Basil Hyacinth Devasahayam - the Eulogy

On behalf of the Devasahayam family I would like to thank you all for coming to remember Basil Hyacinth Devasahayam, a father, a husband, a filial son, a brother, a cousin and a friend.

Perhaps, some of you here will remember him as a baby, holding him and his twin brother Cyril in Kota Bahru or as precocious boy running around the padangs here in Ipoh or as a teenager riding around in his kap chai or as an adult and a loyal husband to his wife Ah Ping or a devoted father to his precious daughter Bernadette Kim.

I remember when he first gave her that name, I thought what a beautiful and regal name it was. Yesterday when I was doing the paperwork for this service, helped by the BEC members, I was struck by the fact this building next to us was named Bernadette too, possibly after St Bernadette of Lourdes, France who saw the apparition of a Our Lady of Lourdes for which this church is named after. Benny -- Bernardette Kim -- your father named you well.

In the last two days, we the family, received a flurry of condolences, from relatives, friends of the family and even friends who met him briefly but remembered him for being a humble and very giving man.

One friend remembered him for driving us all up from KL in his van. He had a huge poster of Wham on his bedroom wall and he had a drawerful of cassettes with the same kind of music he enjoyed. Earlier today, the priest when he came to give his blessings, he mentioned that Basil would be heaven with Whitney Houston and could hear her sing I Will Always Love You. But Basil was not a Whitney Houston kind of guy. He was more into Bob Marley, Police, Santana and the Scorpions!

When in Ipoh, Basil would insist on taking us for breakfast to have curry mee and popiah, a childhood favourite of his, and we would have a few drinks and he would regale us with stories from his younger years when he used to tinker with race bikes. It's sad and tragic that he ended his life on one.

Another friend's text message said it simply. "I remember Basil. He was one of the good guys."



Basil was also a very devout Catholic. I knew this because when we were in KL driving around in his car he would pass by the church in Kepong and always make the sign of the cross. Everytime. He also dedicatedly took his daughter to church every Sunday. He was that kind of person. I know you all share your own precious memories of him, the same way Mr Devasahayam, who is 92 going on a strong 93 this year, can remember things from 50 or 60 years with amazing detail. I hope that someday all of you here will share these stories with Bernardette Kim when she is older and comes to you and says "Please tell me about my father".

I know what my reply would be. "Bernardette, there is a lot of hatred, prejudice and suffering in this world but your father was unique, he was special, he was one of the good guys. He was and will always be, to me and his family and friends who knew him, one of the good guys!

Thank you.