Story 6 Blessing through Generations
Story 6 Blessing
through Generations
“The seeds of kind heart were sowed by ancestors, the prosper land is ploughed by the descendants.” This couplet has been ironed deeply in my brain
since I read it on the A5 -size wooden plague at the Lui family altar in the Jalan
Ma’mor terrace house. It’s my home from
1975 to 2012 in Singapore, but it’s the residence of my parents and siblings from
1963 to 1988. Throughout several decades of journeying with them and relatives
in Hong Kong and Vancouver B.C,, I would like to proclaim there were lots of
blessing through 6 generations counting from my grandparents to eldest brother
Pao Chuen’s great grandchildren. More
than a century ago my paternal grandfather Lui Yao Yun run a successful
business in silk and textile, named Yue Tai Cheung, which had shops in Canton,
Macau, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. When my parents and siblings migrated to
Singapore in 1950, they were blessed with a dwelling place in Qi Mu street, the
shophouse of Yue Tai Cheung. Being a
kind and generous boss grandfather sent his staff Mr Leong Rui Zhi to Singapore
in 1920 to expand the silk business. Some years later Mr Leong set up Axe Brand
medicated oil business which became one of the world-famous Singapore products.
My maternal grandmother Mdm Su Man Zhu’s family roots can be traced back to 1800-1878
Qing dynasty, ‘Jin Shi’ Su Teng Hui, an imperial court official accorded the credit
in prevention of flooding in He Nan. She
always stressed on study, be diligent in school and at work. My mother Mdm Wong
Wai Fun was one of those few girls graduated from high school in Canton in the
1930s. My siblings and cousins and I were drilled to ‘plough the land’ for a
better future. Pao Chuen is an extraordinary
exemplar amongst us.
On May 31 2025 at the commencement
ceremony of Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) Pao Chuen was conferred Hon Doctor of Science.
He started his speech with a personal story: “60 years ago, I graduated with a
degree in Physics on a teaching scholarship. My dream to pursue a PhD at Oxford
was shattered by the Public Service Commission who found me not good enough for
Commonwealth Scholarship. I was posted to teach Physics at CHIJ, Victoria
Street. I became the first male teacher in the convent school. It was a sort of
consolation prize, being first in something!”
He graduated from the University of Singapore in 1965 in
Physics and enlisted as Captain in MID. In 1971, he was awarded MINDEF’s first
postgraduate fellowship and graduated with MSc in Operations Research from the
US Naval Postgraduate School.
He
served as Special Projects Director for 11 years and as Chief Defence Scientist
for 22 years.
On 2025 November 16 he
was awarded the National Day Distinguished Service Order (DSO). The
citation for him was as follows:
“Prof Lui was
recognised for his pivotal role in advancing Singapore’s research capabilities
and technologies across multiple spheres – from nuclear science and water
sustainability to national security – through his leadership as Chairman of Singapore
Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative SNRSI and the Public Utilities Board Project Evaluation
Panel, as well as Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs, among others.
He had served
with distinction in the Ministry of Defence for over 40 years, including 22
years as Chief Defence Scientist. A pioneering advocate of systems
thinking, Prof Lui was reappointed Temasek Defence Professor at Temasek
Defence Systems Institute (TDSI) in 2024 in recognition of his
outstanding scholarly accomplishments, a role in which he continues to enhance
cross-disciplinary research capabilities in defence systems at NUS.”
In the chapter
he wrote for my publication “Octogenarian‘s Sojourn”, Pao Chuen shared his retirement stories, 3
paragraphs are extracted here:
“After
retiring in 2008 I became adviser to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),
National Research Foundation (NRF), and Ministry of National Development (MND).
I supported MFA in their initiatives on technology. At the NRF I chaired the
development committee for CREATE (Campus of Research Excellence and Enterprise)
located at U-Town of NUS Kent Ridge Campus and advised the planning and
implementation of programmes for research, innovation and enterprise (RIE). At
MND I was adviser to the Underground Master Plan Task Force...
