Singapore Mirror - August 2013
Recently in Cambodia I met a Singh. A certain Mr. Singh whom I did not know. I was waiting for friends at the hotel lobby and this Mr. Singh was smiling at me as he walked towards me. As he inched close, he said: "You are a very lucky man". In my mind I was thinking: "Oh no, not again!" Why? Because different Mr. Singh has met me in so many different countries like Hong Kong, Thailand, several times in Singapore and now in Cambodia. It must be that I am really a very lucky fellow.
"You are going to be a rich and successful man" or "there are a few women thinking of you now". I can see it by looking at your face and your forehead". I have seen them all and I am neither lucky or unlucky. These people could be hypnotists or mentalists. Worse, they may be involved in the "other world". There are people I know who continued talking to them and they knew things about them that they sworn they did not know. Probably they know how to ask questions that pick on your sub-conscious. So beware, you don't need your fortunes told. Or you take the initiatives to tell him first that they are even luckier than you or recruit him into your organisation to see who else is going to get lucky or do business forecasting.
Well, now let me share with you life's reflections on Singapore, Singaporeans.
Scams
It continues to amaze me that people still get fooled by those lucky draw scams. They call you on the phone and ask you to go collect your lucky draw win. You could win something without participating? In Malaysia, they stop you on the road side and you scratch on something and you will a grand prize to be collected elsewhere and you land in trouble. Then there are those scams selling pots and pans to home makers or the elderly. Email scams telling you that you have been chosen to help them and your reward is a few million dollars. Chain letters/emails even on Facebook asking you to forward or re post to 10 or 20 people and if you do so a miracles or fortune shall befall you and if you don't something terrible will happen to you or your family jewel will rot and drop off. Machiavelli said this and I think all people must take it in: "Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions." Be awake!
Haze
If the portion they burnt were ganja or any drugs we would all be high and hallucinated due to inhalation. Everyone here would be ROFL. Fortunately not. I salute His Excellency President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for saying sorry. He doesn't need to nor were anyone asking for it. It takes a great man and leader to be able to say sorry. Most people think that saying sorry or apologising in any form is a weakness or that it could be exploited or an admission of liability. That is why very few people have the courage to do so. I fully appreciate and applaud His Excellency who faced criticism and was under attack for doing the right thing.
Mr. Laksa NoSeeharm aka Agung Laksono, Indonesia's Chief Welfare Minister told Singapore to stop acting like a child. If he was referring to those people that created a ruckus demanding for Hello Kitty, he is well right and gets my support. Otherwise, how on earth did he become Chief Welfare Minister? His non-caring and condescending attitude did not fit his kind of job description but then even in business organisations you will see the same thing. You get organisations that declares "we are a customer-oriented company" and they are anything but. You get crooks sitting in anti-crooks committee, you get someone who hates customers as head of customer service, etc. the list goes on.
Mines and Energy Minister Jero Wacik told Malaysia and Singapore to stop trying to blame Indonesian and blacken their name globally. Even if both countries blocked out the news and pretended nothing has happened, international news agencies will pick up everything and in a few key strokes and mouse clicks they will be all over the world. What about the health of their poorer rural folks in Sumatra? I don't really want to say this but Singapore's SAF mounted its biggest ever rescue operations to Bandar Aceh, Meulaboh and Medan in the 2004 tsunami disaster. We helped rebuild their piers and hospitals, etc. Don't thank us or even if you are not grateful, never mind but it helps to be a good neighbour.
"You are going to be a rich and successful man" or "there are a few women thinking of you now". I can see it by looking at your face and your forehead". I have seen them all and I am neither lucky or unlucky. These people could be hypnotists or mentalists. Worse, they may be involved in the "other world". There are people I know who continued talking to them and they knew things about them that they sworn they did not know. Probably they know how to ask questions that pick on your sub-conscious. So beware, you don't need your fortunes told. Or you take the initiatives to tell him first that they are even luckier than you or recruit him into your organisation to see who else is going to get lucky or do business forecasting.
Well, now let me share with you life's reflections on Singapore, Singaporeans.
Scams
It continues to amaze me that people still get fooled by those lucky draw scams. They call you on the phone and ask you to go collect your lucky draw win. You could win something without participating? In Malaysia, they stop you on the road side and you scratch on something and you will a grand prize to be collected elsewhere and you land in trouble. Then there are those scams selling pots and pans to home makers or the elderly. Email scams telling you that you have been chosen to help them and your reward is a few million dollars. Chain letters/emails even on Facebook asking you to forward or re post to 10 or 20 people and if you do so a miracles or fortune shall befall you and if you don't something terrible will happen to you or your family jewel will rot and drop off. Machiavelli said this and I think all people must take it in: "Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions." Be awake!
Haze
If the portion they burnt were ganja or any drugs we would all be high and hallucinated due to inhalation. Everyone here would be ROFL. Fortunately not. I salute His Excellency President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for saying sorry. He doesn't need to nor were anyone asking for it. It takes a great man and leader to be able to say sorry. Most people think that saying sorry or apologising in any form is a weakness or that it could be exploited or an admission of liability. That is why very few people have the courage to do so. I fully appreciate and applaud His Excellency who faced criticism and was under attack for doing the right thing.
