Who says heroes must be superhumans?

Several years ago, I got to know a young lady through some friends in church. My first impression of her was someone with more grey matter in her brain than she chooses to let on. She was quietly confident, without a need to shout out her presence in large groups.

My contacts with her over the subsequent years have been brief and sporadic. She was an acquaintance but yet somehow she never strayed far from my mind. Perhaps it is due in part to how she chose to conduct herself in situations that most would have responded in the extreme opposite way. Over time, I discovered that she was jovial without being boisterous, talented without being boastful and kind without making a big deal out of it. Instead of the proverbial “an eye for an eye”, she chose to let go and let her talent and tenacity speak for her.

Today, she is one of the anchor teachers at Rus Art Studio, an artist with hundreds of paintings sold all over the world and recently, a business owner of her newly opened shop at Crown Centre #02-15. Take a peek at Artokoro and be refreshed by a whole new perspective of what art is.

My friend is Chun Wee Ping – an accomplished artist, a passionate teacher and an inspiring cancer survivor whose story has been published several times. She is a role model to her students, an inspiration to many and a strong testimony to the world of God’s faithfulness and goodness.

Thank you Wee Ping, for touching my life with your bravado and inspiring me. God bless you.

Future Singapore?

Sometime ago, a friend who owns a couple of property investments here mentioned that it will be worthwhile having a peek at the Singapore Master Plan before going property hunting. It can probably give you an idea of how developed or undeveloped, the area surrounding a potential property will be.

However searching for a similar master plan for the Singapore MRT lines and stations proved not as simple. There are several speculative versions with tons of lines and stations but none have been endorsed by the Land Transport Authority. Here and here are two of the latest versions. It is hard not to get cross-eyed just from following the lines! The only official version appearing on its website shows only lines that are already either operational or reported by the media. So, take them with a pinch of salt or have fun drawing up your own version :)

Speculative MRT Rail System Map

Boats, boats, boats...again

In a bid to raise the number of local visitors to certain attractions on our sunny (and hazy?) island, the Singapore Tourism Board launched the 2009 Reasons to Visit Singapore promotion. Now in case you are wondering, I do have better things to do than to be surfing the STB's Uniquely Singapore website! I got to know of this promotion through an online parenting forum that I participate in.

With the free tickets, it would be a wonderful opportunity for the family to enjoy an afternoon at the Singapore Flyer. However, to our dismay, when we arrived in the afternoon, we were met with posters declaring that all tickets have already been redeemed. I had entirely misjudged the capability of my fellow citizens to stake their claims way before opening time. I was told the queue started on Friday night and all tickets were given away by Saturday 9:00 am!

I forgot that for most Singaporeans, anything with the word FREE or LIMITED EDITION draws crowds and queues. For those uninitiated to the amazing Singapore queues, have a look at the Hello Kitty dolls craze, iPhone 3G Launch and the rush to buy an apartment.

So, we went for the Singapore River Cruise instead. It proved to be a treat for Big Buddy and Little Buddy with their ceaseless fascination with transportation. Their joy brought smiles to our faces as we marvel at the simple pleasures that childhood dreams are made of.

Look at the water!

Ever since I dug out a kite from the cupboards, the boys have been clamoring for some kite-flying action. Good weather conditions beckoned so we decided to pay the Marina Barrage a visit after recommendations that the rooftop garden is a perfect spot for kite-flying.

The Marina Barrage generated a bit of a buzz at its official opening on 31 Oct 08. With its dual function also as an integral component of a flood control scheme, it is touted as Singapore’s first city reservoir with a range of fun activities. Hubby and I thought it would also be a good opportunity to have a look-see at the place.

Loud sirens greeted us the moment we alighted from the car. We had a hunch that the reservoir crest gates were about to open and thus made our way there to witness the rush of waters. I had heard how there is no schedule for the opening of the crest gates but is instead dependant on mother nature - the tides and water levels within the reservoir. Thus, we were thrilled to be just on time to catch the action. The crest gates opened really slowly and it was just amazing to watch the waters in the reservoir tip over the gates and rush out to sea. The rush and roar of the waters, with the wind caught in our hair, made it an exhilarating experience for our family.

