Killer dog’s owners make appearance at victim’s funeral
By LOSHANA K. SHAGAR
loshana@thestar.com.my
By LOSHANA K. SHAGAR
loshana@thestar.com.my
 |
| Words of comfort: The dog owner’s parents (right) console Lim while Hon Mun (left) is seen in the background at the Gui Yuan Crematorium in Petaling Jaya Wednesday. — Raymond Ooi/The Star |
PETALING JAYA: Barely 24 hours after 74-year-old Yip Sun Wah was mauled to death by a neighbour's miniature bull terrier cross, both families came together in the spirit of forgiveness.
The body of Yip, who celebrated his birthday 11 days ago, lay in a brown coffin at the Gui Yuan Crematorium in Petaling Jaya. As his family members grieved over his tragic death, the family that owned the dog that killed Yip early Tuesday morning came to pay their last respects.
They seemed apprehensive at first as they were unsure of the victim's family's response, but were embraced by Yip's wife Lim Yoke Kim, 73, and their eldest son Hon Mun, 51. Yip also leaves behind three other sons and two grandchildren.
Hon Mun said although they were bitter at first, it dissipated when the family came.
“Nobody wanted this to happen, but we do not want this to linger and cause pain to everyone in the years to come.
“It's good that they (dog owner's family) came, we can see that they were very sincere and that's all I could ask for,” Hon Mun said.
The dog owner shed tears as did her parents and a friend who came with her.
They lit joss sticks and prayed before Yip's photograph, after which both families gathered for a 10-minute talk.
Hon Mun said he last saw his father just 45 minutes before he was killed while jogging in the neighbourhood.
“The last thing he said to me was thank you for the food and money'. One moment I was talking to him and the next moment he had left me.”
Yip, a former signboard maker, was described as a friendly person who would wave to people while jogging.
Right after Yip was attacked, a passer-by used his mobile phone to contact Hon Mun, who rushed to the scene.
“It was a horrifying sight to see your loved one lying motionless on the road in a pool of blood,” he said.
Earlier yesterday, Hon Mun sent an e-mail to his neighbours thanking them for their assistance.
In the e-mail, he expressed the wish that dog owners would learn to be more responsible for their pets.
“If my father's death can be a wake-up call to all dog owners, his death would not have been in vain,” he said.
Yip will be cremated at 2pm on Saturday at the Gui Yuan Crematorium here.
The body of Yip, who celebrated his birthday 11 days ago, lay in a brown coffin at the Gui Yuan Crematorium in Petaling Jaya. As his family members grieved over his tragic death, the family that owned the dog that killed Yip early Tuesday morning came to pay their last respects.
They seemed apprehensive at first as they were unsure of the victim's family's response, but were embraced by Yip's wife Lim Yoke Kim, 73, and their eldest son Hon Mun, 51. Yip also leaves behind three other sons and two grandchildren.
Hon Mun said although they were bitter at first, it dissipated when the family came.
“Nobody wanted this to happen, but we do not want this to linger and cause pain to everyone in the years to come.
“It's good that they (dog owner's family) came, we can see that they were very sincere and that's all I could ask for,” Hon Mun said.
The dog owner shed tears as did her parents and a friend who came with her.
They lit joss sticks and prayed before Yip's photograph, after which both families gathered for a 10-minute talk.
Hon Mun said he last saw his father just 45 minutes before he was killed while jogging in the neighbourhood.
“The last thing he said to me was thank you for the food and money'. One moment I was talking to him and the next moment he had left me.”
Yip, a former signboard maker, was described as a friendly person who would wave to people while jogging.
Right after Yip was attacked, a passer-by used his mobile phone to contact Hon Mun, who rushed to the scene.
“It was a horrifying sight to see your loved one lying motionless on the road in a pool of blood,” he said.
Earlier yesterday, Hon Mun sent an e-mail to his neighbours thanking them for their assistance.
In the e-mail, he expressed the wish that dog owners would learn to be more responsible for their pets.
“If my father's death can be a wake-up call to all dog owners, his death would not have been in vain,” he said.
Yip will be cremated at 2pm on Saturday at the Gui Yuan Crematorium here.
N.B. Just when you you thought people are becoming self-centred and egoistic, there is more than a shimmer of light - there are people who forgive and 'love thy neighbours' as stated in the testaments. I am truly teary eyed by looking at this photo FG.
No comments:
Post a Comment