Mr. Laksa NoSeeharm aka Agung Laksono, Indonesia's Chief Welfare Minister told Singapore to stop acting like a child. If he was referring to those people that created a ruckus demanding for Hello Kitty, he is well right and gets my support. Otherwise, how on earth did he become Chief Welfare Minister? His non-caring and condescending attitude did not fit his kind of job description but then even in business organisations you will see the same thing. You get organisations that declares "we are a customer-oriented company" and they are anything but. You get crooks sitting in anti-crooks committee, you get someone who hates customers as head of customer service, etc. the list goes on.
Mines and Energy Minister Jero Wacik told Malaysia and Singapore to stop trying to blame Indonesian and blacken their name globally. Even if both countries blocked out the news and pretended nothing has happened, international news agencies will pick up everything and in a few key strokes and mouse clicks they will be all over the world. What about the health of their poorer rural folks in Sumatra? I don't really want to say this but Singapore's SAF mounted its biggest ever rescue operations to Bandar Aceh, Meulaboh and Medan in the 2004 tsunami disaster. We helped rebuild their piers and hospitals, etc. Don't thank us or even if you are not grateful, never mind but it helps to be a good neighbour.
Grateful Index
We ought to start a "Grateful Index". Singaporeans live in what I would call a "blessed" country. We have been safe from natural disaster for a start. We do have our problems but by and large, they are those that can be resolved. People always focus on what they do not have and seldom or never count their blessings on what they already have. Gratitude will help us go a long way. Just read the papers or watch the news.
Hair for Hope We ought to start a "Grateful Index". Singaporeans live in what I would call a "blessed" country. We have been safe from natural disaster for a start. We do have our problems but by and large, they are those that can be resolved. People always focus on what they do not have and seldom or never count their blessings on what they already have. Gratitude will help us go a long way. Just read the papers or watch the news.
Common sense is not so common. If it were common, why is it that people seldom use it. Fear of making mistake can cause paralysis in decision making. Rules are all man-made and though we should observe them exceptions can surely be made for the right reason. To say that a promise was made that the students should wear a wig missed the entire point. This was a moment for learning. You are afraid that suddenly school girls will start turning up bald to make a punk statement? Do not be afraid to make decisions other than the expected one and do not think too much into a thousand possibilities of all kinds of things happening when they are non-existent. Finally, use a bit of common sense and things will always work out well. Guaranteed.
National Anthem
I love our National Anthem. Most national anthems are grand and they are there for a specific reason. The crescendos are there for a reason. We used to play it as a band every evening before school was dismissed or in the morning before school started. In recent years at the NDP, I noticed that we have been changing the way our National Anthem have been sung. It became so much slower and if it had to be sung in this manner, it should be done solo so all the MC need to do is to announce about the solo singing and everyone should stand up in attention. This way the audience and participants will not be struggling in how to sing.
I believe that a National Anthem should be sung with gusto, spirit and a lot of energy. You can slow down the other songs it is okay but please not the National Anthem.
Hello Kitty - Hello Kitty my old friend, I have come to talk with you again. Because a vision softly creeping. Left its seed while I was sleeping. And the vision that was planted in my brain. Still remains. Within the sound of silence. Some young people feel proud to be queuing for the girl friends. I don't know about it but anyone can think anything to justify themselves but to me it is time wasting and life wasting. Very soon the fad shall wear off and they will end up wrapped in plastic in a store room. Some fake postings that they can be sold for a $100k added fuel. I am going to create some in different national costumes and give them to my customers too. There are other ways to feel useful or get free advert. Meow.
Gangsters - It is good the police is getting a grip on all these fighting, killing and slashing activities everywhere. In the old days, gangsters controlled territories. If someone got offended, the bosses will talk. One boss may apologise if his man was wrong and punish him, end of story. If both side are not satisfied and no conclusion was reached then they put time and put place to see who is stronger. Our police SSB (Secret Society Branch) was very tough and always on top of the situation. We certainly need very tough police action to bring them to a complete halt. Otherwise, you may get slash for your looks, the way you walk or dress, etc. Otherwise, be a Liverpool fan so that You'll Never Walk Alone. If people love fighting so much over nothing, we should gather them and send them to the war zone as our contribution for global peace. At least die a hero.
Zombie Or Superman - Being Singaporean is tough. Some people say we are like zombies. The other day I met some at Raffles Place. Fortunately, it was just a flash mob. Raffles Place is always interesting but nothing beats the original "Change Alley" I visited when I was a boy when dad brought me over there sometimes. I still visited the place when I started work.
Meanwhile and fortunately, the flash mob did not run into some zombie killer gamers who just woke up as they might have ended up in bad shape where somebody might get hurt real bad.
Singaporeans need to be more lively so we will not be like the walking dead. On the other hand, we are also like Superman. Trained and stressed from young. But being even Superman is getting tough here. I mean with everyone having a mobile phone, for some even two mobile phones there is now hardly any need for public phones and where is Superman going to change into his costume without telephone booths? Worse, these days, Superman do not even wear his red underwear on the outside! What are we going to do with these red undies? To tell you the truth, I am actually the Man of Steel. Keep this to yourself.
