Winter Council Retreat 2010

Hi to all those who read my blog. For this year's ProEd Winter Council Retreat, we went to Kuala Lumpur for a "holiday" with all my fellow councillors from two other consortiums, Ortus and ISpark. It was very enjoyable as we had gone there as a group and I have many experiences to share with you. It was definitely worth the while.

We took different coaches there with differing consortiums in different coaches. The bus took about 5 hours to reach Kuala Lumpur, and thus most of the councillors who brought there own deck of cards or PSPs were satisfying their desire to play while others were either sleeping or chatting to each other, taking advantage of the long hours to understand one another more in depth.

Our first stop in Kuala Lumpur was the High 5 Bread Town. In there, we gained more knowledge of the rich history of the development of bread and the making of bread. High 5 Bread was actually a small company with only a few workers, but now, with their far vision and deisre, they have evolved into the primary competitor to most outstanding bread companies such as Gardenia. Now, I understand the hard work that is needed to make such few loaves of bread. After the entire tour around the High 5 Bread Town, they gave us different products to try out such as their White Meal bread and their chocolate bread. It was really a place worthwhile to go.

After that, we were on the coach again, ready to head out to other places such as The Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister's Residence, Putrajaya Lake and the Putra Mosque. We caught sight of the stellar architecture that made up most of these prominent places. We had taken a few pictures as our souvenirs. Then as we got back on the bus again, our friendly Malaysian tour guide then explained to us that the Prime Minister only had the power of pardon and did not have the power to rule the nation, which most Prime Ministers had. He was only a religious leader of the nation!!

As for the next day, we went to the Petronas Twin Towers and the KLCC. When I was told that the mordern day SpiderMan had climed up this majestic-looking twin towers, I was aghast. How could he even climb this towering towers without safety ropes or any other safety precautions??After taking some pictures of these two splendid towers, we headed into KLCC for a cool blast of air-conditioning and some window-shopping with some of my other friends.

Later on, we moved on to the Forest Research Institute of Malysia and we were given a presentation on the flora and fauna that could be found in this 150 acres of land and our very hospitable guide led us through a long nature trail through the forest, so that we would be able to witness the different kinds of trees that they housed in the forest of FRIM. We then headed back to our hotel for the planning for upcoming activities and programmes for the year 2010.

On the last day of this Winter Council Retreat, we went to the largest shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, the Mid-Valley Mega Mall for some last minute shopping and to havew our own lunch. Then, we headed back to Singapore, joyous but fatigued. Looking back at all the photos taken at Kuala Lumpur and the fond memories there, I had learnt and experienced more about their culture and their political system. Not only that, but I had made more friends that both of us would be able help out each other in the future.

“An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight... The truly wise person is color-blind.”--Albert SchweitzerHi to all those who read my blog. For this year's ProEd Winter Council Retreat, we went to Kuala Lumpur for a "holiday" with all my fellow councillors from two other consortiums, Ortus and ISpark. It was very enjoyable as we had gone there as a group and I have many experiences to share with you. It was definitely worth the while.

We took different coaches there with differing consortiums in different coaches. The bus took about 5 hours to reach Kuala Lumpur, and thus most of the councillors who brought there own deck of cards or PSPs were satisfying their desire to play while others were either sleeping or chatting to each other, taking advantage of the long hours to understand one another more in depth.

Our first stop in Kuala Lumpur was the High 5 Bread Town. In there, we gained more knowledge of the rich history of the development of bread and the making of bread. High 5 Bread was actually a small company with only a few workers, but now, with their far vision and deisre, they have evolved into the primary competitor to most outstanding bread companies such as Gardenia. Now, I understand the hard work that is needed to make such few loaves of bread. After the entire tour around the High 5 Bread Town, they gave us different products to try out such as their White Meal bread and their chocolate bread. It was really a place worthwhile to go.

After that, we were on the coach again, ready to head out to other places such as The Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister's Residence, Putrajaya Lake and the Putra Mosque. We caught sight of the stellar architecture that made up most of these prominent places. We had taken a few pictures as our souvenirs. Then as we got back on the bus again, our friendly Malaysian tour guide then explained to us that the Prime Minister only had the power of pardon and did not have the power to rule the nation, which most Prime Ministers had. He was only a religious leader of the nation!!

As for the next day, we went to the Petronas Twin Towers and the KLCC. When I was told that the mordern day SpiderMan had climed up this majestic-looking twin towers, I was aghast. How could he even climb this towering towers without safety ropes or any other safety precautions??After taking some pictures of these two splendid towers, we headed into KLCC for a cool blast of air-conditioning and some window-shopping with some of my other friends.

