When challenged to write a fitting tribute for Father’s Day, Willie Lok Tian Wei of Alor Star compared his inspirational schoolteacher dad to the inspiring Ssangyong Rexton 270Xdi. 

“Daring, dashing, versatile and steel-like,” wrote the 21-year-old architecture student of Sheffield University. “Dad and Rexton are very much alike ... they are a driving inspiration beyond comparison.” 

The glowing tribute won Lok and his father, David Lok Hiang Kee, 56, a Rexton 270Xdi for a weekend plus a holiday in the nation’s capital with accommodation at the luxurious Westin Kuala Lumpur, courtesy of SsangYong’s sole importer and distributor for Malaysia, Competitive Supreme Sdn Bhd.  

Lok, who was home from Britain’s Sheffield University for the summer holidays, had sent in the winning entry for the mini contest that was part of the review of the Rexton Xdi in StarMag on April 11.  

Although it was supposed to be a treat for Father’s Day on June 20, the Loks could not make it on the actual day because of complications caused by the Thursday-Friday weekend in their home state.

Instead, father and son flew on June 30 into the KL International Airport, where they were picked up in the chauffeured Rexton and taken on a tour of Putrajaya and the nation’s capital. They also had the opportunity to drive the big seven-seater SsangYong and experience for themselves the SUV’s impressive power and handling qualities. 

The senior Lok, who recently retired after over three decades of service as a science teacher at SMK Tunku Sofiah in Alor Star, marvelled at the comfort and quality of the big SsangYong SUV but confessed that he found the heavy traffic and generally frenetic pace of life in Kuala Lumpur somewhat intimidating and stressful, compared with the more relaxed pace of the hometown where he and his wife, Veronica, also a schoolteacher, have lived all their lives and raised their two sons. 

“We were touched by the hospitality accorded by the staff of Competitive Supreme Sdn Bhd, in particular Mr Melvinder Singh, the general manager,” said Willie Lok. 

The RM171,000 Rexton had certainly made a strong impression, he added, and the experience was made even more memorable by “the human touch that enabled a meaningful father-son bonding holiday for my dad and me.” 

“We had a heavenly stay at the Westin KL and enjoyed the lavish Italian dinner at the Prego restaurant for just the two of us. Being an architecture student, I enjoyed seeing the KL skyline from our room at the topmost 35th executive club floor. Our belated Father’s Day treat was superbly arranged. Kudos to all involved.” If you, too, would like opportunities to win a joyride, as and when appropriate vehicles and occasions come along, watch this space. 

- The Star Online (Jul 11, 2004) -