Be Movement SG50 Issue

8/16/2019 Be Movement SG50 Issue

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OL. 6

B e M o v e m

e n t

I N

F O C U S : S I N G A P

O R E

50 RED DOTS

AROUND THE WORLDSingapore’s 50th birthday

ORGANISATIONS

“What is going to be thefuture? How we will organiseourselves? For Singapore,that is the most challengingpoint for the nation and forthe coming generation.”

SINGAPOREAN

IDENTITY

“To develop deep roots youneed to have locals who speak the language, whounderstand the culture, wholive in that space.”

EXPERIMENTAL

TRAVEL

“The moment you want tobe somebody, you are nolonger free.”

COMPANIES

A Socially Conscious Publication

www.be-movement.com

Celebrating the courage to be

movement

Jiddu Krishnamurti,

Writer, speaker and

philosopher

Professor Wong Poh Kam,

Director of the NUS

Entrepreneurship Centre

Fumio Otani,

President of JCCI, Singapore

Yukiyasu Nishio,

GM of BTMU,

Singapore Branch

“We want to keep ourpresence open in eachcountry for as long aspossible. That showscommitment.”


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2 Be Movement - Celebrating the Courage to Be Be Movement - Celebrating the Courage to Be 3

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ADRIAN YAP, JAPAN, PG 31

AIHUI ONG, US, PG 33

BEN CHEONG, THAILAND, PG 69

CAROL TAN, US, PG 35

CHERYL CHIN, US, PG 78

CHEW CHIA SHAO WEI, US, PG 73

CHRISTINE CHIA, US, PG 74

CIEL LIU BEI, CANADA, PG 62

CLARA YEE, UK, PG 26

0 DARRELL ANG, FRANCE, PG 76

1 DIANA SAW, CAMBODIA, PG 182

2 EVAN FOO, US, PG 63

3 FAIROZ AHMAD, INDONESIA, PG 197

4 FIONA SZE-LORRAIN, FRANCE, PG 66

5 GEOFFREY K. SEE, NORTH KOREA, PG 12

6 GOURI MIRPURI, INDONESIA, PG 196

7 HAKIM YOUNG, AFGHANISTAN, PG 22

8 HANJIN TAN, HONG KONG, PG 20

9 HIU ZHI WEI, US, PG 148

0 IVYONE KHOO, UK, PG 71

1 JACK SIM, INDIA & WORLDWIDE, PG 194

2 JANANI SRIDHAR, US, PG 68

3 JEANINE LIM, NEW ZEALAND, PG 109

4 JENNIFER LIM, UK, PG 157

5 JOHN CLANG, US, PG 159

6 JON MAX GOH, US, PG 106

7 JOSEPHINE TAN, INDIA, PG 153

8 KATHY XU, INDONESIA, PG 115

9 LAURENTIA TAN, UK, PG 178

0 LEE MIN XUAN, US, PG 180

1 MARK SIN, US, PG 151

2 MINA ELLEN KAYE, US, PG 108

3 MICHAEL ONG, VIETNAM, PG 116

4 NATASHA LATIFF, AFGHANISTAN, PG 120

5 NAZYA AYAZ, US, PG 28

6 ND CHOW, JAPAN, PG 111

7 NELLIE HUANG, SPAIN, PG 118

8 NICHOLAS LEONG, KENYA, PG 1559 RAMESH MEYYAPPAN, SCOTLAND, PG 14

0 SHARLIZA RAHMAN, UK, PG 142

1 SHARON LOW, AFGHANISTAN, PG 186

2 SHER CHEW, US, PG 113

3 SIOW LEE-CHIN, CHINA, PG 145

4 STEFEN CHOW, CHINA, PG 122

5 TAM WAI JIA, UGANDA, PG 16

6 TING SIEW LEE, TIMOR-LESTE, PG 191

7 VEMALA VALAS, INDIA, PG 149

8 WAN FONG WOO, GHANA, PG 188

9 XIE SHAOGUANG, MALAYSIA, PG 210

0 ZHANG TINGJUN, SEA, PG 144

5 0 R E D

D OT S

If courage was a

Singaporean person,

who would it be?

To celebrate SG50,

Be Movement uncovers

50 red dots whose

courage and action goes

beyond our shores…

Written by ERICA LIM & CASSIE LIM

Edited by MICHAEL LAIDLAW, KAH GAY NG,

DANIEL WHITTINGTON & CASSIE LIM

Photography by DAVID LALANNE


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CONTENTPAGE

PEOPLE

58

More Than a Scholarship

(Joshua Liaw)

by Jacinta Plucinski

60

A Life Changing Experience

(Lim Kian Fong)


134

Building an Ecosystem

(Prof. Wong Poh Kam, Director of

NUS Entrepreneurship Centre)

by Miriam Yeo

EXPERIMENTAL

TRAVEL

82

St John’s Island

by Cassie Lim

Photography by Nicholas Koh

& Simon Tay

COVER &

BACK COVER


126

Scene Singapore

Photography by Jon Siegel

200 & 201

Photography by Simon Tay

202

Melting Pot


210

Farewell Note

by Cassie Lim

Photography by Simon Tay

POEMS

38

Through the Window

by Nawan Poovarawan


176

Horoscope

by Kah Gay Ng

Photography by David Lalanne

206

Songs Beneath the Strings

by Michael Laidlaw

Photography by David Lalanne

COMPANIES

90

A Safe Harbour

(BTMU)

by Cassie Lim & Alexis Lion

96

Invisible Infuence

(BTMU)


125

Capturing Great Moments

(NIKON SG)

Edited by Kah Gay Ng

162

A World of its Own(Asiamalls)

by Cassie Lim

164

Be Movement Battleship Island

Contest

(Liang Court & Right-Space)

by Cassie Lim & Jacinta Plucinski

ORGANISATIONS

40

Adding Colour to the

Kaleidoscope

(JCCI Foundation Singapore)


42

Insights from Fumio Otani

(JCCI Singapore)

by Jacinta Plucinski & Rachel Ong

48

Building Indispensible

Relationships

(NUS LKYPP)


52

Nurturing Hidden Talent

(SDSC)


CONTENTPAGE

170

Making Giving Easier

(GIVEasia)

by Cassie Lim

172

Take the Chance. Make the Change

(M.A.D. School)



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MICHAEL LAIDLAW Editor

Michael is currently workingat the International CriminalCourt. “I love words and theyhopefully rest easy under myngertips. The spirit of BEingis a journey of truth within andwithout. You may be reluctant,but as Winston Churchill oncesaid, ‘I am always ready to learn,although I do not always likebeing taught’”.

NAWAN POOVARAWAN Associate Part ner

16 years ago, Singaporeoffered Noom an opportunityto live overseas for the rsttime in her life for 5 months. 7years later she returned. Thistime Singapore offered heran opportunity to dene herindividuality, uniqueness andmaturity. Thanks to Singapore,

she found herself, her passion,her life-long friendships, and herpartner for life.

KAH GAY NG Editor

At Ethos Books, Kah Gay workswith a team different in theirindividual talents and similarly

committed to publishing voicesand stories that matter. Hehopes that SG50 will promptSingapore to not forget thecontributions and stories ofpeople, regardless of theircountry of origin.

JACINTA PLUCINSKI Associate Part ner

No matter where in the worldJacinta is, a little part ofSingapore remains with her. Asher rst overseas home nearly10 years ago, she credits thislittle red dot for launching heron an international journeyof serendipitous mishaps andintrigue, connecting her with

remarkable and life-long friendsand expanding her vocabularywith words like “aiyoh” and“wah …!” “Thank you andHappy SG50 Singapore!”

DAVID LALANNE Official Photographer

David rst discoveredSingapore and its tropicalweather 11 years ago. Littledid he know at that time thatthis connection would becomea life-long affair. “Thank you,Singapore, for the beautifulfriendships, the lovelymemories and the amazing

food. Happy SG50 and see yousoon!”

CLEO NGIAM Designer

Cleo’s goal in life is to wander,ponder and possibly conquerdesign, food, comedy andtravel. From product to digitalto user research, she has spentyears in design and it still neverceases to amaze her. So farshe has worked on a farm inSweden, built a playground inChile, mastered British foodin an English Bed & Breakfast,exchanged knowledge inChicago and explored the worldwith newfound backpackers.

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please contact [email protected]

CONTRI BUTORSBe Movement is a movement to celebrate the c ourage to be.

We celebrate courageous people, organisations and companies around the world through

inspiring stories and photography in a socially conscious publication. We also co ver

experimental travel stories to surprise and challenge you.

In our physical store, we curate creative and unique social, artisanal and independent

enterprises to showcase their products and services. Our 1200 square feet store is located at

Liang Court Mall in Singapore, #01-20, opposite Tampopo restaurant.

We thrive because of people like you and your feedback, comments, ideas and thoughts help

shape Be Movement. If there are stories that should be told, ideas that move you, ways you

want to contribute, purchases you want to make, organisations and people that should connect,

or if you simply want to say hello, we’d love to hear from you.

