Dr Allan Ooi’s farewell letter in full
March 12th, 2009 | 
Author: EDITORS’ NOTE:
We have received tip-off that either Straits Times or TODAY may be publishing Dr Allan Ooi’s farewell letter tomorrow to mitigate some of the damage done to its credibility by smearing us for revealing the letter to sensationalize the tragedy while the truth is, they are aware of its content all along.
As early as 5th March 2009, the journalists had a copy of Dr Allan Ooi’s farewell letter, but they chose not to publish it or to reveal the truth behind his suicide and instead paint a picture of a melancholic young man who lost his way in life through gaming, gambling and god knows what else.
There was no official statement from SAF and neither did any journalist ask SAF to clarify Dr Allan Ooi’s grouse about his scholarship bond.
We had published only the first part of Dr Allan’s letter this morning here which touched primarily on his unhappiness at work while leaving out the second half of the letter altogether.
However, Sin Ming Daily had already published the full version today here with an additional spin to make it appear that Dr Allan committed suicide because of problems in his personal relationship and not because of work.
As such, we are coerced to publish the entire letter now to pre-empt the English papers for writing any more hogwash to damage the image and reputation of Dr Allan Ooi.
As he wrote in the letter, the main reason of his severing of ties is work and not personal relationships. Instead of asking SAF to shed more light about Dr Allan Ooi’s bond which he claimed was “unbreakable”, the mainstream media has been desperately trying to shift the attention to his failed relationship which was never the issue in the first place.
We would like to offer our sincere apologies to Dr Allan Ooi’s family and friends for intruding upon their privacy because we are really left with no choice by the mainstream media which is bent on covering up the truth and protecting the establishment at all costs. If we do not release the letter earlier than them, we cannot imagine what else they will write tomorrow. (12 March 2009, 7pm)
(This article has been viewed 9,644 times as of 15 March 2009, 10.00pm)
Posted in Snippets | 
Tags: Allan Ooi, Allan Ooi's suicide email, Allan Ooi's suicide letter, Dr Allan Ooi
112 Responses to “Dr Allan Ooi’s farewell letter in full”
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Euge, I think you should not have published the whole letter and left it to the Spin Times to do it… to publish the whole letter seems to be an invasion of privacy, which I think even as a gossip column, you’ll have to respect.
And now, the Spin Times can say they got the full letter from you when they publish tomorrow….
Singaporeans deserve to know the whole truth. A Commission of Inquiry into the matter should de demanded by all Singaporeans.
Hi Derek bird,
Both Sin Ming Daily and Asiaone had published the full letter today and we have no choice but to follow suit because if we do not pre-empt them, they will come up with something nasty tomorrow to cover up for their mistake.
At least with the full letter out now, they will think twice before concocting somemore nonsense to smear Allan as they will not want their credibility to go down the drain.
[...] is so sad…a talented person with bright future, now gone. His full letter is published here: Dr Allan Ooi’s farewell letter in full : The Wayang Party Club [...]
There is really a news black-out by the authorities in charge. Just type ‘allan ooi letter channel news asia’ on google and you see a link to a thread that discusses his suicide letter on the CNA forum that was formed less than a day ago.
If you click on the link, you see it is dead. Channel News Asia really has ssssoo much journalistic ‘integrity.’ Shame on you CNA.
Even primary school kid can understand after reading the full version of his letter that the only reason he ended his life is because of his career related issue and not because of love matter. The short 2 sentences on the love matter in his suicide letter is just a confession he wants to tell those people that has been dumped by him of why he has hurt them so that there will be a closure. However, it’s very obvious the love matter is not the reason for him comitting suicide at all.
I wish the retarded scums all the best to spin the unspinnable fact
Edited:
tropicalseal on Your comment is awaiting moderation. Thu, 12th Mar 2009 10:44 pm
To the editor(s):
I appreciate what you all are trying to do but it makes no sense to decide to publish the letter ahead of The ST when you had already decided to only publish the relevant extracts in an earlier article. The ST can say (or not say) what it wants (or does not want to); it makes to difference to this site and makes no sense for ST to accuse you of trying to sensationalize the tragedy and then go on to print the letter in full. If you hadn’t printed the letter in full, you can at least say that they are the ones trying to sensationalise the issue. I think you need to make an editorial call and stand by it no matter what the “others” are doing.
[...] Dr Allan Ooi’s full farewell letter. [...]
thanks for publishing dr ooi’s letter in full – it has shed light on why he committed suicide or at least “the main thrust” in his own words… which was that although he could find some reasons to live had his love relationship been better or that the SAF would allow him to get out of his contract but that he found no “sufficient interests” to fear taking his own life. in other words, he did what he believe was right in his own eyes.
The Straits Times and Today newspaper feeds misinformation to the people of Singapore.
I’ve lost complete trust in their reporting Singapore news. These mouth-piece of the PAP should be given free-of-charge.
It’s good if many of us stop buying the Straits Times and other SPH newspapers.
The wayangparty blog is doing the right thing.
It tells nothing but the truth.
At least, it gives the readers the greater sense of
truth than our local newspapers.
Firstly,wayangparty tells the story about
his career’s woes but left out the love relationship.
Secondly,local newspapers tells story about the love relationship but left out the career’s woes.
Finally, wayangparty published both of the stories to
reveal the whole TRUTH.
In the long term,wayangparty has to be carefull about
publishing truths which might put govt in badlight.
Just be careful about potential deframation suit or
charges of info leak or violation of official secret act
or charges of privacy intrusion.
Later on, I believe govt will create laws to license internet news publishing.
personally, i am very glad that the truth for dr allan ooi is finally out and that the mainstream media will finally be forced to publish whats real. i think it is quite evil to smear the dead’s name. thank you editors for doing the right thing. and may peace be with dr allan.
I find it rather funny that this website is claiming that they got the letter from a friend. I got a copy of this letter via email a day before your letter was published on this site. Are you trying to indicate that his friends were the culprits of spreading the letter out to people who had nothing to do with Dr Ooi and the way he chose to lead his life? Unlike you who has exposed the contents of the letter, I chose to delete it. I hate the fact that you guys are justifying your reasons for publishing the letter. I abhor the fact that you’re using the death of Dr Ooi to create hype in a bid to attract more visitors to your website. I feel even more disgusted that you are using Dr Ooi in your supposed fight against the SAF and the media in SG. Don’t act all high and mighty with us here.
Whether the letter was penned by Dr Ooi is one thing. It doesn’t change the fact that you have used this to your own benefit and have invaded the privacy of the Ooi family.
You really didn’t have to take it upon yourself to “uphold justice” within the system. In any case, no one is forcing you to stay back in this tiny island which you seem to be unhappy living in.
And btw, I’ll be watching if my comment gets edited or published.
How can a bond be unbreakable? I still do not understand that.
now he can rest in peace liao
It is truly sad that Singapore, now one of the wealthiest countries in the world (more wealthy than the USA, UK, Australia and nearly all countries in Western Europe), is in the grips of small-minded, petty and vindictive people, lacking a sense of humanity, compassion and love. It is the kind of Singapore that drives some, like Allan, to total despair. Just look at the gap between the rich (10% of the resident population), the poor (80%) and those who would be considered by the elite as losers (the 10% who try but can’t make it into the top 10%). Someone once made a big deal of EQ, without having the slightest idea what it means, and not giving a stuff. What the hell would an economic rationalist know about EQ. For a Minister to suggest that there should perhaps be two Singapores, one lot who eat chicken rice at the Mandarin and the other who eat chicken rice at the hawker center is the height of arrogance and detachment. It simply points to a totally uncaring mindset. It also shows how out of touch Government is – there ARE ALREADY two Singapores – mee siam without clams indeed!!! All I can say is that Brigadier Lee spent three years at Cambridge and learnt nothing!!! Same applies to most scholars, who are incapable of independent thinking. The PAP should realize that group think is dangerous even for the in-group in time. Sad, sad, sad!
