My Anthem

Friday, April 28, 2006

MGG PILLAI: Irrepressible Journalist

I just came back from reading JeffOoi's Screenshots latest entry:
"Goodbye, MGG Pillai"

"The veteran journalist who covered the Vietnam War, got expelled from Singapore as a foreign correspondent, and the man behind MGGPillai.com, passed on at 10:40hr today due to heart complication."

I'm sorry to learn the demise of a gentlemen friend and an irrepressible pressman of dynamic coverage -- both in physical size and mental landscape. Dear buddy, I'll miss your ready smiles at lunch and tea meetings at Brickfields curry-on-banana-leaf abd capati, and of course, our tehtarik.

May the Mahaguru of fearless journalism be always remembered for, IMHO, his most famous quote when then PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was building his office and official residence in Putrajaya as having said ..."THE KING LIVES IN KUALA LUMPUR ...THE EMPEROR LIVES IN PUTRAJAYA."

On behalf of those who know him -- a little or well, DESIDERATA extends our heartfelt condolences to the family.

One may not agree with his views, but one can't fault him for his fighting spirit and dogged consistency, and a passion for writing. His CHIAROSCURO column gives us nuggets of wisdom and insights into political events in the country -- how we will miss the varying degrees of greys that lie in between the extremes of Black and White, and how MGG helps us to interpret in "reading in between the lines".


FARE THEE WELL, BUDDY

A fine gentleman with a biting humour
You also love him for his rumour
Hi MGG, you are moving on
I will always see your encompassing smile
Though I have not embraced your Krushchev hug
Fare thee well
We salute thee
For a life well lived

6 comments:

Arena Green said...

Shocking news. Hope the man is in a happier place now.

Fashionasia said...

my condolences

the Sojourner said...

yeah, it took me completely by shock as well...
God rest His soul...

Howsy said...

The MSM as usual were deafeningly silent on his passing. Even Jonathan Kent of BBC has a letter tribute to him in Mkini.

Now, I wonder who will take over and maintain his website and continue his journalism work legacy. Uncle Desi, did you hear any calling yet?

Anonymous said...

i was shocked too to learn of his death as i had not been following on him and didn't know he had been sick. i had the opportunity to meet this amazing man once. i had also blog about him.

may his soul rest in peace.

chong y l said...

anak merdeka, fashionasia,
petrina, hosy, lucia:

we all appreciate a true gentleman who devoted his life to the calling of the 4Th Estate.
we all share a common grief.
we also know his legacy is of HOPE
that we -- whether of 4th or 5th Estate --
must continue the trail he blazed.

an Icon hard to beat,
but a privilege to have met,
or just read,
or for some lucky ones, best, befriended.