Challenge September – October 2009

PEOPLE • PE RSPEC TIVES • POSSI B I LITIES

W W W.CH A LL ENGE.GOV.SG

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009

HOPE REDEFINED RE-EXAMINING NOTIONS OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN SCHOOL

IN PURSUIT OF CLARITY DPM SHARES HIS VIEWS ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

SEIZE THE CHALLENGE! PUBLIC OFFICERS GO FUND-RAISING

HEART & SOUL CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF NATIONAL DAY

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Contents

SeptOct2009 01

22

Foreword NESTLED IN HUMANITY

Challenge celebrates Teacher’s Day.

02 05

Feature SEIZE THE CHALLENGE!

Public officers raise money for this year’s President’s Challenge.

I Say

26

Are Singapore civil servants inflexible?

Feature SERVING UP LITTLE NGOR HIANG

Nonya inspired fund-raising

Short Takes

Public Service news and happenings at a glance.

28

Face2Face MISSION POSSIBLE

The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon talks about inroads that are being made in public administration.

30

Lifestyle ALTERNATIVE IMAGE

Three public officers gamely take up the offer of a makeover.

34

Lifestyle RETIREMENT PLANNING

A few steps you can take to realise your retirement dreams.

HOPE REDEFINED

14

Two schools seek to re-examine notions of success and failure.

10

Face2Face

15

Making language come alive for students.

GUIDED BY A NORTH LIGHT

18

Lifestyle HAUTE CUISINE IN THE HEARTLANDS

Challenge talks to heartland chef-owners and checks out their fare.

Backstage HEART AND SOUL

Reaching out to all Singaporeans in the NDP celebrations.

DPM Teo Chee Hean on the importance of communicating clearly.

12

36

The best school in Singapore.

IN PURSUIT OF CLARITY

Feature STELLAR LITERACY

Opinion

THE LAST PAGE

06

Cover Story

Trivia Quiz SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH

Feature BRIDGING THE AGE GAP

Examining intergenerational dynamics in the workplace.

PEOPLE • PE RSPEC TIVES • POSS I B I LITIES

W W W.CH A LLENGE.GOV.SG

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009

HOPE REDEFINED RE-EXAMINING NOTIONS OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN SCHOOL

COVER IN PURSUIT OF CLARITY

WONG WEILIANG

DPM SHARES HIS VIEWS ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

SEIZE THE CHALLENGE! PUBLIC OFFICERS GO FUND-RAISING

HEART & SOUL CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF NATIONAL DAY

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1

Foreword

NestledInHumanity THERE IS SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT SINGAPORE HAS BECOME AND I THINK WE’RE OFTEN NOT APPRECIATIVE ENOUGH OF OUR NATION.

HAPPY TEACHER’S DAY! As long as we have been taught by others, are teaching others, or have kids in school, we can celebrate Teacher’s Day. In the course of our lives, a few people would have stood out as having quite an influence on the way we turned out, and I’m sure for most of us, at least one of them would have been a teacher.

This September, Challenge celebrates teachers and the effort, patience and dedication that they bring to their work. In particular, we applaud the teachers at NorthLight and Assumption Pathway, two schools that are doing an amazing work at transforming young people who have fallen out of the mainstream rat race. The teachers at these schools have left high-paying jobs and less challenging work environments to bring hope and inspiration to students who may be outcasts in society’s eyes but who remain valuable and full of potential in theirs.

Read about the basic principles they practise in their commitment to care, and Jimmy Yap’s heartfelt opinion piece on why he thinks that NorthLight is the best school in Singapore.

Speaking of heartfelt, I wonder how many of us were touched by this year’s National Day celebrations. I know I was.

I hardly ever watch the parade on TV, but decided to do so after hearing BG Tan Chuan Jin’s pitch at a meeting about how this year’s focus was on the “ND”, less on the “P”, and how as Chairman of EXCO NDP ’09, he was trying to introduce the nation’s heart and soul into the celebrations. I think the team succeeded. The celebrations sparkled, and I was thrilled to see how twists can make familiar things new again. Like how I proudly said my pledge at 8.22 and sang our national anthem to a tune that surprised me with its supporting chords – all in my living room.

There is so much to be thankful for what Singapore has become and I think we’re often not appreciative enough of our nation. I would ordinarily not describe myself as patriotic, but this year was different and it made me think, “If the Americans have 4th of July, why can’t we have 9th of August as a day of celebration, parties and reflection on how we’ve come so far as a nation?”

Finally, we spoke to DPM Teo Chee Hean about his thoughts on the use of English in the Public Service and the Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon, President Emeritus of the Canada School of Public Service and former head of the Canadian civil service, about her views on the public sector.

Have a good read!

Have a comment, suggestion or feedback to share with the editorial team?

E-mail us at PSD_Challenge@psd.gov.sg

PHOTO: WINSTON CHUANG

Tay Li Shing

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EDITOR

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PEOPLE•PERSPECTIVES•POSSIBILITIES⁄ WWW.CHALLENGE.GOV.SG⁄ SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER2009

PUBLISHER

PS21 Office, Prime Minister’s Office (Public Service Division)

The Treasury, 100 High Street #02-03 Singapore 179434 Tel: 6835-8350 Fax: 6333-4010 E-mail: psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg Website: www.challenge.gov.sg EDITOR

ARE SINGAPORE CIVIL SERVANTS INFLEXIBLE?

Tay Li Shing ASSISTANT EDITORS

Wendy Goh and Edmund Soo EDITORIAL ADVISOR

Calvin Phua PS21 OFFICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Ellice Wong and Amy Sum For enquiries or feedback on Challenge, Please write to the Editor at PS21 Office, The Treasury, 100 High Street, #02-03, Singapore 179434.

