After thousands of people had paid their respects to former president S R Nathan, his family and friends bade him a final farewell in a private cremation service at Mandai Crematorium yesterday.

Among the 90 people who attended the quiet, dignified service were Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Mrs Lee, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing.

Mr Nathan’s only son Osith led the Hindu funeral rites, which included placing rice and oil on his body, and carrying an earthen pot with water and walking three times around the coffin. As per Hindu custom, holes were knocked into the pot, from which water flowed, and Mr Osith’s brother-in-law Cheong Gay Eng sprinkled it around the coffin.

Mr Nathan’s grandchildren Kiron Cheong, Monisha Cheong, and Kheshin Cheong then paid their respects.

Singapore says farewell to former president S R Nathan

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While there were no announcements that the public could attend, about 15 of them arrived at the crematorium and were allowed to sit down at a neighbouring service hall, where the service was screened live.

Mr Lee Hock Yang, 66, decided to attend as he wanted to say goodbye to a man he regarded as an “old friend”.

Read also: A humble man who put his nation first: PM Lee, friends pay tribute to S R Nathan

Singapore says goodbye to former President S R Nathan

The retired fruit seller recalled fondly that Mr Nathan would call him “fruit man”, and acknowledge him whenever they came across each other.

Once, he said, Mr Nathan rolled down the window of the car he was in to call out to Mr Lee.

He used to sell fruits in a back lane near Mr Nathan’s Ceylon Road home in the 1960s.

“I am just a small butterfly, and he was such a big shot, but he would always stop to say hello. That really touched me,” said Mr Lee.

This article was first published on August 27, 2016.
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When Madam Urmila Nandey returned home to Ceylon Road last night, after a long day that included her late husband’s funeral, the first thing she did was to check on their long-time driver Rahim.

She wanted to make sure he had had his dinner.

At the state funeral earlier, the woman who made Mr SR Nathan’s “imagination run wild” – as he himself put it – for 74 years was a picture of grace and calm.

The 87-year-old – who uses a wheelchair and whose hair is now the colour of snow – would have been exhausted from both sorrow and the task of receiving the many visitors who went to pay their last respects.

Singapore says farewell to former president S R Nathan

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But she did what she has been doing the last six decades as Mr Nathan’s wife: her duty, and more.

She waved to the funeral attendees who spontaneously rose to their feet as she was wheeled into the University Cultural Centre auditorium. She nodded in thanks as speaker after speaker – from the Prime Minister to the family friend – paid tribute to Mr Nathan.

And at the end, she clasped her hands together in gratitude to those present, lifting them up to acknowledge the folk sitting in the upper decks of the hall.

This is the woman who has been hailed as the anchor for Singapore’s sixth president.

As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put it, in the most poignant line in his eulogy for Mr Nathan: “The central and brightest thread in his life was his love for Umi.”

Strip away the pomp of yesterday’s ceremony, and the theme that emerged was love.

Read also: Singapore says goodbye to former President S R Nathan
A humble man who put his nation first: PM Lee, friends pay tribute to S R Nathan

There was Mr Nathan’s love for his country and its people, Tamil and Malayalam movies, classical Carnatic music and light film songs, and writing letters with a $2.20 black-ink pen.

There was also his love for his family. “He was above all a family man,” said veteran diplomat Gopinath Pillai.

In particular, the bond between Mr and Mrs Nathan was “an extraordinary tale of devotion and love that inspires us all”.

Mr Nathan himself has written and said much about Mrs Nathan, dedicating chapters in his books to how they met. He was 18 and, like in a sepia-tinted movie, he fell in love when he cycled past her house in Muar and glimpsed her standing by the window on the second floor.

This article was first published on August 27, 2016.
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As he stood before the flag-draped casket of his friend and comrade- in-arms, former unionist and PAP assemblyman Mahmud Awang remembered a man who spoke softly, thought widely, and did much for his fellow Singaporeans.

“Mr S R Nathan represented the best in people: He was patient, polite and did things quietly and properly, in a way that was accepted by all,” said Mr Mahmud who, as NTUC’s first chairman, had fought for workers’ rights alongside Mr Nathan.