My
interest in large scale systems have become more intense with time. The value
of integration of systems of Singapore into systems-of-systems has led to
unique solutions that will be beyond world class. An example is the flooding of
Orchard Road in 2010. The Expert Panel on Drainage Design and Flood Protection
of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources recognized Climate
Change would lead to greater rainfall variability. This led to the integration
of sea level rising and coastal protection and flooding from intense rainfall.
Another example is the integration of Climate Change Defence with Energy
Security Defence…
My
service in Ministry of Defence and teaching Large Scale Systems Engineering at
NUS gave me the opportunity to meet many very bright young people. Some of them
occupy leadership position in different Government agencies and corporations.
They are very kind and give me their precious time to listen to my stories and
dreams. Stories of our leaders who had dared to dream and do had helped to get
ideas planted.”
The assessment by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will
include evaluating a country’s capabilities across 19 critical areas such as
nuclear safety, managing radioactive waste and emergency planning. Announcing
the review on May 19 (25th anniversary of Energy Market Authority),
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said it will help determine whether Singapore has
the expertise, institutions and frameworks to make an informed decision on the
potential deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies – such as small
modular reactors – in the future.
More details of his life can be access via weblink Lui,
Pao Chuen 雷普权教授 – Oral History Interviews – Record Details
(Accession Number 001882) Reel/Disc 1 of 4
Another exemplar in my extended
family is my maternal uncle Mr Wong Wai Tang Canice who was born during World
War II in Canton, China. We called him “little uncle” because he was younger
than his nephew (Pao Chuen). 2020 July 4 was the date of his Rest-in-Peace
(RIP), age 78. His soul has been released from the body and set free. He
graduated from the ‘university of life’ and commenced an honourable career: the
“Silent Teacher” of medical students in Chinese University of Hong Kong. He
also authorized the University to collect his ash after cremation 3 years later
and scattered in the Garden of Remembrance of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries.
In our fond memories, he was a modest gentleman of few words, always wore a
cheerful smile, a model senior single in our society.
He had led an independent and very
fulfilling life, had a satisfying job as a cook in the Salvation Army in Hong
Kong. He was active in social circles such as the Cyclist Club, the Long Run
Club, Hong Kong Society for the Deaf, etc. In his retirement, he benefitted
from the Single Elderly Persons Priority Scheme and the Comprehensive Social
Security Assistance Scheme which provides a safety net for those who cannot
support themselves financially. It is designed to bring their income up to a
prescribed level to meet their basic needs. Therefore, he didn’t burden anyone
in the extended family. In 2015 Little Uncle also joined the advance care
planning programme of the St James’ Settlement which provides continuing care,
family and counselling, rehabilitation, youth and community centre services. It
so happened this agency was the first placement of my social work fieldwork in
1967.
We admire his selfless
contributions to medical research and other organisations such as the Red Cross
(blood donation); Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders), an
international, independent medical humanitarian organisation which provides
medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or
exclusion from healthcare. In addition, we like his sense of humour and gift in
candid writing for example： a Chinese poem “A Humorous HaHa
Mirror - Life’s 10-year milestones” (from 17,18 years old to 77,78 years old). I translated it to English and added two
phrases to console relatives who are in their 80s and 90s. Please see the poem
below:
Little Uncle’s Poem: A humorous
haha mirror - Life’s 10-year milestones
17，18
play like hippies, fashion unkempt long
hair,
27，28
is determined to strive,
37，38
see money must grab,
47，48
feel great, walk on cloud nine,
57，58
got shoes but no one polishes them,
67，68
pack up and wait to travel,
77，78
anytime, ready to evaporate from this
world.
87, 88 in an electric wheel chair, start a new
journey,
97, 98 with advanced medical technologies, can make
it to 108 years old.
My siblings and relatives and I
pray for the everlasting peace of his soul, and thank God for his countless
blessings.
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