Tel: 6835-8350 Fax: 6333-4010 E-mail: psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg

LETTER OF THE MONTH

WhenToStand Firm

The labelling of civil servants as “inflexible” is not uncommon. Civil servants who are in the forefront of customer service are often recipients of such comments. Some of us probably shrug them off (after hearing them for the umpteenth time) while others try to convince the public or their customers otherwise.

Under most circumstances, policies, rules and regulations are put in place to protect the integrity of systems. These are to be reviewed for relevance but should not be bent just to avoid unpleasant encounters with customers. Where deviation from such regulatory rules does not hurt, as civil servants, we would be glad to be flexible and make exceptions in the name of service excellence. Yet, it is our duty to be firm and stand by certain policies and regulations that may otherwise, cause dire consequences and cause harm to our society.

So, are we inflexible? In my humble opinion, the majority of us are not. But we will also not hesitate to be assertive and stay firm when the situation calls for it.

PUBLISHING AGENT

SPH Magazines Pte Ltd MANAGING DIRECTOR

Dennis Pua GENER AL MANAGER

Christopher Tay GROUP EDITOR

Joanna Lee-Miller SENIOR EDITOR

Azreen Noor CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Tan Ee Sze EXECUTIVE SUB-EDITOR

Esther Lew WRITER

Foo Yong Han ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Alex Goh ART DIRECTOR

Ginny Gay ASSISTANT MANAGER, CLIENT MANAGEMENT

Mavis Liang EXECUTIVE, CLIENT MANAGEMENT

Jessie Kek SENIOR COORDINATOR, PUBLISHING SERVICES

Wendy Ong CONTRIBUTORS

Violet Cheong (Ms)

Singapore Prisons Service A former journalist with The Straits Times, Tan Ee Sze has extensive experience in developing and managing publications.

She is also the author of several commemorative books and children’s publications.

Lianne Tan is a freelance writer and Singapore Tourism Board-licensed guide. Prior to this, she spent more than 14 years as a marketing communications professional in the technology sector.

Previously a journalist with The Straits Times and The Business Times, Susan Tsang was also news editor for technology news portal Singapore.

CNET.com. She was also one of the writers behind Singapore: The Encyclopedia.

Charles David has over 15 years’ experience in advertising and branding, having worked with clients in the pharmaceutical, oil and gas, information technology, health, property and finance sectors.

VIOLET CHEONG WINS AN OSIM UPAMPIE HANDHELD MASSAGER WORTH $98. ALL OTHER PUBLISHED ARTICLES WIN SHOPPING VOUCHERS WORTH $30 EACH.

James Gerard Foo, AJ Leow, Ye Dejing Challenge is published bimonthly by SPH Magazines Pte Ltd (Registration No: 196900476M) for PS21 Offi ce, Prime Minister’s Office (Public Service Division). Copyright of the materials contained in this magazine belongs to PS21 Office. Nothing in here shall be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written consent of PS21 Office. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of PS21 Offi ce nor SPH Magazines Pte Ltd and no liabilities shall be attached thereto. All rights reserved. Editorial enquiries should be directed to the Editor, PS21 Office, The Treasury, 100 High Street, #02-03, Singapore 179434. Tel: +65-6835-8350, Fax: +65-6333-4010, E-mail: psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg Unsolicited material will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and suffi cient return postage. While every reasonable care will be taken by the Editor, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material. All information correct at time of printing. Printed in Singapore by Times Printers (Registration No: 196700328H).

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3

I Say

AWin-WinGoal

IsInflexibilityBad? Is inflexibility really a bane?

Elsewhere, especially in most developing countries, many may even welcome “inflexibility” if it means everyone is treated the same regardless of social status or background. There would be no favouritism and no corruption.

However, in the increasing democratic environment that we live in, we need to achieve a balance – civil servants need to fulfill their duties in providing optimal social value to the people, even though they may be constrained by SOPs and high expectations from within and outside the organisation.

Like all other organisations, the public sector also has rules and regulations that civil servants need to abide by. The aim is to seek a win-win situation.

Unlike the private sector where businesses can give discounts or free vouchers to the customers, what we, as civil servants, can do is to show customers that we care. We need to let them know that we have done what we can to accommodate their requests.

By simply saying “no”, we may be perceived as being negative and thus, inflexible.

Adelene Yin

Ministry of Law

EnsuringRelevance I think it is important for a government to always be transparent to the people. Processes must be clear and standardised to ensure that every person we service is given the same treatment.

Standardisation to some level is good, especially when it ensures stability, and fair and equal treatment to all, but this is sometimes mistaken for “inflexibility”.

We sometimes make the assumption that because civil servants need to embody the rules of the country and government, the person must necessarily be inflexible. But it is necessary to follow rules, for instance in a soccer match or a chess game, what more in the government.

As a government, however, we have always questioned if our policies are relevant to the times. Relevant policies only come from relevant civil servants who are adaptable to the times. We are definitely not inflexible.

Debbie Lam Mei Yi

Singapore Land Authority

Chua Heok Teck

Ministry of Home Affairs

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People

4

TakingCalculated Risks Civil servants must be willing to take calculated risks and take on accountability in making decisions that are customised to individual circumstances rather than strictly and safely “going by the book” for every case.

I think to a certain extent, we have been successful in doing this. We are moving away from being faceless, standardised bureaucrats dishing out conformity to being public servants who put on a genuine face and heart dedicated to delivering quality service that “delights” the customer. I would rate our Civil Service as one that is today truly responsive and discerning to changing demands and trends, with the flexibility and nimbleness to serve the people and advance the interests of the nation.

