Iconic Hong Kong actor Ng Man Tat recently passed away from liver cancer at the age of 70.

Tributes have poured in from a host of celebrities, including Singapore-based actress Apple Hong...

and long-time collaborator Stephen Chow.

"I had been keeping up with his condition, and I was mentally prepared for the inevitable," Hong Kong news outlet Mingpao cited Chow as saying.

"But I am still devastated, pained, and can’t bear this loss. He left as quickly as his illness came. He was my long-time partner and old friend. I still cannot accept it."

According to AsiaOne, citing an 8World article, the Hong Kong actor had been living in Johor Bahru for many years.

According to The Star, he had married Hou Shan Yan, the second runner-up of a beauty pageant in Malaysia, in the 90s. They had an 18-year-old son and a 25-year-old daughter.

The Star further reported that Hou and her children resided in Malaysia, with Ng visiting them in between his acting schedule.

Ng had flown to China for treatment when the family found out about his cancer, but had returned to Malaysia afterwards.

Ng had later expressed his desire to be in Hong Kong, and was subsequently transferred to a hospital there on Feb. 20.

AsiaOne reported that Ng had told his friend, actor Tenky Tin, after surgery that "the worst is over". Friends who visited him in hospital had also reportedly said he was fine. Unfortunately his condition took a turn for the worst on Saturday.

According to The Star, his wife and children were by his side until the end.

Top image from Weibo