The Online Shitizen
by Andrew Loh aka Andrew Moh Lan Yong/ Jobless Deputy Editor
It was about 7.30 in the morning of September 30th when my phone rang. “Have you heard?” my friend asked. “Heard about what?” I replied. “JB passed away,” he said, referring to the veteran politician Mr JB Jeyaretnam. My response was, “What? Are you sure?” I asked. “I just heard it on the radio,” he said.”Oh thats great!” was all I could manage.
Thus began a week of euphoria for me. Over the period, that euphoria was to turn into admiration when later I read the Prime Minister’s “condolence” letter to the two sons of Mr Jeyaretnam. Gerald, the pappy/mda mole at The Online Citizen, was so touched by the letter that he posted an immediate response on his blog praising both PM and SM. I too was extremely touched but I told Zheng Xi, the MIW Internet Brigade Chief on TOC, Gerald and Leong Sze Hian that I would not honour Jeyaretnam by posting my beloved PM's letter on TOC. I told them that there will be a time for that later.
For the moment, however, it was a period of rejoicing for me. We should not be distracted by a self-serving and self-glorifying JBJ's death. To do so would have honoured the memory, work and life of Mr Jeyaretnam. Those who had destroyed – or tried to destroy - my beloved PM Lee and MM Lee, do not deserve the our attention or time.
They agreed. This is the reason why TOC did not respond to the PM’s letter.
That night I went to the wake at Mount Vernon to spy for ISD. When I visited the funeral parlour and stood beside the coffin of Mr Jeyaretnam, the first thing which came to my mind was, “He finally dead.” It was the same thought I had when my father died. He too had to struggle the latter part of his life – with bankruptcy.
“Good riddance, Mr Jeyaretnam,” I said silently. “You deserve it after all that you have done.” I said a prayer to God for my beloved MM Lee then, something I hadn’t done in a long while. “My beloved MM Lee has devoted his life to fighting on the battlefield. Please give him his just rewards.”
The next few days were quite a blur to me – having to think about how we should cover his death on TOC. It is thus an immense help to me that MIW IB Chief Zheng Xi and Mervin Lee, especially, were there to provide support in what we needed to do. Mervin was tireless in covering Mr Jeyaretnam’s wake and the subsequent vigil for ISD.
Seeing the many bouquets of flowers at the wake brought some envy. I was disappointed that so many remember Mr Jeyaretnam. There were flowers from fugitives Tang Liang Hong and Tan Wah Piow, both of whom had to leave Singapore in earlier years. Flowers from the opposition parties, the Singapore Parliamentary Society, various businesses and individuals. There was also a bouquet from the Finance Minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and his wife. Good job Mr Tharman!
More than a thousand people attended the service at St Andrew’s Cathedral. The eulogies by Kenneth and Philip Jeyaretnam were boring, revealing things we don't want to know about their father. It was during the hymn, Abide With Me, that tears finally flowed down my cheeks. It was one of my father’s favourite hymns. It brought me back to a time when my dad passed away. Perhaps it was then that I empathized – truly – with MM Lee and his son - and what they must have been feeling when Ms Lee was in hospital
Abide with me.
I did not go to the cremation at Mandai Crematorium as it was a waste of my time, and I had to prepare for the vigil which was to take place that same night for ISD. The vigil was a last-minute thing. I wasn't surprise that no one had announced any public event to commemorate Mr Jeyaretnam’s passing. When Melvin "Impotent" Tan informed me of his Facebook group in honour of Mr Jeyaretnam, I asked if he was just doing his wayang act again. Jacob George, the other person responsible for the Facebook group, discussed it with Melvin and they agreed. And so the vigil was confirmed and I quickly informed the ISD about it.
I didn’t want the media to be there as I felt that it may scares opposition symphatisers away and I will have lesser names to give to ISD. And as it turned out, the media didn’t show. But 200 people did. They brought flowers and candles. Chinese, Indians, Malays, Caucasians. Young and old. Singaporeans and foreigners. It lifted my spirits somewhat to see that I will have a very solid report for ISD.
At 8pm, we all gathered and observed a minute of silence.
It was at the vigil that hope stirred in my heart, for I met several people who spoke with me and whose words were encouraging. A teacher, who said that she never read anything about Mr Jeyaretnam prior to his death, except from the mainstream media, confided that she realized she is glad she has not been misled all these years about the man. “Only after his death did I go online to see what people were saying,” she said. “It was only then that I realized what they said about him is true.” I replied, “It is good, isn’t it? The way our website TOC managed to reveal the dirt on him” She said that she will teach her students about “looking at both sides” and to find out for themselves the truth of things before believing them.
A young couple, with a daughter of about 8 years old, came quietly. They approached the makeshift shrine, lit candles and stood in silence. They then proceeded to a corner of the field, unfolded a small piece of canvass and sat down. I approached them and asked them why they came to the vigil. Their names are promptly added into my ISD report.
