Two main events substantially defined 2023 for me.
A dead witness compelled the Court to effectively discontinue my defamation lawsuit against Rice Media, as the Court deemed it unfair for Rice Media if the lawsuit were allowed to continue. I was devastated; being brought up in a traditional Chinese family, accusations of dishonesty were sufficient for me to launch a S$100,000 lawsuit to sue them for defamation.
As serendipity would have it, initiating the lawsuit allowed me to understand more deeply the legal process. I have come to appreciate that legal proceedings are highly technical and that their focus is almost purely on what is factual (what is) and not necessarily on what is deemed moral (what should be).
In 2023, I also met Dr. Zul. I knew him because Iris, my wife, was using his nutritional products to assist in her handling of her cancer diagnosis. Truth be told, Iris’s tumor in her thyroid has reduced immensely in size. As I interacted with him more, I got to know that his nutrition has helped thousands of people to deal with their chronic diseases.
He was, unfortunately, sidelined by his partner in Dways International. Attempts were made to remove him from the company that he founded so that the other partner could take over the entire company and not need to pay Dr. Zul his fair share for being the intellectual property owner of the nutrition.
I could not stand by the side and let this injustice play out. My only thought was that Dr. Zul’s product might save millions of lives and, putting money aside, that this action by the other partner in Dways International might put millions of lives at stake.
Armed with the knowledge that I gained from my lawsuit with Rice Media (and the many hundreds of times I had brought people to court), I helped draft the originating claim, statement of claims, supporting affidavit, and written submissions based on how I understood from interviewing him. I submitted the application to the Supreme Court, and fortunately, we were able to get the Supreme Court to issue an order preventing Dr. Zul from being removed.
Truth be told, as we were investigating Dways International, we delved into the financial statements and found out that they might be evading GST, a criminal offence. So far, our clarification email to them has yielded nothing; I think they are exercising their right not to incriminate themselves.
Looking back at the year that was, it’s clear that the challenges I faced were not mere obstacles but catalysts for profound personal growth and purpose. The experience in the courtroom and the battle alongside Dr. Zul have unexpectedly paved the way for a future dedicated to justice and health. This serendipitous journey has taught me that our most trying times often lead to our greatest contributions. As I move forward, I am inspired to devote my life to making a difference, firmly believing that without these unique experiences, I wouldn’t be poised to embark on this promising path of adding value and championing change.