Friends bid farewell to Lim Hock
Siew
They honour the 'People's doctor', recall
his humour and optimism
By PHUA MEI PIN
DR LIM Hock was remembered yesterday by fellow political
detainee Tan Kok Fang as a shining light in the dark days they
spent in Changi Prison's "E Dormitory".
Mr Tan, 71 recalled of Dr Lim: "He often said, 'They can
imprison my body, but they cannot imprison my spirit'."
Dr Lim, a founding member of the PAP and Barisan
Sosialis, was detained without trial under the Internal Security
Act from 1963 to 1982.
That made him Singapore's longest-held political prisoner
after Dr Chia Thye Poh.
A medical doctor by profession, he died of heart failure
last Monday at the age of 81.
Mr Tan was one of three who gave eulogies yesterday
afternoon at Dr Lim's funeral.
Held at his Joo Chiat Terrace home, the funeral was
attended by a crowd of more than 100 people, some of whom made a
special trip here from Malaysia and Australia.
The largely white-haired group of old friends and
comrades spilt out of the house and onto the road. They remained
standing in the open to listen to the eulogies even when it rained
midway through the proceedings.
Smiles broke across the faces of those who gathered,
several of whom had also spent time at Changi, when Mr Tan recalled
in Mandarin old jokes they had shared.
Dr Lim once told Mr Tan: "All these years, my body may be
in prison, but I often also tour the world. I can travel in
spirit."
Mr Tan said Dr Lim's humour and optimism had given
strength to his fellow detainees.
Eye surgeon Arthur Lim, 77, a close family friend since
1950, also stood up to honour "the people's doctor".
Dr Lim was the founder of the Rakyat or People's Clinic
in Balestier Road.
He returned to medical practice upon his release from
detention and would not collect money from patients who could not
afford to pay.
Remembering his friend, Dr Arthur Lim said: "Hock Siew's
big contribution was that he cared very much for his patients...He
was a great doctor."
The eye surgeon said he and several other old friends
would write a book on Dr Lim Hock Siew's life, so that his story
would not be lost.
Two presidential candidates also paid tribute to Dr
Lim.
Dr Tan Cheng Bock wrote in a Facebook post that the man
should be honoured for making sacrifices for his beliefs.
Mr Tan Jee Say, who spoke at the funeral, said that Dr
Lim was his inspiration to purse politics.
After the eulogies, the cortege moved off in the rain to
Kong Meng San Crematorium.
After the body was consigned to the flames and the crowd
dissipated, another former detainee Lim Chin Joo, 75 said: "It is a
loss to the country that a man like him could never have the
opportunity to contribute to nation-building."
Home, The Straits Times, June 9 2012, Pg B8
