29/08/2023
THE THREE WISE MEN @ VICTORIAN HERBAL'S SHOWROOM ON SUNDAY, 27TH AUGUST 2023:
When l first agreed to host all the three Tans from PE2011 for a simple coffee session at People’s Park Complex hawker centre last Sunday, l did not know just how "ground-shattering" that simple coffee session will be.
At 8.45am that morning, I am glad that all three Tans did turn up as promised and off we went to the hawker centre for our local coffee.
Once the crowd saw the three Tans, they went wild and it was like the ground sentiment in PE2011 was ignited once again that morning.
As Tan Kin Lian has to do a routine "doorstop" interview with the media at 10am, we proceeded to my showroom at Chin Swee so that these gentlemen can freshen up but the place was already packed with journalists who were anxious to know why the three Tans have come together in solidarity for PE2023.
What was supposed to be a simple doorstop interview has now been transformed into something else as volunteers find creative ways to decorate up the place.
Someone came up with the idea that since all the three Tans did qualify by meeting the financial criteria for PE2023, and have been duly certified to be “men of integrity and good character” too, why not call them the Three Wise Men?
Little by little, ideas start following and suddenly everyone is trying to do something for the event.
As rightly pointed out by Bertha Henson, the showroom became overly crowded and stuffy but what she did not mention was the exuberance of hope that was in the air that morning.
Yes, what was supposed to be a simple and humble event has escalated into an almost “ground-shattering” event by the sheer exuberance of the volunteers and the solidarity of the three Tans.
As the saying goes, the rest is history as videos and news clips start trending across the major social media the whole day.
Three Wise Men:
Whoever that came up with the label of the “Three Wise Men” hits the nail on the head as it adeptly describe the three Tans coming together in solidarity by putting the country ahead of their differences.
Yes, it was substantive when Cheng Bock kept reminding the media that he was there in his personal capacity as a citizen, and further reminded them not to propagate gutter politics but to focus on the essence of what PE2023 is all about.
And since the Elected President has to play a unifying role, the solidarity displayed that morning is an affirmation of Kin Lian’s tenacity and patience in making the impossible, possible, no?
Going Forward:
While waiting for the media to get ready, there were some light-hearted moments, like Cheng Bock playing the ukulele while Kin Lian and Jee Say sang along with him.
After the media interview was over, the place was quickly restored back as there are customers coming for their physiotherapy in the afternoon and life goes back to being normal once again for all of us.
Special thanks to Michelle Lee for volunteering to help moderate the morning’s proceedings, and the many volunteers like Su Ling, Jamie, Kumar, Adrian, Janice, Elizabeth, Barnie, Harley, Patrick, Prabu, Vicky and many more who make the whole event a memorable one.
My respect to the Three Wise Men and the privilege of hearing first-hand why they come together and the challenges they faced.
What a great learning curve to be learning from the best of the bests.
Above all, I pray and wish Kin Lian all the best in his Presidential campaign in PE2023, and I hope that the solidarity of the Three Wise Men will continue to inspire more patriotic Singaporeans to step forward courageously, and stand in solidarity with the people by putting our country first.
Joseph Nathan
Brand Owner - Victorian Herbal
