NMP Dr Thio Li-ann on her mother Dr Thio Su Mien

[davetan3]

wow feminist mentor was super chio back then !

 

[bellepepper02]

do you think she could eventually take over from han?

Above Zuraidah? No way. Too far down in the pecking order.

 

[bellepepper02]

No phone call to Editor means, please carry on. I guess PAP did not SPH. Sumiko is the great unknown phenomenon. Cannot be deciphered.

Not too much to decipher. Just likes to be contrary--feels more secure of her opinion that way. Everyone's saying no, alright I'll say yes--and vice versa.

 

[bellepepper02]

probably right but then again TNP did not choose mrs tan ah kow did it?...

and whether SPH has never been objective is not the issue...2 wrongs do not make a right...SPH appeared too bias in favour of the old guard...i am not sure whether you saw the vid clip on the 'old' new guard's press interview post eogm where an ang moh journalist rightly pointed this out...

Have to go with Scroobal on this. Nothing irks journalists more than someone giving them the run around. Actually, this was the first time that SPH had given such coverage to the old guard. The fact that people hardly knew a thing about AWARE before this saga is due to ST always having given AWARE the short shrift.

 

[scroobal]

No, she has no such intention. She the only one that seems to get SPH to move around her. Nothing political. A personal philosophy I suppose.

do you think she could eventually take over from han?

 

[scroobal]

I have known about this lady before she went to SPH but superficially. When she was posted to handle Crime beat, I spoke to someone in the Brothel and they too were puzzled as she had put her hand up with conviction.

Intelligent and bends to no one. Her articles I suspect are patronising, decernible to those who know her.

You however right about her contrarian approach to issues. The Mamasan case was a classic.

She is in a position, where she does not need to meet deadlines, make decisions and still gets the big bucks.

Not too much to decipher. Just likes to be contrary--feels more secure of her opinion that way. Everyone's saying no, alright I'll say yes--and vice versa.

 

[scroobal]

Actually the journalist had more negatives to run with the old guard. Membership, same faces, nominating the unknown, complacent etc. Things could have been rough.

All Josie and the team had to do was the following;

1) Send a press note ( not a release) stating that they are new but keen and they would like to have sometime to crystalise their thoughts and create a credible roadmap that harneses the good work already done by the old guards.

2) Be honest and upfront about their background and kill the suspense.

Josie comes from a marketing background and this should be 101 for her. I bet you Karen Ngui from DBS PR must be fuming by the lack of PR savvy by this lot.

Have to go with Scroobal on this. Nothing irks journalists more than someone giving them the run around. Actually, this was the first time that SPH had given such coverage to the old guard. The fact that people hardly knew a thing about AWARE before this saga is due to ST always having given AWARE the short shrift.

 

[scroobal]

Zuraidah was front and centre and meets all the requirements - character, competence, family except one thorn (Cherian - the great unknown for the 1st family)

Bertha was the previous front runner and politically acceptable to the family until she stuffed up.

I suspect that someone will be floated in as deputy for period of time or Warren will be persuaded back after his corporate desires are satiated. Thats pretty easy to do as Warren is pretty much a guy who will "heed the call of the country". Still a long way to go.

There is also the of chance that Cherian will be the one as he too qualifies competency wise. If they can bring in Walter as AG, this possbility cannot be ruled out.

Above Zuraidah? No way. Too far down in the pecking order.

 

[MarrickG]

Thio Li-ann trying to salvage her image so as to continue her term as NMP??
I'm surprised that she is proud of her mother's action in causing instability in the country. She should have just advised her mother to join AWARE and effect changes over time…

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,201562,00.html?

Mother's Day Tributes
I'm proud of her courage
NMP Dr Thio Li-ann on her mother Dr Thio Su Mien
May 11, 2009

THEN: Dr Thio Su Mien, 32, and daughter Li-ann, 4. ST FILE PICTURE

AT THE height of the AWARE furore, my mother asked whether she had disgraced me by her infamy.

I hugged her and said I was proud of her courage in standing up for her principles and grace in facing uncouth opposition.

I expect nothing less from her. She is a woman of integrity who taught me to always champion what is right, good and just, even if this attracts flak.

My mother gave her children the space to be individuals and to follow their own paths.

She did have a mean streak and petrified me as a child by singing the songs of Cruella de Ville.

She worried for me when I burnt midnight oil studying. The day before my PSLE, she asked me to play squash with her!

I used to come home from primary school crying because of the cruel remarks by my mathematics teachers. My mother wanted to confront them, but I begged her to desist. I think she regrets this as I became quite withdrawn because of my academic failings.

NOW: Dr Thio Su Mien and daughter Dr Thio Li-ann. ST FILE PICTURE

We are quite different, my mother and I. She is outgoing, practical and sociable. I am more introspective, melancholic. However, perhaps I ended up a constitutional law professor due to osmosis, as she was pregnant with me when she lectured public law.

My father excelled at creative storytelling, but my mother held me rapt with her childhood tales of the Japanese occupation in Malaya and how a British soldier gifted her with her first taste of chocolate.

She told me stories about Robin Hood, King Arthur, which fed my love for English literature. I used to sneak off with her dog-eared copy of the Oxford Treasury of English Verse and imbibe the poetry.

As a busy lawyer, my mother was often pressed for time. Still, she noticed details and was mesmerised by how BJ, my puppy, would stare at butterflies for hours.

