For 18 years, Michael Tong Wai Siong answered to a name that was never written on his birth certificate but came to mean everything to three brothers who were orphaned as children.
To the boys, he was their dear ‘Uncle Mike’ – and there was nothing conventional about the family they built together.
Tong, 57, a Buddhist and a bachelor, adopted and raised Rafei Ahmad Fauzi, 31, Rasyid, 30, and Abdul Rahman, 26, from childhood until they reached adulthood.
Uncle Mike – a man who never allowed differences in race or religion to stand in the way of love – has not only touched the hearts of Malaysians but also served as a reminder that compassion knows no boundaries.
For his generosity and sincerity in raising the three orphans, the businessman was also honoured with the Maulidur Rasul Award at the National-level Maulidur Rasul celebration for 1446H/2024. His story also inspired the film ‘Abah Saya, Uncle Mike’, which was released in August 2025.
Even though the narrative of this Chinese man with three adopted children of Malay descent has been told many times in the media, his remarkable journey of love, family and interfaith harmony is worth revisiting, particularly in conjunction with this year’s National Day celebration.
Today, the boys are financially independent and all three are involved in the cafe business. Rafei, 31, is married with three children, while Rashid, 30, is also married and a father of one. The youngest Abdul Rahman, 26, still lives in Damansara, Selangor, with Tong, who is also a mentor for young entrepreneurs at the Youth and Sports Skills Training Institute under the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
But for the man who once wondered whether he was making the right decision when he opened his home to a 12-year-old child, and later his younger brothers, nearly two decades ago, the answer has long been clear.
THE MEETING THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Recalling how he met the boy who went on to become his first adopted child, Tong told Bernama it all began when he joined a car club and took part in volunteer activities.
“Through these activities, my friends and I visited various places, including homes for the aged and orphanages.
“One day, while visiting an orphanage in Gombak (Selangor), I noticed a boy (12-year-old Rafei), who was unlike the other children. While the others were going to school and happily taking part in activities, Rafei remained alone in his room.
“When I asked about him, Umi (who managed the orphanage) told me that Rafei did not want to go to school,” he said.
Knowing that something needed to be done, Tong began persuading Rafei to return to school and personally drove him there from the home. He also arranged extra classes for Rafei, who had fallen behind academically after being out of school for some time.
Umi later suggested that Rafei live with Tong to make it easier for him to care for the boy. That marked the beginning of a new chapter in Tong’s life.
“When Umi suggested it, I was shocked and took some time to think about it carefully. But I steeled myself and left everything in God’s hands.
“Perhaps this was what people mean when they say that God has a plan. Everything happens for a reason, and I believed that God was testing me,” he said.
According to Tong, the situation brought back memories of his primary school when he would listen to religious talks by an ustaz (religious teacher) during Islamic Education classes.
“At the time, my Muslim classmates invited me to join their Islamic Education class because there were no classes for non-Muslims,” he said, adding that qada and qadar (divine decree and destiny) were among the things he learned.
Tong said what ultimately convinced him to take care of Rafei was his concern that the boy would be left alone without proper attention.
“A young boy like him needed the love and security of a family,” he added.
About a year after Rafei began living with him, Tong also took in Rasyid and Abdul Rahman after finding a note written by Rafei about his two younger brothers, who had been separated from him following the death of their parents.
CHALLENGES
Looking back on how he raised the three boys, Tong said that, like any parent, he too faced his share of challenges.
“As they grew into teenagers, there were naturally all kinds of behaviour. Once, the youngest, Abdul Rahman, was watching television, so I asked him why he was not praying when his two older brothers had already done so.
“He told me it was all right because, in Islam, prayers could be performed on a jamak basis (combining two obligatory prayers during a single prayer time frame). He thought I was just an apek cina (old Chinese man) who did not know anything about prayers.
“So I asked an ustaz to explain it to him,” he said with a smile as he recalled the incident.
Although he is a Buddhist, Tong made sure all three boys received proper religious education and also fasted during Ramadan. He also arranged for a teacher to teach them how to read the al-Quran.
He said one of the biggest changes in his life after becoming a parent was learning how to cook, while constantly reminding himself to be patient and set a good example for his adopted children.
“I learned to cook by following recipes on YouTube. I also used to go to bookstores to look for recipe books… I would read and memorise some of the recipes,” he said, adding that the children’s favourite dishes were ayam masak merah, chicken curry and fried chicken,” he said.
After years of caring for the three boys, Tong feels that his role as a parent has, in many ways, come full circle. Like any parent, his greatest hope is to see his children succeed in life while remaining kind and responsible.
“I believe that every good deed will be rewarded by God. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was able to support the children as I still had the opportunity to earn an income,” he said, viewing his journey as part of a destiny already written for him.
Asked about the spirit of unity that Malaysians need to nurture to preserve harmony in society, Tong, who has experienced firsthand what it means to raise children of a different race and religion, said he believes all human beings are essentially the same.
“What I have learned is that everything in this universe is created by God. If we take that approach, we will see that there is actually no difference among us.
“For example, the blood flowing through all our bodies is red in colour. Regardless of our race or religion, our blood is the same,” he said.
FRIEND OF ORPHANCARE
Recently, Tong was appointed a Friend of Yayasan OrphanCare, a non-profit foundation that endeavours to allow institutionalised children and unplanned, at-risk newborn babies the opportunity to grow in the care of a loving family.
Tong said the foundation was a natural choice for him to collaborate with because its tagline, ‘Every Child Needs a Family’, resonates deeply with him.
“As children grow, there are many things they want to express, but who can they talk to if they live in a charitable home?
“I understand that in such homes, there may be six wardens caring for more than 40 children. How can they possibly listen to every child? They also have other responsibilities,” he said.
Tong recalled that when he first met Rafei, the boy found it difficult to open up about what he was going through.
“It took me quite a long time to gain his trust,” he added.
Yayasan OrphanCare chairman Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir said Tong was chosen as a Friend of OrphanCare because of his extraordinary personal story as a Chinese man who opened his heart and home to three Malay siblings.
She said his sacrifice had touched Malaysians because it transcended race, religion and background, proving that a family is not defined solely by blood or biological ties, but also by love, commitment, responsibility and the willingness to give a child a safe place to call home.
“As a Friend of OrphanCare, we hope Uncle Mike can help raise awareness about family-based care, child protection and the importance of ensuring that vulnerable children are given the opportunity to grow up in a family.
“Children without family care need more than just shelter and basic necessities. They need a sense of belonging, stability, love and the opportunity to grow up in a permanent family environment,” she said.
Faizah said the foundation hoped Tong’s involvement would inspire society to better understand the true meaning of love and recognise the importance of building family relationships for children who are less fortunate.
“Whether through foster care, adoption, advocacy, volunteering or simply spreading awareness, everyone has a role to play in building a more caring society and helping to prevent child neglect and abandonment,” she said.
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial
