Uncle Mike And His Boys Ring In The Tung Tung Chiang

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(Standing, from left) Brothers Abdul Rahman, Rasyid and Rafie Ahmad Fauzi. Michael Tong is carrying Rafie’s son, Rayyan. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese New Year is a time for sumptuous meals and family reunions. For Michael Tong and the three orphaned Malay siblings he raised as his own, this tradition is no different.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Tong and brothers Rafie, Rasyid and Abdul Rahman Ahmad Fauzi opened up about their experience of celebrating the Lunar New Year, offering a glimpse into their unique family.
Despite not being related by blood, their bond is evident.
“On the first day of Chinese New Year, we’ll go back to my mother’s house and spend the day there. Friends and relatives will come over,” Tong shared.

Reunion dinners on CNY eve are held at restaurants that serve halal food. For Rafie, the eldest, the reunion dinner is the highlight, particularly the tradition of tossing yee sang.
“Although I’m married, ‘Popo’ still gives me ang pow,” said the 29-year-old, referring to Tong’s mother, Oh Siew Eng.
“’Popo’ cares a lot about us,” echoed Rasyid, 28.
Abdul Rahman, meanwhile, enjoys spending time with the extended family. “The best part is the ang pow!” the 24-year-old said cheekily.
Even today, Tong gives the siblings ang pow for Chinese New Year and duit raya for Aidilfitri. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)Rafie revealed that he had “given up on life” after losing his parents, until Tong visited his orphanage in Gombak over 16 years ago.
“Without a family, life feels empty. There is no one to support and guide you,” he said in reflection.
Tong remembers having noticed Rafie at the orphanage, because the boy kept to himself while the others played. “It struck me that he was dealing with something deep, something we adults should be concerned about,” the 55-year-old said.
“It seemed it was destined by God because although I was with my friends, I was the only one who noticed him,” added Tong, who owns an event-management company.
Discovering that Rafie struggled with his studies, he arranged tuition classes for him, even driving him to these classes and to school.
Later, he learnt that Rafie had been separated from his brothers, who were in an orphanage in Klang. So, Tong took Rafie to visit them – before eventually welcoming all three into his home.
“From living as a bachelor, I suddenly had to play the role of a father and mother,” he recalled. But why did he do it?
Tong has found ways to make Hari Raya celebrations memorable, such as by learning to cook rendang and ketupat. (Michael Tong pic)“I come from a very, very poor family. Even eating chicken was a treat. If we had fish, I would share it with my siblings. Others had televisions in their homes, but we didn’t have one.
“It made me determined to move up in life without forgetting that the poor also need help,” said Tong, who often volunteers at old folks’ homes and orphanages.
To accommodate the boys, who call him Uncle Mike, Tong made significant changes in his life. He learnt to cook halal food and, during Ramadan, he’d prepare their sahur meals at dawn. He even fasted with them to set an example.
He ensured the boys stayed grounded in their Muslim faith, often reminding them to pray. He also made Hari Raya celebrations memorable, cooking rendang and ketupat.
They would typically spend the first day of Raya at a Muslim friend’s house, a tradition they continue to this day.
Tong received the Maulidur Rasul award last year for raising the siblings. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)Today, Rafie and Rasyid are married, but Tong still gives them duit raya and ang pow. “Married or not, they’ll always be my kids,” he said.
“I feel God has really taken care of me. Even though I am not married, I have grandchildren,” he added, referring to Rafie’s two children.
Chinese New Year is a time for family gatherings, and this one is more colourful than most. The story of Tong and the brothers – retold in the upcoming Astro Shaw film “Abah Saya Uncle Mike” – proves that family is about love, not just biology.
“I’m really grateful that God sent a kind person like Uncle Mike who took us in. We had no direction, and he was like a hero who saved and cared for us,” said Rasyid.
“What I’ve learnt from my family is that although we are of different races, love doesn’t recognise skin colour,” Rahman concluded. - FMT

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