Letter is really very sad…if I can bring myself to believe that it’s real. Don’t flame me guys but an e-mail address like drallanooi@gmail.com? It’s not an address that the Allan I knew ever used.
“We would like to offer our sincere apologies to Dr Allan Ooi’s family and friends for intruding upon their privacy because we are really left with no choice by the mainstream media which is bent on covering up the truth and protecting the establishment at all costs. If we do not release the letter earlier than them, we cannot imagine what else they will write tomorrow.”
dear wp,
whether in life or in death, dr. allan ooi was a pawn. in your eyes, he was a pawn of the establishment, up to his dying breath. methinks you protest too much: in death, he became your pawn instead.
dear wp,
Whether this issue is being used to your benefit
is immaterial,the important thing is the TRUTH.
This principle must be uphold for a publisher to be
credible and truthful.
Wayangparty is better than local media which publish
half or distorted truth.
In the past,local media and govt support former NKF Durai
and RenCi monk despite rumours of internal corruption.
All news on these rumours were blanked out by local media.
Years later, the real truth of both organisation were exposed.
By that time, many years of damage have been done.
Now,everyone has become sceptical of charity-raising activities
as it might be used to reward the management people in the organisations.
“We would like to offer our sincere apologies to Dr Allan Ooi’s family and friends for intruding upon their privacy because we are really left with no choice by the mainstream media which is bent on covering up the truth and protecting the establishment at all costs.”
I appreciate your passion in trying to discover the truth behind the whole issue, but at the same time, we have to respect the dead’s privacy as well as to be sensitive to the feelings of his families and friends.
You claimed that you are ‘left with no choice by the mainstream media’ but to publish the letter in full. But if we consider the full chain of events
1) you started the whole incident by publishing an extract of the letter
2) mainstream media was forced by your action to publish their own (disgusting untrue) version of the letter
3) Now you claim that you are forced to publish the letter in full
Through this truth-seeking quest, you are the one who cause the most harm to the victim and their families/friends. While I am also eager to find out the truth, some stones should have been better left unturned.
[...] [链接] 向WAYANG PARTY致敬 Posted on 三月 13, 2009 由 midnitexpress Dr Allan Ooi’s farewell letter in full [...]
Hi Linker,
Thanks for your feedback.
We can’t reveal too much here, but please rest assured we have taken into account the feelings of Allan’s family.
The harm has already been done to the deceased and his loved ones by the media spin for the last 7 days. If the media has been fair and balanced in their reports, the whistle-blower would not have sent us the letter.
Given a choice, we will never reveal the content of the entire letter. We first receive it on 11 March 2009 at 2pm and we only publish a portion of it the next day at 9am omitting the part on his relationships deliberately.
Even now after the truth is out, the media is still trying to spin another tale about Allan’s failed relationship as a cause of his suicide.
If you notice, we have not been following this saga. Throughout the whole of last week, our focus was on the suicides of the two NTU students. We did not write a single commentary about Allan’s case.
Why did we choose to do so out of the blue? Had we wanted to sensationalize the incident, we would have done it right at the very beginning instead of now.
All we can say here is that there are other mitigating factors involved in our decision to publish Allan’s letter and we are unable to reveal anything more now.
We know we will draw flak for it and we are prepared to take the brickbats as they come.
Ah, don’t worry about the bad stuffs that comes. You’ve done well enough service for the readers here. And I suppose you’ve informed His family about this incident and sought approval.
I don’t think the government has the ability to sue you for invasion of someone else’s privacy rights. Isn’t that entitled only to the family or the victim himself? So if there’re people out there who thinks it’s wrong to invade his privacy, let them continue by all means. It’s justified as long as the person, or his family isn’t complaining. And if SAF calls him family they should go give themselves a good knock in the head.
thanks wayangparty for revealing the truth,
our prayers will be those that have loss him
I suppport WP in publishing the full letter. Not because I am Kapo. (Nosey)
Quesion, those who critisize WP.. PLS do the same for MSM, cos they “claim” to have the letter but omitted the part about SAF bond policy. You think the MSM “care” for the late Dr Ooi family by not publishing the omitted part ??? Think again…
Instead, MSN claim Dr Ooi committed suicide due to Gaming, gambling, love matter.. etc..
Which one is MORE Hurt for the family and friends
1) Falsely and faking Dr Ooi killing himself over gaming and gambling (Most of the time, public will associate “gaming and gambling” with bad character) Then later claim he kill himself over relationship ?
2) Or revealing the truth that the SAF bond is the main culprit ?
For me, i choose the latter. For it is the truth. WP publish the truth. what’s wrong with them ?
In the future, i can advise my family member, friends and others from signing BONDs with SAF..
Could WP forward “the suicide letter” to Admiral Teo, Minister for Defence ?
“Given a choice, we will never reveal the content of the entire letter. We first receive it on 11 March 2009 at 2pm and we only publish a portion of it the next day at 9am omitting the part on his relationships deliberately.”
Everyone always has a choice.
I’m very appalled by your decision to print the letter in full when you had earlier decided otherwise. This is not a competition with SPH, or is it?
If this site is acting on behalf of the family who wants the truth to be known, then I really think this info should be released.
Hi Anon,
Thanks for your feedback. If we do not release the letter earlier than SPH, we will see a worse distorted hogwash today.
There are many things we cannot reveal openly or we will jeopardize the identities of our informers. All we can say is that this fiasco is not as simple as many people see on the surface.
Time will tell the truth and vindicate us for the decision made.
Why did I get the feeling that papers seemed to be focusing less on this case with the diminishing articles until you decided to post your respectful extract of the letter? Since you’re saying that the papers started writing their story in retaliation to yours, it seems to me that you were the one who
brought Dr Ooi back onto the cover page of the papers and him back into the limelight. Am I wrong to say this?
I think we have to face the facts here. Do you really think that Singaporeans believe everything that they read in the papers? Do you think that we’ve received all our education for nothing? Yes, Singaporeans may not always have the courage to speak up against the “force” but it does not mean that we are ignorant or worse, dumb.
I really still don’t see your point of maintaining that the truth must be spoken. In the case of Dr Ooi’s case, I believe that those whom he had cared about or cared about him need to know and I believe they do with or without your proclaimation of upholding the truth. That’s why the letter (if genuine) was sent to them in private and not to you nor any form of media.
How would you know if Dr Ooi is happy that you’re speaking out for him? He isn’t around anymore and no one can verify if he’s a willing party in this whole media saga. Even if he is, let it go already. This is a fight between you and the local media. Do not use Dr Ooi as a pawn. Just let him go in peace please. I think at least, he deserves that respect from us. Unless you’re telling me you can bring him back to life by pursuing this further.
I am looking forward to seeing what good or changes will take place because of the information you are providing here.
Don’t let the senseless attacks put your spirit down. Thanks for the articles.
“I think we have to face the facts here. Do you really think that Singaporeans believe everything that they read in the papers? Do you think that we’ve received all our education for nothing? Yes, Singaporeans may not always have the courage to speak up against the “force” but it does not mean that we are ignorant or worse, dumb.”
My mom and uncle was telling me off yesterday to stop playing games because they read the paper about someone committing suicide because of War games. Think about that, and see if you’re angry.
it’s very sad that journalists in singapore can only write articles to help deceive the public…and that lawyers are mere tools to help the rich and ultra rich……..what’s next? ….singapore seems so good in everything rite?..but why do we “complain” so much? the govt does nt bother…no one does……..
To end one’s life deliberately is a sin. No matter what reasons you have, you cant take away your own life waht is given by God.
He is no hero in doing that and im not here to condemn him but to point out that no one should end his/her own life this way.
And i support the admin to have put up the letter in full as Sin Ming had already done so but a very distorted translation.
See how Sin Ming cut short all the SAF part which is the most important of the letter.
