Indonesian billionaire grandpa hands over S$100,000 for Singaporean 5-year-old boy to help him fight aggressive leukaemia

When one grandfather—who just happens to be an Indonesian banking and property magnate—saw the story of a 5-year-old boy in Singapore in need of medical treatment, the little one brought to mind his own grandson, who is the same age.

Mr Ang Tjoen Ming saw a photo of little Isaac Ng in a story Shin Min Daily News published on March 4, and immediately sprung into action, writing a cheque for S$100,000 for the boy’s treatment. 

The businessman, commonly known as Tahir, ranks as the 16th wealthiest individual in Indonesia, with a net worth of S$3.5 billion. In 2019, he was appointed by President Joko Widodo to the Presidential Advisory Council.

And maybe if he were in his home country, he would have had someone on his staff facilitate a fund transfer to help Isaac.

But he didn’t. Instead, since he was in Singapore anyway, he went to visit the boy and his father, Ng Nai Long, 43, and personally handed the cheque over. 

The first thing the billionaire said when he met the little boy was, “You’re like my grandson.”

This would undoubtedly be enough for the boy’s father, but Mr Ang’s generosity went even further. Should the expenses for Isaac exceed what has been already donated, Mr Ang assured them that he will give even more.

He told Isaac’s father to focus on the little boy’s healing, telling him, “I’ll bear the rest of the expenses. You don’t have to worry, let me settle.”

And, addressing Isaac, he said, “Grandpa will help you so that you can live a strong life after your recovery. You will definitely be a good person, one that is more capable than me.”

Isaac’s story has been told on the crowdfunding site Give.asia.

At the age of 3, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and his family was told he had a high chance of recovery.

As his parents are Malaysian, he was treated in Kuala Lumpur.

However, 13 months after his treatment began, he suffered a relapse, and his sickness has been resistant to treatment since then.

Last year, his family was told that there were no more treatment options for him in Malaysia.

There is, however, Chimeric-Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, which is described as “the only curative option to save Isaac,” available at the National University Hospital in Singapore.

The little boy did receive CAR-T therapy by the end of 2021, but is now in immediate need of a bone marrow transplant, as his leukaemia has proven to be aggressive and resistant to treatment.

However, the success of the CAR-T therapy allowed him to go into remission, so that he can have the bone marrow transplant, with his father as a matched donor.

The total amount the family requires is $550,000.

If other donors would also like to give toward Isaac’s treatment, they can do so here. /TISG

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