ISSN 2301 3990 Newspaper Permit 092/08/2015 Official Print Partner Syarikat Evergreen

Design & Layout Cleo Ngiam Web Development Cleo Ngiam, Gedas Vol and SOSdigital

BE FRIENDS

Be Movement would not be what you see now if not for all

our contributors, interviewees and the following good folks

who gave us a hand when we needed it most: Cindy Ng,

Lawrence Lim, Nora Tann, Charlie Supapodok, Prof. Noam

Chomsky, Prof. Wong Poh Kam, Hakuei Kosato, Haruhisa

Takeuchi, Naohiro Tsutsumi, Ando Toshihide, Junichi Sasaki,

Junichi Azuma, Nagao Kentaro, Ringo Lee, Goto Shiho, Jenny

Lim, Heather Chua, Stephanie Wong, Yuki Taniguchi, Misako

Ito, Charmaine Low, Prisca Lim, Jolia Tan, Low Li Li, John

Yang Jiashun, Mark Tan, Richard Tan, Syarikat Evergreen, Loi

San San, Anthony Ang, Mic Tay, Aloysius Chong, Samantha

Chan, Sunny Ng, Valerie Goh, Doris Wong, Jeremy Wong,Jeffrey Wong, Marianne Wong, Alvin Chia, Fanny Chia, Choo

Phaik Ai, Daniel Whittington, Erica Law, Nadia Dawood,

Gerry Ang, Celine Tan, Darren Teo, Shoba Haridas, Cindy

Goh, Dulcia Lim, Willie Loo, Eve Chen, Margaret Tan, Vicky

Sim, Mah Yi Ling, Lynn Ng, Minami Sato, Benjamin Yap,

Cathy Montigel, Carole Lalanne, Ludovic Despaux,

Jean-Robert Lalanne, Edgard Lalanne, Lucette Lalanne,

Alain and Frédérique Malascrabes, Guy Abbadie, Ethan,

Yannick Appriou, Etienne Dessault, Kimberly Leong, Yuya-

san, G.A.T., Vijay Sabapathy, Kollidea, Conetira, Personalised

Love, Kairos, Rajesh and Diana Sabari, Huiwen, Gina Lau,

Chicabee and Singapore Polytechnic team - a very BIG

THANK YOU to all for supporting Be Movement.


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MIRIAM YEO Writer

A student of English Literature,Miriam nds resonance inwords and sees them as themost lasting and elegantway of communication.Passionate about humanitarian,environmental and culturalcauses, she wields words as atool to create stories to i nspire.

ALEXIS LION Writer

Style trends. Musicals.Museums. Cafés. Books. Music.Knowledge. People. A loverof many things, Alexis is oftenknown to be aky and indecisiveto the people who know herwell. She also holds a Bachelorin Communications in MediaStudies & Public Relations fromMurdoch University.

JON SIEGEL Photographer

Jon Siegel is a creative directorand photographer based inSingapore. His life is a balancebetween a love for digitalproduction design and directingand a passion for explorativephotography. Through thecamera lens he chases uniquehuman interactions in hiddenplaces and spaces, weaving anarrative that tells of his travels,life and the people he meets.

Photography ©Danny Santos II

CASSIE LIM Founder

Setting up Be Movement andespecially producing the SG50issue is Cassie’s small way ofgiving back to her home countrywhich has given her so much. Itis also a culmination of thoughtsfrom the wonderful team andpeople whom she has met andlearnt from around the world.“Curiouser and curiouser”, sheechoes Alice’s sentiments as her

journey continues.

ERICA LIM Writer

Erica loves to read, converseand dance. During her sparetime she can be found with herfriends, or watching RuPaul’sDrag Race. She is constantly inthe process of dening her ownsuccess. In-between attempts,she naps.

DANIEL WHITTINGTON Editor

Sailing, fencing, adventure andrum are his passions, Danielcould easily have been a piratein a former life. A l awyer bytraining, Daniel forged his way inthe world of television and aftera decade working with majorindustry players in the U.K, hemade the move to Singapore

in 2009. He now works foran international broadcasterliaising with documentarymakers across the Asia Pacicregion, ensuring that theynavigate the tricky world ofmedia law with aplomb.

NICHOLAS KOH Photographer

After falling in love with natureas a result of his rock-climbinghobby, it was only a matterof time before Nicholas fellvictim to the allure of solo-backpacking. With the cameraplaying Tonto to his Lone Ranger,Nicholas aims to documentpeople and cultures wherever

he visits.

SIMON TAY Photographer

A self-taught street anddocumentary photographerwho doesn’t like to write bios.Since picking up photographyin 2012, Simon has been usingtraditional black and white lmas his main medium. He seeks touse photography as a visual artto translate the intangible.

RACHEL ONG Writer

Rachel majored in EnglishLanguage at the NationalUniversity of Singapore. Herinterests lie in craft making andwriting and she is fascinatedwith both the animal kingdomand the underwater world.She hopes to one day bringher varied interests together

to speak for the animals andperform a greater role in theconservation cause.


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At the beginning of this year we asked everyone

we knew, “If courage was a Singaporean person

living and contributing overseas, who would it

be?” Being such a small country that is invisible

and could only be represented by a red dot on

the world map, we’ve unearthed Singaporeans

thrown like dice from the sky around the globe.

Of diverse ages, ethnicities and elds, from North

Korea, to Uganda, to Afghanistan and big cities

in North America, Europe and Asia Pacic, the

places these people have gone and what they are

doing surprise us.

Having travelled and lived overseas for the most

part of my life, I am lled with an inexplicable

feeling of warmth whilst producing this special

SG50 issue with my team. I share many of the

sentiments expressed by these 50 red dots, from

being more appreciative of Singapore to loving

the freedom and space that comes from letting

go of our familiar shore. It is as if I have never felt

more Singaporean than when I am away from

Singapore.

As the bubble burst, I began to see Singapore in relation to the world,

rather than the world in relation to Singapore. Consequently, I am lled

with a deep sense of pride and belonging to this tiny corner on earth.

As such a young country, we’ve come so far and we did the impossible.

We had nothing, not even sufcient water. Fast forward 5 0 years, with

the help of many people, companies and organisations, we are now a

model city state; one that has become the world’s most expensive city

for the second year running, according to research by the Economist

Intelligence Unit (EIU).

In our race to be the best, the rst-ever, the world number one,

Singapore has been busy broadcasting to the world how we have arrived

to this position, but being in places that are less developed, such as in

India, I am deeply humbled. If people can share a cup of chai amongst the

chaos of cows, stray dogs, trucks, tuk-tuks and detritus … and smile …

why aren’t Singaporeans smiling more when we are surrounded by shiny

buildings, clean paths, greenery and rubbish bins?

Since Be Movement is about celebrating the courage to be and

connecting different countries, we thought producing this SG50 issue

would be the best way for us to contribute to Singapore’s golden jubilee.

Rather than focusing on these 50 people’s achievements, awards won,

famous afliations, we strip away the layers to hear their personal

insights, who they really are and their journey. Hopefully by peeling the

onion we can discover what it means to have the courage to be.

50 RED DOTSAROUND

T H E W O R L DWritten by CASSIE LIM

Edited by MICHAEL LAIDLAW

Photography by NICHOLAS KOH

The modern history of Singapore is intrinsically

linked with our rst prime minister since

Independence 50 years ago, Lee Kuan Yew. There

was an outpouring of public grief, never seen

before on this island, at his funeral in March this

year. Much has been said and written about this

unique individual, who exemplied the courage

to be during the separation from Malaysia and

shaping Singapore to what it is today.

As a result of his policies, I’ve received a bilingual

education that allows me to stand shoulder to

shoulder with people around the world. Growing up

in a harmonious multi-cultural environment, I was

surprised to nd out that this is an exception to the

rule and not the norm globally. On the other hand,

it was hard for me to reconcile the open criticism

and debate of government policies in Western

countries, even on public television. Is that allowed?

While living in Holland, where anything goes, I

began to understand the importance of making

your own decisions and taking responsibility

for them, rather than being absolved of that

responsibility and being told what not to do.


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I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A

SUMMER ACADEMY AT THE WHARTON SCHOOL

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA IN

JUNIOR COLLEGE. At that time, Philadelphia was

considered too dangerous for teenagers to stay in

and we were housed off-campus in the suburbs.

Every morning we would be bussed through

North Philadelphia, a dilapidated and dangerous

part of town, to get to Penn. On one trip, I saw

a funeral march for a 12 year-old girl who was

gunned down in the area. This inspired me to learn

more about inner-city poverty. I yearned to get

involved with this community and to learn from it.

I received a partial scholarship from the University

of Pennsylvania and ended up overseas for my

undergraduate studies. A scholarship from YaleUniversity and work continue to keep me abroad.

