The Sunday papers featured anecdotes from Philip Yeo (PY) about scholarships, bond breakers and industry development thrusts and the controversy arising from them.
It was highlighted that people called him arrogant, Mr size 10 shoes, blah, blah, blah
. for making these "larger than life" comments.
"Friends, Singaporeans, Countrymen, lend me your ears.
I come here not criticize PY, but to salute him."
PY was my big boss at one of my previous jobs.
To be honest, I was extremely inspired by his high energy, no-holds barred approach of doing biz.
With him, you will always get honest and sometimes brutal feedback.
I was with him in the US on a biz trip for 3 weeks in 1998.
During that time, I got to know PY the man, rather than PY "the motor mouth" as some have labeled him.
Nation before self
Here is a man who puts the interests of the nation before his own.
For any new initiative he champions, his key consideration is "How will Singaporeans benefit from it and how soon can we get it done?"
As such, he dispenses with political correctness (a waste of time, in my opinion) and makes personal sacrifices to move mountains (read: gahmen red tape) in order to get the job done.
In an era of superficial niceness and political correctness, his comments normally ruffle a lot of feathers in the gahmen service as well as the man in the street (who reads rubbish in the New Paper).
Cutting the crap
Put aside the sensationalism created by the press and read his comments again.
They are simple and straight to the point.
In essence: They make sense.
For example, I had dinner with PY and some gahmen scholars in London in 1999.
One of the more vocal and smart-alecky ones asked: "How I can succeed in my assignment at a stat board when I graduate?", expecting words of profound wisdom from PY.
"Work Hard lah! What else?", PY said and went back to whacking his noodles.
The relak man
To PY detractors reading this blog, unless you've met this man, it's hard to believe how humble and chin-chai (easy going) he can be.
In that same 1998 trip, there were people who want to suck up to him and arranged for meals at lavish and damn expensive places.
With my miserable pay, I could ill afford, for example, a US$25 breakfast in the hotel. (I still can't)
One morning in New York, he saw me leaving the hotel and aske where I was heading.
Told him I was going to a deli down the road where I can whack a good American breakfast for US$5.
From experience, a person with PY's seniority in the gahmen service is highly unlikely consider that as a palatable option.
He asked: "How come you never tell me?".
What was I to say ? "Errr
.. only low income people like myself eat there?".
Guess what, he siam-ed his breakfast appointment with some S'pore gahmen people and had breakfast in the small but clean deli.
He grabs hot dogs on the go, eats at often dingy Chinatown places (not biz engagements lah).
As long as the food is good, he's ok.
A role model
PY is an excellent example of a man who has achieved greatness without being superficially nice.
To me, he is Mr "call a spade, a spade" (turbo chargers and loud speakers included)
He is also role model (especially for the wishy-washy): Has integrity, decisive, efficient, loyal
In case you're wondering, no, he did not pay me to write this blog.
And, no, I don't think he remembers me after all these years.
Posted at 12:01 am by meepoktah
Lim Peh Kah Li Kong !! =>
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