Schooling Proves that Singapore Talents do Exist Too

13 August 2016 marks the day that Singapore is put on the charts once again - this time ranked Number #1 in the Rio Olympics, by swimmer Joseph Issac Schooling.  He came in first in the Men's Butterfly 100m race, setting the records at a mere 50:39 seconds, snagging away the Gold Medal from the supposed arms of his idol Michael Phelps - he literally flew to his spot like a butterfly!

His name is all over news portals and social media platforms currently, replacing the tiresome updates on Pokemon Go, which have unfortunately swamped the media arenas like a plaque.  I welcome the refreshing change, and I am very happy for Joseph Issac Schooling, Singapore's very own talent, taking our flag straight to the top and bringing our National Anthem to broadcast worldwide. It was truly a "Majulah Singapura" moment - a wonderful birthday present for Singapore's 51st Birthday.

Photosource: http://graphics.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/Interactives/2016/08/olympics-blog/index.html

The Race and The Win
Having met his idol Michael Phelps at the tender age of 13, the national sports star has already made up his mind to obtain proper training and develop in this field. Of course, the determination might have also been speared since the even younger age of 6, when he learned of his granduncle Lloyd Valberg being Singapore's first Olympian in the 1940s as a national High-Jumper.

So off to The Bolles School in Florida he went, first to train under Coach Sergio Lopez, and then Coach Eddie Reese at University of Texas. Hard work and sweat must have been put into the training, and it helped that he was training away from home and the constant celebrity-hood he would receive here back in his homeland, which might be distractions for the young athelete.

Despite having won many medals in various competitions before, such as Gold in Incheon's Asia Games 2014, bagging all 9 gold at 28th SEA Games, and scoring 1st at the 16th FINA's World Championship, the very recent win at Rio Olympics 2016 has set new grounds for Singapore and Joseph himself.

The surreality of having won would have taken a while to sink in, amidst all the cheering, clapping and congratulations he was receiving left, right and centre. It would be the kind of feeling where one feels on a high, envisioning their own names on various charts and channels, and then the eagerness to want to break the news to their supportive family, coaches and friends.

What Does It Mean for Joseph Schooling

• Having attained such an honour for Singapore would only mean more hard work and training in future, so that he can bring home more awards for the country
• Being a good-looking champion would also mean that more sponsors and advertisers are going to knock on his door now
• People who previously did not believe in him would now tell others, "I always knew he could do it!"
• People who were not close to him would start bringing up incidents shared by themselves and Schooling, affiliating themselves with the National Star.
• He has deferred his National Service for 3 years in order to undergo training and compete in the Rio Olympics. If / when he has to serve his time now, would he be able to take it? Will he suddenly have a lot of false friends or envious foes?
• He has made his parents, his schools and coaches as well as country very proud, and created a name for himself on a different level
• He can now easily contribute more to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, a campaign which he has helped kick-start with his initial SGD$10,000 donation in June 2015.

Photosource:  http://graphics.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/Interactives/2016/08/olympics-blog/index.html

What Does It Mean for Singapore

• It means that (and I state the obvious here) Singapore does have its own talents, all that is required is the correct nurturing and development. 
• It means that it is time to stop purchasing foreign talents and it is time to start grooming our own sports talents.
• It means that more support is important for budding sportsmen (and artists) in Singapore - in terms of family support, community support and financial support by the relevant Ministries. 
• I hope Lawrence Wong and team sits up and start pondering more so that more sports scholarships, and overseas training programs can be in place.
• It means that there should not be sole emphasis on academic results, but one should also be recognized for their alternative talents, such as sports or arts.  Imagine if Colin and May Schooling had been old-fashioned and academically-focused, then this phenomenal moment today would not have taken place. 
• It also means that now that Singapore has been proven to be capable of breeding its own National Talents, there should be more to come, so that this would not become a one-off event.

