Lee Kuan Yew: Pulau Tekong 1963. His Passing 2015

4 PART SERIES

MR LEE KUAN YEW, SINGAPORE'S FIRST PM, PASSED AWAY ON
23rd MARCH, 2015.

A) I FOLLOWED LKY @ PULAU TEKONG IN MAY 1963.

I met him only once in my life time.  But it was a special encounter and when he walked by, the respectability and awe the crowd had for him was remarkable. 

Mr Lee, at 40 years young, was visiting Pulau Tekong Besar in May 1963 when he toured the island, Pulau Ubin and Changi.  Sounds of the kompang in the kampongs filled the afternoon air as he met the villagers who thanked him for newly opened community centres and for improvements in their lifestyle.

At 23 years, I witnessed the occasion and with my father's box camera, followed him with the delegation and crowd that accompanied him.  I managed to take some photographs of Mr Lee because I kept a close distance.  And amidst gangly coconut trees, coconut leaf buntings and festivities, I heard Mr Lee speak.

Many of us have been 'following' him since, in the newspapers, magazines, academic papers and recently on the internet.  There were also the books he wrote. 

Some books about LKY. Really good reads.

15 Titles On COMMENTS page.

Images for A: Private Collection.

ON 23RD MARCH, 2015, MR LEE PASSED AWAY; HE HAD BEEN 

UNWELL AND WAS HOSPITALISED.

               B) WAKE @ SRI TEMASEK, ISTANA NEGARA, 24th May.

REMEMBERING MR LEE

                                         Istana Singapore

                               Sri Temasek within Istana Grounds
              

Images for B: Thanks to Jimmy PresLee.

The choir of St. John's College Cambridge sang Home @ Parliament House on 25th March. Video: PM Office.

C) PARLIAMENT HOUSE, LYING IN STATE: 26th  MARCH.  

OUR QUEUE FROM 8.30 pm - 12.30 am. 

Parliament House, Singapore

New Art Gallery where crowds gather
        
The crowd was huge but it was orderly.  When I checked my iPhone outside City Hall interchange I read it was to be an eight hour wait. I nodded to friend Tony and we decided to join the queue.

The lines of people streamed in silence as we watched them move towards Parliament House. We followed the flow.  The line was snaky but we both had a bottle of water each while others took canned drinks, biscuits, sweets and umbrellas, provided free by some generous donors. 

We had spent nearly two hours after we came at 8.30 pm. It was another two hours before filing into the House which was just ahead of us. My back was in pain but by then I was holding the hand of a three year old boy who was with his parents and older sister. We had all met in the queue, bonded quickly and energised ourselves with bubbly chats...  

I looked around me. We were standing on Padang grass. An area of history and great pageantry.  In front of me was the new Art Gallery, majestic under the arch lights,  but a place where judges and lawyers used to gather.

I looked at my young friend, who was still holding my hand and not letting go for some time.  I sensed that he was comfortable with me so I couldn't resist singing, "Little One" to him during one of our short stops.  The song was a Russ Hamilton hit written for his niece.  I thought Emmanuel enjoyed the lullaby.  He looked tired though.  By this time my back was at its worst. Hardly any chance to sit.

By about 11.30 pm, we reached the security gates where we were checked by the guards.   Within half an hour the silent crowd had been split into two rows as we filed into Parliament House. I was about to pocket the iPhone as no picture-taking  was allowed within the corridors but managed a stolen snap.  The guard looked at me, "No photo taking please!" I smiled.

Another 15 minutes passed, and finally, after a long evening we managed to witness our Mr Lee lying in state. It was a four hour wait but a four minute view. I looked at my Phone, 12.30 am.

Emmanuel finally let go of  my hand as he sleepily ambled to his mother.   I really like that kid. We said our good-byes.  He was in dreamland as we left the gates.  Lucky boy; and in so many ways. An appropriate name too,  Emmanuel...

Images for C: Private Collection.

Time to let go.

D) MUSIC PLAYED @ STATE FUNERAL: UNIVERSITY CULTURAL CENTRE
 29 MARCH.
THE FINAL JOURNEY

NUS Cultural Centre

PLAYED DURING SERVICE:

1) Dead March from Saul performed by the Singapore Armed Forces Military Band.

