said he was motivated by Seng.
The youth added that he put in extra effort to catch up with his studies after dropping out and was glad that he managed to finish his SPM before pursuing his diploma studies.
He attributed his achievements to Seng, who helped to source funds from churches and donors.
Sia, the eldest in his family, and his sisters aged 18, 15 and 11, said they decided to pay tribute to Seng in conjunction with Fathers Day by ordering a cake for him.
Besides Sia and his sisters, Seng and his family have also fostered a total of 22 Orang Asli children in the past seven years, with the youngest being a year old.
Five years ago, Seng also fostered Rosali Azlan, 12, and his four siblings, after their biological father deserted them.
'Although my real father is not by my side, I feel that I never lacked the love of a father.
'We mix well with his family and I can feel that they love us as their own,' he said.
Seng, who is a pastor at a church in Skudai, said most of the children came from underprivileged or neglected backgrounds – some too poor to stay in school and others from broken homes.
Seng, 63, said he started fostering after a non-governmental organisation that he partnered with suddenly vanished with the collected funds, just three months into a rural outreach programme, leaving the children abandoned.
'Since then, my wife and I decided to step in to help the children even without formal backing. Many told me to just send the kids back to their villages but I knew in my heart that I could not just walk away,' he said.
Although the kids see him as a father figure, he insisted they call him 'pastor', saying: 'This is a reminder for them not to forget their biological father.'
Seng said that all he wishes for is for the younger generation to rise up and take charge of their lives.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
12 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Fire Dept's elite water rescue unit: Braving dangers to recover drowning victims
KOTA BHARU - Diving into the pitch-black depths of a lake or river to search for drowning victims is a perilous mission fraught with hidden dangers. Relying solely on the ropes that connect them to the surface, divers from the Water Rescue Unit (PPDA) - an elite unit in the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM) specialised in handling water-related incidents and emergencies - leave no room for error during their search and rescue operations. In certain states, such as Kelantan and Sarawak, the team also contends with another danger - crocodiles that lurk beneath the murky river water. Officially established on Jan 1, 2004, PPDA has teams stationed in every state to support search and rescue operations in rivers, lakes, mining pools, dams and flooded areas. In Kelantan, where floods occur annually during the monsoon season, PPDA teams are stationed in three locations: Pengkalan Chepa (in Kota Bharu), Pasir Puteh and Tanah Merah. STRONG CURRENTS, WHIRLPOOLS Commenting on PPDA's operations in the state, JBPM Kelantan director Farhan Sufyan Borhan told Bernama their biggest challenge arises when victims go missing in rivers, most of which have strong currents. "In swift-flowing rivers, the challenge is even greater because anything afloat can be swept tens of kilometres away from the original location, and if the current exceeds four knots, diving becomes nearly impossible,' he said. Citing a recent incident in Kuala Krai, he said two Orang Asli men fell into a river and their bodies were only found after four days. "One body was found about 25 km away and the other nearly 30 km,' he said, adding that usually, a body resurfaces within 48 hours but water temperature, depth and current speed can delay the process. Rivers in Kelantan, he added, are also rocky and some areas contain whirlpools, further increasing the risk for rescuers. "If diving is not possible due to certain conditions, the PPDA team will switch to a surfacing strategy, that is, wait and monitor locations where a victim's body is likely to appear. "This monitoring work is far from easy. It demands patience, discipline and emotional strength as every passing moment carries a glimmer of hope,' he said. He also said certain locations are known as crocodile zones but that does not mean operations cannot be carried out there. "Usually, when crocodiles hear the sound of a boat engine, they move away. The sound serves as a signal for them to retreat to another area but we still can't take anything for granted,' he said. According to him, caution is always a priority and any sign of danger, no matter how small, is taken into account before team members are allowed to dive. "We will never let anyone enter the water if the risk is unpredictable. Strict procedures must be followed. Our team members' lives are not to be gambled with,' he said. EMOTIONAL BURDEN Beyond physical challenges, PPDA members often endure emotional strain, especially when faced with pleas like "Please bring my child home'. "Every time they dive into the water, they don't know what they'll find. Sometimes the body has been in the river for days and all that's left are the feet, hands or scraps of clothing. Even if the body is decomposed, decayed or unrecognisable, the divers still bring the remains back to shore,' he said. The stench of decomposing bodies, nauseating to most, has become an everyday reality for the team members, though the smell sometimes lingers on their clothing. Sometimes the team's operations involve wading through polluted, blackened water full of trash, toxic waste or sewage. Bernama FILE PIX "Sometimes their operations involve wading through polluted, blackened water full of trash, toxic waste or sewage. All of this is part and parcel of the team's work. "What's more, their duties are not limited to finding drowning victims. They also assist other agencies, like the police, in locating evidence submerged underwater,' he added. RISK OF DEATH Despite being considered an elite team, PPDA members are not immune to deadly risks while on duty. The tragedy that claimed six members of the PPDA on Oct 3, 2018, still haunts many of them and serves as a stark reminder of how close they are to death with every operation. The six divers drowned during an operation at night in search of a teenager who fell into a disused mining pool in Puchong, Selangor. That incident remains the worst tragedy in PPDA's history since its establishment. "Fire department divers are trained for all situations, including night operations and handling unexpected