Fong Swee Suan, a founding member of the People’s Action Party (PAP) and a former leftist trade unionist, passed away on Feb. 4, aged 85.

It is hard to imagine that Fong, who had kept an extremely low profile for decades, was once a high profile trade unionist, working side by side with the late Lim Chin Siong. Lim was of course the face of the most influential opposition party in Singapore's history -- the now defunct Barisan Sosialis. Lim was Barisan's Secretary-General and a trade union leader in the 1950s and early 1960s.

Fong had published his memoirs in Chinese -- Fong Swee Suan Memoirs (方水双回忆录) in Febuary 2007, in which he recounted his childhood days, his political activism as a unionist and a PAP member. He also wrote about the events leading to the formation of Barisan, his years in prison and his life after his release.

Here are some selected quotes from his memoirs that revealed a glimpse of the tumultous time in Singapore history. It's a history of political alliances and fall-outs, divergent ideologies and also deep friendships that transcended race, language and culture.

On the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew

Background

Fong met Lee Kuan Yew for the first time with Lim in 1954. In Lee's memoirs, he had described Lim and Fong as "well-mannered, earnest and sincere in demeanour, simple in their clothes" and Fong "to the point of shabbiness".

Together with a group of like-minded anti-colonial men from different walks of life, they founded the PAP in 1954. He was one of the 14 convenors of the party when it was inaugurated in November that year.

Fong quit the PAP with other leftists in the PAP to form the Barisan Sosialis in July 1961.

"The reason we could unite together was because we were all very young and idealistic. We believe in socialism, and we were highly-moved and influenced by the wave of socialism movement sweeping through Europe, Asia and African continent. Lee Kuan Yew and his colleagues subscribed to a form of democratic socialism akin to Fabian socialism in the UK. Lim Chin Siong, Devan Nair, Chan Chiaw Thor and me were more inclined toward radical political reform. "

"Lee Kuan Yew left a deep impression in me after we met for the first time, He was tall and well-built, serious-looking and ambitious. He also had a sharp mind, full of convictions and highly eloquent. When he fixed his gaze on you, it was as if he was interrogating a witness in court. As I could only speak broken English and he could not speak a word of Chinese, we did not communicate directly, but through an interpreter. (Lim) Chin Siong and I held the same view: Lee Kuan Yew would come to play a pivotol role in the party."

"I admire Lee Kuan Yew greatly for his strong political convictions, his committment to the PAP and his stellar leadership talent. I learnt many valuable things from him. I must admit that deep inside our hearts, when we were building up the party and managing union and government services, we lack mutual trust. This could possibly be attributed to our differences in education background and different political perspectives."

On former trade unionist and former President Devan Nair

Background

Jailed together for three years from 1956 to 1959, Fong and Devan Nair were close friends. As Chief of Government Communications Janadas Devan wrote in his tribute, his father was Fong's "Indian brother", and Fong was his father's "Chinese brother".

When the PAP split in 1961, they ended up leading rival trades union federations -- Fong, the Singapore Association of Trade Unions (SATU), which was affiliated to the Barisan Sosialis; and Nair, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), which was affiliated to the PAP.

Arrested in Feb 1963 during Operation Coldstore, Fong was sent back to Malaya as he was born in Johor. He was detained without trial for 4.5 years under the Internal Security Act. He was banned from entering Singapore until 1990.

"Devan Nair was 33 years old then (when detained at Changi Camp). He was a very well read man, and also an extremely learned and talented man. He spent two hours every day teaching me English. He selected the appropriate textbooks and was very patient in his teachings. I greatly cherished his rigorous tutelage, which gave me the confidence to master English. I also taught him Chinese, but gave up after a few lessons. He couldn't distinguish between the four tones in Chinese and lost his confidence in learning. I felt guilty for not being able to use an effective method of teaching, causing him to give up halfway."

"Devan Nair was also my mentor and teacher, because of differences in our political beliefs and convictions, we were engaged in competition and opposition, proving true the maxim that there are no permanent enemies nor friends in politics. Whatever the case, we remain cordial with each other. I have always believed that politics should not negate friendship."

"In 1984, I wrote to Devan Nair, who had became the Preseident of the Republic of Singapore. I asked him for help in treating my kidney stones condition. He replied swiftly and arranged for the best kidney specialist in Singapore General Hospital to treat me. He also invited me, my wife and our daughter to meet him and his wife at the Istana. It was an extremely happy gathering after 20 years of long separation."

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Sons of Lee Kuan Yew and Devan Nair pay tributes to late opposition leader Fong Swee Suan

Top photo by Mothership

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