The Alexandria Link

Author: Steve Berry

What if I tell you that parts of the Library of Alexandria has survived throughout the ages? What if I tell you that some of the ancient texts have been saved from the library's destruction in the 4th century? What if the texts contained in the library will change our understanding of history and religion? Will you continue to keep the library a secret or open it to the world?

The idea that ancient texts found in the Library of Alexandria can correct the mistranslation/misinterpretation of the Old Testaments is the premise of this book's plot. Unfortunately, the author has written a spy thriller involving a conspiracy without expanding more on the pseudo-archaeology aspect of the research done. In my opinion, he's trying to write it like Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code but falling a bit short.

However, a great credit to the author for including a Writer's Note on the research he has done, which many authors failed to do. He gives clear references to the materials he collected and the places he visited. He indicates the specific chapters where a particular description is either researched or invented.

The theory that the Bible has been mistranslated and that archaeologists have been digging at the wrong sites is not new. I have vaguely heard of it before and it's good to know from the author that Kamal Salibi theorised and even mapped out towns in Saudi Arabia to biblical ones. Sadly the author said "the Saudi government did in fact bulldoze entire villages... ...(and) refuse to allow any scientific digging in Asir."

I am intrigued by the author's suggestion that the mistranslation is politically-motivated. It's definitely a new angle of interpreting the history of the most-contested piece of land.

My concerns are your policies

The footsteps of the General Election are approaching. My Group Representation Constituency has yet to show sign of any opposition candidates. The creation of a GRC in Singapore's electoral system is so abnormal that it has to be an one-of-the-kind abomination in the world. Oh well, politics has always been a game where the bigger party manipulates the board if not changing the rules. Players will just have to beat the odds.

Speaking of players, a number of new ones have been introduced. Are they as good as they claimed? Nobody knows. More importantly, all the candidates have spoken about serving the people, improving their constituencies and help their voters. How they are going about doing these, I am not sure. They never state.

I may not get to vote this tie round but there are a few topics that I feel all parties should addressed not just for my benefit as a potential voter. So far no in-depth discussion. No ideas or no desire?

• "Excuse me! Can I have my space back?"

Singapore's population has exploded in recent years but by no means due to a natural growth. Artificially inflated by a huge influx of foreigners, we are experiencing overcrowding that has caused our nerves to twitch and tempers to flare. Our infrastructure and resources have been strained to the limit and the people have barely room to stand in most public spaces. It was not long ago that our parents were told not to have more children to prevent exactly this scenario from happening but we seem to have forgotten that.

Experts calculated that Singapore can sustain a population of 6 million and maybe more. However, theoretical feasibility doesn't translate to practical living. A healthy living environment includes substantial space for its habitants to own with privacy. Singaporeans don't want to walk shoulder to shoulder with other people.

Personal space is so important to some of us. If I don't mind working or living in a crowded place, then I would have gone to Hong Kong. At least the pay is higher enough for me to buy my own space. I used to enjoy an arm's length of personal space even when I am out of the house. Can I have that back?

• "I just want to work!"

The labour structure needs to be reviewed and businesses reorganised. Gone should be the days where Singapore rely on cheap labour for manpower-intensive industries. By importing cheap foreign workers, we let businesses get away with their social responsibilities of providing the realistic level of wages that withstands the inflation rate. Instead of looking after local workers, they choose to supplant them with foreigners not because they have different skill-sets but to lower costs.

Yes, costs in running a business in Singapore has been rising. However, to reduce or suppress wages to an unrealistic level so that shareholders and directors can get obscene amounts of dividends and bonuses is morally corrupt. Cheap labour is definitely the easier way out as opposed to investing in existing workers and technology to increase productivity.

If we are to develop industries that require a small workforce to be profitable, we can even reduce the country's population to better focus in giving everyone a higher quality of living. The government can retain traditional businesses with historical or strategic values by subsidising operating costs or prices like how the Japanese are doing. As for other types of businesses, shift them to industrial parks in neighbouring countries with lower rentals and weaker currencies.

The bottom-line is: if Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway can achieve progress and growth with limited population, why can't Singapore?

• "How much is that apartment in the block?"

HDB started out as a wonderful initiative to provide affordable housing to Singaporeans. However, it has deviated from this noble commitment recently by arbitrarily determining the price of a new flat and allowing resale price to skyrocket. Of course, anyone who pays for a property wants it to preserve and even increase its value. But if the initial price already sets the owner back with a big and long mortgage, then it defeats the purpose of accumulating wealth even if the value of the flat rises significantly.