Shame on the integrity of Singapore Media.
Hi Selfish Act,
Leave God out of this debate. If God has the almighty power to give lives, then it should also be able to make good for all lives. But, ironically lives everywhere are torturing and despairing, so much so many people are taking their owned lives. Who is to be blamed? God or the one who took his or her owned life.
lots of singaporeans here seems rather petty here about privacy of the letter when the much larger issues here is that SAF is suppressing the freedom of both the SAF medical doctors as well as the enlisted men. The doctor fall sick due to the prospect of 18 years of boredom and misery EVERSDAY in the army. Most enlisted men are at the bottom of the power structure in SAF. Imagine how much more MISERY and TORTURE Singapore males citizens have to put up with in the 2 years of NS.
NS has cheapen and degraded our Singapore citizenship.
Then Mr GOH CHOCK TONG got the cheek to ask why Singaporeans keep quitting singapore by the thousands ANNUALLY !!
Hi Patriot..
Obviously you are not a christian..
And i believe not only christianity, no single religion will agree that taking away own life is right..
Seek first in His Kingdom and everything else will be given to you. And obviously those who choose to end their life dont believe in Him who has the almighty power to heal and provide.
You can have everything under the sun and yet you are empty like this young Dr here.. Wat about the one at NTU? What he believes in?
The fact of the matter is, as much as SAF sucks, it IS crucial. It doesn’t degrade Singapore citizenship.
The problem here, is teh organisation and the people. I completed my NS a few months back, and I’m glad to say that most of the time i managed, to live up to the values i stood up for. i put in hard work so everyone will be able to book out and have generally better, happier lives.
But in doing so, i had to put up with people who cared only about covering their ass, and worse this sergeant kept preaching to us, and using god as the reason he did the things for us and how he is the one that moulds people. he also thinks he is more powerful than the medical officer. I was very close with my MO, and we worked together all the time be in seeing patients, emergencies etc. etc. And guess what i got punishment for being too close too the MO, for doing work. Even when im in camp doing work, i was accused of not reporting to him, and getting permission, and was told that it was as good as being awol. I was threatenend to be charged many times, and even got weekend extras cause of this. Doing work.
Then because there’s this one other guy he likes, but who really doesn’t do much, he jsut keeps praising him and giving him special treatment when he keeps claiming fairness. And work taht was done by me and my other friends was given credit to this guy as if he did it and taken by this sgt. Then the sgt. promoted this guy even, forced me to write the promotion recommendation for him some more, dare to say he deserved it more than anyone else he has ever seen.
All this, while proclaiming undeniable rightousness. I’ve done my time. Thank god. It was especially hard trying to stick to most of my values like interity, to be hard working, and to do only things that are right, but im glad i tried hard, and succeded most of the time.
And yes, i don’t know why our govt. keep blaming us for quitting singapore. they don’t even want to provide enough opportunities in university for students, got the nerve to say singaporeans want to elave overseas to study. hello, you think we very rich?
Hi Selfish Act,
Your religious faith whether in Christianity, Buddhism, Islam is your prerogative. But just don’t come here and bs that just because you are a christian, you christian belief holds truth for every body. Many American soldiers are christian but they are prepared to kill innocent people in Iraq. Are the people who took their owned lives worse than the christian soldiers who killed innocent people in the eyes of your God.
Dr Ooi is just an isolated case. I believe there are also many god-believers who had committed suicide. Don’t just use one brush to paint everybody.
How come the email is dated 4 March when Dr Ooi died on 3 March?
I agree that ayang Party shld publish the letter, assuming the have infomed Dr Ooi’s family.
I have been following this story but in the newspaper. Honestly, I actually thought that the gambling, gaming and love issues were all true until I chance upon this website.
Guys doesn’t it seem strange to anyone that his email was sent out a day after he commited suicide?
Singapore always emphasizes on freedom to voice. Apparently this is not the truth as tabloid also did not publish the true story behind in order to protect SAF.
Are we really in a “Republic of Singapore”??? as engraved on our sg coins???
SAF is a big bully organisation.Pay people peanut,want to tie people down, all sorts of stupid rules,when Li Hong Yi made mistake, nothing happens,when other people make mistake, chia lat liao.There is nepotism,favouritism in SAF,nia mah!!
Hi Singapore,
For your info, the date shown could be due to his email time zone setting and also the location when he wrote and sent the letter.. if he was in Australia, it could happen.
For example, i always receive a email dated tomorrow evening from Canada Customers although Canada is 15 hours behind Singapore, by right you would thought that their email should be dated the date before us, but it is not the case.
“I was angry, so angry which stemmed ultimately from a sense of waste and imprisonment so profound that I had no choice but to leave it entirely.”
this is perhaps the most telling sentence in the entire letter. it shows he killed himself as he felt unfulfilled and imprisoned in his current life. his life had essentially become worthless and discarding it was his method of freeing himself from his imprisonment.
i do not think anyone here is in a position to judge him for what he did – simply because we are literally unqualified to do so.
from all appearances he was an exceptionally gifted person, both academically and atheletically. i would not be surprised if he were in the top 0.5% of the population. how many of us here can claim to be his equals?
how many of us will be able to understand the ignominy, the sheer frustration he must have felt, of being denied his full potential by an inflexible bureaucracy?
how many of us can understand that a meaningless existence is no existence at all?
free men cannot be caged; they would rather die. tragically, in this case that saying has come true.
and the females who got off scot free without serving NS. The tax can then be use to give ONLY to the Sg citizen male population that have been exploited shanmelessly by SAF. This would come in handily in the recession.
It it time for the Sg male population to fight back.
All of you are really wayang. You make big noise online, but let’s see who wins the next election.
I’m sick of all you online commentaters. Have balls and step forward. If you really believe in what you say, or what allan lived and died for, stand for election and form a new govt, which by your own frustration and comments, will be more “compassionate”. If not put up and shut up.
Decisions are made by those who show up.
everybody is now saying he died because of failed love. this is bad. i just realised he did not. i suspect it’s some political conspiracy and not suicide.
Sure some “conspiracy”. I happen to have known Allan for more than a decade, and know that he would have given his sarcastic hyena laugh at this notion. Grow up!
And please, in the name of all that is holy, stop using him as exhibit A in your greviances against the sg govt.
Hi “The bat”
I totally agree with you. WP seems to use people (including the deceased) for hits. Why is it competing with the mainstream media? Anyway who is WP and why should we even trust it more than the Straits Times? There is no objectivity in WP either. It clearly has its own agenda.
This bat and cybergoddess are obviously from the PAP IB sent to hijack the discussion. I don’t really care who WP is. The truth is for all to see, cmon, are you guys so blind that you can’t differentiate the truth from lies?
ah batwing, you are proving the typical online stereotype. “Oh, big bad government boys are monitoring us”
Just because I disagree with your online dissent, doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m PAP. Maybe it means I’m a PRAGMATIC, THINKING citizen who doesn’t allow a single issue to blind an intellectual discussion. Your comment just reeks of myopia.
Yes I am angry by the way Allan was treated, and agree that the SAF should give some answers. But I’m not going to allow anonymous rhetoric by some dissenters online determine the argument.
Batwing, I’m not blind. The truth was printed by TWP and I thank them for it. However I question the motives as to why they did it. Perhaps in YOUR blindness you didn’t bother thinking about that.
Thank you WP for speaking up for the oppressed.
Dr Ooi, I wish I had known you earlier. We could have talked. I could have jumped off together with you. I am also a bonded scholar, Mindef has made my life so miserable that I am just living each day like a corpse. My MP has threatened me not to appeal further. There is no way out. But I have no courage to kill myself, or even go on missing. May you rest in peace and hope your deadth has woken up a few greater mortals. Who knows when I will join you in the other world, then we can have a good talk.
I feel secure that you guys in singapore can do NS for me. Wish I can do something to help in return. Maybe I will help out in the CDC or CCC.