Coffin Bearer Party carried the coffin into the University Cultural Centre (UCC). 

2) Air performed by Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

J. S. Bach's Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, performed by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. 

3) Last Post by lone bugler from the Singapore Armed Forces Military Band.

At the end of the eulogies, a lone bugler from the Singapore Armed Forces Military Band sounded the Last Post, representing a final salute to LKY and also marked the start of a minute of silence for him.

4) The Rouse by lone bugler from the Singapore Armed Forces Military Band.

It is a symbolic call back to duty after respect was paid to memory of the deceased and the end of a minute of silence.

5) National Anthem

After the National Pledge, the National Anthem was played as a mark of respect to Mr Lee.

Images: PM Office; CNA Media Corps, Singapore.

SONGS @ PARLIAMENT HOUSE:

6) Auld Lang Syne
Played when the casket left Sri Temasek for Parliament House.

7) Amazing Grace
Heard during Mr Lee's Lying in State at Parliament House.

8) Home (Singapore Song) sung in Parliament House witnessed by PM Lee Hsien Loong.
Images: Google.

Charlie Munger: Number 2 to Warren Buffet.

"Study about the life and work of Lee Kuan Yew, most successful, in the history of mankind -you're going to be flabbergasted."

Images from friends and Google.

Channel News Asia: 50 Years of Singapore Music

On Screen

MORE THAN 2,300 VIEWS, 15 COMMENTS

In February 2015, John Leong (below), anchor for Singapore Tonight, introduced a special news piece on Channel News Asia where Dick Lee, Yiren Cai, Audie Ng and I were interviewed regarding 50 years of Singapore Music.  The programme was in conjunction with this year's SG50 celebration. 

What has been music to Singaporeans' ears? The show takes us down memory lane to see how the music has evolved through the years and where bands like Silver Strings, Black Dog Bone, Sweet Charity, Siglap Five and singers Anita Sarawak, Stefanie Sun, A-Do, JJ Lin, Mavis Hee and Shirley Nair were discussed.  The song You're The Boy remains steadfast as a background anthem during our interview.

Behind The Scene 

We had pretty and sophisticated CNA producer Syahidah Othman (below) to conduct the whole affair with much calm and decorum.  The camera was positioned for appropriate angle shots; the white guitar was placed in a strategic position behind the interviewees (image above) and photographs were selected for the news documentary. Ms Syahidah was also the narrator on screen.

As it was usual, although the chat lasted for a few minutes on TV, shooting took some time. The interview was held on a lovely afternoon and we enjoyed ourselves throughout in the large, airy and air-conditioned hall.

Many thanks to Mr Malvin Chua (image below) who coordinated the afternoon's project with a quiet but experienced eye.  Some snaps on my iPhone were taken by Malvin.

Video footage on right side-bar from Channel News Asia:

Excerpt below from:

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/swinging-to-50-years-of/1669930.html

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/video/50-years-of-singapore/1632746.html

“Even though some songs were so-called ‘imports’, the local bands still made it their own."

In fact, a home-grown 1960's pop band did just that. The Silver Strings stood out with their stylish silver suits and blue guitars. But it was not just their image that made headlines. The band also started the trend of playing alongside female singers like Shirley Nair and Anita Sarawak.

Their biggest influence however, was a performance in 1961. "When Cliff and the Shadows came we saw them on stage, with three flashing red guitars,” said Andy Young of The Silver Strings. “And I said to myself that I want to be like Cliff Richard; I want to sing like him."

The Silver Strings played their biggest shows when they opened for the Rolling Stones at the Singapore Badminton Hall and in front of 20,000 spectators in a Malaysian stadium for the Miss Universe pageant.

But as the heady days of the 1960's came to an end, so did The Silver Strings. In recent years, Young, who was one of the band's pioneer members has begun keeping a blog about those memories. "It's so important that we all get together, gel and become one nation,” said Andy.

His fellow band member from The Silver Strings is fully supportive of the blog. “It will be good for the younger generation,” said Audie Ng. “At least they can go through his blog and learn about sixties music. And at the same time, they will get to know us; otherwise we will just fade away."

Images from Marcus Loh Collection and A Private Collection.

