Lim Keow Wah and Lin Zexuan
Profession, Hobby & History
Lim Keow Wah:
Decision-making when young or during any time of your life is always difficult especially when you need to decide your carrier as merchant navy and need to venture to sea of an unknown world. In life or at sea, when you are alone and out of nowhere, the help you have sometimes is only yourself. To be independent is very important. It’s good to be out of the comfort zone to take risks, you may achieve much more from the norm.
Glad to learn many fields of knowledge from training: Sailing, navigation, astronomy & meteorology. Not only able to apply to work but also day-to-day application. 40 years with the largest oil company: Piloting the very large crude oil carrier in the Malacca Strait, Managed fleet of Ships and berths, negotiating Tankers contracts. You have to be innovative, bold to make decisions, and still be safe and at the lowest cost.
During secondary school spent hundreds of hours to polish concave mirror and assembled my own reflective astronomical telescope. Photographed the Harley’s comet in 1986 flyby and got published in the newspaper. My father likes plants and influenced me to become an orchid lover. Cross breed my orchids and cultured the seeds in germless flasks and to see the flower after 7 years of waiting.
A nature and green lover, serious penjing creator for 40 years. As the new president of the Singapore Penjing & Stone Appreciation Society, hope to lead and flourish this living art here. Cultural consciousness added another hobby of art and antique collection. Need to know the history, technique of production and specialize authentication.
As a Master mariner, many years of dream came through after researched on of Ming and Qing old sailing directions on Admiral Zhenghe’s marine expedition here, with calculation established the current locations of Singapore marked on Zhenghe’s map, confirmed the base of Admiral Zhenghe’s Official Island is on our St. John Island six hundred years ago well before Stamford Raffles arrived.
Lin Zexuan:
Started learning piano when I was age 18 in the year 2008 and passed my grade 3 piano ABRSM exam in year 2009. Culturally inclined towards the arts like my dad but in a different field. Completed my grade 8 ABRSM piano exam when I was 23 years old, in year 2013. The process of learning music taught me that with consistency, practice, and genuine interest, one can accomplish the same achievement within a shorter period. I started piano much older and finished grade 8 within 5 years of my grade 3 exam. Through music, I have also learnt that enjoying the process is just as important as the outcome, more so for other aspects of life.
Antiques are objects for use when they were manufactured in the past. Following my dad's footsteps, I have started to appreciate the process of collecting, learning about the functions, and workmanship of each piece. It also allows me to peer into history and how the lives of people were like in the past and the common items which they trade have become antiques of today.
My first full-time position as a credit risk monitoring analyst in Standard Chartered Bank gave me the expertise to fully understand how to manage the risk for the bank, it also gave me good team-mates which has taught me and challenged me along the way. Wanting to give myself a bigger challenge, I joined Prudential as a self-employed financial consultant. The process taught me that in whatever career, situation, it is always a people business, always put your best foot forward, be sincere and professional. Always hold the outcome with an open hand and move on should things don't turn out the way we want. Lastly, treasure the people that value you.
Accompanying my father for a business trip in Shanghai, China. One of his clients wanted to acquire a vase from him. It is beautifully potted in purple sand material with excellent carving of an eagle resting on a pine tree. Through my dad's excellent foresight, knowledge, and business acumen that made the deal happened. Moving such an item from Singapore to Shanghai requires careful packaging and manpower, in which I took the opportunity to help out. It also gave me the opportunity to build relationship with overseas client and be aware of the market conditions which is ever changing. Being present through the whole process was a valuable learning opportunity from my dad.
Internship experience in Shanghai, China, year 2011. Photo on the left, The Bund at Puxi, Shanghai, China with my polytechnic mates during an internship course. Photo on the right, colleagues of a company where I'm interning at in Shanghai. The decision to explore and immerse in an overseas culture can be partly traced to my dad's journey as a seaman during his younger days. Looking out for a good adventure in a foreign country and being independent is crucial to be better equipped for the future. Learning on my feet to get my way around the city is always a joy where there's an element on unknown and surprise at any corner. Being cautious as there were pickpockets around and enjoying every moment while exploring new places.