WHEN I VISITED NORTH KOREA. TWO THINGS

HAPPENED TO CHANGE MY LIFE. I met a university

student who wanted to learn about business

and economics. She wanted to be a successful

businesswoman to show that females can be

business leaders in a patriarchal society, but she

could not get access to learning materials. On the

way out, I was briey detained at the border. A

plainclothes security staff saw me taking pictures

GEOFFREY

K . S E E

Geoffrey K. See’s path to success

seems gilded. Ivy League schools

and scholarships abound. Rising

from humble beginnings - the

very denition of the Singaporean

dream - this clear-cut road to

a comfortable life left Geoffrey

feeling empty, especially because

there was much more he wanted to

accomplish. Overseas experiences

with inner-city poverty, violence

and an inquisitive North Korean

business undergraduate changed

his trajectory. Since his rst visit

to North Korea in 2005, Geoffrey

persevered to set up the Choson

Exchange ve years later in

2010. It is a gateway to business

and entrepreneurship for young

North Koreans, enabling close

to 100 North Koreans to visit

Singapore and has over 1,000

direct participants. Determined

and capable, Geoffrey uses his

opportunities to empower others,

instead of hoarding his success for

himself.

NORTH KOREA & CHINA

from the train. The security staff stopped the

entire train, kicked everyone off and questioned

me with four accompanying soldiers. At rst I

was scared for myself, then for my North Korean

guides.

But then I got angry. While most of us live with

too much information, it was hard to imagine

that a small amount of knowledge could mean so

much to some people and yet be so out of reach.

This inspired me to create Choson Exchange to

bring entrepreneurship to North Korea through

economic policy, business and legal knowledge

sharing. In addition to training, I also seed and

mentor start-ups in the country.

WHEN I MENTION “ENTREPRENEURS” AND

“NORTH KOREA” IN THE SAME LINE PEOPLE

REACT WITH DISBELIEF. But at many levels

entrepreneurship is taking place and is changing

the country. Convincing people that this exists

and is important is difcult when elite politics,

the nuclear issue and images of goose-stepping

soldiers dominate our perception of the country.

OVER 1,000 NORTH KOREANS HAVE ATTENDED

CHOSON EXCHANGE’S PROGRAMMES, most

in the last three years. We have brought close

to 100 persons abroad to Vietnam, Malaysia

and Singapore for exposure. Many of these

people have introduced new business models

and concepts in North Korea, worked on new

laws and helped set up Special Economic Zones.

Choson Exchange has shown that a sustainedand consistent relationship with this country is

possible. I have also innovated by creating a legal

structure that I hope will be the platform for a new

generation of entrepreneurs in the country, and

an incubator that will mentor and seed this new

generation of start-ups.

HOW SINGAPORE HAS DEVELOPED ITS ECONOMY

OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS IS A STORY THAT

UNDERLIES A LOT OF WHAT WE SHARE WITH

NORTH KOREANS. It is hard not to feel proud of

the trajectory we took, especially after working

in frontier economies where daily living i s a

struggle for many people.

I FEEL SG50 SHOULD BE A CAUSE FOR

CELEBRATION, BUT EVEN MORE SO a period

of reection on how our society can be more

inclusive and mature heading into the future.

AS SINGAPORE MATURES, SOCIETAL CONCERNS

AND PEOPLE’S NEEDS CHANGE. At the same

time, I fear we do not have robust enough

institutions and values to mediate polarised

opinions and beliefs. I also fear that we have

not invested enough in developing a broadintelligentsia who can engage in debate

on Singapore’s future beyond government

institutions and elite families.

SINGAPORE SHAPED ME WITH BOTH pragmatism

and anti-pragmatism. On one hand, when we

discuss economic policy with North Koreans

we often emphasise the importance of results

and reality over ideological approaches. This is

the pragmatic side Singapore gave me. On the

other hand, choosing this idealistic line of work

is almost a rejection of the conventional success

story Singapore culture often espouses and

celebrates.

I THINK I MATURED MORE QUICKLY MOVING

BETWEEN COUNTRIES. Seeing parallels or

differences there has given me a better

perspective for understanding emerging issuesin Singapore. I also gained an appreciation for

the four seasons.

I MISS THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY FROM BEING

IN A SMALL COUNTRY LIKE SINGAPORE. It

feels like everyone knows everyone else! Also

I miss the architecture of the ci ty, where many

commercial areas still preserve communal areas

where people can gather and interact – for free!

You don’t nd this as much abroad.


9/109


NORTH KOREA HAS DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS

WITH MANY NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. Many

North Koreans I meet care a lot about their

international relations. I think most Singaporeans

do not think enough about our foreign policy and

relations with our ASEAN neighbours. North

Korea’s difcult international position should

remind us how important these are.

I LIKE HOW I FOUND SOMETHING I TRULY CARE

ABOUT – THAT INNER COMPASS. I have done the

“prestigious” path in life (the right universities,

the right strategy consultancy) and realised that

it is far more important to nd something to be

passionate about and intellectually engaged with.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO FIND

SOMETHING THEY TRULY CARE ABOUT. There is an

inner peace that comes from having a vision that

matters to you personally and is not driven by the

need to seek social approval or applause.

TO A YOUNGER ME. Life is too short to pursue

other people’s denitions of success. Be less afraid

of the unknown path.

I THINK OUR INTERNATIONAL FOOTPRINT IS STILL

TOO LIMITED AS A “FIRST-WORLD NATION.” We

need our citizens to be engaged in a wider range

of international issues. When I visit DC, Seoul or

Shanghai, I meet people discussing and working

on international issues ranging from human

trafcking to nuclear proliferation. Compared

to our potential, there are too few Singaporeans

working on international issues and through too

few channels. When we think of the social sector

here, we have a tendency to think within a box of

well-dened issues to pick and work on. •

STARTING A CAREER IN PLACES UNKNOWN CAN

SEEM DAUNTING AND REQUIRES SOME COURAGE.

Particularly in the arts when you have not even

established who you are and what you do. It is

hard when you are rejected because you are

not known. It takes courage to keep going and

continue to try. Working in the arts generally can

be quite daunting; especially creating your own

work – there’s always a question whether folks

will respond to it and allow you to continue to

create!

I HAD AN ADVENTUROUS LIFE. Born in a rural

village in South India, I moved to Singapore at the

very young age of 5. This was a decision my father

took to ensure a better education for both my

sister and myself - we are both deaf. I loved the life

in Singapore; childhood is full of good memories.

BEING DEAF CAN THROW UP A HOST OF

OBSTACLES. Like many other deaf people I’ve

become resilient and got on with things! After all,

what’s the point of failing or indeed falling at every

obstacle that’s thrown your way? I think as well as

being resilient, I’ve become optimistic, and don’t

consider life’s challenges as obstacles – it’s the

challenges that help us become who we are. Life

would be boring if there weren’t challenges to face

and ‘work out’.

I DO THINK TOO MANY HEARING SEE US DEAF AS

A BIT OF A GRAVY TRAIN. They develop projects

to ‘empower’ while being paid themselves in the

meantime. I nd this incredibly patronising – we

deaf empower ourselves, we don’t need others to

do this for us.

WE ARE ALL HUMAN! WE ALL HAVE SIMILAR

THOUGHTS AND I’D SAY EXPERIENCES. I have

found that within each country I’ve visited, there

are clear cultural similarities whilst there are

differences too. In theatre terms, the UK has a

very strong and continually growing physical

theatre community and network of innovative

creators – I don’t think Singapore has entirelyembraced this yet.

Scotland has a great literary tradition and this is

evident in much of its theatre. I think it is wrong to

compare this with Singapore though, given that we

are such a young independent nation.

I AM PROUD OF SINGAPORE’S DIVERSITY. The

cultural mix and indeed the harmony that

exists within cultures is unique. I have travelled

rather far and I have to say that NOWHERE

beats Singapore’s food culture – my view is that

Singapore is the food capital of the world!

IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS , I hope Singapore continues

to accommodate its increasing population. There

are many challenges for Singapore, being a small

island with limited resources. I can imagine that

a steadily increasing population could causeconcerns. Singaporeans have been resilient and

can nd solutions to the many challenges faced. I

hope positive solutions are found.

I’d like to see more investment and funding to

further develop the arts in Singapore. Singapore is

not alone in NOT prioritising budgets for the arts.

I’d like to see more value placed on the arts across

Singapore, supported with a commitment from the

government for increased arts funding.

RA M E S H

MEYYAPPAN

Ramesh Meyyappan bucks

the stereotype of what being

physically disabled means. He

uses his deafness as a tool for his

art, tapping upon the physicality

of theatre in ways that transform

what it means to be a thespian.

Ramesh does not apologise for

his deafness, like how many of

us apologise for our differences;

he embraces it. His work, like

snails and ketchup and bu ttery,

navigates themes of estrangement,

love and loss. Ramesh’s love for

Singapore is palpable, yet one

gets a sense that our burgeoning

theatre scene is, for now, much too

small to contain his vivacity for

the arts.

SCOTLAND


10/109


SINGAPORE HAS SHAPED ME TO BE resilient and

courageous. Perhaps more importantly, it made

me tolerant of other cultures and appreciative of

cultural diversity. Singaporeans have an excellent

work ethic – I take that wi th me in every project.

I THINK SINGAPOREANS COULD LEARN ABOUT

POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT FROM SCOTLAND.

Sometimes I feel Singaporeans are complacent –

we rarely question or engage politically, we tend to

just accept. There is something in understanding

how politics impacts every aspect of our lives.

