Family and friends gather at Goh’s funeral service.
SIBU: The illness of the late Vincent Goh Chung Siong has been the source of love and cohesion for the family over the past five years.
Goh’s youngest son, Reverend Simon, described the last five years as the most blessed and beautiful time for the family.
In his eulogy at the funeral service at Masland Church here yesterday, he said the family became closer than ever due to his father’s illness.
“No one likes cancer, but because of the sickness, my father truly became a changed man. In our darkest moment, we spent more time as a family, we became close and my father acknowledged God,” he said.
He said they did not get family time as much as in the last five years because his father had to do his duty serving the people when he was a politician.
“Then one day, my father, who hardly expressed his feelings to the family, asked for our forgiveness.
“My brother and I were having tea with him and when he asked for our forgiveness. We were shocked because he had always been a good father to us and we did not understand why he needed to apologise to us,” Simon said.
He described his father as kind, generous and a good role model to his children.
He said he had always been a strict father and had made sure that the children studied hard.
“We are all successful because of our father. He sent us to study overseas, and made sure we studied hard, and obtained good results.”
Meanwhile, Goh’s eldest daughter Lina said her father had been a good role model by making sure that all his children had proper etiquette and manners.
“He treated everyone equally and with respect, and would thank his staff and those working with him. I have learned a lot from him and I have learned to treat my staff like he treated his,” she said.
The funeral service at 8am yesterday at Masland Church was preceded by an en-coffin
service at 7am at the family’s residence in Abang Haji Openg Road. Goh was laid to rest at the Methodist Cemetery in Mile 10, Oya Road.
The former Pelawan assemblyman and Rajang Port Authority chairman passed away at his house about 2.30am last Friday due to cancer.
He was 67 years old.