My sons are now near NS age. Lucky they still have foreign passport else I have to worry about them doing NS. Soon I will send them overseas to study then later follow me same route in coming back here to earn good salary. They told me NS is not for them as they belong to the intellectual class.
You guys in Singapore very nice fellows. Dunno why the good doctor must commit suicide.
Foreign talent: Its great to know you’ve raised a couple of pussies, send them to Cambridge… they will get a welcome party of rough brits shoving your sons’ heads into the toilet bowl and flushing
Foreign Talent says: “They told me NS is not for them as they belong to the intellectual class.”
Well apparently it’s clear that your sons haven’t learned any humility or graciousness.
I would like to see 2 separate inquiries made to investigate the whole truth of the matter. Dr Ooi’s claims regards to his career and Journalistic Integrity. We are no fools, stop treating us like one.
Hi Selfish Act!
you are so disgusting and narrow minded. please don’t pass irresponsible remarks about people in dispair — coz you are NOT him! it does not help that you pretend to be an almighty in the cloak of Christianity. You fail to emphathise with his situation and his firends’ and family’s grieve by passing such uncaring — or should i say cruel — remarks. Christianity obviously did not make you a better person, yet. It is time to reflect on yourself!
In case you think you are drawing flakes from a non-Christian, sorry to disappoint you. I am GOD’s child.
I think even if you disagree with Dr Ooi’s act, the least you can do is : Shut up!
His family and friends don’t deserve your shit. You have no right!
I am sad at Derek rude comments. Singapore need a layer of intellectual class to run it. There is no denying this fact. The whole world need us foreign talent. We are welcome with open hands by all authorities.
At the same time Singapore also need strong defense against hostile regional forces. Thus , locals must serve NS.
It is a good symbiotic relationship as we foreign talents provide the brain power while local Singapore guys provide the hard labour required in the army.
Pls do not underestimate the Power of the Media which is why they are normally controlled by state governments.
If this full letter has not been published here, I will never have believed it.
I hope his death will help Singapore to be better.
Be it Gov, SAF, NewsPaper, Potential Scholars, Family etc.
For a start I am putting my finger cross now on every Singapore NewsPaper article. Taiwan News are messy because there are so many coverup uncovered. And I rather it be if there is.
{”Derek bird” wrote on Sat, 14th Mar 2009 7:05 pm: Hi anon… haha… I think I know the game/system better than you think…was involved when both my SAF doctor friends left the service after breaking the remainder of their bonds…..
Bottom line is, the system can be broken: unfortunately, if one doesn’t play the game well enough, it wouldn’t work…an example….My friends now provide private specialist service to NSmen at the military institute next to NUH as part of their bargain, and better still, don’t have to go back for any in-camp.
Who says one cannot negotiate? Know the system, play the game and both sides come out the winner……And if you’re a SAF doctor (or a doctor)…..time to look & learn. You saw how arrogant the “SAF Doctor’s” reply was way up this thread – challenging me to give two names on this public forum….I’m not that silly…..
It’s more often the…..lack of timely and proper communication, that leads to disaster.}
WHY, ALLAN? WHY?
Hi “Derek bird”. Your post is helpful. I agree: “often lack of timely and proper communication leads to disaster.” Having read Dr Allan’s letter explaining why he had to commit suicide, it certainly raises more questions than providing the solution Allan thought that he had found. With his star-quality looks, his great talents, intelligence, energies and zest for life, and being a gifted communicator, there are many questions we want to ask. Alas! he is no longer around to answer them!
How I wish he had written to Dr Lee Wei Ling (make it anonymous if he didn’t feel comfortable revealing his identity) to sound her out what he had in mind about taking his life. If suicide is such a great idea, Dr Lee would have had many strong reasons to do so long time ago!
This caring doctor is really passionate about championing the underdog, the small people, the poor and the needy. She has tremendous empathy. Many can see and are so moved by her narration of her own very difficult struggles in life, just trying to maintain some normalcy, because of her terrible ill-health. She had said she could hear her clock ticking away too!
We are so moved by her courage and strong determination to make her life counts for others, before she conks out—for those poor, suffering, wretched souls who need her leadership, her expertise, her tender care and that of her doctors and nurses in NNI.
If Allan could have similar passion to make the needs and sufferings of those wretched people his raison d’être, I am sure he would have the determination to carry on living, as he wasn’t struggling against any ill-health that Dr Lee Wei Ling has to. Yet Dr Lee has never been ashamed to tell us that she stinks and suffers like hell from smelly flatulence—because of a leaking intestine, etc. She really touches many hearts with her attempts to open up her life to us, and consequently has become such a great inspiration in terrible times like these
So Allan has broken my heart too as he did for his parents’, his brother’s and sister’s, who cherish him so much! Why, Allan? Why? Why did you not make contact with Dr Lee Wei Ling? She could be just the agony aunt you needed before you took the fateful final step to eternal perdition?
As for “SAF doc”, please grow up. You are no longer a mummy’s boy. So you shouldn’t be reasoning things out like a school-kid.
That’s not to say that SAF does not need to look into this matter and fine-tune it. Many concerned citizens are like me—waiting for some words from RADM Teo Chee Hean.
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{”SAF doc” wrote on Thu, 12th Mar 2009 12:58 pm: Hi there, I am a colleague of Dr Ooi and it is truly saddening. What he wrote there was similar to what he confided in me as well. He was unhappy and desperate to leave….
Whatever he wrote in the letter about having his bond extended against his will etc is true….Dr Ooi’s family has more than enough $ to pay his bond but the SAF is afraid that if one is allowed to leave, all their docs will leave and they will have no-one left to work for them….
Some of us have tried to leave, but even after they sending resignation letters and talking to the highest levels of superiors, the answer has always been “no, we don’t want to discuss the bond” or simply “no, you cannot break”. No further discussion. Short of employing expensive lawyers to fight the gahmen… we’re stuck for 18-21 years after signing the bond….
It is truly saddening and SAF should be ashamed of bullying and deceiving young, bright doctors into a permanent sad future.}
Thanks for your post Tham Eng.
But I might disagree with your opinions of Dr Lee Wei Ling – the whole saga of how she whistle blew on Dr Shorvon left me with a lingering (& permanent) doubt on her character. I’m repeating the same thing from an earlier thread.
http://www.shorvon.eu/singapore_chronology.htm
especially pts 2. & 4. which were substatiated by many in the neurology circles in Singapore then (although none formally spoke up – she’s after all daugther of the SM and sister of the PM – nobody wants to risk their jobs for such a stupid reason of standing up for your ex-boss vs your NEXT boss –> Lee Wei Ling took over as head of NNI during the saga)
Remember when SMC took the Shorvon case to the UK, it was overturned. Subsequently, Shorvon won an EU prize last year for his contribution to neurology – some award of that sature Dr Lee Wei Ling has yet to achieve on her own merit (although both of them share the same research interest)
As always: my own opinions, feel free to disagree
RALLYING PRAYER SUPPORT FOR DR LEE WEI LING AND DR CHEE SOON JUAN
Thanks, Derek. I am not very clear about the matter of Dr Shorvon—the moral implications arising from the matter. So I am not competent to comment. In any case, I may not always agree with everything Dr Lee Wei Ling said or do. Like for example, her criticism of AG Walter Woon on Mr Tang Wee Sung’s case, and her vociferous open argument with Mr Philip Yeo of EDB some years ago. But I do appreciate the motivation and passion behind what she said and did. It was good.
As Dr Lee is in such bad physical state, we must rally more people to pray for her well-being. I am also praying for Dr Chee, that God can provide a way out for him to lead a meaningful life. As it is, I feel Dr Chee is terribly misguided, and no one I have met and talked to about Dr Chee has any good words for him. However, I am sure God can find something meaningful for him to do. At least he did not opt for suicide as a way out of his very bad situation.
