Photos of food for my parents visit to Perth . Some I the recipes are posted on my food only blog . Food-odyssey 
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Gourment Escape
Yes, you have read it right Mr Heston is coming to Perth with a whole host of Star Studded chef..like Kylie Kwong, Sat Bain, Tetsuya, Neil Perry to name but a few. This is a must go for foodies..
Below is a write up about him.
A Sensory Wonderland
In 1982, when Heston was sixteen, he and his family went to a three-star restaurant situated beneath towering cliffs in Provence. None of them had experienced anything like it before-not just the extraordinary food but the beauty of the surroundings, the delightful smell of lavender in the air, the sounds of chirruping cicadas and splashing fountains, and the sheer theatre of waiters carving lamb at the table or pouring lobster sauce unto soufflés.
At that moment, Heston fell in love with cooking and the idea of being a chef.
The Fat Duck Takes Its First Steps
In 1995, after more than two years of searching, Heston bought a 450-year-old pub in Bray. At this stage, there was no thought of Michelin stars. With its beams sandblasted and a U-shaped copper bar installed, The Fat Duck opened as a simple bistro serving French classics such as petit salé of duck, steak and chips, sauce à la moelle and tarte tatin. On the second day the oven exploded and Heston spent the rest of service with a bag of frozen peas strapped to his head. Inexperience and limited funds meant he was spending twenty hours a day in the kitchen, occasionally snatching fifteen minutes’ sleep curled up on a pile of dirty tea towels.
The Appliance of Science
Despite the chaos, the restaurant started to get good reviews. And even the kitchen’s drawbacks were turned to advantage. The gas pipes were domestic rather than commercial and provided insufficient heat to bring a large pot of water to the boil. Green beans had to be blanched in batches of eight! Trying to find ways round the problem brought Heston into contact with a physicist at Bristol University, Dr Peter Barham, who introduced him to Professor Tony Blake, and these two became the first of a loose network of scientists and academics that have played a part in the restaurant’s development, including several from the flavour and fragrance company Firmenich, which, with its shelves full of stoppered bottles containing every aroma imaginable, has proved an invaluable source of inspiration ever since.
A Taste of Things to Come
At about the same time, The Fat Duck received its first Michelin star. Heston’s cooking had long since moved on from bistro classics, and it became essential for the restaurant to be redesigned to cope with the increasing demands put on it. In 2000 the place was refurbished and re-opened with its first multi-course tasting menu.
The tasting menu offered the opportunity to present all kinds of dishes that didn’t fit easily into a more conventional format. All sorts of ideas that Heston was exploring, and all manner of techniques he had developed, could be presented in the right gastronomic setting. Water baths were used to cook with exceptional precision and consistency. In two years, the newfound freedom to explore and create resulted in Heston's second Michelin star. And, two years after that, he received a third.
A Matter of Perception
Among other things, that third star gave Heston even greater freedom to explore the interests that have become a central part of his approach to cooking: multisensory perception and how the brain influences our appreciation of food. Increasingly this meant seeking out new ways to harmoniously stimulate all of the senses during the eating experience -orchestrating a succession of bursts of flavour in a dish or using smell to generate emotion or headphones to intoduce the dimension of sound.
Since the late 1990s', when he discovered that diners actually tasted crab ice cream differently depending on what it was called, Heston has been fascinated by how we perceive flavour, and by how subjective it is. This has led to an exploration of how nostalgia triggers, learned preferences and reward mechanisms can enhance the enjoyment of a dish. Some of the fruits of that research have already found their way into unique dishes on the menu, such as Sound of the Sea and Flaming Sorbet.
The Fat Duck menu is, however, one of balance and contrasts - of old and new, of modern and historic. Heston has become deeply interested in the history of British gastronomy, and the menu is beginning to feature the results of his exploration and reinterpretation of traditional British dishes, such as Powdered Anjou Pigeon, Mock Turtle Soup and the Beef Royal served at King James II's coronation in 1685.
Below is a write up about him.
A Sensory Wonderland
In 1982, when Heston was sixteen, he and his family went to a three-star restaurant situated beneath towering cliffs in Provence. None of them had experienced anything like it before-not just the extraordinary food but the beauty of the surroundings, the delightful smell of lavender in the air, the sounds of chirruping cicadas and splashing fountains, and the sheer theatre of waiters carving lamb at the table or pouring lobster sauce unto soufflés.
At that moment, Heston fell in love with cooking and the idea of being a chef.
