Message from dead man baffles ex-classmates

MALACCA: Former classmates of a recently deceased man remain puzzled over a message they apparently received from him on their WhatsApp chat group – after his death.

The chat group of 53-year-olds, comprising 19 former students of Banda Hilir English Primary School here, was shocked to receive a message from Yong Soo Fah a day after he died of a heart attack while holidaying in Langkawi on Oct 9.

One of Yong’s ex-classmates, Lim Dow Toon, said the message read: “Come start happy now all my F.. I go F.”

He said the message was posted in the group chat at 1.45pm the next day when Yong’s body was being transported back for the wake here.

Lim said he had known Yong since Standard One and the latter was a precise and meticulous man who never posted such short messages in the chat group.

Initially, they thought one of his relatives had sent the message.

“But when we asked the family, they said they were too busy preparing for the wake to do so.

“They also told us that Yong’s mobile phone was switched off soon after he passed away,” he related.

Lim and his friends were even more baffled when a relative of Yong revealed a few days later that only their group had received the message among the dozen other groups that Yong belonged to, after they switched on his phone to check on the allegation.

Mak Chee Kin, another of the former classmates, said there was also confusion after Yong’s demise.

“Condolence messages poured in a few hours after Yong’s passing.

“But then I was shocked to see a message from the deceased himself,” he said.

Mak said he then posted another message on the chat group, saying: ‘Thank God, Yong is alive, this is a terrible joke.’

“However, my friends called me to confirm that Yong had indeed died,” he added.

He believed the message could mean: “Be happy, all my friends.. I go first.”

It has been more than a week since that message and Yong’s primary school mates continue to be perplexed over the matter.

“It remains a mystery why the message was only sent to our group,” said Mak.