The Prime Minister once spent his own money to buy sweet potato seeds to help people fight hunger.

His peer Tran Huu Phuoc (85 years old) shared that former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai came from a family with a revolutionary tradition, in which the person who had the greatest influence was his maternal grandfather, who was a soldier who participated in the resistance war against the French in the early years of the 20th century.

At that time, the Heaven and Earth Association movement developed very strongly. Sau Khai's grandfather participated, with the desire to help the people of Nam Ky escape from the slavery of France and Japan.

It is said that Mr. Sau Khai joined the revolution at the age of 14, in the National Salvation Youth Team of Tan Thong Hoi commune - where he was born. That is not wrong, but not entirely accurate. In fact, Mr. Sau Khai joined patriotic activities at the age of 7.

Before the Southern Uprising, Sau Khai's maternal grandfather participated in forging weapons and practicing martial arts. When discovered by the enemy, his maternal grandfather and the Southern Uprising army had to hide in the wilderness to avoid being pursued.

Mr. Sau Khai brought food to the army every day and was responsible for reporting to the insurgents - Mr. Phuoc recalled.

Mr. Phuoc also said that the thoughts and feelings of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai were greatly influenced by Soviet literature, especially the novel "How the Steel Was Tempered".

"He was not only fascinated by the novel, but also worshiped it. At that time, he always kept the novel at his bedside, considering it a beacon of thought, a compass for his actions" - his peer recalled.

According to Mr. Phuoc, former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai came from a farming family in Cu Chi, a land of steel and copper, so despite his high position and power, he always lived a simple, ordinary life, blending in with the masses.

Former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai (left) during a visit to Mr. Tran Huu Phuoc's family. Photo: Archive

Mr. Phuoc said that during the time he gathered in the North and participated in the work of rent reduction and land reform in Ha Nam, Mr. Sau Khai saw that the people in Cat Lai commune, Binh Luc district were so hungry and miserable that he used his own savings to let the people buy sweet potato seeds to plant to fight hunger.

"The potatoes planted do not have tubers yet, but people can pick vegetables to eat, as long as they overcome hunger" - Mr. Phuoc recalled the saying of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai at that time.

Mr. Khai's work moved and made the people of Cat Lai commune very moved and loved him. The land reform committee at that time proposed to award him the third-class labor medal.

Thanks to his close-knit lifestyle, wherever he went and whatever task he took on, Mr. Sau Khai was loved by the people there. Mr. Phuoc said that former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai was adopted by a farmer family in Phuc Tho district, Son Tay when he came to work on rent reduction there.

"When former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai got married, he went to his adoptive parents' family in the rural area of ​​Phuc Tho district - the place he considered his second hometown - to hold the wedding" - said Mr. Tran Huu Phuoc.