Senior Stories Andrew Yeo

My job at PSA

by Andrew Yeo

 In 1960 the Singapore Polytechnic started a Nautical School to encourage young Singaporeans to enter the Sea Transport Industry as Mariners (Sailors) onboard vessels as their career.

Vessels transporting passengers and various types of Goods were manned by Deck Officers and Engineers with a competent Crew of about 20 to 30 personnel onboard. The Captain was the Master and commander of the Ship.These vessels were of various sizes and driven by motor or steam engines.  

To prepare students to be gainfully employed on board as a Ship Deck Officer (Marine Officer) in International waters, a program called “Pre Sea Training” was formed to begin their career path of becoming a Ship Captain.  

As a Ship Officer his responsibility was mainly to ensure and exercise safe navigation and the operation of the vessel carrying the precious cargoes to its destination. The basic qualification of the Officer required was the “2nd Mate Certificate Of Competency for foreign going vessels.”

I enrolled myself as one of the First batch of students in the Pre Sea Training course at the Singapore Polytechnic Nautical School.

Graduated in 1961 and with the basic schooling of nautical studies, I was attached as an Apprentice to Guan Guan Shipping, one of the local Shipping Companies that participated in the Government Scheme to promote and train locals to operate their vessels in the high seas.

A contract was signed to serve the Company as an Apprentice / Cadet Officer for 4 years.This was a British International standard requirement and procedure for Trainees to have the necessary seatime before sitting for the 2nd Mate Examination. The Seatime requirement was to obtain enough experience in Seamanship by working together with the Crew and lessons on Ship management from the Captain and Senior Officers onboard a vessel.

I began my journey as a Marine Officer at the age of 18 on board a small Single Screw KPM type of vessel sailing within the Home Trade area. KPM vessels were built by the Dutch for the Indonesian trade during their occupation of Indonesia. These vessels were designed and constructed to facilitate the many River Ports in Indonesia which have various types of moorings and berthing facilities.

My first Ship was the M/V SUMBER MAS, a KPM class vessel of 1200 Grt. anchored at the Inner Roads, an anchorage for SmalI vessels. I boarded the Home Trade vessel carrying general cargo bound for Banjarmasin,(future Capital of Indonesia) a River Port at the Island of Kalimantan and started my sea career at Sea.

Trading areas were defined by Local, Home Trade and Foreign Going Trade which have countries further away. Home Trade covers all of Indonesia waters and the Asean Countries. During the 60s , Local Shipping Companies mostly traded within the Asean Countries where most of the ports were deep in the River or at River mouth, they therefore bought most of these small vessels (less than 3000 grt) for their business.

In those days, vessels were constructed with a common shape called "Three Island Type”. ( Three Structures on the Main Deck). The Bow section(Forecastle), where you have the Anchors on both sides, compartments of Crew accommodation and where Anchor Chains are stored. The Mid section was the Bridge for Navigation and where the Officers accommodation was situated. The Aft (Stern) was usually the machinery section where the Engine Room and the Engineers accommodation are found, it was also where the Propeller and Rudder were situated. Cargoes were stored in Cargo holes below the Deck and also on the Deck as well. Fresh water tanks and ballast tanks to stabilise the vessel were situated at the bottom of the ship. Monitoring of tanks and ensuring that there were no leakages, sounding of Bilges and Tanks (measurement) were done daily and recorded to be analysed by the Officers on Duty.

The carriage and movement of cargoes on board were done physically by Manpower using swinging Derricks with Ropes and Tackles. Later, vessels had hydraulic power Cranes and electric equipment to assist the movement of cargo on board.

Ships are constructed with Iron bars and metal sheets where rust was the greatest enemy. Maintenance of vessels was done by the Engine Room Crew and Deck Crew themselves. As an Apprentice, to experience practical seamanship. you join the Crew in the daily routine of upkeeping the vessel.

Anything apparent above the waterline must be kept in good condition by constantly knocking and chipping the rust away, applying anti-rust paint and finally painting the colour quote of the vessel to look good. Greasing and Oiling of shackles and deck machinery were a daily routine. Handling mooring ropes, ensuring that they were maintained and stored properly were part and parcel of good seamanship.

Being on smaller vessels, aIl berthing and moorings were executed by the Ship Officers and Crew under the Command of the Captain. I was fortunate to be able to acquire their Skills which later was a great help as a foundation in Piloting.

In 1963 Guan Guan Shipping extended their business to Foreign Trade and having sailed on 3 Home Trade vessels, I was promoted to 3rd Officer on M/V KARIO, a foreign going vessel, trading between Indonesia , HongKong and China.

Sailing in Foreign Trade routes were more strenuous and dangerous as they were subjected to heavier seas and rough weather. I remembered a dangerous voyage where we met the Eye of Typhoon Sally at the South China Sea on the way to Hong Kong from Makassar (Sulawesi, Indo.).The vessel was tossed up and down by the huge waves with Rain and strong Winds pouring on the vessel for four days.

We have to tie ourselves with ropes to assist us when walking on the deck between the Bow to the Stern of the vessel in case we are swept overboard by the waves. It was a terrifying experience and thank God we managed to survive through it.

After another year of sailing, I was nominated together with a skeleton Crew to take delivery of one vessel M/V GOLDEN SPRING in Stockholm, Sweden. This Ship was purchased to carry Wheat and General Cargo for the Australian Run. We took delivery of the M/V GOLDEN SPRING in Stockholm in September 1964 and sailed the vessel back to Singapore through the English Channel stopping at Lisbon (Portugal) to load some general cargo and Pig Iron. Topped up with fuel and provisions we continued our voyage through the Suez Canal and returned safely to Singapore for the necessary manning requirement in order to land in Australia.

I came ashore in early 1965 to partake in the 2nd Mates Examination in Singapore. Upon obtaining the certificate of competency for foreign going vessels, I went back to Sea again in May 1965 on the M/V GOLDEN OCEAN to further my career at Sea.

Life at Sea was tough. Battling the rough seas and loneliness were physical and mental happenings the Mariners have to overcome. Facing the Monsoons at the South China Sea , the Sea swells and the Storm with inclement weather can also be strenuous and tormenting and were events Sailors have to bear.

Even with the odds of having more rough weather than calm seas, and with all the hardships, some really love the Sea; however others when given the opportunity would choose to have a shore job.

   

PART 2

During the 60s, Shipping was a vibrant and growing industry and ship movements were ever increasing in Singapore

The Port of Singapore Authority, a Quasi Government under the Ministry of Communication which took over from Singapore Harbour Board in 1964 was responsible for the growth in the Shipping Industry of Singapore. 

The Port of Singapore Authority [PSA] introduced a Pilotage Training Scheme in 1965 sponsoring students who had obtained their HSC or GCE with three O levels in Science, Mathematics and English to attend a one year Pre Sea Course at the Singapore Polytechnic. On completion they will be attached to Shipping Lines as Cadet Officers and after 3 years they can be eligible to sit for the 2nd Mates Certificate of Competency examination.