Later on, we moved on to the Forest Research Institute of Malysia and we were given a presentation on the flora and fauna that could be found in this 150 acres of land and our very hospitable guide led us through a long nature trail through the forest, so that we would be able to witness the different kinds of trees that they housed in the forest of FRIM. We then headed back to our hotel for the planning for upcoming activities and programmes for the year 2010.

On the last day of this Winter Council Retreat, we went to the largest shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, the Mid-Valley Mega Mall for some last minute shopping and to havew our own lunch. Then, we headed back to Singapore, joyous but fatigued. Looking back at all the photos taken at Kuala Lumpur and the fond memories there, I had learnt and experienced more about their culture and their political system. Not only that, but I had made more friends that both of us would be able help out each other in the future.

“An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight... The truly wise person is color-blind.”--Albert SchweitzerHi to all those who read my blog. For this year's ProEd Winter Council Retreat, we went to Kuala Lumpur for a "holiday" with all my fellow councillors from two other consortiums, Ortus and ISpark. It was very enjoyable as we had gone there as a group and I have many experiences to share with you. It was definitely worth the while.

We took different coaches there with differing consortiums in different coaches. The bus took about 5 hours to reach Kuala Lumpur, and thus most of the councillors who brought there own deck of cards or PSPs were satisfying their desire to play while others were either sleeping or chatting to each other, taking advantage of the long hours to understand one another more in depth.


Our first stop in Kuala Lumpur was the High 5 Bread Town. In there, we gained more knowledge of the rich history of the development of bread and the making of bread. High 5 Bread was actually a small company with only a few workers, but now, with their far vision and deisre, they have evolved into the primary competitor to most outstanding bread companies such as Gardenia. Now, I understand the hard work that is needed to make such few loaves of bread. After the entire tour around the High 5 Bread Town, they gave us different products to try out such as their White Meal bread and their chocolate bread. It was really a place worthwhile to go.

After that, we were on the coach again, ready to head out to other places such as The Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister's Residence, Putrajaya Lake and the Putra Mosque. We caught sight of the stellar architecture that made up most of these prominent places. We had taken a few pictures as our souvenirs. Then as we got back on the bus again, our friendly Malaysian tour guide then explained to us that the Prime Minister only had the power of pardon and did not have the power to rule the nation, which most Prime Ministers had. He was only a religious leader of the nation!!

As for the next day, we went to the Petronas Twin Towers and the KLCC. When I was told that the mordern day SpiderMan had climed up this majestic-looking twin towers, I was aghast. How could he even climb this towering towers without safety ropes or any other safety precautions??After taking some pictures of these two splendid towers, we headed into KLCC for a cool blast of air-conditioning and some window-shopping with some of my other friends.

Later on, we moved on to the Forest Research Institute of Malysia and we were given a presentation on the flora and fauna that could be found in this 150 acres of land and our very hospitable guide led us through a long nature trail through the forest, so that we would be able to witness the different kinds of trees that they housed in the forest of FRIM. We then headed back to our hotel for the planning for upcoming activities and programmes for the year 2010.

On the last day of this Winter Council Retreat, we went to the largest shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, the Mid-Valley Mega Mall for some last minute shopping and to havew our own lunch. Then, we headed back to Singapore, joyous but fatigued. Looking back at all the photos taken at Kuala Lumpur and the fond memories there, I had learnt and experienced more about their culture and their political system. Not only that, but I had made more friends that both of us would be able help out each other in the future.

“An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight... The truly wise person is color-blind.”--Albert Schweitzer

Poem for Chinese New Year!

Sorry for the late posting of all my posts on my blog. Here I have a refined version of my poem for Chinese New Year. Please enjoy:



Red and a sea of red
Is all I see.
Then 'Boom' and
Firecrackers pop.
The sounds reverberate
Like numerous drums playing altogether.


I look around,
Still, a sea of red
Is all I see.
Silky, traditional,
Buttoned-down collars all around


In Chinatown,
Shoppers and vendors haggle prices
Which happen simultaneously.
The noise pollution.
I can't think.
The food is all so appetising,
But I can only stare and drool.
My parents buy the food,
But say,
"Ah boy, these are for the visitors!"


Visitors arrive,
They gorge on the delicacies,
Bite after bite.
I can only stare and drool.
But I benefit too as
Notes appear in red packets.


I saunter out,
quite dissatisfied with the food prohibitions but,
All around me,
Still a sea of red
is all I can see.



