A Journalist's Debut

I arrived just in time this morning. I scanned the room and identified Lee Huei Min. The guest-of-honour came shortly after I took my seat. ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong made his way to the platform as the emcee announced his arrival and our applause was as warm as the rainy morning. But in my heart, there was a warmth that seem to be telling me that attending this event would be a turning point for my life

This is it, my 'debut' as a journalist, at the launch of the book titled 'Young Southeast Asia - 40 Inspiring Youths' produced by ASEAN. The secretary-general took his seat and was flanked by world renown violinist Lee Huei Min, boss of shoe giant Charles & Keith, Charles Wong and Assoc Prof Edward Teo, who studied under Stephen Hawking at Cambridge University and shot to fame with his study of multiple black holes. The 3 of them, together with NMP Eunice Olsen, made up the 4 who is representing Singapore in this book, which features 36 other youths across Southeast Asia. I had the previlege to attend the launch of this book which would be available in bookstores in December.

After an opening address by His Excellency, Ong Keng Yong, the 3 guests then talked about their life stories and the success they have enjoyed.

Lee Huei Min, with her strong British accent, got the ball rolling. She started playing the violin at the age of two and by five, she gave her first public performance at the Victoria Concert Hall. To further her promising and fledging career, she moved to the States when she was nine and entered Yale at fourteen. She was the youngest ever to be admitted into the prestigious Yale University. Huei Min travels the world to perform. Not forgetting those who are less fortunate, she has raised millions of dollars for charity and supports talented youths who aim to pursue a career in music. She's currently studying in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, so you may be able to spot her in the campus.

Next up to speak was Charles Wong. And in case you are still wondering who are Charles and Keith, it is Charles Wong and his younger brother, Keith. As compared to Lee Huei Min's foreign accent, Charles' local sounding voice somehow displayed the humility in him. At a tender age, Charles started helping out at his mother's small shoe shop. Soon, he started to help his mom in the ordering of new stock and in the daily management of the shop. His grades in school were poor and he had no chance of studying business in a polytechnic. So at seventeen, he worked full-time in the business and studied a part-time IT course at Informatics. Even without a university degree, Charles and his brother Keith started Singapore's first concept shoe shop in 1996. This meant that the shoes were designed for Charles & Keith. Now, this Singaporean brand is well known through out the world, with a hundred stores outside of Singapore, including Japan, Australia and the UAE.

The last guest to speak was Associate Professor Edward Teo. Although he had little use of scientific jargon, I still had trouble understanding what his research on black holes were exactly about. But to sum it up, not everybody would have the chance to study for a doctorate in Cambridge University, not to mention to be tutored under the world's authoritive figure in physics, Professor Stephen Hawking. Oh, and did I mention that he entered Cambridge at the age of seventeen? Edward spoke fondly of the times he worked with Stephen Hawking and how he carried out his experiments as Hawking had already lost control of his body due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis which is a form of Motor Neurone Disease. Edward's glittering career in the research of black holes has won him awards and accolades, and he has also won NUS's Science Faculty Teaching Excellance Award for four years straight.

Their stories have encouraged and inspired me to pursue my dream of becoming a journalist. You would too, if you were there. As a Singaporean, I was filled with pride to hear of their journey to success.

Time for the audience to field questions at the guests. There was a silence and it seem as if everybody was waiting for someone else to raise their hand up or that there were really no questions to ask. Well, I had one for Lee Huei Min and I could hesitate no longer, so I shot my hand up, as if I were to reach the ceiling. A furry microphone was passed to me and then I gave my best impersonation of a journalist, 'I have a question for Miss Lee. What advice would you give to young people who financially less well-off, and are not able to pursue their careers in music.' I didn't ask that for the sake of asking. Deep within, I was actually asking Huei Min the question for the 15-year-old me, who was really keen on becoming a musician. Well, that's a totally different story for another time.

I can't remember Huei Min's exact words, but like a seasoned celebrity in front of the media, her response was clear and articulate. She recognises that she is fortunate to be able to receive her education in music overseas, and it is really the task of the society and relevant authorities to support budding musical talents in Singapore. She went on to add that she's playing her part by supporting talented youths in their music education.

I thanked her and then I fell into my own world. So that's how it feels like to ask someone famous a question.

Ong Keng Yong ended the session by voicing out his thoughts. As if to dispell the hint of awkwardness in the air (due to other question that was asked), the only statement he made that stayed in my head was that life is about grabbing the opportunities that come your way, which is what Charles, Huei Min and Edward has and had done. This reminded me of Warren Buffett's answer to a student's question of what is the biggest mistake he had ever made. His reply was mind-blowing. For him, his biggest mistake ain't the millions he lost or the wrong business strategy that he adopted, but it is the opportunies that he had missed.

As I went to Lee Huei Min for her autograph, I had a little chat with her. She was really friendly. I shared with her my past experience in playing the trumpet and she asked me if I am with the Singapore Youth Orchestra. Well, I told her that I was and she said that her flautist cousin is in it. Perhaps it is due to the fact that she achieved her dream of being a musician while I gave up on mine, I admired her the most out of the 4 that were on stage. I recalled that I had a camera in my bag and I didn't miss the opportunity of having my picture taken with her. Though I looked kinda nervous in it... bummer dude...

As Ong Keng Yong was about to start his interview with the press, I went forward and asked, 'Sir, can I have your autograph?' He amiably agreed to it, even though he isn't supposed to start signing until the interview is over.

Everything has been great so far, but something's amiss... As I was about to ask Charles Wong for his autograph, I noticed Bridgette See, who is Singapore's contributor for this book. She used to be a broadcast journalist with Channel NewsAsia and looks a bit like Glenda Chong. I remember her reporting news and both Chinese and English... Cool... I thought that I should throw everything that was on my mind aside to have a chat with the person who has been there and done it, and I really mean to have a chat.

So I went up to her to ask for her autograph. She smiled and signed against her name in the book. I must be the first to approach her and she is also the first in line who awaits the secretary-general for his autograph, and by whom she addresses 'Keng Yong'. Man, she must be kinda 'up there' among local journalists. I asked her for advice and the first thing she said was that I should 'never stop asking questions'. This lady must really know how I, an aspiring journalist, truly feel.

We went on about where I should go from here to becoming a professional journalist and she shared her past experiences too. In comparison to meeting Bridgette, everything else that happened earlier in the morning seems to pale.

Before I left, I asked for her namecard but she laughed as she told me that a freelance writer like her doesn't have one. So I asked for her email and wulla!, she gave it to me.