Popiah King's son Ben Goi wanted to celebrate child's first birthday this week

SINGAPORE - Businessman Ben Goi, son of Popiah King Sam Goi, died in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday morning (Feb 3) of a stroke that led to a brain haemorrhage.

This was confirmed by the younger Mr Goi's second eldest sister when she spoke to Chinese-language evening daily Shin Min Daily News at his wake on Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Goi, 43, had two elder sisters and one older brother.

He married Malaysian-born former TV actress Tracy Lee, 33, in 2017. Their son was born in 2018.

His sister Goi Lan Ling, told Shin Min that Mr Goi had gone to Kuala Lumpur about a week earlier, with his wife, son and maid, to visit his wife's family for Chinese New Year.

They were due to return to Singapore on Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday night, he had video-called his family in Singapore and shared with them pictures of the lighted CNY decorations in the Malaysian capital.

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"We talked happily, and he looked normal," said Ms Goi to Shin Min.

However, Mr Goi suffered from an intense headache later that night, and asked his wife to call an ambulance.

They waited for a public ambulance but when they could not get one, they called for a private ambulance.

After being taken to the hospital where doctors worked to save him, he died at 4am on Sunday, said Ms Goi.

The name of the hospital was not revealed in the report by Shin Min.

She added that at about 3am on Sunday, Ms Lee called Mr Goi's family to notify them of the situation. Mr Goi's parents took the earliest flight they could to reach the hospital, but were unable to see Mr Goi alive for the last time.

Shin Min also spoke to Mr Goi's father, Sam Goi, who was emotional when interviewed.

The elder Mr Goi said that he hoped that when he woke up, he would find that it had all been a bad dream.

"I have lost my beloved son, this is a pain in my heart that will never be able to heal," he said.

He added: "No one could have expected this to happen, it can't be blamed on anyone, this is just his fate then."

As he spoke to Shin Min about his son, his eyes brimmed with tears, the report said.

He was obedient and filial, as well as humble, generous and friendly, said the elder Mr Goi of his son.

Ms Goi said that Mr Goi and his family had planned to return to Singapore on Sunday afternoon ahead of their reunion dinner on Monday and other Chinese New Year festivities.

She said that Mr Goi had high blood pressure and hereditary asthma, but did not have issues with day-to-day activities.

Ms Goi also told Shin Min that Mr Goi had been looking forward to celebrating his son's first birthday on Feb 9.

As things had happened so unexpectedly, Ms Lee had been quite emotional, so the whole family had been helping to take care of the baby, she added.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.