It was a somber week for the entire Singapore. As the news of LKY's death spreader on Monday morning. Just into the second week of the holidays, I was up until 3.40am on Sunday morning. When I opened FB on Monday just to see any updates, saw the news. I told my Mom and later my Dad about it. As we watched, Singapore went into national mourning.
I was still focusing and busy with getting ready for grading. Going for extra classes more intensively before my break began, and after the Penang trip, I resumed KM intensively. Later as LKY's wake became a public one, the question was whether I should go? As I am not a Singaporean. But as a PR, having studied and working here, it is undeniable that I had benefitted from the education here. So as I would continued to wonder, I checked with friends as the queues swelled and appeared on the news. My friends hadn't gone yet and were hesitating from the news of 8hours queue. My friends at KM, we also talked and asked each other if anyone had gone. Some went after training ended. But later on, found that they gave up due to the long queue hours and work commitments. I pondered if I could go down by myself but wondered if I would be intruding on Singaporeans.
My friends replied and wanted to brave the Friday queue but were deterred by the news of 8hours queue time. So the plan was to go down to Tanjong Pagar CC, to write and pay respects at the memorial set-up there. I didnt go for the usual KM training on Sat because the next day, Sunday was grading day. A mere coincidence that it was the same day as LKY state funeral. I had gotten my stuff ready and was resting up at home. Then I headed out to go to Tanjong Pagar. Before that my Mom heard the news that the queue was 4hours over the radio. I was early and the first one there. Friends were still at home when I messaged them I had reached. Over WhatsApp chat, they were contemplating going for the wake instead cos the queue time was manageable, 4hours over the news.
I went to City Hall first and waited for them. I wasn't sure if I was joining. Now I was reluctant cos I had mentally prepared for just going to Tanjong Pagar and not for a 4-5h hours queue. Obviously I didn't prepare drinks etc except what I had in my new Shark bag. While waiting for both to come from their homes, I went to check out the llao llao queue, too long and settled for the very short Koi queue. Bought myself a small sized drink and finished it, then go to the toilet. In my mind, I was still thinking I won't join. Perhaps just meet up then I see them off as they proceed to the queue.
Things changed when they arrived. Kena psycho-ed to going with them. I walked and was still thinking, I'll see them off bit later realised in the Padang holding area, there wasn't anyway out. So liddat, I was in the queue. Huh? The queue started with a walk to the underpass, up the road and winded until the Padang. We were put into sectors and bottled water was provided. With the tented shelter and the fact that it was 5pm plus then and it had drizzled earlier. It felt cooler than what the previous few days had been. So we sat there, like a picnic of sort for an hour? Then we started moving. It went from the Padang, winded and before we know, we were heading along Merlion park, towards the Esplanade and did a big U-turn just before the floating platform and reminded back along the Merlion park, along Fullerton, the Asian Civilisation museum and the final stretch to the security checks and tents. And into the queue that moved into the Parliament House.
Along the way, we talked about many many things including his role in Singapore. To me, it's simple. Look at Singapore and my country Malaysia 50 years later. What had progressed, improved and continued? It was that clear and obvious. While I don't entirely like the way that Sg is becoming such an expensive place in terms of housing, costs, immigration policies etc, we cannot take away the pivotal roles he and his team had played. So whatever the shortcomings, they did it in that uncertain era. Look at where Malaysia is after all these years. It's an undeniable fact of the matter.
So the mood saddened as the queue moved to the Parliament house. I chose not to take any pics or selfies either for remembrance or posting on Fb. It's supposed to be sad, pictures are not proper in my books, in a more traditional Chinese sense of mourning and attending a funeral wake. I was appalled when my KM friend showed me how some were posing in pics at the queue just to gather likes. Really OMFG to those. I did tear up inside bit luckily I didn't go into full tear-nonstop mode. It's uncontrollable if it had bit it didn't. I walked to the middle, where the coffin and pic was. Though there were people in front of me, I didn't go up to the front to try to look inside the open casket like some did. I overheard some talking if they had seen the face. Huh, come on... I stood looking at the pic and did a deep bow and then left. Thanking him for my education and life here. Then we joined up and went out through another queue, out another entrance.
It was a somber mood and we headed to the Esplanade to eat our late dinner, about 10.30pm, after a 5.5hours queue. My calves were numbing up as we had our dinner. I was famished and had an entire pasta and a beer, shared a pizza and a tiramisu. Quet gave us aride home and I reached home and got ready for grading. My calves were numbing up and actually started to have sharp aches. I quickly massaged them, put on the analsalgic cream and lied down with a pillow holding up my legs. Later perhaps with too much stuff in my head, keeping me awake. I slept rather late, 2am-ish. I had to wake up at 5.50am to get ready for grading at 9.30am, held at the Silat federation at Bedok... It's due to having to eat a filling breakfast and the travelling, that I had to wake up so early.
Another story for another entry.
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