Thanks, Derek!
This is ABSURD. A person apparently commits suicide and you jokers seek to make a political point from it? C’mon!
So, he felt trapped. He had no one to turn to. How is this the fault of the Establishment? He knew what he was signing at every stage, and he accepted the deal. He could have broken the bond and repaid the cost of his studies, with interest. His family could afford it, and offered. He apparently refused. How is this the fault of the System? If the System allows every scholar to break his/her bond easily, what is the purpose of spending taxpayers’ money on such scholarships? If *that* happened, you guys will be screaming bloody murder that the System has wasted taxpayers money and another person truly willing to serve the public good should have obtained the scholarship instead.
Commission of Inquiry? Why? This person, tragic as it may have been, abandoned his job and his family, and committed military offences in the process. It is sad that he came to feel this way, and perhaps sadder that he had no friends or faith to help him find his way back home. If he had sought proper legal advice, with his scholarship contracts in hand, he might have understood better what his obligations and options are.
Sad, yes. Indicative of a problem in the “System”? No. Move on. Don’t add to the family/friends’ grief.
Batwing: So anyone who disagrees with what you or WP think is a PAP’s dog? If that’s the case there will be no meaningful, engaging debate. You should go fly a kite.
Since SPH refuse to publish the full letter but choose to do a makeover on the dead doctor , it only show that the SAF trying to suppress the truth the bottomless pit that NS system has become.
to Absurd:
And you think a sensible and smart and good looking person didn’t think like the way you described and tried to do the logical thing first before killing himself?
And you think it is sensible to comtemplate that one fine day he just decide to take his own life?
Then why take the effort of going to Australia in the first place?
He planned this. He went away so that the chances of anyone finding him is zero. He probably also wanted breathe some fresh / free air.
Then he wrote his last email.
Then he took his life.
Question is what could have driven him to do this?
It is clear to me from his last email what drove him to taking his own life:
sheer repulsion with the way things are run here.
To Cybergoddess :
WP has agenda. So does the official media. In fact, the official one is a lot worst: it serves to propagate propaganda and the producers are make a lot of monies out of it.
I didn’t see WP personel making a lot of monies out this site.
Also, at least, you are free to say what you want here and of course being challenge freely in the processes.
You don’t get sue till you are broke.
judging from the originality of the articles, I would say they are among the most engaging things in the media. The official is very far behind.
The pappies, especially the SAF, can only exist by giving threats.
the greeks employ slaves to fight war and build an empire.
we should follow this successful model and get foreign talents to do the dirty work for us.
Why should we run up and down hills sweating like hell while foreign talents enjoy life ?
Why should our best and brightest either commit suicide like Dr ooi or become fugitives like melyvn Tan the famous musician to flee NS , while low quality foreign talents are allowed to come in to flood our job market ?
Something is not right here.
I fully understand how the dead DR feel to waste his 20 years in the army for people like that below !!
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http://www.singaporeexpats.com/forum/ftopic56556.html
Hi all, i would like to seek your advise on these.
We are currently both Singapore PRs and our residency will expire next year. Now, we are thinking that one of us(wife) should apply for citizenship and the other (husband) will remain a PR. The reason why we want it this way is because we are having trouble applying in school for my son and someone told me that you will be a priority if you are a SG citizen. Both of us doesnt really want to enjoy retirement here in SG and are planning to migrate somewhere else but not in the near future. At the moment, since both our jobs are at its best, we decided to stay here for a few more years. Any of you have done this or in the same situation as we are? Would there be any difference if the wife is a citizen, hub is PR– like will our son still need to serve NS?? If i became a citizen, will my kids also become a citizen automatically? What are the implications of this? I know that it is difficult to renounce SG citizenship and it requires careful thinking before deciding to apply for it/renounce it.
I really appreciate if you can help advise on this to clear my mind of my worries before applying for SG Citizenzhip.
“Why should our best and brightest either commit suicide like Dr ooi or become fugitives like melyvn Tan the famous musician to flee NS , while low quality foreign talents are allowed to come in to flood our job market ?”
C’mon lah – NS is only TWO years now… gosh, I even put my hand up to go into a very siong unit for NS (ages ago) and was so proud of it!
If one thinks suicide is a way out of 15-year bond (with full salary + overseas trips, can specialize, can do humanitarian work in Afghanistan, can go home at 3pm each day – just let the young captains do the 10-14hour shifts)… then TO EACH HIS OWN….
If I had a chance to be a doctor, I wouldn’t mind working as an SAF doctor. Too bad my grades were too cock up, barely made it to NTU.
I knew Allan. We were old classmates. The thought that you Wayang douchebags would have sought to make political hay from his suicide would have pissed him off no end. Surely the wishes of his family ought to have pre-empted your petty email-blogging revelations. The world does not revolve around you and your political concerns.
A clear reading of Allan last letter show he want the whole SAF to be revamp if not destroy. In fact , the integrity of Singapore as a nation demands a full review of all the damage that SAF has done to Singapore.
Why is Mindef Chief of various forces advertising in the Obituary Section of The Straits Times sending their condolences to the late Dr Ooi when he is a wanted criminal for AWOL in the army.
What message is the government sending to the general public that even a wanted criminal can be “celebrated” and condolences messages sent even for an AWOL personnel. Is the government going to put up an obituary sending condolences messages if the deceased had committed muder assuming he had been a high ranking military officer and a scholar as well.
Derek bird on Mon, 16th Mar 2009 12:46 pm
“Why should our best and brightest either commit suicide like Dr ooi or become fugitives like melyvn Tan the famous musician to flee NS , while low quality foreign talents are allowed to come in to flood our job market ?”
C’mon lah – NS is only TWO years now… gosh, I even put my hand up to go into a very siong unit for NS (ages ago) and was so proud of it!
If one thinks suicide is a way out of 15-year bond (with full salary + overseas trips, can specialize, can do humanitarian work in Afghanistan, can go home at 3pm each day – just let the young captains do the 10-14hour shifts)… then TO EACH HIS OWN….
If I had a chance to be a doctor, I wouldn’t mind working as an SAF doctor. Too bad my grades were too cock up, barely made it to NTU.}
Corrected post:
DON’T FORGET—WE ARE STILL LIVING IN PERILOUS TIMES
You’re a sensible/wise man, “Derek”. Youngsters must not just care for their computer games and having a good time for themselves. By all means go and enjoy ourselves. If life is not also for enjoyment, what is there to live for?
Have just complete an open email for RADM Teo Chee Hean to put up my suggestion. Will post it in this blog once I have touched up.
We are still living in very perilous times. So youngsters must never forget this.
{”Derek bird” wrote on Mon, 16th Mar 2009 12:46 pm: ….C’mon lah – NS is only TWO years now… gosh, I even put my hand up to go into a very siong unit for NS (ages ago) and was so proud of it!
If one thinks suicide is a way out of 15-year bond (with full salary + overseas trips, can specialize, can do humanitarian work in Afghanistan, can go home at 3pm each day – just let the young captains do the 10-14hour shifts)… then TO EACH HIS OWN….
If I had a chance to be a doctor, I wouldn’t mind working as an SAF doctor. Too bad my grades were too cock up, barely made it to NTU.}
Guys do u noe a lot of singaporean do not noe the truth
until i told them about this website —-> singaporean media is full of rubbish
Anonym wrote “I knew Allan. We were old classmates. …… ……. The world does not revolve around you and your political concerns.”
1) Birds of a feather flock together (perhaps even old classmates)
2) One man’s meat is another man’s poison (its freedom of speech on this site – some people are sensitive, some insensitive, some are downright a$$holes – that’s life, young man, bor pian)
Hi luffy,
We are not surprised. That’s why the mainstream media is allowed to run roughshod over us because there is simply no alternatives to challenge them.
We need everybody’s help to publicize this blog to as many Singaporeans as possible.