FlexiblevsLax There needs to be a clear distinction between being flexible and being lax. This is the challenge that many civil service officers face when they are breaking new ground in administering policy and regulation. Am I too inflexible?

Am I too lax? Should I just play it safe?

Can we do without standards and procedures?

One should know and understand the essence of the policy before deciding on how to execute it. By explaining the reasoning behind it, we can allay the common perception that we are inflexible.

Hng Hup Guan

Ministry of Finance

Vincent Loh Kok Niam

Ministry of Education

MakingProgress Public officers have guidelines and regulations to adhere to. Even if we are empowered to use our discretion, we are sometimes afraid that it can open the floodgates and lead to more requests from the public, who will start thinking that each officer may have a different view on different circumstances.

Having said that, I think we are making slow but sure progress in achieving greater flexibility while maintaining a high level of efficiency. We should continue to provide our views and recommendations through existing platforms such as department meetings and staff suggestion schemes to address any shortcomings.

Hazman Jamil

Ministry of Education

THE LETTER OF THE MONTH WILL WIN A SPECIAL

HOLIDAY GIFT HAMPER WORTH $100.

ALL OTHER PUBLISHED ARTICLES WILL WIN

SHOPPING VOUCHERS WORTH

$30 EACH.

Have your say...

If you were PS/CEO/head of your organisation for one day, what is the one thing you would do or change to create a more innovative workplace?

Challenge magazine would like to have your thoughts on this subject.

Write in to I Say at psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg. Please limit your comments to 300 words and include your name, e-mail address, agency and telephone number.

All entries should reach us by Sept 25, 2009. You can also discuss this at forum.challenge.gov.sg.

Picture is for illustrative purposes only

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5

ShortTakes

ITE

NewDiploma In Automotive Engineering

NLB

E-learningAtThe NLBAcademy Awareness of New Media, Responsible Blogging and Internet Searching Skills – these are just some of the courses available via e-learning from the NLB Academy, a major training provider for library and information-literacy skills in Singapore.

The courses will help you source the wide variety of information resources available in print and the electronic format, the research methodologies to help you gather data, and the skills to evaluate the information found based on accuracy and authoritativeness. You will also learn how to put the information together in reports and presentations.

Fees range from $15.75 per participant for school students to $33.60 for adults. Each course lasts about two hours, and participants are given a twoweek window to complete it.

For more details of NLB Academy’s courses, visit www.nlba.sg

Niche diploma programmes offered in partnership with prestigious international institutions are giving Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates an additional route to higher qualifications. The latest of these is the Technical Engineer Diploma in Automotive Engineering, which will be offered in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Baden-Württemberg (MEYS), Germany. This was announced by Mr S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education, at the ITE Graduation Ceremony in June.

The programme, which starts in 2010, will train automotive technologists and provide a progression path for ITE graduates from the Nitec in Automotive Technology course. Mr Iswaran also noted that despite the weaker economy in the second half of 2008, ITE graduates who entered the job market that year remained highly marketable, enjoying an overall employment rate of 90 per cent.

CPF

Innovation Showtime!

A cost-saving, patent-pending mini air-conditioner wowed judges at the Central Provident Fund Board’s (CPFB) WOW Ideas Conference on June 19, 2009. The innovation, which is expected to save the Board $300,000 a year, came from

MICA

NewLook For Gov.sg

the Property Department, which beat four other teams to win the WOW Idea Award.

The conference was the highlight of the CPFB’s annual Innovation Showtime!, a showcase of the Board’s best innovations, including ideas suggested by staff, WIT projects and projects funded by the CPFB Innovation Fund.

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The gov.sg portal has been given a fresh new look from August 2009. The revamped portal will give the public the latest news and access to key information and electronic services offered by government agencies.

Newly-packaged components like Highlights offer a platform for communicating government messages while one-stop mini-beacons like News, Calendar and Feedback will help visitors navigate the portal easily. The revamp is part of the iGov 2010 initiative to “deliver clear and useful information in a vibrant and interesting manner”.

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Cover Story

6 8

better suit their learning styles and address their socio-emotional needs.

“It is not just to earn a living; it is also to learn the lessons of life”, says Mrs Chua Yen Ching, Principal of NorthLight School. “Many of the students experienced repeated failures and many do have low self-confidence and low self-esteem. We help them to redefine success and to redefine failure. Failure is only a moment in time. When a student fails the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination), he fails an exam. This does not mean that he will fail in life.”

Mr Wee Tat Chuen, Principal of the Assumption Pathway School believes that this approach will serve as a catalyst for these students to achieve their goals in life. “We aim to help them discover and nurture their strengths so that they may be ready to start a new chapter in their lives when they graduate from the

HOPEREDEFINED PHOTO: WONG WEILIANG/JUSTIN LOH

NorthLight and Assumption Pathway are two schools seeking to re-examine notions of success and failure. By Charles David

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WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION, parents clamour for the best schools for their children, tuition lessons are as common as co-curricular activities and assessment books are hot sellers in bookstores throughout the academic year.

But what happens to the students who find themselves unable to “keep up”?

As Mr Wong Siew Hoong, Director of Schools with the Ministry of Education explains: “In each cohort, there is a group of students who are unable to progress through the mainstream academic school system and are at risk of prematurely leaving school. They include students who are unable to pass the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), as well as students who prematurely leave secondary school.”

To cater to the needs of such students, MOE has set up two schools — NorthLight School and Assumption Pathway School — whose curriculum has been customised to

Assumption Pathway School,” he said.