Scotland’s political landscape has changed, and

with so much engagement at the moment it willcontinue to evolve.

I HAVE TO SAY THAT I LIKE THAT I AM DEAF … I

can’t imagine myself being any other way.

Working things out for ourselves only helps us

mature and become more rounded individuals.

GIVEN YOUNG SINGAPORE’S INDEPENDENCE – I’D

SAY ABSOLUTELY FIRST WORLD. There may have

been tears from a young Lee Kuan Yew when he

realised we’d have to do it alone – but he, like his

fellow Singaporeans, dried his eyes and “worked

it out”.

FUNNY, I DON’T THINK I’VE ENTIRELY MOVED

AWAY, SO I CAN’T REALLY MOVE BACK. If I felt a

career in the arts could be entirely sustained in

Singapore alone, I’d be back in a heartbeat but forthe moment I’m pursuing the development of my

work here in Scotland. •

TAM

WAI JIA

Dr Tam Wai Jia chose a different

journey from the path laid out

before her. Newly married, she

made the decision with her

husband to move to Uganda for a

year, in spite of their reservations

and her husband’s chronic health

conditions. In a world where

narratives of poverty and strife

run amok, her words are welcome

drops of rain for the parched

souls among us. She speaks of

hope, purpose and meaning –

elevated by her faith, but rooted

to this earth to serve humanity.

Optimistic and curious, it will not

be Wai Jia’s accolades that form

her legacy. It will be her courage.

UGANDA & SINGAPORE

HAVING TRAVELLED ON MORE THAN 16 SHORT-

TERM HUMANITARIAN TRIPS AROUND THE

WORLD, I had a yearning to do something more.

Yet leaving Singapore was harder than I thought.

With an apparently “noble” cause of serving the

poor in Africa, many might think it would have

been easy. But I am no Mother Teresa – I enjoy

Singapore’s predictability, comfort and security.

Climbing the ladder of success to be respected in

the eyes of others held great allure for me at the

time. My husband and I had just married and set

up a home. I struggled deeply with letting go of

what I had so strongly tied my identity to.

MARRYING MY HUSBAND, WHO HAD SURVIVED

LIVER CANCER AS A CHILD, CHANGED MY

WORLDVIEW. When he encountered another

medical crisis after we met, it was a turning point

in my life. Having had a glimpse of the brevity

of our lives, we decided we would pursue our

dream of serving the poor in an underprivileged

community – not tomorrow or in future but today.

We wanted to live our dreams while we could.

WE WERE OPEN TO SERVING THE POOR ANYWHERE

IN THE WORLD. Africa, however, with its deep

poverty and rich beauty and culture, captured our

hearts.

Nonetheless, there were real challenges. With

my husband having had a liver transplant, it was

medically unsafe for him to take the Yellow Fever

vaccine, which is a mandatory requirement for

entry into several parts of Africa. Malaria was also

a real risk to his health, as it can wreak havoc in

the liver. As a medical doctor and his wife, I was

torn.

Yet we realised that no matter where we served,

there would be geographical, political and health

risks. We felt we could not choose our destination

based on our convenience. We felt that in some

way, it was Uganda that chose us – so we decided

to go where we felt God was calling us to. Whenwe followed our hearts we knew that together, we

could overcome the challenges ahead.

MOVING TO UGANDA HAS GOT TO BE THE

CRAZIEST DECISION OF OUR LIVES. I went through

a period of grief, as I grappled with letting go of

what I had so strongly tied my identity to – my

career and achievements. The fear of an uncertain

future and the unknown gripped my heart. At one

point, I felt utterly lost.

However, my husband and I strongly believe

that serving the poor is God’s call for our lives.

Nothing worth doing ever comes without risk. So

we took the leap of faith. We’ve never regretted

our decision. When you follow your heart to do

what you know God has created you to do, there

is a deep sense of purpose, fullment and joy. It’s a

magical feeling – nothing quite describes it.

I’VE LEARNT NEVER TO LET ANYONE DEFINE

YOUR D EFINI TION OF S UCCE SS O R JOY. When I

graduated as a medical doctor, I bought into the

belief that with more, I would be happier. With a

higher specialist degree, a better paycheck and

more things, I thought I would nd contentment.

But I did not.


11/109


When I answered God’s call for my life to serve

the needy in Africa, I realised that true joy and

fullment comes not from riches or achievements,

but from answering the song of your heart. It

might seem too much to sacrice initially, but

nothing compares to the joy of nding your

purpose in life and discovering what you were

created for. Nothing even comes close to it.

MY DESIRE IS NOT TO SEE HOW MUCH IMPACT I’VE

MADE DIRECTLY IN AFRICA OR SINGAPORE but

to see the community I’ve impacted, impact the

world. As a single person, I know that whatever I

do is just a drop in the ocean. What motivates me,

however, is when I see the incredible ripple effectof anything we do.

When I hear the village widows from our weekly

craft ministry in Uganda share with me how

they’ve used their newly-learnt skills of beading

and saving to pay school fees for their children for

the rst time, I realise that they have become the

change-makers of their community. When I see

how the healthcare partnership I’ve established

between Uganda and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital

in Singapore has blossomed into an ongoing

distance-learning programme to train healthcare

professionals in East Africa, I see the power that

empowered teams have to make a difference to

the international community. When I see young

people being inspired by our journey to embark on

their own seless adventures to impact the needy,

I marvel at the potential they have to impact this

world.

SINGAPORE AND UGANDA COULD NOT BE MORE

DIFFERENT. While Singapore is a tight, bustling

red dot on the world map, Uganda is a sprawling

country 200 times the size of Singapore, running

at a completely different pace of life. There are

many nuances of each culture that are vastly

different, and yet deeply beautiful. One learns to

appreciate the differences with time. Neither is

better or worse – they are simply different.

MY HUSBAND, CLIFF, IS A GREAT SOURCE OF

INSPIRATION TO ME. He lives without limits. Since

surviving liver cancer at 10 years of age, he went

on to do an Iron Man event at the age of 27, which

is a 4-km swim, 180-km bike ride and a 42.4-km

run after. Despite having to take lifelong immune

suppressants for his medical condition, he does

not take it as an excuse to hold back from serving

the needy.

Because he feels God has given him a second

chance at life, he lives to the fullest, living

purposefully to serve, help and inuence others.

I continually draw from that. He inspires me to

reach my fullest potential, and to live life with

deep gratitude, humility and joy.

HAHA…! I HAD A CULTURE SHOCK ON EVERY

LEVEL IN MY FIRST FEW MONTHS IN UGANDA.

When I started to experience irritability, I

realised I was experiencing what is known as

“cross-cultural stress.” Any stranger on the street

would greet me and say hello gregariously as if

we were family, schedules would run hours late

without raising an eyebrow, and work was far

more efciently done over a cup of tea and a

samosa, than done via email. Instead of viewing

these events negatively, I learnt to change my own

lenses through which I saw the Ugandan culture

and people – they were not “wrong”, but different.

I’m sure, at some point, I must have seemed

strange to them too! As I learnt to respect their

intensely relational and communal culture, I was

humbled by their seless l ove for their community.It changed my heart to be more patient, kinder and

more gracious. The Ugandan people have changed

a part of me forever.

ONE OF THE GREATEST PERSONAL LESSONS I’VE

LEARNT FROM MY FATHER IS: STICK TO WHAT

YOU BE LIEVE IN, in spite of naysayers. Some may

scorn or mock our chewing gum ban, our “ne”

city, our strict laws, but I’m proud that when

Singapore makes a decision, we stick by it because

we believe in its values and what we stand for.

When you’ve lived in developing countries all

over the world, experiencing water and power

cuts, unsafe roads, bomb blasts, street riots and

corruption, it’s hard not to feel proud of Singapore.

I’m proud of the hard decisions Singapore made,

and by how far we have come.

SG50 IS A SIGNIFICANT YEAR FOR MY HUSBAND

AND I. After living in Africa for a year, we both

nally adjusted to Uganda and were content to

continue serving the poor there. Nonetheless,

though it was the harder choice, we both decided

to return to Singapore for me to serve out another

year of my bond as a medical doctor, and to launch

my next picture book entitled “Savour”. It’s myfourth book and it challenges our generation

and the next to redene our ideals of success,

and to step out of our comfort zones to make a

difference to others. Upon my ret urn to Singapore,

I was pleasantly overwhelmed with the number

of SG50 events designed to meaningfully engage

young people to rethink how they want to shape

Singapore’s future. I feel that God has called

me back to Singapore this SG50 for the specic

purpose of sharing, teaching and imparting

my experiences serving in needy communities

abroad, to inspire young people to dare to make a

difference.

MORE THAN ACHIEVING ITS GOALS, MY HOPE

IS TO SEE SINGAPORE DEVELOP INTO A SOCIETY

KNOWN GLOBALLY FOR ITS PEOPLE AS BEING

RESILIENT, UNSELFISH, COMPASSIONATE, FILLED

WITH INTEGRITY and ever-willing to lend a handto communities across the globe. I want us to be

role models not just for what we do or accomplish,

but for who we are.

