May 1989. An unexpected act of defiance came from General Xu Qin Xian. You won’t find his name in Baidu. On 20 May 1989, General Xu Qin Xian 徐勤先, commander of the 38th Division of the People’s Liberation Army received orders to use force to clear protesters on Tiananmen Square. General Xu resolutely defied those […]
It’s Vesak Day! The temples are thronged with devotees and the beaches in China are strewn with the freshwater fish. Let’s do good and do together. Sounds familiar? Yes, we’ll have to bid a tearful farewell to our beloved President Halimah. She has been a very inspiring figure to our comedians. We’re all going to […]
There has been much talk about the “new world order”. Having lived through the 1980s, there is a sense of deja vu for me. Back then, most people believed that the West was in decline and Japan would be the new world leader. The Asian way had proven itself to be superior. Or so we […]
We Singaporeans are constantly living in fear of change or displacement from our rightful stations in our own society. Somehow we still survive. I’ve often wondered if it’s because those fears are unwarranted or is it because we have been meekly acquiescing to the new normal, backing deeper and deeper into the corner that we […]
60-year-old Malaysian citizen Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh made showbiz history after becoming the first Asian woman to win Best Actress for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once at the Oscars held on 12 March 2023. People in Malaysia have responded with joy and jubilation after Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian to win […]
English tests for new citizens? Certainly. But first, let me tell a little story. It was 40 years ago in 1983. I was serving my NS at Amoy Quee Camp. I was with an infantry unit where the majority of the soldiers were Hokkien peng with an average educational level of P4. After the commanders […]
Last night, I had a dream. My friend Wang Chee Hong (not his real name) asks me for a loan to help him expand his small business. I agree and prepare to transfer the money. Then, I see him shopping for a car with his mistress. I realise that the money I am going to […]
Painful but necessary? Sounds like something a dentist would say in your nightmare, doesn’t it. So what’s new? Sim Wong Hoo, Singaporean inventor and billionaire entrepreneur known for founding Creative Technology, a designer and manufacturer of products for personal computers and personal digital entertainment devices passed away on 4 January 2023. Mr Sim served as the chairman and chief executive officer of […]
Year of revenge travel. So what’s new? Sharon Au reportedly took her first MRT ride in 27 years, some influencer got married while 8 months pregnant while another “famous” influencer with more than 300,000 fans gave birth on Christmas Day. Earlier on, Joanne Peh’s post about “cheaper” (not really) coconuts in Thailand went viral. Somehow […]
A post on buying coconut drink while holidaying in Thailand led to an exchange of views between local actress Joanne Peh and two netizens on social media. Peh, who is married to actor Qi Yuwu and has two children with him, recently posted several photos of their family vacation in Thailand. About a week ago, […]