As long as I could remember as a little boy, they were
always there. One or two of them would
come to our house almost every week to talk to my dad, and neighbours. They asked him what issues he might have
regarding anything really. Whatever my
dad raised, they would promise to do something about it and come back to him
with some answers. They always returned. Most times, my dad seemed quite happy
with whatever actions reportedly taken.
I grew up accustomed to see them around the community. On
some occasions, they would wear their all-white signature shirts and pants, or
skirts for the ladies. Later, a book
would be written about these Men-in-White, or MIW, who belong to the People’s
Action Party (PAP) who has formed the government of Singapore over the past 55
years since 1959.
Just over a week ago on 23 March 2015, MM Lee Kuan Yew,
Singapore’s first Prime Minister (1965-1990) and the Founder of modern
Singapore passed away at the age of 91 years old. During the following National Mourning Week (23-29 March), I did not
see any MIW. Indeed, where did
the MIW go as the nation engulfed in sorrow and grief? He was one of the Founders of the PAP, and the
longest-serving Secretary-General of the Party of MIWs; their Grandmaster, their
Paramount Leader, their Mentor, Advisor and General of Generals who led the
MIWs from victory to victory at every general election battle after battle over
the past 50 years!
Did the MIWs scatter upon the death of their first leader
Lee Kuan Yew? Lee’s son, Hsien Loong, is
now the 3rd Prime Minister, after PM Goh Chok Tong. Were the MIWs so devastated by the loss of MM
Lee that they became dissipated, disorganised and disappeared?
I decided to
investigate the strange disappearance last week of the ubiquitous Men-in-White
members of the PAP rank and file. Here’s
the Report of the purportedly missing MIW.
The first discovery was that the MIW did not disappear
last week during the National Mourning Week.
It was such a relief and comfort.
Yes, their PAP Branches remained opened as per their weekly schedule
from Monday to Friday. Yes, the MIW were
there as usual serving the residents who came to see them. However deep their sorrows and grief over the
death of MM Lee, the MIW remembered that the weekly Meet-the-People Session
(MPS) were instituted by him to connect the PAP to the people regularly. This Mission continues relentlessly even as
MM Lee rested in state at the Istana’s Sri Temasek and Parliament House later.
The people’s issues and grievances have to be heard; their
petitions to appropriate government bodies advocated, and they have to be assured
of being represented, so that the masses’ confidence in the “Party of the
People” be always reinforced and sustained.
For the MIW, the PAP is always there to help lift up the poor, assist in
the healing of the sick and the protection of the weak. Overall, the continuing Mission of the MIW is
to assure, ensure and create the greatest benefits, the greater good, for the
largest number of Singaporeans for a more secure future and better society for
them, their children and their children’s children.
During the
National Mourning Week, the MIW were in fact everywhere, somewhere and anywhere
the observance activities were taking place. And
then some. The MIW were there among the people queuing up to 6-10 hours along Clarke
Quay, UOB Plaza, One Fullerton and the Cavenagh Bridge on Wednesday, as well as
the Padang over the next 3 days. As
always, the MIW enjoy no special privileges or special shorter queue, and they also
help to ferry the old and elderly as well as distribute water to the people in
the queue.
No, we did not see
the MIW in their customary white attires. The Men-in-White had joined common cause
with the People-in-Black united in the common painful sorrow of the death of
the People’s Champion. They
were indistinguishable. Dressed in common black, the MIW and people entwined in
painful grief as they comfort one another to make the transition easier to
bear. The pain grew deep and unbearable as to be
intolerable at times during the funeral procession on Sunday. Together, they were one; united in loss,
side-by-side as one people, facing tomorrow as one nation and reaching beyond
our grasp towards realizing the fuller vision of the remarkably extraordinary
man who took us on the road of no return arriving at the Metropolis which he
promised, and which he has now entrusted and bequeathed to us all – MIW and people – to be
One People and One Nation forever.
The Mystery solved – the MIW did not disappear last
week. Perhaps, they are always with us
and never left us under any circumstances.
In times like the mourning and passing of our Father of the Nation, it
is refreshing to know that MM Lee has left behind his MIW to guide and lead
Singapore through whatever challenges and prospects await us. We shall know that MM Lee is always with us,
his legacies our foundation and his words of wisdom our pillars, as long as the
MIW are around.
Remembering MM Lee Kuan Yew:
