Black or white attire, it doesn't matter: Tan Chuan-Jin

Black or white attire, it doesn't matter: Tan Chuan-Jin

Should Singapore wear black or white on Sunday to unite on the last day of mourning for Lee Kuan Yew?

Messages urging everyone to wear either black or white as a sign of respect on the day of the former prime minister's funeral have been circulating via WhatsApp and social media.

But some, like Minister for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin, say it does not matter. "White? Black? What's in a colour? Just wear your heart on your sleeve. I, for one, believe that even as we mourn and grieve, we are also celebrating his life and our Singapore. It's something really remarkable isn't it?"

The messages first surfaced at the start of the week.

[[nid:182787]]

One message said: "We are spreading the word...Everyone wear black tops on Sunday...5 million people in black to mourn for Mr Lee."

Meanwhile, several people have also received messages urging them to wear white, to represent Mr Lee's People's Action Party's colour and purity.

"I believe our Founding Father MM Lee Kuan Yew would love to see us Singaporeans wear white also, while some may choose to wear black."

A minority have said they would wear pink, which Mr Lee's tailor, Fong Loo Fern, said was his favourite colour.

There has been no official word from the Government, and memes have appeared from the different camps. Shirts of different colours are also being hawked online.

In the end, it is the sincerity that matters, says Facebook user Tony Wu. "Whether ebony or ivory, so long as we are in perfect harmony....as the song goes, and that is what the man wants."

In his Facebook post, Mr Tan also posted an encounter with an elderly man who approached him to apologise for wearing a bright shirt to pay respects. "Uncle, what matters is that you cared enough to come. Doesn't matter the colour," he replied.

jalmsab@sph.com.sg


Get MyPaper for more stories.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.