The Fat Duck Takes Its First Steps
In 1995, after more than two years of searching, Heston bought a 450-year-old pub in Bray. At this stage, there was no thought of Michelin stars. With its beams sandblasted and a U-shaped copper bar installed, The Fat Duck opened as a simple bistro serving French classics such as petit salé of duck, steak and chips, sauce à la moelle and tarte tatin. On the second day the oven exploded and Heston spent the rest of service with a bag of frozen peas strapped to his head. Inexperience and limited funds meant he was spending twenty hours a day in the kitchen, occasionally snatching fifteen minutes’ sleep curled up on a pile of dirty tea towels.
The Appliance of Science
Despite the chaos, the restaurant started to get good reviews. And even the kitchen’s drawbacks were turned to advantage. The gas pipes were domestic rather than commercial and provided insufficient heat to bring a large pot of water to the boil. Green beans had to be blanched in batches of eight! Trying to find ways round the problem brought Heston into contact with a physicist at Bristol University, Dr Peter Barham, who introduced him to Professor Tony Blake, and these two became the first of a loose network of scientists and academics that have played a part in the restaurant’s development, including several from the flavour and fragrance company Firmenich, which, with its shelves full of stoppered bottles containing every aroma imaginable, has proved an invaluable source of inspiration ever since.
A Taste of Things to Come
At about the same time, The Fat Duck received its first Michelin star. Heston’s cooking had long since moved on from bistro classics, and it became essential for the restaurant to be redesigned to cope with the increasing demands put on it. In 2000 the place was refurbished and re-opened with its first multi-course tasting menu.
The tasting menu offered the opportunity to present all kinds of dishes that didn’t fit easily into a more conventional format. All sorts of ideas that Heston was exploring, and all manner of techniques he had developed, could be presented in the right gastronomic setting. Water baths were used to cook with exceptional precision and consistency. In two years, the newfound freedom to explore and create resulted in Heston's second Michelin star. And, two years after that, he received a third.
A Matter of Perception
Among other things, that third star gave Heston even greater freedom to explore the interests that have become a central part of his approach to cooking: multisensory perception and how the brain influences our appreciation of food. Increasingly this meant seeking out new ways to harmoniously stimulate all of the senses during the eating experience -orchestrating a succession of bursts of flavour in a dish or using smell to generate emotion or headphones to intoduce the dimension of sound.
Since the late 1990s', when he discovered that diners actually tasted crab ice cream differently depending on what it was called, Heston has been fascinated by how we perceive flavour, and by how subjective it is. This has led to an exploration of how nostalgia triggers, learned preferences and reward mechanisms can enhance the enjoyment of a dish. Some of the fruits of that research have already found their way into unique dishes on the menu, such as Sound of the Sea and Flaming Sorbet.
The Fat Duck menu is, however, one of balance and contrasts - of old and new, of modern and historic. Heston has become deeply interested in the history of British gastronomy, and the menu is beginning to feature the results of his exploration and reinterpretation of traditional British dishes, such as Powdered Anjou Pigeon, Mock Turtle Soup and the Beef Royal served at King James II's coronation in 1685.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Father's Day Dinner
Father's day Dinner. Tony Roma's was fully booked so we decided to order take away. Made our own Salad with Mango Vinaigrette ( That is my Fav dressing now).
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Bourne Legacy review
This is a movie better to watch on DVD, unfortunately in trying to set the background story, it succeeded in making this a drama cum thriller.
The first half of the story was really slow, not much action, but whole lot of talking. This story is anti climatic as obvious as it sounds, the bad guys are not killed or brought to justice as Jason Bourne already did that. So this really feels like a sideshow, a snippet, a special credit of sort.
I bet there will be a part 2, and Jason Bourne will team up with him. So i suggest skip this and wait for 2 and 3.
The only nice part is the end action, but beyond that there is nothing much to enjoy.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Thai Dinner for Mother-in-law Birthday
A full traditional Thai dinner for my mother-in-law. All things thai. She is due to fly back to thailand this week so we thought might as well do a thai dinner.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Back to Blogging 2012
Starting to blog again, have been really busy these last 2 years with another kid. Did not have much time once you have 2 babies.
Have recently decided to keep my food blog separate from my normal blog site.
I think one reason as well i stopped was when i tried to create a nicer blog but the html got really messed up and i am not really a full on IT guy.
So hopefully i can get this template issue sorted out and start blogging once more
Have recently decided to keep my food blog separate from my normal blog site.
I think one reason as well i stopped was when i tried to create a nicer blog but the html got really messed up and i am not really a full on IT guy.
