Off the blogs
Full name: Ooi Chuan Aun (DAP)
Age: 52
Marital status: Married
Children: Three
Constituency: Jelutong, Penang
Education: BA (Hons) USM; MBA (RMIT)
Profession: Blogger; politician; Chief of Staff to Penang CM
Contact: jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
JELUTONG MP Ooi Chuan Aun has plenty on his plate these days as an elected representative as well as Chief of Staff to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
But a number of people who are familiar with him since the days before his foray into politics want him to continue the role he played then – as Jeff Ooi the blogger.
Last month, Ooi himself declared on his blog Screenshots (http://www.jeffooi.com) that he wanted to reclaim his life as a blogger. Now that “the dust has settled,” as he put it, he has resumed posting on his blog.
By the way, Ooi’s readers may be interested to know that the blogger published his first book i-Witness in February – a compilation of his articles between 2002 and 2007.
Ooi, whose family is based in Selangor, is the founder of USJ.com.my which is a grassroots-managed community portal for Malaysia’s K-generation, and LensaMalaysia.com – a portal for the Community of Practice (CoP) in digital photography.
Before becoming a full-time politician, he was an e-business consultant for vertical industries, Open Source advocate, and a columnist in Malaysian Business.
He has been invited to speak at prestigious learning institutions around the world including the Harvard Law School and National University of Singapore.
In June 2005, Paris-based Reporters Without Boundaries (RSF) voted Screenshots the “Freedom Blog Asia”, out of 60 blogs worldwide.
A shutterbug, Ooi keeps a travel log with pictures ranging from the colourful Thaipusam celebration in Malaysia to the skyscrapers of Hong Kong to the breathtaking scenery of Tunisia.
In the last general election, Ooi took an unorthodox approach to campaigning when he played his electric guitar at a ceramah at Han Chiang High School in Penang. In the pouring rain, too.
How much time do you spend on the computer?
About eight hours daily. I am Malaysia’s first blogger elected into Parliament.
We know that you play the guitar.
I used to be in a band actually. I sing and play the Humbucker (rock/electric guitar). I have been into music since my high school days – ah, those were the “James Dean-rebellious years”.
What type of music do you listen to?
Classic and hard rock. Country and western – I like to end the day with some easy listening music while driving home. And Japanese enka – this is actually a form of classical Japanese folk songs sung in simple rhymes and I just love the facial expressions of the performers. I like bands like the Eagles and Scorpion.
Name a favourite song.
My favourite song? It’s got to be Hotel California by the Eagles – the unplugged version.
Are you into movies?
Yes! I have a large collection of World War II DVDs. I enjoy war movies because they deal a lot with strategies that can be applied to business management. I can’t stand science fiction but I like Star Trek. I also love the Indiana Jones series and can’t wait for the next instalment, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Favourite actor?
Jack Nicholson. He only had five scenes in A Few Good Men but he was brilliant – the way he expressed himself was excellent. I must have watched it 10 times just to hear his diction. He was also fabulous in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and I believe he won an Oscar for his performance.
Favourite actresses?
Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburne. They had such poise and charm. You don’t see that anymore these days.
What do you read? What was the last thing you read?
I read management books that deal with strategies, like the Blue Ocean Strategy. The last book I read was Avoiding the Resource Curse by Prof Jeffrey Sachs. I also like reading anecdotes. I actually have my own compilation which I sometimes use in my speeches.
Are you into English Premier League football?
No, I only watch football once every four years – the Fifa World Cup.
If not football, what’s your game?
I’m not really a sports fan, but the one sport I really don’t like is golf!
What do you play?
I used to play badminton but had to stop because of work.
Coffee or tea?
(Laughs) Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said these are “light” questions. Coffee. Latte.
Got a nickname? How did it come about?
Jeff, I suppose. My Filipino band leader gave it to me many, many years ago because he couldn’t remember my Chinese name.
What’s your drink?
Whisky for social drinks. But I like red wine. Not so much the fruity wines, though. I prefer wine with a woody taste. Beer is not for me because it just fills the belly.
What languages do you speak?
English, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia.
Do you smoke?
No, I inhale.
What is the gadget you can’t do without?
My mobile phone; wireless and PC; and GPS gadgets – in that order. I am not really into the PDA or Blackberry – I don’t like the little Blackberry keyboard pads.
What’s your favourite food?
Sashimi.
You have a weakness for ...
The latest mobile phones and cameras! Photography is one of my hobbies.
Do you have a dog/cat?
No, my wife simply forbids it! She says when we are travelling, there will be no one to care for the pet. She is also a hygiene freak and wouldn’t tolerate ticks and animal hair around the house. Besides, she believes it’s quite inhumane to confine animals.
What car do you drive and how long have you had it?
Proton Wira – it’s my old faithful. I have been driving her around for the past seven years.
What is your contribution to environmental conservation?
I don’t contribute much individually but I do write about the subject a lot on my blog. I feel very strongly about preservation of heritage buildings and old steam engine locomotives. (Smiles)
Name an idol (dead or alive) whom you look up to and why.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He is 70% a good man. He has fired the imagination of Malaysians to excel.
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