Active Ageing Index and the plight of the elderly (Letter to Forum Page Editor) Hi Friends,The following was sent to the Forum Page Editor.Awaiting publication ( if approved)To:The Editor,XXX Forum pageI refer to the article “Not-so-golden years for the elderly in Singapore”.The report by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) academics confirmed what most of us had long suspected. Amongst the elderly surveyed those who scored high for active ageing ranged from a low 5 percent Singapore Healthcare- Collective response from some Gleneagles specialists Hi Friends,The letter below was written after a group of Gleneagles specialist doctors felt that what Dr Lee Wei Ling ( yes she is MM's daughter but she usually still has a mind of her own) wrote  in the previous week's column made a lot of sense (Training GP's to be family physicians) . And as usual, they turned to me and said, " SC, can you write to the papers and say that we support her on Singaporeans' Medisave Money for Malaysian hospitals Hi Friends, Gong Xi Fa Cai! May we not just have material blessings but also good health so that we can live meaningful lives amongst our kinfolks, friends and community. My largely unedited letter has been published in the Straits Times Forum today. I am disturbed that MOH –which had backed down earlier about setting up Old Folks’ Homes in Malaysia after an uproar, has now introduced it World Cup 2010: Singapore's MDA has duty to fulfil responsibility to Singapore's public Hi Friends,The letter below was published in the Straits Times Forum page (22.1.10) ( albeit in a truncated version).The letter: Dear Editor,The Media Development Authority (MDA) should take decisive action now to ensure that key World Cup 2010 matches, including Opening match, semi-finals and final matches are telecast over the free-to-air channels, regardless of what cable content providers do Singapore Healthcare- A Personal Perspective Hi Friends,I know our healthcare system is not perfect.And our doctors are definitely not “angels”.But there are still Singapore doctors out there who are ethical and abide by the spirit of the Hippocratic Oath (even in the private sector) that I feel a defence of our system is warranted here.Is our healthcare more expensive than our neighbours’ ? Are there times when we wished that the results Singapore Athletics' SAA sucks- so please go Hi Friends,Singapore’s Athletics, as embodied by the Singapore Athletics Association, sucks and I have said it here before.It is high-time the government stepped in.Much as I dislike too much government interference in our lives, this particular move by Balakrishnan and gang is the right move.When the SAA’s bosses remain intransigent and do not reform ( and improve) for the sake of society, then English proficiency for foreign frontline service workers Hi friends,In May 2008, I wrote to the papers to suggest that foreign frontline service workers be required to take basic English proficiency tests. This will increase productivity (as English is our lingua franca) and reduce the angst of many Singaporeans who had encountered frontline workers who could not understand English.If such a worker was working at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, one Dollah Kassim and other heroes from my childhood. Hi Friends,Close your eyes.Imagine Dollah Kassim standing before a ball in the National Stadium- about to take a free kick.If you cannot picture him with his classic “arms akimbo” pose, I can bet that you were not at any Malaysia Cup match of the 1970’s.Boys of my vintage derived immense pleasure from thronging to the Kallang arena weekend after weekend to watch the likes of Dollah Kassim whip Upgrading PP & Hougang: Righting a shameful wrong Dear Friends,Despite the good that our PAP leaders have done, shameful partisan acts such as denying public resources to tax-paying citizens just because they exercised their constitutional right to elect a Member of Parliament (MP) of their choice, would negatively impact on their historical legacy when they have finally left the stage ( or the world).Neutral historians ( not the Men-in-white Singapore Athletics- Still stuck in the 70's Hi Friends,Although I am a keen observer of Singapore sports, I confess that essentially I am not much more than an armchair critic.However, all stakeholders of Singapore Sports, even chair-bound ones like myself , have a right to expect something from Singapore Athletics.Athletics has remained trapped in the 70’s. While