(Inset) Desmond Yeoh, with his trusty camera at all times
by Yong Soo Heong
Desmond Yeoh Peng Hong, a fifty-something Penangite, was someone I met some five or six years back. He was part of a group that used to be avid readers of a tabloid magazine called the Malaysian Post, the successor to an earlier sizzling tabloid called New Thrill.
Guys like Peng Hong supported Malaysian Post because it resonated with them, reminding them of their youth. At times, they were even Malaysian Post contributors in their own special way.
He also had other people in his circle whose interests were common and banded together and called themselves “Malaysian Post Readers’ Group. His “accomplices” included Nganasegaran Kandasamy aka “Sam Trailerman”, Lucia Lai, Irene See and Jothi aka Sunshine. They had occasional get-togethers and even went on hiking trails.
Desmond Yeoh (4th from left in white t-shirt) in his youth
Malaysian Post ceased to be published in 1993 when its licence was sold to another entity, as its backers wanted to run a daily newspaper, which is still running till today.
But in the 1980s or so, I was involved in contributing to Malaysian Post – to make ends meet somewhat and also to publish what I couldn’t do so in my official workplace. Malaysian Post offered me an outlet to channel my creative juices, thanks to a kind and far-sighted editor known as Sebastian Lim.
Through that process, I got to know Sam Trailerman. In the later years, I also got to know Desmond through the core group that later called themselves “Frenz Without Stress”.
I am glad that I managed to draw out Sam Trailerman to write and publish now that I run the Weekly Echo news portal. However, it was another veteran journalist, the late S.H. Tan, who gave him the first nudge decades ago at the Malaysian Post to try his hand at writing rather than turning the steering wheels of large trucks.
After a wobbly start, Sam Trailerman is now our “resident” movie reviewer at the Weekly Echo, although he writes about the interesting things that he sees and feels.
After the Covid lockdowns in 2020 or 2021, I managed to see most of the Penang Malaysian Post gang. During one Chinese New Year, we had a celebratory “makan”, so to speak, and were lucky to “crash” into a coffee shop on Kimberly Street. It was there that I met Desmond for the first time.
Desmond Yeoh (on the extreme left)
Since then, I had been able to meet Desmond on three or four occasions. These were in events organised by Rose Charities Malaysia, a Penang-based humanitarian NGO founded in 2009 and affiliated with Rose Charities International, which he was passionate about. The NGO focuses on healthcare, education, disaster relief, and community development. Its current priorities include seniors’ programmes, children’s welfare, support for single parents, and outreach to marginalised communities such as the Orang Asli
As I wanted to know Desmond more, we arranged for breakfast one morning after a Rose Charities Malaysia event. The venue he chose was the Chowrasta Market along Penang Road. When he mentioned that place, I was rather perturbed. Although I had been away from Penang for a long time, I always knew that the area had limited parking spaces.
But Desmond allayed my fears and told me of a multi-storeyed parking facility next to the iconic market. “Go up the ramp by the side of Tamil Street,” he assured me. And which I did. When we finally met at the breezy morning hawker centre by the side of the market, Desmond knew almost every stallholder there! It made the ordering so much easier. Either that was the “power” of his influence or that he was a regular and unfussy patron!
Since then, whenever I have to go to the Chowrasta Market area, I will make use of that parking facility that I didn’t know existed before – thanks to Desmond.
For Lucia, she said, “Desmond was very good at showing directions. I had always asked him where to park, and not only would he inform me via text, but would also send me maps and photos so that I wouldn’t get lost.”
“Now who am I going to ask?” she sighed as we both mourned the sudden demise of Desmond, who passed away on Thursday, May 14, 2026. He was just texting us a “Good Morning” message on Wednesday in the “Frenz Without Stress” WhatsApp group, and now we are told he is no more with us!
Sam, as someone who is also battling some health challenges, is more resigned to reality when he reminded us: “We all have to accept that life can be so fragile at times.”
I’m still in shock, for I had wanted to meet Desmond and catch up on old times’ sake later this month. But it’s no longer possible now.
Desmond, may you be at peace wherever you may be. Thank you for everything you have done for us all in the group and also for Rose Charities Malaysia.
WE