It's not often you get to meet a real hero. It's even less often you meet a true Singaporean hero. Today, though, I met one.

J. B. Jeyaretnam, for those of you who are unfamiliar with Singaporean politics, was Singapore's first opposition member of parliament after the PAP first established complete control over parliament. After over a decade of complete PAP dominance, he defeated the PAP candidate in the Anson by-election on 31 October 1981, running as a candidate for the Worker's Party, which he founded. As a fiery, outspoken opposition MP, he was a constant thorn in the government's side- especially of prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who appeared determined to drive him from political life. While he was returned to parliament in 1984, he was found guilty in 1986 of misusing party finances, barring him from practice as an attorney, and fined a sum which would have expelled him from parliament. He was disqualified from holding a seat until November 1991 and also barred from legal practice. When he later appealed to the Privy Council (the Commonwealth's highest court) against his disbarment, the judical committee ruled that he had been wrongly disbarred and that the Singapore court decision was a 'grevious injustice.' Our government's response was to abolish the Privy Council as Singapore's highest court and to refuse to reinstate him to parliament.

He finally returned to parliament in 1997 as a non-constituency member with no voting rights (NCMP seats are reserved for opposition politicians with the highest percentage of losing votes). However, he was again sued for defamation by prime minister Goh Chok Tong and ten other senior MPs and PAP members and found guilty. Subsequently, unable to pay the damages from another libel case, Mr. Jeyaretnam was disqualified from parliament.

Already 76, and suffering from ill-health, he has ceased to be a thorn in the government's side despite attracting a large amount of public sympathy for his plight. Yet he determinedly soldiers on, fighting for human rights for Singapore and staying true to his beliefs. He has attacked and sued and destroyed financially, yet keeps coming back, unbroken and undaunted. This is a man who would rather die on his feet and live on his knees, and this is the man I encountered today outside Centrepoint Shopping Mall, selling copies of his books, Make It Right For Singapore: Speeches in Parliament 1997-1999.

He noticed me immediately. It's not hard, I suppose, when busy shoppers are rushing by and avoiding eye contact, to notice this one kid who stares him right in the eye and is grinning like a loon. I, for my part, was thrilled to be in his presence. I promptly went over and introduced myself and started gushing about how I was a fan of his and how much I believed in him and respected what he did. He looked old, tired and ill, but his famous booming voice was strong and he looked visibly cheered to see this young punk fawning over him. On retrospect, it was a little embarrassing- me, all of 23 and behaving like a fanboy (to use fiona's term) over this aged 76 year old Indian. But how often do we get to meet and shake the hand of a true Singaporean hero!

I bought a book, of course, and had him autograph it "To P.J.", and happily went on my way. I hope I made his day. I know he made mine.