“We see many paths for them to achieve success...More importantly, having been cared for in APS, we want to see them becoming carers for themselves, their families and their communities.”

Heeding the call For many of the teachers who opted to teach in these two schools, there was never a moment’s hesitation when it came to committing themselves to the task at hand. For Mr Matthew Lai, who teaches mathematics at the Assumption Pathway School, it was all about his desire to teach and help students who are less privileged and who have difficulties in learning.

“I wanted to challenge myself to teach at a school devoted to bringing out the best in such students. My

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“WE AIM TO HELP THEM DISCOVER AND NURTURE THEIR STRENGTHS SO THAT THEY MAY BE READY TO START A NEW CHAPTER IN THEIR LIVES WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM THE ASSUMPTION PATHWAY SCHOOL.” Mr Wee Tat Chuen (left), Principal of the Assumption Pathway School, with teachers Mr Mohamed Ali (centre) and Mr Michael Chow.

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Cover Story

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experiences at my previous school convinced me that I would indeed find a great sense of fulfilment in helping them. I also wanted to provide the support that these students needed and which they could thrive on,” he says.

Former foreign exchange trader Mr Christopher Chee, who previously taught at another secondary school, is now a Senior Teacher (Mathematics) at the NorthLight. “Previously, I was teaching Normal Academic and Technical students and their backgrounds are quite similar to the students in NorthLight. Over time I had developed great relationships with the students and was able to connect with them and I thought that I could have the same effect with NorthLight students.

I gained most satisfaction working with “at risk” students and I was totally in sync with the motive and philosophy behind the setting up of NorthLight School. I knew that this is exactly the kind of school that I wanted to be in,” he says.

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For Mr Michael Chow, who teaches Food Preparation and Services at the Assumption Pathway School, it was the practicality of the curriculum that convinced him he can make a difference in the students’ lives. “My role is to impart knowledge and skills especially to the students, so that they can use the skills imparted to them to find a suitable job.”

The curriculum of these two schools differs from the mainstream curriculum, with a focus on a more hands-on approach to learning.

This enables students to have an earlier start in vocational training.

A new mindset The real challenge, however, is to instill a new mindset in the students.

“Some of the kids were so used to failing (their tests, PSLE and so on) that they accepted failure as part of their lives. When the kids did their emotional quotient profiling when they first joined us, they scored very low on general mood — they possessed very low self-esteem and were not happy.

They also scored low in interpersonal skills. Hence, there was a need to build up their confidence and relationship management skills. We incorporated these elements successfully into our curriculum,” says Mr Mohd Norzaidi, Discipline Master at NorthLight School.

According to Mr Bernard Chan, who heads the Hospitality Department at the NorthLight School, it is all about seeing the students as individuals, and only when that happens, the learning begins. “I believe it is important to understand their individuality first. We have to realise that no two students are the same. We need to get to know them and understand them, and then, adapt our teaching in so far as we can so that the teaching methods we adopt are the most suitable and effective,” he says.

Mr Mohamed Ali bin Mohamed Hanafiah, who teaches mathematics at the Assumption Pathway School, further adds: “Teaching pedagogy, worksheets, assessments and even expectations can be adjusted to individual needs so that each of them can achieve personal success. Always do things with the students’ interest at heart.”

A commitment to care For the teaching staff at both the NorthLight School and the Assumption Pathway School, some of the basic tenets are: • Be genuine. “Love these kids as if they are your own,” says Mr Ali of Assumption Pathway School. “Show genuine care and support in whatever they do. Some of these students come from broken families and are hardened by the trials and tribulations of life. They need a role model with whom they could share their joy, sorrow and even fears. Be openminded and respect their views. Open up to them and share your weakness, fears and even your failures. The more human they perceive you to be, the more forgiving and trusting they are towards you. Spend time bonding with them and earn their trust. Once they trust you, half the battle is won. The other half is just facilitating their learning and development. Continue to motivate them.

Start with the extrinsic but gradually shift inwards as they grow older.”

• Get the parents involved. “I cannot emphasise how important the role of the parents is,” says Mr Chee. “No

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“FAILURE IS ONLY A MOMENT IN TIME. WHEN A STUDENT FAILS THE PSLE, HE FAILS AN EXAM. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE WILL FAIL IN LIFE.” Mrs Chua Yen Ching (right), Principal of NorthLight School, with Mr Mohd Norzaidi (left) and Mr Bernard Chan.

matter how much we teachers put in, we can never substitute the role of their parents. It is important for parents to start believing that their children are indeed unique and talented in their own ways. They have to look beyond their academic achievements and recognise that their children excel in other areas and need their approval.

Fathers must recognise that they play a very important role in the children’s upbringing. Certainly, the mother’s role cannot be discounted, but fathers need to spend more time with them and take a proactive approach in their upbringing.”

• Never give up. “Give them time to change, never give up on them,” says Mr Chow. “Believe that they can achieve whatever they set their minds on and support them, offering feedback on their improvement, one step at a time.”

For the teachers and staff who have taken the road less travelled, Mr Ali sums up their sentiments when he says:“I am grateful for having the opportunity to touch the lives of these special kids and it would be an honour to be able to continue championing the cause of these pupils.”

Have an opinion or wish to comment on this article?

E-mail us at PSD_Challenge@psd.gov.sg

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Face2Face

10

As the Speak Good English Movement celebrates its 10th year, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Minister-in-Charge of the Civil Service and Minister for Defence, reiterates the importance of communicating clearly. By Susan Tsang

PHOTO: SPH LIBRARY

InPursuitofClarity

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Why is it important for public officers to speak good English?

