(This is reproduced from the posting I made on my Facebook Page on 8th June 2026.)

Someone took this photo of me sitting alone in a corner at a shopping mall and emailed it to me, and asked, “Tan Sri, what were you doing alone in a shopping mall, totally unaware of your environment?” Well, this is not the first time I’ve unknowingly been caught by strangers on camera in maybe an unrefined position. But I think the main point is that I can be in any public places, minding my own business. Those could be moments for reading, viewing video clips, listening to music or just watching the world go by.

Where we are seen isn’t that important, as it doesn’t have to be a 5 star lobby or high end restaurant all the time. Noise simply cease to be a problem when I am engrossed in what I am doing. It doesn’t bother me as long as I keep my mind fresh and occupied on matters that I like. And I don’t think that status and social standing, if any, is something we have to be mindful of all the time. It’s about being plainly comfortable in where we are and what we are doing.

I am also flabbergasted that I don’t meet any of my titled peers and tycoon friends in the places that I go, over many years. Either they have very different preferences for their hangouts and eating places, or they confine themselves to some very exclusive places. The fault is definitely not theirs that I don’t meet them. It’s more a personal choice that I usually avoid the more privileged zones. Sometimes, the richest moments are the ones when we blend in with the crowd, and yet are oblivious of our surroundings.