So hopefully i can get this template issue sorted out and start blogging once more
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Seafood Dinner
This is like the longest time since i last post. Not sure if i am just plain lazy or plain busy. But i think i should start blogging more food.
Did have a seafood night tonight, which was excellent we almost finished up everything. there was like fish, crabs, prawns, mussels, oyster. You name it we had it...
It took me about 1.5 hours to prepare all these delicious food. But it was well worth it
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Starcraft 2
Just recently bought starcraft 2 because my housemate Pep was playing, so most nights been trying out this new game.
Its abit like warcraft where you play online with friends or people.
So the past few weeks have been trying this new game.
Which is why i have not had time to blog .
Note to self : set time limit for games... This way you will not spend too much time on it
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Greens begin their anti-christian view
Anglicans oppose euthanasia move
Barney Zwartz
September 21, 2010LABOR and the Greens have shown a lack of integrity by moving on voluntary euthanasia straight after the election rather than before it, Melbourne Anglican Bishop Philip Huggins said yesterday.
Bishop Huggins has asked the national parliament of the Australian Anglican Church, now meeting in Melbourne, to affirm the sanctity of life as God's gift. The motion says: ''Our task is to protect, nurture and sustain life to the best of our ability.''
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He told The Age he was shocked at the report yesterday that Prime Minister Julia Gillard was backing a conscience vote to restore the power of the territories to allow euthanasia. The Howard government overturned a Northern Territory decision to allow it in 1997.
Bishop Huggins said: ''This was not a matter of pre-election debate. Would people have voted the same way if they knew a Labor government with the Greens would, as a near-first action, promote a conscience vote on euthanasia?
''There would be more integrity in foreshadowing this proposal before an election rather than immediately after. It should have been made plain during the election campaign. There should be a broad-based public debate.''
Greens leader Bob Brown tried to legalise euthanasia in 2007, but both main parties voted against his motion. In 2008 Senator Brown twice introduced a bill to restore territory rights over euthanasia, and the latest move is his third attempt with that bill.
Bishop Huggins said the motion, reaffirming the traditional Christian view, showed the Prime Minister and Parliament that the church would not be silent on this issue.
''We've all been close to people who have had a hard and difficult death,'' he said. ''We have watched and prayed in some anguished places, and can well understand why the idea of euthanasia attracts support.
''However, we also understand what a threshold we cross when our efforts are not focused on protecting life, and providing comfort and pain relief until life ends.''
His motion probably cannot be put to the synod until Thursday, but Bishop Huggins expects a resounding affirmation.
Sydney Archbishop Peter Jensen said he was immensely sympathetic to the motives driving the push for voluntary euthanasia, having watched his mother die. But those pushing for it were out of touch with the reality of human nature.
''It will be a very bad thing for Australian society to break down the key barriers which stand between us and a brutal world,'' Dr Jensen said.
The Victorian Greens said it was ''inevitable'' euthanasia laws would again be debated by State Parliament. Greens MP Colleen Hartland said she would press Attorney-General Rob Hulls to refer the issue to the Law Reform Commission, so the right to die laws could be dealt with by Parliament in the same way as the decriminalisation of abortion.
In 2008, a conscience vote of upper house MPs defeated a euthanasia private member's bill.Monday, August 30, 2010
Margaret river
The Margaret river tour this round with my brother was fantastic because we discovered a couple of really good wineries and get to eat Truffles.
If you are down at margaret river don't forget to go to brown hill estate, the wine is absolutely 1st class. Too bad we did not buy more.
The whites especially the chardonnay is something to die for. I reckon its better than Voyager Chard.
We also get to try the truffle tour which was really interesting. Too bad Christabelle could not go because no babies were allowed.
But please !!! Bear in mind manjumup is NOT near .... 2 hours drive... this is one mistake i will not make again.
Had to wake up at 6am to drive from Margaret river to Manjimup.
If you are down at margaret river don't forget to go to brown hill estate, the wine is absolutely 1st class. Too bad we did not buy more.
The whites especially the chardonnay is something to die for. I reckon its better than Voyager Chard.
We also get to try the truffle tour which was really interesting. Too bad Christabelle could not go because no babies were allowed.
But please !!! Bear in mind manjumup is NOT near .... 2 hours drive... this is one mistake i will not make again.
Had to wake up at 6am to drive from Margaret river to Manjimup.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Updates !!
Its been awhile since i blogged and I can only say its been a busy very weeks and a hair-raising one too. are
August will be a very busy month.
