IT was a Black Monday indeed as Malaysia mourns the loss of two prominent industry greats/starlets yesterday (May 16).
The first was a property developer extraordinaire who had contributed immensely to the betterment of the property, construction and hospitality industries in Malaysia.
The other was the great dame of ballet who was always on pointe by transforming the study of this classical dance to a whole new level in Malaysia.
When news of the demise of former Ireka Corp Bhd’s chairman Datuk Lai Voon Hon broke out yesterday, tributes started pouring in for this true gentleman.
Always humble, soft-spoken and ever readily armed with his signature sincere smile to all and sundry, the humble die-hard Liverpool fan, 58, was a charming company to be around and was always immaculately attired.
A former alumni of The Bartlett School of Architecture (University College London), the MBA holder held a brief stint as an architect in London, Hong Kong and Malaysia in the early years of his career.
The next three decades of his life saw the gifted architect, contractor and developer unleashing a slew of memorable award-winning projects including the iconic Westin Kuala Lumpur, The Aloft Hotel and The RuMa Hotel.
Imbued with an uncanny ability to “humanise” urban design through the i-Zen property portfolio, he was instrumental for re-generating Sandakan’s inner city harbour area.
His immense contribution to Sabah did not go unnoticed with him being conferred the “Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK)” Sabah State Awards in 2016.
However, this self-effacing soul was never one to brag. “Don’t call me Datuk … Voon Hon will do,” was his usual standard reply when addressed with the prolific title, as acknowledged by good friend Michele Kwok who thanked him for his selfless nature and approach to life.
“Thank you for all the unconditional love, time and support that you have freely given us all,” posted Michele Kwok, co-founder and executive director of The Soul Society Group which oversees the SOULed Out Kuala Lumpur and WIP On The Park Out restaurants on her Facebook feed, crediting Voon Hon as an inspiration to always see the “half-full (never half-empty) in life” and always “being just one phone call away”.
His sister and comrade-in-arms Monica Lai also posted a moving tribute to her beloved brother, having had him accompany her for the past 56 years where they spent their lives together not only in Malaysia but also in Singapore, the UK and Hong Kong.
“Voon Hon will always be my brother, first and foremost. Over the last 30 years, we led a business together and he remained my mentor till the end,” she told FocusM.
“I will miss him for his unconditional love and support. He will forever remain in my heart,” she added, crediting him as her brother, friend, boss, mentor and “pillar of strength”.
Second loss
On the other side of the trajectory, Lee Lee Lan who had elevated the study of ballet to a whole new level in Malaysia passed away last night at the age of 77 with tributes pouring in from her former ballet students near and far.
“Mrs Lee Lee Lan. My mentor. The Grand Dame of Dance. May you rest in peace,” shared Mindy Thooi, a former ballet student of Federal Academy of Ballet (FAB) and Principal of Central School of Classical Ballet who was speaking to FocusM from Perth, Australia.
Another former FAB Dance Teacher and student Joanne Grange who is now a FISAF (Federation of International Sports, Aerobics and Fitness)-certified trainer remembered Lee Lan for instilling confidence in her dance ability while granting her the “great opportunity to learn, dance, choreograph and experience the world”.
“I will always remember her grace and poise when she came up on stage. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have sat for so many dance exams in a year,” she recalled.
Grange added that Lee Lan would always be remembered; she also expressed her appreciation for the priceless memories Lee Lan had shared with her through dance.
The Great Dame of Dance’s son – Larry Lee Hoong Kee who is the FAB assistant principal – re-collected how “dance was never considered work” for his mother.
“Mom always said that she never worked a day in her life. Her life always revolved around dance and that was her passion. During her last days, she spent much time doing Zumba with her caregivers. In our eyes, she will forever be dancing,” he added. – May 17, 2022
Yvonne Yoong is Focus Malaysia’s Property & Lifestyle Editor, seasoned in covering the property beat and other industries.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
