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Ex-ministers, MPs hail Nathan as an inspiring father figure

SINGAPORE — Scores of former parliamentarians and Cabinet ministers and members of the Old Guard paid their last respects to the late former President S R Nathan at his Ceylon Road home yesterday, where a private wake was held.

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SINGAPORE — Scores of former parliamentarians and Cabinet ministers and members of the Old Guard paid their last respects to the late former President S R Nathan at his Ceylon Road home yesterday, where a private wake was held.

They streamed in throughout the day after Mr Nathan’s casket arrived at about 10.40am, and shared a wealth of their fond personal memories of the Republic’s longest-serving head of state as a humble, caring man who carried a fierce dedication to duty and to Singapore.

Wreaths were also delivered over the course of the day, gradually filling up the pavement outside Mr Nathan’s home.

Former Senior Minister of State Ch’ng Jit Koon, 82, recalled Mr Nathan’s deep knowledge of international affairs and politics when they both represented Singapore at the United Nations General assembly in 1967.

But he always had time for friends and ordinary folk, even when he was President.

Mr Ch’ng said Mr Nathan sent him a calligraphy scroll with the word “friend” in Mandarin, and both their names to mark their friendship — a gesture which touched him deeply.

“Whenever he was approached to grace certain occasions, wherever possible, he would agree to attend them, regardless of whether that organisation was big or small,” he added.

Agreeing, former Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Yatiman Yusof recounted how Mr Nathan would tend to “ignore protocol” at functions and speak to whoever he wished to meet.

He would also send back handwritten notes just to say a simple thank you, he added.

For former MP (Tampines) Irene Ng, 53, Mr Nathan stood as an “inspiring father figure” who would tirelessly impart lessons on how to serve the people.

His humble nature also came through when Mr Nathan visited the widow of Heng Yeow Peow, one of the victims of the Nicoll Highway collapse in 2004, who was Ms Ng’s constituent. Despite the language barrier, Mr Nathan tried his best to comfort them and encourage them, without any form of “publicity” because he genuinely cared, she added.

Among the first few visitors to arrive were Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Madam Ho Ching, who reached just before noon.

Shortly after, Deputy Prime Ministers Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Teo Chee Hean arrived. Other notable figures included Messrs Ong Pang Boon, Tan Soo Khoon, Chin Harn Tong and S Dhanabalan.

Senior Minister of State (Law and Finance) Indranee Rajah said that what struck her most was that there was always “something personal” that people remembered about Mr Nathan.

“There are some people whom you see in the newspapers or you see at a distance but for him, you (know) because he’s spoken to somebody ... he’s touched them directly ... That’s the kind of man that he was,” she added.

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong recounted that during his walkabouts in his Marine Parade ward, where Mr Nathan lived, the latter would “always be standing by the door”.

“Unlike other residents who I had to knock on the door for, he would already be waiting for me ... He was a remarkable (man),” Mr Goh added.

Mr Teo said that when the Government was handing out thermometers during the Sars outbreak in 2003, Mr Nathan rang him up specially to remind him not to miss out on children with special needs.

“I reassured him we did (include them), and he said, ‘That’s good, that’s the right thing to do’. I remember him to be a caring person, always with the values that will inspire a whole generation of public officers and Singaporeans.”

Mr Tharman said Mr Nathan “personified multiracialism”. “He was multiracial to the core. 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 also someone with a common touch. He would always look for the person third or fourth in line, or do a U-turn to greet someone in a wheelchair, to reach out to a young child.”

The private wake continues today. On Thursday, the Lying in State ceremony for Mr Nathan will begin at Parliament House.

A State Funeral Service will be held on Friday at 4pm.

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