On a bicycle built for two

And so ends another edition of the Malaysia Chess Festival; the first one without Dato Tan Chin Nam who passed away on 21 October 2018. He left behind a huge void in Malaysian chess and this year's chess festival was aptly described as A Tribute to Dato Tan Chin Nam.

Last Sunday was the closing ceremony of the 10-day festival. One week ago, Hamid Majid had asked me whether I wanted to say something in public. I hesitated at first, but then decided that there was at least one more story I could tell. One that I consciously couldn't put on paper previously or in the future.

In the past week since agreeing to speak, I have been in agony because my speaking voice is not the best in the world, let alone my singing voice. Would I be struggling on stage? You bet! But having gotten myself cornered because of my own foolhardiness, I had to proceed as planned. Thus, I found myself seated at dinner and being called by Hamid to the stage. It's now or never, so here goes my three minutes of fame....

Datin and the family of Dato Tan, good evening.

In this world there are many stories, and there are stories about Dato Tan as you have heard. (As a note in passing, Hamid and Ignatius Leong spoke before me. After me were Chew Soon Keong and Hilton Bennett.) Some can be put on paper, written about him - and I think I've done my fair share of that - but there are also some stories about him which cannot be put down on paper; not because of some controversy or anything, but the thing is, putting them down on paper wouldn't do justice to Dato Tan. 

So I'm here to say something, to verbalise a story, about Dato Tan. Please indulge me if I were to say something wrong. 

Everybody, I think, in this room has some favourite tunes or songs you would like to hear, and I would like to believe too that Dato Tan may have had his fair share of favourite tunes. I did have the opportunity of hearing him sing once and I would just like to keep his memory alive by singing a short chorus from this song. Some of you will recognise the tune. Excuse me.

Daisy, Daisy give me your heart to do

I'm half crazy, hopeful in love with you

It won't be a stylish marriage

I can't afford the carriage

But you look sweet upon the street

On a bicycle built for two

That, ladies and gentlemen, is what I think was his favourite song. And I hope in future years when we have this event, perhaps the organisers can organise a group of people to sing the song in Dato Tan's memory. Thank you.

I was quite oblivious to the applause from the audience but I was very relieved that my personal ordeal was over.

Coming down from the stage, I had to pass by the table occupied traditionally by the family of Dato Tan. His daughter, Lei Cheng, was the first to speak to me. "Thank you," she said. "Was that his favourite tune?" I had to ask her, just to be sure of it. "Yes," she replied. I couldn't remember the rest of our brief conversation.

I also had to walk by Datin Choy. She grabbed my hand firmly and smiled. Without saying much, I think I understood how much the song meant to her.