sports like Swimming, Bowling, Sailing and Table-tennis have moved forward Private Educational Organisations- Accountability needed in the system Hi friends, I have written to Straits Times Forum about the ongoing debacle that has struck Singapore’s Private Education System. I have strong feelings about this as I had enrolled in 2 Private Educational Organisations (PEO) in the past 3-4 years ( and I enjoyed it). The first PEO was an University of London accredited college and I spent one year on the London School of Economics (external Feeling like the least favourite child by Nur Dianah Suhaimi Nur Dianah Suhaimi: Feeling like the least favourite childAugust 17, 2008 (The Straits Times)As a Malay, I’ve always been told that I have to work twice as hard to prove my worthWhen I was younger, I always thought of myself as the quintessential Singaporean.Of my four late grandparents, two were Malay, one was Chinese and one was Indian. This, I concluded, makes me a mix of all the main races in Malays and SAF: Revisiting the issue Hi Friends,I have written to the Forum page on the following issue.I suspect it may not be published so I am publishing it here after I have not heard from the editor after 2 days.Here goes,Dr.Huang Shoou ChyuanThe letter :June 26, 2009Dear Editor,I congratulate Col Ishak Ismail on being the first Malay to be made general in the SAF.Ishak’s promotion and the forthcoming 44th National Day RIP: MJ- A Child star without a childhood The King of Pop of my generation has died.For Singaporeans of my generation who are wedged between the “Baby Boomers and Gen X”, MJ best personifies our childhood and teenage years.Perhaps only the Bee Gees had as much impact on my life.I grew up following MJ firstly as one of the Jackson Five and later when he went solo.I collected MJ’s albums initially as “LP records” then as audio-cassettes Stars & Dignatories blog for Aung San Suu Kyi- do your part Hi Friends,I chanced upon this website where thousands including international politicians and Hollywood stars wrote moving tributes in an effort to get Daw Aung San Suu Kyi freed from incarceration in Burma. The website is 64forsuu.org (click here)This post is just a small effort from me to do my bit.Please read, pen something if you want and pass it on!Cheers,Dr.Huang Shoou ChyuanInformation Singapore's electoral reform- Great but ... Hi Friends,The following letter was published in today's Straits Times Forum page.Although some of the points seemed suspiciously similar to Sylvia's speech, please note that the letter was submittted on the night of 27th May but Sylvia spoke after that. Maybe we have telepathy?Cheers,Dr.Huang Shoou ChyuanThe published letter (29.5.09) ST ForumYESTERDAY'S report, 'Parliament to get more diverse Burma: Peace virgil for Aung San Suu Kyi Hi Friends,All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. Edmund Burke Irish orator, philosopher, & politician (1729 - 1797)I have used Burke’s quotation more than a few times in my posts about Burma’s actions against its own people and against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. I still feel that its use is appropriate as the regime remains intransigient and despotic.I have written About Temasek and the bike Hi Friends,I cannot resist a dig at Temasek.This rant is perhaps born out of a need to vent out my anger and frustration. What happened at Temasek is akin to what happened to me the past week.I felt a sudden need to buy a bicycle.Don’t ask me why, I just needed one. Actually it is a little more complicated than that. My son T wanted a bike and after doing research about bikes for him, I decided I Pink Dot- It is your Right, but is it Smart? Hi Friends,I am liberal minded and I am happy with the triumph of secularism over intolerance in the recent AWARE EGM. Singapore is a secular state and no single religion should be allowed to impose its values on the rest- no matter how well intended this was. For me, tolerance and inclusivity is the only way to go.Silent conservative majority awakenedHowever, many of you must have realised by AWARE- Appeal for cool heads and compromise AWARE: Appeal for cool heads and compromise ( Unpublished letter to the Forum editor)Dear Editor,I read with concern of how the recent AWARE AGM had led to the emergence of two groups of Singaporeans who are now set on an apparent collision course.This is not just any ordinary boardroom tussle where the losers nurse bruised egos and live to fight another day. The stakes are