It is important to communicate well in any language – not just in English. It’s especially important for public officers to communicate well, because if not, our intent and the contents of our message, written or spoken, doesn’t get across, and we create confusion instead of clarity.

We have a complex language environment in Singapore, where people come from different home language backgrounds. English has become the language of administration and business.

It’s a language we can use to reach across a wide spectrum of Singaporeans.

However, it’s not the natural language of the vast majority. Therefore clarity and simplicity are important.

Singapore is also an international city. Our public officers communicate not just with Singaporeans, but also with visitors and business people who come to Singapore, and the wider world outside. Whether it’s rules and regulations, investment promotion or whatever, if you want visitors and business people to live and operate comfortably in Singapore, you need to be clear in your communication to reduce misunderstanding and confusion.

What are your thoughts on the standard of English in the Singapore Public Service?

The overall level of usage is higher than it used to be, but the average quality of usage is lower, perhaps because we have a much broader base of people using the language now. Improving the standard of English is a work in progress – it’s the work of generations. However, among those who can use the language well in the Public Service, the quality of English continues to be very high.

Do you think that public officers are still writing in “Civil Service speak”?

A lot of communication in the Public Service is in written form. This makes it worthwhile for an organisation or a public officer to be as clear as possible as you’ll save yourself a lot of time and inconvenience.

IRAS (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore) has simplified its forms and letters for greater clarity. It sends out

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millions of letters a year. If the letters are unclear, the public will either call or write back for clarification, or send in the wrong things, and you will end up doing more work than is necessary.

Usage is a matter of practice and courtesy. You are really extending a courtesy if you can communicate in a way which will help others understand what you are saying.

Growing up, were there any influences which helped you to speak good English?

I was fortunate that I had good role models for English. I went to an English-medium school where I had good teachers. In my family, English was regularly used, and used well. We didn’t have television then so I used to listen to the radio. There were programmes like comedies and documentaries that were presented in a good standard of English.

I always have a dictionary in the drawer of my work-desk, both in the office and at home, and I use it frequently. It helps me understand the meaning of words and their

but with better language skills, they can do even better. However, a person cannot transform his language proficiency immediately or just by attending one course. Instead, it’s a continual process of learning and improving.

What advice would you give public officers who are trying to improve their language skills?

Find good role models to learn from. You can even learn from the radio. The BBC, for example, has very interesting programmes, and the English used is usually very good.

You must also be open to feedback and suggestions from your colleagues or supervisor on how to improve your usage of English, and make a conscious effort to do so. If you are unsure, it is all right to ask someone the meaning of a word, or to consult the dictionary.

My Chinese, for example, is not very good, and I’m trying to improve. I’m happy when people give me feedback and

“IT’S A LANGUAGE WE CAN USE TO REACH ACROSS A WIDE SPECTRUM OF SINGAPOREANS. HOWEVER, IT’S NOT THE NATURAL LANGUAGE OF THE VAST MAJORITY. THEREFORE CLARITY AND SIMPLICITY ARE IMPORTANT.”

usage so that I use the right word and avoid using words incorrectly. This habit started in primary school, but over the years, my dictionaries have grown in size and are somewhat bigger than the ones I used in primary school.

What do you think can be done to maintain a certain standard of English and communication skills in the public sector?

Each of us in the Public Service can make a difference in improving and maintaining the standard of English. If you are a supervisor, it’s important to develop the capabilities of those who report to you. If English is one of the areas they can improve on, there are a number of courses available in the Civil Service College. It’s important to make these courses available to them and encourage them to attend.

Those who have gone for such courses have not only improved their written English but their spoken English as well. It has helped them in their work and to progress in their careers. They were already capable,

suggestions on better usage. Of course, I’m most delighted when they tell me I’ve done well! That’s positive reinforcement.

Learning the basic rules of grammar and applying them are also important. Grammar provides a set of simple rules which we can refer to, and which we can use to explain why a particular sentence is incorrect.

When I was in school, we had a good book called First Aid in English. It was very useful, but some of it was too pedantic. There are some good, fun books to read on grammar.

One I enjoyed recently was on punctuation – Eats, Shoots & Leaves. There are a number of books which point out in a humorous and entertaining way the common usage errors in Singapore and what the correct usage should be. I would highly recommend these.

To improve in any language, we need to practise. We may make mistakes – we all do – but we can improve if we are open to feedback and always keep on learning and trying to do better.

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Feature

12

A GROUP OF PRIMARY 2 STUDENTS at Coral Primary School was once asked to decorate cookies as a pre-writing activity. The young entrepreneurs ended up selling their project to raise money for the school library.

It may have been an unintended consequence of STELLAR – Strategies for English Language Learning and Reading – but it certainly made language come alive for the students.

STELLAR was developed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 2006 to cater to the diverse range of English language learners in Singapore. After a pilot run involving 90 schools, the programme was implemented nationally at the Primary One level this year.

“The vision of STELLAR is to develop in children a love for reading and a strong foundation in the English language,” says Dr Elizabeth Pang, Programme Director for Literacy Development, Curriculum Planning

and Development Division at MOE. STELLAR aims to strengthen children’s learning of the English Language by using engaging and age-appropriate strategies and instructional materials. For example, “big books” or enlarged children’s picture books are used to teach language skills at the lower primary levels.

In the middle and upper primary years, there is a gradual shift away from teachersupported reading and writing activities.

Instead, students are guided towards more independent learning, where they read and write longer texts, and the use of “big books” is gradually phased out.

Building confidence Under the STELLAR programme, special emphasis is placed on developing the children’s oral communication skills.

“One way we try to do this is by beginning each lesson with a specially written song. We believe this helps the children remember the words in the stories

they’re learning that day,” says Dr Pang.

