MARCH 26 — There have been too many things talked and written about Lee Kuan Yew. His achievements have been well recognised and I don't need to put them in words here any more.
But, there is something I would like to share with you here, the LKY that I saw myself.
It happened six years ago during LKY's last visit to Malaysia. His eight-day itinerary covering the northern, central and east coast parts of Malaysia was packed to the seams.
One day, I received a call that LKY invited the local media for a breakfast get-together at the hotel he put up with in KL.
To be honest, we had reporters tracking down his every move in Malaysia, but why another breakfast get-together with the media?
I couldn't figure out why, but an opportunity to be up close with a legendary leader like him was indeed godsend.
I went to his hotel the second day morning, and we were led into the suite by high commission officials. We were repeatedly reminded that it would be a private dialog and nothing from the meeting should be carried on the newspaper.
At an advanced age of 85, his face was still rosy. He smiled and shook the hands with all of us.
Having sat down, he allowed us to introduce ourselves and then have our breakfast. Later he put it forthright: I've invited you here not to listen to me, but for me to hear from you. So, please speak up.
He posed his questions, and asked whether Umno was able to implement the reform, the predicament of BN component parties and potentials of the opposition, racial relations and the emergence of Islamic fundamentalism.
He listened attentively, trying to get the real answers for his questions. Along the way he also expressed his own views and responded candidly to all our questions.
From my observation, what he knew about Malaysia was not something 20 years earlier but up-to-the-minute. He had Malaysia's developments right at his fingertips.
Somehow Malaysia was still very much a part of his dreams, one part of his early struggles. I believe Singapore aside, this is the place he was most sentimentally attached to.
He was also very concerned about the situation of Chinese Malaysians, and I expressed my views of it.
About an hour later, the high com officials came in to inform him time was up and he had to rush for the next event.
He walked us out of the suite and at the corridor, he suddenly patted me on the shoulder and spoke to me now in Mandarin.
Which state are you from? Where were you educated? How did you learn your English? How is the circulation of Sin Chew Daily now?... that gentle voice still lingers in my ears. — Sin Chiew Daily
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
