‘A generation of Malaysians and readers around the world have grown up
with Seah Chiang Nee’s columns on Singapore. Illness, however, has
forced him to ease up and he has decided to stop being a columnist in
The Star. In this farewell interview with Soo Ewe Jin, Seah gives his
readers an insight into his illustrious career as a journalist.
FOR the past 28 years, readers of this newspaper have been given a
weekly analysis of the goings-on in Singapore through the column of
veteran journalist Seah Chiang Nee, Insight Down South.
Seah began his career in 1960 as a Reuters correspondent based in
Singapore. During that 10-year stint, he was in (then south) Vietnam for
40 months to cover the war.
He joined the Singapore Herald in 1970, as Malaysia bureau chief and
later as news editor, before it was forced to close after a run-in with
the Singapore Government.
From 1972 to 1973, he worked for The Asian, the world’s first regional
weekly newspaper, based in Bangkok, to cover Thailand and Indochina –
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
He then moved on to be news editor of the Hong Kong Standard before
returning to Singapore in 1974 to serve as foreign editor with The
Straits Times.
From 1982 to 1985, he served as editor of the Singapore Monitor. And in
1986, he started writing for The Star. Seah also became the first
South-East Asian to undergo a heart transplant at Sydney’s St Vincent’s
Hospital back in 1985.
And he already belongs to that rare club of those who have lived for more than 20 years as a heart transplant patient.
Because of age and health reasons, Seah will no longer be writing his
column. In an email interview, he reflects on this journey with The
Star….’
The above is a piece in the Star Online written by Soo Ewe Jin in honour
of this senior gentleman of the media. He lived through it, through the
tumultuous period of Singapore as a young new nation, its flirtation
with Malaysia and then independence as a new nation, prospered and be
what it is today. Whether Chiang Nee would have the privilege of seeing
the next change to this prosperous nation, or for how long more, only
God knows.
For those who are unfamiliar, Chiang Nee is the first heart transplant
patient and the longest surviving one, alive. May he enjoy his
retirement and get a good rest watching from the safety on the sideline
and also have the pleasure of time to reflect on the days gone by.
Best wishes, Chiang Nee, the grand old man of the media.
19 comments:
Time for him to rest and enjoy living.
A respectable and objective journalist with a strng sense of righteousness. A rare breed and one that other journalists should aspire to be as professional.
patriot
Just like ministers, last time, decades ago, journalists are not that well paid, compared to now.
So good pay = more respectable and objective journalists? Or more respectable ministers?
Tio bo, u tell me lah?
Whether littlespeck down his pen or not, the opposition will still not be ready to be govt.
All our very best wishes to Mr. Seah. We hope for will enjoy the rest of your days in good health, comfort and happiness. You can now watch the wayang of Singapore from the sideline. Good Luck.
Is he residing in down under?
He is residing down here, in Sing.
There is only one version of the truth about Singapore.
Read only books by Lee Kuan Yew.
No need to bother about other people's view.
People like Seah Chiang Nee do not have the correct views.
How much is Seah Chiang Nee's salary?
Peanuts right?
Cheap cannot be good tio bo?
I wish Mr Seah, good health and happiness. Sad to say, we'll miss his writings on a regular basis. I hope, if time permits, he'll continue to write although no need to do it on regular basis. Thank you, Mr Seah and good wishes, too.
>>426pm
How come he did not learn from Matilah and get himself a 'british subject' dual residency? He better watches his back from now on and writes something that praises the current regime. Not true never mind cos this world is full of bullshits anyway.
@426 via b @828:
>> How come he did not learn from Matilah and get himself a 'british subject' dual residency?
Please lah. I doubt if there is anything anyone can learn from me, except perhaps how to be a old fart hippie/ pussy-crazy beach bum. British Subject, **Permanent Residency, Biz visa, Student visa...call it what you want is NO BIG DEAL lah
WA alone has 10-15k Singaporeans, and many of the older ones came as 'British Subjects'. You throw a stick, you'll hit at least 10 Singaporeans ;-)
** Permanent as regards to 'residency'. This is another one of those 'stupid govt definitions'. Why the fuck do they call it 'permanent residency' when life itself is TEMPORARY? Stupid fuck wits.
All the best to Littlespeck.
Hi Littlespeck
Good health and all the best to you. And you too Redbean.
fish 'n' chips
I really admire his passion for writing so enthusiastically about politics after his heart operation years ago. True to his profession. An amazing man!
Take care Mr. Seah and may good health follow you in retirement.
Thank you Mr Seah, for all the simple yet hard hitting articles.
Your pen will be missed.
Thank you Sir! You will always be welcomed in my plantation.
With felicitations and respects
Darkness 2014
Hard hitting articles he wrote, no doubt.
But did it hit hard enough? Hard enough to even inspire the Sinkie opposition to become ready to be govt?
Please lah, no amount of writings will inspire Sinkie opposition to be ready to be govt.
Simply because smart Sinkies are only inspired by how to make more money under PAP, and not by joining opposition to fight PAP.
So as long as PAP allows smart Sinkies to make lots of money, the Sinkie opposition, without enough smart Sinkies, will never be ready to be govt.
Sinkies don't even dare to write a blog or post a comment. You expect Littlespeck to charge at a wall of soldiers with guns pointing and ready to shoot?
What about you?
Sinkie opposition not ready to be government no problem one!
Just know how to slap and tickle the PAP is more than enough. Rather than making some people puke watching PAP MPs in Parliament talking cock and sing song.
Waiting for 2016 and more opposition hands to do the slapping.
>>152pm
Agreed. No need to slap on the face also can, slap on the butt will also do. So many parties in the world are also not ready to be government but can also slap, slap, slap ones. Anyway, what is the definition and point of 'ready' if cannot slap?
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