Successful candidates can then be employed as Trainee Harbour Pilots. After 3 years through Class C and Class B they can be promoted to Class A with no restrictions on the type and size of vessels allocated. An annual recruitment was exercised to eventually replace all the Foreign Harbour Pilots and Marine Officers with local Singaporeans. Those that did not have the aptitude to become Pilots could be employed to perform other marine duties in the Port master Department.

Harbour Pilots are Mariners who guide ships through dangerous or congested waters. They are trained shiphandlers who possess detailed knowledge of local waterways.

Direct Entries were also offered to those Mariners at Sea who wanted to become Harbour Pilots and Marine Officers in the Port Master Department.

I applied for the Pilot Training Scheme and was accepted and employed as a Trainee Pilot in January 1966 with a salary of $600/-.and was attached to the Port Master Department.

Initially Ten Marine Officers were admitted by Direct Entry. Port Master was Captain Goh Choo Keng who was also the Director of Marine in the Ministry of Communication. The Port Master under the Port of Singapore Authority was responsible for all marine matters within the Port waters whereas the Marine Department under the Ministry was responsible for International marine matters. The Port Master controls all the Marine activities in the Port and is responsible for provision of pilotage services.

Training starts by understanding and familiarising ourselves with the functions of Port Operations. As a Trainee Pilot, I was first attached to the Shipping Control Section headed by a Shipping Controller. This office controls all the shipping movement at the Anchorages, Berths, Terminal and within the Port. There were Marine Officers and Inspectors in this Section employed to enforce Port Rules for all vessels operating in the Port. Patrolling the Port round the clock they ensure that the Port Regulations were not abused. They also inspected vessels with dangerous cargoes and laboratory testing of flammable goods to ensure safe entry into Singapore .

Traffic Control of vessels leaving and coming alongside the wharfs were operated by Marine Officers round the clock.The responsibility of Harbour Craft Licensing and Harbour Craft Rules were also operated and administered by this Section.

My next station was the Hydrographic Section where we learned about the Local Tides and Current and Navigable waters. Chart-work, learning the positions and locations of Islands, Anchorages., Berths, Reefs, Shoals, lighthouses, Beacons,Buoys and Navigable Channels etc.. was a mandatory and important part of pilotage training. I was fortunate that my training period coincided with the annual Navigational Aids maintenance program. A program where Beacons and Buoys that marked the dangers for sea navigation were inspected, repaired or replaced annually. Stayed 2 weeks onboard the Buoy Laying Vessel doing the operation of buoy replacement was most educational and eating clams daily that was gathered from the chains that were attached to the buoys was very memorable..Knowing exactly where the dangers were and having the knowledge using transits and bearings of Beacons and prominent buildings to guide safe navigation were tools pilots must learn during training.

Familiarising with the Traffic Department which controls the movement and storage of cargoes and the allocation of Berths at Keppel Wharves allows us to understand why vessels carrying certain cargoes were allocated according to their nominated berths.

After six months of attachments and familiarisation of Port operations the actual Piloting began at the Pilot Station situated at Tanjong Pagar .Berth No. 47.

The Pilot Superintendent was Captain Ashley Todd. a Scottish who was well respected for his piloting and administration capabilities.There were about 30 Foreign Pilots mostly British Masters, 5 from India and 3 Local Malay Captains. During those days a Pilot was respected as a retired Captain and had the capability to advise the Master of the vessel.

In order to be a licensed Class C Pilot, a list of required manoeuvres to ensure that there was enough knowledge for commanding a vessel into port was given. The list covers all the areas to be piloted with different types and sizes of vessels assigned to various berths and terminals and Anchorages.

Training starts by following the qualified Pilots on their assignment to learn the various Ship handling methods used for mooring different types of vessel. On completion of the job the Pilot had to acknowledge your attendance by signing on that particular job on the list required by the Trainee.

Permission to follow the Pilots must be sought and they can refuse to let you follow them. Initial discrimination and resentment was understandable because we were taking away their lucrative jobs. There was also the embarrassing issue to consider as we could be witnesses to incidents where vessels suffered damages due to their bad advice in handling of the vessel. However as fellow Mariners and with mutual respect this was blown away quickly without any more incidents of resentment.  

Piloting a vessel safely to their Moorings and Berths requires great patience and steady nerves. There must be a natural aptitude for the job. Moving a big object on the water was not an easy task. Every vessel has its own characteristic. Knowledge of the surrounding waters,Wind and Current were factors to be considered in navigating a vessel safely to her destination. Having the ability to master the skill in combining these main factors would make a good Pilot in guiding vessels into and out of the Port.

Only a few were really good and skillful ship handlers, other expatriates were competent enough but there were a few that were not apt for this nerve wracking job.

On completion of all the requirements, a practical test by doing a few Class C jobs was conducted with a Senior Pilot. Upon his recommendations Trainees were promoted to a certified Class C Pilot with restrictions to berth vessels of not more than 400ft in length and mooring vessels up to 15,000 gross tonnes to the Anchorages.  

Starting with a salary $720/-a month, work was on a 2 shift method with a rotation of 3 days On 1 Day Off Schedule. Every morning a list of ships requiring Pilotage service would be printed out with the names of Pilot allotted to them. Pilots usually start work at 6 am in the morning on a 12 hour shift rotation. There was an Office Pilot (Senior Pilot) administrating the daily allocation of Pilots to Vessels according to their type and size and destinations. In those days compulsory Pilotage was only applicable for vessels to the wharves and terminals .A vessel entering Singapore had the option not to have a Pilot onboard to guide her to the Anchorages. If a Pilot was required, vessels will hoist a Red And White “ H flag”indicating “I want a Pilot” on her yardarm.(Flagpost).and a Pilot would be dispatched immediately. They can also request Pilot services by radio or through their agencies.

Vessels arriving to be moored at the Anchorages to discharge their cargoes in Singapore were mostly within 15000.grt. Therefore Class C Pilots were most suitable for this assignment.

Class C Pilot's main job was to “Guard the Gates”, an expression used for bullying the new Pilots by stationing them far away at the Entrances to wait for arriving vessels into Singapore. Pilot Stations at the Sea entrances were quite a distance away within an hour or two boat ride from the Pilot Office at Tanjong Pagar. Sitting in the Pilot boat just waiting for vessels to fly the H flag was rough especially during the Monsoon Period where it was wet with rough sea popping the boat up and down.

There were also assignments to berth vessels of not more than 400 ft in length for alongside the wharves.The famous Empire Dock at Keppel Wharves which can accept a maximum of 400 ft vessel, was thus the favourite assignment for Class C Pilots. Built with Ramps on certain berths to cater for the Empire Class of LSTs it also harbours the local vessels like Straits SteamShip ,Guan Guan , Kie Hock Shipping and other Barges. Most Vessels allocated to the Empire Dock have high freeboard which is subjected to the wind.This Dock was most feared by all pilots as it had a very narrow entrance and was right angle to the currents in the main Channel. With restricted space for manoeuvrability, Berthing Vessels with high freeboard and high superstructures like the Indian Passenger Ship “RAJULAH” a 400 footer with slow response engines was a nightmare. Ships entering the Empire Dock used to have had more incidents of damage compared to other wharves. However with the arrival of Class C pilots incidents were drastically reduced due to their familiarity of the place.