My brother is coming on the 19th Aug, I am cooking for church next week ( yes its been awhile since i get to cook for the Sunday crowd. - Some aunties have been asking me to cook so I will) , nmy is organising Master chef competition but I am not sure if i can make it. Then we have the house build to deal with as well as starting the food blog.
Yes ! My food blog will be out pretty soon. Took me awhile but it will be wholly devoted to one thing i love - FOOOOOD...
I will review restaurant, my brother will review wines and also i plan to put in some really creative and simple recipe
Cooking delicious food in 15-20 min... how about that !!! I sort of perfect the art while having to cook fresh lunch for my wife every day. And usually i wake around 6.30 and prepare the lunch by 6.50am and after a quick shower, out i go to work by 7.15am.
And yes the election is around the corner !!!
Gillard or abbott ? Who is the lesser of the 2 evil ? You decide.
August will be a very busy month.
My brother is coming on the 19th Aug, I am cooking for church next week ( yes its been awhile since i get to cook for the Sunday crowd. - Some aunties have been asking me to cook so I will) , nmy is organising Master chef competition but I am not sure if i can make it. Then we have the house build to deal with as well as starting the food blog.
Yes ! My food blog will be out pretty soon. Took me awhile but it will be wholly devoted to one thing i love - FOOOOOD...
I will review restaurant, my brother will review wines and also i plan to put in some really creative and simple recipe
Cooking delicious food in 15-20 min... how about that !!! I sort of perfect the art while having to cook fresh lunch for my wife every day. And usually i wake around 6.30 and prepare the lunch by 6.50am and after a quick shower, out i go to work by 7.15am.
And yes the election is around the corner !!!
Gillard or abbott ? Who is the lesser of the 2 evil ? You decide.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Election around the corner.
Australia election is around the corner and we are in the position to vote, or should i say my wife.
We have 2 choice Liberal or Labour. Well, I am not really a union supporter especially the CFMEU, with so many bully cases. I suppose we will need to looks closely at the policies and decide.
ETS ? ETS was the big turning for Labour and Mr Rudd. Is ETS good or bad ? While simply put ETS may seem good for Environment but costly for ordinary people because Bills will go up, the worst thing is we are the only country trying to implement that when the big polluters are not.
Personally rather then trying to trade COs with ETS. I would much prefer the government set budget to develop renewable energy. I heard scientist have now been able to use water and by hydrolysis create Hydrogen for combustion.
We should look to new clean source of energy rather then try to tax emission because this is counter productive. Incentive rather than penalties should be the rule of thumb
We have 2 choice Liberal or Labour. Well, I am not really a union supporter especially the CFMEU, with so many bully cases. I suppose we will need to looks closely at the policies and decide.
ETS ? ETS was the big turning for Labour and Mr Rudd. Is ETS good or bad ? While simply put ETS may seem good for Environment but costly for ordinary people because Bills will go up, the worst thing is we are the only country trying to implement that when the big polluters are not.
Personally rather then trying to trade COs with ETS. I would much prefer the government set budget to develop renewable energy. I heard scientist have now been able to use water and by hydrolysis create Hydrogen for combustion.
We should look to new clean source of energy rather then try to tax emission because this is counter productive. Incentive rather than penalties should be the rule of thumb
Friday, July 16, 2010
Interesting news
The recent report of a person till 130 makes me wonder what it would be like to live forever. It makes me wonder if technology will one day be advance enough to the point that human can live forever.
I did a research online and found out that scientist are learning how to reset your cell so that you can live much longer.
I do think it will be interesting when mankind start exploring cell regrowth. Where just like a car you can replace any part of your baby that needs to be replace. Even the the though of half human half cyborg may not be a too far off.
But for now we can only wonder with amazement how a person could live until 130 years old.
Georgia claims it has world's oldest person, 130
I did a research online and found out that scientist are learning how to reset your cell so that you can live much longer.
I do think it will be interesting when mankind start exploring cell regrowth. Where just like a car you can replace any part of your baby that needs to be replace. Even the the though of half human half cyborg may not be a too far off.
But for now we can only wonder with amazement how a person could live until 130 years old.
Georgia claims it has world's oldest person, 130
SACHIRE, Georgia — Authorities in the former Soviet republic of Georgia claim a woman from a remote mountain village turned 130 on Thursday, making her the oldest person on Earth.
Antisa Khvichava from western Georgia was born on July 8, 1880, said Georgiy Meurnishvili, spokesman for the civil registry at the Justice Ministry.
