25-05-2025
Locals express sadness over loss of 'building full of memories'
GEORGE TOWN: Many Penangites have expressed sadness and regret over the loss of the iconic Boon Siew Villa.
Checks by the New Straits Times in Jalan Batu Ferringhi near here on Saturday found that it had been completely bulldozed.
Hoarding has been erected around the site, shielding it from view and rendering its disappearance almost invisible to those travelling along the road.
A nearby trader, who identified himself only as Mohamed, 67, said he was saddened by the news. He claimed that the demolition began more than two weeks ago.
"It is sad because it was an old building full of stories. There are many memories attached to it," he said.
The Boon Siew Villa had stood on Shamrock Beach since the 1930s. It was once the seaside retreat of self-made magnate Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew, the legendary motor tycoon who introduced Honda cars and motorcycles to Malaysian roads.
Mohamed said the locals had always known who the owner of the bungalow was.
"We have heard of how great, yet remarkably humble, (Tan Sri) Loh (Boon Siew) was. The locals have regarded this bungalow as a landmark but now, that has been wiped out," he told the NST.
The mansion was also the site of a tragedy for the Loh family.
On Feb 25, 1987, it became the site of one of Penang's most chilling unsolved crimes.
Loh Kah Kheng, Boon Siew's second son and designated heir, was found dead in his bedroom with his hands bound with telephone wires.
His body was also left in an eerie pose — legs tucked behind his back — while a phone cable also coiled around his neck. He was just 39.
According to the police report, Kah Kheng, his wife Shirley Yeap, brother-in-law Jeffrey and a bodyguard returned from dinner around 9.45pm.
Shirley later departed to the airport for a flight to Kuala Lumpur.
The next morning, when Kah Kheng failed to appear at work, Jeffrey went to the villa and found the bedroom door locked.
It was reported that he had to force open the door before finding Kah Kheng's body.
Two suspects were detained, including Jeffrey. But both were later released with no charges ever filed.
The case remains unsolved to this day.
