Mee Pok Dreams My brudder, The Kway Teow Man, ask me why I so many days never blog alreadi.I tell him, "Brudder, I not like you lah, got kway teow dowan to fry, I got mee pok to sell leh."Also hor, I think the problem is hor, I also dunno what to blog about also.I looked at other people's blogs to get ideas, but hor, they all only complain about Garmen lah, girlfriend dowan them, boyfriend dowan them only. I got no girlfriend to complain about and I'm happy selling mee pok so no complains about Garmen leh. So how? My fault ah?Some like my brudder tok chim chim about dunno what philosophy also. I boh pian lah. Nothing to say so nothing to blog about loh. Last time got someone ask me, "What are your hopes and dreams?"Wah, this question like a bit the chim. Simi hopes and dreams? I very simple man lah. Every day can sell mee pok, go home got place to sleep I happy alreadi.Last time hor, I got hear Garmen talk about dunno what Singapore Dream. Unfortunately, I din hear carefully and dunno what it is, so I dunno what to dream.Maybe if Garmen say the Singapore Dream to me more clearly, I will know what to dream lah.Now my dream? Maybe I can find a girlfriend, get married and have kids lah, but hor, in Singapore, girls dun like mee pok man and karang guni man leh. What to do?Uncle Ravi the curry fish-head seller tell me, nevermind, now they got sell Vietnamese brides, so if I can save enough money hor, no need to chase Singaporean girl also. Just go to a store, choose one and buy loh. Only $10,000 lah.I say, wah, $10,000 ah! How many bowls of mee pok I need to sell to make $10,000?I read in the newspapers that this year economy very good. Dunno what grow 5%. Last year only grow 2%. But there's something I dun understand leh. How come I dun feel any richer this year leh? Last year I one bowl mee pok sell $3, this year still only bowl mee pok sell $3. Simi si GDP growth?My dream? Dunno lah, maybe if I save $10,000 selling mee pok, I go and find a Vietnamese bride and settle down lah. Maybe not lah. Also dunno. I also dunno have to tok Vietnamese. If marry Vietnamese girl, I also dunno how to tok to her also. *sigh* Life is simple yet so complicated. Why leh? Piano Man Dun Dare Come Home Anymore Piano man sayz he dun dare to come back for concert anymore. I actually dunno how to apprecaite music one. Somehow, I still feel sad. :-(ST, Dec 4, 2005His open letter to Singaporeans: 'I am saddened and dismayed'I HAVE read with heavy heart the reactions to the article that appeared in The Sunday Times regarding my return to Singapore. I had not expected my interview on my upcoming performance to turn out that way, and I am saddened and dismayed that I have unknowingly become the cause of the uproar over the national service issue.When I made the difficult decision to return to Singapore, several things weighed on my mind. I understood that I would be coming back to face the courts, and that I was taking a risk, because I had no idea what sentence would be meted. The possibility of a jail term was very real to me, and I was prepared for the worst.I was however driven by two things - my desire to contribute to the growth of the arts here, and my overwhelming need to see my parents, who are old and have missed me.I went before the courts and pleaded my case, like others before me - I was afforded no special treatment, nor were concessions given me because of my profession. When the verdict was delivered - it is impossible to describe how I felt.Relief of course, which flooded me - the sort of relief only the forgiven can feel. And deeper than that, gratitude.What has happened has caused my parents and me no small amount of anguish. In the light of the sentiments prevailing, I have decided it is best I defer my public appearances, for the debate on the national service to continue without my further aggravating it.In considering the interests of those participating in the National Piano and Violin Competition, and its organiser, the National Arts Council, I have decided not to be an adjudicator for the competition.I also do not wish to put Esplanade in a difficult position, which it has likely found itself in, given the turn of events, and am putting off my performance there also.I hope one day I will still be able to perform in Singapore. I hope to tell you through music what I have found so difficult to put into words.Melvyn Tan My Brudder The Kway Teow Man I told my brudder that got girl want to marry me now because I got a blog.He sayz "izzit? You sure or not?"Then hor, he decided to start his own blog too!My brudder tak more chek than