The woman, who lives with her 40-year-old grandson in an idyllic vine-covered country house in the mountains, retired from her job as a tea and corn picker in 1965, when she was 85, records say.
"I've always been healthy, and I've worked all my life — at home and at the farm," said Khvichava, in a bright dress and headscarf, her withering lips rejuvenated by shiny red lipstick. Sitting in the chair and holding her cane, Khvichava spoke quietly through an interpreter since she never went to school to learn Georgian and speaks only the local language, Mingrelian.
Her age couldn't immediately be independently verified. Her birth certificate was lost — one of the great number to have disappeared in the past century amid revolutions and a civil war which followed the collapse of the Russian Empire.
But Meurnishvili showed two Soviet-era documents that he says attest to her age. Scores of officials, neighbors, friends, and descendants backed up her claim as the world's top senior.
The Gerontology Research Group currently recognizes 114-year-old Eugenie Blanchard of Saint Barthelemy, France, as the world's oldest person. The organization is yet to examine Khvichava's claim.
Khvichava has a son, 10 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and six great, great grandchidren.
Khvichava's 70-year-old son Mikhail apparently was born when his mother was 60. She said she also had two children from a previous marriage, but says they died of hunger during World War II.
Although Khvichava has difficulty walking and has stayed largely in bed during the past seven years, she makes a point of hobbling unaided to the outhouse on the other side of the yard, loathe to be a nuisance, Mikhail said.
Though her body has all but quit on her — her fingers cramped and deformed by age mean she can no longer maintain her love of knitting — relatives say her mind remains sharp.
"Grandma has a very clear mind and she hasn't lost an ability to think rationally," said Khvichava's granddaughter Shorena, who lives in a nearby village.
To mark the centurion's birthday, a string ensemble played folk music out on the lawn, while grandchildren offered traditional Mingrelian dishes like corn porridge and spiced chicken with herbs to all guests as the party.
Busy Busy Week
Week flew by really quick and its already middle of July. I need to start putting up the latest photo of the house building.
Most of the bricks are up and tom we are going to see another kitchen builder to get a quote for our house.
I will definitely put up photos of Christabelle and the new house as well as get my new food blog up and running.
Tonight i am just planning to veg out and enjoy the quiet night.
Most of the bricks are up and tom we are going to see another kitchen builder to get a quote for our house.
I will definitely put up photos of Christabelle and the new house as well as get my new food blog up and running.
Tonight i am just planning to veg out and enjoy the quiet night.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Good Food and Wine show
Yes this is around the corner clashing together with Church Camp. Now here is the conundrum what should i do ?
Maybe i can go to the show in the afternoon when there is spare time. It would be good to go and look at wines all over perth. Would be nice to not drive but just enjoy all the wines at one place
Maybe i can go to the show in the afternoon when there is spare time. It would be good to go and look at wines all over perth. Would be nice to not drive but just enjoy all the wines at one place
Monday, June 28, 2010
The architect behind Singapore dies
Its an interesting read, Mr Goh started everything in Singapore from finance to defence to education to Housing development. Everything we have today in Singapore was all down to this one man and of course Ong Sui Sen.
EULOGY BY MINISTER MENTOR LEE KUAN YEW AT THE
STATE FUNERAL SERVICE
FOR THE LATE DR GOH KENG SWEE
AT THE SINGAPORE CONFERENCE HALL, SUNDAY 23 MAY 2010
The Family of the late Dr Goh Keng Swee
Mr President
Ladies and Gentlemen
It was my good fortune to have strong men around me. Of all my Cabinet colleagues, it was Goh Keng Swee who made the greatest difference to the outcome for Singapore. He had a capacious mind and a strong character. When he held a contrary view, he would challenge my decisions and make me re-examine the premises on which they were made. As a result, we reached better decisions for Singapore. In the middle of a crisis, his analysis was always sharp, with an academic detachment and objectivity that reassured me. His robust approach to problems encouraged me to press on against seemingly impossible odds.
If ever there was a slow developer, it was Goh Keng Swee. He did not shine until he got to Raffles College where he was the best student of his year in economics. I first met him there when he was my economics tutor in 1940/41. He had a large Adam’s apple and a gruff voice as he mumbled his comments on the essays of the five students who appeared before him for tutorials. I did not then realise how sharp and clear a mind he had. We met again during the war when he was an impoverished government servant, paid in Japanese “banana notes”.
