One of my uncle, he is my mother's mother's younger brother or to be precised, "kao gong" in cantonese. He was being sent to the
Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta, Tanjung Rambutan since 48 years back. Just for your information, Tanjung Rambutan is a place, but not the hospital by itself. In tanjung rambutan, there are SMK Tanjung Rambutan, Klinik Tanjung Rambutan and etc. So, people from Malaysia, I guess you all did read about this in one of the BM sastera we learnt, we did come into contact with this hospital, HBUK, Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta. So, don't simply use Tanjung Rambutan to represent the Hospital Bahagia next time.
My uncle is now 74-year-old. I only visited him once in the HBUK, together with my parents and siblings, in the year 2001. I don't have the courage to get off the car and walk down to talk to him, but according to my parents, he wasn't seriously mental retarded. Just the very minor case, he wasn't caged, he is allowed to walk around, do some work in the very large HBUK.
Okay, the environment there is very comfortable and with lots of plants. I don't get to see the serious mental retarded patients in there, who are being caged up but most of them, are walking around and passing by our car, looking at me and my siblings as if we're the animals in the zoo.
You know what? He claimed that
HE HAS NO RELATIVES. Even when my mum tried to introduce herself to my uncle, he INSISTED that he has no relatives, and he DON'T KNOW about anyone. So sad to hear all these, from what they recorded, we're one of the 2 families who did visit him in
48 years. Just imagine if you're the one being dumped off by your parents, and not getting any attention or support from your family. I would say, my uncle case wasn't that serious, if the family would give some support, and lend a helping hand, he might be having the chance of healing the sickness.
No matter what, everything is just too little too late. He passed away on 25th March 2009, peacefully due to acute myocardial infarction. I did gave my last respect today, getting to see his "last face" before his body is being cremated tomorrow. I am not too sure about the exact date for the funeral. =(
May you rest in peace, uncle Foong Kam Poay (冯金培)