We ventured into the Sustainable Singapore Gallery which explained Singapore’s water strategy and demonstrated the functions of the Barrage with a working model. Before the kids created any damage with their overly-enthusiastic pushing and pulling of buttons, levers and what-nots, we hastily made our exit.

We made our way to the rooftop with the intention of flying our kite but alas, the wind was fickle. The direction changed every once in a while and made it difficult even to launch the kite. Meanwhile, the kids were apparently more interested to run around chasing each other and so the kite was abandoned. We ran down the sloping garden towards the ground level where the water play area caught the kids’ interest and we spent some time at the shallow pool before calling it a day.

It was a wonderful day spent, part in fun and part in educating our kids on water.

Here we come, 2009

Here we are, well into the third week of January 2009 and here is my first blog entry for the year. Forgive me for my tardiness, my days have been really really busy – my new domestic helper has not yet arrived…

There is usually much talk about new year resolutions round about this time of the year and the cliché predictions about how people never fulfill those goals by New Year’s Eve. I never had the habit of making new year resolutions and but this year, I had thought long and hard about my expectations and outlook for 2009.

Newspapers and analysts round the world are predicting gloom and doom for the next few years. It is not difficult to be pessimistic about the future, worrying about job security and the economy. There is so much depressing news that it just builds a climate of fear and despair.

As I thought about 2009 and what I expect to see, God brought me on a journey of my family’s experiences in 2008. On hindsight now, I see the hand of God leading us through paths that were still murky when treaded then. I had questioned and debated with God, anguished over events that did or did not happen and half fought my through 2008 with God. Now that the mist has cleared, His works and promises fulfilled become apparent.

And because I saw His faithfulness displayed time again, I am imbued with a quiet confidence that God will see me and my family through another year. I believe that my family will be kept secure in the eye of the storm. We will not just survive 2009 but we will be triumphant. We are stepping into the Year of Abundant Living and we are going to reap its abundance!

Tainted milk

This picture in today's edition of The Straits Times brought tears to my eyes. It so poignantly speaks of the plight of thousands of Chinese infants in the latest China tainted milk scandal.

I read with horror at how thousands of infants developed kidney stones and other related health problems after consuming formula laced with melamine. My mind recoiled at the atrocities committed against such helpless and dependent victims, unable to fathom the impetus for putting innocent young lives at stake for selfish gains.

As a testament to how inter-linked the world now is and how processed many foods have become, the chain of affected food products has extended to products manufactured outside of China. I did a quick check of my fridge and ditched several 'Made in China' products into the rubbish bin. However, I remain wary as it was reported that Singapore food manufacturers use non-branded milk powder and dairy products from China. As tests continue, who knows what else will be found to be tainted too.

As a precaution, my family will be staying away from as much dairy products as possible, probably limiting ourselves to those produced in countries with their own cows.

Tectonic movements

The past 48 hours have been face-changing for the financial sector.

Ripple effects of the US sub-prime crisis had never hit home so close as the news about AIG, the insurer for several of our insurance policies. I read with growing unease about how Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers have been drawn into the Wall Street carnage with buy-outs by Bank of America for the former and Barclays for the latter's US units.

Events moved so quickly that it left little time for reaction, leaving many in the tailspin of the whirlwind. In a knee-jerk reaction to the AIG gloom, many responded quickly. Not that I blame them, I guess it is the survival instinct that kicked in the need to do something and not just sit and wait for the worst.

Hubby and I spent a good part of last night assessing the opportunities and risks in the current market turmoil with our financial advisor, who called to address any concerns we might have in view of the recent events. Hopefully things will pan out well in the days to come.

It is early days still. Yet I sense the peace of God even in the midst of all this, akin to being in the eye of the storm.

Job 5:24
You will know that your tent is secure;
you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.

Food for Thought

THE STRAITS TIMES

July 30, 2008

THINK-TANK
Doing what's right without fear or favour
By Lee Wei Ling

I WAS born and bred in Singapore. This is my home, to which I am tied by family and friends. Yet many Singaporeans find me eccentric, though most are too polite to verbalise it. I only realised how eccentric I am when one friend pointed out to me why I could not use my own yardstick to judge others.