Our friendship developed when we met in London in 1949-1950 when he was studying at the London School of Economics on a scholarship. I was in London preparing for my Bar finals. We shared a common view that we could run Singapore and Malaya better than the British colonial officials. We became close friends. Together with Kenny Byrne, Toh Chin Chye and S Rajaratnam, we planned to build up a mass movement, to form a political party, win elections and take over from the colonialists. We were blissfully ignorant of the wide tentacles of the communist underground that gripped the Chinese educated world. By the time we discovered how ubiquitous the communists were in the Chinese schools and universities, clan associations, chambers of commerce, and old boys’ associations, they had their tentacles around us. Together we planned and got rid of the communists from the PAP, then beat them in the referendum in 1962 to join Malaysia and in the general elections in September 1963.
He was hopeless as a campaign orator, but a formidable analytical mind. His writings were crisp, elegant and forceful. After we had joined Malaysia, he stood up for our rights and fought to protect Singapore’s interests against the Federal Finance Ministry. After two years of constant friction and two race riots, in July 1965, he met with then Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak and Minister for External Affairs Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman. I had asked him to negotiate a looser re-arrangement for Singapore but keep Singapore within the Federation. He decided that the best alternative was a clean break.
After Tun Razak and Dr Ismail agreed, Eddie Barker and I worked furiously to settle the terms of the separation. To avoid tipping off the British, the constitutional amendments had to be done with utmost secrecy and executed in three readings of the legislation in one session of the Malaysian Parliament. Hence on 9 August 1965, the Republic of Singapore became independent.
He was my trouble-shooter. I settled the political conditions so that his tough policies we together formulated could be executed. I gave him the toughest jobs in government: the Ministry of Finance from 1959 to 1965 when economic survival was crucial; Ministry of Defence in 1965 when all we had were two battalions of the Singapore Infantry Regiment, that then had more Malaysians than Singaporeans.
When the British announced withdrawal of their forces in 1967, I sent him back to the Ministry of Finance to deal with the loss of 20 percent of our GDP with the withdrawal of the British military spending. When that problem was resolved, he was back in 1970 as Minister for Defence. He mastered defence matters, read up the classics on strategy, Sun Tze, Clausewitz and Liddell Hart. He subscribed to military journals to know the latest in military weaponry. He sent me books and articles, sidelined and flagged, insisting that I must know enough to decide what I had to approve. I read them to have serious discussions with him on our options on arms purchases. He was, de facto, the armed forces chief of staff. He built up the SAF that we now have, an effective fighting force. He set up the Defence Science Organisation for R & D, and created several defence industries from scratch. The Singapore Technologies group now manufacture arms and ammunition and are into aerospace, electronics and computer systems.
After I merged Nanyang University with the University of Singapore in a joint campus, I appointed him Minister for Education. The dropout rate was high and many students left school illiterate. He had come across them as the “Hokkien soldiers” and instructed them in Hokkien. He re-organised schools into one national-type. We decided English was to be the language of instruction and of government; the mother tongue the second language.
In 1981, I asked him to take charge of the Monetary Authority of Singapore where our CPF and other reserves were managed. He set up the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, and built up the organisation to invest and manage our growing reserves worldwide. I became the Chairman.
Many enduring organisations, a sturdy SAF, an education ministry that keeps abreast with the times; the MAS and GIC; EDB and JTC were built by Hon Sui Sen and Keng Swee.
He wanted Singaporeans to appreciate the arts. He promoted the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Singapore Zoological Garden, the Jurong Bird Park, Sentosa, the Chinese Garden and the Japanese Garden. He persuaded me to subsidise them for Singaporeans to have a feel for beauty and the arts.
He lived a simple and frugal life and managed Singapore’s assets in the same way, avoiding waste and maximising value for money. His prudence built up Singapore’s reserves.
Keng Swee and Rajaratnam helped me to select and ensure that we had a team of younger men who would take over the government without a drop in competence, drive or dynamism. We began the system of identifying talented people to bring them into government. In his last major speech in 1984 he reminded newcomers to the PAP to “regard the present condition of the Republic not as a pinnacle of achievement but as a base from which to scale new heights.”
He chose to retire in 1984.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Serena's Wedding
Went to Kuching 2 weeks ago for Serena's wedding. Finally she is officially Pastor's Wife.
Its a title she has been praying for a long time.
I am happy she found someone in Kuching. Hopefully can go back again for her 1st baby's Birthday.