In his last email, Dr Allan Ooi cited his “unbreakable” bond and failed relationship(s). But reading the email as a whole, it seems to me that the last paragraph contains the REAL reason for his decision to check out of Life – his belief that there is no God, no afterlife, no reason and no spiritual purpose to living. To an atheist (the technical term for someone who does not believe in existence of divinity), life and living are ultimately pointless. So, why bother to struggle, what’s the use of withstanding hardships or to make the effort to overcome difficulties, since we all die into oblivion anyway. I think that it was his spiritual belief (i.e. that the world is a matter of physics and chemistry, cause and effect and that spirituality is an illusion) that made his fatal decision a logical choice to take. This is just my humble opinion.
Hi Eugene,
This afternoon, my friend also emailed me to thank me for telling her about your wayangparty.com. Evidently she liked your blog too. Soon, you are going to read the positive remark I will be making to RADM Teo, copied to RADM Lui, my MP.
Keep up your good work, great fellas!!
{admin wrote on Mon, 16th Mar 2009 9:06 pm: Hi luffy,
We are not surprised. That’s why the mainstream media is allowed to run roughshod over us because there is simply no alternatives to challenge them.
We need everybody’s help to publicize this blog to as many Singaporeans as possible.}
Revamp, yes. SAF musst always be on the learning curve. But please don’t write crap about wanting to have the whole of SAF destroyed. Then why don’t you go and hang yourself? If you are short of ropes, do let me know. I will gladly supply with what you need for mindless people like you.
[”V for vendatta” wrote on Mon, 16th Mar 2009 5:35 pm:
A clear reading of Allan last letter show he want the whole SAF to be revamp IF NOT DESTROY. In fact , the integrity of Singapore as a nation demands a full review of all the damage that SAF has done to Singapore.}
All those beasts in SAF who contributed to this doctor’s predicament should be held accountable !!
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“Of all the statist violations of individual rights in a mixed economy, the military draft is the worst. It is an abrogation of rights. It negates man’s fundamental right–the right to life–and establishes the fundamental principle of statism: that a man’s life belongs to the state, and the state may claim it by compelling him to sacrifice it in battle. If the state may force a man to risk death or hideous maiming and crippling, in a war declared at the state’s discretion, for a cause he may neither approve of nor even understand, if his consent is not required to send him into unspeakable martyrdom–then, in principle, all rights are negated in that state, and its government is not man’s protector any longer. What is there left to protect?”
admin on Mon, 16th Mar 2009 9:06 pm
Hi luffy,
We are not surprised. That’s why the mainstream media is allowed to run roughshod over us because there is simply no alternatives to challenge them.
We need everybody’s help to publicize this blog to as many Singaporeans as possible.
Hmm abit too obvious la ask ppl to help u publicize this blog…..
But i am glad u guys reveal the truth. Hope Allan has found his freedom in another world.
if SAF is nt full and run by morons… i gladly serve the 2 or 2.5 yrs….. too bad it is run by morons… and so non of the got brains Singaporeans would willingly serve the 2 feaking years… when we can done more in the outside world…. be it study be it working…..
this case just bring out to the attention…. tat the younger generation of Singaporeans…. r nt like those of the older will simply follow without tinking….
with tat much of suside cases arise these recent yrs…. the gov should know… younger generation will rather die…. than to be force to do something they hate to do…
SAF should really explain this case to the public…..
To victim of NS:
Don’t be a pussy, its just two (+1/2) years – my peers in my unit not only caught up with the womenfolk (who have to give birth etc); found the NS experience for all its shit and ridiculous nature a rite of passage in life. We meet up regularly and recount stories over golf or beer. Its life here.
Don’t like the system here? Migrate lor.
Your quoted statement only holds if Singapore declares war on someone, not when someone tries to walk into the country to rape your sister.
Hi Derek bird,
I had also served two and a half years in the NS. But that was about 20 years ago. At that time, I felt that I was serving and protecting the country. But today NS men are not serving the country. They are enlisted to serve only the Lee Regime and its cronies.
If you don’t like the system, you must try to change the system for the good. It is very ill responsible just to emigrate. Is just like if you do not like your family, you can’t just leave your family.
Don’t be too arrogant and over-confident. You may always have your beer and golf now. But if you are too apathetic to the system you are living in now, misery may fall on you so quickly that until you don’t know. Let had happened so obviously to the shareholders of Lehman Brothers and the clients of Bernie Madoff of the Ponzi scam.
Oh Tham Eng,
I think it is very inappropriate for you to make the sweeping statement on Dr Chee as below.
<<>>
Those people you talked to must be the lap dogs of the PAP. Of course, they would not have any good word for Dr Chee.
At least, Dr Chee dares to sacrifice for you what he stands for. You loud mouth only know how to hide behind your keyboard
and make airy comments.
People thought Gandhi and Mandela were also terribly misquided
when they were fighting for India’s independence and South Africa’s apartheid system respectively.
I think you are the one you are really terribly misquided. Always using your nonsensical concept of god to prove your point.
Hi Admin,
How come Oh Tham Eng’s sweeping statement as below is not reflected in my comment above.
As it is, I feel Dr Chee is terribly misguided, and no one I have met and talked to about Dr Chee has any good words for him.
looking at the comments given by so many its sad to say that if war were to hit us we shall fall
no doubt we need a defending force however a force with no will power is equal to no force at all
its time the gov start to think how to make the younger generation appeal to NS by forcing them to serve singapore may find one day in war without anyone one willing to fight who rather die or surrender
{”mon” wrote on Tue, 17th Mar 2009 12:33 pm: “Of course, Dr Ooi’s death was a tragedy which the authorities should look into, and take actions to prevent it from being repeated.”
They would not do it the usual way, we understand. They will select harder and threaten more}
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CLARIFICATION FROM RADM TEO CHEE HEAN IS ON THE WAY
He has just replied me some hours ago to thank me for my input, and desire for him to say something and clarify on this matter. Because yesterday, I wrote to him an open letter/email entitled: “PLEASE FO NOT LET DR ALLAN OOI DIE IN VAIN!”
Just now, I had also forwarded this email to WYC Chief Editor Eugene Yeo for his “Daily Musings”. I leave it to Eugene to decide whether to publish it or not under his “Daily Musing”.
So let’s be patient. RADM Teo’s response and clarifcation/answers to our many questios will certainly be forthcoming.
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{”Saywatyou`vegot” wrote on Tue, 17th Mar 2009 9:14 am: SAF Bond:
Precisely ALL the questions the public is asking! Arbitrary is and has always been the word of calling. Do they seriously think this works even in such a small imaginary almost non-existent system? You might be spot-on- the question is whether we might even get an honest non-censored response based on FACTS. It goes without saying that censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime!}
if you calculate the manhours lost to the japanese and compare it to the manhours lost wasting time in the SAF , NS is worst than the Japanese occupation of Singapore.
Singapore govt pride itself on being rational , but NS is clearly a case of the solution being worst than the problem.
If we have NS for another few generations , our population will be hollered out by all the genius migrating and not coming back.
Clearly a population of Signaporean morons is not something to look forward to and worth fighting for.
Hope our dear leaders for once show some true leadership instead of thinking of their own salaries.
LOOKS LIKE somebody HAS JUST FOUND A JAPANESE GIRLFRIEND
And waiting to be Nipponised? This somebody obviously knows nothing or very litle about what he is talking about—the Japanese occupation. People like him—if you put a pretty Nippon gal in front of him, preferably one who has gone under the knife, he will probably shortcuit all his brain-networks in s very short time interval!
My dad was a poor and uneducated man; that was why he could survive the Japanese arrest and short-term incarceration during the Jap Occupation. But he still had to undergo the Japanese Imperial Army’s infamous and dreaded water-treatment. Dirty longkan water was forced into his stomach, and the Jap torturers would step on his stomach to force it out. Cycles repeated.
