Haze in S.E. Asia - 16 years on ; Nothing much has changed

         Once again, Singapore and Malaysia are the unfortunate recipients of the unhealthy smoke blowing from our big neighbour Indonesia. The fires are going on unabated, with firefighters trying their best to stem the spread but again, many people just watch helplessly as the tragedy unfolds again, in epic proportions, reaching on Friday 21st a "hazardous" level of 401 at 12pm. Many people are falling sick, especially the old, infirm, young and those with existing health problems. It is definately "NOT ACCEPTABLE".    

         Why are we, time and again, subjected to this man made disaster ? The politicians have made little headway, through high level haze meetings through ASEAN with Indonesia, to date not ratifying the pact for haze control.  So 16 years on, we are in fact worse off, in terms of this environmental disaster. So, millions upon millions of Singapore citizens and residents are put on additional health risk, of lung related disease and worse. What about the cancellations of tour bookings, millions of visits and business opportunities cancelled, going elsewhere and general frustated sentiments ??   






        It is especially frustrating when, in Singapore, we are known for our efficiency and proactiveness  and this man made environmental disaster happens again and again. It is good that now, the S'pore ministers are pressing their Indonesian counterparts to name and press the requisite charges on the guilty companies and organisations. I hope for the sake of us all, we can have the good temperament to ride this one out. Singaporeans should be more resilient and patient as there is nothing else we can do. 

        Enough is enough, we need to take action to stop this once and for all. Meantime I wish all Singaporeans and neighbours good health and take good care by cancelling or reducing all extra activities outside, drinks lots of fluids, and pray for a speedy, permanent resolution for this.   

My family, circa 1999

Celebrating my Dad and Mum's birthday ; this was taken November 24th 1999 

         This was taken sometime late 1999, the date on the photo states 24th November 1999. As my parents' birthdays both fall in the last week of November, we normally celebrate both birthdays at one go, most times at one of the well known Chinese dining establishments in Singapore. So the 24th Novmeber must have been a Saturday and that's where everyone is free from work and other committments. 

        This photo was probably taken at Min Jiang at Goodwood Park hotel serving Peking duck which was my father's ( we called him Papa) favourite. In addition, we would have some steamed fish, sharks fin soup (when it was still acceptable to order and eat it !), some pork ribs and whatever dishes which were in season. The restaurant has since closed and made way for some newer fusion food joint.  

        At the time of this photo, my father would just have turned 80,  he was healthy, hale and hearty for a good 85 years walking without a walking stick till the last 4 years of his life. He was a Godly man, and was very active and in demand to sit on the board by many Christian organisations such as the Bible House, Campus Crusade for Christ, the YMCA, St. Andrew's Cathedral and many more throught his 30 years of active service to Church and para Churches in Singapore.  

     My mother would have turned just turned 69, and she had retired from the Ministry of Health at just about that year. She was still extremely active in sports in the Swimming Club, and also helped out at her good friend's Shamini jazz ballet gym along Dunearn Road for a number of years. 

     The boys are 2 and 5 respectively, and my brother John was still a singleton. He married in June 2002. 

     Time goes on every swiftly like a flowing river. 

     Seize the Day

     

Anna Abisheganaden 1930 - 2011 Happy Mother's Day Part II

                                                My Mum with My Dad on the Queen Elizabeth II in 2002             

My mother seldom took holidays with my father when she retired in 1999, she much preferred to spend the time with my son, her first grandchild, Noel Hao Ren, when he came along in 1994. Both my father Geoffrey and her doted on him and practically everyday, they were at our house, playing and entertaining him for hours on end. 

Noel was very fortunate to given all that attention. I remember she was given a short holiday to Sydney in 1997, as part of her retirement benefit, from the Civil Service. She was really thrilled to spend some time sightseeing. I remember that she came back with all these souvenirs and had lots of souvenirs for Noel and Andrew. 

In 2002, she and my father, Geoffrey took the 7 day cruise aboard the grand Queen Elizabeth II cuise ship from Hong Kong down to Singapore, stopping at Da Nang in Vientam. Those were heady days for her, as she was entertained at the Captain's table, and the picture above was taken at the stairwell. Feasting on international cuisine, lounging by the pool deck, and having her hair done by some English hairdressers, were all rewards for her hard yet immensely satisfying life. She was indeed very blessed.                 

In 2003, we went as a family for a couple of overseas trips to  Bintan Indonesia, as well as for my cousin Peter's wedding in Kuala Lumpur. I still have fond memories of those trips with them.   

  

With her grandson, Andrew Hao Jie. 2008

      Anna was a stalwart at the Singapore Swimming Club, spending as much as 6 days a week there, after work from 1974 till 2007, almost 30 years !  She indulged in many activities, ranging from swimming, martial arts (Kong Chian), badminton - she was a pretty decent doubles player, aerobics , tennis and gym member. I recall once, when I had just started working in 1989,my then boss, Terry and another manager, Roy were invited by me to the club. They saw my Mum playing with another person and accepted the offer to a 'best of 5 sets' match. They promptly lost all 3 sets, and even going down 15 - 0 to my Mum and her partner ! She was a real firebrand then.  Swimming was also her love, and I guess her active and healthy lifestyle must have rubbed on to me, as I am rather a fitness nut, for over 13 years now.  

