Tell us about yourself and your organisation!
I relocated to Australia from Singapore in 2018 (via China where I spent 10 years living and working). I wanted to contribute to Australia, my new home country, in some ways. Australia has a lot of nature parks and reserves with a large number of old trees. I decided to focus on the conservation of old trees. I therefore started the Friends of the Tulliallan Elms, Inc., a small community volunteer group to protect and conserve an avenue of 124 years old Elm trees in the Tulliallan area.
What do you love the most about working for your organisation?
I am an organisational change manager by profession. I love being able use my change expertise to bring about positive change in the community in terms of mindset and behaviour change towards conserving old trees.
What was your most memorable moment during your current role in your organization?
We organised a large community event last year called “Christmas Under the Elms”. I have over 20 years of communications and event management experience, but I was terribly under resourced for this event. As the day came nearer, I struggled to find volunteers for the actual day. When the day did come, volunteers started coming from all directions. They picked up the tasks and made the event a huge success. For the first time, I witnessed the power of the people.
If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
I am an early riser and so I think I would like to be a rooster. So that I can crow in the morning to wake everyone up. Get off your bed now! Start your day! Go and make a difference to your life, the people around you and the community! Wake up!
What were you like as a kid?
I dreamt a lot. One day my best friend in primary school and I both heard a rumour that a small street snack stall in front of our school was able to fit you with a bionic arm at a small cost. Apparently a secret backdoor business. We were both excited as we were fans of the Six Million Dollar Man and we have seen what he could do with that arm. So we took a few months to save some money and finally went to the stall. The stall owner looked at us and we looked back. We knew instantly that he was the one who was going to perform the bionic arm surgery. For a second, we stood there wondering if we really wanted our arms to be chopped off first. We chickened out. We dropped the idea and ran back home looking back all the time to see if the bionic arm vendor was chasing us.
What event, past or present, would you like to witness?
I wish I was present during the world wars. In fact, all the wars that mankind has ever fought. But I just don’t want to witness them. I want to be able to stop them. Why war when we have the potential to reach the stars?
Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?
My mum and dad whom I miss very much. I hope they could come and see me living in Australia. Elvis Presley. He died at 42 and I wish he could live a little longer and sing a little bit more. Steve Jobs died prematurely. If this great mind could live a little longer, he would have transformed a few more industries and brought even more progress to mankind. Elon Musk, who I think is the new Steve Jobs, and is similarly misunderstood and over criticised. Last, but not least, Hong Kong’s action super star Jackie Chan, for his humility and laughter.
What three words would your friends use to describe you?
Positive. Progressive. Perfectionist.
What would you do on your perfect day off?
A perfect day for me is a simple day with my loved ones. Wake up early for an hour of yoga and quiet time followed by an hour of writing. Then going for breakfast to the Dandenong mountains and then roam around the curiosity shops there looking for old books and LPs. Then having a coffee before heading to the grocery shops and on the way, grab a bottle of wine. Then coming back home and taking the time to cook a fabulous dinner.
Where is your happy place?
Happy place is where I am with my loved ones.
If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?
That’s an interesting question because I do love cooking. I cook mainly Singaporean, Chinese, Indian and Malay dishes. After coming to Australia, I am also trying to learn some Australian dishes. That’s one of the reasons I signed up for a part-time TAFE course on commercial cookery. For MasterChef I think I will cook mee hoon goreng, a Malay-style fried vermicelli noodle dish which is popular in Singapore and Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.
Where is your dream holiday destination?
My dream holiday destination is Australia. I am living it.