Went through this through the days he was incarcerated until he was released. If he had died, then I wouldn’t have the chance to be born. Of course there were interruptions. Otherwise, do you think he could have survived, moron?
The remaining of your post is not worth my time responding. If you don’t think you are not a moron, please talk and present your post coherently, and don’t waste your time and others’.
{”Lets bring back the japanese” wrote on Wed, 18th Mar 2009 1:37 am: if you calculate the manhours lost to the japanese and compare it to the manhours lost wasting time in the SAF , NS is WORST THAN THE JAPANESE OCCPATION OF SINGAPORE. ….NS is clearly a case of the solution being worst than the problem.
If we have NS for another few generations , our population will be hollowed out by all the genius migrating and not coming back.
Clearly a population of Signaporean MORONS is not something to look forward to and worth fighting for. Hope our dear leaders for once show some true leadership instead of thinking of their own salaries.}
Some people think that everything in life must go their way.
He thinks its hell working for a bond. To millions of people, it would be paradise. About 10 MM people die every year from hunger. Millions of children die every year from dirty water, malaria.
Corrections for my above post:
“short-circuit”, not “shortcuit”; “little”, not “litle”
I love Singapore as I can enjoy studying and working here without discrimination. All my friends and relatives from KL and Malacca are moving to JB to join me when they see me holding executive position in a big company after going into junior college in Singapore and graduating from NUS.
Some of my junior college classmates are now just graduating from NUS after 2 years of NS delay. They even send their resume to my boss who ask me to see if I want to hire them. My boss trust me as I am now shown my capability in both the factory floor and the management level.
However I must be fair to my boss who take good care of me so I never hire my ex classmates as their results not as good as those fresh malaysians who go direct to NUS and dont have two years of delay in NS. I told my ex classmates they need to get 2 or 3 years more of working experience before they can be competitive in the work force. By then I may be able to help them as I hope to be the CEO of the company when my boss retire.
I really dont understand why the doctor commit suicide. This is a land of opportunities when the hardworking can rise to the very top. Money is all around.
CNA shame on you —> thay y i dont like to watch singapore show bullshit top 1
rom HWZ forum
This is a true incident that just happen 8.30pm today, 3 SAF officers came up my door step and
request for my brother to return to Pasir Lebar Camp for his reservist..
I only manage to take down the Medical Officer’s Name as the other 2 have their name tag in short form.
On 18 March, (Yesterday) my younger brother had suffered a bloated stomach since afternoon 3 – 4pm.
But he was unable to proceed to his camp ‘24hrs Medical Centre’ to have a check up on his condition due the ‘duties’ he has to carry out.
Around evening 6pm++ he was free and have requested for permission to proceed to Pasir Lebar Camp ‘24hrs Medical Centre’.
But he was told ‘Sorry you can only Report Sick from 6.30am – 7.30am’ by the LT in-charge of the reservist training.
Later that night my brother was lucky enough as it was a ‘nights off’ so he took the chance to visit the ‘Family Clinic’ around my neighborhood.
And true enough he got a MC for 3days due to stomach flu. So he called back to camp and reported he was given
a 3days MC period from 18 – 20 march 2009. But he was told to report back camp by 6.30am (19 March 2009) today MORNING!
My brother was unable to travel due to medications as his hands also shaking heavily due to the medications he has taken.
So he inform his officer that he will REPORT back camp when he can walk properly. But they came down to my place and
tried to take him back camp by the ‘BOOK’ but my brother has Medical Cert!
Then they told me, they have to bring him back to camp to rest 3days in sick bay. Reservist Man?
go back camp to rest? Who ever get this kind of treatment? If you are a NSF, yes.. NS-Men?
I told them off, ‘My Brother is now weak due to medication. He cannot walk properly, if any mishap occurs who will be responsible?
I WANT A NAME/RANK/NIRC of a person the can be in-charge of my brother’s safety.’
They could not and the Medical Officer replied ‘Its ok, we believe we can settle this peacefully.
I’ve seen and verified his MC, we will leave now but he has to report back to camp on Monday (23 March 2009)’
Conclusion:
1 – They are out to make things hard on my brother as he was the youngest in that reservist unit.
2 – No Reporting Sick after 7.30am daily, no such rule. I was a Medic, every personnel has the right to report sick
at ANY TIME if He/She is feeling unwell. This rule Over Rights Any RANK, its Human Rights.
3 – A NS-Men that is sick have to Report Back to camp and REST INSIDE for the period of his Medical Leave. ‘BULLSHIT’
SAF, now many people you want to push to DEATH?
A precious life has been lost here, and the truth should come out. I am shocked that Allan was forced to stay in a position that he felt totally unhappy with. His family are in my prayers.
I know about this tragedy through a good friend of Dr. Ooi’s family. My condolences go out to his family and friends. I hope this website may help in some good way.
there is nothing wrong with the scholarships system this doctor should know there IS a bond for him to serve a 12 years service with Mindef.it is his choice for signing the bond. many young Ns men who sign on as regular are those who think that government can provide them with secure jobs.. Rather then they themselves go out to the private job market to look for one.The regular thinks that it easy money in the first place.DR OOI Proberly saw the maket outside as a private GP as more profitable so he wish to quit.Lastly is he want to quit just quit WHY must die . STUPID “EDUCATED” PEOPLE
very sad. my thoughts are with his family.
PLEASE DO NOT LET DR ALLAN OOI DIE IN VAIN!
Your good post, “Singaporean Guy”. I’m sure you can write a book on it, if you have the time.
I had written an open letter to Defence Minsiter RADM Teo Chee Hean on 16/3/09, entitled “Please do not let Dr Allan Ooi die in vain”; modified it on 17/3/09 for Mr Eugene Yeo as he said he wanted to publish it in WYC blog for last Thurday or Friday. I don’t know why he had changed his mind from publishing it. Then he should not have emailed to me to tell me that he would.
Maybe he couldn’t get away from the sinister influence of those guys in Brotherhood.
{”Singaporean Guy” wrote on Mon, 23rd Mar 2009 3:08 pm
I can fully understand why this guy Allan Ooi took his own life. I was a bonded scholar myself, thankfully my bond was only 6 years. And I managed to pull through the 6 years of impoverish and meaningless life…..
Well it may be difficult for people outside to understand why a scholar can feel impoverish and meaningless when he is supposed to be seen as a high-flier in the ministry. But I can briefly say a few things so you all can get the picture….
.. Everyday he will just be coming meaninglessly to work and waiting for knock-off time. You are asked to upgrade yourself, attend staff courses which are hardly applicable in the first place as the system is too rigid to accomodate all these. You begin to quesiton and see how all these are senseless and just look good on the surface and totally lacking in substance. In time you feel yourself rotting away, and the thing is that you know you are a bright person who can do so much if you are outside in the private sector. And the sad thing is that you know you cant leave…..In some sense you can say it is like a zombie life as you are stuck and cant quit your meaningless job. I also saw how many superiors and bosses in the civil service are rather incompetent, many are there not because they are bright or intelligent but because they have been sitting there for a long time. And can you imagine you as a bright person have to report to a superior who is incompetent ? Well you lose hope about the system and just countdown till your bond ends and submit your resignation letter on the final day.
Well there are many more things but it will be too long for this blog. I would have to write an entire book on it. Regards.}
Johorean – are you kidding? People like you who don’t give two shits about employing the men who have given two years of their precious life serving the country – And whose parent’s taxes ensure you have a job by the way – are the reason why Singapore is going down the dumps, who cause despair among Singaporeans, and who support systems that cause people like Allan Ooi to commit suicide. We should probably throw “foreign ingrates” like this guy away.
-Singaporean
I am truly disgusted by the arrogant opinions of foreign talents who make senseless comments in here. Are you saying that only foreign talents are people with brain power and who are the ones that can run Singapore and Singaporeans are only people who can only do hard labour for you people?