Promoted to Class B Pilot allows us to berth vessels up to 500ft and 20,000 grt to the Anchorages.These were the Tankers from Shell , BP and Mobil which frequently were anchored in the Petroleum Anchorage. Cargo vessels like the Blue Funnel and Ben Line Vessels often berthed at the Keppel Wharves were now handled by the Class B Pilots as well.

After another 18 months we at last achieved our unrestricted Class A Licence in 1970. As an unrestricted Harbour Pilot, the opportunity to be able to manoeuvre various types and sizes of vessels in the Port was most exciting and challenging.

In my career as a Harbour Pilot I have assisted many famous Passenger Liners like Queen Elizabeth II, France , Orion etc.. into the Port. It was an honour to be selected for such assignments because only Senior Pilots were allocated to these assignments. I also had my share in the formidable task of manoeuvring fully loaded VLCCs to their Moorings. These large vessels of 1000 feet in length loaded with 200,000 tonnes of Oil must be done carefully with respect when moving on the water. The risk of Oil pollution was a major factor to be considered when manoeuvring these vessels. A slight mistake could result into a massive disaster to the Port and would incur millions of dollars in damages.

The aim and duty of a Pilot was to assist the Master of the vessel in navigating his vessel safely to its destination without mishaps. However, due to unforeseen circumstances not every job could be done according to the book.The ability to control the vessel during difficult times were also attributes Pilots should have to assist the Master of the vessel. A well done job often was rewarded with a cartoon of cigarette or a bottle of whisky.

Movements of vessels in the Port were increasing and Pilots were working extremely hard with extended hours.There were no issues or problems as the remuneration was based on bonuses for extra number of ships piloted. Compared to other careers in the 70’s, Pilots were having very good incomes and it was rumoured that the Executive Chairman of PSA was not happy with Pilots having more Income than him..

To break the monopoly of Foreign pilots holding on to this profession with such income, a scheme cutting off all bonuses with only fixed salaries was initiated. This of course angered the Foreigners and began the exodus leaving the profession they had once dominated.

Six of the 1966 intake of Marine Officers (Including myself) who had learned the ropes well were recognised and was promoted from Senior Pilot to Senior Port Marine Officer (SPMO) in 1972 to slowly take over all the functions held by the Foreign Pilots..In the meantime the Pilotage Scheme sponsored candidates also had returned home from sea for their career in PSA .Under the leadership of Captain Goh, the Port Master,the six SPMO began to take position relieving and replacing all the duties and functions held by the Foreigners.

As a SPMO, our functions were changed and enhanced from

Senior Stories Lawrence Loh

RETIREMENT PLANNING

by Lawrence Loh

Retirement is the golden chapter of one’s life. It is an entitlement and a privilege. Hence, it is baffling that some choose to forgo the entitlement and squander the privilege.

So it begs the question : Why?

Do you think that those elderly men who go about collecting cardboard boxes do it for exercise, as some quarters will have us believe? Come on, let’s get real.

They do this because they did not prepare sufficiently for retirement. Therein lies the importance of retirement planning.

Retirement planning invariably over-emphasises financial planning, due to the belief that money is the panacea of all retirement woes.

Yes, money is important because retirement means the absence of employment income. But how do we explain the fact that many who have the means to retire refuse to do so? These people are not mentally prepared.

In order to enjoy a hard-earned and well-deserved retirement, fulfilling two important conditions is paramount, which are mental preparedness and financial adequacy.

Mental Preparedness

Central to this is the fear of retirement. The word ‘retirement’ instils fear in many people. Some see retirement as a scary and undesirable phase of life, with idleness as the order of the day. Although untrue, this seems to be the stereotypical view of retirement, which underscores the undue fear.

Ernest Hemingway said retirement is the ugliest word in the English language. On the contrary, Ernest J Zelinski said that to fear retirement is to fear life.

Why the fear?

Most people go through life with a somewhat set regime and order. From infancy to the time they approach retirement, life is regimented, and seems to follow a process. For instance, education, national service (for males), work, marriage, starting a family, and bringing up children seem to be a logical continuum, with one life stage naturally leading to another. There is predictability and order.

The fulcrum of this process is work. The income from work facilitates this process and helps to materialise needs and desires. Work is also used as a measure of success and self-worth. Many people’s life revolves around work, so retirement to them means the end of life, pathetic as it may be.

It is not surprising then for people who are retrenched or unemployed to have low self-esteem. Some descend into depression. The extreme ones become suicidal.

Hence, for many people, removing work, even though they are due for retirement, upsets the process, causing disequilibrium. They lose their sense of self-worth. It can be daunting.

The transition from working life to retirement can be a drastic and sobering one.

Imagine someone who is in a senior or top management position, a job which comes with many bells and whistles – a substantial remuneration, power, recognition, being revered, molly-coddled or even feared, an expense account, a company’s car, a driver or generous car allowance, business-class travel, a secretary, a large well-equipped office, a formidable business network, invitations to golf, events, concerts, musicals, and so on.

Remove all these and he immediately feels naked.

The trappings of the job are too good to part with. It can be extremely daunting to wake up realising that all these are gone.

But how long can they hang onto the umbilical cord? At some point, it has to be cut. Employment immortality is a myth. Of course, there are those who want to hang on for as long as possible. In any case, working till ill-health or death beckons is an unattractive proposition.

A common argument is that life-span has increased, so people should continue working. Little do they appreciate that even if they live to 90, in the last 10 years or more, they are likely to be saddled with health and/or physical impairment, reducing the number of productive years for enjoyment.

People who are unable to let go will invariably indulge in self-rationalisation, posing questions like:

“How much golf can you play?”

“How many books can you read”

“How often can you go out with friends?”

“How much travelling can you do?”

And so on.

Needless to say, this is a form of escapism, a reluctance to accept reality.

So it is important to carefully and thoroughly go through a mental process to prepare for retirement. Once we are convinced that we are ready, do not look back.

It is not easy. Not everyone has the ability and courage to do this, but those who succeed will reap great rewards.

A good starting point is to believe that retirement is inevitable. It is a matter of time, and we must be prepared when the time eventually arrives.

Life is a journey, and retirement is part of this journey.

Financial Adequacy

Financial adequacy has nothing to do with money madness, the craving for it and not having enough, even though many people are obsessed with amassing wealth. It is about having enough to pursue a desired lifestyle, devoid of financial worries.

A frequently-asked question is: “Can I afford to retire in Singapore?”

A valid question, given the high cost of living, which is still rising. A 2014 survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit which dubbed Singapore as the world’s most expensive city is cold comfort. In the same year, The Straits Times published an article ‘Majority unprepared for retirement: Survey’, which focused on financial adequacy for retirement, and the fear of retiring due to a lack of it.

Related to this issue are a number of myths.

Myth No. 1 : The children must be financially independent

This simply implies that people who have children late are doomed to continue working until their children finish school and are gainfully employed.

Not necessarily true. If they have proper financial planning, it will allow them to retire and continue to support their children through school.

In fact, the time before they embrace parenthood is opportune for amassing savings for the future, being spared the expenses needed to raise children.