                      With me at the Singapore Cricket Club in 2010

      As the eldest sister in her family, she was like the matriach, dispensing  family advice to her younger sisters and brothers, though many a times, she did not want us to know the content of the issues - there were some like in all families. When we were little, I was the Indian Chief and getting into all sorts of trouble, so she would dispense the ruler or the cane on my thick hide ! My brother who was always my accomplice, would then, upon seeing me 'get it good" and all our boyhood nonsense would be under control. I had a fantastic carefree childhood, with great memories of us catching spiders, fighting with the kampong boys, playing football with the neighbours, flying kites, disturbing my mum when she was home cooking, doing all the carefree things of the 60s and 70s which are so alien to todays' computer and handphone gadget obsessed youth. 

   We flew kites, made glass string, caught and fought our spiders, played football in the concrete pitch next to our bungalow house of the Methodist Girls School (MGS), climbed trees to pluck some rambutans, played with our 3 mongrel dogs. We bought comics and SHOOT magazine to catch up with the then English football, some 2 weeks late ! All this after primay school in our heyday with nary a care fore homework, CA1, SA1 and SA2, Prelims, and major exams were unheard of then. My mother would make her way to the Swimming Club and I would catch a ride with my father's chief clerk in his car most days for swimming practically 4 - 5 evenings after school around 4pm , with a rest only on Wednesdays and Saturdays.     

With her Granddaughter Hannah during Chinese New Year 2005 

        My parents, were doting grandparents, and great parents right the end of their lives.  I do owe my parents a great deal in life, and we must never forget the sacrifices they made for us. Our parents set a roadmap for us children to follow and behave in a manner befitting the family name. 

      So this Mother's Day, I salute my Mother Anna Abisheganaden. Love, your Son. 

Anna Abisheganaden 1930 - 2011 Happy Mother's Day !

                                    Anna, age 24 years (1954). She was the eldest of 4 sisters and 2
                                                                younger brothers
                        

         My beautiful and beloved Mother, Anna Abisheganaden nee Wen passed away 2 over years ago in 2011, but it still feels like yesterday when we were young and she was the strong minded ,determined, clever and giving mother every child could hope to have. I am blessed that during the 49 years she was my mother when alive, she gave me and my brother much love, discipline and wisdom in study and career options, opportunities to travel far and wide, when we were young. She was for over 40 years with the Ministry of Health, and was the PA Personal Assistant to the Permanent Secretary for Health, and her last boss being Dr. Kwa Soon Bee.

                My Mum and Dad Geoffrey outside the Club Tropicana beside Scotts Road,
                                                                      circa    1973


        I recall making my first International trip to Europe before I turned 12, it was with my father Geoffrey, and it was to London and Greece. There were many regional trips to South East Asia, in the mid 1970s with our  Singapore Swimming Club, of which my brother and I were representing as club swimmers. Later, I was nominated to be the Boys Swimming Captain for the Club.

       My mother followed us through all these memorable trips as chaperon, to Bangkok  in 1975 and 1978, (by road then), Chiangmai, Thailand. We sat through the most bumpy of roads to go into the Golden Triangle Region (I believe it was North Eastern Thailand) and saw the villagers on opium fuelled highs. We sat on elephants and crossed rivers. We flew in 1976 to Manila, Philippines to compete in the Sanya Sammaki Inter Club Series against the Royal Manila Polo Club, went to Penang and competed against the Penang Swimming Club,then called the Ikan Bilis, in 1975. In 1977 we went to Jakarta also to compete.  Those were what I fondly remember as the good old 'Swimming Club Days'. I was the Boys Swim Captain for the 1977 and 1978  for my Swimming Club. A true honour for me.

     One memorable trip was to Bangkok in 1974, our team had to take the coach up by the old road north (no North South HIghway those days), and after something like 16 hours, stopped at Hat Yai at a local hotel to rest for the night. I remember, we had a sumptuous dinner, and we were all in our room playing cards when we heard something like a metal cabinet falling. "Bang, Bang", and then realised that someone was shooting a gun downstairs !   We all huddled in the room before my Mum plucked up the courage to go downstairs to check out what had happened. Apparently some businessman had a tiff with someone and pulled out his gun and let off a few rounds.  The next day, we all all dared to go down and saw the aftermath of the shooting, apparently no one was hurt, but I remember the gunshots very clearly. 


     In 1979, we had our Inter Team (within the Club) competition and I as the Swim Captain 

Mum and I circa 1963. I was 1 year old then.

managed to guide my team the Barracudas to the Championship that year 1979. This was the first InterTeam event which was organised, and I believe is still in competition today, some 34 years on. It was my last year of swimming at the Singapore Swimming Club of which i still am a member, and go there for the occasional lunch, gym or run outside at the East Coast Park.  
   
     Anna, the investor, was really an excellent role model. She kept a tight rein on house finances, dabbled in stocks succesfully, property and was able to help a number of people who were in dire financial straits then.  As a property investor, she was particularly outstanding, and imparted upon me the need for strong fiscal discipline.

