"The Little Singapore"

Subang Jaya is "the little Singapore".

The Malaysians did it again! Yes. It's a great feeling that Malaysia is the cradle of many top scorers all over the world. Perhaps it's the way the children have been nurtured and led especially so in this township called Subang Jaya.

The child of an engineer and a teacher, Haw Sue Hern I believe received her primary education in SJKC Lick Hung, Subang Jaya before being hand-picked by the Asean Scholarship Selection team to continue her secondary years there. I am especially thrilled cos she is the daughter of none other than a teacher from SMK Seafield...our very own Pn Chan ! Congratulations Pn Chan for having nurtured an exemplary child, whom I believe Singapore will call back.

Having said that, I can't help but notice the other girl, Cheong Jia Ee, whom I believe must also have been the protegee of Lick Hung , emerging closely behind Sue Hern and bringing much joy to Malaysia.

Singapore's two top scorers in O-levels and all from our homeland...Malaysia, O tanah air ku...and Subang Jaya!

These days the schools in Subang Jaya have been so hard pressed to do well that someone mentioned that Subang Jaya has turned into a "little Singapore". Parents have gone berserk and frenzied making sure that their children land up in the 'right' school, right stream, right class, right teachers, and ...right tuition! There is also ranking for tuition teachers ! Am I glad I am out of the boiling pot...but I cannot help but remember that I was just as guilty...once upon a time.

Parents go to great lengths to ensure a bright future for their children...but I do not know whether the younger generation view it this way.

Another pertinent question is ; does a child need to be excellent academically? This is an opinion of a parent I spoke to recently:

Me : So, your son is enrolled in a private college?

Parent : Yea.

Me : Science? Arts?

Parent : Science...double Maths...

Me : Oh. Quite a combination.What if he does not achieve that "TER"?No top University?

Parent : Then a lesser one will do.

Me : I like your outlook... rare...not kiasu.

Parent : Aya. don't want to study so hard also never mind la...I have seen many underachievers making it work too...

Me : Hmm...yup...I have seen it too.

Parent : The education part is so that the child grows up to be more refined...

Me : Yup...after all the daddy is so 'full' ya?

Parent : No...it's not that. I mean live a life la.

Two sides of a coin. Know your child. Help your child live a life. That's what life is all about?