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Teo Soh Lung
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“I hated the threat that if I did not appear on television, I would not be released on the 31st day. Why should a television appearance affect the length of my detention? Surely they must decide whether to release me or not according to culpability, not according to whether I agree to a television appearance. What has a television appearance got to do with the security of my country?”
― Beyond The Blue Gate: Recollections of a Political Prisoner
― Beyond The Blue Gate: Recollections of a Political Prisoner
“Eng Seng was asked how many people were singing on Christmas eve. He replied that it was dark and even though there was light in the sky, he could not see people singing. He said the bible said there were angels singing and he supposed the angels were singing on Christmas eve!
...He was asked who organised the singing. He replied that, like what was stated in the bible, he followed a star and he supposed the others too followed the star. No one organised the singing.
On spotting a dead moth on the floor, Eng Seng remarked to the officer partly in Hokkien: "By the way, er, you suay (bad luck) already. Moths die on the floor. You suay, I also suay, got to see you on New Year's Day."
The officer asked if he believed in those things and he replied, "Yeah, moths live outside. Why come in to die!"
No amount of questioning from the officer could elucidate any intelligent response from my brother! The officer was frustrated...brought him to see his superior.
The minute the door to the superior's office was opened, Eng Seng exclaimed: "Wa tua liap liao! (So big shot already!)" The superior officer asked: "Do I know you?" He replied "Tua liap liao, how you know me small fly?"
After a few more senseless comments, the superior officer told the officer to take him away. He was allowed home.”
― Beyond The Blue Gate: Recollections of a Political Prisoner
...He was asked who organised the singing. He replied that, like what was stated in the bible, he followed a star and he supposed the others too followed the star. No one organised the singing.
On spotting a dead moth on the floor, Eng Seng remarked to the officer partly in Hokkien: "By the way, er, you suay (bad luck) already. Moths die on the floor. You suay, I also suay, got to see you on New Year's Day."
The officer asked if he believed in those things and he replied, "Yeah, moths live outside. Why come in to die!"
No amount of questioning from the officer could elucidate any intelligent response from my brother! The officer was frustrated...brought him to see his superior.
The minute the door to the superior's office was opened, Eng Seng exclaimed: "Wa tua liap liao! (So big shot already!)" The superior officer asked: "Do I know you?" He replied "Tua liap liao, how you know me small fly?"
After a few more senseless comments, the superior officer told the officer to take him away. He was allowed home.”
― Beyond The Blue Gate: Recollections of a Political Prisoner
“[Deputy Superintendent Lim] knew that I was angry. But he also knew that for his career, it was best that I be persuaded to appear on television. I told him to leave me alone but he persisted. I admired his patience, his persistence, his "concern for me." He called me "My Esperanza" (the name of a play performed by the Third Stage). He started to call the woman constable who assisted him, "Soh Lung". He joked about worrying in the night, that because of my refusal to appear on television, he would call my name while hugging his wife! I pitied him. He was pathetic.”
― Beyond The Blue Gate: Recollections of a Political Prisoner
― Beyond The Blue Gate: Recollections of a Political Prisoner
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