Marcus Chin lays bare estranged relationship with daughter
When local actor Christopher Lee said on his show Dishing With Chris Lee that it was physically demanding raising a child, 70-year-old Marcus Chin replied that his journey as a father was much easier.
"I had it easy because I did not have to raise her," he jested, to the amusement of Lee and fellow guests Richard Low, Chen Shu Cheng and Zhu Hou Ren.
"I had her briefly when she was a baby and we have been living separately since then."
Chin's teenage daughter Elise lives in Johor Bahru with her mother Eileen Cheah, who was Chin's personal assistant.
The couple had an affair back in 2009, when Chin was 56 and Cheah was 24. They had Elise in 2010 and split up the following year.
Taiwanese singer Murong Ying, whom Chin married in 1987, walked out on him after his affair with Cheah came to light.
Chin described his distant relationship with his daughter as a situation that could not be helped and that he would chat with Elise via video calls.
Admitting that he had never thought of making plans to "make it up to her", Chin said the best he could do was to provide financially, ensuring that Elise received education.
"That is fine, as long as she's healthy and happy," said Chen.
Lee assured Chin that he was being a good father to Elise in helping to secure her future by taking care of her education.
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