以继承父志为心愿的黄一雄
文·莫美颜
黄一雄近照
2018年10月28日新加坡华族文化中心主办了两场别开生面的演唱会“乐龄歌友站——我要为你歌唱”。
为这次演唱会出钱出力的是一对白发苍苍的夫妻，80岁的黄一雄和75岁的韦菊。唱歌是他们俩的共同爱好之一，两人都是欢乐乐龄歌友站的成员。当黄一雄得知歌友们都希望有机会登上演艺的大舞台，以肯定自己多年的努力后，便与几名歌友商议举办演唱会。他获得太太的大力支持，决定把它办成慈善演唱会，一来实现歌友们的夙愿，在自己钟意的舞台上肯定自己的歌唱能力，二来团结歌友们的力量，在自娱之余一起为慈善尽一份绵力。
这次演唱会的一切费用，从租用场地、灯光音响、舞台设计、摄影、录像，雇用工作人员和办慰劳会等全由夫妇俩包办，总共花了3万元。他们还聘请一家专业会计公司处理所有的开销和捐款，确保账目清楚透明。而演唱会门票和观众随喜乐捐则悉数捐给善济医社。
黄一雄和太太交游广阔，前去支持他们的朋友不少，两场音乐会的门票基本售罄，不少朋友也承诺支持他们的善举，结果演唱会为善济筹得14万余元善款。
黄一雄夫妇也许比许多人更有条件安享晚年。问他们为何如此劳心劳力自掏腰包办慈善演唱会？黄一雄回答，这完全是父亲的精神感召。虽然已步入耄耋之年，黄一雄始终挂念着善济医社，他和太太都希望继承先父的志愿为善济筹款。他说，自己有个未了的心愿，就是在有生之年能够尽自己最大的努力帮助善济筹得善款，一起和善济帮助那些需要帮助的病患，像父亲那样帮助社会上的弱势群体。
为大爱全力付出
黄一雄是先贤黄奕欢(1908-1985)的独子，他的父亲是善济医社第54届及55届(1960-1963)的主席，为贫病者做出不少贡献。
黄奕欢
黄奕欢出生于中国福建南安县，15岁那年南来新加坡习商，初时经营京果、日用品、树胶、干粮、酒类等生意，后步入金融保险业，辞世时是亚洲联合企业有限公司的董事主席。黄奕欢于1985年6月23日去世，当时的总理李光耀接获消息后当晚亲临丧居吊唁，并向在场记者说：“已故黄氏奕欢对华人社会的前途身负重任，是华人社会的一位好领袖，是一位以福建话演讲深具说服力的演说家。”
黄奕欢生前把大部分时间都花在社会服务上。二战前后他是陈嘉庚的得力助手，为华社前途经常聚会怡和轩，与陈嘉庚、陈六使、潘受、高德根等先辈一起商讨华社各种事项及排解华社纠纷。
“我每天在怡和轩看着父亲与六使伯、德根叔等许多叔伯辈忙着开会讨论各种事项，心底不免有些抱怨。看他们常常神色凝重，我不敢过问，只能在一旁静静地做自己的功课，累了便在会所打盹，有时醒来时夜已深，才跟着一脸歉意的父亲回家。”
黄一雄说，可能因为战后初期社会治安不好，母亲又早逝，父亲怕他学坏，一放学就把他接到怡和轩去。这种情况一直持续到黄一雄升上中学为止，而怡和轩便成了他童年的第二个家。
忙碌的父亲没有太多时间照顾当时年级还小的黄一雄，但黄一雄却感受到父亲对他的关爱。“他把我当宝贝捧在手里，我好像是在温室里成长的苗子。没有开会时，父亲会尽量争取时间陪我，跟我说说话，在怡和轩的那段的日子是我童年最快乐的时光。”
说到这里黄一雄禁不住眼眶泛红。“这辈子做他的儿子还做不够，下辈子我还要做他的孩子！”父子情深溢于言表。
黄奕欢是南洋大学的创办人之一，但他对南洋大学的贡献却鲜为人知，直到2008年杨进发在澳洲墨尔本举行的第十届全球南洋大学校友联欢会上发言，历史真相才大白。原来建立华文大学的想法发生在1946年，这是黄奕欢、陈六使与李光前三人探讨后的结论。他们向陈嘉庚转达创校意愿时，遭陈嘉庚反对，认为战后新马华社百废待兴，根本没有经济条件创办大学。他还提出反建议，若华校高中毕业生要升学，可以到厦门大学去深造。
南大的建立经历了许多风风雨雨。创校期间黄奕欢是陈六使的得力助手，他与连瀛洲等人，多次前往当时的马来亚及婆罗洲等地，大事鼓吹，形成舆论，蔚为建校热潮。南大于1956年开学后，黄奕欢曾任南大多届理事会之常务理事，兼财政等职位，继续为南大奔波劳累。
黄一雄说：“南大的建设，先父能成为推手之一，令我深感荣幸，深深地引以为傲。”此外，父亲还有一件令黄一雄难忘的事。
1962年初，日本占领时期死难者的遗骸相继在我国多处被发现后，中华总商会随即成立“日本占领时期死难人民遗骸善后委员会”，时任中华总商会董事的黄奕欢，以遗骸善后委员会代表的身份负责监督遗骸的发掘工作，亲自带领工人到惨案地点挖土探寻，还吩咐工人无论怎么困难都要找到长埋地下英灵的遗骨。
黄一雄说：“父亲做事就是这样尽心尽力，亲力亲为。”
据悉，黄奕欢的社会活动范围广泛，他还为南安会馆、福建会馆、佛教总会、南洋孔教会，以及中华总商会、南洋筹赈总会、星华抗敌动员总会、华侨中学、弥陀学校的发展出钱出力。
包容通达不与人计较