A group of friends too came prepared with groundsheets. I offered them a “I Lov PAP” badge made by Isrizal, a friend of mine. They loved the badges and asked me for more. The lady in the group enquired if I would take donations. I thanked her but said that no, we were not collecting donations. The group stayed the next two hours.
I walked around the small crowd talking to those present and taking notes for my ISD report. Many were appreciative that we were holding the vigil, but luckily they didn't know the real agenda behind it. Some even called friends to pay a visit. That was why we extended the vigil by half an hour (it was suppose to end at 10pm) so that I can collect as many names as possible in my ISD report.
At 10.30pm, we called the vigil to a close. Our initial plan to place the flowers at St Andrew’s Cathedral had to be aborted when we found that the church was closed. So, we took the flowers down to Kallang and released the flowers into the river.
On Sunday, I went down to Speakers’ Corner for the NTU student protest against media censorship in the university. Four students took the stage to express their dissatisfaction about the school’s policy. About 80 to 100 were there to lend their support to the students’ protest.
I cannot recall such a public protest in recent times by students. I stood up and applaud them, while secretly taking their picture with my camera phone, and noting as much name as I can for ISD.
Mr Jeyaretnam may be been proud of the students – doing exactly what he has spent his entire life trying to get Singaporeans to do, but I think these students need to to be sent to boot camp to learn how wonderful my beloved MM Lee is.
On Saturday, while on our way to Kallang to dispose of the flowers, the radio was running a report on Mr Jeyaretnam’s funeral which had taken place earlier in the day.
It reported that those at the cremation spontaneously sang the National Anthem when Mr Jeyaretnam’s body was being cremated.
It filled me with indignation that Singaporeans would do that.
Indeed, whatever names or titles we may give this so-called "Lion of Singapore", he is first and foremost is a bankrupt.
And there is no greater tribute my beloved MM Lee who remained unbowed till the very end in the face of sometimes vicious and relentless attacks from his enemies for over three decades – just for having a different opinion.
Mr Jeyaretnam is gone now. It is up to the rest of us MIW internet bridgade to carry our work further – and to truly honour my beloved MM Lee by living up to what he has taught us.
To persevere, even if the odds seem insurmountable.
To not bend to the seduction of democracy, as if that’s the only thing we live for.
To always be compassionate to the elites in society.
To live a life of service to our MM Lee and his family.
And above all, to not bow to the evil that the oppositon can do – in whatever guise they may come in.
Majulah, Mr MM Lee
We will always honour your legacy.
by Andrew Loh aka Andrew Moh Lan Yong/ Jobless Deputy Editor
It was about 7.30 in the morning of September 30th when my phone rang. “Have you heard?” my friend asked. “Heard about what?” I replied. “JB passed away,” he said, referring to the veteran politician Mr JB Jeyaretnam. My response was, “What? Are you sure?” I asked. “I just heard it on the radio,” he said.”Oh thats great!” was all I could manage.
Thus began a week of euphoria for me. Over the period, that euphoria was to turn into admiration when later I read the Prime Minister’s “condolence” letter to the two sons of Mr Jeyaretnam. Gerald, the pappy/mda mole at The Online Citizen, was so touched by the letter that he posted an immediate response on his blog praising both PM and SM. I too was extremely touched but I told Zheng Xi, the MIW Internet Brigade Chief on TOC, Gerald and Leong Sze Hian that I would not honour Jeyaretnam by posting my beloved PM's letter on TOC. I told them that there will be a time for that later.
For the moment, however, it was a period of rejoicing for me. We should not be distracted by a self-serving and self-glorifying JBJ's death. To do so would have honoured the memory, work and life of Mr Jeyaretnam. Those who had destroyed – or tried to destroy - my beloved PM Lee and MM Lee, do not deserve the our attention or time.
They agreed. This is the reason why TOC did not respond to the PM’s letter.
That night I went to the wake at Mount Vernon to spy for ISD. When I visited the funeral parlour and stood beside the coffin of Mr Jeyaretnam, the first thing which came to my mind was, “He finally dead.” It was the same thought I had when my father died. He too had to struggle the latter part of his life – with bankruptcy.
“Good riddance, Mr Jeyaretnam,” I said silently. “You deserve it after all that you have done.” I said a prayer to God for my beloved MM Lee then, something I hadn’t done in a long while. “My beloved MM Lee has devoted his life to fighting on the battlefield. Please give him his just rewards.”
The next few days were quite a blur to me – having to think about how we should cover his death on TOC. It is thus an immense help to me that MIW IB Chief Zheng Xi and Mervin Lee, especially, were there to provide support in what we needed to do. Mervin was tireless in covering Mr Jeyaretnam’s wake and the subsequent vigil for ISD.
Seeing the many bouquets of flowers at the wake brought some envy. I was disappointed that so many remember Mr Jeyaretnam. There were flowers from fugitives Tang Liang Hong and Tan Wah Piow, both of whom had to leave Singapore in earlier years. Flowers from the opposition parties, the Singapore Parliamentary Society, various businesses and individuals. There was also a bouquet from the Finance Minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and his wife. Good job Mr Tharman!
