'Happiness'

“I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12)

Recently OECD published its ‘Better Life Index’ which tries to understand why high incomes do not always translate into high levels of happiness. The indicators included housing, life satisfaction, governance etc. It is hope that such understanding will result in beneficiary policy outcomes.

It was found that Intangible factors such as psychological well-being, health, culture, living standards, time use and community vitality do matter to most people other than economic indicators such as income and employment. Happiness can be defined more by the softer, qualitative dimensions. Neither the ability to acquire nor the actual acquisition of material things often leads to sustainable increase in happiness. Possessions increase, so do people expectations.

If buying tangible things does not generate sustainable happiness, what will? It seems that experiences out weight material goods in generating happiness. Most material possessions do not involve other people. People tend to describe themselves by the activities they engage in, rarely do they define themselves by the houses they live in, watches they wear. Deep inside their hearts they know that these are superficial things. Attending a concert, going on holiday, going to the spa, dining at a famous restaurant are experiences that have a greater social value than acquisition of material possessions. It comes at no surprises that people are willing to pay top dollars to get such experiences which give them happiness (e.g. paying S$580 for Faye Wong’s concert). Nintendo Wii became so popular when it was first launched because it was then the only truly interactive entertainment. Even older women and those who did not normally play computer games became its fans. Intangible nature of such experiences also makes it almost impossible to compare.

What then are the implications for the policymakers here? Certainly paying $100 to go to casino is not likely that kind of experience that can bring a person happiness. It is true that most Singaporeans after their material things are satisfied, they want more intangible things in order to be happy. The recent general election was originally thought by some to be one of no ‘hot issues’ since we achieved high economic growth and full employment. The results turned out otherwise, causing serious soul-searching among the policymakers.

I once asked my youngest sister why she and her family are not keen to migrate here. She gave me a very thought-provoking answer: she did not wish her children spending leisure time mostly on shopping. In Malaysia, she can drive them far away from the city to be near to the nature. My eldest daughter still talking and sharing excitedly her living experience in Tokyo even though it was already more than half-a-year ago. I think we do need more parks, museums, arts galleries of that kind to make Singaporeans happy. Of course, one can also be happy with experiences that do not come with a price tag, e.g. watching sunset,or sharing one’s precious time with the needy.

Reader's Digest Health Rules

“A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, an good news gives health to the bones.” (Proverbs 15:30)


I find the Reader’s Digest June 2011 issue’s ‘Health rules for eating well’ very helpful. These rules are so simple to follow yet few are doing because we want 'convenience':

• Eat ‘food’ not anything ‘edible’: Most of items on the supermarket shelves do not deserve to be called food, rather they are just edible food-like substances, highly processed.
• Eat food that will eventually rot: Food processing seeks to extend the shelf life of food often by removing nutrients that attract fungi, bacteria, hence render them less nutritious.
• Eat your colours: The colours of many vegetable reflect the different anti-oxidant phytochemicals they contain which protect our cells.
• The whiter the bread, the sooner you’d be dead: White flour is not much different from sugar. It offers none of the good things such as fibre, Vitamin B, healthy fats in wholegrains. Large spikes of glucose can cause havoc on our insulin metabolism.
• Eat mostly plants, especially the leaves: We will consume far fewer calories if our diet is mainly plant-based.
• Stop eating before you’re full: Ask yourself not ‘am I full but is my hunger gone’ so that you will not over eat.
• Eat sweet food as you’d find them in nature: Natural sugars almost always come packaged with fibre which slows down their absorption. It is better of eating fruit rather than drinking juice.
• Break the rules once in a while: It is better not to be obsess with these health rules which is bad for our happiness and health. There will be special occassions to indulge ourselves. What matters most is your eating habits on a typical day.
• Pay more, eat less: Spend more for better food,we will probably eat less of it. If high quality food tastes better, we will need less to feel satisfied.
• Avoid good products that contain more than ‘five ingredients: The more ingredients in a packaged food, the more highly processed with many additives, enhancers and preservatives. For example, if you eat a comb of banana, the only ingredient is banana.

Children school holiday camp

Proverbs 4:6 “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.”

Last week I was involved in my church’s 3-day children school holiday camp as a volunteer. I was in charge of a group of 9 children, 5 boys and 4 girls from primary 1 and primary 2. A youth was assigned to help me out as this was the first time I participated, and I had no idea what was expected of me.

It was an enriching experience for me and I came home with three observations. For one, I learnt to handle ‘restless’ young boys which I totally had no experience at that point of time (as I only have daughters). I realised different methods had to be employed to make them obeyed instructions, or else they could climb over your head. Many a time they would ignore your verbal instructions but likely obeyed you if you told them of the consequences of disobedience beforehand. For example, they been made to sit on your lap if they refused to sit still. This is something embarassing and uncomfortable to them, thus acts as a deterrent.