My discourse with some young people, including some young parents, was shocking. Some do not see the need to save. One particular person was influenced by her businessman father who does not believe in saving. For him, when times were good, money came easy. Banks were more than willing to advance loans. Unfortunately, his business hit a bad patch. Banks withdrew their support as his business is highly collateralised. He has no savings to tie him through this setback, and had to sell his bungalow, which was once his beacon of success.

Myth No. 2 : I must not have financial liability

We need to define the nature of the financial liability.

Ideally, the house that we live in should be fully paid for.

For investment properties, if any, the rental income should, at the very least, be sufficient to cover all expenses related to them. Of course, we should aim for having a surplus, which constitutes investment income.

In the event of an unfortunate circumstance, the properties can be liquidated. However, we need to be mindful that this may not always result in recouping our investment, as we are subjected to the vagaries of the market.

In any case, this form of liability, even in retirement, is acceptable.

Myth No. 3 : Retirement planning is for seniors

Young working adults, pre-occupied with chasing their careers and enjoying life, tend to relegate retirement planning to the back burner, believing that time is on their side. This is certainly not advisable.

The recurring monthly salary gives a false sense of security and misplaced complacency.

Spending $8.00 or more on a cup of coffee is no skin off the back.

Despite this, do not forget that retirement planning should be a priority early in life, so as to 

accord a sufficiently long runway to grow one’s savings.

Unfortunately, many people, as surmised by various surveys on retirement, discover this too late.

Myth No. 4 : A lot of money is not necessary in retirement

With the escalating cost of living, retirement does not come cheap, especially if we want to achieve a desired lifestyle, one which is close to or the same as that we have been enjoying pre-retirement.

Myth No. 5 : My property can take care of my retirement funds

This may not be a tenable assumption, given the uncertainty and volatility of the property market. More so when it is the only roof above our heads, so the only way to derive money from the property is to either downgrade, reverse mortgage, lease buyback, or participate in the Silver Housing Bonus Scheme (the latter two for HDB flats only).

Early retirement planning can mean that we have adequate funds for retirement, without having to compromise our home.

It is common for retirees to be asset-rich but cash-poor, as they are reluctant to trade their homes for cash, due to sentimental reasons.

Myth No. 6 : 70 to 80 per cent of pre-retirement income is needed during retirement

Estimating the amount we will spend during retirement is complex and unique to each individual. Hence, the commonly used 70 to 80 percent rule of thumb can be deceptive.

Whilst we can expect spending during retirement to reduce over time as we age, due to diminished activity and consumption, we can also expect increased spending due to inflation and rising healthcare costs.

Predicting how these two contradictory influences will affect total spending is a challenge, if not impossible.

A more reliable option is to estimate a budget based on our personal situation and retirement goals, and test these numbers with various inflation assumptions and potential healthcare costs. Even so, it is only a guesstimate, as the future is unpredictable.

A HSBC survey in 2015 found that Singaporeans are not financially prepared for the future, partly due to a lack of understanding on how to plan it.

56% said they were most concerned about long-term financial security. Of this group, 40% said they could not manage well or have no specific alternative in place should something unforeseen occurs.

So when do we start financial planning?

It should commence the moment we start work.

The young generation is generally very fortunate compared with their parents and grandparents, as most do not have to support their families.

Consequently, they have more disposable income. However, many are spendthrift and careless spenders.

So for them, financial planning as a discipline must begin early. The habit of saving money needs to be internalised.

For a young employee whose earning power is initially not high, care in managing expenses is important.

After accounting for expenses, he should try to save as much as possible, given that he will be incurring heavy expenditure going forward, for instance, car loan, housing loan, insurance, income tax, marriage expenses, cost of raising children, vacations, and so on.

With time, the financial situation will improve, as he ascends the corporate ladder, with higher salary, better bonuses, and other monetary incentives.

By now, he is older. For many at around 40 years old, this is the time when their career is fairly stable, their income stream is steady and largely predictable, and the family unit, for those who are married with children, is established. This is the time to go beyond saving, and start growing their money through prudent investing.

A very important aspect of financial planning is family legacy planning, which is often neglected by many people, either because they do not appreciate a need for it, or they feel they have the time to consider it later, so there is no urgency. However, we need to be mindful that ill-health and death transcend age, so it is never too early to act.

Family legacy planning essentially comprises three pillars:

Will

Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

Advance Medical Directive (AMD)

Will

Making a will ensures that your assets end up where you want them and your wishes are adhered to. We have heard of horror stories when a person died intestate, leaving family members to fight with and sue one another. I have witnessed squabbles among family members during a deceased’s wake, even though the content of the will has not been revealed. So what more if there were no will? Although, to some of us, thinking about death is taboo, doing this earlier than later gives us more time to think about it, at a time when we have higher cognitive ability. The will can be reviewed and amended at any time, in accordance with circumstances.

A will can be a simple one if your assets are fairly straightforward. It is important, however, to realise that important legal implications found in common assets are not addressed by a simple will. For instance:

Immovable assets (properties)

Cash in bank accounts

Central Provident Fund (CPF)

Insurance policies

SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) businesses

As an example, a person has a joint account with another person. The simple will states that, upon his death, all cash in his bank accounts will go to his wife. However, in a joint account, upon the death of an individual, the surviving joint account-holder is entitled to the money, not the wife of the deceased.

A complex will is one in which the assets involve various jurisdictions. For instance, a person owns properties in different countries. A will drawn up in Singapore may not recognise these properties because the laws in these countries are different from that in Singapore. A case in point is China. Properties owned in China need to be covered by a separate will drawn up by a lawyer based there.

Lasting Power of Attorney

This is a legal document which allows a person who is at least 21 years old (called a donor), to voluntarily appoint one or more persons (donee(s)), to make decisions and act on his behalf as his proxy decision-maker(s), should he lose his mental capacity one day. A donee(s) can act on his personal welfare as well as his property and affairs matters.

A LPA alleviates the stress and difficulties faced by your loved ones in the event of you losing your mental capacity.

Advance Medical Directive

This is a legal document that allows a person to state that he does not wish to prolong the process of dying, in the event he is unconscious and terminally ill, with no reasonable prospect of recovery.

When it comes to real estate, the agent will tell us that it is about location, location and location.

Similarly, with retirement, it is about planning, planning and planning.

By the time we reach the current retirement age of 62 years, most of us would have worked for at least 35 years. Given this, it is important that we plan for the

 next stage of our life journey.

Senior Stories Lim Chin Siang

 The Golden Age is coming 

by Lim Chin Siang

Civilization evolves in cycles. Night is followed by day. Excessive pleasure leads to pain, excessive pain leads to pleasure. Boiling water is painful; extreme cold is also painful. But progress is made, little by little, riding on the upwards and downwards cycles.  

The 1st industrial revolution occurred during the 18th century. Steam engines came into play, replacing horses and human power. Mechanical production began using steam and water power. We should be flying steam jet engines but we ended up playing with oil and combustion engines during the 2nd industrial revolution. The 3rd industrial revolution started with computers and the internet around the 1980s. At the start of the 21st century, the fourth industrial revolution moved the world into industrial robots, AI, augmented and virtual reality. From 2020 onwards, some say we are in the 5th industrial revolution where humans and machines work together for the good of mankind.

