PM Lee, family and friends pay respects to S R Nathan
SINGAPORE — A steady stream of family and friends have paid their last respects to the late Mr S R Nathan at a private wake held his family home on Tuesday (Aug 23).
Among them was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ms Ho Ching, who arrived at Mr Nathan’s residence in Ceylon Road just before noon on Tuesday and spent about a half-hour at the wake.
Deputy prime ministers Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam arrived about an hour later.
Speaking to reporters outside the residence, Mr Teo said Mr Nathan was a man of duty and values, and it pervaded his whole life.
Mr Teo: "I remember very vividly during SARS, we had got thermometers for all our school kids, and he called me up and said 'Please remember to look after the kids with special needs as well'."
"I'll always remembered him as being a very caring person, with values that will inspire the whole generation of public officers and Singaporeans."
On how Mrs Nathan was doing, Mr Teo said: "(They) have known each other for 74 years, it has been a very long and close relationship. She's of course saddened by his loss but she's strong and is strengthened by all the good wishes of family, friends and all Singaporeans."
"We wish her well and also her family," added Mr Teo.
Mr Tharman paid tribute to the former President and said Mr Nathan was helped make Singapore what it is today. "He personified multi-racialism," said Mr Tharman.
"It was not just as a matter of principle and belief, but the way he conducted his life, the friends he kept, the friends he looked after, the people he went out of his way to help. He was multi-racial to the core. He was Singapore," he added.
Mr Tharman also said Mr Nathan had a "common touch" and would always reach out to people he met along the way. "He had a common touch. That was just him, he was like that, that's the way he will always be remembered."
A private wake is being held for the late Mr Nathan at his family home on Tuesday and Wednesday, following which, his body will lie in state at Parliament House on Thursday. A state funeral service will be held on Friday at 4pm.
Also seen at the wake on Tuesday evening was Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung. Speaking to reporters, Mr Ong said: "(Mr Nathan) is a real personification of a passionate, inspiring lifelong learner. He doesn’t just teach you based on what he learned from books, he lived the life, and he’ll tell you his experience." He added that he had benefitted from the late President's guidance and mentorship over several years.
Mr Ong added that considering Mr Nathan started as office boy without a university degree and rose through the ranks to the top office of the country, "he attended the university of life, and through this university of life he got himself three honorory doctorates from NUS, NTU and SMU. He’s led a long, very meaningful life."
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, who just resumed duties following his stroke in May, wrote in a lengthy Facebook post about a gift he had received from the late Mr Nathan.
When Mr Heng was appointed Education Minister, Mr Nathan had given him a wooden plaque, which continues to sit on his desk at the Ministry of Finance. On it were the words “The art of education is to continue to grow as long as you live….”. Mr Heng said: "I treasure it as its words resonate with me deeply, and because Mr Nathan has so kindly given what he treasured to me."
Mr Heng also revealed that Mr Nathan had written to his family twice to wish him a speedy recovery while he was in hospital following his stroke. And just before he was discharged, he wrote to Mr Nathan to thank him for his well-wishes.
"Mr Nathan replied before long. In his beautiful handwriting, he wrote, 'Nothing delighted us more than to see you on TV leaving the hospital – hale and hearty with some loss of weight and no permanent impairment. Please take care. God has been kind….You have had one chance and by the Grace of God you are back to normal. You cannot afford to take any more risks. So please take your time recovering', wrote Mr Heng, who is still under doctors' orders to avoid contact with crowds at least for a few more months.
Mr Heng said he feels "a deep sadness and loss at Mr Nathan’s passing", adding: "But I cannot help but feel gratitude and admiration for the example he has left for all of us. He is a remarkable man who has done much for Singapore. His is a life well and fully lived, marked with distinction and service."
FRIENDS AT THE WAKE
Long time friend of Mr Nathan, first Secretary General of Singapore National Olympic Council , Mr S.S Dhillon, 85, also visited the wake Tuesday morning.
Mr Dhillon said: ("Mr Nathan)has been a friend mine since the early 1950s. He was staying at Bukit Panjang and so was I. We met quite often there.
“I found him a very good friend. (He was) a wonderful man.... You can't find such a man.”
A neighbour of Mr Nathan recalled Mr Nathan's humble disposition, despite having held the highest office in the land.
Mr Kwek Chin Ling, 59, who works as a part time lecturer at Ngee Ann Poly, said: "We've been neighbours for a very long time, for at least forty over years. My impression of him is that he's a friendly person, even though he holds a very important position, it doesn't show in his daily life."
Recounting how he would see Mr Nathan on the way to do morning exercise, he said: "Every time we see him, he'll wave at us and smile at us... So we don't feel like there's actually a president staying here."
Mr Kwek recalled how, when Mr Nathan first moved into the neighbourhood, he and his wife came over to pay his respects when Mr Kwek's father passed away - a gesture that "touched" him deeply.
"We miss him a lot and it's a sad thing (he's gone)," he added.