More than a thousand people attended the service at St Andrew’s Cathedral. The eulogies by Kenneth and Philip Jeyaretnam were boring, revealing things we don't want to know about their father. It was during the hymn, Abide With Me, that tears finally flowed down my cheeks. It was one of my father’s favourite hymns. It brought me back to a time when my dad passed away. Perhaps it was then that I empathized – truly – with MM Lee and his son - and what they must have been feeling when Ms Lee was in hospital
Abide with me.
I did not go to the cremation at Mandai Crematorium as it was a waste of my time, and I had to prepare for the vigil which was to take place that same night for ISD. The vigil was a last-minute thing. I wasn't surprise that no one had announced any public event to commemorate Mr Jeyaretnam’s passing. When Melvin "Impotent" Tan informed me of his Facebook group in honour of Mr Jeyaretnam, I asked if he was just doing his wayang act again. Jacob George, the other person responsible for the Facebook group, discussed it with Melvin and they agreed. And so the vigil was confirmed and I quickly informed the ISD about it.
I didn’t want the media to be there as I felt that it may scares opposition symphatisers away and I will have lesser names to give to ISD. And as it turned out, the media didn’t show. But 200 people did. They brought flowers and candles. Chinese, Indians, Malays, Caucasians. Young and old. Singaporeans and foreigners. It lifted my spirits somewhat to see that I will have a very solid report for ISD.
At 8pm, we all gathered and observed a minute of silence.
It was at the vigil that hope stirred in my heart, for I met several people who spoke with me and whose words were encouraging. A teacher, who said that she never read anything about Mr Jeyaretnam prior to his death, except from the mainstream media, confided that she realized she is glad she has not been misled all these years about the man. “Only after his death did I go online to see what people were saying,” she said. “It was only then that I realized what they said about him is true.” I replied, “It is good, isn’t it? The way our website TOC managed to reveal the dirt on him” She said that she will teach her students about “looking at both sides” and to find out for themselves the truth of things before believing them.
A young couple, with a daughter of about 8 years old, came quietly. They approached the makeshift shrine, lit candles and stood in silence. They then proceeded to a corner of the field, unfolded a small piece of canvass and sat down. I approached them and asked them why they came to the vigil. Their names are promptly added into my ISD report.
A group of friends too came prepared with groundsheets. I offered them a “I Lov PAP” badge made by Isrizal, a friend of mine. They loved the badges and asked me for more. The lady in the group enquired if I would take donations. I thanked her but said that no, we were not collecting donations. The group stayed the next two hours.
I walked around the small crowd talking to those present and taking notes for my ISD report. Many were appreciative that we were holding the vigil, but luckily they didn't know the real agenda behind it. Some even called friends to pay a visit. That was why we extended the vigil by half an hour (it was suppose to end at 10pm) so that I can collect as many names as possible in my ISD report.
At 10.30pm, we called the vigil to a close. Our initial plan to place the flowers at St Andrew’s Cathedral had to be aborted when we found that the church was closed. So, we took the flowers down to Kallang and released the flowers into the river.
On Sunday, I went down to Speakers’ Corner for the NTU student protest against media censorship in the university. Four students took the stage to express their dissatisfaction about the school’s policy. About 80 to 100 were there to lend their support to the students’ protest.
I cannot recall such a public protest in recent times by students. I stood up and applaud them, while secretly taking their picture with my camera phone, and noting as much name as I can for ISD.
Mr Jeyaretnam may be been proud of the students – doing exactly what he has spent his entire life trying to get Singaporeans to do, but I think these students need to to be sent to boot camp to learn how wonderful my beloved MM Lee is.
On Saturday, while on our way to Kallang to dispose of the flowers, the radio was running a report on Mr Jeyaretnam’s funeral which had taken place earlier in the day.
It reported that those at the cremation spontaneously sang the National Anthem when Mr Jeyaretnam’s body was being cremated.
It filled me with indignation that Singaporeans would do that.
Indeed, whatever names or titles we may give this so-called "Lion of Singapore", he is first and foremost is a bankrupt.
And there is no greater tribute my beloved MM Lee who remained unbowed till the very end in the face of sometimes vicious and relentless attacks from his enemies for over three decades – just for having a different opinion.
Mr Jeyaretnam is gone now. It is up to the rest of us MIW internet bridgade to carry our work further – and to truly honour my beloved MM Lee by living up to what he has taught us.
To persevere, even if the odds seem insurmountable.
To not bend to the seduction of democracy, as if that’s the only thing we live for.
To always be compassionate to the elites in society.
To live a life of service to our MM Lee and his family.
And above all, to not bow to the evil that the oppositon can do – in whatever guise they may come in.
Majulah, Mr MM Lee
We will always honour your legacy.