The colourful, age-appropriate picture books with repetitive language structures also enable the children to keep up with the lessons, while gradually building their confidence in learning the English language.

With the “big books”, teachers can easily use word and letter frames to focus on specific language structures such as letter-sounds, vocabulary and grammar.

As Ms Rezia Rahumathullah, Level Head for English at Da Qiao Primary School has observed: “Our students find it easier to learn vocabulary through the visual cues provided by the rich illustrations in the books. They’re able to learn about language structure through the context of the stories. And, reading the books repeatedly also allows them to internalise the stories and become more familiar with the words they read.”

STELLARLiteracy What do cookies have to do with English language classes? The Ministry of Education develops a new programme to cater to the diverse range of English language learners in Singapore.

By Lianne Tan

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8/27/09 9:09:41

Learning to express their views As the students delve into more in-depth discussions during “big book” reading sessions and group work, they also learn to become more confident speakers. At the same time, teachers use open-ended questioning techniques to encourage the students to think about the stories and articulate their thoughts about what they have learnt.

Madam Ng Bee Chew, Senior Teacher with Coral Primary School, explains: “The stories in the ‘big books’ are varied, colourful and interesting. The different themes explored within the stories expose our students to a wide range of topics. So, not only do our students listen to and read the stories, we also want to get them to think about what they’ve learnt and to express their own views about the stories freely.”

Students are also encouraged to write about what they have learnt. They participate in related hands-on activities before writing together as a class, as a group and then individually.

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In one of the pre-writing activities for her Primary 2 class, Madam Ng recalls how the students were asked to decorate cookies for a king’s party as part of a “big book” reading session.

“They came up with a variety of creative designs and made really attractive-looking cookies. Later, the class collectively decided to sell their decorated cookies to raise funds for the school library. This then led to other spin-off lessons such as trying to improve their cookie-decorating techniques, budgeting, sourcing for ingredients and even soliciting ‘sponsorships’ from their parents for the ingredients. They also discussed strategies, role-played sale tactics, and learnt to handle ‘customers’. The end result was the students successfully sold all the cookies, and raised a decent amount of money for the school library.”

Encouraging family support Parents and families are also encouraged to support their children in learning English through a range of everyday activities, such as reading together, playing simple language games, going to the library or

simply having a conversation on a familiar topic or favourite pastime.

During the sessions at the Learning Centres, students are engaged in different activities catering to their learning needs and styles. Madam Ng says: “In my class, I’d sometimes invite the parents to help out in the activities.

This way, parents can see for themselves how learning takes place within the class. Parents can also value-add to the day’s lessons by sharing their thoughts and views on the topic discussed.”

Summing up the benefits of the STELLAR programme, Ms Rahumathullah notes that before the school started the STELLAR programme, the discharge rate for its Learning Support Programme averaged about 45 per cent. “After we started the STELLAR programme last year, the discharge rate at the end of 2008 was 85 per cent. We feel this is one of the indicators that shows how STELLAR can successfully support literacy development in schools.”

8/27/09 3:12:29 PM

Opinion

14

Jimmy Yap has spent 14 years in the media industry in Singapore, during which he pioneered the Internet beat for The Straits Times. He was also the founding editor of CNET Asia.

CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION, Singapore’s best school is not Raffles Institution or Raffles Girls School. It is a three-year-old vocational school tucked away off Dunman Road – Northlight.

Northlight is Singapore’s best school because it does something much harder and more important than taking in bright young overachievers and turning them into the doctors, lawyers or President’s Scholars they would have become anyway.

Instead, Northlight takes in sullen, struggling or disinterested teenagers and transforms them into self-confident young men and women with a new love for school and a future as productive members of society.

Northlight accomplishes this because the school curriculum is more than teaching students how to serve customers or repair air-conditioners. At Northlight, character is just as important as cooking skills.

The principal of the school, Mrs ChuaLim Yen Ching, is acutely aware that her students need an extra push. When you have failed your exams repeatedly and when even your primary school teachers call you

Fortunately, the educators signed up to teach there, and were not merely assigned by the Ministry of Education.

If I sound like a big fan of Northlight, it’s because I have a very personal connection with the school – two of my daughters are currently studying there.

My daughters were adopted from Cambodia and came to Singapore when they were 11 and seven. Prior to that, they had never been to school. When we enrolled them in primary school in Singapore after homeschooling them for a few years, they couldn’t catch up. By Primary 5, they were completely out of their depth and failing miserably.

Northlight, which was set up just as my oldest daughter needed to transition out of her primary school, was the answer to my prayers.

A few months after she joined Northlight, I asked her how things were in her new school. Her reply was: “My life has changed.”

In primary school, her life was a constant struggle. She didn’t understand classes, she fell behind her classmates and she

GuidedByANorthLight stupid to your face, you lose faith in yourself.

A vicious cycle starts: If you don’t believe you can succeed, why bother to try? And if you don’t try, how will you ever succeed?

So building the self-esteem of its students is high on the school’s priorities. Northlight takes in students who have failed repeatedly in primary school, and hammers in the message that failing at exams does not equal failing in life. In our exam-oriented, gradeobsessed society, this is a powerful message.

The school is also blessed with teachers who see their work as a vocation. Teaching at Northlight is not for the faint of heart.

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appeared to have no future in the Singapore educational system. At Northlight, they uncovered her artistic ability and gave her leadership opportunities. She built up her self-confidence, she learned to cook and to serve in a restaurant, and she now has a career in the food and beverage industry .

After seeing how the school has helped my children, I am convinced that Northlight has much to teach other schools in Singapore.

