PM Lee Shared a Meaningful Story of How Fathers Have Been the Unsung & Quiet Hero in the Family

Do you know what day it is today (21 June 2020)?

Reader Bao: Third day of Phase Two!

And?

Reader Bao: First weekend of Phase Two!

And?

Reader Bao: Erm, first Sunday of Phase Two?

And?

Reader Da Bao: Here, son, take this money and go out to enjoy yourself

Reader Bao: Day my dad…oh.

Yes, it’s the day to thank the quietest man in your household who has been putting bread on the table without you realising it.

And while numerous people have posted images of themselves thanking their dads on social media, PM Lee took it to a whole new level.

He acknowledged the quiet sacrifice and hard work those dads have made.

Reader Bao: Maybe it’s a post to self-praise since he’s a dad as well.

Maybe, but you can’t deny how meaningful it is.

PM Lee Shared How Fathers Have Been the Unsung & Quiet Hero in the Family

Back in 1997, the Asian financial crisis hit most countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia, which of course included Singapore.

Singapore, just like many neighbouring countries, fell into recession. It was so bad that in order to help Singaporeans, the CPF contribution was reduced to just 10% from employers.

Reader Bao: Holy crap, that means a person who earned $1,000 will get $900?

Well, no. It’s the employer’s side—just so you know, your employer has to pay an additional 17% (lower if you’re older) of CPF to you. Bet you didn’t know because you never check your CPF statement.

Reader Bao: Wait, like that the Jobs Support Scheme didn’t help much mah if a person’s salary is technically 117% instead of—

Shut up, we scared of Ah Gong.

But anyways, you get the gist; it was bad in 1997 as well.

So, what did PM Lee shared?

A simple, yet powerful, message:

This is what he wrote:

Fathers are our pillars of support. Whatever personal difficulties they may be facing, they put on a stoic face and keep going for the sake of their families.

The past few months have been especially challenging for fathers working in the frontline and essential roles, or experiencing job changes or retrenchment. Many fathers have had to juggle working from home and helping to care for the family.

To fathers having a tough time — don’t give up, and don’t hesitate to seek help if you need to. If your father is having a tough time, don’t feel helpless. Let him know he has your love and support.

To all fathers, grandfathers, and fathers-to-be, have a wonderful #FathersDay! 🙂 – LHL

His post is a share of an album by Facebook Page The Woke Salaryman, a platform to help “Singaporeans make better financial and life choices through education.”

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The well-drawn images portrayed a period back in 1997 when a dad had lost his job but still put on a strong front for his family. Here are the words that suddenly make sense again in 2020, and make even more sense today:

1997 was a dark year for my father

I remember coming home to a house filled with boxes one evening in 1997.

I thought my dad had brought his homework back – he spent the whole night sifting through papers.

The next morning, he brought me to the hawker centre to have $2.50 chicken rice.

It was great; it was rare for my dad to hang out in a morning.

Of course, I didn’t know it then, but my dad had just been retrenched from his job at a tea factory

He was 42, jobless and it was the Asian financial crisis.

Looking back, I think these were some of his darkest days.

He had two young children depending on him.

He was suddenly home all the time, and he seemed a bit aimless.

Most of the time he smoked and watched TV.

Occasionally he took me on walks to the park.

Sometimes he surfed teletext aimlessly for hours.

He never spoke about it, but I think he was thinking hard about his next step.

Something changed when the June holidays arrived.

I remember watching him waking up at 10, sit down with the Straits Times RECRUIT section, and make calls all the way till 5.

He alternated between being incredibly hopeful and downright dejected.

It was rejection after rejection after rejection.

As a kid, I think that was the first time I realised my dad wasn’t some all powerful superhero who was impervious to failure.

No, he definitely wasn’t.

He was a man who just kept on going.

When he realised his job search wasn’t going great, he tried to sell insurance. He paid $500 for the course and got certified.

But he was awkward and terrible at making cold calls.

Next, he went to get a taxi license and shared a taxi with my uncle.

On the days he drove, he would disappear after dinner and reappear in bed after lunch when I came back from school.

On days he didn’t, my dad spent his time on our family PC.

He’d learn how to do calculations on Excel spreadsheets using formulas.

(I was not happy because this mean less computer time for me)

At this juncture, I know what you’re thinking.

He upskilled, worked hard and used his skills to get rehired with pay raise, amirite?

Wrong.

After being jobless for months, dad found a job…

In the ship repair industry.

The hours were long, the job was dangerous, and the pay was a far cry to what my dad earned before.

He didn’t even get to use his new Microsoft Excel skills.

But it paid the bills, and eventually, saw our family through.

The later part of the images are not related to the story but more on what we can do during this COVID-19 period.

And then it ended with this:

Dedicated to my father, Martin.

Thank you for continuously learning how to be a better dad.

And sorry for being such a pain to raise.

Happy Father’s Day.

I’m not crying, you are.

So, during this Father’s Day, maybe it’d be best to share this album to show the world that superheroes are the guys who sneezed and coughed loudly, but pay for the household expenses quietly…

…instead of just taking an image with your dad and posting it on social media, and forgetting about him altogether until June 2021.

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