黄一雄说：“父亲不是达官富贾，只是一个普通平民百姓，但本着对华社的生存与前途的关心，有关社会大众特别是华社的事物，父亲总是尽力而为，任劳任怨，而且处世待人通达包容。”南洋孔教会是一个创立于1914年，为宣扬和振兴孔子教育、道德、文化，为儒学的复兴而努力的非盈利机构。黄奕欢对南洋孔教会贡献不小，1985年他担任会长(1981年至1985年)期间，该会获台湾孔孟学会赠送一座孔子铜像，他就出资3万元安装基座，把铜像安置在裕华园里，让更多公众瞻仰。
黄一雄在道南学校念完小学后升上公教中学初中，不料中三毕业后却被学校开除学籍，不得在公教念高中。父亲知道后，以温和的语气对他说：“不要紧，你可以到华中或中正继续学业。”黄一雄说：“父亲就是这样，从不与他人计较。”黄一雄被学校开除不是他犯了错，只因父亲是一名社会活跃分子。
父亲曾告诉黄一雄，他是个简单的人，喜欢简单朴素的生活。黄奕欢说到做到。黄一雄记得父亲爱吃番薯粥，也喜欢约一群朋友去老巴刹吃福建面。他在亚洲保险大厦上班时，也常邀友人到那里吃饭，吃的也不是什么大鱼大肉。
一般上公司高层的办公室是不能随便进出的，可黄一雄父亲的办公室总是敞开着，不论贫富贵贱，任何人不用通过秘书都可直接走进他的办公室向他求助或讨教。他能帮就帮，完全没有大老板的架势。
继承父志是最大心愿
也许是受父亲影响吧，黄一雄立志投身金融保险业。高中毕业后，他负笈英伦，并获得英国特许保险学会(The Chartered Insurance Institute)的会员资格。5年后他设立了自己的公司，鼓励到英国谋生的华工与人合资创业。不少华工在他的协助下梦想成真致富，“新加坡阿黄”的称号在英国不胫而走。
黄一雄在英国打拼了12年，这时父亲年事已高，经过一番深思熟虑后，1970年他决定放弃英国的事业回国侍奉父亲。回国后黄一雄继续再保险业奋斗，后转向经营国际贸易，还到沙特阿拉伯闯荡7年余，1992年退休。
身体力行是教育孩子的最佳方式，父亲的谦卑，不计回报为“大我”奔忙的身影自小深深烙印在黄一雄脑海中，一颗为大众服务的心苗也静悄悄地在黄一雄心中扎根生长。退休后黄一雄便跟随父亲的脚印逐步地投入社会服务工作。
父亲生前曾是南安会馆经济股与总务股主任，黄一雄小时候也随父亲到过南安会馆，退休后他决定与会馆再续前缘。他说：“来到南安会馆别有一种回到故乡的感觉，格外亲切。我最大的心愿是像父亲那样支持会馆的活动，而分享让我有一种满足感。”
目前黄一雄除担任南安会馆的名誉主席，也是黄氏总会永久名誉会长及南洋孔教会的名誉会长。
9名姐妹也一样深受父亲为大众服务的高尚品格感染，将父亲的身教内化于心的同时也外化于行。据知黄奕欢在世时，曾拟发起兴建孔庙以作为南洋孔教会的永久会所，然其志未酬而遽然离世。2009年，黄家姐妹与黄一雄以“黄一雄家族”名义赞助南洋孔教会购置会所，完成父亲的遗志。孔教会董事会还决议将礼堂命名为“奕欢堂”，以纪念黄奕欢对孔教会的贡献。
夫唱妇随，黄一雄的太太韦菊不但全力支持丈夫服务社群和办慈善演唱会，他们还有着共同的爱好：一起唱歌、跳舞，形影相随，鹣鲽情深，是一对令人羡慕的恩爱夫妻。两人育有3女1男和6名孙子。
“人需知足才能常乐。”黄一雄没忘记父亲的教诲，并落实到生活中去。他说：“有一个窝，一个老伴，一点钱，人生如此，足矣。”
(作者为本刊特约记者)
The Furtherance of My Father’s Legacy
The Desire of Ng Eet Hiong
On 28th October 2018, the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre held a two-day senior citizens charity concert “Sing along with you”. Among major contributors to this concert was a white-haired couple – 80 year old Ng Eet Hiong and 75 year old Wai Kok. When the couple, who were great singing enthusiasts, heard that their fellow singers wanted to have a performance, both agreed to organise one for them, so that they can fulfil their desire to display their singing talents. At the same time used the concert as a charity fund raiser for the Sian Chay Medical Institution – a charitable medical clinic established in 1901.