WHEN MINISTER MENTOR LEE KUAN YEW

PASSED AWAY WHILE I WAS IN UGANDA, A

PART OF ME WAS FILLED WITH DEEP GRIEF,

WHICH BLOSSOMED INTO DEEP GRATITUDE

FOR EVERYTHING SINGAPORE IS. I learnt to stop

complaining the way I used to, before I moved

away, about the l ittle inconveniences of modern

life, but instead give thanks for all he had made

Singapore to be. I could not believe that halfway

around the world away from home, Africans were

coming up to me to convey their condolences.

They would tell me, “Back in history, Singapore

and Uganda were in the same difcult situation.

Because of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore has advanced

to become a great country, but we are still

struggling today. You have a great leader. Thank

you for serving in Uganda.” It brought tears to my

eyes.

As much as I enjoyed serving overseas among the

poor, I had a profound revelation that I would not

have had that opportunity and privilege, if it werenot for the foundation, education, and security

Singapore had given me. My heart is forever

changed and humbled with gratitude to Singapore.

IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT

SINGAPORE, it would be for Singaporeans to slow

down and take joy in the little, simple things in

life. When I was trapped in the rat race working

90 hours a week, I realised that while I worked

more, I had less to give. I looked around me and I

saw people working harder to earn more money to

maintain a more expensive lifestyle. But they were

not happy. In Africa, with much less, I found myself

learning to take joy in simple things – a sunset, a

smile, having running water for the day. Materially

I had much less but I felt much richer.

UGANDANS ARE A JOYFUL, CONTENT PEOPLE,

WHO ARE DEEPLY RELATIONAL. Because oftheir communal culture, they unselshly share

everything they have. Perhaps because of the

instability, poverty and vulnerability of life

in Uganda, they constantly give thanks for

everything, and cherish relationships deeply (you

just never know who might pass away suddenly

from malaria or an accident). Ugandans hardly

complain – they are full of gratitude and joy, in

whatever situation they are in, with however little

or much they have.


12/109


FEW MIGHT GUESS THAT I STRUGGLED DEEPLY

WITH DEPRESSION AND ANOREXIA DURING

MY GROWING YEARS. At one point, I lost hope. I

doubted if I could complete medical school, much

less engage in bringing hope and joy to others

through humanitarian work. I grappled with

despair and low self-esteem. It was only through

the encouragement of friends, family and church

that I recovered.

Looking back, I would tell that younger ‘me’ that

your value isn’t measured by what you can do or

what people think of you, but by who God made

you to be. Anyone, with whatever scars from

whatever background, can bounce back stronger

and make a difference.

I LIKE THAT I TAKE RISKS AND I AM NO LONGER

BOUND BY WHAT I THINK SOCIETY EXPECTS

OF ME. Previously, I used to be preoccupied

with the approval of others. But my journey in

humanitarian work has changed me deeply – I now

feel free to draw my own denitions of success

and fullment, to take less-trodden paths. I like

that, in spite of the odds and societal expectations,

I’ve learnt to go against the grain and take the leap

of faith, to full what I believe to be God’s calling

on my life. •

H A N JI N

TA N

Hanjin Tan’s dulcet tones have

garnered much fanfare, but it’s his

winning personality that steals the

show. An actor, singer, songwriter

and producer, he has created

over 400 songs that dance across

genres. Yet the star still takes the

time to laugh at himself. When

asked about how to expand the

Singaporean music scene he jokes,

“Hire me. Hire me. Hire me. I’ve

been dying for an opportunity to

make my humble contribution.

Hire me, please.” Having found

success in Hong Kong, this

Singaporean personality yearns to

nd his way back home.

HONG KONG

HAVE I LEFT SINGAPORE? Not in my heart, I havenot! Hahahaha.

My rst gig as a producer was for a Taiwanese

album, Eason Chan’s “It’s Me”. The gigs that

followed were mainly from Taiwan. This meant I

travelled to Taiwan a lot. Subsequently, Hong Kong

singers and record labels became increasingly

interested in getting me to make Mandarin albums

for them. This meant that I began to travel a lot

to Hong Kong as well. I met my wife, who is from

Hong Kong, and she asked me to stay.

I’m still open to working in Singapore. I hope this

could be a good place to get the word out. Movies,

TV series, concerts, music production, events,

anything. Anything to get my wife to spend more

time with me in Singapore.

WHEN I WAS STILL IN UNIVERSITY, I TOLD MY

DAD ONE EVENING THAT I WANTED TO DROP

OUT OF SCHOOL AND BECOME A PROFESSIONAL

MUSICIAN. He did not take it as well as I had

hoped, so I completed university. That was

probably one of the most courageous things I’ve

ever done.

I THINK THE HARDEST THING TO ACHIEVE

CONSISTENTLY IS HAPPINESS. YOU ARE ONLY AS

GOOD AS YOUR LAST GIG ... I’d like to spend more

time working on that in the hope that it will also

make the people around me happy.

MY INSPIRATION …

As a singer, Barbara Streisand for her technically

rened lyricism.

As a producer, Rick Rubin for his bold simplicity.

As a guitarist, Tuck Andress for showing me that

the guitar can mimic an entire band.

As a mixer, Mike “Spike” Stent for the humility that

his genius and exibility inicts on me.

As an actor, Gary Oldman, Daniel Day Lewis ... I

don’t think I need to explain this one.

As a person, Chow Yun-Fat and Gandhi.

OTHER THAN THE CANTONESE AND THE PRICE OF

PROPERTY , Singapore and Hong Kong are really

quite similar.

HAVING EXPERIENCED BULLYING AND SETBACKS

IN LIFE, I MAINTAIN A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

BECAUSE you get used to it. “Life is like a box of

chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna

get.” You learn to deal with it. It gets easier.

HONG KONG PEOPLE WALK FASTER, TALK FASTER.

Yet they do not get paid as much for overtime and

seldom take “No” for an answer.

FIRST AND FOREMOST I’M PROUD OF MR LEE

KUAN YEW ... And then there are my parents

and my family and my teachers and my friends.

Singapore is about people. It’s always about

people.

ABOUT SG50 I FEEL proud, happy and homesick.

IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS I HOPE THERE IS MRT TO

SELETAR. I’m not kidding. MRT to Seletar.

SINGAPORE HAS MADE ME a culturally open-

minded person.

TO HELP THE MUSIC SCENE GROW IN SINGAPORE

… Hire me. Hire me. Hire me. I’ve been dying for an


13/109


opportunity to make my humble contribution. Hire

me, please.

I MISS the Merlion. I don’t even see it much when

I’m in Singapore. I nd myself missing it when

people talk about it and people talk about it a lot.

GROWING UP I IMAGINED MYSELF AS A

ROCKSTAR, like Axl Rose. It was great while it

lasted and then I looked in the mirror.

SINGAPOREANS CAN LEARN FROM HONGKONGERS

how to walk faster, talk faster, take less for

overtime and perhaps sometimes it’s OK to not

take “No” for an answer.

WOULD I ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO TAKE MY PATH?

Yes and no.

Yes, if you have a high threshold for pain, because

you’ll probably have fun along the way. No,

because your parents probably wouldn’t like me

very much for encouraging you.

IN FIVE YEARS I SEE MYSELF alive, I hope. It doesn’t

matter where as l ong as I’m alive and healthy.

Health and happiness go hand in hand.

TO A YOUNGER ME I would say success does not

come entirely from hard work. What hard work

will earn you is self-respect. Success also requires

luck.

Before you go on stage tell yourself, “This is notgonna be your best show, but it’s not gonna be

your worst show either,” and then just go out there

and do what you rehearsed so diligently for.

GIVEN A CHOICE, YES, I WOULD DEFINITELY MOVE

BACK TO SINGAPORE! Better air. Family. Teh Tarik.

The Singapore Zoo. For some reason, even KFC

tastes better in Singapore! •

HAKIM

YO UN G

Dr Hakim strives for peace,

love and compassion. While

this sounds pleasant, putting

this philosophy into practice is

anything but. As the founder of

the Afghan Peace Volunteers

(http://ourjourneytosmile.com),

Dr Hakim has established literacy

programmes, social enterprises

and sewing projects to help the

community. That being said, these

weren’t the obstacles that he found

the most difcult to surmount. The

hardest things he had to face were

his own feelings – the helplessness,

anger, frustration and guilt he

often feels during his journeys. For

navigating his inner terrain, Dr

Hakim expresses the courage to be

through compassion.

AFGHANISTAN

HAKIM IS A NAME GIVEN TO ME BY MY AFGHAN

FRIENDS, MEANING ‘LEARNED ONE’ AND ‘LOCAL

DOCTOR’. Before I left Singapore in mid-2002, I

was running a private general practice clinic.

I HAD BEEN THINKING HARD ABOUT HOW

NONVIOLENCE AND HUMANE RELATIONS COULD

BE APPLIED TO THE ORWELLIAN WAR TRAGEDY I

WAS WITNESSING IN AFGHANISTAN. The energies

and love of Afghan youth were the sparks that

moved me to think, “This could change things! This

could make a sleeping or busy world listen up!”

