Singaporean man tracks down sister who was given away, finally meets her in Terengganu after 58 years

PETALING JAYA - She was given away for adoption at birth, but a Singaporean man's determination to find his long-lost sister paid off when they were finally reunited after 58 years.

Mr Ling Kok Ong, 66, travelled all the way from Singapore to Bukit Payong, Terengganu, to meet his biological sister Hamsiah Mohamad, 58, on Sunday, after learning of her whereabouts with help from the Malaysian History Association in Dungun.

"Even though we were separated, our family - especially my mother and late father - always thought of Hamsiah and that is why I came to Terengganu in hopes of reuniting with her to fulfil my mother's wish (of seeing her again)," he was quoted as saying in a report by Sinar Harian.

Mr Ling, the third child in his family, said he tried looking for his younger sister in mid-August but was unsuccessful.

However, he learnt that her adoptive family had moved following the death of her adoptive father.

According to Mr Ling, Ms Hamsiah, the sixth out of seven siblings in his family, was adopted by a childless Malay couple at birth in Bukit Besi, Dungun.

The biological family, who used to stay in Dungun, lost touch with the adoptive family after they moved back to Singapore.

Mr Ling's recent efforts to find his sister were given a boost when the Dungun area Malaysian History Association honorary secretary Wan Mohd Rosli Wan Ngah stepped in to help.

It was by good fortune that several association members knew Ms Hamsiah's nephew and with their help, put Mr Ling in touch with Ms Hamsiah.

The happy reunion happened when Mr Ling, accompanied by 62-year-old wife Josephine Ng, met with Ms Hamsiah at 10am on Sunday at an eatery she owns in Taman Tasek, Bukit Payong - located only an hour away from their childhood village.

Ms Hamsiah, who has two children of her own, said she never thought she would be able to meet her biological family.

"I only learnt I was adopted when I was 15 and I didn't think I would see them again because I never knew them. Thank God I was able to meet one of them," she said, adding that her adoptive parents cared for and treated her like their own child.

Mr Ling said he planned to bring his mother to see her long-lost daughter. 

He added he was happy to be able to fulfil his mother's wish of seeing her daughter again.

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.