He was among 159 VIPs – comprising 78 Singaporeans and 81 members of the diplomatic and consular corps – who yesterday morning paid their last respects to the former president at Parliament House before his journey to the University Cultural Centre (UCC) at the National University of Singapore.

A humble man who put his nation first: PM Lee, friends pay tribute to S R Nathan

Among the foreign leaders at the UCC was Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai, who said Malaysia had lost a good friend who contributed much to bilateral ties between Singapore and Malaysia.

“We were good friends and he used to go up to Malaysia to visit some of his old friends,” Mr Liow added. “We will remember him for a long, long time.”

With Mr Liow were Malaysian ministers Joseph Kurup and Khairy Jamaluddin. Also at UCC were Brunei’s Minister for Development Bahrin Abdullah and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, as well as 43 heads of foreign missions in Singapore.

Singapore says farewell to former president S R Nathan

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After the last visitors at Parliament House left, Mrs Nathan, 87, daughter Juthika, 56, and son Osith, 53, and family members had a private moment with Mr Nathan, before the casket was moved from the bier to the ceremonial gun carriage for the procession to the state funeral service.

En route to UCC, thousands of Singaporeans of all backgrounds and ages lined the 15.5km funeral procession route to bid a final farewell to a man often described as a people’s president.

Madam Ng Siang Hian, 92, wore her finest cheongsam, gold-embroidered and in lilac, and took a taxi to High Street Centre from her Toa Payoh flat to witness Mr Nathan’s final journey.

Over at Queenstown MRT station, Primary 2 pupil Ethan Seow, eight, came in his uniform straight from River Valley Primary School. He was with his mother and sister.

Security officer Kumaraguru Govindaraju, 49, took a day off to wave a last goodbye to Mr Nathan, who died on Monday at age 92.

Like him, many had stories of Mr Nathan’s humility and grace: the day he shook their hand, stopped to chat and took a picture with them.

“He always remembered the ordinary people,” said Mr Kumaraguru, who met Mr Nathan several years ago during Thaipusam at Sri Thendayuthapani temple.

“There are no words to describe how I’m feeling now,” he added, looking solemn as the haze that enveloped Singapore yesterday afternoon turned the skies a sombre grey.

The three-hour PSI reading was 215 when the ceremonial gun carriage came out of the gates of Parliament House at 2pm.

As the procession rolled past, applause filled the air, hand-held Singapore flags fluttered and people shouted: “Thank you, Mr Nathan”.

The funeral procession wound its way past landmarks closely identified with Mr Nathan’s long and distinguished career in public service.

Singapore says goodbye to former President S R Nathan

It went by City Hall, where Mr Nathan, as President, stood on its steps to review the National Day Parade at the Padang in 2000, 2005 and 2010.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry, that marked Mr Nathan’s career in diplomacy, also used to be located at City Hall.

Minutes later, Fullerton Hotel came into view. Previously known as Fullerton Building, it housed the Singapore Marine Department where Mr Nathan, as a seamen’s welfare officer, began his career in labour relations.

The next milestone building was NTUC Centre, which recalls Mr Nathan’s role at the Labour Research Unit in the 1960s, negotiating for improved conditions for workers and helping to win over workers and unions’ trust, including pro-communist unions.

At Collyer Quay, about 300 NTUC employees stood in silent homage, some with their phones raised to record his final journey for posterity.

This article was first published on August 27, 2016.
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Singaporeans bade a final farewell to the nation’s sixth and longest- serving president yesterday.

Thousands braved the haze to line the streets from Parliament House to Kent Ridge, as Mr S R Nathan’s cortege passed by landmarks that were milestones in his illustrious career of five decades in public service.

Others stopped work to tune in to the broadcast of a state funeral service for the man many had, since his death on Monday at age 92, hailed as a people’s president.

At the University Cultural Centre, seven eulogists paid tribute to the man whose life’s work made a difference to their lives and many others.

Singapore says farewell to former president S R Nathan

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They shared memories of how as a social worker, workers’ advocate, intelligence chief, newspaper company executive chairman, diplomat and from 1999 to 2011, Singapore’s President, he shaped the history of this young nation and its institutions.

