Wei Kiat's Blog

I think you have every right to say express your views. Maybe you might really be ranting. Whatever it is, hopefully someday you will understand its much easier to talk about self-improvement and self-determination when you are already up there...
 

this whole issue is a very disappointing one...
 

Dear Shu Min, the words of the wise bring healing...you may want to measure your words by such a yardstick..
 

if this counts as an apology, then sorry would not be the hardest word to say...
 

Two images sprang to my mind when I read about the decibel that Wee Shu Min has created recenty. She had commented on blogger, Mr. Derek Wee’s views on the anxieties of Singapore workers. He was worried about competition from foreign talent and the lack of job opportunities for older workers in Singapore. He has implored the Singapore government to understand Singaporean’s predicament.

In his comments on his daughter’s action, her father, Mr. Wee Siew Kim supported her basic point that a well-educated university graduate who works for a multinational company should not be bemoaning about the Government and he should get on with the challenges in life. As a parent, he confessed that he may not have inculcated the appropriate level of sensitivity. This led me to think of two famous parents who did took the effort to make sure that this type of insensitivity will not take root with their children.

The first was Princess Diana who made clandestine visits to terminally- ill AIDS patients. She would turn up unannounced, with stict instructions that these vsists be hidden from the media . At times, she would bring her sons along as she felt that there was a need for them to connect not only with the common people but with those who were disadvantages.

The second was a photograph of our Prime Mininster as a young teenager who had accompained his father MM Lee to visit Pulau Ubin. I remembered him holding an umbrella standing next to his father.

According to MM Lee from his book Lee Kuan Yew, The Man and His Idea, he explained that when he took office as the Prime Minister, he and his wife chose not to move into Sri Temasek which was the official resident. His children was still young then, age ranging between two to seven. He felt that it would be a very bad thing for his children as they might get an inflated idea of who they were, what they were with all the servants around and the gardeners. As parents, they have tried to make their children have a sort of normal environemnt which was equal to the kind of life he led before he was the prime minister.

I can only postulate at the possible reasons why the internet community is so disappointed with Shu Ming. Coming from an elit school, being a Humanities Scholars with the poetntial of winning a scholarship to study overseas and coming back with a job awaiting for her in the prestiges Administrative Services, one wonder if she would be formulating policy that would take into consideration all strata of society.

Prince William was expected to be king and thus his mother made an extra effort to ensure that he knew how to buy a hambruger, a bag of sweet or even take a ride at a theme park.

As for PM Lee Hsian Loong, I remebered reading an article a few years ago about him waiting for his son to come back from a ruby tour in South Africa. What struck me was the last paragraph where the reporter said that our PM was waiting in line at the MacDonal counter to buy food for his son.
As for Shu Ming, perhaps a possibility could be for her to attend some of the meet-the- people session that her father, a memebr of the Ang Mo Kio GRC conducts every Tuesday. From there, she could learn how her father plans to build an inclusive and caring community, where he reaches out to his residents in need and lsiten and channel feedback on issues and needs to the government.

To those who are given more, more will be expected from them. Shu Ming has been blessed with a gift for writing and an ability to perform well in school. All she needs to do is to develop that sensitivity that Derek Wee has for those who have given less in society. In all probability, she would be placed in a position where she will be able to make a difference in people’s life. Will she takes up this challenge in life? Can she take this brutal truth ? Only time will tell

http://www.fohl.blogspot.com/
 

Hey...ok first of all...her apology doesnt sound sincere...seriously...it sounds like a naive lil girl trying to explain why she outraged peoples sensitivities and then passed it off as "ranting". please...owh puh-lease....secondly...GROW UP KID...not everybody is elite like you...think about other people...dont be selfish....
 