In most schools, the focus is on imparting knowledge. That’s certainly important, but it’s not enough. Success in life requires self-belief. It requires the ability to bounce back from failure. It requires persistence to overcome obstacles and it means tearing down mental barriers that hold us back. If schools consciously teach our students this, Singapore’s future will be considerably brighter, just like my daughters’ futures.

8/27/09 9:37:34

15

Backstage

THE ORGANISERS OF THIS YEAR’S National Day Parade (NDP) had three goals. The first was to engender reflection about what it meant to be Singaporean.

The second was to engage Singaporeans such that they would “own” their very own independence day. Finally, it was

about getting Singaporeans to be proud of who they were and to celebrate their success and achievements.

As Brigadier-General Tan Chuan-Jin, Chairman of the Executive Committee (EXCO) for NDP ’09 explained: “Even though one may not be able to get hold of tickets to the NDP, Singaporeans could still be part of our National Day celebrations.”

Challenge talks to members of the NDP ’09 EXCO to find out how they put the event together even as they set their sights on achieving these wider objectives.

BrigadierGeneral Tan Chuan-Jin Commander, 3rd Singapore Division, Chairman, EXCO NDP ’09

“Our focus was on the ‘ND’, less on the ‘P’. It was not just about entertaining the audience with a spectacular show and parade, but about engaging as many Singaporeans as possible with their hearts and souls to celebrate our National Day together as one united people.

“At the Float@Marina, we had only 27,000 seats. There may be another 100,000 or so crowded around the area to catch the action. Viewership on TV is about a million plus. What happens to the rest of the Singaporeans and others who live here? Are they engaged? Are they part of the National Day celebrations? It was clear we had to be ambitious and to see how best to reach out to the entire populace.

“As such, rather than just depending on mainstream media, we wanted to leverage on new media as well as existing institutional means of communication to generate a greater degree of engagement. National Day is one of those events that every national institution and agency would celebrate in one form or other. The plan was therefore to coordinate the ideas and encourage everyone to pull in the

same direction, and to ride on some of the ideas and platforms created for National Day 2009.

“Imagine if the Ministry of Education could mobilise all her students to pen down their thoughts and reflections as part of their National Education (NE) or composition effort, and then post every single piece online on the National Day Parade website. This would not only create excitement as students ask their parents and relatives to take a look at their contributions, people would also be encouraged to browse through the reflections of others. Essentially, a simple effort like this can transform people from passive audiences to participants. What if every ministry, statutory board and public agency does the same and mobilises their members to participate?

“In a sense, I saw this as a whole-ofgovernment effort and National Day is one such event that can rally all agencies together. It was not easy but we figured that the only way was to reach out and engage all the relevant stakeholders, and where possible, to find mutually

Reaching out to all Singaporeans to capture the essence of this year’s National Day Parade. By James Gerard Foo

Heart&Soul Getting Singaporeans to be proud of who they are and to celebrate their success and achievements.

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8/27/09 3:15:15 PM

Backstage

16

space for everyone. National Day is too important an event to just focus on the show and parade. We should look into engaging more Singaporeans to participate in celebrating our National Day and inspiring them to scale greater heights.”

Mr Alan Seow See Hock Community Partnership Manager (South West) Land Transport Authority (LTA)

“As the LTA point man on EXCO NDP ’09, I shared information on upcoming events in the Marina Bay vicinity that might have affected traffic conditions. Last year, the NDP was held back-to-back with the F1 race and it was a learning experience for all agencies, including the LTA. “Where necessary, the EXCO was put in touch with the right people in LTA to discuss traffic control plans and how to minimise inconvenience to motorists and businesses affected by road closures. During the meetings, engineering terms also had to be couched in layman’s language so that everyone could understand the situation better.

“Besides preparing comprehensive traffic diversion plans to deal with various scenarios, LTA also tapped on technology to alleviate the traffic situation. For example, we used the Parking Guidance System around the Marina Bay area to let motorists know where there were parking lots available, so that they wouldn’t add to the traffic

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volume by driving all over the place to look for parking space. LTA also worked closely with the Traffic Police to ensure that traffic situations at critical locations were well managed. On the whole, I enjoyed the experience of seeing how everything came together on the big day and my small part in getting things there.”

Ms Alda Lim Siow Yen Head, National Education Branch Ministry of Education

“We worked closely with the Celebrations Committee to get our educators and students involved with National Day. Other than coordinating sharing sessions for school leaders, NE coordinators and student leaders, an Education Resource Package was also put together for schools to engage students in a series of activities. A video production (news.Teach) titled We - the citizens of Singapore was also produced and distributed to schools for their reference. Teachers could tap on the segment on the pledge and encourage students to reflect deeply on what it means to them, in which they

could then post their thoughts online through NDPeeps.

The outreach effort was challenging and required lots of coordination.

Through the process, I learnt a lot about the importance of good communication because things moved quickly and were very fluid, so we had to be very clear about what the latest developments and changes were.

“I also saw what passion and commitment could do. When the NDP EXCO chairman first shared his vision of engaging the populace, my first thought was, ‘Is this possible?’ But when l saw how he went down to the schools to speak to the principals, teachers and even student leaders, tirelessly calling for their support, I was motivated. My best moment came when I saw our colleagues in schools and students participating in the celebrations. I believe that there was a lot of learning taking place while they enjoyed themselves. At the same time, this experience would have instilled in them the pride to be a Singaporean as they reflected upon their role in nation building.”

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Mr Tan Swee Hong Senior Engineer Defence Science & Technology Agency

“I helped to manage the construction of infrastructure works such as the performing stage and equipment towers, and also ensured that they were certified safe by the respective professionals.

