Ah Seng, the Samseng

Part I

“Sir, you might find this very childish. Even though I managed to keep away from my Secret Society (SS) brothers for about five years, I returned to join the SS because I was influenced by the show ‘The Bund’. ”

With these simple words, Ah Seng, a Criminal Law Detainee in Tanah Merah Prison explained his return to the underworld.

“The Bund” was a hit television series of the 1980s that starred popular Hong Kong actor Lu Liang Wei in the leading role of Ding Li, a lightweight gangster who rose to become the kingpin of the triads in Old Shanghai. Ding Li represented the brash, lawless face of Old Shanghai. He was deeply involved in activities like running gambling and prostitution dens and opium smuggling. He also had links with influential figures in Chinese politics and personified the ultimate godfather who was impartial and fearless.

At first glance, the slightly-built Ah Seng, in his 40s, did not look like a SS General Headman, let alone resemble the debonair image of his screen hero, Ding Li. But there were parallels between them in that both came from humble backgrounds. The eighth child in a family of seven boys and three girls, Ah Seng’s father died when he was 13 and his mother raised her children single-handedly as a vegetable rice seller.

When he was young, Ah Seng was looked after by his grandparents who doted on him. Although his schoolwork was satisfactory, he was not interested in studies. Instead he longed to be a gangster. The old Kallang Airport area where he grew up was a hotbed of secret society activities in the 1970s. There were at least four major groups operating in the area – Sio Kun Tong, Ang Koon, Hong Hong San and Sio Gi Ho. As a kid, Ah Seng hung out with gangsters and was obsessed with becoming one.

At 12, he dropped out of school to pursue his dream of becoming a secret society kingpin. Despite his young age, he was accepted by a SS group. Barely six months later, he was made a Headman with 10 to 15 boys under his wings. As the Old Kallang Airport area was a bitterly contested territory, Ah Seng saw his share of action in the turf wars of the SS groups. Averaging one clash a day, he was kept busy. Not that he was complaining. In fact, he was like a pitbull straining at the leash, waiting eagerly for the next fight to show off his ferocity and aggression.

Ah Seng distinguished himself in these bloody clashes. His reputation soared with every victory and led to his meteoric rise within the group. He was recognised as a gutsy warrior and a rousing leader of men. His fierce loyalty to his gang and his implacable sense of justice earned him many admirers. His star was shining.

Despite the dangers, Ah Seng never thought about death. Instead he was addicted to the adrenaline rush of a gang clash and always looked forward to the next fight. Money was never a factor as he did not join the SS for material gain. He was more interested in winning fame and the respect of both friends and foes in the underworld.

Being actively involved in triad activities, it was only a matter of time before Ah Seng got into trouble with the law. It came in the mid-1970s when a rival gang member was killed in a clash and he and some of his members were charged with culpable homicide. He was sentenced to three years’ jail.

Time in prison gave him the opportunity to reflect and he began to realise that the SS had led him on a destructive path, and caused his family anguish and heartbreak. Seeing his aged mother visit him in prison filled him with remorse.

He vowed to steer clear of the SS after his release. When he left prison, he went to work for his brother. But fate decreed that he could not stay away for long. This was the 1980s and the television series “The Bund” was the talk of the town. While the programme was mere entertainment fodder for the man-in-the-street, it struck an emotional chord with Ah Seng who saw in the lead character, Ding Li, everything that he aspired to be. In another twist of fate, at that time there was a vacancy in the group’s upper ranks which badly needed filling in. Without a strong hand to lead it, the group faced certain obliteration by its rivals. Having grown up with the gang, Ah Seng simply could not let that happen.

Part II

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