FU Weng Leng, the owner of a well-known traditional Chinese cooling drink, once said that grand funerals were pointless because the person was no longer around.

So when the 67-year-old Fu died on Sunday, his family decided to keep a low profile as a mark of respect to the man who ran the family business which established the Three Legs Brand.

Sin Chew Daily reported that his obituary only appeared on Thursday, two days after his funeral.

"We sincerely apologise for not informing you earlier. While we know that many of you would have wanted to say goodbye, we seek your kind understanding and acceptance of his desire to pass on quietly and not trouble his friends over his passing," the obituary said.

Fu's eldest son, Siang Jeen, told the daily that his father was diagnosed with end stage liver cancer three weeks ago.

He said Fu had been undergoing medical treatment, besides holding family meetings to discuss his funeral.

"He felt that a grand funeral ceremony would bear no value when the person has passed away," said Siang Jeen.

The daily said Fu lapsed into a coma on June 19 and that his remains were placed at a crematorium in Singapore for three days.

About 200 friends and relatives who heard about his death, including staff members of the Wen Ken Group of Companies, turned up at the crematorium.

Siang Jeen said his father took over the business from his grandfather in 1994.

Fu, he said, was the one who introduced plastic packaging for the cooling drink.

The Wen Ken Group was founded in 1937 by four Singaporeans, one of whom was Fu's father. The Three Legs Brand bagged the Best SMEs Best Brands Award in Singapore two years ago.

Apart from the cooling drink, Wen Ken also produces ointment to relief muscular pain, cough relief syrup and other health and pharmaceutical products which are sold in Malaysia, Singapore and other South-East Asian countries.