The other thing I observed is that it seems more children are having food allergies. Out of the nine children, three of them have that, two boys and one girl. So I had to be very watchful when these children had their meals and tea breaks. They are normally allergic to dairy products, seafood, eggs, peanuts, citrus fruits. I Read that symptoms of allergies can take the form of eczema, general redness or rashes, and asthma. Frankly speaking, I couldn’t remember any of my classmates had that when we were young. No one really knows why allergies are on the rise among kids. But there are a number of theories put forward.

One explanation may be that the same percentage of kids has allergies, but we’re just doing a better job of diagnosing them. Kids certainly seem to be getting tested more often, and for more allergens, than they were in the past. Another theory is the hygiene hypothesis. It suggests that many ailments including food allergies may be on the rise due to our lack of exposure to certain germs, bacteria, and parasites. This lack of exposure may cause our immune systems, which should be attacking those foreign bodies, to attack us instead. This theory has no direct evidence. Yet some people think that there are allergens hiding in highly processed foods and we are exposed to such food at earlier ages, and maybe our bodies (and especially our immune systems) aren’t ready to handle them.

One more thing that I observed from this camp is that more people are having ‘unique’ names as I went through the children’s name list. None of the traditional Christian names like Paul, Peter,John, Mary makes it to the list. Instead I find names such as ‘Ansel’, Recnen’ unfamiliar and yet intriguing. Looks like the next time I can make a good guess the age group a person belongs to just by his/her name.

Prison Ministry

“Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

“ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:36, 40)

My involvement in the prison ministry is one of the most enriching and fulfilling tasks undertaken after my cancer treatments. When my condition becomes more stable after June last year, I was praying for meaningful things to do from home. Last August I came to know a prison ministry (through the church news bulletin) was looking for instructors for its bible courses for the Changi prison male drug inmates. It took me awhile to make decision as I was concerned how long I could stay on this assignment due to the nature of my health condition. But I told myself I will never start anything meaningful if I let my illness become the focus point of my life. Now as I looked back the past 10 months, God has been gracious and I had gone through 31 lessons from various students (sometimes from the same students).

The prison ministry which is based in US has been in existence for 20 years. The Singapore branch was set up about two years ago. The curriculum is very systematic and extensive, consists of several modules for different levels which a typical student can take some years to complete all of them. The lesson will mail to me toward the end of the week and I have to return it by the following week. The score of the lesson is then input into the HQ website and is not made known to the student, so is the identity of the instructor. I am given an instructor’s manual with answers, so correcting the lessons is not a problem. The more challenging part is to write encouraging letters to the students. I spent considerable time on them because I know letters are rarely received by these inmates.

The Misuse of Drugs Act is a drug control law providing for long terms of imprisonment, caning, and capital punishment. In addition, there is a special scheme for non-trafficking drug addicts called the long-term imprisonment regime. This originally covered users of drugs such as morphine and heroin, but has since been extended to include synthetic drugs like Ketamine, Ecstasy and Subutex. Under the scheme, the addicts were jailed for up to seven years and given six strokes of the cane. For those who were caught taking drugs again, they were then jailed for up to a further 13 years, with up to 12 further strokes of the cane.

This prison ministry not only provides bible courses for the drug inmates, but also works with various half-way houses such as Breakthrough Mission, Teens Challenge and Christian Care Services so that these students can continue their lessons and also acquire critical life skills to fit into the society again. The reason why the ministry concentrates only on drug offenders is that studies have shown that this category of prisoners has the best chance of reforming. Most of these offenders committed the crimes out of impulses or momentary passion, not so because of flaws in their characters. As an instructor, I am like a conduit for them to the outside world, so it is important that I empathize with the pain and sorrow they went through and encouraging them. In fact, in the beginning, I was afraid that I would be affected by the bitterness and depression that the students might express through their lessons. Instead, I find myself increasingly been inspired by their fortitude and life transformation they experienced after their conversion. One young student wrote that he used to find very hard to respect and obey authority but now he is able to obey his leaders at the half-way house. Another student shared that he is full regret after his mother died from cancer at a hospice while he was in jail, and he is determined to start afresh, mend his broken relationship with his father.

Experts believe addictions are 90% a matter of the mind. When you experience a pleasurable event, your brain records the experience, and if you do it often enough, it will eventually develop that drive that makes you want to repeat that ‘event’, For example, if you have a couple of smokes after every meal, your mind will replay these sights, sounds and feelings of these ‘rituals’, will convince you that they are needed for you to have that kind of “feel good” experience. However, our mind is also capable of reshaping for the better. That is why most successful rehabilitation programs last at least for 30days. When our minds are removed from our normal routines, we are forced to adjust to a totally new environment that is far way from the old and familiar sights and sounds. The brain begins to create new pathway and old activity begins to fade away. So by the 2-year mark, it is found that a person has 60% chance of success, and at the 3 –year mark, it becomes 90%. This bible courses therefore not only nurture the drug inmates’ personal relationship with God but also renew their minds with things of God (divine thoughts), thus creating new pathway and focus in their lives.

Recently the ministry has also started the work of translating the lessons into Chinese so that the program can reach out to many Chinese-educated drug offenders. We are also looking for more female co-workers so that the ministry can expand its works among the female drug offenders. It is wonderful for me to be part of this exciting outreach work.