me, so he tok a bit chim chim sometimes and I catch no ball. But hor, he still my brudder lah. Xiam NS Jialat Liao Today I understand why people like to blog.I only put up my blog for one day. Then I got this nice blogger girl Molly Meek say she wants to marry me if I get England passport.I sell mee pok many years already. Every time some chio bu come to buy mee pok from me, I always smile to her and say "Hello miss, how are you doing? What can I get for you today?" in my very best england. But hor, they always just say "mee pok tar, ai/mai hiam" and turn away.Wah, now because I put up blog, actually got girl sayz want to marry me me. Amazing.Anyway, I tell my mother about this nice nice pro-Garmen bimbo girl. She said, "zun boh, you got girl like you meh? You only mee pok man leh!"I said, "Er, not really like me lah, she says she will marry me if I got England passport. Also hor, she likes to eat mee pok and fishballs"."Cheh, you got fever lah, people play play with you you also believe," my mother say. "Anyhow hor, dun get too close with these pro-Garmen types. Wait police catch you and rotan you."Mother is always right. I scared scared lah. Scared kenna rotan, so I sad sad.Okay lah, maybe cannot marry Molly Meek, but maybe can still make friend. I now only got three friends -- the prata man, the curry fish-head uncle and his dog, Fifi.Talk about kenna rotan. I read on Molly's blog that the Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean wants to tekan the people who don't do NS jialat jialat.What to do? All these people every day complain that it's too cheap to fine the piano man $5,000. Now hor, we want to fine such people a lot a lot of money and make them go to jail.Wah, these people win already loh. Just complain and complain and the market price of skipping NS goes up. Maybe I should also complain that my mee pok is too cheap. Then maybe Garmen will increase the price of my mee pok and I can make enough money to buy England passport.Maybe Garmen is starting to listen to the people liao. I heard last time, the Garmen always do what the people say don't do and dun do what the people say do.Curry fish-head uncle today tell me that elections coming, so soon we get ang bao. I ask him simi ang bao? He sayz in Singapore hor, Christmas actually comes only once every four years. I told him, too chim. I dun understand. What toking you? My mother say Christmas always in December. He sighed and went back to cooking his curry.Aiyah, I also dunno much about Garmen things lah. I only know how to cook mee pok. Fortunately, I am happy cooking mee pok.Molly Meek nice nice to me. I like her. If she comes to visit my mee pok store, I will chia her one bowl of my mee pok. If she brings her chio bu friends, I will chia them too.The Internet is so wonderful. Also dunno who invent one. NKF Okay Liao I actually bok simi tachek one, but my mother say that read newspaper good for me, so I read loh. Newspaper says that NKF now got new boss and new practices leh:Dec 1, 2005Leaner, more transparent NKF after major overhaulNew policies and practices in place; audited accounts show inconsistenciesBy Bertha HensonSUPERVISING EDITOR (HOME)ONE man ran the show, pulled the strings and decided who got what.This picture of the National Kidney Foundation under the old T.T. Durai regime emerged yesterday when its new board presented its progress report.Four months into the job as the charity's interim chief executive, Prof Goh Chee Leok detailed all the changes that the board has made to make the charity leaner, more transparent and accountable.They represent an extensive overhaul of the NKF: its flat organisational structure, in which 48 department heads reported to one man, in which senior executives could approve buying, spending and other staff perks at their discretion, and in which the roles of board director and executive appear melded into one.For the first time, the NKF revealed its full audited accounts for 2004, giving Singaporeans a clear picture of exactly what money it received and what it spent, as promised by the new board.They showed up the inconsistent accounting practices of the past, with more than $6 million written off.Of this, half was because a firm had not been able to deliver a computer software system as contracted. The NKF had paid out $3.28 million to Forte Systems, a company that is connected to ex-board member Matilda Chua. The new board has terminated its services and hopes to recover some money.Speaking to the media after an annual general meeting last night, board members would not be drawn into commenting on