Even after he stepped down, he stayed active in engaging young Singaporeans, encouraging them to build on the pioneer generation’s work and take Singapore forward.

A humble man who put his nation first: PM Lee, friends pay tribute to S R Nathan

“He always did his best for Singapore, even at personal risk and sacrifice,” said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who delivered the opening eulogy during the two- hour funeral service.

“Few have answered the nation’s calls so faithfully and so often, and served Singapore so well.”

Mr Lee noted Mr Nathan served two terms as head of state with dignity and distinction, winning the respect and affection of Singaporeans of all races and from all walks of life.

“He firmly believed in and was the epitome of multiracialism, attending events of all communities, making time for everyone, no matter who they were,” he said.

Mr Nathan’s family members, President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Mrs Tan, MPs, diplomats and invited Singaporeans from all walks of life were among the 1,900 at the service. There were civil servants, social workers, religious leaders and students, many of whom he generously shared his life experiences and wisdom with.

Mr Nathan’s hope was that they would learn “not to give up”, Mr Lee said, noting that the ex-president “overcame extremely trying circumstances in his childhood and rose in the public service through grit, determination and ability, guided by a deep and abiding sense of duty”.

Mr Lee added: “Time and again, he placed nation before self. Quietly and without fuss, he gave his best years and more, to Singapore.”

Singapore says goodbye to former President S R Nathan

Many among the more than 20,000 people who paid their respects at Mr Nathan’s lying in state in Parliament House on Thursday had met him – or been moved by his life story and lifetime of duty.

Yesterday, six former colleagues and friends who knew him well, some for a half-century, joined Mr Lee in paying tribute to his steely resolve, strength of character, and generosity of spirit.

Foreign service veteran Tommy Koh called Mr Nathan “our super ambassador to the world” – a demanding boss who taught officers to be courageous, and put his own life on the line in the 1974 Laju hijack crisis.

As President, Mr Nathan’s social work training and prodigious memory for names and faces endeared him to many. And he converted a huge global network of friends into friends of Singapore.

Mr S R Nathan’s Lying In State at Parliament House

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This article was first published on August 27, 2016.
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Grey skies and a familiar burning smell greeted Singaporeans yesterday morning as the haze made a return.

On the streets, people young and old were seen wearing face masks, while others held cloth over their mouths and noses. The sudden spike in demand for N95 masks yesterday caught retailers by surprise, with some shops running out of stock in the middle of the day.

N95 masks can filter out fine particles found in the haze.

Air quality is forecast to be in the unhealthy range today, the National Environment Agency said. Air quality is considered unhealthy when the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading is in the range of 101 to 200, and hazardous when it is above 300.

It was between 84 and 114 at 7pm yesterday, with western Singapore registering the highest reading.

Accountant Muhammad Kader, 26, said he might cancel his plans to visit the Singapore Night Festival this weekend if the haze worsens. “It’s quite bad. The haze just came overnight,” he said.

The sudden onset of haze prompted at least one school, Methodist Girls’ School, to issue an advisory to parents on the precautions it has put in place. This included switching on air purifiers in classrooms when air quality hits the unhealthy or elevated range.

Many people took to social media to share photographs of skylines shrouded in smoke, from Jurong in the west to Katong in the east.

Taxi driver Francis Ong, 65, said he figured it was the start of the hazy season when he woke up to the smell of smoke. “I’ll try to stay indoors because it’s difficult to breathe outside,” he said.

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Yesterday, some 2,300 free haze kits given out by Guardian pharmacy – which included an N95 mask and a bottle of water – were snapped up by 2pm. Sales of masks also soared.

“Although we were prepared for the haze to return and had arranged for a good level of stocks at all stores, the speed of the demand spike resulted in most stores running out of stock very fast,” said Guardian’s chief executive, Ms Sarah Boyd.

The pharmacy has arranged for emergency deliveries of masks, lozenges, eye drops and analgesics to some stores over the next two to three days.

Shopping site Lazada, which noticed a spike in sales of air purifiers and N95 masks, has launched a campaign that offers next-day delivery of these items. Delivery usually takes two to three days.