Another question lies in the true ownership of the flat: is it the payer or HDB? It is HDB when there is actually a 99-year lease whereby HDB has the right to acquire the flat at the end. Hence the flat cannot be counted as wealth even if the next generation can inherit it. And this argument has yet to take into consideration the taxes or fees HDB collects when there is a transfer of ownership.

So to truly fulfil the mission of 100% home ownership, HDB should build flats that are affordable in terms of a reasonable period of payment. It also has to return public housing to the concept that only Singaporeans can own a flat, i.e. no reselling of a flat to a permanent resident. To prevent a flat being used for speculation, one should not be allowed to own a flat if he/she has a private property.

• "We are Singaporeans..."

Tying to the first point discussed, the Singapore Identity has been compromised. We need an immigration policy that is designed for the people with generations here, not just in the name of economy or progress. It should be for the preservation of the social cohesion, ethnic harmony and community spirit that we have painstakingly built up so far. People are unhappy to see their social/cultural norms being affected, the togetherness eroded and feeling like a minority in their own backyard.

Worse still, the foreigners tend to form cliques and have no intention of assimilate into our society. Don't get me wrong, I understand the need for everyone to come together and create communities where they can bond with people from the same country or culture. But don't do it at the expense of the locals by bringing along habits that are not suitable or undesirable here.

Let us define the number of foreigners we allow in based on demographics. We enjoy the diversity of cultures and people from various countries but we need a quota for those coming from any single country. We also love to see immigrants start a new life and family here but there is no reason why they have to bring their extended family. Quoting a friend: "We are facing an aging society so why are we importing old people?"

• "The Straits Times or The States Times?"

Free speech and free press are the building blocks of a developed nation. We need a responsible mainstream reporting media that is independent from the government. Only this way we can ensure the country is run transparently and the people able to hold the government accountable for its policies.

Only with enough information can the people decide the direction they want the country to progress. And only when the people get to choose their own destiny instead of a group of so-called elites running the government can social harmony be achieved. If not, there won't be any trust in the government even if it does the correct things.

Last but not least, even Malaysia has learn the importance of respecting people's needs in celebrating festivals by giving the Indians a public holiday for Thaipusam. Shouldn't Singapore be following so?

PS: Credit to my friends for coining some of the terms used.

旧剧推荐：《秘密花园》

Click to go to 秘密花园 - Secret Garden.

我必需先声明：我没有看完整部剧集，只看了一些片段。不过我看过的，就如我之前说的，有诚意，因此我要在这里推荐一下。以下的简介是取自百度百科：

通过一个奇才人物 Dr Beng，探索时下青少年的精神困扰。

尽管Dr Beng是一位放荡不羁的心理医生，但是他却拥有过人之处，能洞悉青少年阴暗、困惑、而又混沌的心理。Dr Beng会以一套异于常人的特殊作风与他们沟通，解除青少年的精神焦虑，帮助他们耕耘一块健康的心灵花园。

创作背景和动机

全世界有四分之一的人口有某种程度的精神病，当中三分之二的人没有积极求医。

在新加坡，平均每6个人当中有一人患有某种精神病，虽然比全世界平均每4人当中一人患病来得轻，但是数字仍值得关注。

根据心理卫生学院（IMH）提供的数字，过去四年，门诊病人从2005年的2万9000个增加 到去年的3万3000个，青年病患（13岁到18岁），占了35%到40%，几乎一半。学院的儿童与青少年心理治疗部门指出：12.5%的孩子患有紧张恐 惧症（Anxiety Disorder），他们通常面对压力问题、情绪问题如抑郁症和焦虑、严重的精神问题如精神分裂症和躁郁症，以及饮食失调症；而压力多来自学业、感情、经 济等等。

这些数字并不包括其他上私人诊所求医，或者误以为是普通病症而到一般诊所求医，亦或者目前还躲藏在家中，家长不愿带孩子求医的病例。

这些青年病患都在向周围的家人和朋友，发出无声的呐喊。。。

故事大纲

曹启明（黄腾浩 饰演）外号Dr Beng医生，是一名外表"玩世不恭"，但却很有爱心的青少年专科心理医生。Dr Beng表面苟且散慢，嬉笑怒骂，但内心精巧细致，洞悉世情。由于受不了大医院的制度化工作环境，Dr Beng 辞职后自立门户，但苦于没有本钱，且又不善行政，于是向昔日大学好友Swan成美娥（林湘萍 饰演） "商量"，向对方租借一间小办公室，寄生虫般地继续行医（经常找借口不交月租）。

