MY THOUGHTS On MM Lee’s Eulogy To His Wife

Before I begin, let me be frank with you – I never knew about the contributions of the late Mrs Lee Kuan Yew. In fact, I could not even recall the last time I noticed her presence, be it in the old or new media. All these changed after reading about MM Lee’s eulogy to her. A sad wash of thoughts hit me as I ran through its sentences in my mind. The late Mrs Lee is a woman of quintessential beauty, outside and especially in the inside. Her intention to remain humble and low-key despite the various contributions is just an example of it.

We often hear the popular saying ‘Behind every great man is a great woman’. She is for our first Prime Minister, now Minister Mentor (MM) Lee Kuan Yew. She had lended her hand in driving public support for the case against the postmen’s union in 1952. This, despite being on maternity leave. Moreover, she had also shared her thoughts and then empathy when MM Lee’s plan for a unification of Singapore and Malaysia initially made progress before ending tragically.

MM Lee’s eulogy to his late wife is not merely a speech expressing his deepest sorrow; it is a conspectus of her achievements not only as a great lawyer, but also as a supportive mother and wife. I would like to add how touched I was while reading about her fight against the strokes that left her bedridden for two years. Without fail, she covered her mouth with a small pillow every time she coughed. It was amazing to know how she stayed tactful and loving while in such pain. My condolences to MM Lee and his family. And I hope future Singaporean mothers can learn from the late Mrs Lee.