But i will stop flying budget. The airport is quite bad. Hot and stuffy. I thought it would be KLIA but it was not to be.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Julia Gillard the " pretend " prime minister of Australia
It is truly a sad day for Australia politics, there was a coup d'etat in the Federal government early this morning, a bloodless coup but still a coup. I think this is for me an eye opener that you could actually overthrow a prime minister in his term.
Its utter nonsense that we should celebrate Gillard as a prime minister because the "people" did not voted for her. They voted for K Rudd. Yes I may be a liberal supporter but I still believe in moral integrity.
What Gillard and the union power brokers did are in my opinion immoral. We should never disrespect the leader the people have chosen. Gillard is NOT the prime minister the people choose, she is someone the union power broker chose. She screwed up the school scheme and was just as incompetent, examine her portfolio and think carefully. She said she would join AFL then to challenge K Rudd for the post, so i suppose she should keep her promise.
Yeah so a woman become a prime minister, but for all the WRONG reason. This is not the right way. If she can't keep her promise to join AFL so i suppose we should not trust her world for it. People always say we need be a man of our words. I guess this doesn't apply to woman.
I would not have mind if Gillard or the powers that be decide to overthrow K Rudd. But the proper and respectful way to do it is during the election period. That is why i suppose the Liberal, at least they have did not force out Howard even though they knew the polls were against him.
This is truly not the right way for Australia politics. If you want a strong government, it should be one with integrity and honesty, not one that has hidden agenda. I do not believe Gillard would make a good prime minister because she came to power because of union power-brokers with vested interest and i am sure whatever policies that she decides will have underlying interest to the powers that brought about the coup d'etat.
Choose your leaders wiser. Just because it may seem cool to vote for a Woman prime minister, this should not be your only reason.
Maybe we should vote an alternative party.
Its utter nonsense that we should celebrate Gillard as a prime minister because the "people" did not voted for her. They voted for K Rudd. Yes I may be a liberal supporter but I still believe in moral integrity.
What Gillard and the union power brokers did are in my opinion immoral. We should never disrespect the leader the people have chosen. Gillard is NOT the prime minister the people choose, she is someone the union power broker chose. She screwed up the school scheme and was just as incompetent, examine her portfolio and think carefully. She said she would join AFL then to challenge K Rudd for the post, so i suppose she should keep her promise.
Yeah so a woman become a prime minister, but for all the WRONG reason. This is not the right way. If she can't keep her promise to join AFL so i suppose we should not trust her world for it. People always say we need be a man of our words. I guess this doesn't apply to woman.
I would not have mind if Gillard or the powers that be decide to overthrow K Rudd. But the proper and respectful way to do it is during the election period. That is why i suppose the Liberal, at least they have did not force out Howard even though they knew the polls were against him.
This is truly not the right way for Australia politics. If you want a strong government, it should be one with integrity and honesty, not one that has hidden agenda. I do not believe Gillard would make a good prime minister because she came to power because of union power-brokers with vested interest and i am sure whatever policies that she decides will have underlying interest to the powers that brought about the coup d'etat.
Choose your leaders wiser. Just because it may seem cool to vote for a Woman prime minister, this should not be your only reason.
Maybe we should vote an alternative party.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Just heard the news !!!
CHC under probe regarding funds. This shows how important it is that as a church we need to not just follow the law but we as a church should set higher standards in financial accountability.
As church gets bigger, we have to show the world that Church leaders are setting a higher standard. Hopefully the CHC leaders will be proven innocent, if not it will bring a bad image to the Christian.
Using money to personal profit or treating Church money as a personal account is a recipe for disaster. First was Renci Organisation, then NKF, now CHC.
Article 2 makes a really good read. It explains the issue of check and balance, that most religious organization is not equipped to deal with.
Here below are articles that make interesting read.
Article 1 :
When business and religion mix ...
As church gets bigger, we have to show the world that Church leaders are setting a higher standard. Hopefully the CHC leaders will be proven innocent, if not it will bring a bad image to the Christian.
Using money to personal profit or treating Church money as a personal account is a recipe for disaster. First was Renci Organisation, then NKF, now CHC.
Article 2 makes a really good read. It explains the issue of check and balance, that most religious organization is not equipped to deal with.
Here below are articles that make interesting read.
Article 1 :
When business and religion mix ...
05:55 AM Jun 03, 2010
City Harvest Church has its City Harvest Community Services Association and the School of Theology. It also bought a stake this year in Suntec Singapore's convention centre for $310 million through a special-purpose investment holding company.
Mega churches such as these have become more than just religious organisations. They now have separate entities for their offshoots, both charitable and commercial.
