'He was a loyal, hardworking, & diligent person': Zhang Yaodong's father passes away at 81

Actor Zhang Yaodong's father, Teoh Cheng Chua, passed away on Mar. 30 at the age of 81.

Tribute on Instagram

On Mar. 31, the former Mediacorp actor took to Instagram to share a throwback photo of himself with his father, accompanied by a heartfelt tribute.

"This photo captures a heartwarming moment between my dad and I," he wrote.

He described his father as a man of few words who would always share good news while keeping his hardships to himself.

"He was a loyal, hardworking, and diligent person who devoted his life to frugality and selfless service," Zhang wrote.

Expressing both gratitude and regret, the actor added:

"Dad, thank you for taking such good care of us three siblings, for enabling us to complete university, and for giving us all your support.

I'm sorry I've been abroad the whole time and haven't been able to be by your side often.

Thank you for always protecting us in your own special way.

You've worked so hard your whole life, rest well now.

Go to a land of happiness. We'll meet again.

Dad, you'll always be in our hearts. I love you."

The post drew condolences from fans and fellow celebrities alike, including Chantelle Ng, Romeo Tan, Rebecca Lim, Desmond Tan and Jesseca Liu.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Zhang YaoDong 张耀栋 (@zhangyaodong)

Collapsed after breakfast

In an interview with Chinese news daily Shin Min Daily News, Zhang shared that his father had been in a weakened state after undergoing chemotherapy for bladder cancer the previous year.

Teoh appeared fatigued during a family dinner on the evening of Mar. 29, and collapsed suddenly after breakfast the following morning.

Zhang's mother was by his side and held his hand as she watched him take his final breath.

Zhang was not home at the time.

He told Shin Min that he had sensed something was off with his father at dinner the previous evening, prompting him to call home the following morning.

"My mother answered the call and told me he had suddenly fainted. I immediately called an ambulance and rushed back, but unfortunately, I was too late."

He added that his mother is slowly coming to terms with the loss and that he will temporarily pause his livestreaming work to manage his father's funeral arrangements and spend more time with her.

Remembering his father as a deeply devoted man, Zhang described him as someone who expressed love not through words, but through quiet, steadfast dedication to his family and friends.

He added that his father was once well-known for his Penang-style fried kway teow, which he sold near Tung Shin Hospital along Tong Shin Road in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"He was even invited to the royal palace to cook for a newlywed prince and princess," Zhang shared. "He later switched to making roast meats."

Top photos from Shin Min Daily News and @zhangyaodong/Instagram