We were mutually intoxicated by the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice. I made my mother laugh uproariously with my renditions of Mr Collin's vanity and Catherine de Burgh's pomposity, complete with angmoh accent.

My mother took me along during her many overseas business trips. When I was 10, she brought me to Denmark's Elsinore Castle and told me about Hamlet and King Claudius' ghost. I suspect my subsequent love for Shakespeare can be traced to this.

She regaled me with the criminal trials of David Marshall and introduced me to the leonine man himself in Paris when I was 13.

As adults, my mother and I have become close friends. Our common interest in history, theology and archaeology has inspired recent travels to Jerusalem, Patmos and Istanbul.

My mother tolerated my rebellious adolescence when I would lock myself in my room and practise my electric guitar riffs - loudly.

She rejoiced when I obtained a place at Oxford University.

She entered heated debates with me when I disavowed atheism and became a Christian as a law undergraduate. I think she may have regretted teaching me to think independently!

Today, she has a deep faith and lives it. My mother has a tender heart and I have seen her sacrifice hours counselling many hurting people. From her, I have learnt and received the joy of unconditional love.

Happy Mother's Day, Mum. I love you and am awfully proud to be your daughter.

 

[mercbenz]

It's years of beating down men and the good life that gave her the illusion of grandeur, thus the self crowning as 'feminist mentor'.
The woman is not standing on solid ground.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

interesting that you mentioned zuraidah...because along with Han, Warren and Sumiko they all helped put together harry's first book...now with warren at Shell, i am curious to see what eventually pans out on this front...btw i never knew zuraidah was below sumiko in the 'pecking order', Bertha perhaps but zuraidah?

Above Zuraidah? No way. Too far down in the pecking order.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

alamak looks like you are not too keen on sumiko eh??

Not too much to decipher. Just likes to be contrary--feels more secure of her opinion that way. Everyone's saying no, alright I'll say yes--and vice versa.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

so guess she is happy being Sunday Times editor then?

No, she has no such intention. She the only one that seems to get SPH to move around her. Nothing political. A personal philosophy I suppose.

 

[scroobal]

Sumiko is not in the line-up as she does not want to be in the line-up. Thats what I have been given to understand and thats seems to be signal from her articles.

Zuraidah is junior but is in the line-up. Bertha was very strong. Bertha is the one who first convinced old man to front up and give a family interview and picture.

interesting that you mentioned zuraidah...because along with Han, Warren and Sumiko they all helped put together harry's first book...now with warren at Shell, i am curious to see what eventually pans out on this front...btw i never knew zuraidah was below sumiko in the 'pecking order', Bertha perhaps but zuraidah?

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

sounds quite the savvy operator to me...also quite the fashionista behind her benz:p...jokes aside though how did she get to be on the team to write harry's book??

I have known about this lady before she went to SPH but superficially. When she was posted to handle Crime beat, I spoke to someone in the Brothel and they too were puzzled as she had put her hand up with conviction.

Intelligent and bends to no one. Her articles I suspect are patronising, decernible to those who know her.

You however right about her contrarian approach to issues. The Mamasan case was a classic.

She is in a position, where she does not need to meet deadlines, make decisions and still gets the big bucks.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

i really hope cherian does not do a volte face to the dark side in the way walter has at AGC

There is also the of chance that Cherian will be the one as he too qualifies competency wise. If they can bring in Walter as AG, this possbility cannot be ruled out.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

now come to think of it...abit curious as to why li ann has the time to pen this mother's day piece for TNP but is strangely so coy about her intentions on whether she wants to throw her hat into the ring for a shot at a second term as NMP:p

Thio Li-ann trying to salvage her image so as to continue her term as NMP??
I'm surprised that she is proud of her mother's action in causing instability in the country. She should have just advised her mother to join AWARE and effect changes over time…

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

hey scroobal what about Koh Buck Song's chances???:p

Sumiko is not in the line-up as she does not want to be in the line-up. Thats what I have been given to understand and thats seems to be signal from her articles.

Zuraidah is junior but is in the line-up. Bertha was very strong. Bertha is the one who first convinced old man to front up and give a family interview and picture.

 

[scroobal]

I think I mentioned earlier that she is intelligent. Ever heard of kingmakers who do not seek the throne. The team as I understand was put together by Lim Kim San. Old man sought his advice. No idea if Kim San delegated the selection or picked it himself. Only the brothel will know.

sounds quite the savvy operator to me...also quite the fashionista behind her benz:p...jokes aside though how did she get to be on the team to write harry's book??

 

[bellepepper02]

Zuraidah was front and centre and meets all the requirements - character, competence, family except one thorn (Cherian - the great unknown for the 1st family)

Bertha was the previous front runner and politically acceptable to the family until she stuffed up.

I suspect that someone will be floated in as deputy for period of time or Warren will be persuaded back after his corporate desires are satiated. Thats pretty easy to do as Warren is pretty much a guy who will "heed the call of the country". Still a long way to go.

There is also the of chance that Cherian will be the one as he too qualifies competency wise. If they can bring in Walter as AG, this possbility cannot be ruled out.

Race-wise, Cherian won't do. Ed-in-chief is Indian, so they can't have ST editor also as Indian. Otherwise, I would have suggested Alan John, who, I think is immediately below Han.

Also, Cherian has been out of the game too long. You can't quit journalism and then hope to be parachuted back in. Years of lost experience makes you uncompetitive.

Why? Is Patrick Daniel or Fook Kwang leaving or something?