Photosource: http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2015/06/17/joseph-schooling-donates-10k-to-charity-on-his-birthday

Well done, Joseph Issac Schooling of Anglo-Chinese (Independent) High of Singapore! Looking forward to more worldwide records from you.  In the meantime, let's not forget other national talents who have also made it to various games and / or brought back medals for the nation as well, such as Quan Zheng Wen, his sister Quah Ting Wen and Joscelin Yeo, etc.  Let's continue to cheer them on.

Visit to National Museum for Lee Kuan Yew Exhibition

93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897

Tel: 6332 3659

Website: http://www.nationalmuseum.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/National.Museum.of.Singapore

Around the same period that the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew lay instate at The Parliament House (information here) for us to pay our last respects, there is also the "In Memoriam: Mr Lee Kuan Yew" exhibition going on at the National Museum, showcasing some of his personal / business effects.

It is located at Glass Atrium, Level 2 of the National Museum.
The exhibition has been extended for a month, so it runs from 23 March 2015 to 24 May 2015 now.
Sundays to Thursdays:  10.00am to 8.00pm
Fridays and Saturdays:  10.00am to 10.00pm

The queue was terrible at first, I heard accounts of people having to queue for hours just to go in. Due to the National Museum's closing hours, some of them had to be asked to come back another day.  Finally, after waiting it out for a while, and visiting on a weekday morning, there was no queue.

Disappointingly, there were only about 8 actual exhibitions on display (now should be 9, adding on the "Battleship is Steam Boat"  telegram).

Yes, this is the famous Red Box, well-maintained and in excellent, nearly pristine condition. This is also his trademark briefcase, where he kept all his work documents.

Here is his timepiece, a well-worn Rolex watch on display as well.

The preserved leaflet for the Legislative Assembly General Election 1959 and leaflet for the Legislative By-Assembly at Tanjong Pagar 1957.

Then there was the Podium - it was always a familar sight to see him standing on one, sharing his views with the nation.

The Barrister Wig he used to wear when he was still a lawyer.

This was one of the newer additions - the cards, flowers and other handmade tribute items collected from The Parliament House and the various remote tribute sites.

Finally, lots of photographs that chronicles the life and political career of Sir Lee.  The entire visit took merely 45 minutes for me. There are also some of his books on sale.

Admission is free; so do drop by if you are in the vicinity, and are keen to check this exhibition out.

Farewell, Founding Father of the Little Red Dot

Singapore has formed a human chain,

Looped around where you now lay far too still,

Braving the weather rain or shine, or giving up sleep,

Muttering not a word of complaint,

As we walk towards you, baby steps towards you,

With only our respect, time and tears to spare.

Can you see the unity of your people in this picture,

The people that you took great care of -

Men and women with white hair and toothy grins,

Young and old regardless of race - 

Joined by people of the globe, in awe,

Edging towards your force - so strong even in death.

You portray a stern and hard facade to the public -

Even ruthless, heartless, even Machiavellian,

Yet your people digress, painting the softer side

Of you, as a great leader, patient and friend;

Yet the love you have shown for your family

And wife, greatly moves us in silence.

A mystery - that is what you are -

Firm in certain values, yet keeping an open mind;

Like the father whose care runs deeper than words,

Like the builder who explored unchartered territories-

Opening up possibilities for a muddy piece of land,

Now cemented firmly in prosperity's paths.

And your name, your name is Light and Glory,

High standards to live up to - but you attained,

By leading a country so poor and polluted (corrupt)

To where peace, prosperity and potential await;

The men who fought alongside with you -

Were never un-mentioned, though some may have left.

Possesive, were you, guarding the nation protectively-

As if it were your very own - but it indeed is yours,

This tiny red dot we have come to call our own,

Built and crafted by your lifetime of brilliance,

Sweat, efforts, energies and concerns,

Even in sickness your thoughts were never on yourself.

