In a land that is starved of national heroes, Loh Kean Yew is a Godsend. The boy (yes, I like to call him that) has done for Singapore what nobody has done since Joseph Schooling stormed into the pool in Rio, beat his idol Michael Phelps and broke the Olympic record in the 100 metres butterfly race.
It has taken Singapore five years to celebrate another hero. Loh did it with not just killer shots but also with his boyish charm and humility. And we have a world champion in the almost forgotten sport of badminton.
Every time I watch him on video and read about this gentle giant, I feel a sense of pride and elation. Loh, who was headhunted by the Singapore Sports School from Penang, falls on his knees and kisses the Singapore flag on his T-shirt after every victory.
His caring spirit was shown after he was told that he has been upgraded on his return flight to Singapore. He asked if his coach and physiotherapist would also be upgraded. And they were also moved up. This is the kind of old-world charm about this boy that makes you want to follow him.
He is a lovable kid, unlike many other stars who walk with their noses up in the air. Desmond Tan, the general manager of the Badminton Academy in the Singapore Sports School and the man who spotted the raw talent in him when he was just 10 years old, said:
“I first saw him play when he was about 10 or 11. He was warming up with his older brother. That was when he caught my eye. His racket skill, the timing of swing, the sweet spot with his racket and the variation of his shot all impressed me. Whether he is in control of his rally or under pressure, he was able to play with ease.”
But why has it taken five years after Schooling’s feat in the Olympics to celebrate another hero? I can think of two reasons.
One, Lee Kuan Yew took centre stage for too long that it was impossible for anybody to even be in his shadow. Singapore was this man’s story, or at least the way he told it, and that compelling narrative was not easy to better. The messenger’s control of the message and medium just couldn’t be beaten.
And the former PM was dead set against others developing a cult following that would rival his. No statues, no glorifying remarks, and definitely no cult following. And that view was so pervasive that it filtered into every aspect of our lives.
Two, from day one of the PAP rule, the Singapore mantra was against individualism; the focus was more on team spirit. The bee became the symbol of productivity and teamwork. Joyce Tan posted on Facebook:
“My childhood understanding of productivity revolved around industrious and hardworking bees, where cooperation helps make things.”
That kind of propaganda, though useful during the early days of Singapore’s industrialisation, makes no sense in today’s world of invention and innovation where successful individuals operate alone locked up in garages (think Bill Gates) to think up the next big thing.
Hopefully, Schooling and Loh’s victories will help break that cycle.
Meanwhile, let us bask in what his friend told me:
“He is very humble and hasn’t changed from when he first broke onto the scene six years ago. Even though he is now the world champion, he is still the same unassuming young man.”
PN Balji is a veteran Singaporean journalist who was formerly chief editor of Today and The New Paper. He is the author of the book Reluctant Editor and is currently a media consultant. /TISG