The Durian Chase: 'Love Will Keep Us Together'

Image from: yearofthedurian.com

UP TO 1,500 VIEWS N 20 COMMENTS

My Music and Food Trail

The Letter from NTU Students

"I read your post on 5 places you can still find durian trees in Singapore and you mentioned your memories of seeing durian trees along different places. I am wondering if you would be interested to share more about your experiences with durians when you were growing up in the 60s and 70s?

Me and my friends are year 4 students at Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and we're working on our final year project on the topic of durians. It's a campaign aimed at getting youths to appreciate durians, not just for the fruit and taste but also the history, the sellers, people who work to create durian flavoured products or crafts.

In one of our phases, we want to do a video series on stories of durians back in the 60s, 70s and 80s and also on durian picking in Singapore (Wee Kim Wee School of Communications in a letter to Lam Chun See of Good Morning Yesterday from whom I received a copy)."

C.W. Kee's Durian Cartoon (C)

My Story:

Durian Feasts

I never like durians and whenever members of my family bring home durians to consume I will always ask them to take the path to the kitchen using the side garden of our residential home and never through the living room. Feasting must only take place in the kitchen with windows wide open and fans full blast. That is how much I dislike durians and even up till today, the same rules apply. 

The Mersing Trip

It was the mid-70s and the chase began when a group of friends wanted to buy durians from Mersing in Malaya.  I only agreed because it was my first time going and I had hopes of passing by the little water-fall and take a peek at Pulau Tioman a holiday place which was just across the waters from Mersing.

It wasn't too long a trip and four of us cramped into my tiny jalopy, a Datsun 1000 (used, 3-year old @ $4,000).  Since the car was a four-door affair the ride was pretty comfortable.  We were all skinny young 'uns and ready for an adventure. 

Love Will Keep Us Together

On the way across the three musketeers sang, Love Will Keep Us Together, a big hit those years and sung by Captain and Tennille. It was quite obvious what the durian chasers were referring to:

"Be there to share forever 
Love will keep us together 
Said it before and I'll say it again 
While others pretend 
I"ll need you now and I'll need you then..."

Southern Tip of Malayan Peninsula showing Mersing and Tioman

The Causeway was not difficult to cross. Traffic wasn't too heavy then. I cannot remember if we had to pay charges for crossing over but the immigration       officers from both sides let us through without fuss.

When we reached Mersing there was this open field with lots of durians and their keepers. And there was a huge crowd, all running around hurrying and trying, buying and eating durians a plenty.

My three friends scuttled out of the car before I even jammed the brakes.  I was just as ignorant then as I am today and cannot remember where this area was, but it wasn't too far from the waterfall. I left my friends as the stench was unbearable and hurried to the waterfall alone.

Brimming The Boot

When I came back two hours later I saw the three of them waving to me excitedly. But I wasn't as enthusiastic when I saw a basketful of the horrible fruit at their side.  They decided, without my permission, to buy as many of the green spiked balls as they could for their dinner date at home.

I disagreed and refused to transfer the fruit into my car but after some plea bargaining I agreed with much frustration. They filled the boot to the brim. The cover just managed to shut.

Fruit of the Season

I was grumbling all the way, what with the hot humid weather and the smell, I was ready to burst.  It was like a journey to hell and when we reached the causeway I thought my trouble was over but it was only the beginning of more problems. The immigration officer eyed us sharply but was polite.

"Do you have anything to declare?" he asked with a sincere demeanour on his face.

"Nothing sir," I declared since I was driving.

"Nothing? You mean nothing at all? Not even fruits of the season?" Then he added, "I can smell them you know."

"Yes, we have a few durians in the boot," I replied.

I felt the perspiration down my spine. The way he looked at me it was as if I was smuggling drugs into Singapore.

"Aha." he remarked with glee, "can you please open the boot." And when he saw the heap he shouted, "So many ah... And you say a few only!"  

You Tube: Captain n Tennille, Love Will Keep Us Together by Desperado0001

The Tax Charges

So the rule was short and simple, "I have to charge tax. If you want a         receipt you must pay $15 for the durians. If you don't need a receipt, just pay $5."

It was quite obvious. The officer took me to his little hut, pulled out a huge *Blue OMO box from under the counter and signalled me to put the five dollar note into it. I looked inside. Full of 5 and 10 dollar bills.