Haters may hate your guts, liars may deny you credit,

Hardening your heart to rid all that post threats;

The dirt and pain of politics are lined in gray, raining

Upon you but you shouldered all of them,

With only one goal in mind - bringing Singapore up,

Developing and grooming it was all that mattered.

Now as you go gently into the good night, Sir,

Thank you for your dedication and diligence;

Though we may never again see your familiar face,

In live recordings of parliament meets or NDP,

You have left your marks in all that we dwell upon,

The inspirations, the legacy, that comfort you planted.
copyright © thearcticstar 2015. 

Singaporeans - and many foreigners, for that matter, have not uttered a word of complaint as the queue continues to form day after day, hour after hour, and inspite of the weather conditions.  This is contrary to the accusations that we are a complaining lot.

For that matter, there are / were many volunteers who have generously offered their monetary resources, time and energies to give out refreshments, meals, drinks, umbrellas etc to those who took pains to stay in the hours of queue - which contravenes the accusations of us being "selfish".

These are your people, Sir LKY - the ones you have watched over in life. Whether you may choose to continue watching over us in spirit now, we know not - and we are saddened by the loss of you - but rest in peace, rest well in the arms of your beloved wife Mrs Lee, if you will.

Deepest condolences to the family of Sir Lee as well - take good care of yourself so you may be able to take good care of your (father's) people....

Paying Last Respects to Sir (Harry) Lee Kuan Yew

1 Old Parliament Lane, Parliament House, Singapore 179429

Occasion:  Sir Lee Kuan Yew's lying in state
Date: 25 March 2015 - 29 March 2015

Prior to my post here (about whether Sir Lee would pull through), the heartbreaking news have been released - he left us on 23 March 2015 at 3.18am in the morning. We know that he is not immortal hence death is inevitable, but the demise still brought about grief.

Source: unknown - being circulated, depicting the queue on the first day of Sir Lee's lying-in-state

After a private ceremony for his family at Sri Temasek (Istana), Sir Lee's body was transported by gun cannon to the Parliament House. He was being accorded the highest State honour, and his body would lie in state for about 5 days before the cremation. The public could go and pay their last respects to the Founding Father of the Nation - I guess no one expected the crowd to be so overwhelming (see picture above) - the first men to enter the Parliament House began queuing at 11.00pm the night before. 

The original 10.00am - 8.00pm "visiting hours" were extended to 24 hours, with train and bus services accommodating the same hours (some nights, for trains) so as to facilitate the visitors' home-going after midnight.

We joined the queue on 26 March 2015 (Thursday) at 3.30pm under the sweltering hot sun. It was my first time queuing for anything at all - I never queued for Hello Kitty (don't fancy them), never for IT or travel fairs, never for Tim Ho Wan or Din Tai Fung restaurants, never for H&M's Alexander McQueen collaboration launch, and certainly not for Apple Iphones.

But this was different - this was the last chance to "see" the man who helped Singapore become what it is today, who shaped and built a nation under his very hands - a living legend whose legacy shall never waver. I shall share my experience of the 5-hours long Queue herein.

We reached the Padang (photos with the green grass patch) after joining a long queue that formed at St. Andrew's Cathedral, City Hall. It was sunny, around 33 Degrees Celsius, and we were still looking relatively fresh, all hyped up and determined to stick it out (trust me when I say, by the end of the queue we looked a hundred times worse).  Everyone was appropriately donned in shades of black, grey, white and blue - dull, solemn colours.

The wait was arduous given the weather conditions, but we were grateful that weather was clear (the alternative would have been unthinkable). People of all nationalities, ages and races formed the line, with priority given to the elderly and pregnant ladies.  Some were carrying flowers or handmade cards / posters while others were carrying their umbrellas so low they nearly poked some eyeballs out.

At The Padang, there were at least some tents for shelter. Overall, the entire walk from City Hall to Padang (and at Padang itself) was rather orderly, with military / governmental personnel directing the flow along the way. It was very gratifying to have the unsung heroes distributing mineral water, packet drinks, canned herbals tea, croissants, burgers, bread, crackers etc along the way - all out of their own volition and precious time.

