It was just on 27 July 2025, i shared on the condition of the tomb of Mrs. Koh Cheng Kiat nee Madam Lim Keok Neo who passed away at the age of 71 on 3 July 1939. It was a tomb i passed by over the years and happen to wrote about her before and took a number of photos over the years. In my recent visit in July 2025, i was shocked by the intensive damaged cause by a fig tree that grew out of the altar table and commented that in another 3-5 years if nothing is done, this tomb will likely no longer be visible.
A wonderful thing happened because on 30 September 2025, the great granddaughter of Madam Lim Keok Neo reached out to me and the long story short, she helped to restore the tomb. It was today i manage to visit the tomb again and i am so happy to see the efforts put to maintain it. I applaud her in honoring her great grandmother's memory. Below is what it looks like now.
Tomb of Mrs. Koh Cheng Kiat nee Madam Lim Keok Neo (photo taken on 4 October 2025)
Mr. Koh Soon Huat is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Koh Cheng Kiat. The great granddaughter shared with me that she had memories of her great grandma picture above the family altar and felt that she had to do something about her tomb.
Koh Soon Huat (photo courtesy of Audrey Koh)
Koh Soon Huat of Borneo Co. Ltd, (son of Mrs. Koh Cheng Kiat and grandson of the late Mr. Lim Eng Keng) engaged to Miss Baby Lee (daughter of Mr. Lee Chim Bong and the late Mrs. Lee Chim Bong of Amoy Street).
Koh Soon Huat married Bibik Baby Lee Joo Bee. They adopted 1 boy and girl.
Koh Soon Huat then took a second wife, Madam Tan Mui Hiang and from that union they had 7 children.
United Chinese Musical Association and Koh Soon Huat
Koh Soon Huat was long associated with the United Chinese Musical Association. From Borneo Motor, later, Koh Soon Huat was the managing director of Ho Ho Biscuit Factory Ltd at the time when it was facing decline due to high labour cost in Singapore and declining exports due to import restrictions and high tariffs placed by neighbouring countries in order to safeguard their own biscuit industry. Koh Soon Huat was even quoted in the 3 October 1958 article that Singapore was becoming a very unprofitable place for the continued operation of many old established local industries.
Madam Lim Keok Neo tomb (2019-2025)
The jungle in Bukit Brown will always make a comeback due to the nature of the climate we live in. However fig trees are the number 1 "killers" of tombs as you can see below how this fig tree in just 6 years cause major irreversible damage to this tomb and this i have seen with my own eyes on many tombs. But i have also seen rare miracles happen and today i have seen one more thanks to the filial piety of a great granddaughter.
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