“A giant in politics”, “A Singapore patriot”, “A hero of the people”, “A great man”, “The father of Singapore democracy” - these are some of the superlatives by Singaporeans to eulogize a political leader who passed away last Tuesday.
And no, he is not the “Father” of modern Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, as many would have thought.
On the contrary, he is the nemesis of Lee when he was alive - Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam, a charismatic and popular opposition leader who ruffled Lee’s feathers so much that he once confided in Singapore’s ex-President Devan Nair that one day “I will make Jeyaretnam kneeled down at my feet to beg for mercy.”
JBJ, as he is fondly known, has moved on before Lee, but he certainly made a graceful political exit dignified and unbowed.
Read rest of article here:
http://wayangparty.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/a-national-day-of-mourning-for-jbj-by-singaporeans/
And no, he is not the “Father” of modern Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, as many would have thought.
On the contrary, he is the nemesis of Lee when he was alive - Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam, a charismatic and popular opposition leader who ruffled Lee’s feathers so much that he once confided in Singapore’s ex-President Devan Nair that one day “I will make Jeyaretnam kneeled down at my feet to beg for mercy.”
JBJ, as he is fondly known, has moved on before Lee, but he certainly made a graceful political exit dignified and unbowed.
Read rest of article here:
http://wayangparty.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/a-national-day-of-mourning-for-jbj-by-singaporeans/