Was also grateful that the entire lot of people was rather civilised and non-rowdy, so there was no risk of being stampeded or trampled over. The small discomfort were some sore feet, being jostled / bumped against by some impatient souls here and there, as well as having to battle some cooties-like lifeforms at the junction between Parliament House & Cricket Club. Because of the crowd and heat, the atmosphere could get rather stifling as well, and it is not uncommon to feel a little bout or two of dizziness at times. These minor annoyances were nothing - absolutely nothing at all - you could not even call these "sacrifices" compared to what Sir Lee had given up for us as a whole.

Mobile lavatories were available at the roadside in case anyone needed to answer to Nature's calls along the way.

Once we entered the White Tents set up along Parliament House, we knew the wait would be over soon. After they scanned our belongings and us, we were finally in the last lap of the journey. From being extremely chatty to waning of high spirits, the mood became heavier with each step that brought us closer to the hall containing Sir Lee's mortal shell.

We finally entered the cool, air-conditioned hall that bore all the air of regal formality. It was here that the pent-up sadness felt free to let loose and everyone became a little emotional, especially when we were faced with his framed photograph with the elegant casket looking so imposing in the centre.  After a couple of bows, muttering thank-yous and good-byes, we exited. That was it - 5 hours of queuing for 3 minutes of fame.

Photosource: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/681233/lee-kuan-yew-lies-in-state-as-singaporeans-bid-farewell

It was over. This man who gave Singapore its name, its rankings in the world, its life - who shaped, built and molded the "tiny red dot" into a prosperous nation, has finally decided to relinquish his kingdom. He has set a very good foundation - would the future generations be able to upkeep the standards, improvise upon it, or at least maintain? 

I suddenly realize that I would no longer be able to watch him live on TV again, giving one of his many powerful and insightful speeches, looking through the society with sharp eyes; neither would I be able to see him waving to us during National Day Parades again. 

His mortal shell may have been gone, but everything that remains bears his brilliant touch. The well-maintained buildings, the even roads, the potable water we enjoy the moment we turn on the taps, the thriving economy and the safe streets - no, they did not spring out of eggshells or magic. Thank you, Mr. Lee.

SINGAPORE IN THE PAST

Photosource: http://www.ghettosingapore.com/a-chinatown-reminiscent-of-the-old/

SINGAPORE TODAY

Photosource: http://learntechconf.com/delegate-information/about-singapore/

Politics aside, and accusations of his "ruthlessness", :"heartlessness" etc aside - his achievements were certainly no easy feat. It took a lot of brilliance, dedication and efforts to turn this country into what it is today. Sir Lee took up the challenge and the responsibility of that, guarding the country till the day he took his last breath.

No, I am not brain-washed by the Men in White (and never would be); I have my own political preferences. But people need to be rational and understand that a political party is a political party - what someone has done for everyone, is a separate matter.  

It irks me especially upon reading comments from those who suggested "let's celebrate" or "the dictator has finally died" etc - PLS GROW UP! You don't have to say very nice things if you don't wish to, but there is no need for such comments because one day you would be the one lying in the long brown box too. If you are so disgruntled, you don't need to turn on the taps and drink the potable water he has arranged for the nation; you don't have to fly out from the airport he has placed on the top of the charts, and you don't have to live here where his vision (and hard work) has taken us.

Photosource: http://www.iproperty.com.sg/news/3215/Should-Lee-Kuan-Yew's-home-be-demolished?

His own living room looks like this - one of the other discoveries about him that I thought was very moving (besides the strong and deep love he has for his wife Mdm Kwa). I always imagined his home to be filled with expensive oak and rosewood furniture, with sophisticated armoire and heavyset tables; and that everytime they enjoyed a meal in the beautiful settings it would be a rather formal affair.  I never expected this simplicity, this untouched vintage set of furniture that exhibits his frugality towards himself.