We have to work with intelligent machines to help us manage the ever increasingly complex world. Machines can be programmed to report truthfully. These intelligent machines connect to one another worldwide. Soon, the intellignet become more intelligent and they build more inteligent machines - those that surpasses human intelligence. Hacking comes into the equation. How do you keep those super intelligent machines royal to the owners? Identity theft can becomes rampant; ownership can become an issue. The only way is to embed souls into super intelligent machines, leading to the creation of machine men. 

The world kills itself

It is obvious that the world is advancing but , oh, so very slowly and wasting much time fighting two wars, and playing with oil which does not belong to our solar system. In that process we have wasted 100 years. The relentless pursuit of wealth(materialism) and domination, the world has :

. Polluted the rivers and the seas. The dolphins and whales have been complaining of fatigue and tiredness and thought of giving up all the time. Having not enough oxygen to breathe, these marine creatures seek purer waters and quite commonly ended up on the sea shores. They got trapped. If not for the kindness of passerbys, many of these wonderful creatures would be dead. 

. Creating and enlarging deserts. Forests have been cut down. Insects and animals are dwindling. Once the bees die, all human life will cease within months. 

. Adulterated our atmosphere. Germs, bacteria and viruses happily awaken to multiply in this nutritious atmosphere. Their inter galactic cousins were informed and all are findings means to hitch hike to earth before the fun is all over.

. Massively increase the intensity of rf radiation around the globe. The human body can only take so much radiation. Day in and day out, various levels of radiation passes through our bodies. Once the mental threshold is breached, many unknown diseases of the brain will start to manifest leading to untold sufferings. 

. Increase noise level. Noise harm our souls. We talked too much. Combustion engines and jet engines make the most noise. Quiet machines are needed - everything electric and atomic.  

Schools for the future

Those who have a glimpse of the future told us that earth will survive. Not only surviving but also enter the new Golden Age. Whichever nation wants to be a winner in the coming golden age should prepare itself well in advance. The materialism the world builds up may take a 1000 years to breakdown. Not knowing the purpose of life, everyone rushes for wealth, fame and sex. 

Governments around the world are always vying to attract the best people to join their countries. Pick the best immigrants so that over time, these immigrants become the economic engines of the host countries. Well and good. But not good enough. The future successful nation must be the country which attracts the spiritually advanced souls(sas)right from the start. 

Sas are souls who are superbly developed physically, spiritually and mentally thru their efforts during their past lives. As they are highly developed, they do not wish to waste too much time studying for their degrees. Or allow the culture or the infrastructure of the host countries to delay their projects. The United States has one of the most flexible university , with enough credits, you graduate with your degree. Their entrepreneurial culture help youngsters to chase their dreams. Their advanced infrastructure and support companies created magic wands for startups. Advanced souls love to be born there. Which is why we read about many entrepreneurs in the US, even giving up their university education, to start their pet projects, and succeeding. 

New age schools 

The present method of learning is to study books, papers, attend classes, tutorials and other mundane methods. Hundreds of books have to be read, a really slow process. A much faster way is to do astral learning. Today, the Tibetans are the most advanced in this method of learning. 

In his book, Land of the flying lama, Gaurav Punj shared this story of a young boy learning astrally when he was five years old. See page 165. Allow the author to paraphrase the essential bits below. 

"Sometime after the child was born, senior lamas of the three valleys came to the parents and declared that the boy is the reincarnation of a former learned lama from the distant past. The lamas informed the parents that when the child is five years old, his education will start. Soon the boy turn five. When the boy reached five, the parents eagerly waited for the lamas to take their son to the monastery for his education. Nothing happened. Confused, the parents asked their son when is he going to start his education. The son replied that his education has already started. The surprised parents naturally asked , How? The son replied in my dreams. "

It appeared that the boy was learning during his sleep. At night when his body is sleeping, he is pulled by the senior lamas out of his physical body and learn astrally at the monastery. When one is conscious in the astral body, by touching a book, everything in that book is stored in his brain. Then some time is needed to digest the contents of the book. The normal 10 hours needed to read a book is reduced to 1 minute or less. Even better is that in the astral form, by touching the body of another learned person(this person is in the physical form), the relevant knowledge of certain subjects are passed to the person in the astral. We may view this process of obtaining knowledge as stealing. It is not stealing if we understand the thought process. 

 Our thoughts are not our own. Other physical things we own are ours but thoughts are not ours alone. Everybody thoughts go to a central depository. We also draw from this central depository some of our deeper thoughts. In the area of R and D, it is common that when a discovery is made in the world, two or more persons may have to access to the same ideas but the person who publishes it first is the one who owns it. The other persons who know about the published idea are not plagiarizing the ideas at all, it is just that they did not publish in time. The central depository is sometime call the Akashic record of the planet. 

We heard about saints or yogi who are very knowledgeable about almost anything the normal persons wanted to ask. That is simply because those saints/yogis own their minds so they are free to access the Akashic record and can intelligently debate and converse on any subject on this planets, and even other planets. 

 All of us have our minds but we are not aware that we do not own them. And you can know that you do not yet own your mind once you started the practice of meditation. As long as you occupy your body, you have full use of every faculties of your body. Once you starts to look inwards, the mind will start its battle with you. Conquer your mind through meditation, then you begin to own it, and the powers that come with that ownership. 

Can we duplicate astral learning? 

It is possible to log, stock and barrel duplicate the monastery? All physical things could be duplicated but not the culture, learning , the monks and the masters. Before China invaded Tibet, there were many high lamas, age from 300 yrs to 500 years old. These advanced lamas had meditated at least 50 to a 100 years before reaching the high levels they were on. In modern society, such dedication is not possible. But for those who balance spiritual practice with modern life, giving the day to society and the night to meditation, a reasonable progress can certainly be made. China is already making headway in the spiritual realm. Though the Chinese had managed to conquer Tibet(physically), the Tibetans managed to kept their spiritual science a closely guarded secret. 

Astral travellers

Can we build a bunch of astral travellers? There are many books attempting to teach astral travelling. The simplest came from Sri M. In his book, The Journey Continues, page 61 and 62, Sri M showed two methods of astral travelling. Faith and parctive are needed, Believing that one can do astral travelling is a must. Practice is needed. Purification is also needed. Faith is like a muscle; it needs training.

The experience of this bunch of astral travellers could then be shared and enlarged. The American astral traveller, the late INgo Douglas Swann, had described his astral viewing of Jupiter. From Wikipedia: "On the evening 27 April 1973 Targ and Puthoff recorded Swann's remote viewing session of the planet Jupiter and Jupiter's moons,[36] prior to the Voyager probe's visit there in 1979." Instead of spending money on R and D, perhaps money spend on grooming astral travellers may reap more results. 

Studying the astral 

Everything about the human body is electrical in nature. THousands of near death experiences , shared via books and You-Tube, shows that consciousness does not stay with the physical body. Most of the near-death experience show that the conscious part of the person is able to obswrve his or her body being operated while they hover nearby. That consciousness is attached to the astral body, not the physical body. 

Since we cannot put the astral body under an astral MRI, we could study the auras emitted by it to understand the nature of the astral body. Like a proxy.  