The total expenses for the whole concert, amounting to about $30,000, was met by Mr Ng and his wife. They even hired a public accounting firm to keep the books, thus ensuring accountability and transparency. As for admission tickets, the audience can donate any amount to the Sian Chay Medical Institution. Through their extensive contacts and networking, Mr and Mrs Ng managed to raise over $140,000 from the two-night concert.
When asked, why don’t they settle down to a quiet retirement instead of involving themselves in such demanding charity work, Mr Ng happily replied that he was inspired by his father’s public spirit. He wishes to emulate his father’s philanthropic spirit in making the finances of Sian Chay Medical Institution so strong as to enable it to carry out its clinical functions as widely as possible; reaching out more to the poor and spreading universal care.
Ng Eet Hiong is the only son of Ng Aik Huang (1908 -1985), who was the Chairman of Sian Chay Medical Institution 54th and 55th Management committee(1960 -1963) . Ng Aik Huang was born in Nan An County, FuJian Province, China. He left China at the age of 15 year old for Singapore to start a career as a trader. His initial business was trading in fresh fruits, daily-use household products, dried foodstuff, wine & spirits and raw rubber. Later on, he ventured into the insurance business, finally becoming Executive Director of the Asia Insurance Co. Pte Ltd. upon his passing. He passed away on 23rd June 1985. The then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew immediately went to pay his respects at the wake. He told reporters that Mr Ng had taken on heavy responsibilities for the future of the Chinese community; and that he was a very fluent orator in the Hokkien dialect.
Ng Aik Huang spent a majority of his time in social work. Before WWII, he was Tan Kah Kee’s very capable assistant. They gathered at Ee Hoe Hean Club premises with Tan Lark Sye, Pan Shou and Ko Teck Kin to discuss community’s matters and settle disputes.
“The days when I was brought to Ee Hoe Hean, I observed Uncles Lark Sye, Teck Kin and all the elders busily conducting meetings. I was rather unhappy. When I saw their serious faces, I dare not make noise but sat quietly by myself in a corner doing my homework. When tiredness overcame me, I dozed off at times and when I woke, it would already be night time. It was then I would follow a rather grim-faced father back home.”
Ng Eet Hiong recalls the early death of his mother just after the War, and his father took extra care to keep his only son close to himself. He was fetched to Ee Hoe Hean immediately after school, a practice which continued till he reached secondary school. Ee Hoe Hean Club became very much a second home for the young Eet Hiong. A concerned and loving father, who spent his spare time talking to him, Eet Hiong felt that those days in Ee Hoe Hean were some of his happiest youthful days. The recollection at this stage was so moving for Eet Hiong, that his tears uncontrollably replaced his words.
Ng Aik Huang was one of Tan Lark Sye’s most constant supporter in the establishment of Nanyang University. From the opening of the University in 1956, he was an executive member for several terms, sometimes as treasurer, serving with great dedication. Eet Hiong also proudly recalls that besides his father’s remarkable efforts in Nanyang University, there was another matter which was unforgettable.
In 1962, when remains of the Japanese Occupation victims were discovered in many parts of Singapore, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce formed a committee to build a “Memorial to the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupation”. By virtue of him being a committee member of SCCC, Ng Aik Huang was given the responsibility of overseeing the excavation of the remains of the victims. He personally supervised the excavation works, instructing the workers to search thoroughly for all possible remains in their diggings. “My father is always that thorough, dedicated and diligent in all his endeavours”.
Ng Aik Huang served in a wide circle of social and communal organisations, which included the Singapore Lam Ann Association, Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan, Singapore Buddhist Federation, Nanyang Confucian Association, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Straits Chinese China Relief Fund Committee, Singapore Chinese Anti-Japanese Movement, Singapore Chinese High School and raising funds for Mee Toh School.
Under the influence of his father, Eet Hiong, took up a career in insurance business. He went to England and obtained a membership of The Chartered Insurance Institute. Later, he set up his insurance company in England and helped many young Chinese establish themselves in their businesses. This continued for 12 years until 1970, with regards for his aging father, he returned to Singapore.
In teaching his children, Eet Hiong always emphasised his father’s virtues and humility in his conduct of his affairs. He also carried on his father’s work in the various associations and community organisations. With the support of his faithful wife Wai Kok, the couple enjoy their love for singing and dancing. They have raised a family of three daughters, a son and six grandchildren.
Ng Eet Hiong remembers his fathers advice “to have a family, to have a spouse, some wealth, this is life, be satisfied”.
(Translated by Kwan Yue Keng)
