Meeting their 'mother': Suu Kyi speaks to countrymen here

SINGAPORE - While most of Singapore was sound asleep, grandmother Daw Ni Ni was wide awake, standing at the doors of Resorts World Sentosa at 3am on Sunday.

The food and beverage executive, 62, was there to see Nobel peace laureate and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, 68.

Never mind that her heroine would appear only about seven hours later.

Madam Ni Ni was second in line and had to get seats for her family of eight.

She said: "It's my first time seeing her (Ms Suu Kyi) in Singapore. She's our leader. She can change our country."

Her daughter Nandar Myo Lwin, 39, added: "Being able to see 'our mother' in person, I feel like my dream has come true."

At that, Madam Ni Ni laughed.

Madam Myo Lwin, a housewife, added: "She's a mother of the country. That's different from being a leader of the country.

"I have more trust and belief in her, that she can improve everyone's lives and make things better."

That belief was obvious when Ms Suu Kyi appeared on stage before her 6,000 countrymen on Sunday morning.

Each had paid $30 for a ticket.

Her entrance, at about 9.45am, was marked by a roar of approval, applause and flashes from mobile phones cameras.

The young, dressed in their traditional best, pumped their fists. Their seniors, garbed in the sarong-like longyi, craned their necks for a better look.

When Myanmar's democracy icon spoke, everyone fell silent.

"It was so quiet, you could almost hear a pin drop," Myanmar Club patron Daniel Lwin said.

Noting that many countrymen living abroad are doing well in their careers, Ms Suu Kyi understood some are not able to go back and serve due to family commitments. But she urged those who have roots in Myanmar to help the nation in whatever way they can.

A give-and-take attitude was important, she added.

So students in Singapore should complete their studies and get involved in Myanmar's reform process, rather than wait for an ideal situation before returning, she said.

Citing herself as an example, Ms Suu Kyi spoke of her visit to Hawaii, where she had wondered if she would be happy living a carefree life on a beautiful beach.

But she realised she would be happier only by living in her own country with her own people, while trying to uplift their lives - even if the conditions back home are not as ideal.

So make your own decision about going back to Myanmar, she told the audience. It's your choice.

However, those who say "I will go back when the country prospers" should look first into how to make their home country prosper, she added.

Accountant Saw Closay, 37, was impressed with Ms Suu Kyi lobbying for changes to the Constitution and her message to those abroad to get more involved with developments in Myanmar.

"I felt she was honest and frank," he said. "She was charismatic. When she spoke, everyone gave her 100 per cent attention."

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Q&A

The head of the Lower House committee for rule of law, peace and tranquillity and chair of the National League for Democracy fielded queries that the audience had penned.

Why do maids from other countries enjoy better pay and protection than Myanmar domestic workers, someone asked.

What about the safety net from the Myanmar Embassy for those facing difficulties in Singapore?

Protecting its own people is the primary duty of any government, Ms Suu Kyi said. To achieve this, full democracy - and changing the Constitution - is needed. Only then will the rights of the vulnerable working abroad be protected.

"The government should be for the people and not the other way around," she said.

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