Ang Thiam Hock was just 16 years old when he took up the job as a staff at the Gin Thye Teochew bakery. After four decades of service, the traditional bakery is now more than just pastries for the 57-year-old man.
Johor Bahru native, Ang Thiam Hock, was just 16 years old when he decided to venture onto the shores of neighbouring Singapore. The young lad had one mission in mind - he wanted a job that would enable him to live comfortably. He recalled his journey towards his pursuit for a better life. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
“My family were all in Malaysia, I came to Singapore in hope for a job opportunity,” he chuckled.
As fate would have it, he chanced upon a vacancy at a small Teochew bakery located along Sembawang Road. He applied as a full-time staff at The Gin Thye Teochew Bakery, and the rest was history.
40 years later, now affectionately known as Ah Hock amongst his peers, the 57-year-old, basks in the warmth of his colleagues’ cheerful banters in the humble confines of the same bakery that he stumbled upon during his formative years.
Despite four decades at Gin Thye, Ah Hock’s daily routine remains the same. As the saying goes, ‘you can’t take the boy out of the city,’ Ah Hock continues to be a resident of Johor Bahru.
Cruising his trusty motorbike along the causeway at the break of dawn has been a 40-year practice for Ah Hock. The journey, like his job at the bakery, were routines from the past that he had unexpectedly carried on to his present.
“I wake up at 3:30 am every morning, and by 4:30 am I would have crossed the causeway. Reaching the 5:30 am, I would start my work by cleaning the floors of the shop, and make breakfast for everybody,” he explained. “Sometimes, work does not end till 12am.”
The hardworking Hock was loved by many, especially his former boss, the founder of the bakery, Mr Lim Bak Chai.
The Early Days
The Gin Thye bakery was first established in 1964 by the late Mr Lim Bak Chai. The 56-year-old business fondly attributes its success to the dedication of its passionate workers who have painstakingly kept to the bakery’s pursuit of preserving tradition and heritage.
Ah Hock was a first-hand witness to the evolution of the humble bakery along Sembawang Road.
Ah Hock devoted the majority of his youth into making traditional Teochew pastries. He noted that he has spent more time with his colleagues than his own family. So much so they’ve become family.
“We work together every day, it is like being married, there is no such thing as forever peaceful, there are bound to be fights,” he said as he multitasked between stealing playful glances of his wife and meticulously kneading a pastry dough with his hands.
His wife, Mrs Ang, sat across him with a smile drawn across her face. Once in a while, she joined in with the chatter at table, passing around jokes as she filled the pastry doughs.
The couple met in the bakery during their early years of service. They jokingly credit the longevity of their relationship to the long working years that have forged their undeniable chemistry.
“When we were younger, he would disturb me a lot during work and help me with my tasks all the time,” she fondly recalled. “When I had to work overtime, he would keep me company till I end,” she said, letting out a hearty chuckle as she tossed a ball of dough onto a tray.
The Inevitable Struggle
In spite of all these, Hock’s journey has been everything but smooth sailing. Like everybody, the 57-year-old was no stranger to the challenges that life brought.
Ah Hock had dreams of starting his very own business. Venturing on his own meant leaving behind the people who have watched and nurtured his growth over the years. Yet he decided to take the risk.
It was a leap of faith that was comparable to that of a baby bird’s first flight away from its nest. Mr Lim had always been fond of Ah Hock and was his mentor. Without the former’s guidance, he found himself lost.
Attempt after attempt proved to be futile. Soon after, his business failed. But just as it seemed that luck had bitten the dust, the Lims offered to take him in.
“My husband dotes him a lot, when Hock’s business failed, he asked him to come back. He would also tell him that when he dies, he will bless Hock,” said his current boss, the wife of Mr Lim.
Bonds That Have Opened Doors
Despite Ah Hock’s failure, discrimination was never in the picture. Their bond only grew stronger.
“I was never blamed for leaving” he said, “Gin Thye and my friends always made it known that the doors are always open.”
Mr Lawrence Lim, the son of the late Mr Lim Bak Chai, got to know Ah Hock when he helped out in his father’s shop after his National Service. Gradually the two grew to become closer and all titles were dropped. As four decades go by, the teenagers now became men who shares a special bond.
“Ah Hock worked here with my dad since I was young, he is like my right-hand man. We did not stop him from venturing, but we always welcomed him back.” said Mr Lawrence Lim,
“Gin Thye was not built within one or two years. It took 50 years. We’ve seen their contributions.” Mr Lim said, “You cannot just fire the older workers because there are younger people. Without them, there won't be the Gin Thye we have today. So we must walk together towards the future.”
Today, Ah Hock is Gin Thye’s oldest staff.
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