Again and again, Afghan youth told me, “ We

are very tired of war!” They want a better life,

different from what their families have been

experiencing for more than 40 years, through

which they have lost at least 2 million loved ones.

But the youth faced a global dilemma: our elitist

systems of governance do not heed the wishes of

the people, especially the most vulnerable.

Ordinary Afghan voices are seldom, if ever, heard

in mainstream media, especially female voices!

“My father was killed by the Taliban, and I can’t say

that I’m not angry about it. I can’t say that my hurts

or grudges will go away completely, but there

should be a way of forgiveness and reconciliation.

If I took revenge, the violence will go on, and I

may lose my mother or other family members,”

shared Zarghuna, now a 21 year-old Afghan Peace

Volunteer.

In 2009, I found a privileged opportunity to bring

a small group of these Afghan youth together

to build peaceful relationships. The shared

motivations for starting the group crystalised

through the years into our wish to build a critical

mass of nonviolent relationships for a green

and equal world without war. We say, “Enough!

Enough global warming, inequality and wars!”

I CAN’T GRADE COURAGE, but I recall that in

the many instances when courage was called

for, I was seldom alone. I catch courage fromothers. A year after I had started working among

Afghan refugees in Quetta, Pakistan, a Pashtun

student invited me to have dinner with him, his

brother and some Taliban friends. I was worried.

Colleagues in the Pakistani NGO I worked with

discussed the potential risks “What if…?”

We decided that I would go, but not alone. One of

my Pakistani colleagues, Peter, would go with me.

I was curious. I had read about the erce t ribal

reputation of the Pashtuns and their special code

of conduct, the Pakhtunwali, which stipulates

codes for revenge and refuge. I felt that a face-

to-face experience would stretch my ability to

be friends with all and teach me much about

humanity and everyone’s capacity to love.

It was a warm and humanising time for me. Overdinner, I conversed with the Pashtun student and

his Taliban relatives about many things, including

how and why they learnt about waging ‘jihad’

(‘struggle’) in various religious schools. On the mud

walls of the dining room were photos of mines,

weapons and various battles.

“What food do the people in your country like to

eat?” asked one of the Talibs (Talib means student).

“Er… some of the food is a little hard to describe,


14/109


but one popular dish is made from frying a white,

at, macaroni-like noodle in black soy sauce, eggs

and bean sprouts. It’s called ‘char kway teow’,” I

explained. I could tell they were lost. We were

enjoying ‘palao’ (oiled rice with meat), ‘shlombe’

(like yoghurt) and pomegranates.

My fears dissipated. They were fellow human

beings with similar needs. It shouldn’t be so hard

to trust or feel safe with others if we recognised

our common concerns. But mainstream media

often parrots conventional views which

dehumanise and demonise ‘the other’, including

Afghans, so that we’re not so ready to see the

human imprint they clearly bear. Perhaps thecapacity to reach out to those we perceive as

‘dangerous’ isn’t courage, but empathy. Many

healthy doses of empathy make vials of courage.

The wise Mayans of South America have their

traditional way of greeting, “I’m another you.

You’re another me.” It’s saying to the billion

strangers on our planet, “I love and I hurt like you

do.” Fear gets dismantl ed.

I HAD TO BE ‘RE-EDUCATED’. THE FORMAL

EDUCATION I RECEIVED DIDN’T LIBERATE ME

ENOUGH TO QUESTION, DISSENT AND THINK

CRITICALLY AND COMPASSIONATELY. In the last

two years, I’ve also had to face my ugly anger,

from which I’m now healing. A psychologist-peace

activist, Dr Patricia Cane of Capacitar, shared

with me, “The two most common emotions that

activists all over the world deal with are anger and

fear. They are natural feelings, but we need to ndhealthy ways to release them and to nd healing

before these feelings become destructive.”

ANOTHER STARK LESSON IS THAT I CAN ONLY

‘CHANGE’ MYSELF AND SYSTEMS OR SITUATIONS,

I CAN’T ‘CHANGE’ OTHERS. Part of the story

behind the web-blog ‘Our Journey to Smile’ is the

recovery of our smiles. But it was hypocritical of

me to ask my mother to rid herself of her frown,

while I myself still carried the same sort of frowns

I see on many tired, humid faces travelling on

Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit system.

I understood my own complicity in the gravely

militarised and unequal global systems of

governance, economy, environment, education

and conict resolution, under which many people

are not able to even ensure their basic human

needs. For example, the use of drones by U.S. and

NATO forces in Afghanistan and the Singapore

military’s collaboration at one point of time

weighed heavily on me. The civilian brother-in-law

of one of my Afghan friends was killed by a drone,

in what i s ofcially te rmed ‘collateral damage’.

My humanitarian and social entrepreneurial work

eventually led to peace building. I’ve assisted inAfghan refugee relief, taught basic health care

in remote Afghan villages, co-proposed the

establishment of a health training centre, given

microbusiness loans, mentored multi-ethnic

Afghan communities, partnered with international

peace groups, facilitated the development of

‘Global Days of Listening’ skype conversations,

supported the Afghan Winter Duvet Project;

developed the Borderfree Afghan Street Kids

School and helped establish the Borderfree

Nonviolence Community Centre in Afghanistan.

I’ve experienced inner and mutual changes

in myself and my Afghan friends. These inner

changes are revolutionary on a person-to-person

level, like invisible inner storms that can’t be

measured.

I RETAIN MY FAITH IN HUMANITY WHEN

EMBARKING ON HUMANITARIAN WORK BY

GRITTING MY TEETH IN THE PRACTICE OF LOVE.

I can see love in every person I meet, even if the

person is ‘irritating’ to me. I believe that l ove is the

‘subatomic’ power that, when fused, can change

everything.

LOVE IN EGALITARIAN RELATIONSHIPS INSPIRES

ME. In a time of the Russian Tsar and signicant

state violence, Leo Tolstoy spoke of love through

nonviolent resistance, pacism and anarchism. At

the height of British imperialism in India, Gandhi

gathered large numbers to practise love through

a nonviolent struggle for independence. Martin

Luther King Jr sacriced his life for the conviction

that all men, black, white and others, are free and

equal and that love through nonviolence was the

force that could full that ‘dream’.

I’M PROUD OF THE HONESTY OF SINGAPOREANS

and the low prevalence of corruption.

ABOUT SG50, I’M REMINDED THAT WE’RE STILL A

YOUNG COUNT RY. I’m grateful to our forefathers

who have worked very hard to make life for most

people living in Singapore a dignied one. I hope

that as Singapore ‘matures’ in the interconnectedcontext and society of the wider world, more and

more Singaporeans will seek the well-being of

nature and all human beings, and consider the

well-being of others as a ‘success’ more valuable

than our own.

I HOPE THAT SINGAPORE WILL NURTURE

PACIFIC RELATIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLES, SUCH

THAT WE’LL NO LONGER NEED THE MILITARY

AS A MEANS OF DEFENCE. Our defence will

be our civility and friendship with all. I hope

that Singapore will resolve the socioeconomic

inequalities prevalent today, to enjoy a non-

materialistic lifestyle and a sharing economy

which includes vulnerable persons like the elderly,

the disabled and the needed foreign worker.

Income inequalities can be narrowed signicantly,

taking into account that of elected ofcials, and a

minimum living wage determined.

I hope Singapore will become even greener, with

urban planting of food and vegetables, including in

the HDB ats, and switch promptly to renewable

energy. Last year, I made a request to the HDB

ofce asking if I could install a solar panel for my

3-room HDB at. The answer was ‘no’.

A critical, creative and compassionate pedagogy

can be applied in education as a viable alternative

to a test-obsessed system that over-values the

maths and sciences, and to an overload of non-

useful information in school curriculum.

Peace education can be included comprising of

discussions on humane values and nonviolent

responses to global crises. The education system

can move away from being a predominantly

economic-driven system to one which nurtures

young Singaporeans to be people of service to

humanity.

MERIT IN SINGAPORE’S PURPORTED

‘MERITOCRACY’ CAN MOVE FAR BEYOND THE

NARROW CONFINES OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.

Elitism together with its tendency to haughtinesscan be discouraged. An increasingly participatory

and consultative process can be sought after at

smaller town groupings, using the digital platform

as experimental means for direct democracy.

Take, for example, Iceland’s direct democracy

online constitution project. If central governance

persists, serious thought can be put into a working

class cap for the salaries of politicians, taking

reference from Zapatista communities whose

representatives aren’t paid and are chosen based

on community service records.

SINGAPOREANS CAN LEARN FROM AFGHANS

NOT TO BE RIGIDLY OBSESSED WITH PLANS,

OBJECTIVES AND TIMETABLES. They can also

rediscover ‘village or kampong-like’ community

relationships through imaginative ways, even

among housing board apartments.

I encourage everyone to take the paths they are

passionate about and not to allow pragmatic or

monetary considerations to get too much in the

way. We don’t need the 5 C’s to have a fullling

life.