Singapore Post issued masks and eye drops to its outdoor delivery staff and temporarily redeployed those with respiratory or heart conditions or who are above 65 years of age to indoor work.

Still, the haze did not stop ardent fans of location-based augmented reality game Pokemon Go. They were spotted out and about in a Pokemon hot spot in Hougang.

Singapore suffered one of its worst bouts of haze last year.

In September, readings reached hazardous levels, leading to the closure of primary and secondary schools for a day.

For more haze updates from AsiaOne, click here:

This article was first published on Aug 27, 2016.
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I came to know Mr S R Nathan after I married his niece, Premavathy Rajamanickam, in 1975 . On the day of my wedding dinner, he came into the hotel lobby where I was waiting for my wife to join me. He greeted me, smiled and said, “Your tie needs to be adjusted. Let me do that for you.” He rectified my tangled knot and saved me from much embarrassment.

That was my first meeting with the man whom his colleagues and friends affectionately called “S R” and his younger relatives respectfully addressed as “Uncle Nathan” or “Mama” (“uncle” in Tamil). Despite his active public life, Uncle Nathan was very much a family man. He never missed any family functions. He would go to a simple birthday celebration, a small family dinner or even an ordinary religious ceremony at any one of our relatives’ homes. Many a time, when he had other competing engagements (which was normally the case), he would say, “I will come, but I’ll be late”.

We always knew that he would turn up and made sure that the dishes that he liked most were kept aside. He would cheerfully enjoy the supper when he joined us, never looking tired or worn. His legendary love of good cuisine continued even when he was taken ill and admitted to the hospital.

Singapore says farewell to former president S R Nathan

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When he became president, he told his relatives to visit and treat him and his family as if nothing had changed. There was no need for formality and prior appointment. Besides our regular visits to his home, we continued having breakfast on every Deepavali day with him, Mrs Nathan (Aunty) and their close- knit family. On one occasion we had invited him to a family dinner at Clifford Pier. When he arrived, he walked straight to the end of the wharf and stood staring at the sea. “You know, Rama,” he said , “When I was 16, I took a boat to Muar from here, at this very spot, and did not return to Singapore until several years later.” He was referring to that sad part of his life when he ran away from home.

His devotion to his family and siblings was obvious. Once when he was visiting Australia on official business, he was informed that his daughter was ill. He flew back immediately. He also admired and liked my mother-in-law (his sister) very much. He bought his house along the same road where she lived – Ceylon Road – to be near her.

When she unexpectedly died, he frequently visited his brother-in-law late at night, just to keep him company and to help him get over the loss of his wife. In a way, he too was grieving over his beloved sister’s death. He always showed great interest in and affection for younger relatives, especially his grand nephews and nieces. When they were abroad studying, he wrote to them and made a special effort to meet them for dinner or lunch whenever he was visiting the city where they were studying.

Singapore’s former president S R Nathan dies

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At the mid-point of my career, I was thinking of changing jobs and I applied for various appointments. At one interview, I was surprised to see Uncle Nathan on the interview panel . The chairman of the panel asked most of the questions. Uncle Nathan just observed and sat quietly. That evening he rang me. “Rama”, he said, “I told the panel members that you are my nephew and that I would not participate in any decision relating to your application and appointment. Good luck.” Later on I received a note from the chairman of the panel expressing regret that my application was unsuccessful.

On another occasion, Uncle Nathan reprimanded me gently when I did not attend a National Day Parade. “Rama,” he said sternly and firmly, “the invitation was sent to you because of your appointment as a senior officer of the National Library. It was not a personal invitation and you should have represented the National Library instead of disregarding it”.

There was one incident which showed his eye for detail and concern for his colleagues. Uncle Nathan knew my then boss, the director of the National Library, Mrs Hedwig Anuar. One day, he called and said, “Hedwig, a full-grown shoot is sprouting on the outside wall of the library facing Fort Canning Road. The PM (Mr Lee Kuan Yew, our founding Prime Minister) uses this way (Fort Canning Road) when he goes to the Istana and he is likely to notice the shoot and call you.” Mrs Anuar got the message. She immediately directed me to have the shoot removed and the place cleaned up.

This article was first published on August 27, 2016.
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