I dislike intensely the elitist attitude of some in our upper socio-economic class. I have been accused of reverse snobbery because I tend to avoid the wealthy who flaunt their wealth ostentatiously or do not help the less fortunate members of our society.

I treat all people I meet as equals, be it a truck driver friend or a patient and friend who belongs to the richest family in Singapore.

I appraise people not by their usefulness to me but by their character. I favour those with integrity, compassion and courage. I feel too many among us place inordinate emphasis on academic performance, job status, appearance and presentation.

I am a doctor and director of the smallest public sector hospital in Singapore, the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI). I have 300 staff, of whom 100 are doctors. I emphasise to my doctors that they must do their best for every patient regardless of paying status. I also appraise my doctors on how well they care for our patients, not by how much money they bring in for NNI.

My doctors know I have friends who are likely to come in as subsidised patients. I warn them that if I find them not treating any subsidised patient well, their appraisal - and hence bonus and annual salary increments - would be negatively affected. My doctors know I will do as I say.

I remind them that the purpose of our existence and the measure of our success is how well we care for all our patients - and that this is the morally correct way to behave and should be the reason why we are doctors. In NNI, almost all patients are given the best possible treatment regardless of their paying status.

My preference for egalitarianism extends to how I interact with my staff. I am director because the organisation needs a reporting structure. But my staff are encouraged to speak out when they disagree with me. This tends to be a rarity in several institutions in Singapore. The fear that one's career path may be negatively affected is what prevents many people from speaking out.

This reflects poorly on leadership. In many organisations, superiors do not like to be contradicted by those who work under them. Intellectual arrogance is a deplorable attitude.

'Listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story,' the Desiderata tells us. It is advice we should all heed - especially leaders, especially doctors.

I speak out when I see something wrong that no one appears to be trying to correct. Not infrequently, I try to right the wrong. In doing so, I have stepped on the sensitive toes of quite a few members of the establishment. As a result, I have been labelled 'anti-establishment'. Less kind comments include: 'She dares to do so because she has a godfather'.

I am indifferent to these untrue criticisms; I report to my conscience; and I would not be able to face myself if I knew that there was a wrong that I could have righted but failed to do so.

I have no protective godfather. My father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, would not interfere with any disciplinary measures that might be meted out to me.

And I am not anti-establishment. I am proud of what Singapore has achieved. But I am not a mouthpiece of the government. I am capable of independent thought and I can view problems or issues from a perspective that others may have overlooked.

A few months ago, I gave a talk on medical ethics to students of our Graduate Medical School. They sent me a thank-you card with a message written by each student. One wrote: 'You are a maverick, yet you are certainly not anti-establishment. You obey the moral law.' Another wrote: 'Thank you for sharing your perspective with us and being the voice that not many dare to take.'

It would be better for Singapore's medical fraternity if the young can feel this way about all of us in positions of authority.

After the Sars epidemic in 2003, the Government began to transform Singapore into a vibrant city with arts and cultural festivals, and soon, integrated resorts and night F1. But can we claim to be a civilised first world country if we do not treat all members of our society with equal care and dignity?

There are other first world countries where the disparity between the different socio- economic classes is much more extreme and social snobbery is even worse than in Singapore. But that is no excuse for Singaporeans not to try harder to treat each other with dignity and care.

After all, both the Bible and Confucius tell us not to treat others in a way that we ourselves would not want to be treated. That is a moral precept that many societies accept in theory, but do not carry out in practice.

I wish Singapore could be an exception in this as it has been in many other areas where we have surprised others with our success.

The writer is director of the National Neuroscience Institute. Think-Tank is a weekly column rotated among eight heads of research and tertiary institutions.

I read the above article with interest as I pondered over the ideas championed by the writer. Interest, based not just on the content material, but also because she wrote knowing who she is and the weight of her words.

I admire her altruistic care for patients that cross her path, paying homage to the Hippocratic Oath. I love the way she so succintly penned down her beliefs and in such a diplomatic yet strong stroke of the pen.

She might have said that she obeys only her conscience and indeed, she has been an example of overcoming set traditions to practise what she preaches. While it may not be that she is using her name to make a statement, yet I wonder....the other way round.....if she is not who she is by way of parentage, would she have been allowed to have her way of things?