TO A YOUNGER ME, KEEP LIVING LIFE FULLY

AND PASSIONATELY. Don’t fret too much or be

too serious. Connect with humanity’s critical

challenges. Be grateful for life. Remember our

mortality. Nurture the art and music that’s within


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you. Listen. Lean on love.

I’M BEGINNING TO SENSE MY PLACE IN THE

HUMAN FAMILY AS MORE BASIC THAN MY PLACE

IN ANY ONE COUNTRY , as I work towards the

vision of border-free relationships of nonviolence

in a green and equal world without war. •

RIGHT AFTER MY DIPLOMA, I DID NOT FEEL

READY AS A PERSON AND A PROFESSIONAL TO

CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY. I knew I needed to learn

more about my craft and to mature mentally. It

was my tutor at Temasek Polytechnic (Design

School) who recommended going to college in

London to expand my mind and horizon.

At the age of 19, I was faced with nancial

uncertainty and the burden of an immensely

expensive education in an industry that is

traditionally perceived as unlucrative in Singapore.

Despite my own fear of stepping out of my

comfort zone, I took the plunge with the support

of my family, and ew to London. The process was

torturous and lled with self-doubt and anxiety.

Yet deep down, the desire to strive for the best

and my passion for my craft granted me the

motivation to continue.

BEING CONSTANTLY EXPOSED TO SG50

CAMPAIGNS IN SINGAPORE, one does get a

sense of ‘overkill’ and it being an over-the-top

celebration, which comes with a mixed bag of

emotions. There are certain SG50 projects that

are simple gems of delight, and the idea as a

whole is uplifting and telling of a nation where

practicality and pragmatism rules the decision

making process.

A conversation with a friend overseas reminded

me not to be so critical.

I HOPE THAT SINGAPORE CAN BUILD STRONGER

AND BETTER TIES WITH its Southeast Asian

neighbours, and open up for more mature debates

on policies to inspire positive changes and

development in politics that are sensitive to the

changing needs of Singaporeans and the global

climate.

I GREW UP IN SINGAPORE, BUT I ONLY TRULY

STARTED LEARNING IN LONDON. Going to

university in London forced me to unlearn set

ideas and ways of thinking, and opened my mind toa much wider diversity of concepts, opinions and

values. It was where I understood the importance

of independent thinking, and explored different

schools of philosophy. All this contributes to my

character and how I choose to navigate life.

IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT

SINGAPORE, IT IS to be less self-conscious and

uptight.

A LOT MORE SINGAPOREANS WHO HAVE STUDIED,

LIVED OR WORKED OVERSEAS STARTED HEADING

BACK TO SINGAPORE AND bring with them a new

wave of ideas imported from overseas. At the

same time, locally, the movement to rejoice in

Singapore’s own identity really gained momentum,

whether in nostalgia, Singlish, objects or material

culture.

LONDON WAS A HOTBED FOR POLITICAL REFORMS

SO IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT THEY ARE SENSITIVE

TO ISSUES LIKE NON-DISCRIMINATION OF RACIAL

MINORITIES, GENDER AND DISABILITIES. That is

not to say that discrimination does not exist,

but rather it is not a taboo topic and can be openly

discussed. People are more aware of such issues,

with measures and unions in place to prevent such

discriminations, especially in the workforce. •

C LA RA

YE E

Clara Yee’s work crosses

boundaries - cultural and artistic.

Having lovingly crafted exhibits

such as Pasar Singapura in Mexico

and the Pop-Up Singapore House

in London, Clara has own the

Singapore ag proudly, all the

while learning more about the

nuances of the international

community. She challenged her

own self-doubt to land a place at

Central St. Martins, University

of the Arts, London, and has

developed a maturity in her work

and self-conception. Creative,

candid and personal, Clara is a

good omen for Singapore’s creative

arts scene, forming part of the

new wave of artists who blend

inuences from around the world.

UNITED KINGDOM,

MEXICO & SINGAPORE


16/109


IT IS VERY PERSONAL, BUT THE MOST

COURAGEOUS THING I’VE DONE IS GET DIVORCED.

I was married for four years and lived a very

comfortable life (if I wanted to buy a Chanel bag

every month I could, and still have a few grand

more to play around with), before it became clear

to me that was not what I wanted.

At rst, these moments were eeting at best, and

with every passing day my goals and dreams would

get buried a little more. I began to recognise that

who I truly am was not aligned with the path I

had taken and, as this realisation grew, I started

to feel incredibly suffocated. So I ended the

marriage and, despite having the right to alimony

and a 50% share of all our assets (personal and

business), I asked for nothing. Some would call this

foolish, but I consider this being true to myself. I

gave up everything for a chance at a life that truly

belonged to me; one that I had shaped out of my

achievements and my efforts. I gave up the empty,

comfortable life for one that is difcult but free

and fullling.

I ACTUALLY JUST FELL INTO THE FASHION

INDUSTRY, TO BE HONEST. I came from the

corporate events world. I didn’t go to a design

school and I have never worked for a fashion

company, but I would always have people telling

me, “Wow, I love your style,” or “I love your outt”.

An ex-colleague even said to me, “You could wear

a gunny sack and it would become a trend, Nazya.”

I launched a fashion blog, FATWardrobe.com, that

served as my outlet for writing about fashion and

styling. This also drove me to make connections

in the industry with designers, photographers,

makeup artists and models to collaborate with on

projects, and to expand my creative horizons in the

eld. Earlier this year I decided to launch my own

label, StyleMeister, which promotes independent

design talent and supports the sustainability of

the local garment industry by having products

designed, sourced and manufactured locally.

SINGAPORE AND NEW YORK ARE AS DIFFERENT

AS THE SUN FROM THE MOON. The similarity

between Singapore and NYC ends at both being

metropolitan cities, because there are some

incredibly stark contrasts between the two. A key

difference is that NYC has an incredible amount of

freedom of expression – in art, politics and social

issues. Singapore is not there yet, but I believe

is making headway in this area. Singapore is also

impressively clean, well regulated and orderly.

NYC is like a jungle – chaotic, dirty and combative.

The saying, “If you make it in NYC, you can make

it anywhere,” is indeed very true. Not everyone is

cut out for this city. It’s cut-throat, aggressive and

there are no rules to follow to get ahead. You make

your own rules. You come with a dream and you

make it work. If you don’t, you leave. That’s why

people either love NYC, or they hate it. No oneever hates Singapore (aside from Michael Fay).

I COME FROM A MALE DOMINATED CULTURE,

ESPECIALLY ON MY PAKISTANI SIDE. I’M OF

MIXED PARENTAGE – PART PAKISTANI AND PART

MALAY. I’ve seen many women in my family kill

their dreams to t in or pay a steep price to live a

life of their choosing, and it happens everywhere

– even in NYC. Women are trapped in loveless

marriages because they are dependent on their

spouse for a roof over their heads; smart, teenage

girls dumbing themselves down to attract boys

and getting pregnant because they don’t know

any better; single mothers juggling four jobs and

barely making ends meet to support their children,

who then repeat the same poor decisions of their

parents. It’s a vicious cycle and the severity of this

became apparent to me only in NYC. I never really

thought about female empowerment and equal

rights prior to my own personal shifts in life, and

something like this needs to run true to a person’s

heart and value system. It cannot be regarded as a

trend or a eeting commitment, because then you

are doing those you’re trying to help a disservice.

Since I’m the only one in my family to have made

such unconventional (and disapproved of) lifedecisions, I must lead by example for the women

in my family who were unable to make similar

choices in their lives.

MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT LGBTQ RIGHTS AND

A KEY FOCUS OF THE COMMUNITY’S FIGHT HAS

BEEN AROUND MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN THE

UNITED STATES - which I’m sure you must’ve heard

was achieved by the recent ruling of the Supreme

Court legalising same-sex marriage across the

nation. This is a giant step towards advancing

human rights and a great victory, but I think we

need to remember that this is only one battle,

not the war. Most of the focus of the community

has been around the needs of the LGBTQs. The

Ts often get marginalised, and therefore what

has resulted is the transgender community has

become withdrawn and isolated.

I’M VERY PROUD OF THE STUNNING SINGAPORE

CITYSCAPE DOWNTOWN. It has changed

beautifully over the years and is truly world-class.

The structures themselves resemble art if you look

at their architectural design, and collectively the

view of the skyline is simply breathtaking.

I WAS VERY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE SG50

ISSUE. After reading up on Be Movement, its

brand philosophy and what it promotes, I was

delighted to see the spotlight fall on the works

NAZYA

AYAZ

Nazya Ayaz is courageous both in

public and in private. She broke

away from a very comfortable

lifestyle to pursue the life of her

dreams, having realised that

conspicuous consumption and

an unsatisfying marriage are not

her versions of happiness. Nazya

is a fervent lesbian, gay, bisexual,

transgender and queer (LGBTQ)

rights activist and champions

transgender equality, something

that is often neglected even in the

queer community. Recognising

that many women give up their

own dreams, she is a maverick

who is unapologetic in doing

what she wants. Of course, that

also includes giving up-and-

coming designers a chance with

her independent fashion label,

StyleMeister. Although society

values competition, compassion

and co-operation are the rules of

Nazya’s game.

