Current Affairs
Dr Lim Hock Siew's Funeral
~ By Cheong Yaoming ~
The sky was dark and threatened to unleash a storm over the funeral of Dr Lim Hock Siew. At his Joo Chiat Terrace house, dozens of friends, activists and well-wishers, mostly senior citizens, waited with umbrellas for the chartered buses. The clouds eventually subsided, merely releasing a light drizzle over the area.

Tan Tee Seng (L) & Vincent Cheng (R), two of those detained under Operation Spectrum
The funeral was a short simple ceremony at the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple and crematorium. Despite the daunting flight of stairs from the carpark to the crematorium, the senior citizens bravely climbed the steps, slowly but surely.
As the coffin was pushed into the furnace, the anguished cries of Dr Lim’s daughter-in-law pierced the somber atmosphere. A few well-wishers applauded in stoic recognition and respect.
“Dr Lim was very humble and down to earth; he never had a harsh word for anyone he came across. He was very intelligent and highly regarded by his peers. His only ‘crime’ was treating every patient, in accordance to the Hippocratic Oath, that came through his door.” Dr Siak Chong Meng, a 78 year old fellow classmate of Dr Lim Hock Siew at the University of Malaya recounted. “I could never figure out how he remained calm and not resentful over his wrongful imprisonment. He was a kind and gentle soul but would never compromise on his principles or do anything against what he stood for. His wife (Dr Beatrice Chen) never complained about the harsh treatment of her husband either.”
When asked what effect Dr Lim’s passing would have on Singaporeans, Dr Vincent Wijeysingha said “By itself this event would not have much of an effect however, just like many pebbles being dropped into a lake causing a ripple effect which will stir the entire lake, other events will work in tandem to strenghten the movement of young people wanting to know more about Singapore’s overlooked history.”
“What astounds me is the courage of people like Dr Lim Hock Siew. Some of them have a look of confusion on their face when you call them heroes. They don’t think they are heroes but they are.” Dr Wijeysingha concluded.

- Singapore3 days ago
Chee Hong Tat: MAS takes ‘risk-proportionate’ approach as family office approvals speed up
- Community5 days ago
Singapore sees 7% drop in marriages in 2024; more elderly living alone as family dynamics shift
- Comments1 day ago
Tan See Leng’s call for grads to ‘keep open mind’ draws public pushback amid job market worries
- Comments4 days ago
PAP urged to clarify what specific harm Pritam Singh’s Malaysian podcast interview caused Singapore
- Civil Society2 days ago
Camira: Email to MP Rahayu Mahzam unanswered; hand-delivered letters to PMO more impactful for Palestine
- Politics2 days ago
Trump’s nominee for Singapore ambassador, Anjani Sinha, faces tough Senate grilling over knowledge gaps
- Singapore5 days ago
Four golf courses to close by 2035 as Singapore reclaims land for housing and national needs
- Civil Society5 days ago
Faishal Ibrahim urges restraint over personal attacks on 3 women on trial for pro-Palestinian procession