how its predecessor ran NKF affairs, but it was clear its policies fell short of the best practices of corporate governance.Interim chairman Gerard Ee said that he preferred to look ahead and set up structures and policies to ensure continued care of kidney patients.'What needs immediate fixing, we dealt with it. Where there was a need to introduce HR policies or enhance financial policies, we did it. The focus is to deal with current and future matters,' he added.Another concern: The fear that the $162 million in reserves for kidney patients, enough to last about five years, would run down, since donations have fallen since July.NKF now has more than 1,900 patients, with 68 joining in October alone - twice as many a month compared to last year. It needs at least $5 million to build two new dialysis centres to cater to new patients.The progress report gave the most extensive look at how Mr Durai, who quit with the board in July amid public outcry, had led the charity for decades.The en masse resignation was triggered by a failed defamation suit against The Straits Times, during which Mr Durai disclosed his $600,000 annual salary and perks and admitted to manipulating figures on the reserves and patient numbers in court.After Mr Ee and the board started work on July 18, they called in the Commercial Affairs Department and independent auditors KPMG when they noticed 'matters of grave concern'.The CAD has yet to announce the results of its investigations, but the KPMG audit will be made public in the middle of this month.The new board has delegated specific roles to each of its eight members, with oversight over finance, human resource police and medical issues, for example.Instead of the old flat organisational structure, which 'unduly concentrated power in one man', there will be just six key staff members leading the departments.Staff will have to follow new guidelines on making purchases and other human resource policies, which Mr Ee described as the most 'challenging' aspect of the review. For example, limits were set on cellphone bills, some of which used to hit $800 a month. Also, corporate credit cards that were given out to staff have been cancelled.The NKF will outsource its internal audit functions, after discovering that they had been carried out by unqualified staff.And rather than give one man the power to approve or reject patients who want to appeal for more funds, an independent panel was set up to vet the cases. So far, of 103 appeals, 90 have succeeded.Patients appear to be the biggest beneficiaries of the overhaul.Reductions in staff cost of some $5 million a year and other cost-cutting measures have led to lower dialysis cost, while a more streamlined subsidy policy has led to less out of pocket payment by the patients.Between January and June, the NKF gave out $1.7 million per month in subsidies. In just four months between July and October, this figure was more than $2 million per month.But, Prof Goh said, patient numbers are likely to go up even as donations fall.Calling on donors not to take out their anger on the patients, he put the dilemma starkly: 'If you stop giving, our patients will die.'I last time got give money to NKF one. Not very much lah, since I sell mee pok one bowl only $3. But still I give money to NKF. Also, I like to see their show on TV.Then later hor, they say that the NKF boss use my money to make gold toilet bowl so I upset and din give them money anymore.Also hor, they say that NKF got so much money, 30 years also cannot finish. I give them my money for what. Better to use the money to buy 4-D. Win alreadi can go holiday.Newspaper also say that this Durai guy is being investigated by police. Next month then know if must put him in jail. If he anyhow spend my money, I think he should go to jail lah. Although I like to cook mee pok, money come not easy leh.Okay lah, maybe now that this Durai guy is not boss and NKF will not anyhow spend my money, I will give NKF money again lah. Kidney failure very cham. I feel sorry for the people who got kidney problem olso. My First Blog This is my first blog. Very interesting leh. Never blog before. I see people got blog. Seems like fun, so I also wan. Now I have my own blog. I'm happy.Today I read about this guy who plays piano in the newspaper. I think his name is Melvyn Tan. Actually hor, he has been in the news for the last few weeks alreadi.They say that he pay $33,000 and dun have to do NS. Wah, like that also can?They say that he went to England when he was 12. Then, he never come back for 37 years. He din dare come back 'cos when