IPOH, March 8 — Chinese New Year passed as a normal day for Tan Khim Teng, 61.
Khim Teng is the elder brother of Tan Ah Meng, 46, one of the passengers on Flight MH370.
“Everyone in the family is heavy-hearted and missing Ah Meng, his wife and son. No one felt the spirit of the celebration. It was just another normal day for us,” he said.
“How could we celebrate when Ah Meng and his family are still missing?”
Ah Meng, together with his wife Chuang Hsiu Leng, 45, and their son Wei Chew, 19, were passengers onboard MH370.
The family was on their way to Beijing for a vacation enroute to the United States to enrol Wei Chew in a college there.
The family home of Ah Meng was devoid of any festive decorations during Chinese New Year.
Khim Teng spoke to Malay Mail with the condition that no photographs be taken of the family members and the home.
He said his parents had heart problems and that was the reason why the family had been reluctant to give interviews to the press or allow them to meet his parents.
“My parents are old and even now they will suddenly break down and cry especially when the topic of MH370 is broached,” he said.
“In fact, the last time we met as a family and had a reunion dinner was last year when Ah Meng and his family joined us. He informed us of his plan to fly to Beijing and then to the US.
“This year, we did not even have our traditional dinner.”
He said Ah Meng’s two other sons — Wei Hoong, 14, and Wei Cheah, 12, — returned to the family home during the new year break but it was just like their normal monthly visit to see their grandparents.
Khim Teng said the two boys are living with a relative in Kuala Lumpur.
“Both miss their parents and brother a lot,” he said.
“They focus on their studies to keep themselves occupied and are trying to live a normal life. We make sure outsiders do not disturb them or ask about their missing family members.
“It is bad enough having to wonder everyday whether their family is coming home. Having strangers asking them is going to make them sad. It is the same with my parents. We do not allow outsiders or relatives to ask about Ah Meng and his family.”
Teng Khim said the family would head to Kuala Lumpur soon to be with Wei Hoong and Wei Cheah, as well as their lawyers.
He said Ah Meng operated an engineering business and was assisted by his wife.
The couple was the only signatories for the company and because of their absence, the business closed eight months ago.
“There is nothing anyone can do unless the plane is found,” said Khim Teng.
He said the decision to declare the plane as an accident was illogical because there was no evidence.
“Our family has not given up hope on the plane being found. We want evidence and how it occurred. That is a fair request for closure.”