China looks to the future 

The book, China’s Super Psychic, shows that China is already very advanced in its study of Chi qong and the psychic power of human beings. The key secret of chiqong or psychic abilities is not in chi qong or psychic abilities but in the fact that in order to progress, the participants must learn to be very quiet and learn to focus their intention. On page 35 of the book, it says : “The Buddhist texts say, “stillness gives rise to wisdom” while the Bible says, “Be still and know that I am God”. 

Maybe it helps to have a 5-minute of quietness before starting classess everyday. Once this habit is formed, primary school students would be able to progress to higher level of meditational practice when they reach secondary or tertiary levels. 

Zhong Baosheng is one of the most interesting characters mentioned in the book. He demonstrated the ability to move objects stored in a closed bottle from one place to another, without breaking any seal. More interesting is the ability to move a bag of sugar through walls. Bao Sheng is also able to manifest himself from one place to another. Although Baosheng did not admit it, many who tested him believe that Baosheng is able to walk through walls. Read this on page 87. 

Walking through any physical object is possible if the physics of the whole process is understood. Lets take a glass of water, full to the brim. Sugar can be added to the cup full of water. When the water is saturated with sugar(sugar would be seen deposited at the bottom of the glass) salt can then be added. A dye can also be added to the glass of water, withh the sugar and salt. At the molecular level, we can understand that matter have lots of empty space between the nuclear of each molecules and the electrons. If an object can push itself in all the tiny spaces distributed through space, it can break through the walls and appear on the other side. 

In many out-of-body experiences shared on You-Tube, all the participants , when they are in their astral bodies, could easily move through walls and partitions. Every astral body is made of fine tiny particle of light. These fine particles of light can easily move through physical walls and buildings. 

Another way to move through walls and physical obstacles is experienced by those who were kidnapped by the so-called aliens or advanced extra-terrestrial beings. . The aliens will carry the victim and walk through the walls. This process is called breaking the dream. The whole physical realm of ours is sustained by our minds. There is no reality to it. If one is able to break down this illusion of the walls or physical obstacles, then there is nothing to stop one from moving through it. Highly advanced spiritual beings are also able to do it. Very few saints want to write about such happenings, but Sri M, Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master, wrote on pages 281, how he went through a door to visit Shirdi Sai Baba(Shirdi Sai Baba died in 2018). Another monk, Father Padre Pio of Italy did many miracles of similar nature. 

Shamans who heal patients by using their hands to remove diseased parts used the same process. The shamans were able to break the illusions of dream, move their hands into the bodies (physical illusion) , removed the diseased parts and seal back(allow the dream to continue) the open parts. 

In the far future, humans on earth will be able to achieve the same process once the physics of the creation of illusion is understood.  

Educated in a flash

Lets say a genius boy of 10 years want to be located in nation A. He wanted to take his university exam for aeronautical engineering in two weeks. In another month, he wanted to take his Masters in Aeronautical engineer. And in another three months, he wanted to write his Thesis to earn his PhD in Aeronautical engineering. Can nation A do that? Maybe the US may be able to do that, and likely that boy will end up in the US. Why do other nations not be able to fulfill the education requirements for this boy? It is such a great opportunity to win this genius boy to stay in your own country.

Advanced soul do not want to waste time going through primary school, secondary school, college and then university, tertiary education if he is able to do it in 6 months. Normally, advanced souls come with a party of helpers- super intelligent souls come 20 years before him and 20 years after his arrivals to help in his work. Think of it as a genius who is supported by a battalion of solders. It is therefore brilliant for any nation to be prepared to welcome such souls. 

On a similar basis, soul transmigration is also used to fertilize a nation when a particular need arises. Supposed a 40 years old man is tired of living on earth , he was uneducated, and it happens that an advanced soul is ready takes over his body. Called this advanced souls, Alpha. His role is to advance the science of suspended animation and then to go on to teach the science of switching physical bodies. Alpha did not want to spend many years going through the normal education process. He wants to sit for an entrance examination to qualify him to enter medical school. Upon qualifying for his medical entrance examination, he wanted to sit for his medical degree examination immediately, But he will do the necessary medical internship to prove his ability. Can this be arranged? 

From these examples, there is much to recommend that colleges and universities take on students regardless of their ages. An entrance examination or oral examination suffice to test their suitability. 

Walking through walls 

The phenomena of walking through walls, or moving objects through walls, may seem like a miracle. Two types of people are able to do that - those with advanced technologies(like the aliens) and those highly evolved spiritual beings ( Guru of Sri M). Lets look at this phenomena this way. 

Lets assume for the purpose of this explanantion, that you are in a valley deep inside the Himalayan mountains, visiting a highkly inaccessible monastery. While talking to the abbot of the monastery in the garden, he asked that you stopped talking for a while and he himself went into a meditataive mode. You waited for a minute and when the abbot open his eyes, there were tears in his eyes. The abbot quietly said that an explosion in Lhasa had killed three senior monks. Then your phone rang and you watch a video send to you by your friends staying in Lhasa. Both you and the abbot witness the same incident - one through technoloy of streaming , the other through conscious astral travelling. 

The aliens have advanced technologies, they understood the physics of creation, so they are able to manipulate the forces to allow then to walk through the wall. The spirtitually advanced being, who also understand the new new physics, is also able to manipulate the forces to allow access through the walls. If we are able to go back 12,000 years , we will also be able to manipulate those forces. But for us now, it is not time yet. 

Some may think that through conscious astral travelling, someone can go to the astral Hall of Learning and download all the knowledge that is there and bring them down to earth. IT is not possible to be done that way. 

If we assume that Alpha, who practice astral travelling since he was a teenager, was able to travel consciously to the Hall of Learning. All the advanced technoloy was within his reach. Coming back to Earth, he tried to share what he had learnt, he might find that he draw a blank whenever he wanted to talk about levitation. After a year of investigation and learning, he manages to unlock the lock placed on him regarding levitation. 

When he explains the principle of levitation and the modulation scheme needed to deflect gravity, he found that nobody could understand what he is sharing. The theory of levitation was just too advanced for Earthlings at that point in time. Like the students who did not do his tutoirials, even when the hints are given, those lazy studients were not able to make use of the hints. Higher knowledge can only be transfered when there is a qualified vessel. 

Genes and more 

When the human genes were mapped, scientists thought that they could find out what are the genes which make up the human body and then manipulate those genes to create super human beings or remove diseases. To their surprises, they found that only 23,688 genes( Genie in Your genes wriiten by Dawson Church, page 34) were needed to run a human body but 35, 000 RNAs were needed to support the activation of the 23,688 genes. The genes can be activated by internal factors - your emotions and thoughts - or external factors, work, social settings, etc. The findings that genes do not determine destiny give rise to energy psychology and energy medicine. 

