SINGAPORE, Aug 23 — A steady stream of family and friends have paid their last respects to SR Nathan at a private wake held his family home today.
Among them was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who arrived at Nathan’s residence in Ceylon Road just before noon.
Long time friend of Nathan, first Secretary General of Singapore National Olympic Council, SS Dhillon, 85, also visited the wake this morning.
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 Nathan recalled Nathan's humble disposition, despite having held the highest office in the land.
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 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."
Kwek recalled how, when Nathan first moved into the neighbourhood, he and his wife came over to pay his respects when 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. — TODAY
