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Lee Khoon Choy, the father who loved to tell stories with a message

SINGAPORE – The young Lee Khoon Choy once moved out of his student dormitory in London when its owner refused entry to a friend from an ethnic minority group, firmly rejecting the outright display of injustice and racial discrimination.

Funeral of former minister and PAP Old Guard Lee Khoon Choy on Wednesday (March 2). Photo: Ernest Chua

Funeral of former minister and PAP Old Guard Lee Khoon Choy on Wednesday (March 2). Photo: Ernest Chua

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SINGAPORE – The young Lee Khoon Choy once moved out of his student dormitory in London when its owner refused entry to a friend from an ethnic minority group, firmly rejecting the outright display of injustice and racial discrimination.

This story, one of many that demonstrated the strength of the former politician and diplomat’s character, was shared by Mr Lee’s eldest daughter during her eulogy at his funeral service on Wednesday (March 2) afternoon. It also illustrated how Mr Lee weaved in moral messages in the stories he shared with his children.

Mr Lee died on Saturday at the age of 92. Born in Penang, he began his career as a journalist in the 1950s and stepped into politics when he joined the People’s Action Party in 1959.

His political positions included Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Mr Lee also served as Singapore’s Ambassador to Egypt, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea, before retiring from public service in 1988.

The funeral service at Mount Vernon Sanctuary was attended by family, friends and colleagues who had worked with Mr Lee in the past.

Four eulogies were delivered by his four oldest children, followed by a slideshow of his old pictures during his various travels and diplomatic missions, milestones of his political career, carrying his grandchildren and showcasing his books and paintings in his later years.

Paying tribute to his love for music, his children also played a rendition of two songs – “Leader of the Band” and “It’s a sin to tell a lie” – led by two daughters on the guitar.

In their eulogies, Mr Lee’s children also recounted what he stood for in their hearts.

Eldest son Mr Lee Chuen Neng, 64, described his father as “truly gifted” – a man who could play several musical instruments, speak many languages including Arabic, and “talk to crowds and walk with kings”.

“He had such complete confidence in our innate ability that he allowed all of us the freedom to choose our own path, knowing that we’ll all be well in the end. When we stumble, as we would at some stage, he was there to assure us that we would be ok,” he added.

Eldest daughter Lee Chuen Ting said her father had a special way of instilling values through the stories he told, instead of through scolding and lectures.

“He never turns his back on his friends, he never runs from a fight and we as children … know that he expected us to be the same,” she added.

Ms Lee Chuen Li also remembers her father as an eternal optimist, who could see the humor in every situation, and had the ability to connect with people on a spiritual level.

Mr K Kesavapany, who was Mr Lee’s deputy in the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta from 1973 to 1974, said Mr Lee was a “natural-born diplomat” who was able to relate to everyone from the “office boy to a tycoon”.

A staunch believer that diplomacy should be practised “outside the office”, Mr Lee had emphasised the need for diplomats to interact not just with the upper echelon of society, but people from all walks of life, said Mr Kesavapany, 79, a career diplomat who stepped down as High Commissioner to Malaysia in 2002.

“He will ask us not to stay in the office, but to go out ... and mingle with any and everybody, and not be officious.”

As ambassador to Indonesia between 1970 and 1974, Mr Lee was credited for his role in thawing Singapore-Indonesia relations, following the hanging of two Indonesian commandos responsible for the 1965 bombing of MacDonald House.

Mr Lee had persuaded Singapore’s then Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, to make a conciliatory gesture of scattering flowers at the graves of the two commandos in Jakarta during the latter’s visit to Indonesia. That gesture helped mend the two countries’ relationship.

Mr Kesavapany said Mr Lee Khoon Choy had a firm grasp of Indonesian history, where “face was very important”.

“That was the magic behind the gesture -- that each (country) could interpret it according to (its) wishes, and face was saved.”

“Mr Lee would be remembered as one of our finest ambassadors, who played a very crucial role in restoring Indonesia-Singapore relations,” Mr Kesavapany added.

Mr Vincent Wong, 80, a former Ministry of Foreign Affairs communication officer, first met Mr Lee in Jakarta during an overseas posting when the latter was the ambassador.

Mr Wong, who also worked alongside Mr Lee in Japan, remembers him as a strict boss who held high standards for his staff but also cared for them deeply. WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KENNETH CHENG

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