Mmm. Okay. I understand that this is a bit late. To be honest, yeah, I think she was pretty insensitive, and she really doesnt understand how hard it is to get a job in singapore. (Not that I'm old enough to try xD. I've just heard a lot from people who have tried. However, reading MOS's comment, I just wanted to say something.
"I can only postulate at the possible reasons why the internet community is so disappointed with Shu Ming. Coming from an elit school, being a Humanities Scholars with the poetntial of winning a scholarship to study overseas and coming back with a job awaiting for her in the prestiges Administrative Services, one wonder if she would be formulating policy that would take into consideration all strata of society."
To be honest, yes, some people would be upset at her because of what she may become. But some people may simply be picking at the fact that she's from RJC, and that she's "elite". I know that this may seem like a lame explanation, but what's done is done. She's 18. I'm 13, so dont accuse me of letting her off 'cause she's young xD. But can you actually imagine always having the spotlight on you? Can you imagine having a busy dad -- one so busy that he might not even be able to spend much time with you? Who cares if she's a GEP? Who cares of she's from RJC? She's still a human being. Yes, she should start treating other people like human beings too, but still. Can you imagine the pressure? If you were in that position, wouldnt you be frequently frustrated? Wouldnt you want to confine in your friends as well? She was blogging, and I know that those entries are out there for the whole world to see, but .. sometimes, when you blog, you forget that the whole world can see it. She could be more careful, I know, but isn't it a mistake that we all make when we blog? She does have a slight bit of a point, to be truthful. We're in a competitive world. Okay, singapore might be more competitive in comparison to other places, and yeah, there are things that we'll need to improve, but at the same time, it really still depends on each person's attitude. Some people may have "boosts", but when given the opportunity, people still have to know how to handle it. Wee Shu Min said some pretty unnecessary things concerning grammar and whatever, and it really was those unnecessary things that got everyone flaming. But what she was you? She apologized already. I honestly dont know if it was sincere, but if it's an apology, just take it and forget. You can keep on flaming her, but what good will it do? She's under pressure. Just forgive her. Come on.
 

* what if

sorry.
 

Her apology doesn't matter. She is just a kid who grew up in a secure environment. But what's worrying is the attitude of her father who seems to endorse her views, he is a minister who is probably aware of the problems faced by his constituents during the Meet the people sessions....
 

I do not echo shumin's views and likewise some of her criticisms are uncalled for. Yet, I feel that everyone is prone to making mistake, and it is just unfortunate that she made her mistake on the Internet, a public domain which everyone has access to. Let us not forget the fact that she was ONLY 18 and that her blog entry has not exactly resulted in a rift between the "elites" and the "non-elites". we should just accept her apology and let bygones be bygones.
 

i just read this,what a lively discussion! i believe her views and rantings is part of her upbringing and arrogance instilled into her since young,and proof of the disease in the ruling class;those overpaid, undermotivated and underworked,clowns and crooks pretending to be leaders, enjoying the trappings of office and power,(won by despicable means)and taxing us to death; withholding our cpf monies for reasons best known only to themselves.This is real animal farm. One sad day, we will wake up and realised that we have been lied to, cheated and scammed.
But BG Lee? he brilliant,and i hope he will not end up carrying this type of virus. O yes,i m not ranting, (that naivette says it is a private blog, which is essentially saying it's none of your business) she still thinks we are stupid or wat? ok, pardon my lousy gamar, what?
some people think too highly of themselves, just because they can speak good ingish and they learn from angmohs and try to impose their stupik language standards on us.
 

Dear, dear Shu Min - for someone with such illustrious education and such a bright future I'd thought that you would have been very well able to read between the lines and possess basic human empathy.
 

Hey Shu Min,

You have talent for writing but your people skills suck but yet again you're a kid who's yet to see the real world.
 

For Wee Shu Min, she really probably should learn to "grow from love", instead of telling someone who works hard for money to live to scram off, although they might earn "peanuts" to her and her family members who have millions in their pockets. Not only does the letter or post lack social grace and civility, but it also needs a serious editorial check for the editorial flaws! Does she as a Humanities Scholar of our country really deserve the scholarship given to her, considering the poor editorial front presented? As a former editor, I can at least list out 10 errors which glare at one right in the face.
 

Hey Shu Min,
I want to say that sometimes you might want to put yourself into our peoples shoes and empathize with them. Not everyone grew up in a family like yours. My family is the exact opposite of yours~ You need to know that in every country, there are the rich and the not so rich. It is a mix. I know this is a very very very very late reply. But this has been something I have wanted to say since 2006 when I knew about it.
 

"i was under the naiive impressions that nobody reads my blog :)"

so, from what i gather, you're sorry you got caught? get out of my low-cass, compassionate face :)
 

I don't get it.. you are from RJC but you do not know to start a sentence with capital letter? Your pronunciation and grammar really needs improving. You are such a disappointment to Singapore.