much higher. Everyone Must See: Wu Guanzhong Donation Collection An Unbroken Line - The Wu Guanzhong Donation CollectionFrom Singapore Art Museum WebsiteWu Guanzhong's donation of 113 works to the Singapore Art Museum in 2008 is the highest valued donation presented to a public museum in Singapore. This exhibition will showcase all 113 works representing five decades of the artist's creative oeuvre. A key significance of Wu Guanzhong’s art is the crossing and Thanks Minister, I also do not want Singapore to be a rogue regime! Hi Friends,It appears that Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has changed his mind about including foreigners in the organ donation scheme.The Straits times mentioned that “Only Singaporeans will be reimbursed for donating a kidney.” And that “Payments will be extended to foreigners only when there is enough confidence in the scheme, said Health Minister Khaw Bonn Wan yesterday.”Mr. Khaw even said “We A Top-Ranking I am not Proud of PM Lee tops list of 10 best-paid world politiciansThursday, 2 April 2009, 3:27 pm From Times:There is nothing like a scandal involving porn films claimed on Commons expenses to focus attention on the pay and perks enjoyed, sorry earned, by our public servants.Even before Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, was forced to apologise for her husband’s blue movies there had been calls for the whole Organ-trading through the back door Dear Friends,The letter to the Forum page (see below) was sent a few days ago.As the editor is taking a long time to decide if he should publish it, I feel that I should publish it now while it is still newsworthy and still fresh in your minds.Personally I feel that this is an example of how bad laws still get passed through our parliament.I am not arguing that all should agree with my views Pseudonyms and anonymous blogging- Are nom de guerre still needed in Singapore? Hi Friends, Introduction What do Vladimir Il'ich Ulyanov, Yosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, Saloth Sar and Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, have in common with Samuel Clemens and Charles Dodgson? They are all famous personalities in history and they all had pseudonyms. Their nom de guerre (French for “war name”) or nom de plume ( pen name) were Lenin,Stalin,Pol Pot, Carlos the Jackal, Mark Twain and 58B! Temasek's investment portfolio down 31% to S$127b as of 30 Nov 2008Channelnewsasia 10.2.09SINGAPORE: Temasek Holdings' portfolio of investments fell 31 per cent to S$127 billion as of 30 November last year, according to latest data revealed in Parliament on Tuesday.This was down S$58 billion from S$185 billion eight months earlier in light of the global financial crisis.Senior Minister of State Medical Guideline on Fees should be reinstated now Hi,The Straits Times Forum printed my letter on the issue of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) Guideline On Fees (GOF).I have blogged on this matter in 2007 (here).Recently the topic is on the radar screen again - I think because it was resurrected by Prof. Lee Wei Ling. If you do not already know, she is the daughter of MM Lee Kuan Yew.Dr. Huang Shoou ChyuanNB: (11.2.09) The CCS has Singapore faces the abyss and what I can do about it! January 21, 2009Singapore faces devastating exodus of foreignersLeo Lewis, Asia Business CorrespondentFrom Times OnlineSingapore faces an exodus of 200,000 foreigners as the financial services and manufacturing industries scythe through their workforces and the city-state grinds towards the worst recession in its 43-year history.The expected exodus, predict analysts at Credit Suisse, could see To Jeremy Hi Friends,I am sincerely happy for Jeremy Tan and his parents. ( see Breaking News on Family Wins Suit)Jeremy and parents have endured too much! Mindef should not appeal the judgement.Mindef should do serious soul searching. Whose decision was it to avoid compensation for Jeremy's injuries? -the injuries that Justice Tay Yong Kwang ruled were 'attributable to service' and hence "entitled to a Will my country just do the Right Thing? Hi Friends,A letter to the editor about a general non-specific topic!CheersDr.HuangDear editor,Re:Doing the Right Thing!I am not referring to any case that is before our courts for that would constitute “sub judice” and anyone making inappropriate public comments may be deemed to be guilty of contempt of court.With hand on heart, I feel that it is an honour for any young man to serve his country