Thank you<\/p>\n
The tragic Oct. 12 bombing in Bali has shown in a moving
\nmanner how citizens from a number of countries, neighbors and
\neven far-away countries, have been working voluntarily to help
\nthe victims of that horrendous event. If in this column we put
\nour focus on what a number of Singaporean professionals have been
\ndoing in the immediate aftermath of the bombing, it is by no
\nmeans intended to discount the work that has been and is being
\ndone by other nationals. However, there is a special reason why
\non this occasion we'd like to focus on what Singaporeans have
\ndone in Bali.<\/p>\n
We are thinking, for instance, of what Dr. Leslie Kwek, a
\nplastic surgeon from Singapore, has done together with two of his
\ncolleagues, Dr. Chan Hsiang Sui, a general surgeon, and Dr. Cheo
\nKhat Kuen, a nose and throat specialist, as the Straits Times
\nnewspaper reported. Dr. Kwek responded to a call for help and
\nimmediately flew to Bali with his two colleagues to help treat
\nthe victims at Sanglah when he found that the hospital was badly
\nin need of painkillers, antibiotics, dressings and other
\nequipment and medicines. This team of Singaporean doctors called
\ntheir friends back home for help. Boxes of the required items
\nwere immediately flown from Singapore to Bali.<\/p>\n
Or take the case of the Bali-based Singaporeans, Joyce Tan and
\nher husband, Shaharin Abas Koh. Promptly after the Oct. 12 event
\nthey sent electronic messages to their friends in Singapore and
\nimmediately S$3,000 was collected to help the bombing victims in
\nKuta. Joyce Tan's brother, Don, flew in with supplies of
\nmedicines donated by Raffles Hospital to help the local victims
\nof the Kuta bomb blast.<\/p>\n
Most probably there are many more Singaporean citizens whose
\nvoluntary work and donations were never publicized by the media.
\nActually, Singaporean citizens have initiated voluntary programs
\nof assistance well before the tragic events of Oct. 12 that,
\nhowever, did not always catch the attention of Indonesians. For
\ninstance, there were the periodical missions organized by Dr.
\nJames Koo, a well-known neuro-surgeon, to help people in some
\nvillages in Riau province. He and some of his colleagues would
\nvisit a cluster of villages, stay there for about a week and
\noffer the population there their professional services for free.<\/p>\n
We are also reminded of the initiative of Gen.(ret.) Winston
\nCheo, a former armed forces commander of Singapore and a former
\nhigh commissioner to Australia. In his capacity as chairman of
\nSingapore's air force he led several missions to Sumatra and
\nJava.<\/p>\n
All those extraordinary examples, especially the work done by
\nthe Singaporean professionals in the aftermath of the Oct. 12
\nbombing, makes us, Indonesians, aware that the old stereotype of
\nSingaporeans who care only for money and are insensitive to the
\nplight of their neighbors is outdated. The younger generation of
\nSingaporeans is increasingly aware that their country is an
\nintegral part of this region. Perhaps, eventually, a suitable
\ndoctrine could be developed that Singapore's best defense is its
\nloyalty and empathy with the region.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, it is certainly appropriate here to say
\nthanks for what Singaporeans have done for Indonesians, on a
\nvoluntary basis -- especially to alleviate the suffering of the
\nnumerous victims of the Bali bombing tragedy of Oct. 12.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thank-you-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}