House pays tribute to former president S R Nathan
MPs speak of his devotion to duty, eye for detail and close links with wide spectrum of people in Singapore
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
An image taken off television showing Parliament observing a minute of silence in honour of Mr Nathan who died on Aug 22. Nine members of the House rose to pay tribute to the former president. Also present were Mr Nathan's wife Urmila, children Juthika and Osith, and grandson Kiron.
PHOTO: TIFFANY GOH FOR THE STRAITS TIMES
DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.
Rachel Au-Yong
When some statutory board officials and businessmen left early instead of staying on for networking sessions at the end of a 2009 state visit, then President S R Nathan's message to them was "far from serene'', Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) recalled yesterday.
Mr de Souza, who was present, remembered Mr Nathan saying: "You may think the socials are unimportant, but they are important. Staying back, discussing and engaging with your host is how we make Singapore relevant.
"I have come here to do that. Send this message back to those who left the trip early.''
This anecdote from a state visit to Istanbul was among several personal encounters related yesterday by nine members of the House during a parliamentary tribute to Mr Nathan who died last month, aged 92.
It took place at the start of the sitting, with Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob celebrating the life of Singapore's sixth and longest-serving president by charting his career from a social worker to the highest office in the land.
Her personal memory was Mr Nathan's handwritten note to her after she became Speaker in 2013. He shared his and his wife's joy at her appointment, and his prayer that "God will be with you as you undertake your new responsibilities".
Said Madam Halimah: "Such was the measure of the man. He had walked among kings and presidents but he remained fully rooted to the ground, never losing his bearings and keeping his humanity to the end."
Her voice wavering, she added: "The House records with deep regret the passing of one of our esteemed sons of Singapore, Mr S R Nathan."
Mr de Souza's story held a special meaning for the MP. It illustrated how the late Mr Nathan - like pioneers Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee and Hon Sui Sen - led by example and gave the nation his all.
For Mr Nathan, nothing less than one's best was sufficient when on national duty, he said.
"That is what standard bearers do - they maintain standards for a cause. Mr Nathan's cause was Singapore."
Mr Nathan's wife Urmila, children Juthika and Osith, and grandson Kiron were present for the tributes, at the end of which the House observed a minute of silence.
The stories told had a common thread in how he touched the many groups he encountered.
Speaking in Mandarin, House Leader Grace Fu noted the close relationships he had with the Chinese community. He attended many cultural festivals and had a talent for Chinese calligraphy, she said.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam (Jurong GRC) said in Malay that Singaporeans could learn three things from Mr Nathan: the desire to upgrade oneself, eagerness to inculcate knowledge in the next generation, and concern for all around him.
Unionist Desmond Choo highlighted his enduring impact on the labour movement, including modernising unions that led to more efficient collection of union dues and standardised subscription rates.
Other speakers included Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok) and Nominated MP Chia Yong Yong.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) recounted how he ended up sitting with the former president at a Lions XII football game in 2013.
At one point when the Lions XII nearly conceded a goal, Mr Nathan pointed out to Mr Singh the Lions XII player who lost possession earlier and thus allowed the opponents to create a chance to score.
Said Mr Singh: "In a very different context and rather unanticipated way, I bore witness to his eye for detail and his ability to focus on the issues that mattered, traits for which he was widely known for in public service."
