About 500 members of public & Sheng Siong staff brave rain for CEO's mum final send-off - Mothership

Employees lined the road outside the headquarters for nearly 300m.

About 500 people braved the rain on Sep. 11 to send off Ng Lye Poh, the mother of Sheng Siong founder and CEO Lim Hock Chee, on her final journey.

Ng, affectionately known as "Sheng Siong Ah Ma", passed away on Sep. 5 at the age of 91.

Her funeral procession made a special detour past Sheng Siong's headquarters at Mandai Link, where more than 300 employees gathered to bid her farewell, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

The funeral procession began at around 2:15pm amid heavy rain.

Around 500 mourners, some carrying umbrellas and others wearing raincoats, walked slowly alongside the procession.

Nearly 130 personnel were involved in organising the funeral, which also featured five floral vehicles.

Some participants carried traditional crane- and butterfly-shaped decorations as they walked.

After passing Sheng Siong's headquarters at around 3:15pm, the hearse proceeded to Choa Chu Kang Cemetery for Ng's burial.

Employees lined the road outside the headquarters for nearly 300m, according to Lianhe Zaobao.

As the hearse passed, employees clasped their hands together and bowed deeply in silence.

Ng's wake was held at Woodlands Memorial, where her family booked the entire fifth floor of the funeral parlour.

An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people attended the wake, including members of the public, Sheng Siong employees and figures from the business and political communities.

More than 3,000 condolence wreaths were also reportedly sent to the wake.

Speaking to Zaobao, one employee shared that Lim had always shown concern for his employees.

Following the death of his mother, staff wanted to offer their condolences and wished for him to take care of himself.

Another employee, who declined to be named, said Ng was friendly and could often be seen at company events.

Members of the public also turned up to bid Ng farewell.

One woman in her 30s, who attended with her parents, said her family did not personally know Ng but had heard that she was kind, approachable and well-respected.

Ng came from a poor family and raised nine children.

Even after her family's fortunes improved following Sheng Siong's success, she continued to spend time in HDB neighbourhoods and chat with residents.

Her approachable and down-to-earth nature earned her the affectionate nickname "Sheng Siong Ah Ma".

Ng was also the victim of a high-profile kidnapping in 2014.

She was abducted by two men, who initially demanded a S$20 million ransom before the amount was negotiated down to S$2 million.

She was subsequently released unharmed, and the ransom money was recovered by police.