when they call him to do NS, he dun wan to come back, so if he come back, police will catch. Then recently hor, he came back to see mother see father and Garmen fine him $3,000 only. The other $30,000 his father and mother pay a long long time ago.Many people not happy. They say $3,000 too cheap. Must jail him or fine him more money. $3,000 cheap meh? I have to sell many many bowls of mee pok to make $3,000 leh. Maybe play piano make money easier lah. Too bad I only know how to cook mee pok, dunno how to play piano. :-(They also say that he got Queen now and no longer sing majula. Hmm, got something I dun understand. How come he dun sing majula, people still wan him to do NS leh? If got war, he will come back to protect my mee pok store meh?Actually hor, last time when I do NS, quite cham one. Can only book out on Saturday to see girlfriend. Then girlfriend also run away and now I only got mee pok store. Then hor, every day sergeant tekan me until cham cham and I want to cry also.Maybe people not happy because they kenna tekan cham cham. And now hor, they also want this pianist guy to kenna tekan cham cham then they shoik.The news today also got this guy who say he likes to do NS leh.Dec 1, 2005FINE FOR PIANIST WHO EVADED NS Continue to believe in national service I REFER to Mr Ben Leong Wing Lup's letter, 'Moral of story behind Mindef reply on NS case' (ST, Nov 29). Thousands of mature young men like me do their national service (NS) each year. The real reason we answer the call-up is not to enjoy the rewards cited, like HDB concessionary loans, IPPT monetary awards and New Singapore Shares. We all serve NS so that our parents, siblings and loved ones will sleep well each and every night. We know that we must defend what belongs to us. And when I ORD, I will continue to sleep well as I know there will be others like me who will give up 2 1/2 years of their life to defend the country. Without young men like us, Singapore is really just 'a little red dot' on the map. The crux of the matter is about renown pianist Melvyn Tan and his fine of at most $5,000. It doesn't matter if he left Singapore when he was nine, 12 or 18 years old. What matters is that at 18 years of age he should be mature enough to realise that he had a major responsibility at hand. He could have called Mindef for advice, and perhaps sought a deferment. At the worst, he could have emigrated early if he felt that Singapore was not the place to call home. His legal guardian should also have given him sound advice. In the end, it is about individual responsibility. I do not think that Mr Tan woke up one month before his concert in Singapore and realised that he had not served his national service. I urge all male Singaporeans to continue to believe in national service. Without us, there would not be a safe Singapore. Ivan Michael PungI very impressed. Maybe next time if go to war, I can fight next to him. Too bad I no good at shooting rifle, only good at cooking mee pok.Aiyah, I hope we won't go to war lah. I a bit scared scared. I wonder how many people will fight leh? Aiyah, actually hor, talk is cheap lah. Do NS, all also can do. When go to war, then we know who talk only and who really believe in NS.This guy say that he do NS not for dunno what share what award. True ah. I also din do NS for these dunno what share what award ah, but if Garmen give me money, I also happy.Dunno leh, if I got $33,000, I think I still want to stay in Singapore and sell mee pok. $33,000 can buy a lot of things leh.If I pay $33,000 and go to England to sell mee pok, dunno can earn back the money in 2 and a half years or not. I seldom have ang-mo customers, so dunno if the ang-mo in England like mee pok also. I guess the ang-mo must like piano music so the piano guy can survive in England by playing piano.Alamak, better not take the risk lah. Also hor, if I move to England, very lei cheh to fly back to see mother see father. Hmmm, so many reasons to stay in Singapore.Really dun really understand why so many people unhappy with this piano guy. People got money and can play piano so people go and play piano for Queen lah. People like me, got no money, only know how to cook mee pok, so must do NS loh. Actually not so bad olso what. I actually quite happy selling mee pok in Singapore olso. If go to England scully Queen dun like to eat mee pok how?Maybe a lot of people want to play piano for the Queen, but cannot go, so they upset. I feel sorry for them. Maybe these people can come and learn to cook mee pok from me. Quite fun one. Makes me happy. Maybe it will make them happy too.