If there are things I could learn from this giant of a man, it would be:

(i) his determination to make good his word

(ii) his unwavering diligence, even during the moments before his surgery

(iii) despite being overwhelmed by work and responsibility, he held great love for his partner

(iv) his dedication to his posts

(v) his high adaptability in ever-changing times

Thank you, Sir Harry Lee KY-  as you go gently into the good night, I would like to give you this quote, by Albert Pike "what we have done for ourselves alone dies with us, what we have done for others and the world remains, and is immortal"....

Rest in peace.

Will Mr. Lee Kuan Yew pull through today, 18 March 2015?

I just placed an order for five (5) of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew's books (in photo below) from Kinokuniya Online Store.

Well, this is one of my very rare political / current affairs entries - I have stopped writing about politics for a long time, though I still do follow the happenings.

I just felt I had to write something about this, when I saw the above. Mixed feelings overcame me as the words registered, and a million thoughts raced through my mind faster than I could utter the words "get well soon".

I believe that I would not be the only one feeling the conflicting emotions creeping in, slowly, and the worst has being imagined ever since news of his deterioration has been announced. Since this afternoon, there has been many police personnel and reporters camped at Singapore General Hospital, hoping to get first hand updates on Mr. LKY's condition. It has worsened due to an infection, and the latest update was that even his son Mr. Lee Hsien Loong and wife Mdm. Ho Ching were paying the elderly Mr. Lee a visit.

So.... what does this mean exactly? No, not just for the Founding Prime Minister, but what does this mean for Singapore if (not a very big IF) Grim Reaper comes to claim his prize?

Photosource: http://lee-kuan-yew.com/lky/

Feeling elated / relieved, that this "tyrant" of a leader is finally making space for more possibilities and penetration by the opposition parties?

Feeling anxious, and hoping that this talented man would be seized by a miracle and recover, walking out ready to take Singapore by the horns again?

Feeling sad at the potential loss of Father of this Nation, the one who has brought Singapore thus far?

Feeling worried / scared of what the future might entail, now that we no longer have this ambitious ruler watching over the nation (at least not in flesh), to dictate and keep the country intact?

Face it, even though he may no longer be at the frontline in recent years, delivering long and impactful speeches, it is no secret that he still holds the fort together in his own ways. Whether by fear or out of respect, I have a feeling he is the reason that a lot of votes still go to the Men in White (pardon me if I am making baseless deduction herein though- but we shall see, soon) and his influence is still very powerful.

I am hearing / seeing a lot of words of concerns towards his current health conditions  - on social media platforms, as well as through people around me now.

There are also those who are still cursing him, hoping he suffers and wishing him dead - I could only choose to turn a deaf ear to these audio poison.

I believe that no matter what happens, plans should have been set aside in preparation for the inevitable changes - plans by both the government and the opposing players. It is us the citizens that will continue to be kept in suspense, and play along with whatever new rules and policies that we would be faced with in future.

There is a little fear in me regarding the abovementioned point, yes. We have been under his guidance and rulership for decades, though things seem to have taken a turn for the worse lately. While I may lament the policies and may not be a staunch supporter of the government at large, I cannot deny the awe I have for Mr. LKY for what he has brought Singapore to, today.

It was not an easy path, looking back at the decrepit state we were fifty years ago. He may have done his fair share of situational adjustments, including the alleged betrayal of Mr. Lim Chin Siong, his then-buddy and co-founder - but to be pragmatic, no leader has ever accomplished anything great without being ruthless when they deem fit. Face it- you don't come across great historic figures who ruled well without a few sacrifices along the way, and in this instance, it is a regret for all involved parties.

Anyway, to be fair, I'd conclude by saying that despite the recent ridiculous policies of his party, I still have a great deal of respect for Mr. LKY and all that he has done. Hope he pulls through and get well soon.

