SELAMAT HARI RAYA

To all my dear friends and blog visitors who are celebrating Hari Raya,

Let's have a sing-along with my favourite Malay songstress from yesteryears - Saloma...

A RACIAL HARMONY DAY FOR MALAYSIA?

Every year Singapore celebrates Racial Harmony Day on 21 July to mark the anniversary of the 1964 racial riots. Can you imagine Malaysia having a special day to commemorate the 13 May 1969 riots?

In Singapore on this day, students reflect on and celebrate the nation's success that is built on a rich diversity of cultures. Schools encourage students to dress in their ethnic costumes on this day, and various events are held to promote inter-racial understanding.

Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew breaking fast with more than 1000 residents of various races at the Racial Harmony Day dinner on Sept 4 in Radin Mas. (Photo: ST)

This year the Ministry of Education has chosen the theme “Embracing Diversity, Building Community” to remind Singaporeans that promoting social cohesion and racial harmony requires constant effort from everyone. It is also a day to honour not only the founding fathers but also the early pioneers of all races who helped develop the country.

Public notice at an MRT station - in 4 languages

It's not just on one day of the year that efforts are made to promote racial harmony. It's an on-going process, and the evidence is there for all to see. Public signages and MRT announcements are in four languages: English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, although the Malays and Indians make up only 13 per cent and 9.2 per cent of the population respectively. The PM's recent National Day Rally speech was delivered in English, Mandarin and Malay.

Last Saturday I joined the thousands of shoppers and visitors at the sprawling night market in the Malay village at Geylang Serai. The entire neighbourhood was bathed in festive colours and lights for the coming Raya celebrations. What struck me most was the multi-racial mix of the vendors and shoppers.

The festive lights at Geylang Serai.

Chinese vendors selling fruits and cookies for the Raya celebration.

Rows upon rows of figure-hugging kebaya in dazzling rainbow colours.

Malaysia's famed Ramli burgers are a hit here.

Indian shoppers buying flowers from Chinese vendors at the Malay village.

Stall selling halal leung-yuk (dried meat) doing brisk business.

Everywhere you go in Singapore you see people of all races mixing freely and comfortably with each other. Lots of mixed couples too. Across the street from my Singapore base are a mosque, a Chinese temple, an Indian temple, a church and a gurdwara (Sikh temple), all within a stone's throw from each other, and all with doors open to welcome visitors.

Chinese passers-by praying outside an Indian temple. Just next to it is a Chinese temple. Both have been co-existing peacefully in the area for decades.

There's plenty Singapore and Malaysia can learn from each other about fostering racial harmony in diversity. I am sure the Singapore government is keeping an eye on what's happening in Malaysia and learning WHAT NOT TO DO.

It's about time the Malaysia government put aside bruised pride and learn WHAT TO DO from Singapore. After all, we are supposed to be more than good neighbours. We are bound by more than historical and ancestral ties. Indeed the same blood runs through all of us, whatever our colour, creed or religion.

IMPAIRED VISION? IT COULD BE AMD

I managed to check out the AMD photo exhibition at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore just before it ended on 3 September. Held in conjunction with AMD Awareness Week, the exhibition featured photos by Mr Adam Hahn from Scotland.

The concept for these photos was a result of seeing his grandmother grapple with AMD, unable to explain her peripheral vision to those who asked. He took portrait photos and digitally manipulated them to reflect how people looked through the eyes of someone with AMD. The photos give us a better understanding of how AMD patients see the world around them.

Various stages of AMD vision. Portraits by Adam Hahn.

If your elderly parents complain of poor vision, they may need more than a pair of glasses. An eye screening will confirm if they have AMD.

For more information about AMD, do read this excellent article in The Times.

RETIREMENT OR RE-EMPLOYMENT?

Singapore Minister Mentor recently made news when he said there should be no mandatory retirement age. He reiterates his stand in the Straits Times today which carried the headline "MM Lee: If a man is fit, let him carry on working". The former PM elaborates on his views on work and retirement in the email interview. Click here to read an extract. The full interview is accessible only to subscribers.