events. But sometimes, unforeseen issues arise and at that moment, it's not just technical skill but also mental strength that's needed,' Farhan Sufyan said. He said although PPDA members are trained to dive in darkness, they generally avoid night dives unless absolutely necessary. "We're not afraid of the darkness itself but of the hidden dangers such as sudden current shifts and floating debris that can't be seen. At night, even a small mistake can turn into a tragedy,' he said. RIGOROUS TRAINING To be a member of PPDA, firefighters must undergo specially designed basic training to ensure only the most qualified are chosen. "Some of the tests they have to undergo include floating unaided for five minutes, jumping from a height of 10 metres and swimming nonstop for 600 metres. "These tests are only to assess their basic eligibility. Only those who pass will proceed to a five-week intensive course at the Northern Zone Fire Academy in Tronoh, Perak,' he said, adding it is also important to remember that not everyone who passes the tests has the mental strength to bring back the remains of drowned victims. Every year, PPDA members must undergo a re-evaluation to assess their competence and health levels. "Diving requires both physical and mental endurance, so every member must be 100 percent fit,' he said. - BERNAMA
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
Late Rozaid Rahman honoured posthumously at HAWANA 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: The late Rozaid Abdul Rahman was posthumously honoured at the National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2025. Rozaid, who served as the media and strategic communications director for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, was the recipient of the HAWANA 2025 Special Award. His eldest son, Roz Ariffin, 34, accepted the award from Anwar at the HAWANA 2025 gathering held at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre (WTCKL) on Saturday (June 14). Rozaid previously held the position of group consulting editor at The Star and passed away from a heart attack on August 18 last year. He was also the group editor of Sinar Harian. Born on October 1, 1964, in Nibong Tebal, Penang, Rozaid began his career as a cadet journalist at the Utusan Melayu newspaper in 1984 and became the youngest news editor of the Utusan Group at 27. The Malaysian Press Institute Chairman President Datuk Yong Soo Heong received the HAWANA 2025 Award. He previously served as Bernama's editor-in-chief. With over five decades of experience in the media industry, Yong began his journalism career at The Star and The Straits Echo.
Malay Mail
19 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Letting children write their own stories — Mohd Fadzil Jamaludin
JUNE 14 — Father's Day often invites us to reflect on the men who shaped us. As a 46-year-old researcher, a professional in the world of science and academia, my life has been a tapestry woven with both precision and unpredictability. I come from a large family – 10 siblings, each with our own stories, but all sharing the same foundation: a father who is, in many ways, the archetype of the old Malay tradition, but carries with him a progressive wisdom. He is a man of few words, his presence steady but understated, a quiet force that anchored our sprawling household. He recently celebrated his 71st birthday earlier this month, a milestone that reminds me of the enduring strength behind his calm demeanour. My father was a mathematics professor. As a child, I often watched him draw what seemed to be random scribbles and doodles. Only later did I learn those were integral notations and mathematical curves. I often wondered how he could do complex maths without writing any numbers – just flowing lines and abstract symbols. It was a silent kind of genius, one that didn't need loud explanations or grand declarations. Growing up, I looked up to him with a mix of awe and curiosity. He never mapped out my future or laid down plans for success. Instead, he led by example – his actions speaking volumes where words were sparse. I found myself drawn to academia, perhaps subconsciously following in his purposeful path, believing that I could chart my own course with the same steady resolve. To the author, true fatherhood lies not in directing our children towards conventional achievements, but in nurturing their individual gifts. — Unsplash pic Before marriage, I imagined fatherhood would be a matter of careful planning. I envisioned raising children with the same scientific rigour I applied in my research: structured, logical, and perhaps even predictable. I thought my children would naturally follow in my path, sharing my passion for science and research, just as I had with my father. But life, as it often does, had other plans. Raising five children – some of them now teenagers—has been less a controlled experiment and more a lesson in adaptability. Each day brings new variables, unexpected results, and the humbling realisation that parenting is, above all, a work in progress. My children, each with their own dreams and inclinations, have chosen to pursue the arts rather than the sciences. Their interests diverge from my own, and at times, I struggle to reconcile my expectations with their aspirations. Yet, in these moments of uncertainty, I find myself returning to my father's example. He never imposed his will on me; he allowed me the freedom to discover my own path. His quiet support, his unwavering presence, taught me that fatherhood is not about moulding our children in our own image, but about giving them the space to become who they are meant to be. This Father's Day, I celebrate my father – not for the plans he made, but for the plans he allowed me to make for myself. In our Malaysian society, where academic and professional success often define parental pride, his quiet wisdom reminds me that true fatherhood lies not in directing our children towards conventional achievements, but in nurturing their individual gifts. As I watch my children pursue the arts, humanities, and creative fields in a culture that traditionally prizes the sciences, I'm learning that the greatest 'kejayaan' we can offer them is the confidence to define success on their own terms. To all Malaysian fathers learning to celebrate their children' unique journeys – Happy Father's Day. *Mohd Fadzil Jamaludin is a research officer at the Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, and may be reached at [email protected] ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
