The Phoenix and the Dragon

The Phoenix and the Dragon

All Singaporeans should be saddened by the demise of Kwa Geok Choo wife of MM Lee Kuan Yew. The great love story of Mr and Mrs Lee had been told and retold many times, a couple with 61 years of loving care for each other , started a long time ago in Cambridge England with MM Lee’s vision of building the Singapore nation and the support of his loving wife to carry out this mission successfully. . It is a story of the Phoenix and the Dragon which can be best expressed in film memorable.

Many had paid their respects to Madam Kwa Geok Choo. Many important people, many common folks had paid tributes to this great grand lady the likes of which will not be felt in Singapore never again, I think……

“an exceptional worman who passed on excellent values to her children”
”kind and caring woman that helped my daughter to study in England”
”brilliant,compassionate and motherly”
”woman behind the success of MM Lee”
“gone thro and thick and thin with him and build Spore for the next generations to come” and many more tributes to a great lady from community centres, coffee shops, cyberspace and public and private events and the media.

I do not know Mrs Lee personally but I do know that she was a caring wife and kind person. I had the opportunity to meet her and MM Lee during outdoor broadcasts of the National Day Rally at the Singapore Conference Hall and Kallang Theatre. Usually then two days before the Rally she would accompanied MM to the theatre to rehearse the teleprompter and also to check on the suitablility of his shirt for the TV telecast. Many a times MM would turn to her for advice on he looked on TV and she would lovingly gave her comments like too bright, too gaudy and made him look older or younger etc. She would also turn to the engineers and producers politely for opinions. Eventually it was MM who made the final decision. Also she would politely remind security to ensure that the tea for MM should be in placed at the lectern on stage. And when we got into the late of the night rehearsing the script she gently reminded MM that the crew needed to make adjustments for the night and retire for the next day. She won the admiration of all the crew members involved in the recording and she was met with high respects from all whenever she appeared in the TV Studios and Outside Broadcasts.

Without doubt Madam Kwa Geok Choo with her husband had dedicated their lives for a better Singapore. She will be forever be in our memories.