Nothing Left But Painful Memories

            Nothing Left But Painful Memories - Undergraduate Lim Yi Jun, 23, dreads the day she has to return to her family home in Subang Jaya, knowing that it will evoke painful memories of losing her entire family.

Lim, who lost both parents and brothers in a house fire on Monday, said she would remain at her hostel in Cheras until she completed her studies at UCSI University.

“I will not return to USJ 2 or areas nearby in the near future. I don’t want to be reminded of these places.

“A cousin living nearby has prepared a room for me in case I want to live with them.

“Even my relatives in Butterworth have offered to take me in. But I’ll stay at my hostel in Taman Connaught for the time being, and complete my studies in Actuarial Science,” she said when met at her family’s funeral wake in Mak Mandin on Wednesday.

On Monday, Lim’s family was killed after choking on smoke when they were trapped in their double-storey terrace house.

The body of Lim’s father Ah Kok, 58, was found with her brothers Yong Liang, 20, and Yong Wei, 17, in the second room on the upper floor while her mother Goh Bee Khim, 51, was found in the bathroom of the master bedroom.

The post-mortem showed that the couple and their sons died from smoke inhalation.

The family’s two dogs, a Golden Retriever and a Miniature Pinscher, survived the fire and are now being cared for by a neighbour.

Recalling the tragic day, Lim, who was staying at her hostel in Cheras then, said she was already expecting the worst when there were no calls or messages from her parents and brothers after a neighbour sent her an SMS informing her about the fire at her house.

“There was a long list of missed calls and SMSes from many relatives, informing me that something had happened to my family in Subang Jaya.

“A neighbour messaged me, saying my family was inside when the house caught fire. But there were no further details.

“I thought my family could have escaped the fire unharmed, or with slight injuries.

“But when I didn’t see any missed calls or messages from them, I knew something bad had happened,” she said.

The worst part was, she had to identify the bodies of her parents and brothers at the Serdang Hospital mortuary on the same day.

“When I saw them, I immediately broke down. My heart sank,” she said.

Selangor Wanita MCA chief Datuk Ong Chong Swen said they would get in touch with Lim once the funeral of her family members was over.

“We wish to know her needs and plans. If she ever needs financial support, we will talk to the university management.

“We will also assist her in terms of emotional support. She might need somebody to talk to.

“We also want her to take part in our projects and programmes to keep herself occupied and develop herself further,” she said yesterday.

On Wednesday night, Penang MCA chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng and other party leaders also paid their last respects to the victims at the wake.

Tan also presented Lim with RM1,000 in aid.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also paid his last respects to the victims yesterday.

The funeral procession will be held at 10.30am today and the bodies will be cremated at the Berapit crematorium.