Post-GE thoughts

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

“He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.”(Proverbs 19:17)


The post-GE political tsunami effects taking place in the last 2 weeks after the GE2011 have been unprecedented so far, even to those who are hard-core opposition supporters. Never have Singaporeans anticipated the power of voting in a democratic system. We now have the most youthful cabinet line up in history which promises to approach issues differently, and the government is willing to listen and engage more with its people. The new cabinet line-up also looks leaner, with 15 members as compared to 21 previously.

Every Singaporean should be proud and welcome such changes which will be good for the country going forward. There are just too many political appointments in the past and it has become very costly to run a government here. In countries like US, it only as 17 full ministers. Here we have the secretary of state, minister of state, senior minister of state, acting minister, and minister.

The government has promised to review ministerial pay as well. Should a government run like a business entity, with salaries pegged to top income earners in private sector? Should performance bonuses determined purely by economic indicator like economic growth rate? I read that entry level for a minister is about $1.4m per year. When the opposition MP questioned this issue some years ago in the parliament: “didn’t the Cabinet feel‘a tinge of discomfort in drawing taxpayers’ money at such a rate?”, the reply she got was, if we are unwilling to pay for top talent, it might lead to “your apartment will be worth a fraction of what it is. Your jobs will be in peril, your security will be at risk and our women will become maids in other people’s countries.” Despite that, most Singaporeans find it hard to accept the widening of income gap.

The Straits Times runs a real story on 20th May that an elderly woman (who had her right leg amputated) selling tissue packs in a wheelchair in Ang Mo Kio. She has five children and none of them is supporting her. During the recent election campaign when she met the MPs in the course of selling her tissue packs, all she asked from them was that the many summonses she received be waved (apparently for carrying out illegal hawkering). It looks like we still have a long way to go to become a more compassionate and fair country despite our huge and run-away economic success story.

CT scan result

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

I went to see my medical oncologist yesterday and was prepared to face whatever result it might be. My CT scan turned out OK. No tumour was found. I will be seeing my doctor again in 3 month’s time. Thank God for His mercy and grace. I believe He extends my life against all odds for a purpose. I can continue to write my blog, involve in the prison ministry and enjoy His blessings while be a channel of blessings to others as well. Also thankful those who prayed for me earnestly.

Cancer marker

“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.” (Psalm 39:4)

This morning was my routine 3-monthly medical appointment with my medical oncologist. My cancer marker CA125 has gone up from 11.6 to 21.9 within 3 months. My doctor wanted me to go for a full-body CT scan (which costs me $927). The last time I had it was September 2009. I will be seeing her again next Wednesday for the medical report.

It has been exactly 2 years since I had my last chemo treatment. Our DNA seems to have records of those critical dates of event taking place. Physically, I am feeling fine; in fact, I have been putting on some weight. To me, having gone through so much in the past, I have learnt to deal with my health issue calmly as it comes along.

GE 2011 thoughts

“Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.” (Job 28:16)

I normally spent 10 minutes or so only on reading newspaper. Monday is terrible; the newspaper is so thin that you can literally count the pages. Now with the General Election campaigning on, I find myself spending as much as half-an-hour or more just to read through GE reports. With the permission to use social media for campaigning in this GE, all political parties are quick to use internet as a platform to reach out to the voters. One can also obtain more ‘accurate’ and ‘balanced’ news, reports, videos etc through such channel. While the baby boomers likely make their decisions based on ‘loyalty’, the parties have to use internet to get a better gauge on the ‘pulses’ of the one-third of population who are below 35 years old.

This election has definitely generates greater interest among the voters. The quality of the opposition candidates has improved, not just those who are disgruntled and “anti-establishments”. I think we are matured enough to differentiate those who are mere opportunists and those who credible and committed to serve, and will not vote for the opposition just for its sake. Will the voters give them a chance to breakthrough just as voters of Potong Pasir and Hougang did 20 years ago? We will know the answer on this Saturday.

One reader wrote to the newspaper Forum recently, arguing that there are basically two categories of voters. One views election is about obtaining immediate individual benefits, i.e. Self-centred interest comes first. They normally are politically naive and let the experts decide the political decisions. I remember in my village back in 1960s and 1970s, politicians used to throw big feasts on the Election Day for the poor villagers in order to entice the latter to vote for them.

The other group recognises that election is a part of the democratic process, and will choose representatives who will act in the best interests of all the people as a nation. With the expanded middle class and the high literacy rate here, greater political awareness is bound to take place, and the second argument will become more compelling in a matter of time.

I know that there is no such thing as perfect political party, and it is not easy to govern this country which has no natural resources, but I do hope that the party that is going to lead us into the next five years besides having the qualities of efficiency, efficacy and integrity, is also open to diverse views, be humble, apologetic when made mistakes, not resorting to personal character attacks and unwarranted legal suits, and governed with compassion, not just brain. After all, election in a democratic system is not just about winning the minds, but also the hearts of the people. Issues like cost of living, soaring property prices, transportation woes, and influx of foreigners should not to be dismissed as mere phantom issues played up by the opposition parties.