First News
Sick girl dies after move to 'perfect' home. Parents blame fengshui master
Did geomancer's BAD ADVICE kill our daughter?
DESPERATE to save their dying daughter, two parents turned to a fengshui master for help. By Maureen Koh
DESPERATE to save their dying daughter, two parents turned to a fengshui master for help.
They hoped that by changing the 'luck' of the family, their young child might miraculously recover from her illness.
Following the geomancer's advice, they sold their four-room Woodlands flat in 2005 and spent nearly $10,000 over six months to rent flats in places such as Jurong and Bukit Batok, hoping to change their daughter's luck.
They also changed the Chinese characters of all their names.
In all, they paid $4,000 to the geomancer.
But last year, the girl died just four days short of her 6th birthday.
Now, her parents want to sue the geomancer, but have been told that a lawsuit could be futile.
There has been no precedent that would hold someone liable for practising an art or belief that cannot be proven scientifically.
The couple have asked that they not be named fully. They also declined to identify the girl's illness.
Their lawyer told The New Paper on Sunday: 'As fengshui practice hinges very much on belief, it would take a lot to prove any hint of a malpractice.
'It is not like there is a book of authority on the subject that one could refer to for verification.'
It seems the Lims are not the only ones who want to haul their fengshui master to court.
A
Second News
HARD TO SUE, SAY LAWYERS
IT may be an uphill task to sue a fengshui master unless the victims can prove their misfortune is due to the bad advice.
IT may be an uphill task to sue a fengshui master unless the victims can prove their misfortune is due to the bad advice.
Lawyer Loo Eng Teck, from Harry Elias Partnership, said: 'One of the issues the court will look at is whether the families are able to prove that their damages were caused by following the advice of the geomancer. This would be the hardest part to prove in a court of law.'
Veteran lawyer Amolat Singh added that, unlike accountants, doctors and lawyers, geomancers are not regulated by any board.
'As such, there are no objective ways of measuring if one's interpretation is right or wrong,' Mr Singh said. He once had a client who changed his name twice in three months for fengshui purposes.
There may be recourse if claimants can prove that they have been misled into paying for the geomancer's services.
Veteran lawyerPeter Low said it may be prudent to set up a body to regulate and accreditate the practitioners.
But, at the end of the day, it is most importantly, a case of 'buyers beware'.
Mr Singh said: 'They can offer advice but you're the one acting on it.'
Third News
Fengshui masters trying to clean up industry
UPSET with what they think are the bad apples among them, a few renowned fengshui masters here have formed an association to set a professional code of practice.
UPSET with what they think are the bad apples among them, a few renowned fengshui masters here have formed an association to set a professional code of practice.
Geomancer Tan Khoon Yong, who is one of three vice-presidents of the two-year-old International Feng Shui Association (IFSA), said: 'One of the association's main objectives is to forge the standard of the profession by approving accreditation only to those who have passed the stringent checks imposed by our committee.'
Agreeing with him was MrVincent Koh, who founded the Singapore Feng Shui Centre in 1997.
He has been teaching Basic Science of Feng Shui at Singapore Polytechnic since 1998.
STRICT PROCESS
Mr Koh, 59, the IFSA's honorary treasurer, said: 'The selection process is conducted strictly; different grades are awarded depending on the practitioner's experience.'
But, until the young IFSA gains a firmer foothold in
Start by doing your research. MrKoh said: 'A good practitioner does not go around saying he is good. Ask for referrals.'
It may not be necessary to pay top dollar for consultation, but be wary of those who charge 'reasonable fees', for you can end up paying more for 'supposed necessary auspicious items', MrTan cautioned.
Geomancer Adelina Pang, 40, also an IFSA member, said: 'Giving the practice a bad name are the ones who sell all kinds of things. Fengshui is not just about selling auspicious items.'
Also, fengshui masters are no psychics or magicians.
Mr Koh said: 'The geomancer must visit the premise that's to be assessed.'
Mr Tan added: 'And his job does not stop there.
'He has to visit again after the recommended work is completed to ensure that everything is aligned accordingly.'
When clients approach Mr Koh with a health issue, his first question is always: Have you consulted a doctor?
He said: 'In life-threatening situations, I tell my clients honestly there is nothing I can do to prolong the person's life.
'I can only help to reduce his suffering by working on the fengshui elements of his home.'
Regards
Alvin Chua
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