"I became well known at the age of 59. I am now 68." Mr. Fong is a silversmith lives in Balik Pulau for more than 20 years. He has been interviewed by local and oversea magazine and newspaper for his craftsmanship in silver jewelery. We started our conversation after a cup of tea in his shop. We chatted about everything, from his work to young people's attitude, until the state government, the past, the present and the future.
He is somehow disappointed to the attitude of nowadays youngster. He showed me the newspapers he has collected, all about death due to robbing cases, lepak culture, cut class students, all these negativity annoys him. He complains about the government does not appreciate his craftsmanship, where other countries treasure it by asking him to go oversea and teach his skill to the younger generation. I asked him why is he still here. He replied with a sigh, "I am too old for all the travelings."
"Luckily I am still strong and healthy, without the old man diseases." He smiled at me and continued, "because my tasks here are still yet to be completed."
I watched him doing his work while chatting with him, thinking of preservation of his form of art. Sadly, there is no one inherit his craftsmanship according to him. When he dies, the art dies with him.
God bless Mr. Fong, a living treasure of Balik Pulau, Penang, or even Malaysia.
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