Father’s Day worry for Malaysian family

Singapore New Paper

Dad, where are you?

DESPERATELY SEEKING: The full-page ad in Malaysia's New Straits Times looking for Mr Tan Sue Yong.For many families, today comes with a special meal and presents - to honour the man of the house.

But for one family in Malaysia, it will be yet another day fraught with worry.

Their father, Tan Sue Yong, 83, is missing. He suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease and wandered off from their home in Yong Peng, Johor, on May 23.

There have been sightings of the 1.6 m-tall old man but the reports always come in just a little too late.

Mr. Tan is constantly on the move.

By the time the family gets to where he was last seen, he has moved on.

The family is so desperate that they have set up a website and put out notices in all the major Malaysian newspapers.

In a full-page notice in the New Straits Times, the family wrote: “We wish all fathers a Happy Father’s Day on June 18 but we may be unable to do so for our father because he has been missing since May 23.”

They have also appealed to everyone to keep an eye out for their dad, who worked as a timber logger and retired at the age of 70.

Mr. Roger Tan, 38, one of the sons, told The New Paper on Sunday last night that this was the second time his father had gone missing.

Said Mr. Tan: “Unfortunately, my father is very fit. In 1998, he rode his 20-year-old bike to Malacca, which is at least a two-hour drive. That was in the middle of the night.

“A kind Samaritan put him in a cab which dropped him off at Yong Peng bus station two nights later.”

Because of this incident, the family took away his motorcycle.

Mr. Tan said: “For two years, he has been walking around. People give him lifts.”

“He walks around Yong Peng town two to three times a day, leaving at 2.30pm and returning by 6 pm.”

“We wanted him to stop, so we locked the gates, but he used a ladder to climb out.”

“My poor mother had to open the gates for him because she was so scared he would fall off.”

His mother, Madam Swee Mei, 76, has been so worried that she cries all day.

Mr Roger Tan has five sisters and an elder brother.

He said they are not rich.

The money spent on the advertisements was from their own pockets. Some were contributed by friends.

He said: “We were in a serious dilemma. People think we are very rich. But we had financial help from some well-wishers.”

Since the notices started appearing in the papers on May 28, kind wishes have poured in.

Some well-wishers even set a web-site for the family at www.rtkm.com.my/dad.

So far, more than 4,000 people have logged into the site.

Now, they can only pray and wait.

“Said Mr Tan: “You only have one father. When you eat, you wonder what he is eating.” “This is worse than death. I don’t know whether he is alive or dead.”

Mr Roger Tan is convinced that his father is trying to find his way back to them.

But because he suffers from Alzheimer’s and dementia, he cannot remember his way home.

* On May 27, the elderly Mr Tan was seen on a bus from Johor Bahru.to Air Hitam.

*On June 13 at 6 pm, he was spotted at the Yong Peng Express bus station.

A bus driver said Mr Tan hopped onto his bus and sat quietly.

He did not have a ticket. The bus journey to the Larkin Bus Terminal in Johor Bahru took an hour.

The family is worried because he hops from one bus to another with ease.

And without anyone stopping him, he may now be anywhere in Malaysia.

Family pines for missing 87-year-old dad

The Star

By Mazwin Nik Anis

Tan..has been missing since May 23.JOHOR BAHRU: Nothing will be sweeter for lawyer Roger Tan come Fathers Day tomorrow than to be reunited with his missing 87-year-old dad.

Tan Sue Yong has been missing since May 23 and his family have conducted an extensive search for him.

They have placed “missing persons” advertisements in all the English, Malay and Chinese newspapers.

“We have also put up posters in public places, sought help from the police, Rela, Rukun Tetangga and every other association we can think of.

“My family, especially my 76-year-old mother is extremely worried about is well-being and we have almost exhausted all avenues we can think of,” Roger said.

On May 23, the elder Tan, who suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, left his home in Lorong Enam, Yong Peng, for his routine daily walk in the afternoon but never came home.

This is the second time Tan has gone missing. In 1998 he took off on his old motorcycle and was found two days later in Malacca.

83-year-old man reported missing

New Straits Times

TAN..spotted in Yong Peng.JOHOR BARU, Mon. – Tan Sue Yong’s liking for estates is understandable, having spent much of his younger days working in one. The 83-year-old from Yong Peng would always be seen strolling in nearby rubber plantations daily.

But his passion probably brought him a little too far on May 23. Tan, who suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, went for a walk and has not returned home since.

“When he did not come home at 5pm that day, our family mounted a search around Yong Peng town but failed to find him,” said Tan’s son, Roger.

White haired Tan, who was staying with his wife Swee Mei, 76, and an Indonesian maid, had left home wearing short-sleeved, greyish shirt and brown long pants.

He was reported to have been spotted at a shopping complex in Yong Peng earlier in the morning, at Taman Desa Putih the next day and at Ladang Yong Peng on May 25.

A police reported has been lodged.

Yesterday, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, who happened to be in Yong Peng, also visited the family and assured that the authorities would do their best to locate Tan.

“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Minister and Johor Chief Police Officer Datuk Zulkipli Mat Noor for their concern and assistance,” Roger said.

Those with information on Tan’s whereabouts can contact the nearest police station, Yong Peng Police Station (tel no: 07-4761222), or Roger (tel no: 019-7651289), or website www.rtkm.com.my/dad.

Family in search of missing 87-year-old

The Star

Tan...suffers from dementia and Alzheimer's disease.JOHOR BAHRU: Going for walks has been a daily routine for 87-year-old Tan Sue Yong, but last Tuesday he might have wandered off a little too far.

Tan did not return home to Lorong Enam, Yong Peng, and his family, the police, Rela members, and Yong Peng residents have been searching for him but without success.

Tan’s son, Roger, said his father, who suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, usually went for a walk twice a day.

He said the family became worried when his father did not return by nightfall last week.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, who was in Yong Peng for a function yesterday, called on Tan’s wife to express his concern and assured her that the authorities would do their best to find Tan.

Roger, a lawyer, said his father liked to walk along the forest or areas with plenty of vegetation - anything which resembled a rubber estate where he once worked.

He said this was the second time his father had gone missing for several days, the last being in 1998. Then, Tan had taken off on his old motorcycle and was found two days later in Malacca.

“At other times some good Samaritan would bring him home after finding him wandering outside the house late in the evenings.”

“We are really worried about his well-being because of his old age and health. The family hopes that those who have seen him will help to send him home to us,” he added.

Tan was wearing a straw hat, a striped short-sleeve white shirt and brown long pants when he left home on May 23. He also had his identification papers with him.

Roger urged anyone with information that would lead to his father’s whereabouts to contact him.

They can contact him at 019-7651289 or the police (07-4671222).