My mother being introduced to Prince Philp as head of the Girl Guides, circa 1953,

at the Padang during Queen Elizabeth's first visit to Singapore

      She had many friends outside her medical circle, many top administrators, who are now CEOs, Political Ministers, and experts in their field became her firm friends. She had the common touch and every year, without fail since the early 1980s, our house would be open house for all her family and close friends.

     I remember fondly we had Prof. Chau Sze Ching, and his son Dr. Alex Chau and family visiting us every year. Dr. Teo Hoon Chau (paediatrician) and Dr. Teo (former CEO of Woodbridge) as amongst her closest friends. So every Chrisrmas and Chinese New Year period, since the mid 1980s, we would be hosts to 50 odd people family friends, and business associates.

     Those were the days of my Mum, whom I will remember fondly and with much love. 

     Happy Mother's Day Mum 2013 !!   Much love from your son, Mark. 
    

We will never see today again

My son Andrew's class in Sec 1, 2010 

          We live in an ever unpredictable world, gone are the days of old, when we would be happy just to have a small flat and a mode of transport like the bus. Then came the MRT,car,  then came the low cost airlines, then came the strengthening of our country's currency, and we suddenly find ourselves to be urbanites, travelling to many once considered far flung and expensive places like Greenland, Norway, Alaska, Uganda, and Namibia for work and play.

          Lest we forget where we have come from, we are reminded by the regular social studies lessons and history lessons which our chilidren learn, and we once again are reminded of our humble past.

         Like the bombings of Boston, or the latest earthquake in Sichuan China, or even the latest death tolls of the H7N9 bird flu. I am constantly reminded of the transience of life, that nothing ever stays the same for long. We need to constantly adapt to the new age, else we slip into job and technology obsolescence. 

        It is always heartening to pull out the old photos of my family and friends, and reminisce the 'good old times'. For they will always be that, happy memories which we will never see or experience anything quite like them.

       So seize the day. 

Boston Marathon April 14th 2013 - a black day for sport

     I read with shock, disbelief and sadness that the iconic and most established of all marathons in the world, the Boston Marathon held just 2 days ago was subject to a terrorist attack, when 2 bombs went off at the finish line killing 2 people and injuring more than a hundred.

    Sport has always been a unifying spectacle and bringing people from all walks on a stage where the best and the brightest will prevail. Of course participating in an event is already an achievement in itself, and to borrow a phrase from John (the Penguin) Bingham, (below) and there are many sporting events worldwide ranging from the Olympics, World Cup, Wimbledon, French Open, Augusta Grand, F1 races around the world, the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliesia. For the runners there are literally hundreds of marathons each year, covering practically every weekend and in many cities both major and minor.

         " Its not that I had the ability to finish well but I had the courage to start" 

So it was with great sadness that the most established and admired marathon in the world, the Boston Marathon was subject to an act of wanton violence.  2 people have been confirmed dead, and over a hundred people injured.

       I myself have dreamed of running Boston, the Holy Grail of all marathoners the world over, but my times have not been good enough. For the 50 to 54 category, you probably need to finish it before 3 hours 30 minutes, something which to me is a 'superhuman time',  a time which I have never done. 

       The people who are behind this act are sensless, despicable individuals with evil intent. 

But then again, the world is getting more and more dangerous with each passing year. I only hope and pray that the people injured will be able to recover speedily.

       We must never let the evil overpower the good intent of humankind. Never.

Australian Fusion Fine Dining - OSIA at Resorts World Sentosa

                               The Iberico Ham with Burata Cheese (airflown specially from Italy)

        Last Saturday, our family celebrated my wife's birthday at Osia, the fine dining restaurant at Resorts World, Sentosa. We tried several of their recommended dishes such as the stone fired bread, iberico ham with burata cheese, grilled squid and the seafood iced sensation for starters. The ham and burata cheese (above picture in white), specially flown in from Italy on the same day, were quite unitque. Grilled octopus or squid was warm, soft and tasteful.The seafood surprise was really surprising, the chef's creation of scallops, prawns, other seafood mixed in a fine puree of fruits such as peach, tomato, longan and beetroot. 

        The location is Osia is at Crockford Tower Level 2, next to the Lake of Dreams outside the Universal Studios. It would be recommended to make a reservation beforehand to avoid disappointment.   

                                        The 2 teenage boys enjoying the fusion food 
 
       For the main course,  we had braised and grilled neck of lamb. It was utterly delicious, very tender (medium rare), with the gravy as well as the mint sauce finely offsetting the heavy strong taste of the lamb. I would say, the strong lamb taste was not overpowering. My wife had the seabream which was grilled and covered with cream.   

       The overall price was about S$ 120 (US$ 100) per person, which included s glass of Australian cabernet sauvingon (Penfold's), quite decently affordable for such high quality dining.  
Singapore is indeed a foodie's paradise, for both food connoiseurs and people with less refined tastebuds (like me)  and we should take the opportunity to sample all the offerings right at our doorstep. 

                                    The grilled and braised neck of lamb was perfecr