Life Is An Exam - Life is about doing your best. As long as you did your best, there is no shame. People tend to equate success with material things. Exam results are not important. In real life, the engagement is different. Are we resourceful for example. Do we even read to discover other worlds and pick other people's thoughts so that we can develop ourselves so that we can have a strong, sensible and balance mind? What are the purpose of our every action and how do we carry out affairs in our lives? How are we going to get equipped for that? How do you treat people. Otherwise, we totally miss the point about education.
Even if the government gave you another 40 places for Primary One there will still be shortage because the "kiasu" parents syndrome will ensure that everyone still wanted the top schools. I just read that now parents are taking courses to prepare their children for exams? Overkill! For example please do not force your children to play the piano or violin. When they actually love it, the music flows in their heart and soul. Life in itself is an exam. Everyday is an exam for each of us. What kind of legacy are you leaving your children and your staff? Sigh.
Elitism - ESM Goh Chok Tong was right when he spoke on elitism. If every scholar walks in at a young age and you get 500 or 5,000 men saying yes sir and good morning sir, you have earned nothing. If you have never sat down with the weak and the poor or eaten with them, you have learned nothing. How then can you lead? Or for your people to be one with you? Even many who were once from humble beginnings or from poorer family can change beyond recognition when they become successful which is even more difficult to understand. It is truly hard to find good people.
Self Entitlement - Increasingly, I have observed that more and more people are having this sense of self entitlement but when I look at them they are really not much. What is giving rise to such thinking or behaviour? Remember that success itself brings ore problems. Sigh.
Excellence and Stress - In the SG Conversation, I noted that many people wanted a less stressful Singapore but please ask ourselves what are we prepared to do to achieve this? You can go on blaming the government but beyond that? Can our leaders say okay everybody let us slow down. Then what happens when we lose everything? The government can create both environment of enterprise and also a balance life. Sometimes, it may be difficult because we will be burning candles at both ends. Can we achieve excellence and yet be less stressful? That depends on what or how you define them. Only you, yes only you can make that choice of what you want to do with your life. A simple step will be to take a step back and look. Evaluate and decide. Another simple step will be stop being afraid of losing.
If you have colleagues who loves apple polishing the bosses by staying way up late drinking, dining and entertaining them, it is their prerogative. If you compete in this segment, then you lose out in other aspects of life. If you deemed it very necessary to carry other people's body parts and not just on your own ability then good luck to you because very soon life is over. When you think back, you can't remember a thing in your life worth remembering.
If you a the boss, do not do cruel things to your staff. Stop abusing your power. Give them a life. Abraham Lincoln said: "Unless every man is free, we are all slaves".
Even if the government gave you another 40 places for Primary One there will still be shortage because the "kiasu" parents syndrome will ensure that everyone still wanted the top schools. I just read that now parents are taking courses to prepare their children for exams? Overkill! For example please do not force your children to play the piano or violin. When they actually love it, the music flows in their heart and soul. Life in itself is an exam. Everyday is an exam for each of us. What kind of legacy are you leaving your children and your staff? Sigh.
Elitism - ESM Goh Chok Tong was right when he spoke on elitism. If every scholar walks in at a young age and you get 500 or 5,000 men saying yes sir and good morning sir, you have earned nothing. If you have never sat down with the weak and the poor or eaten with them, you have learned nothing. How then can you lead? Or for your people to be one with you? Even many who were once from humble beginnings or from poorer family can change beyond recognition when they become successful which is even more difficult to understand. It is truly hard to find good people.
Self Entitlement - Increasingly, I have observed that more and more people are having this sense of self entitlement but when I look at them they are really not much. What is giving rise to such thinking or behaviour? Remember that success itself brings ore problems. Sigh.
Excellence and Stress - In the SG Conversation, I noted that many people wanted a less stressful Singapore but please ask ourselves what are we prepared to do to achieve this? You can go on blaming the government but beyond that? Can our leaders say okay everybody let us slow down. Then what happens when we lose everything? The government can create both environment of enterprise and also a balance life. Sometimes, it may be difficult because we will be burning candles at both ends. Can we achieve excellence and yet be less stressful? That depends on what or how you define them. Only you, yes only you can make that choice of what you want to do with your life. A simple step will be to take a step back and look. Evaluate and decide. Another simple step will be stop being afraid of losing.
If you have colleagues who loves apple polishing the bosses by staying way up late drinking, dining and entertaining them, it is their prerogative. If you compete in this segment, then you lose out in other aspects of life. If you deemed it very necessary to carry other people's body parts and not just on your own ability then good luck to you because very soon life is over. When you think back, you can't remember a thing in your life worth remembering.
If you a the boss, do not do cruel things to your staff. Stop abusing your power. Give them a life. Abraham Lincoln said: "Unless every man is free, we are all slaves".
Once again, I wish Singapore success and "No Horse Run"!
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