Cheras & Taman Desa
Five boys and a newspaper hawker
I grew up in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, the youngest of five boys. My mother sold newspapers in Taman Desa, and she raised the five of us on her own.
Age 3
The baby of the family
Being the youngest had its perks. Whatever I asked for, my family would try their best to give it to me. I was spoiled, no question.
Age 7
The one who learned Chinese
Of the five of us, I'm the only one who learned Chinese, and I made sure my brothers knew it. I once challenged Kah Kit: “You so smart? You know what is 清高?” 哈哈.
Age 10
The field in front of our house
Right in front of our house in Cheras was a big field, and it was the centre of our childhood. We played golf there and went jogging with our dog and our rabbit. Most of all, we played football: my brothers and me, and sometimes our cousins too.
Every evening at 7:30, Mom would jump out of the house and shout for us to come home for dinner. That was how every good day ended.
Age 12
A girl I saw once
Irene went to the same primary school as me. I saw her once, when she was twelve. I didn't know her name, and I didn't think about her again. Not yet.
Age 13 · Form 1
Number 42
In Form 1 we ended up in the same class. I was very introverted then. I barely spoke to anyone, and my only friends were one Malay friend and one Indian friend. Truly 1Malaysia.
The first time I really noticed Irene was on the exam results. She was number 42, right at the bottom. I laughed and asked why she wasn't even trying. Another girl turned to me and said, “She's not lazy. She was just admitted to hospital.”
From then on, Irene's results were always at the top. Always above mine.
Age 15 · In loving memory
My grandparents
My grandmother and grandfather loved us so much. My grandfather and my mom would always take us out to eat and give us a bit of pocket money.
They're not here anymore, and we miss them.
Age 15 · Form 3
In front of the whole class
One day in Form 3, eight of us were sitting around a table, four girls and four boys, just hanging out and talking. I asked her, “Irene, who do you actually like?”
“Stupid, I like you lah!”
The whole class heard it. I was so touched. It takes real courage for a girl to say that out loud, in front of everyone.
We've been together ever since.
Age 15 · Something I'm proud of
Tamagotchi, then motorbikes
At fifteen I started my first business: selling Tamagotchi. I took the money I made, bought motorbikes and sold those too. It's still one of the things I'm proudest of.
Work
From digital marketer to Head of Marketing
After I finished my studies, I joined a marketing company as a Digital Marketer. Three years later I moved to BlackRevo as an SEO Specialist, and after two years in that role I became Head of Marketing, the job I do today.
- Now
Head of MarketingBlackRevo
- 2 years
SEO SpecialistBlackRevo
- 3 years
Digital MarketerA marketing company
Today
The whole family
Mom raised five boys on her own. These days, when all of us get together, one sofa isn't enough.