There are no clear rules, however, on how religious organisations and charities should relate to commercial activities, save for a clear governance principle and what the law determines is taxable or not, said Associate Professor Ho Yew Kee from the National University of Singapore.
The corporate governance expert said one reason to separate operations is to ringfence the religious organisation from financial liabilities should something go wrong.
"Let's assume I conduct a catering business within the church. If there's a mass poisoning, I can be sued, and I can bankrupt the whole church.
"If I set up a company to do catering, if there's a financial disaster, only the company will go bankrupt," Assc Prof Ho said.
The business aspect of mega churches has intensified in recent years.
New Creation's Rock Productions is building an integrated hub in Buona Vista with mall developer CapitaMalls Asia. The project, announced in 2007, will cost almost $1 billion. The church claims 20,000 members.
In a 2008 press report, Mr Matthew Kang, one of Rock's directors, was quoted as saying: "When we receive tithes and offering, we have to do something with the money. We can't put it under the pillow."
He said property was a good hedge against inflation.
When City Harvest - which has 33,000 members - announced the Suntec stake in March to its congregation, it clarified that the investment was "specifically intended to hedge the church against its rental costs at the same convention centre, and dividends received will help to defray rental costs".
The investment is separate from other regular activities of the church. Its holding company does not have charitable status and is not entitled to any tax or other concessions.
On an individual level, City Harvest founder Reverend Kong Hee owns two companies - International Harvest and Skin Couture - with his wife Ho Yeow Sun.
At least two entities that are said to be now independent of the church - education provider City College and dance school cum social enterprise O School - were also founded by him, according to the biography on his website.
City Harvest did not respond to MediaCorp's queries yesterday about the financial checks and balances it has in place. New Creation also declined to comment when posed the same questions on Tuesday.
Seventeen City Harvest members including Rev Kong are being investigated by the Commercial Affairs Department and Commissioner of Charities for alleged misuse of funds.
Last night, the church's executive pastor Derek Dunn issued a statement to thank members for their "kind words of encouragement".
He said the church was unable to furnish members with updates as investigations are still underway.
But it is cooperating fully with the authorities, and operations continue as normal, save for the planned closure of its corporate office after an international conference last week.
Article 2 :
Commercial activities may expose charities to governance risks
By Hoe Yeen Nie | Posted: 02 June 2010 2118 hrs
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SINGAPORE : The commercial activities of City Harvest have generated interest recently. And experts said religious charities that go into business expose themselves to governance risks, including the lack of proper checks and balances.
For mega churches like City Harvest, a huge membership base means more funds - but also higher expenses. And they are not the only ones which have gone into business to raise revenue.
For example, at Mount Sophia, there are several plots of land belonging to Singapore's Presbyterian and Methodist churches. In 2002, the Methodist Church reportedly leased out land to a commercial developer for S$50 million.
Experts said that in the past, to be good stewards of their assets, some religious organisations may choose to invest their excess resources in fixed-deposit accounts.
But over time, due to low returns, these are not seen to be making the best out of their assets. But once these organisations move into bigger investments and commercial ventures, that is when more complicated governance issues may arise.
One pitfall is the lack of clear protocols for charities, as the law does not currently provide for this. Instead, the law only delineates what is taxable or not.
Charities in Singapore have to abide by a code of governance, but any company that is formed as an offshoot has to follow the Companies Act.
Associate Professor Ho Yew Kee, Vice-Dean, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore, said: "Unfortunately, charities and religious charities sometimes are not endowed with the procedures, the mechanisms, the safeguards, because a lot of religious charities, the basic working relationship is that of trust, that of believing in a common faith."
He added: "Within a religious authority, you may have a very senior person that is a spiritual authority or spiritual figure, where the rest of the board basically give their consent to whatever he or she says. And this immediately can create check and balance problems."
Prof Ho said there are pragmatic reasons for setting up a separate legal entity to handle the business.
He said: "Let's assume if I conduct a catering business within the church - if there's a mass poisoning, I can be sued and I can bankrupt the whole church.
"If I set up a company to do catering, if there is a financial disaster, only the company will go bankrupt. I ring-fence, I at least protect the church from the financial liabilities."
17 individuals and companies connected to City Harvest Church are being investigated over possible misuse of funds.
The church, in its latest notice to members posted on its website, said that its corporate office will be closed "in line with our plan to give the management and staff rest after the hectic Asia Conference week".
The 5-day conference at the Singapore Expo ended over the weekend. The church added that it "has cooperated and will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities". Meanwhile, church activities will go on.