Thank you for taking the time to read this poem.


Ong Sean

Michael Jackson- The sudden death of ‘PETER PAN’

Michael Jackson, 50, who went from a wonder boy to a global pop superstar to a sad figure haunted by lawsuits, paparazzi and a few failures in plastic surgery, died in a Los Angeles hospital.

There is 1 thing reminded me of Michael Jackson. Not his song-Thriller nor his prominent Moon Walker-but it is his paradise, it is his NEVERLAND. I have been to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida a few times and that is the best Disneyland in the world, I have to admit. But there is one amusement park which I long to visit-Neverland of late Michael Jackson. I hope that it will soon be opened to public to so that we will be able to mesmerize our King of Pop.

Here is a video on Neverland:



Neverland Valley Ranch (formerly the Sycamore Valley Ranch) is a developed property in Santa Barbara County, California, most famous for being a home of American entertainer Michael Jackson from 1988 to 2005. It is named after Neverland, the fantasy island in the story of Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up. It was Jackson's home and private amusement park and contained, among other things, a floral clock, numerous statues of children, and a zoo.

During his residency there, Jackson brought groups of children and their families to the facility as day visitors. He also hosted various children overnight, a practice which came under scrutiny when Jackson was accused of sexual misconduct with minors at the ranch, first in 1993 and again in 2003.

Here is a video on Michael Jackson’s Memorial Service



MJ was being accused for his immoral act on teens and I always wondered how his children judged this renowned singer. I even despised him and ‘boycotted’ his songs although he is mum’s idol. On his Memorial Day, mum spent the whole day in front of CNN to watch in tears. I joined her when MJ’s daughter, Paris Jackson, made her testimonial. “Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine,” she said. “And I just want to say that I love him so much.” It was an impromptu and unscripted speech and voiced from the bottom of her heart dedicated to her late father. I was touched.

No matter how ‘plastic’ and how immoral MJ was, he is forever the best father to his kids, he is forever Peter Pan –never grows up nor dies-in our heart.

A National Day CIP

Our school organized a Community Involvement Project(CIP) for the entire Secondary 1 cohort yesterday. It was done on a large scale, about 500 students went to Taman Jurong to collect newspapers and at the same time sold them to a specific ‘karang guni’ so that we would be able to donate the money for charity.

At 7.15 a.m., we gathered in school, eagerly anticipating for the bus to arrive at 9 to bring us to the Taman Jurong housing estate. This is my second CIP with my peers. At 7.15 we arrived at the terraces to watch the march-in of the Uniform Groups which include Scouts, St Johns Ambulance Brigade, National Cadet Corps and National Police Cadet Corps. They marched in with such dignity, self-pride that I too unknowingly, truly respected them. They marched an entire circle around half of the tracks in such a neat arrangement. Later at 9, the march-in and the celebration for National Day ended.

Then, our only ideal mode of transport arrived, a school bus. We all waited for the bus designated to our class to arrive. When it finally came, we were all drenched in sweat as beads of salty sweat trickled down our faces. We all piled up the bus in a chaotic manner.

Unknowingly, the small trickles of sweat were only just the beginning…

Once we reached Taman Jurong, we split up into our already designated groups. I was with Jarel, Brendan, Fabian and Aloysius. Jarel then shouted,” Let’s go!” We went in search of Block 349, the “lucky number” that we had been assigned to. He also said in a soft yet commanding voice,” We have 11 floors to cover, so we need to split up into twos so that each level there are two people doing it. Fabian and I will be doing the even floors, while Brendan and Sean will be covering the odd numbers. Aloysius, you shall guard our bags and the newspaper s that we will be carrying down. Any final questions?” Nobody muttered a sound. This was the start of my CIP.

We took the lift all the way up to the last floor, the 11th floor. We decided to finish level by level by using the stairs. Thus, we attacked the first two units to our right of the lift. On our first attempt at collecting newspapers, I could say that we did extremely well. The first unit that we had knocked was a middle-aged lady and she was very hospitable. She opened the doors with a broad welcoming smile while opening the locked gates and even offered us a glass of water, but we gratefully declined. Then she led us into the house where she stored the newspapers. Brendan and I were both flabbergasted at the stack of newspapers. It was two stacks and each stack was as tall as half the height of a normal bedroom door. We slowly and painfully carried the newspapers out. Although our backs were aching and our foreheads were full of sweat, we continued to working diligently. Our cheeks were both red, we thanked the auntie profusely and said that she was of a great help to us. She simply smiled and closed the door after biding us good luck and goodbye. Brendan and I had the same thoughts. If this was just one apartment, what about the other 25 units of the block? I could literally say that we were both going to be knackered after this CIP. At last after repetitive times of going down the stairs and carrying the entire stack of newspapers down for Aloysius to stack up, we finished the CIP. It was definitely a good warming up for me before my squash competition the next day.