The study of identical twins show that DNA is not destiny. Identical twins in the same family grow up to be completely different in everyway possible. Many factors are at play to determine the makeup of a person. Scientists have yet to find the source of the controlling centre. One approach is to take the view that the thinking heart controls and coordinate all these activations. The heart is the central HQ. The heart periodically radiates commands and intentions to all the organs and cells. By using Squid(Super Quantunm Interference Device - US and Germany had reduce the Squid to a small module) to document very radiation of the heart, researchers should be able to find how the human body is controlled and activated. Through this research avenue, suspended animation may soon be a reality throug

Senior Stories

 Prostate Cancer: rare and aggressive

My prostate cancer journey

by Henry Vhis

 There may come a time in our lives when a critical matter is trust right at our doorstep and a decision is called for. It’s over something that impacts our entire future; only we alone must consider and decide.

We are advised on medical grounds to get a biopsy done to confirm or rule out prostate cancer from common symptoms that include elevated PSA ( prostate-specific-antigen), frequent urination or difficulty in passing urine.  

Do you want to know and face the truth? People who react to this situation generally fall into three groups. People in the first group prefer to treat it as a private and personal matter. People in the second group reject medical advice after listening to family members and friends who tell them about dangerous side effects of biopsy, you can end up with complications and life-long infections, and or after consulting some media sources that diminish the dangers of prostate cancer, or state that elevated PSA is not evidence of prostate cancer, or is slow growing. I belong to people in the third group who accept medical advice and decide to depend on procedures that are based on sound medical science.

My decision to undergo biopsy was not made immediately because, like people in the second group, I was initially influenced by negative information about biopsy. A friend who worked in a hospital told me to ignore PSA. Another friend told me that his father suffered from biopsy complications. But when a GP advised me to seek medical advice because my PSA at 9 was high (in fact I did not ask for that test) I went to the Urology Department of the Singapore General Hospital. There I was asked questions relating to urinary frequency and difficulty, had my urine and blood tested and ultra sound done. I was told to repeat these tests every 3-6 months.

 Two years later, tests showed that my PSA had risen to 24. The urology consultant, Professor Foo, strongly recommended biopsy but I continued to dither. My physical condition was good. I did not have high blood pressure, no high cholesterol, no diabetes. I led a healthy lifestyle: regular golf and walking with my dog, now and then swimming and gym workout. Don’t smoke, don’t drink alcohol.

But about one year later, in December 2019 I began to experience fatigue and unsteadiness, and I had stomach pains for five days. I fell down a couple of times. I went to SGH emergency department on 16 December 2019 and was immediately warded for observation. Consultants from various departments for urology, neurology, cancer, diabetes and metabolism and the colon came to examine me.

The doctors told me that the MRI Prostate was suspicious in June 2017 and shows interval progression compared with the MRI Prostate of 20 December 2019 done on the morning of my discharge. 

After much discussion among them and persuasion from the Urology consultant Prof. Foo, I gave in and agreed to get biopsy done immediately, in order to confirm if malignant cancer cells were present. I was feeling better when I was discharged on 20 December 2019.

On 9 January 2020 I returned as an outpatient to take blood and urine tests, and had an ultra sound done. On 15 January my urology consultant, Professor Henry Ho performed the biopsy. 

About two weeks later Professor Ho went through the biopsy report with me in the presence of my wife. The biopsy showed I had rare aggressive prostate cancer, stage 2. I was not shocked: in a way I was prepared for the news. I asked him what should be done next. He advised (1) radiotherapy (external beam radiotherapy) and (2) a course of hormone injection every three months. Surgery to remove the prostate was not recommended due to my age (86 years old), and the fact that my heart had stopped twice during the biopsy. I was immediately given the first hormone injection.

 My follow-up treatment was at the National Cancer Centre of Singapore (NCCS). Dr Jeffrey Tuan, radiation oncology specialist, my cancer consultant decided that I required 39 sessions of radiotherapy over three months from April to June 2020, every day except on weekends and public holidays.

 In the intervening period of three months, from January to April, I was medically examined by the departments of General Surgery, Renal Medicine & Metabolism, Cardiology, Psychology, Physiology, Oncology (colon), spine and nuclear medicine for PET/CT scan.

  I was professionally briefed about the external beam radiotherapy that was to be done from 16 April to 12 June 2020, how it worked, and my personal responsibility. Radiation eradicates cancer cells when done accurately and precisely. Even though the exact location for the radiation had been recorded and followed for my treatment, radiation still hit some healthy cells resulting in side effects. 

At the radiotherapy centre patients sat in dead silence with their private thoughts in the waiting room. I kept myself emersed in a book on the message of Revelation by Michael Wilcock (New Testament). Therapists were curious about what I was reading. I told them that I read to make myself a better person.

 For the treatment some were required to wear surgical gowns. I was one of them. As soon as I lay down on the treatment table the radiotherapists (usually two or three of them, male and female) applied some cream on the private part and carried out procedures to ensure empty stomach, colon free of gas and full bladder, before getting onto the table inside the machine. There was one occasion when a female doctor came to remove gas from my lower bowel. 

The reminder to lie down and remain very still on the treatment table was standard practice. Once inside the machine the top section spun slowly around the body several times, from left to right and then back. All together preparation and machine time took less than 10 minutes for completion of each session and the procedure was painless. But I still found myself attending to some background sound coming from the machine and counting the number of times the top of the machine spurn overhead, in anticipation of the end of the procedure.  

The radiotherapy treatment required a lot of self-discipline and a strict diet regime. Before every session I had to stop eating after midnight, clear my bowel in the morning and drink two cups of water to keep a full bladder forty minutes before the treatment. The need to clear my bowel at different times on different days over a period of three months was a huge challenge (the therapists decided the times of treatment). The need to keep a full bladder for the duration of the treatment required a strong will and control. But the fear of side effects, the need to minimise side effects like bleeding in stools and urine stiffened my resolve to fulfil the requirements of the treatment. My wife helped tremendously, ensuring that I took correct diet to facilitate bowel clearance. Still, it was a lonely time for me, having to travel to the Singapore General Hospital for the 39 radiotherapy sessions over a period of three months, April to June 2020, every day except Saturday, Sunday and public holiday. There was also the constant fear of Covid infection from the frequent hospital visits during the Covid shutdown.  

The period of the radiotherapy treatment seemed like eternity! About nine days after the first session the side effects started to kick in. I had to deal with loose and painful bowel, and from sudden and uncontrollable urges to urinate or defecate. That was troublesome especially when outdoors. It was a long, lonely, difficult and heavy-burdened journey. But it was mitigated by reliable information and advice from the hospital staff, who fully understood my physical and psychological stress, and went out of their way to be helpful. Fortunately, these episodes stopped after the radiotherapy period. I kept the card of my radiotherapy appointments very close to me, looking hard at the dates and wishing for the last date on my attendance card to arrive quickly. Thirty-nine days seemed so unbearably long. Thirty-nine days when privacy did not count. 

The anticipated last day of the thirty-nine radiotherapy sessions arrived on 12 June 2020, and I regained my privacy. I brought a cake to celebrate the occasion with the therapists.

My two consultants, Professor Ho and Dr Tuan took up from there.

 Professor Ho made regular checks on the level of my PSA. He checked my blood, urine and testosterone, took x-ray and ultra sound in July 2020, Sept. 2020, Jan. 2021, July 2021, Jan 2022 and Sept. 2022.

