Tribute to JBJ

The sudden demise of Joshua Benjamin Jeyaratnam, better known by many as JBJ has saddened me somewhat. He was a truly opposition member in every sense, a never-say-die fighter to the end. He lost in as many court rulings, bankrupted & discharged and bankrupted again & finally discharged but he had never wavered during these trying periods. I missed seeing him sparring verbally in the wake of much stronger opponents in Parliament, a lone voice but fiesty he certainly was.

I remember vividly, despite his advanced age, he was always seen standing outside the entrance of Centrepoint selling his books to the walking public assisted by his only ardent supporter, Ng Teck Siong who is the Chairman of newly formed Singapore Reform. A sorry sight, to say the least.

He formed Singapore Reform in the hope to put forth his voice in parliament one day but with his passing away, I do not think anyone in the opposition ward could fill the big shoes he had left behind.

While he may not have created much of an impact in Singapore's short political history and many younger Singaporeans may not have heard or remembered him, nonetheless, he was the true son of Singapore who had held his beliefs into his twilight years.

Rest in peace, JBJ!