Eric Chia to be laid to rest tomorrow

SUNGAI PETANI: Former Perwaja Steel managing director Tan Sri Eric Chia Ng Hock, 75, who died from a heart attack yesterday, will be laid to rest at the Sungai Layar Christian cemetery here tomorrow.
S. Muniandy, an employee of the Park Avenue Hotel here which was owned by Chia and where he died in his private room while asleep around 9am yesterday, said the cortege would leave the hotel at 10am for the funeral.
Hundreds of well-wishers have been streaming to the hotel since yesterday to pay their last respects to the tycoon.
His widow Puan Seri Grace Chia, 60, and son Michael Chia, 46 were beside his coffin to accept condolences. - Bernama

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SUNGAI PETANI: Tan Sri Eric Chia Eng Hock died in his sleep at a hotel here yesterday. He was 75.

The former managing director of Perwaja Steel Sdn Bhd, who owned the Park Avenue Hotel, succumbed to a heart attack. He had been staying in a suite there for over a month.

His aides discovered him dead when they tried to wake him up about 9am.

Sungai Petani police officer-in-charge Chief Inspector Hashim Ismail confirmed he had issued a burial certificate for Chia after the tycoon's personal doctor confirmed he had died of a heart attack about 9am.

Chia's widow, Puan Sri Grace Chia, the couple's son Michael, 48, and their daughter were spotted at the hotel.

Several hotel workers were also seen setting up tents outside the building, believed to be preparations for Chia's last rites and burial set for tomorrow.

At press time, none of Chia's family members or representatives had made any official announcement on his death or burial plans.

An engineer at the hotel, S. Muniandy, 42, said he had entered his employer's room about 7.30am yesterday to report on the work routine for the day.

I brief him daily, but when I entered the room, he was still asleep. I left without disturbing him.

Later, I found out that he got up at 7.45am and asked if I had come to brief him. The personal assistant told him I had done so, but that he was still asleep.

Muniandy said Chia said nothing afterwards and went back to sleep.

He said the personal assistant sensed something was amiss when efforts to wake him up later failed.

A friend of Chia, James Leong, 52, said he last met Chia when they had lunch at the hotels Chinese restaurant about 2.30pm on Monday.

He said Chia appeared healthy. He was a good man and always shared business knowledge with others, said Leong, adding that he had known Chia since 2004.