This again made my Pre-National Day more meaningful and memorable. Like my dad always emphasizes to me to add-value to my life and enjoy every moments in Hwa Chong. I did a few CIP activities and met all sorts of people from all walks of lives. The next CIP I may want to do is to step into boys’ homes or orphanages so that I will be able to appreciate with what I have and contribute with what I own to those who are under-privileged of my same age group. Anyone who wants to join me, let me know. We can initiate our own CIP to the homes.

Thank You!

Indonesia Bombing---Mixed Feelings

The 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing occurred on 5 August 2003 in Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, Indonesia. A suicide bomber detonated a car bomb outside the lobby of the JW Marriott Hotel, killing twelve people and injuring 150. All those killed were Indonesians with the exception of one Dutch businessman, one Danish, and two Chinese tourists. The hotel was viewed as a Western symbol, and had been used by the United States embassy for various events.

Another similar bombing, which is the 2004 Australian embassy bombing also took place on 9 September 2004 in Jakarta, Indonesia. It also occured at Mega Kuningan.

A one-tonne car bomb, which was packed into a small Daihatsu delivery van, exploded outside the Australian embassy at Kuningan District, South Jakarta, at about 10:30 local time (03:30 UTC), killing 9 people including the suicide bomber, and wounding over 150 others.

Ritz and JW Marriot are just milestones away from ‘my dungeon’.I was shocked to hear my mum breaking this tragic and barbaric bombing news to me after school dismissal. Immediately, tears were flowing down my cheeks as I asked if everyone at home was safe as our home is also at Mega Kuningan which is about 300 m away from JW Marriot.

I was told by mum it is forever unsafe for us Chinese, to walk on the streets of Indonesia. At the entrance of every hotel or even the shopping centres, there are security guards carrying scanning gadgets to search our vehicles. So I simply don’t understand how the terrorists managed to smuggle in bombs to blast the highly secured twin hotels!

The suicide bombing of the Australian Embassy occurred during my September Holiday in 2004, just as I was in Jakarta, eating my brunch joyously. I remembered vividly that it was at 10.30am while I was having my brunch alone in the vast dining hall. I heard a thunderous blast nearby, followed by the shaking of window panels and I also could see the wobbling of the chandelier lights in the hall. Our house maids ran to me nervously to make sure that I wasn’t frightened from the blasts. Immediately ,mum called from office, asking me to stay put at where I was and watch CNN to get myself updated with the situation while she was held up in Notary office located at Mega Kuningan Barat. At the age of 8 at that time, I was extremely terrified and burst into tears. But now, I am already 13. I felt differently, so raged with anger. I simply despise this kind of barbaric acts as it is simply inhumane.

However, in 2009, there is a similar bombing at the twin hotels, JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton, which are both very prestigious hotels to live in. On 17/7/09, the two suicide bombers entered both of the hotels at the same time and the bombs went off almost simultaneously at 7.30 a.m. The two suicide bombers dressed as hotel guests and just walked into the hotels, but in the first place, how did they enter the hotel with a metal device, when there are scanners at the entrance of the hotels.

The blasts at the neighboring Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels blew out windows and scattered debris and glass across the street.International hotels, which by their nature must be open and accessible for visitors and guests, make attractive targets for terror attacks. Complete security is virtually impossible, despite security barriers, metal detectors and high-tech surveillance gear.Anyway, latest reports in Indonesian capital Jakarta say that the death toll in two bomb blasts at luxury hotels on Friday has gone up from nine to twelve, while the injured list is still pegged at 50.

Don't the attackers know that by doing so, it not only ruins the economy of poor Indonesia but also keeps foreigners who want to travel to Indonesia away? Does Indonsia forever have to be living in poverty and insecurity? I am fuming but sad by the ‘terrorists’ acts and the terrorists who tried to destroy my home, my dungeon!!!

I simply don’t understand why Jakarta is always the target for multiple terrorist attacks. On the other hand, it also explained why Indonesians find Singapore a safe haven to land in.

This is a video about the bombing of the JW Marriot and the Ritz Carlton. Please take a look:

Cosmetic Surgery--Should I go or not go?

