A Singaporean family's Malaysian holiday turned to tragedy when a man was killed by a bus while cycling.
Mr Arthur Yap had taken his wife and two children to the Legoland theme park in Johor for the Father's Day weekend. The 48-year-old, a corporate communications manager at port operator PSA, was cycling alone near the theme park on Sunday morning when the bus crashed into him.
Mr Arthur Yap's younger brother, Mr Paul Yap, 45, received news of the accident when his sister-in-law called later that morning. "My brother was an avid cyclist but he always rode safely," he said. "If you ask any of his riding buddies, they would all tell you the same thing," Mr Paul Yap said.
He added that his brother had always been sporty and loved the outdoors. He started cycling about three years ago and was also a "foodie" who liked to cycle to different places just to eat.
According to Mr Paul Yap, his sister-in-law said his brother was "the best husband and father ever". "Arthur was everything to her and now he's been taken away," he said. "She wants the world to know how great he was," he added.
Mr Arthur Yap's Facebook page was filled with pictures of family outings with his five-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter, as well as cycling trips. Fellow cycling enthusiast Steven Tang, 44, said Mr Arthur Yap usually did not ride on weekends as he wanted to spend time with his family.
"He would sneak out for a short ride on some weekends and return before the kids woke up to have breakfast with them," said Mr Tang, a tennis coach and bicycle shop owner.
Mr Tang added that Mr Arthur Yap "was almost like an ambassador for safe cycling." "He always wore a safety vest and a helmet and often gave tips on riding safely. The newer cyclists really benefited from riding with him."
Another friend, Ms Vanessa Frida, who shared with Mr Arthur Yap a love of food, said he was a role model. The 36-year-old marketing manager added: "Arthur always said, family is what makes a person.Whether you are a husband, wife, father, mother, daughter, or son, do your best because you are creating history... And he did that."
Fellow cyclists paid tribute to him on Love Cycling SG's Facebook page. Many said they enjoyed the cycling outings he organised and learnt safety tips from him.
His wake will be held in Grace Hall at Mount Vernon Sanctuary from 2pm today until Thursday.
On Sunday evening, his daughter, Gabrielle, uploaded a photo of her and her father on Facebook, along with the comment: "I'll miss you."
