3 September 2006, Kuala Lumpur

Appreciation Lunch for Phee Eng & Jee Hor

Alternative photo links: 1 2 3 4 5

For they are Jolly Good Fellows

From: Tunku Faridah

Hi Kirkbyites,




It was yet another marathon lunch session when 48 of us made a beeline for Cititel, Midvalley KL on 3rd September 06
to say in our small way, a BIG THANK YOU for the ginormous work put in by Phee Eng, Jee Hor, Jim, Mimi, Pik Foo and 
Sau San – the Organising Committee, Kirkby Reunion 2006. To you great guys, we’d like to say that we gratefully 
acknowledge your meticulous planning and painstaking effort that had gone into ensuring a smooth and thoroughly enjoyable 
reunion for everybody. We still marvel at how the entire programme went on without any hitches and with such clockwork 
precision, which is indeed a feat considering the Malaysian punctuality. I guess this must have been the result of those 
days when Phee Eng & Jee Hor & the rest of the committee had to think of the K Reunion during all their waking hours and 
dream about it in their sleeping hours too. So to you organizers, “Syabas dan Tahniah dan Terima Kasih” for the whale of 
a time that we had.




The feasting at Cititel started at 12 noon and we were spoilt for choice at its recently refurbished café. In typical 
Kirkby fashion, we munched and mused, reminisced and reconnected – with delightful scenes recorded on digital cameras for 
all time! We paused for a group photo session outside the café. The arrangement of seats for the shoot was by courtesy of 
the hotel – the staff including the Restaurant Manager sportingly chipped in as photographers! Any wonder why Cititel is so 
popular with Kirkbyites?




Back to our dining area and yours truly gave a short speech of thanks to Phee Eng, Jee Hor and the rest of the Organising 
Committee who have really walked the extra mile to organize the K Reunion 06. Tunku Faridah, animated as ever, graciously 
gave away the tokens of appreciation that she had personally selected on behalf of the attendees at lunch. A real gem, 
Tunku Faridah personally designed with TLC a THANK YOU card for the Organising Committee. Phee Eng held the lovely card up 
for all to admire while Jee Hor opened the gift – a Parker pen – for all to view. Phee Eng was also given custody of all 
the other Parker pens for Jim, Mimi, Sau San and Pik Foo. Everyone then burst into a spontaneous outpouring of “For they are 
jolly good fellows”. To reciprocate, Phee Eng delivered a TQ speech. Phee Eng had also brought with him several DVDs of the 
Reunion recorded by Lye Meng’s husband Foong Weng Yew (‘Tis amazing how strong the spirit of Kirkby beats in his heart!). Dear 
old faithful treasurer Yoke Kim,,reported a sales figure of RM200 after making his sale pitch, He also mentioned Nellie Low’s 
(Perth) contribution of RM50 to the 08 Kirkby Reunion Contingency Fund. So we already have RM250 in the kitty. Jim’s extremely 
well-documented and comprehensive report of the 06 Reunion cum sample evaluation was eagerly snapped up providing us all with a 
very good read.




After that hiatus, more chatter and clatter followed till 4pm – official time to bid fond farewell. However, more than 20 of us 
stayed back for further sharing and an extra dose of Kirkby magic. This group really let their hair down. Michael Shum’s rich 
vibrant vocal chords belted out songs a la Pavarotti and also song-led us in singing “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”, “Love Letters 
in the Sand” and “Those were the Days”. Although yours truly had distributed handouts of the lyrics, we sang in 20 different 
sharps and flats – a delightful cacophony of sounds! Not to be outdone, Balwant Singh, aided and abetted by the said Michael Shum 
crooned their own version of “Daisy Daisy:” thus causing a few to blush. Balwant Singh when asked why he has become so BISING(H) 
without any YAMSING(H), replied without a moment’s hesitation “I am RELAXSINGH”. Touche Balwant Singh!




Soon, all too soon, it was past 5pm and the café was deserted except for us. Not to tax the patience and lose the goodwill of the 
staff, we said our byes with a glimmer in our eyes, a smile on our faces, a sprint in our steps and a stirring in our hearts to work 
that KIRKBY MAGIC again before long. Two years to the next reunion of Kirkbyites is a long wait at our age – some among us sighed! 
Well, in between, we shall have mini get-togethers to cheer us on till we regroup for the big one – K Reunion 08! Meantime, let’s 
strive to keep the Kirkby flame ablaze, undiminished and indimmed.




God Bless You one and all! 




Warmest Regards,




Teresa Voon (Tess Chong)




P/S : Coincidentally, it was also Victor Wong’s birthday that memorable day. As we serenaded him with “Happy Birthday To You”, he 
flashed his widest grin. Believe it or not, he had his birthday “clash” with Lye Yuen Chew & David Tan’s visit at the Armada Hotel 
some years back! Victor did not reveal his age, but we all know, don’t we?