Candid reflections
Liow’s advice for today’s youth
“I would like to see young people be more enthusiastic about life and participate more in volunteerism. They should try to contribute to society and when they become successful, they should remember to give back. This is very important.
“Don’t be selfish and just think of your own interests. On the government’s part, we are equipping young people with knowledge and experience by giving them the opportunity for self-development. Even after graduating from university, they can still continue lifelong learning if this is what they want. It doesn’t have to be academic or in the form of another degree. It can be in the form of vocational training. I joined Toastmasters International to improve my communication, public speaking and leadership skills, and I joined a swimming club to learn how to swim better.”
Eating healthy and keeping fit
“My parents are vegetarians because of their religion (they are Buddhists) while I have been a vegetarian for over 30 years (Liow is an ovo-lacto vegetarian which means he doesn’t eat meat or seafood but does consume some animal products like eggs and dairy) because I feel it is good for my health. My wife and children are also vegetarians. It all ties in with being fit. I do planking exercises every morning and play badminton three times a week. I don’t have time to cook but my favourite dish is a vegetarian Chinese herbal soup my wife makes.”
Biggest challenge on the job “Without a doubt, it is transforming and unifying the party. It’s a big challenge and when I became the President and took over the task, there were a lot of factions within MCA. But now I have managed to unite most of them and we are more cohesive. In MCA, we have to subscribe to the notion that its members own the party and only then can we unite. We cannot unite based on personalities. We must unite based on the philosophy of the party. There must be a common goal that every member can work toward achieving.”
What keeps him up at night
“I face a lot of issues every day and these are big issues. If those issues are worsening and I can’t find any solutions in the short term, that keeps me up. But I am thankful I have a calm personality and so far I have managed to handle most things that are thrown at me. I believe that there always is a solution to any problem that arises. I have faith in myself and my abilities and that gives me power. I always believe that I can do better. I am generally a positive person and therefore I am able to sleep well most nights.”
Dreams for MCA
“As the president I would like to galvanise the strength of the entire Chinese community within the government.
“By giving strength to the party inside the government, we can resolve more problems and get more resources for the Chinese community. We will disintegrate if we are on the outside and we will be at the losing end. The Chinese community needs to understand that they need an effective party to represent them, not a populist party. I still believe that the Chinese have a lot of hope for MCA.”