“It is just as acceptable for adolescents to undergo cosmetic surgery, as it is for adults. They have the right to decide what they want to look like, and how they want to achieve that look.”

As this is the debate topic for tomorrow's panel discussion, I might as well write a blog post on it.

As for my opinion, I disagree that it is acceptable for adolescents to go for surgery. Adolescents are also going through the period in which he goes through maturity and puberty, they all want to look nice and handsome so that they will be able to fit into the gang.This is also known as peer pressure. As other students look handsome, they feel that they are left out, and thus, wanting to follow them and be friends with them, they do not mind risking their lives and their parents' hard-earned money to look nice. Well. adolescents are also known for their rashness. They do not think twice before doing a task and just go straight into it. They do not consider their parents' feelings on wasting their money or their own feelings or even their friends' feelings before going for cosmetic surgery to change their looks and appearances, to look like a completely different person.

Not only that, but people who go for cosmetic surgeries are taking a gamble---to look better or to look worse. In fact, adolescents are risk-takers and they will do anything just to get what they desire for. Adolescents are also very stuuborn and they do not listen to their parents, and do the contrary of what their parents wish for them to do--- which is studying and make normal friends. The teenagers are always trying to defy their parents by going against their wishes as they tgink that they can handle themselves as adults. They think that they are able to make the right choices and desicions and need not follow what their parents want them to do. they are probably afraid that their classmates will laugh at them or mock them when they know that he or she is a goody-two-shoes and follow what their parents want them to do. This is also peer pressure as I had mentioned above.

However, if the adults can do it, why can't adolescents, besides, adults should set a good role model for their children,so if they do it, their children will follow in tow, and thus, it will be a vicious cycle that their family will be doing it too. Not only that, but adolescents are old enough to have their own thoughts, their own views and their own perspective of things. They need not follow what their parents want them to do. Adolescents are also matured enough to know what their dreams are and what they need and want. If they want to undergo surgery and risk their facial appearance to follow or even look like Michael Jackson, who needs to wear a mask to cover his cheekbones, then let them go ahead. As adolescents like to look nice to attract girls or for other motives, they always want to achieve that kind of look that girls will just gawp in shock and follow him wherever he goes.

Anyway, I still think that adolescents should not go for the cosmetic surgeries as they will not only risk their lives but also waste their parents' money.

Here is a short video on the risks of doing cosmetic surgeries. Take a look of the video from 23 seconds onwards:

Lesson 5 on IT Home Eleaerning--Blog Entry

The casino being built in Singapore is supposed to be a money-maker and job creator. However, many people have spoken against it. Talk to a parent or adult and get their view on the casino. Listen to the NPR and YouTube offerings and choose one that substantiates your viewpoint and include a quote from it as well. Your blog entry has to be at least 200 words and you must either support the casino or condemn its construction and ultimately the hardships it will cause in Singapore.

By creating the casino, a money-maker and a job creator, I think it would be helpful in Singapore after a careful decision by the government.

After interviewing my father for his views, he said that by building the casino, it would create many job opportunities for the citizens of Singapore and boost our Gross Domestic Product( a rate on how the country is doing on their economy) thus, boost our economy as there is much more cash. Also, the workers in the casino will be able to receive a stable income from the casino, thus, there is a sense of stability for their families. By building the casino, it would also promote tourism and thus, more tourism and more cash flowing in to the government. Tourists from Indonesia had to go to Genting to gamble, but now they can come to Singapore to gamble and tourists from Las Vegas or LA will also think that the casino in Singapore is newly-opened, and thus, they would probably come to Singapore too as they are also probably sick of their casinos in LV or LA. Not only that, but he also said that more tourist will look forward coming to Singapore for a tour and go to the casino for a spin of luck. This will create more money from the casino, and thus, the government will get all the money, reducing our loads on the taxes and the ERP. I totally agree with my father that it is good to build the casino in Singapore.

However, on the other hand, by building the casino, it will also cause some harm to Singaporeans. A quote from the National Council and Problem Gambling said,"20 years ago, only just a handful of women were gambling, but now, almost half are female." What does this show? This shows they there are more gambling addicts in the entire world. Not only that, psychologist Paul Goods from Atlanta even said," Women gamble to escape their routine everyday lives." Women and men are getting more addicted to gambling and this is a problem which will be happening in Singapore. More men will get addicted to the casino and they will have a broken family, ruining their family because of a man’s foolishness to gamble for once and get addicted forever.

Based on the points that I have written above, I think that by building the casino, it will be helpful to the Singapore’s economy.