Biography: MR. AU SOON FATT (31st August 2012)
Au Soon Fatt 1954 
區順發，陳玉娣 
Au Soon Fatt & wife 
1. I was born in Singapore in May 1932 to Au, Swee Kin and Yong, Choy Sin, We came to Kuala Belait(KB) in 1940 and started my education at Pei Ching Primary school until the Japanese invasion in 1942. After the war in 1946, I continue my education at Chung Hua School at KB until 1949.
2. Due to unexpected family circumstances, I had to leave school at 17 and started to work at Brunei Shell as an apprentice and was accepted into the Brunei Shell Trade School.
3. After successfully completing 2 years in the Trade School, I graduated and continued to work as a draughtsman at Brunei Shell.
4. In 1953, the Principal of Chung Hua School, Mr. T.S. Sung, decided to replace the old pre-war two storey timber class room building with a modern reinforced concrete building to house the new Administrative Office and classrooms.
5. Mr. Jackin Th’ng an architect with Brunei Shell volunteered as the architect for the school project. I seize the opportunity and volunteered to assist Jackin to prepare structural and the architectural detailed drawings. During the project construction, both Jackin and I spent personal time after office hours as site supervisors overseeing the project works.
6. I found this first experience very rewarding to be able to go through a building construction project from the initial planning stage to the final completion. This could very well be the very first motivation to encourage me to continue with my career in civil engineering and building construction.
7. Jackin and I teamed up again as volunteers on another major school project with the successful completion of Chung Ching High school in Seria.
8. I left KB in 1961 to join my mother and siblings back in Singapore. I enrolled in night school at the Singapore Polytechnic and studied diligently to further my education. Through hard work and persistence, I finally obtained my Diploma in Structural Engineering in 1966.
9. Not satisfied with a Diploma, I continued to pursue my professional ambition, to become a fully qualified Structural Engineer. Through self study, hard work and with dedicated discipline, I obtained two more professional qualifications; becoming a Member of Institute of Structural Engineering (M.I. Strut. E, UK) and Member of the Professional Engineer (P.E. Singapore) and Chartered Engineer (C.Eng.UK) in 1970 just before my 40th birthday.
10. Throughout my professional career spanning over 4 decades (43 years to be exact), I looked back in my life and realized that the most important factor that motivated me to a success professional career, was the 3 1⁄2 years of early education I received at the KBCHM school. I appreciated the guidance, mentorship and friendship shown to me by principal T.S. Sung, the teachers and many school mates whom I am in touch with and still meet with at every opportunity.
11. I also want to acknowledge my dear wife and life partner, Nuk Tai for standing by me and supporting me during the times when I was busy with my studies. Together we raised 3 wonderful and successful children who now have families of their own. After my retirement in 1992, we now spend our time with our 5 grandchildren and traveling and visiting friends all over the world.
Memories of The Way We Were 
Thank you Kat Liang for removing the photo
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My Uncle (Mr. AU Soon Fatt) is a very caring and patient man. So full of life and positivity. Although he is a relatively quiet person, he doesn’t talk much. But if there is someone around him that needs help or advice, he will be there for you just patiently explaining and helping in any way he can.
There’s no doubt he is the most patient and kind hearted man I know. He treats everyone with so much care and love, not only towards his family, but to everyone around him. He also loves my daughter and treats her as if she’s his own granddaughter. He is such a blessing to our family, to have someone like him that we can look up to as a role model.
Both husband and wife (my uncle and auntie) are such lovely people, always loving as a couple. Both kind hearted and full of love. Wish you both blessings of good health and great happiness!
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Dear Doris, your uncle Au Soon Fatt is indeed a very kind and friendly person and we have been friends since the late 1940’s during our primary school day at Kuala Belait Chung Hua School. We are great friends and we have been to several cruise holidays from Singapore. They were very generous to let my sister and I stayed over night in their apartment and together we would hired a Taxi the next day going to the Cruise terminal together making sure we all arrived the same time to check in. He and his wife never failed to join our Alumni reunion Days and I like to introduce the grand reunion in 2012, written by my daughter Ruey Shuian. Just click the URL below: https://memoriesofthewaywewere.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/reflecting-on-my-memories-of-the-2012-reunion/. Please share this post with his family and friends the relive the good old times Regards: SK Chong
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