Writer Of The Week

Mr Ng writes on things that affect everyday life. He reads the Forum page to gain insights into others' thinking.
Mr Ng writes on things that affect everyday life. He reads the Forum page to gain insights into others' thinking. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NG KEI YONG

Who: Ng Kei Yong, 57, airline pilot.

My family: Married to Jullie Tay, 50, who is in the retail fashion industry. I have two sons from a previous marriage.

My home: A five-room flat in Punggol.

My passions: Flying, riding and watching the world go by.

I first started writing to the Forum page in...: 2000.

What I write about: Mainly things that affect our everyday lives, especially if I feel that doing so can contribute towards making our society a little better.

Why I write: I believe that we need to share, and our thoughts are one aspect that, if expressed correctly, can make a difference. Our thoughts are like seeds - if not sown, they will never grow.

I read the Forum page because...: I want to know what others are thinking about and what keeps people awake at night. I believe it gives us an insight into the thoughts of the population and some specialist views on issues that are important enough for people to take the effort to put pen to paper.

My wish for Singapore: We have come a long way in nation-building.

Physically, our island state is fabulous. Economically, we have done very well.

However, socially, there is a lot that can still be done to make our city better and one to be admired.

I hope we can progress to be a true civil society and not fall into the trap of many cities where, with success, the people become indifferent, anti-social and selfish. We should take pride in our nation, but not be proud.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 13, 2016, with the headline Writer Of The Week. Subscribe