"Lucky ah... we paid only 5 dollars!!!" my friends remarked as we hurried home.

"I paid!" I retorted. 

And, by the way, neither love nor durians have kept us together.  We went our separate ways and on the trip, I never even visited Pulau Tioman.

Durian, King of Fruit? Bah!

*****************

*Blue OMO is a detergent, well-advertised on TV and a household name those years.

Song: Love Will Keep Us Together by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. A Captain and Tennille international hit in 1975.

Images: Google.
Cartoons: C.W. Kee's Comic Strips (Malaysia).

Disclaimer: 

There is no intention to discredit anyone in this posting. It is a true story and the situation was different in the 60s and 70s. It has changed much today.

C.W. Kee's Durian Cartoon (C)

Here's a post you can read as extra knowledge about durian power:
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2009/02/abang-apek-momo-latiff.html

Krupuk, Si Jali Jali, Gambang Kromong = Cap Go Meh

                                                emping = fried padi-oats.

INDONESIAN FOOD AND MUSIC:

What's a food posting doing on a music blog again?  They connect; but here's a vocabulary list before proceeding, just in case:

Indonesian to English:

krupuk udang = prawn crackers (from Indonesia).
emping belinjo = smashed and fried gnetum or padi oats.
goreng krupuk = fry crackers.
garing = crunchy/crispy.
kwali = a wok (a large Asian frying pan).

si jali-jali = a traditional folk song from Betawi (Batavia/Jakarta), a tropical plant.
gambang kromong = a Betawi Orchestra.
chap goh meh = end of Chinese New Year on 15th day. Chinese Valentine?

                                 krupuk udang = Indonesian prawn crackers.
Krupuk:

It's called finger food today and taken with wine and beer. But emping and krupuk udang have been on the dinner table as part of Indonesian meal appetisers a long time ago.  They are also eaten with gado-gado (salad).  It's still a delicious diet for many Asians. And they are everywhere during the Chinese New Year festivities.

My own household in the 50s always connected the Indonesian music coming from the Pye radio in the hall with the frying of krupuk udang or emping in the kitchen.  Our domestic help was a very plump but short and tanned Indonesian lady who would do her frying with the large wok or kwali filled with ten gallons of oil, accurately heated to a certain temperature. She had to make sure that the krupuk udang would drip out of the kwali light brown, dry and most importantly garing.

                                                  wok = kwali

I never waited for dinner time and would snatch two or three of these hot and oily krupuk from the shallow flat basket, where she placed them, and run out of the house sinking my teeth into the very tasty and garing prawn crackers as I swallowed them quickly.  My mother would hear her screams and shake her head muttering, "He knows he'll get a bad sore throat..."

The krupuk udang those years was very much larger than they are today and I never believed that they should be broken into pieces and placed in jars only to be eaten during meals. I would just take bites from the large pieces that Piah (our domestic help) had fried and enjoy them whole.

Si Jali Jali:

  Modern Jali Jali Dance (griyawisata.com)

                                          

The Jali-jali coming from the radio was a testimony of our helper's love for the music.  She was allowed to tune in to Indonesian stations any time she had to goreng krupuk.  Piah, jovial and warm, came from Betawi and the crackers she fried and music she listened to were part of the culture brought over from Indonesia.

These songs have become the anthem for the indigenous people of Betawi in general.  This particular music is still being practised by art groups today in the Indonesia capital and has helped to preserve the culture.

Gambang Kromong:

Apparently, Jali jali was born, developed and popularized by the Chinese peranakan in old Betawi using accompaniment from gambang kromong.  It is a traditional orchestra originating from the same city, blending western music and Chinese-style pentatonic base tone. It was popular in the 1930s.

Nie Hoe Kong, a musician and leader in the Chinese Betawi community, saw to the development of this orchestra type. In the late 30s, there was a group called the Gambang Kromong Goh Hong Lao that consisted of only Chinese members. In fact, they played for parties and celebrated Cap Goh Meh in style singing these melodies.

 Singer Tuti Trisedya with Jali Jali is on the right bar of this page --)

A HAPPY CHAP GOH MEH, EVERYONE!

                                                  Gambang Kromong 

Images; Google and YouTube.
An original posting.
Information: Wiki.