UNITED STATES


17/109


on the side, and this is the energy that people talk

about: that energy of taking risks and the energy

of “Go forth and conquer.” Singapore has this

energy too, but I think the mindset needs to shift

a little bit so it is more perceptive to creative ways

for achieving goals, and that the path on which

everyone is travelling may not be suited to you.

Another thing that Singaporeans can learn from

New Yorkers is being less passive aggressive and

practising more courtesy. I understand the whole

“kiasu” mentality is so true to being Singaporean,

and it was quirky 20 years ago. I think, as the

generation changes, this “kiasu” mentality needs

to shift into something that is cultured and

admired.

WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT MYSELF – MORE SO

THAN MY ACHIEVEMENTS – ARE THE MISTAKES

I’VE MADE. There is a constant emphasis in society

to be perfect and seek validation, and honestly

not wanting that can be quite liberating. Mistakes

change you, shape you and force you to grow and

indeed this can be quite scary, but what’s even

more frightening is living a life of half potential.

I’ve always been a risk taker and I’ve never shied

away from taking the road less travelled. Yes,

that means arriving at your destination with some

battle scars, but it’s not all that bad when you have

achieved growth, self-awareness and stayed true

to yourself along the way. •

and contributions of my fellow Singaporeans, who

like me are demonstrating the courage to be true

to oneself against all odds and tirelessly working

to realise one’s true calling. I hope the impact of

our work goes beyond the communities we work

in and that the stories shared will inspire other

Singaporeans to also live a life without fear and

limitations.

IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS , I do hope that some of our

rich Singaporean heritage will be preserved. This

is extremely important for future generations to

connect with our culture, traditions and history.

We have some great iconic structures and

landmarks, which remind us of our diverse culturaland traditional background, and I hope that these

historical buildings will be retained for our kids

to see one day. I also understand that of late,

numerous social issues have risen to the surface,

and I hope that we can grow to be a community

that embraces and celebrates diversity and equal

rights for all, regardless of race, gender and

religion.

ONE KEY THING SINGAPORE HAS SHOWED ME

IS RESOURCEFULNESS WITHOUT HAVING ITS

OWN RESOURCES. What I mean by this is having

a clear understanding of your strengths and

weaknesses, and leveraging opportunities to close

gaps and achieve goals. Singapore is so tiny that

one can’t even nd Singapore on the map, yet it

is richer than many nations 10 times its size …

Now, this applies directly to entrepreneurship

too and especially if you’re an entrepreneurwithout resources like me. Whenever I doubt

my endeavours, I think about Singapore, and I

get reminded that entrepreneurship is about

resourcefulness and making things happen

without resources.

ONE THING YOU’D NOTICE ABOUT NEW YORK

IS THAT EVERYONE IS DOING SOMETHING ELSE,

ASIDE FROM THEIR DAY JOBS. It really is a capital

of side-gigs. A lot of people hold down day jobs

to pay their bills while they pursue their passion

I LEFT SINGAPORE BECAUSE as a child I alwaysyearned for overseas experience and, after living

in Singapore for more than 30 years, it was time

for me to stop being a frog in the well. I did not

want to restrict myself to overseas travel. I wanted

to bring myself out of my comfort zone and to live

in foreign countries. Moreover, I always wanted

to do something where I could learn by living in

a foreign country, and then bring back and apply

that knowledge in Singapore.

I CHOSE TOKYO BECAUSE it is a world within a

world, in my sense. A truly vibrant and dynamic

city that never lacks creativity and is full of

contradictions. Moreover, as I am a hearing

impaired individual, I wanted to learn from one of

the top Asian countries well-established in welfare

support and the provision of disability support for

disabled people.

In Singapore I honestly feel that the progress to

make it fully inclusive for disabled Singaporeans,

permanent residents (PR)s and foreigners who

are living in Singapore has not yet reached the

high standards set in Japan. Therefore, I made a

hard decision to apply for a Japanese government

scholarship to study a Masters degree in

International Relations at Waseda University and

then reapplied for the same scholarship to do my

PhD.

A DRI A N

YAP

One thing is clear for Adrian Yap:

Singapore has the hardware,

but not the “heartware.” Adrian

is a PhD candidate at Waseda

University. Comparing the

attitudes of teachers in Japan and

Singapore towards students with

special needs, Adrian’s words are

marked with a tenacity and clarity

that projects a sense of hope that

things can be better than the

status quo, no matter what the

status quo is. As a deaf individual,

he knows that Singapore is not

the best version of itself, especially

for people who are physically

or mentally disabled. Adrian is

truly an ordinary individual with

extraordinary courage to speak his

truth, a clarion call to compassion

for us all.

JAPAN


18/109


FROM LIVING IN TOKYO FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS ,

I have received tremendous help from many

people, especially deaf Japanese and care givers.

I have learnt so many things about the Japanese

disability welfare system that Singapore could

consider, for example, Japan has a comprehensive

welfare support system for Japanese disabled and

foreign disabled who have been living in Japan for

at least 2 years.

I ALWAYS FEEL PROUD OF SINGAPORE BECAUSE

the greenery and unique vibrancy here is not to

be found anywhere in the world. Whenever I am

back in Singapore, I always feel that Singapore is

my home. Singapore Girl, Singlish, Singapore food,HDB, mind-boggling abbreviations like CTE, CPF,

MC and so on. I dare to call Singapore my home.

I FEEL SG50 IS a good way to bring Singaporeans

together to celebrate Singapore’s hard work, and

what the nation has striven to create: the best

living conditions, education system and medical

care system, and rst-world infrastructure.

MY CONCERNS FOR SINGAPORE IN THE NEXT 50

YEARS is that if Singapore remains competitive,

lacking genuine care for vulnerable groups, I fear

that the gap in society will get wider and more

people with special needs will never catch up with

the majority. My hope is to see more Singaporeans

show greater compassion and care towards our

community members with their diverse needs.

SINGAPORE HAS SHAPED MY thinking to learn totolerate diverse views and be unafraid to stand

out in the crowd, unlike in Japanese society where

you cannot afford to be “a nail that sticks out.”

Otherwise, “… you will be hammered down.”

YET, MO VING AWAY FROM S INGAP ORE MADE ME

more tolerant and respectful towards different

cultures. I would not say that something is “so

wrong” in Japan, but I have learnt to accept it

gracefully even though it might clash with my

personal beliefs.

SINGAPORE HAS INDEED BEEN BECOMING MORE

EXPENSIVE THAN TOKYO and when I was back

in Singapore for vacation, I felt utterly poorer in

Singapore than in Tokyo. [grins]

SINGAPORE CAN LEARN FROM JAPAN ABOUT

omotenashi. It is kind of a unique approach to

display warm hospitality as a host country. It

also refers to the subjugation of self in service to

a guest, but it does not need to be subservient

or servile. It is an act of showing courtesy,

consideration and gracefulness to others who are

in need of help. It is something that we can learn

from Japanese society.

SINGAPORE AS A FIRST-WORLD NATION? I

guess that we have a long way to go. We could

be a rst-world nation in terms of hardware –

economic, education and many you can name –

but I think in terms of software there is room for

improvement, for example in customer service and

transportation.

YES, I WI LL MOV E BAC K TO SING APORE . I feel that

I have not yet made any positive contribution to

Singapore. It is time for me to do something to

improve the lives of disabled people, especially in

the education arena. •

I WAS OFFERED 7 JOBS IN THE U.S. I worked forNCS as a software engineer right after graduating

from NUS. My focus was the implementation of

enterprise software that specialises in HR, payroll

and nance. My skill set was highly sought after in

the U.S. and as a young graduate with a hunger for

adventure, I decided to take the leap of faith and

explore the American shores.

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE NAYSAYERS. People

objected to my decision to move to the U.S. but

I’ve learned to ignore such “noise” and make the

best decision for me, that I’ll have no regrets

making. This is true for everything in life; there will

always be naysayers in this world.

AFTER 4 YEARS IN THE US, I STARTED MY OWN

ENTERPRISE CONSULTING COMPANY , winning

projects from Fortune 500 companies and

government bodies in the U.S. After 8 years

in the enterprise world, I decided to leave this

comfortable position, even though I had a really

well-established reputation, and venture into the

world of start-ups, which I knew nothing about.

MY TWO BIGGEST PASSIONS HAVE ALWAYS

BEEN FOOD AND TECHNOLOGY. When I saw

how inefcient the food system was in the U.S.,

I decided to use my technology skills to try to

reinvent this archaic industry. In 2012, I launched

Love With Food, a technology platform that

A I H U I

ON G

Life is much like a lunch box –

sweet, salty and everything in

between. Despite having her

pick of jobs in the US, Aihui Ong

decided to be her own boss and

started a culinary fusion business.

This seismic shift emerged from

many life changes, including

breaking away from an abusive

marriage and caring for her friend

who had breast cancer. Melding

her foodie sensibilities, computer

skills and a desire to do good,

she created Love with Food. The

company is a subscription-based

organic and natural food box

business that donates one meal

to food banks in America with

e

Documents

Be Movement SG50 Issue