“A MILLIONAIRE WITH SIMPLE NEEDS” by Sunday Times financial correspondent, Lorna Tan caught my eyes and I couldn’t resist to comment on this one. The headline and the content are as different and salt and sugar.
The article centred on an interview with an ex-chairman, Felix Ong of a public listed company. It highlighted his humble beginning and “he avoids expensive restaurants and karaoke bars”. There was almost half page picture of him and his wife sitting in a convertible, sport car.
His ‘simple needs’ included ownerships of 6 properties. His home is a 7000 sq ft bungalow. And he has 6 cars, BMW L7, Mercedes SL500, 300L, BMW 320, Peugeot 126 convertible and a Mitsubishi MPV.
Either the Sunday Times correspondent standard of English is that poor and abysmal to understand two simple words ‘simple needs’ or the ethical standard of journalist has stooped so low as to use this article to mock and ridicule an arrogant and naive rich man. The headline smack of sensationalism fit for tabloid. My understanding of good journalist is they are supposed to provide the facts and the news and let readers decide. Here Lorna has already defined Felix’s life as ‘simple’. She must be totally disconnected with society especially in this tough economic time.
While the journalist may have erred on bad taste, it takes a bigger fool to use a journalist to flaunt his wealth on public media. Felix Ong should have been smarter than to place his image at the mercy of the pen. A smart successful businessman should have known better that he has no control. Perhaps it may have been intentional. If this is a means to announce that he has ‘succeeded’ and ‘arrived’, his effort in making this public ‘statement’ would have compromise his intention.
He should learn from Asia richest man, Li Ka-shing, who has lived in the same spartan house for over 30 years and donate generously to public and kept a low profile. Likewise he can take a leaf from CEO of Raffles Education, Chew Hua Seng who also came from very poor and humble background. He chooses a more noble and ingenuous way to announce his success by announcing a donation of $100million to set up a charity foundation.
Really, I don’t know who is out of reality and sense of proportion, the journalist or the rich man? This also confirmed that material wealth does not have any co-relationship with intelligence and wisdom. Maybe financial correspondent are also tabloid writer, to comply with multi-tasking or enlarge lateral responsibility in job scope during recession.
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