The King of Canton Pop

Hoi San spoke in fluent Cantonese. Raised in a family which the father had four wives, Hoi San grew up with 19 or 20 siblings in Pudu. Known as the half jungle by the Chinese, Pudu was notorious in 1970s as a ‘black area’ for crimes.

“Living in such an environment, you got to have background. If you were unprotected, you could get beaten up anytime without knowing why,” Hoi San said.

Hoi San joined the underworld so that no one could lay a finger on him. Yet, in a gangster feud, he was brutally slashed at the hand, losing half of his right index finger. Gangsterism also introduced him to all types of vices: theft, robbery and drug addiction.

“It all started when I was young. I thought smoking was cool,” he said smiling. “Later, out of curiosity, I played drugs, but at the end they played me out.”

He spent 8 years in Kajang jail for multiple charges involving robbery, theft and drugs possessions. A few police officers came to his house one day and nabbed him after receiving tip-off from family members who couldn’t tolerate his addictive behavior. Hoi San’s addiction also cost him his relationship with his girlfriend. He was a singer then, singing in pubs and nightclubs.

“She knew I was an addict. But she thought her love could change me. We had a daughter. One day, my girlfriend realized that she could not change me anymore. She left me and took our daughter with her too,” he said.

After being released from prison, Hoi San wanted to kick the habit. He sought help from Christian Rehab Centers.

“I was still young and immature then. After I completed a rehab program, not for long, I went back to the old ways again. So, I ended up moving from one centre to another for about 10 times!” he said with a hearty laugh.

Then, with the recommendation from a Malaysian Care worker, Hoi San came to Kenosis Home. But things went well this time for him. With counseling and mentoring , Hoi San began to have a sense of purpose in his life.

Hoi San has an ambition. “I want to sing for the Lord. Music ministry may be something that I can work on after I graduate from Bible school,” he said enthusiastically.

Two things we can thank God for – First, God has given Hoi San a great voice and secondly, He has spared Hoi San’s left index finger so that he can still play the guitar and sing today.

~Hoi San (2005) ~

(Hoi San who has completed his studies with the Bible College of Malaysia is now serving as a singing evangelist. His recovery story of hope has now given him a renewed relationship with family and a new found purpose & life in Christ.)

海山的见证

粤语流行歌曲天王

海山能说一口流利的广东话，他自然从容的让我拍摄，且徐而不及地向我到处他的过去。海山的父亲有四个老婆，他在富都与为数19或20个兄弟姐妹一起长大。富都，中文又称“半山芭”在70年代可是恶名昭彰的犯罪黑区。

“在这样的一个环境生活，你必须要有“背景”。若没有“受保护”，可能被人打也不知道原故。”

海山加入黑社会后，以致没有人敢碰他半条汗毛。可是，再一次的黑社会殴斗里，他被狠狠的砍中手臂，并失去右食指。

在黑社会的误导驱使下，他堕入犯罪的深渊，涉及偷窃，抢劫及吸毒。“当时的我还很年轻，还以为吸烟看起来好酷。”他微笑着说。

我开始尝试毒品这“玩意儿”，但到头来反被毒品玩弄。”

多宗涉及抢劫，偷窃及藏毒控罪令他在加央监狱服刑八年。他的家人因无法忍受他终日沉溺毒海的所作所为，而向警方投报，一天，数名警员上门把海山逮捕归案。

海山的毒瘾，令他失去他的女朋友，当时，他在酒吧与夜总会驻唱。“她认识我的时候，我已吸毒，但是，她认为她的爱能令我改变。”

“我们有一个女儿。一天，当她知道她再也没办法令我改变，就带了我们的女儿离开我。”

从监狱释放出来后，海山决定戒除毒瘾。他寻求福音戒毒所的帮助。 “当时，我还年轻及思想不成熟。完成戒毒疗程后，没多久，我又重蹈覆辙了。因此，我辗转转移了差不多十间戒毒所！” 他爽朗的大笑说。

之后，在Malaysian Care员工的推荐下，海山来到虚己之家，这次，戒毒疗程一切都很顺利，在 Bob Leong 的辅导及指导下，海山开始了解活着的目的。

在SIB（KL）的赞助下，海山在神学院进修，且怀有另一志向，“我要歌颂赞美主。 音乐事奉可能我毕业后会参与的。”她满腔热诚的说，手中握着吉他，他唱起几首最爱的圣诗，任由我拍照。

海山已与林绣琴姐妹结婚，他全职协助丈夫的事工。海山现在是一位福音歌手，带领了许多的人归入主的名下。