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Hey, I also want to sing his praises!

Wah, good thing I didn't argue with that traffic policeman at Serangoon Stadium. Alright, alright, already going out of point at the beginning of the post.

The man whose praises I want to sing is none other than Mr Chiam See Tong, who is getting quite an unprecedented avalanche of accolades coming his way, even from SM GCT, the mainstream media, etc.

So much has been said already and I just want to add this little anecdote:

Once upon a time, I was passing by Parliament House and it happened to be the end of a Parliament sitting. I watched as the cars came out one by one, many big, expensive cars, some with chauffeurs. Then, I saw him. Mr Chiam in his little beetle. No chauffeur.

That image has stuck in my mind. A regular, low-key guy in his little car. Regular and low-key like the rest of us. Okay, most of us regular, low-key people don't own beetles but we all know he drives an old car, and at that time, many car owners were also driving their 'old faithfuls'. I myself was driving my dad's old faithful - 1980 model Mitsubishi Lancer. I thought, wow, this guy is also paying the prevailing quota premium. Just like us.

And I think that's the thing about this man. He's seems so like one of us.

Of course, if you have heard him speak, you will also realise he is that and much more. The media tends to show him in moments of stammering and stuff but let me tell you that if you listen to him at his rallies, you see a different man. You can see and hear his passion and love for his people and country. I am not surprised to hear of people crying at his rallies (or LTK's), and all those scenes of people crowding the streets to cheer him... well, I've seen and heard that too.

I'm not ashamed to say that I admire some people in the opposition camp. I admire them because most of us regular, low-key people remain regular and extremely low-key. I cannot speak for other regular, low-key people (although I suspect many are like me), but I'd say I'm an armchair critic, questioner and complainer. I'm the type who asks why this and why that. I'm the type who says they should do this and they shouldn't do that. But I don't do anything much about my views or ideas. I just hide in this blog behind my anonymous, faceless personna. I just complain to my husband or my mother. That's why I have great respect for those who have the gumption to get out of their armchairs and do something. Even when they know they have so many battles to fight.

Anyway, yesterday was the first time I saw his wife's picture (in TNP). Thought she looked a little like Kym Ng - sprightly and 'cute'!

Comments

fuzzoo said…
I love chiam see tong too!!! whenever i see him on tv or in the papers, i just want to cry!! such a nice guy, so self sacrificing, and yet Goh Chok Tong could make those nasty remarks about him and Straits Times I suspect sometimes deliberately publish unflattering pictures of him looking feeble, so evil these people!!!
But i believe that Goh Chok Tong is actually a nice guy and he said those nasty things earlier perhaps under instructions. I believe that what he said following the election results reflects his true feelings.
Anonymous said…
Oh, Mrs Chiam said those remarks were hurtful.

Ya, there aren't that many public figures who have people 'liking' them in the way Chiam and GCT do.

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