Sunday, August 29, 2010


This is an era when international mobility is a privilege that many of our bright young men and women enjoy. The world is their oyster.

They were born and raised in Singapore. Some may have completed their tertiary education here, while others did so overseas. But I have cousins whose children have chosen to exchange their pink Singapore identity cards for United States passports.

If ever there is a major crisis in Singapore, those who would be able to emigrate, be accepted by another country and get jobs there would invariably be people who are wealthy and/or professionals with marketable skills.

The Government knows that talent is mobile and that Singapore must compete with other countries to offer an attractive living environment and vibrant culture so as to retain talented Singaporeans and attract foreign talent here.

I am a paediatric neurologist. I can pass any medical examination that Canada, the US, Australia or New Zealand may impose before accepting me as a high-skilled immigrant or 'exceptional alien'. Would I take such opportunities?

Wednesday, August 18, 2010


SAF version:

To: Parents
of whomsover concerned

Please be informed that under Enlistment Chapter 32, we can arrest your son lock him up in Kranji for not complying with our orders. You yourselves can also be arrest for harboring anyone not complying with orders and be locked up in Changi.

You're hereby advised, it's best for you and your sons to comply.

Yours sincerely,

(rank (usually lieutenant, inspector or above) and name)

AWOL = section 22(1), chapter 295
disobedience to general orders = section 21, chapter 295
non compliance to lawful order = section 17(2), chapter 295
conduct to prejudice of good order = section 25, chapter 295

Wednesday, August 11, 2010


Question: What is emotionalism?

Answer: The English word "emotionalism" is defined as, "excessively emotional character...excessive appeal to the emotions...a tendency to...respond with undue emotion" (RHCD, pg. 433).

The Bible heart. The Bible has much to say about the heart of man, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4: 23). When analyzed, the Bible heart consists of intellect, will, emotions, and conscience (Matt. 13: 15, 22; Heb. 4: 12; Matt. 22: 37; Acts 23: 1).

Emotions are vital, but emotion must not rule the intellect. Fear, love, and joy are all biblical emotions (Heb. 12: 28; I Cor. 13: 1-8; Acts 8: 39). However, all these emotions depend on God's word for guidance, structure, and definition (cp. 2 Tim. 1: 7; I Jn. 2: 15; Jas. 4: 9). The elder brother was engulfed in emotion when he thus reacted to his brother's return, "And he was angry, and would not go in..." (Lk. 15: 28). Many people become blinded to the truth because their emotions are out of control.

Emotionalism in religion. Many organized religions rely on emotionalism. They work people into a frenzy and call this emotional, out of control condition salvation. Even during the time of real spiritual gifts, control and structure were to be practiced (I Cor. 14: 26-40). Christianity is basically an orderly teaching religion (Jn. 6: 44, 45, Eph. 4: 20). We are to "learn of Christ" (Matt. 11: 28 ff.).

Emotions uncontrolled blur and paralyze the mind. However, the intellect without emotion is spiritually worthless. The happy combination of emotion and intellect is seen in the Roman's obedience. "But God be thanked...ye have obeyed from the heart (emotion, dm) that form of doctrine (intellect, dm)..." (Rom. 6: 17, see vs. 18). A final warning regarding emotionalism: "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered" (Prov. 28: 26).

Monday, August 2, 2010


I was searching for some old books containing many of my favourite Chinese poems.
My books and my room at my parents' house have seen extensive changes since I moved to live with my brother Lee Hsien Loong's family from 2002 to 2005. My room at Hsien Loong's house was too small to move more than a tenth of the books I needed. So the rest, I left in my room in Oxley Road.
In 2003, after my mother suffered a bleed into her brain, my room at my parents' house was extensively renovated so a nurse could rest there. The nurse needed more creature comforts than I did. So a bed was placed in the room and a water heater was installed in the bathroom so she could have a warm shower.
And my books, packed in boxes, were moved into the basement. It took me two days a few weekends ago to find the books I wanted and even then, I couldn't find several.
But by chance, I did find the nine medals that I had been awarded for topping my cohort in medical school as well as individual prizes in subjects where I was first in class. One medal that I recall was made of pure gold was missing. I had handed it to my mother to be locked up as I have a talent for losing things.
I was surprised that I felt no sense of triumph or joy when I found the medals. In my immature youth, I had worked very hard to earn them. Indeed, 35 years ago when I was in medical school, I would study the following year's subjects even while on vacations, reading several textbooks on each subject before the new term began.
Hence, I knew not only the scientific facts that the authorities agreed about, but I was also aware of what was still controversial. When term started and I attended the lectures, I didn't have to take notes except when I wanted to prevent myself from falling asleep.
I remember that while I was still a medical student, I accompanied my parents on a trip to Osaka. A Mr S. Oya, an elderly gentleman who owned Teijin, a manufacturer of synthetic fibre, invited us to his house for dinner. His first wife had died and he had married a woman much younger than he was - a vivacious Japanese lady not at all sedate as one would expect a Japanese wife to be. When my parents introduced me to her, she prophesied 'one day you will be a famous professor'. I did not demur since that indeed was my ambition.
Decades have passed since then, and my priorities in life have changed. Medals and titles now mean little to me. What matters is that I must do right, and I should do so even if I offend people who have power over me.
I have acquired the title of 'Professor', but that gives me no joy. In fact, I prefer to be addressed as 'Dr'. The title 'professor' has been sprinkled around liberally among the medical fraternity here, and there are some professors with whom I certainly do not wish to be grouped.My younger brother, Lee Hsien Yang, once asked me: 'Why do you step on powerful and sensitive toes?'
I replied: 'But if I don't, who will do so to put things right?'
Hsien Yang is no coward. When in the army, to which he was bonded for eight years for accepting the President's Scholarship as well as the Singapore Armed Forces Scholarship, he earned badges for scuba diving as well as parachuting. He needed to get only one of the two badges, as all senior officers had to to prove to their men that they were not cowards.
Hsien Yang got both. Like me, he likes physical challenges. But as a businessman, he knows that antagonising powerful people does not make good business sense.
But I am not a businesswoman; I am a doctor serving patients in the public sector. Since 2008, I have also been a regular columnist in The Straits Times and The Sunday Times. I am much less important and well known than my two brothers or my sisters-in-law. But writing columns gives me a chance to discuss social trends and to point out government policies that I think are wrong.
That does not mean my bosses cannot take action against me if they so wish. But it is better to do what is morally correct than to be so afraid that one does not dare say 'boo' to our superiors. Pay rise, bonus, promotion or demotion are much less important than doing what is right. Besides, if I do not try to right a wrong that I am aware of, my conscience will bother me.
I don't think my temperament has changed since I was a child, but my purpose in life certainly has - and I hope it has changed for the better. I try not to hesitate to speak up when my superiors or even the Government do something that I think is not in the best interest of Singapore. The criticism is made with the sincere wish to improve our system and to benefit Singaporeans.
I do all this not because I wish to score points or gain glory. I do so because I owe Singapore a debt for the opportunities it has given me. In return, people in my position should always do what they think is the best for Singapore.

1. Prof Khoo Tsai Kee.

The 86-year-old former prime minister, now an adviser to his son Lee Hsien Loong's government, said Singapore's small land area made it difficult to deal with "acts of God."

"Whatever we do when we get extraordinary rains like we had recently, no amount of engineering can prevent flooding... unless you want to lose half the roads and have canals."