Dr Tuan, radiation oncologist checked my PSA from blood tests and gave hormone injections in July 2020, October 2020, January 2021, April 2021, July 2021 and October 2021. During this period when my PSA went down slightly from 0.9 to 0.7 Dr Tuan continued with the hormone injections to deprive the cancer cells of “food and sunshine”. He changed the schedule for blood test from three months to six months: October 2021 to April 2022 to October 2022, without hormone injection. Following our discussion we decided to stop the course of hormone treatment for further review. We took into consideration that I had hot flushes, which I think had aggravated my eczema. And whilst my breasts became enlarged, there was contraction below. On 21 June 2022 I went for circumcision surgery: hormonal treatment had played a part in it. 

Blood test eventually showed that my PSA went down to 0.67 in September 2022.

Professor Henry Ho expressed satisfaction with the result and decided that it was no longer necessary for me to continue further consultation with him.

Dr Tuan has decided to continue monitoring my PSA through 3 – 6 monthly blood tests. 

 I still need to go for laboratory investigation and consultation at the department of Renal Medicine & Nephrology, and at the department of Surgical oncology.

The general public does not know very much about prostate cancer, or the dangers and treatments available. When one becomes a patient he is forced to learn about it to decide what he must do about it. It’s a serious matter because the course of his future depends on his knowledge and what action he can take.

CNA has interviewed me in person on my prostate cancer journey. The report of the interview under the heading “Prostate cancer: Survivors talk radiation, loose bowels and battling a disease more common than you think” appeared on 29 November 2020 and updated on 04 February 2021. It was also reported in Lianhe Zaobao.

Now, when some friends ask me about my health and say I look well, my stock answer is: “I’m getting on quite well. My wife helps me to take care of my health. I eat well, keep a healthy and well balanced diet. I exercise regularly by swimming, playing some golf, working out in the gym and walking with my dog.” Now at 89 years of age, I still sing as a choir member of Wesley Herald, Wesley Methodist Church. In the time available I devote my life to doing what I can in the community. I have good relationship with friends, and above everything else, I have a love relationship with Jesus, my Heavenly Father.”

Henry Chia

31 October 2022

Two titles suggested for the book

Over The Hill There’s Light

Thoughts from the Grey World

Senior Stories

 My Speech Journey

by Norman Lim

My journey in better spoken English started when I joined radio broadcasting in 1967. I thought then that I had a good voice and diction and so applied for the job as an announcer when I saw the advertisement in the Straits Times. The reply calling me for an audition came many months later after I had given up hope that they would ever grant me an audition. Why did it take so long? Maybe in those days things moved slowly. Or perhaps I was on the reserve list.

Well, after I got in, I realized I had much to learn and was not up to the standard in my pronunciation. In fact, I did not go on the air until maybe about 5 or 6 months later. I stayed on for close to 30 years and learnt much, especially in pronunciation, reading skills and presentation.

Besides picking up the technical skills of broadcasting, like how to handle the gramophone player, the microphone, tape machine, splicing and editing tapes, I had, most importantly, to learn the correct pronunciation of composers, musicians and conductors when I was moved from the English Service to the newly established FM Stereo Service of Radio Singapore in July 1969 which played classical music and cultural programmes.

When I started reading the news on radio and later television, that was when my English improved a lot. I had to check and make sure that I pronounced the words correctly. Not only of English words, but names of people, places and political figures and world events. Above all, my reading skills and articulation improved. As a newsreader, you must make sense of what you are reading and communicate the news with understanding to the listener or viewer.

 

As a radio broadcaster on the English Service Programmes , renamed later to Radio 1, now Gold 90.5, I had to produce all sorts of programmes, music, of course, requests and sports. In all of these, I learnt the pronunciation of various artistes, the different genres of music, athletes and sports terminology.

Learning to speak well with correct pronunciation takes a long time and interest. I was fortunate I had the good fortune to practice and hone my articulation and speaking skills on radio and television. But this requires an inquiring mind and constant checking of dictionaries. It’s a habit that has stayed with me until now in my retirement. Every time I come across a word I’m not familiar with I would make a note of it and check its pronunciation, meaning and usage. If I hear a word pronounced differently from what I’m used to, I will counter check it in the dictionary or from other sources like the internet. Sometimes I surprise myself to learn that I had been mispronouncing a certain word all along. At other times, I discover variants of pronunciation which are also perfectly acceptable.

English is a difficult language. Some have called it a crazy language. For one, it’s not pronounced the way it’s spelt, e.g.:

The letters “ou” can be pronounced in so many ways:

As “OW” in Cloud

As “OO” in Soup

As “UH” in Country

As “OH” in Though

Senior Stories

 Battling and Surviving Cancer: A Personal Journey

Cancer is a relentless adversary, a foe that strikes without warning and challenges the very essence of life itself. My own journey with cancer began in 2010, when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was a diagnosis that shook my world and set me on a path of uncertainty and fear. Opting for a prostatectomy was a difficult decision, but one that I hoped would offer a chance at survival. The surgery was successful, and I entered a period of remission, filled with cautious optimism and gratitude.

However, the respite was short-lived. In 2013, I faced another formidable opponent: stage four lung cancer. This diagnosis felt like a cruel twist of fate, testing my resolve and challenging me in ways I never imagined. The prognosis was daunting, but I was determined to fight with every ounce of strength I had left. Treatment began immediately, and I embarked on a regimen that included Tagrisso, a targeted therapy designed to combat the specific genetic mutations driving my cancer.

The battle against lung cancer was arduous, marked by countless appointments, treatments, and moments of profound uncertainty. There were days when the side effects of medication seemed insurmountable, when despair threatened to overwhelm hope. Yet, amidst the turmoil, there were also moments of unexpected grace: the unwavering support of loved ones, the compassion of healthcare professionals, and the resilience that emerged from deep within.

Surviving cancer is not just a physical journey; it is an emotional and spiritual odyssey as well. It requires resilience in the face of adversity, courage in moments of fear, and an unwavering belief in the possibility of healing. It demands patience, as progress can be slow and setbacks inevitable. It necessitates gratitude for each day gained and acceptance of the limitations imposed by illness.

Through it all, I have learned invaluable lessons about the fragility of life and the strength of the human spirit. Cancer has taught me to cherish every moment, to find joy in the simplest of pleasures, and to cultivate a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of each new day. It has reshaped my priorities, deepened my relationships, and instilled in me a profound empathy for others facing similar challenges.

Today, as I continue my journey with Tagrisso and navigate the uncertainties of living with cancer, I am reminded of the resilience of the human spirit. I am grateful for the advances in medical science that have offered me a chance at prolonged survival. And I am inspired by the countless individuals who face their own battles with courage and dignity.

Battling and surviving cancer is not a solitary endeavor; it is a collective triumph of science, love, and the indomitable human spirit. It is a testament to the power of hope and the resilience of the human body and mind. And it is a reminder that, even in the darkest of times, there is always light to be found.

In conclusion, my journey with cancer has been marked by adversity and triumph, fear and hope, despair and resilience. It is a journey that continues to unfold each day, filled with challenges and opportunities for growth. And through it all, I am grateful for the chance to live, to love, and to inspire others with my story of battling and surviving cancer.