外貌更像25岁，平日嘻哈古怪的Dr Beng，不看病时，手里少不了电玩PSP，说话口无遮拦，时而开开玩笑，其看症的病房七零八乱，有点像旧货市场；诊室的橱窗也收集了大量的日本机器人Gundam的模型，看起来更像一个青少年的房间。

来自特殊家庭背景的Dr Beng，和青少年有着一种难以言喻的默契，能让他很快地进入他们的秘密世界，寻找解除病症的重要线索。

Dr Beng的信念，配合了好友Swan的长处，竟然也阴差阳错，成为心理学界的闪亮"新星"！

Swan的外表冷酷，做事很有原则而又具有艺术天份，Swan自从放弃当心理医生，就一直从事 另类的医疗，例如通过绘画，和舞蹈来辅导心理受困的病人。Swan偶尔会质疑Dr Beng医治个案的方法，两人时而针锋相对，但下班之后放下公事，两人又是惺惺相惜的知心好友。

Swan对Dr Beng有特殊的"好感"，但由始到终都不曾对Dr Beng表白。有一次，SWAN发现造成Dr Beng年幼车祸的凶手后，陷入了重重困扰，两人的合作关系也因此发生了戏剧性的转变。。。

Tracy Liao 廖明真（蔡琪慧 饰演）是一名初生之犊的女社工。Tracy毕业于新加坡国立大学社会学，毕业后为了实践理想舍弃高薪的职位，毅然加入一间民营福利机构当全职社工。

Dr Beng的名声跟着一起青少年案件事发而大响，引起媒体关注，而也吸引更多的问题青年和父母上门求救。

Tracy当全职社工的第一份工作就是将一名患有精神分裂的年轻人带去给Dr Beng诊治。Tracy对懒散和不按牌理出牌的Dr Beng作风很不满，一开始就跟Dr Beng起争执，Dr Beng不但不予理会，还把Tracy赶出诊疗室。之后两人又再因个案而数度起摩擦，但有一点Tracy不得不服的是，Dr Beng最后都能用独特的方法解开个案的心结，让他们得到帮助。

Tracy所扮演的角色如同电视观众，旁观者的眼睛，来质问和探索有时复杂，有时离奇，有时 令人心酸的病患个案。她的观点有时会和Dr Beng起正面冲突。Tracy在剧中的性格直爽，经常会主动和Dr Beng 约会。Dr Beng、Tracy和Swan会有段微妙的感情三角关系。

Dr Beng多年来一直在暗中追查开车冲撞他与双胞胎哥哥的肇祸司机，某次他掌握到可靠的线索，眼看就要揪出元凶的时候，没想到却被神秘人暗中破坏，将罪证捣 毁，Dr Beng怀疑Swan就是幕后黑手，但Swan却矢口否认。直到Dr Beng的恩师Prof Khoo从美国回来，事情才有了突破性的进展。Prof Khoo是Swan的父亲，也是当年负责治疗Dr Beng的主治医生。Swan和Prof Khoo之间的父女感情从小便比较冷淡，Swan就读大学的时候，Prof Khoo接受了美国大学的邀请，单独赴美教学，留下女儿一人在新，父女关系更是平淡得出奇。但是自从Prof Khoo回返新加坡之后，因为一起事发，父女的感情有了意外的改善。

到底Dr Beng能否查出18年前的肇祸司机，了结他多年的心结？身为一个教导病人原谅他人，从而解放困惑心灵的心理医生，Dr Beng本身是否能原谅肇祸司机，从而得到解脱？夹在两位红颜知己之间，Dr Beng最终的选择会是谁？

12个写实的单元故事，12位病人的无声呐喊，考验了Dr Beng和Swan，也揭开了精神病的神秘面纱。精神病并不是可耻的病症，更不是不治之症；身处在高压社会，家长和社群人士要如何帮助这些病人们，面对自己，克服病症，并且好好地耕耘内心的《秘密花园》呢？