There are many Singaporeans out there whom I can safely say are very talented and bright. We serve the country by doing NS cos it’s our duty to the country not cos we are some dumbass! Just cos u cannot get any jobs in your country and come finding your prospects out here, please don’t make it sound like we singaporeans OWE you something! There are many more singaporeans out there who are in the intellectual class as well.
Please don’t make use of the poor deceased to show off yourselves here!
{Jose Lopez on Sun, 15th Mar 2009 7:16 am
I am sad at Derek rude comments. Singapore need a layer of intellectual class to run it. There is no denying this fact. The whole world need us foreign talent. We are welcome with open hands by all authorities.
At the same time Singapore also need strong defense against hostile regional forces. Thus , locals must serve NS.
It is a good symbiotic relationship as we foreign talents provide the brain power while local Singapore guys provide the hard labour required in the army.}
[...] has a lot of accounting to do to the parents of Dr Allan Ooi, especially when the contents of Dr Ooi’s farewell letter, which has been published by both the mainstream press as well as alternative media, and [...]
We are quite well off today because of leaders like LKY. So now we can afford to bitch about this and that.
Yesterday I read the news about HK people calling the Filipinos, land of oversea maid or something like that. In terms of resources we have much less than Phillippine, if not for our leaders, we will not have so much leisure today to talk about such “enquiry”. Malaysia was quite sure we will be in the dumps when they asked us to leave Malaysia.This person “wasted” our precious resources when he did what he did.
I went for NS in 1970, we stayed in tin huts, our beds are still hot at night. Our food cooked by people like you and me have sand in it. The diet was so bad I developed piles and went for an operation. I do not wish to go into other things. Singapore have no resources, and if anybody think others will give you “chance” because of this handicap. Pleaee wake up!. Remember what our good neighbour do to us.
Enough resources are “wasted” on this person. Why waste more good money to investigate!!
[...] Posted by ning under Deconstructed | Tags: being, life, self, society, work | Referring to this incident, ideas of two of the three Dead White Men, or the Weapons of Mass Destruction, (namely the Dead Men [...]
Hi … i’m from Melbourne ..and just to let you know ..the sad circumstances of Allan Ooi’s death and the contents of his farewell letter are pretty well known here … also his family have placed notices in the local papers to try and reconstruct his whereabouts when he was in Australia..tragic circumstnaces , tragic story ..my heart goes out to his friends and family … be strong …no one can ever change the beatiful memories you have of your loved one.
Erm, i think this one is a case closed. Personally, I do not think this case will change anything. We are talking about the erm you know who. Anyway, good work to Wayang and co. but…I hate to say “do not waste your time” but seriously, I do not think anything will change. Not sure I will get flamed on, but I felt sorry for Allan. I came through the system and I had seen people around me “buying” their bonds and left the system early. Not sure what had compounded Allan to get his own life. Rest in Peace. To those who are signing with the the Civil Service, give it a serious thought. You can leave but not without having to go through levels and levels of approval. Take care!!
Btw, I have been reading about people saying why waste money on setting on inquiry board. But seriously, if Allan’s family insist, it will only be reasonable for MINDEF to engage a private and independent board to start investigations. A life is lost here, think about it. When you cross a road and was hit by a car, do the TP set up an investigation report? Yes they do and similarly, for this case, a board is required and necessary to answer Allan’s family on any findings. Not wasting money and time but we are all humans. Questions –> Ask –> Find –> Answer. Primary school kids know this, we are adults, act like one.
Not long in Singapore (I only arrived in November last year) I bought the newspaper only seldom. On the Monday I bought it and scanned it briefly when I was drawn in by the lovely smiling face of a young man and so read the attached article. That article and some obtiuary messages was the only information that I had read on him until I felt compelled to know more and went on the the internet in the early hours of this morning, (unable to sleep because of jet lag and a head cold…) This young man has affected me deeply despite me not knowing anything about him. His story (or lack of it) has kept me in deep reflection since March 9th when I read the article. It is now that I have read his suicide note on the internet that I feel I can put some of the thoughts which I had to rest and think more of the thoughts which concerned me then and do now.
Firstly, although it is generaly the family left behind’s wish to keep personal matters out of the public domain, I feel that something can be learned by open but sensitive reporting of the issue.
We and others can now learn that it does not go without thinking that everyone slots into a profession at 18 and necesarily remains in that position fulfilled and doing great works for the rest of their life. Unlike the “old days” when the medical doctor’s position was of a raised socially respectable one, todays medical students have not necessarily chosen their career because they have a “calling” but in many instances simply because they are following the family tradition or who have achieved so well academically that it is almost a waste not to go to medical school. The cost of training today’s medical professions is high and fear that students will fail the stringent exams means that their focus is on those in the top of the intelligence pie. While this may be a good thing in some ways, in other ways it has excluded those with a natural medical bent who may not meet the stringent medical criteria. As a psychologist it is of concern to me that not all the humans in the top piece of pie have the necessary characteristics for making good doctors as many in this IQ rich clique are deficient in other necessary qualifications such as empathy and diagnotic ability.
I have gone off the point some. Although I thought there may be some personal reasons for Dr, Ooi’s decision to commit suicide (assuming of course that the note is genuine and the autopsy confirms this), but it was never my feeling that this it was this alone. Having had experience with family members of medical indentures in South Africa, and the frustration and the lack of control many had, I believed this was more the situation. If the artile of March 9th is to be believed his family was aware of his unhappiness and offered to pay off his bond. This did not necessarily give him his freedom and as they say nothing came of it. His sense of duty and reluctance to cause his family financial and possible shame at what could be seen as failure, may be the reason why he went off.
The whole system of indenture runs on the premise of ensuring that after spending huge sums of money spent on training, their doctors “owe” them much of the cost in terms of time served. This also discourages them from going somewhere else where they might be better paid or have a more interesting set of patients. This system is the one into which our young man got lured and felt trapped.
In my short time in Singapore I have also been deeply concerned by an apparent and overwhelming need to have “genius children” by many parents. There is also a deeply disturbing but historical trend that the medical profession is the very pinnacle of the careers and must be sought at all cost for both financial and prestige reasons. It is my belief that this young man may have made a good doctor out of the stifling confines of his posting, but similarly might have felt not inclined to be a doctor, at all, save for the fact that he needed a “honourable” profession to fit in with his highly qualified medical family. That he was desperately unhappy, with or without a personal disappointment is clear. I don’t believe is the first nor will he be the last.
It is here that our educators and parents need to take note and be prepared to to help children reassign themselves when their chosen career (with or without pressure from parents) is found, after all, not to be fulfilling.
We also need to know that the human condition is such that we need to be more proactive when dealing with situations like this. We think the situation will go away over time if we simply ignore it for a while but this one did not.. and ended in his death. Whether as a doctor , or a friend, a partner, a son, or a parent this man’s death was a waste of his life and talents, and we should all be deeply ashamed: Ashamed that we missed this young man’s emptiness and that despite what was seen as his great “opportunities” he chose to DIE! This young man may have and could have saved many lives, but was incapable of saving his own. His narrow vision of his future was for him, cause enough to kill himself. We can only conjecture at any personal reasons which added to this feeling of despair and the fact that he felt the situation was one which only death would resolve. This doctor could not heal himself nor look to other to heal him so he was clearly in a sorry mental state despite his protestation in his note.
His sister states that her brother would never be so foolish as to gamble (and I am not suggesting that there is any evidence that he did) and that he always knew what he was doing. This belief that her brother was so “together” is sadly another example of why the extent of Allan’s problems went unnoticed until that most foolish act of all, his suicide.
I could wax lyrical at the things that are “wrong” in our world : the way we view education, training and parenting amongst others but this will not bring back this lost soul. So let’s examine our lives and our own futures and learn how to do it better the next time so that this talented human being has died for SOMETHING!