[Repost] My Future Happiness

Recently, the King of our small humble village came to ask for my hand in marriage. He brought with him lots of gifts and promises. I wanted to tell him that I am not a rabbit so I dont base my happiness on dangled carrots.

See, he is a powerful King. He made our tiny fishing village rather prosperous, and provided most of us a decent living. The roads were clean, the streets were safe, the people cared about each other even though religions, cultures, languages, dialects and races may differ.

He ruled with an iron hand and ran a tight ship. Respect was commanded Hitler-style - by imposing fear and penalties. We were a very fine village indeed, and we enjoyed the monarchy because, well, he did play his part and now instead of our house on stilts, we have houses on pillars.

His hobbies was wide and varied; and the personal favorite being games of chess. He won every chess game! The useless pawns were removed sooner than they could snap their fingers; the useful pawns were kept to dance his dance. I loved watching him play chess so brilliantly - his rulership was reflected in his chess style - the players moved so brilliantly across the black and white tiles that sometimes all I saw were gray swirls.

He encouraged freedom of speech and more participation from us, his people. He wanted our feedback and this freedom is named "democracy" on one of our folk songs. We sang it every morning in the village, believing every word of it - until we started seeing more and more villagers cast behind bars for expressing their views honestly. It is really brilliant - how could these villagers be so tactless and shoot off their mouths before they thought? Our King taught them how to be a better speaker by giving them time off work behind bars, and they had plenty of opportunities to reflect and think.

He was so brilliant that he kept all the villagers' diligent harvests and catches (most of us farmed, reared cattles or fished for a living) so that his panel of hard-working paper-pushers were very well fed and too contented with their rewards to think of changing jobs.

Our harvests and catches were also set aside for us so that when we grew old, we could still self-sustain without relying on anyone. He thought very highly of us, and wished us to live to ripe old ages, that was why he pushed back the retirement age. He had the foresight to predict that when we retire at close to 70 years old, we still had our meager ration (from they harvests and catches they set aside for us) to depend on.

He even managed to convert our transport system, telephone system, mail services into profits-generating outfits. This is something no one in the world should be able to do - especially when our transport (boats, in this case) are usually over-crowded, and comes once every half an hour. How brilliant is that!

Medical costs and school fees are on the rise because of this thing called inflation. Wages and all forms of earnings remain quite stagnant, which is why most of us now have a full time harvesting or fishing job and we moonlight or try to invest in barter trades. Haha, see how brilliant the King is? He pushes his people to work hard and start businesses of their own, moving us all out of our comfort zones.

Recently, he even takes integration one step further by giving free education to students from other islands. He makes us and our children very noble because many of us had to give up education in our prestigious Fishing college and Farming college so that these foreign students have the chance to learn not just Fishing and Farming, but also our local language. We in turn, either forget about prestigious education here, or travel overseas to explore academic opportunities - see isnt this brilliant yet again? Like an exchange program!

Sigh. This King has more than one wife and years of experience taking care of his family. Perhaps he is getting old and too rich, his eyesight seems to fail him. He allows fun fairs to be built, and when he  doesnt put on hearing aids, is unable to hear his people's protests. Security has been compromised on many fronts, and foreign farmers or fishermen are invited to join the competition for fishes and maize in our humble land.

I fear. This King may have been powerful, but his success has seemed to make him complacent and uncaring. If I marry him, and I say the wrong thing at dinnertime, will I be thrown behind bars or will my jewelry be confiscated?

But the other men asking for my hand in marriage - many of them have had no experience taking care of families. If I marry them, what kind of future will I have? What kind of lifestyle will I get to enjoy?

Oh well, I dont know. But, I guess, after being under the rulership of this King for so many years, having something different for the next five years may not really be that bad, right?

p.s. vote wisely, research extensively, do not be influenced by your peers or older generations :)

Disclaimer: No part of this may be republished without the writer's permission. Copyright  ©  Thearcticstar. All rights reserved.