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Daily SG: 30 Sep 2008
Posted by singaporedaily on September 30th, 2008
For the sword outwears its sheath, and the soul wears out the breast.
And the heart must pause to breathe, and love itself have rest.
Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam 5 January 1926 - 30 September 2008
The Passing of JBJ
- Gerald Giam: Passing of JBJ
- nofearSingapore: Mr. JB Jeyaratnam: R.I.P.
- Princess from the Planet of Venupitarius: J B Jeyaretnam passed away this morning
- The Anti Neo-Democracy Theorist: Thinking about Mr. JBJ
- Moving Higher In Souped-up Heuristically Agon Moment: Mourn for a Great Fighter
- The Itch To Write: The demise of …
Power to Cost the People
- Sgpolitics: Crude Oil falls well over 20%, but electricity bills rise 21%
- Feed Me To The Fish: Who’s paying for all the energy expended at F1?
- Jacob’s Weblog: We might as well live in darkness
High Notes and Minibombs
- Singapore Alternatives: MiniBond- Allocation of Responsibility
- Mr Wang Says So: Why Intelligent People Do Stupid Things Which Aren’t Really That Stupid
- Sgpolitics: My response to Mr Syu Ying Kwok’s ST letter
Strangers in a Strange Land
- Yawning Bread: More people on this island, but poorer
SG Press rank 141 and falling
- This lush garden within: What role do the media play in Singapore?
Singapore F1 Grand Prix
- Singapore Life and Times: Start your engines
- Simple is the Reason of My Heart: Formula 1 Grand Prix Singapore 2008
Daily Discourse
- BothSidesOfTheJohorStraits S’pore’s speech to UN on the independent variables of ‘good governance’ and ‘democratic governance’
Infoblogoramus
- Lets Go To Speakers’ Corner: Calender of Events
My company was involved in the Singapore GP and this was the view from my hotel window where I stayed over the weekend. Not a bad shot with a cheap Nokia camera phone :-)
September 30th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Rest in peace Mr JB Jeyaretnam.
patriot
September 30th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
In recent days headlines screamed of delight over a “momentous” event in our country. It disregarded the snarl of the various problems brought about by road closures; the snide remarks made by some about how the tariffs for electricity were raised a day after the bright lights shone on brightly painted race machines; the lack of car crashes (are we morbid or what?); and the marks made by tyres – moving at high speeds – on the paved roads.
This is for a greater cause, they said.
Merely days after, an arguably more significant event passed in our country’s history. The normality of it all – akin to the day after 9/11, as people went on with their lives as though nothing happened – was in stark contrast to the fun and fanfare of days ago. The irony of it all was how the “momentous” event was held at an extended area of where greater historic event occurred in 1984.
A check in wikipedia would throw up many events that happened in 1984. While we had nothing close to the “futuristic, totalitarian regime” that George Orwell wrote in 1984, someone, somewhere on a little speck of an island went against all odds and created a mini-tsunami in the local political scene.
Throwing away a cushy job, this someone thought he could do something for his fellow man. Somehow, it probably became his “greater cause” and he spent the rest of his life fighting – at times all on his own – for a big group of people.
I would have loved to be at Anson at some period in 1981 or even 1984. However, I was too young then to be aware of the nuances behind the hammer logo or the more familiar “lightning” one. This was a bigger regret than meeting the man himself sometime in 2000.
Since he appeared on the scene and got on the wrong side of many things, he became a bit of a curious character among the citizenry. Being part of this citizenry, I could appreciate what drove them to avoid this man when he peddled his books. The scene outside Centrepoint many years ago was etched in my mind. Somehow it took courage to step into a metre-wide “no man’s land” separating him from the crowd – which moved at a snail’s pace due to the lack of space in front of the shopping centre.
“Hi. I would like to buy your book,” I muttered under the din of the weeknight traffic, wondering if I should have added a “Sir” after my “Hi”. It didn’t take me very long to become self-conscious as I could feel multiple pairs of eyes were looking at how a young adult was buying a book from a man many considered as a condemned character.
“Sure,” he replied with a smile. It felt more genuine than many I have seen plastered on posters come July every year.
“Would you like me to sign it?” he ventured to ask after accepting the ten-dollar note I passed him.
“Yes, please,” I muttered again as I felt waves of gazes falling on my back, making a weirdo out of me.
The man signed it. We shook hands and I went on my way, melting into the crowd while he started hawking his books with shouts of “Wake up, Singaporeans!”
I bought two of his books and on both occasions, it was outside Centrepoint. Since then, I have never seen him in person again and will never.
This morning’s news was a shocker. We knew and read of his attempts at resurrecting something – even at the grand old age of 82. There are some who took it for granted that he would be around for a while longer.
The passing of a great man would be glossed over soon enough because of the nature of modernity. I believe there are many who have never really appreciated his efforts, even if they didn’t agree with his intentions. Many would have cheered for the underdog in numerous Hollywood films and appreciated their relentless attempts in going against all odds. But when it came to this one man who was basically fighting for all, the day after his passing would be like just another September 12.
In the grand scheme of things, he might have made only the tiniest of dents but surely he cannot be faulted for his spirit in fighting for “the greater cause” he believed in. It was more intangible that the bright lights that shone a few days ago. However, it is his legacy that will eventually – through the passage of time – become the best argument for why he should be the true son, patriot and fighter of this country.
May you rest in peace, Sir Joshua.
September 30th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
that was beautiful IrCTP
good bye blue sky, good bye
October 1st, 2008 at 2:41 am
thank you for sharing, IrCTP.
i liked reading your post.
October 1st, 2008 at 6:43 pm
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