|
AS A swinging bachelor in his 20s, engineer Wee Lin was given to 'wine, women and song'.
But despite the merry-making, Mr Wee found himself waking up in 'cold sweat' in the dead of the night thinking about the meaning of life.
One day, he was given a book about the experiences of Sai Baba, an Indian spiritual leader. Reading about and meeting the Indian guru changed his life, he said.
Now 61, Mr Wee spent the past 30 years giving to the poor, old and mentally ill. Mr Wee is one of the four Singaporeans named as Forbes Asia's 'heroes of philanthropy'.
The magazine put together its first list of 48 Asian philanthropists for its March 10 issue.
These big-shots in philanthropy include Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka Shing and Chinese movie star Jet Li, whose One Foundation aids victims of natural disasters and mentally ill youths.
Forbes Asia's associate editor John Koppisch told The Straits Times: 'The list is a combination of the biggest, most noteworthy and most interesting candidates.'
Singaporeans on the list are Ms Mavis Khoo, daughter of the late hotel tycoon Khoo Teck Puat, Mr Sim Wong Hoo, founder of Creative Technology and Dr Loo Choon Yong, co-founder of Raffles Medical Group.
Interestingly, well-known local philanthropists such as Mr Lee Seng Gee and Mr Shaw Vee Meng didn't make Forbes' list.
However, it included Ms Khoo, who leads the Khoo Foundation, as she also donates her own money.
Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.
| 
