He has been described as a protagonist of sorts, a stickler for systems and even at times, melodramatic (he was born under the sign of Leo and his ruling planet is the Sun, need you ask more?). He ranks The Carpenters as his all-time favourite pop act and regards the 1955 film adaptation John Steinback's literary triumph, "East Of Eden" as a masterpiece in film making. Café Au Lait talks to Mr Lim Toh Seng about coffee, pisang goreng, the mysteries of life and the recent murmurs on his impending departure from Sungei Wang Plaza Sdn Bhd, a place that he literally calls his second home for the past seven years. Let us pour the coffee and begin our (un)intellectual discourse.....
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Café
Au Lait |
: |
A steaming hot cup of café au lait and pisang goreng : a combination that is truly made in heaven. C'est parfait, cher ami! What say you? Have you had your "fix" of café au lait today?
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Lim Toh Seng |
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Sorry, but I don't drink coffee.
Apart from heavy metal music or whatever they call
"it" these days, coffee has proven to be a very reliable source
of headaches for me. But if it is any consolation,
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| Café
Au Lait |
: | In
Wangsa Maju? No, though one must admit that at times to seek
new adventures and challenges, one must look beyond one's shores! And
whilst we are on the topic, is it true that you will be leaving Sungei
Wang Plaza Sdn Bhd soon?
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| Lim Toh Seng | : | Yes,
my last day of service to the company shall be on 24th May 2002. I have
virtually and literally grown with the company over the last seven years. Throughout
my service with Sungei Wang Plaza Sdn Bhd, I have been blessed with the
opportunity to be part of the many avant-garde and innovative
projects undertaken by the company. I am extremely grateful and proud to
be associated with these projects which, in my perspective, form the
precursor to the company’s framework for continuous improvement and
customer driven initiatives. Equally if not more important is the wise
counsel given unselfishly by my superiors and peers in the execution of
tasks and for my personal career growth. I hope that my departure shall
pave the way for a fresh perspective on the improvement of the company’s
operations. This coupled with a strong commitment towards the realisation
of the company’s strategic plans, I believe, will herald a new era in
the management of Sungei Wang Plaza. Sungei Wang Plaza Sdn Bhd will
definitely be sorely missed.
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| Café
Au Lait |
: | Ah,
so it is true then. Let's change
the tempo of this interview slightly, shall we? Say, ever wondered why Post It Notes™ are yellow?
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| Lim Toh Seng | : | Why
is raw coffee black? Have you seen the Academy Award nominated film Magnolia
(Tom Cruise/Julianne Moore)? "Outrageously bizarre" is how I
would describe the film. Just like your question (and like you...and me?).
Watch out for the climax, now, you must confess, such climax is almost an
antithesis to the laws of nature, as we know it! It is almost biblical! If
only we had more of such thought provoking films!
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| Café
Au Lait |
: | Right,
good question, I mean...good analogy! How
can I contact you for the next cuppa?
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| Lim Toh Seng | : | I shall provide you my contact details of my new employment as soon as I settle down. We shall stay in touch. Call me at 012-6 98 98 88 or mail me at [email protected]. You might never know, the next cuppa maybe at your place. |