By coincidence, retirement is the cover feature in Malaysia's StarBiz today. Two seniors share their views on the issue with journalist Errol Oh.

Lily Fu, 62, who maintains the SeniorsAloud blog

A lot of people look at the seniors as one big homogenous group. It’s not the case, and certain policies don’t address this. The 55 and above category stretches to 85 or more. It’s a 30-year span and it’s very difficult to compartmentalise. The government policies on the elderly are mostly aimed at the poor. But there are also seniors who are wealthy and who don’t need financial help. And there’s a large band of people in between.

Some of those who retire tend to lapse into depression, feeling that they are no longer needed. At the same time, there is not much income coming in as before, and they have to grapple with inflation. They are not sure about what to do with their time.

We have to look for facilities and homes for the seniors. Where do we go? Surely not the old folks homes. There are many types of seniors. We are the baby boomers, who are better educated than our parents and we expect more. More has to be done on retirement living. What will happen to us when we reach our 70s?

Seniors are very proud people. They want financial independence. We have people who have retired at 55, but still have a lot more to contribute. However, their age and salary scale work against them. Why would companies want to employ them? There are very limited opportunities for re-employment, and these are mainly in areas such as consultancy and teaching.

I believe that raising the retirement age is to the Government’s benefit.

Bulbir Singh, 69, noted for his prolific letter-writing

I feel that my life now is very useful and valuable. I had prepared for retirement. At about 50, realising that retirement was close, I bought a home. I wanted a clean pension. I didn’t want to owe anybody.

I keep myself occupied. In fact, I’ve got little idle time these days. You’ve got to programme yourself to fill your days with activity and purpose. You have to be physically and mentally alert, and you have to make yourself useful.

We can’t just do nothing. There are 1,001 things to do. There’s no such thing as complaining about boredom. Those who can teach, can give tuition. There’s many ways of helping others, if we choose not to continue working for a salary. We have a civic duty, which means we owe something to society.

For the full article including interviews with other seniors, click here.

A PAGEANT WITH A DIFFERENCE

Minister in the PM's Office, Mr Lim Boon Heng, presenting trophies to the winners Ms Lilian Lim, 62, and Mr Andrew Yap, 59. (Image: Straits Times)

The inaugural Mr and Ms Singapore Senior 2010 was a pageant with a difference. It was open only to those aged 50 and above. Contestants were judged not so much on their looks but more on how they presented themselves on stage, how active their lifestyles are, and how much they have achieved in their community.

The event attracted 170 participants and a boisterous audience of 1200 supporters who cheered their favourite contestants with loud whistles, cymbals and even pots from their kitchen!

Eventual winners Ms Lilian Lim and Mr Andrew Yap are role models of seniors who have adopted very active lifestyles in their retirement. Ms Lim, a former VP at HSBC, enjoys tennis and in-line skating while Mr Yap a former MD of an MNC is very much into sports. He cycles 20km almost daily.

Organisers the People's Association Active Ageing Council and Resorts World Sentosa must be pleased to have found their first Ambassadors of Active Ageing in Ms Lim and Mr Yap.

TEACHERS DESERVE A PAT ON THE BACK

Teachers in Malaysia have been getting a lot of flak lately, no thanks to some black sheep in the profession who have hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, from making racial slurs to peddling sex enhancement products.

Teachers in Singapore, on the other hand, must be feeling on top of the world as the republic celebrates Teachers Day today. Here are some announcements that caught my attention. I think it's wonderful that both the Ministry of Education and the corporate sector show their appreciation and gratitude to teachers for a job well done.

Having been in the teaching profession for more than 30 years before I retired in 2004, I feel for the teachers when they complain about the stress and the workload. But still they soldier on, knowing that they have been entrusted with the huge responsibility of educating young minds.

 

This one's for pre-school teachers who have the unenviable task of teaching our children their 1,2,3s and A,B,Cs. If you have ever tried to teach your little ones how to read, write and count, you will appreciate how challenging that can be.

The Ministry of Education published this form in The Straits Times so that students or parents can create a message for teachers. What a great idea.

A little appreciation like this goes a long way to revive flagging spirits and jaded souls in the profession.