Ex-President S R Nathan enjoyed eating my briyani: mosque chairman
Alla’udin Mohamed, a Muslim community leader, used to stay near the late President S R Nathan’s house. (Yahoo photo: Erin Kimbrell)
Alla’udin Mohamed, chairman of Masjid Khalid, used to cook his popular briyani monthly for a very special friend: Singapore’s former President S R Nathan.
During the annual President’s Challenge Charity Briyani, Nathan would never miss the chance to eat the savoury dish, said Alla’udin, 63, who is responsible for cooking the briyani for the event.
Alla’udin was one of the first few Singaporeans who attended Nathan’s funeral wake on Tuesday (23 August) at the former President’s house at 122 Ceylon Road. Nathan, 92, passed away on Monday night (22 August) at the Singapore General Hospital, three weeks after suffering his second stroke.
Speaking to Yahoo Singapore after his visit, Alla’udin said that even after Nathan stepped down as President in 2011, he would still cook briyani regularly for Nathan.
“I would send the briyani over to his house monthly. It was only recently when he was sick that his wife told me to send smaller portions to Mr Nathan.
“I was told that each time I sent the briyani over, he would keep it in the fridge and heat it up, and he could eat it for three days in a row,” said Alla’udin.
The two men were previously neighbours - Alla’udin was a child when he was staying in a kampung near Nathan’s house.
Alla’udin said Nathan was a simple family man who had no airs and would regularly socialise with his neighbours regardless of race. Even when Nathan became President and after Alla’udin moved out of the area, he would still invite the Muslim community leader and his family to his house.
In the conversations between their two families, Nathan would often emphasized on the importance of education to Alla’udin’s children.
“He would tell my children to work hard in school. My children were inspired and I think it was because of the advice by Mr Nathan that all five of my children managed to go to university,” Alla’udin said.
PM Lee and DPMs Tharman and Teo at the wake
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, fourth from left, leaving Nathan’s wake on Tuesday afternoon. (Yahoo photo: Safhras Khan)
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching arrived around 11.50 am to pay his condolences to Nathan’s family. He spent about 30 minutes in Nathan’s house before taking his leave.
Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was also at the wake, told reporters after his visit that Nathan was one of the pioneers who made Singapore what it is today.
“He was multiracial to the core. He was Singapore and he was also someone with a common touch. He was like that and that is the way I will always remember him,” Tharman said.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean told reporters after his visit to the wake that Nathan was a “caring person” whose values would continue to inspire Singaporeans. Teo added that Nathan had a long and close relationship with his wife Urmila Nandi.
“She (Urmila) is definitely saddened by the loss but she is strong and I think she is strengthened by all the good wishes from family friends and all Singaporeans. She is in good heart, good spirits and we wish her well,” Teo said.
- additional reporting Erin Kimbrell