“Despite being a trained structural engineer, I still found the job a challenge because multimedia screens, lighting and PIGI projection systems were things I was not familiar with. I

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had to learn how they work before I could assess various ideas on how the stage should look and the features it should have. I also had to ensure that the overall weight distribution of the stage was within the safety limits of the Floating Platform.

“The construction of performing space posed some challenges. As most of it was in the form of raised platforms, we needed to construct sufficient structural ‘footprints’ to ensure stability.

Preliminary structural scheming was carried out to ensure that everything, be it performing grids, towers or scaffolds, fit in.

“During the preparatory stage, I also had discussions with the Ministry of Manpower, Building and Construction Authority, Public Utilities Board, Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Civil Defence Force over regulations pertaining to the construction of the stage.

“It was a lot of hard work but seeing the finale on stage, against the backdrop of fireworks and the cityscape, made all the difference. National Day Parade ’09 was the product of an all-round team effort and I’m glad to have been part of it.”

8/26/09 9:56:00 PM

Backstage Feature

18

Bridging TheAgeGap THE TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING. Actually, they have been changing for some years now, as faxes and snail mail have given way to e-mail, and pencils and rulers have been replaced by computers with spreadsheets.

Besides parents struggling to keep up with their tech-savvy children, technical advances have brought about great changes in the Public Service as well.

“We didn’t have computers (desktops or lap-tops), handphones, iPods or even simple electronic calculators then,” says Mr Phua Jiak Kiang, 62, Executive Assistant with the Social Programmes Directorate, Ministry of Finance (MOF).

In his present role, Mr Phua assists the MOF officers when they evaluate the annual budgets of ministries and statutory boards, as well as ad hoc budgetary proposals. He is also responsible for the input of data into the MOF budget system, and maintaining the system. “Of late,” he adds, “I am also the unofficial mentor to the newer support staff.”

Another public officer who has seen the public sector evolve through the decades is Ms Chin Ee Chan,

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Management Executive with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

Ms Chin plans and manages manpower requirements within the Air Force.

Situated at the RSAF headquarters, her team functions like a consultancy services provider. The 55-year-old has been on the job for 30 years and can trace the evolution of her office from pen and paper, through manual and electric typewriters, to more sophisticated equipment. “Now, the computer has taken over,” she says.

It is not only the office equipment that has changed. “Present-day staff are more vocal and chatty,” observes Mr Phua. “Back then in the old office setting, we hardly had discussions or chats despite our work desks being placed side by side. Save for the cranking of the manual calculating machines, you could hear a pin drop.”

Besides increased noise levels, the self-assurance of the younger generation also shows in area situations. “I am always amazed by the younger officers’ confidence and skills

in their presentations at our workshops and seminars, and how they articulate their thoughts at discussions,” marvels Mr Phua.

“They are very creative,” agrees Ms Chin. “And they have a good knowledge of how to use office applications.”

While the younger officers may have no knowledge of the old days, and some might even be slightly amused at the way their older colleagues prefer writing things out to using the computer, the “generation gap” by and large has not been a barrier to communications in the Public Service.

For one thing, respect is alive and well at the workplace, and younger officers still defer to the experience and wisdom of their more mature colleagues.

“A lot of the knowledge that they have is implicit and not documented anywhere explicitly,” observes Ms Melissa Wong, 28, who works under Ms Chin as a Management Executive with RSAF. Each person has their own portfolio, although they work together on large projects. They discuss the requirements of the job with their “customer” – the agency’s project team

PHOTO: JUSTIN LOH

As more public officers continue to work to an older age and a vocal younger generation enters the workforce, the intergenerational dynamics in the workplace undergo a constant flux. Challenge looks at the changes. By Susan Tsang

8/26/09 9:35:40 PM

“I AM ALWAYS AMAZED BY THE YOUNGER OFFICERS’ CONFIDENCE AND SKILLS IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS AT OUR WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS, AND HOW THEY ARTICULATE THEIR THOUGHTS AT DISCUSSIONS.” MR PHUA JIAK KIANG (LEFT), WITH COLLEAGUE MS AZLINA SAID.

Mr Abdul Rashid bin Jantan

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Mr Zhang Zhongming

8/26/09 9:35:49 PM

Backstage Feature

20

“THEIR COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE IS VERY GOOD – SO MUCH BETTER

PHOTO: D6 STUDIO

THAN MINE. AND THEY ARE

– then come up with a paper that computes manpower requirements and costing. “Their experience and the contacts that they have made throughout their career help to solve problems more quickly.”

Recalling when she first joined RSAF in 2004, Miss Wong says: “When I was not sure of what to do, I would consult my section head, Ms Chin, and she would guide me along and share her knowledge.”

Ms Chin, too, smiles as she recalls how she has taught her juniors the finer points on how to “tackle” a difficult customer, or tips on how to go about things like justifying requirements.

Like Ms Wong, Ms Azlina Said, 26, who joined MOF as an Executive Assistant in mid-2008, was glad to have a mentor in Mr Phua. “He has helped me a lot, especially guiding me on how to reply to ministries’ queries when I’m not very sure of the policy,” she says,

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WILLING TO PASS IT ON.” MS CHIN EE CHAN (RIGHT), WITH MS MELISSA WONG.

crediting Mr Phua with being “full of knowledge about the various budget policies and the budget system”.

“Basically, our job scope is to assist the officers who oversee budget issues for the respective ministries under their charge. We assist in replying to ministries’ queries, consolidating data, and maintaining and updating the budget system on the approved budget voted to the ministries,” she explains. “Before we reply to the ministry, I always seek his comments to ensure that my understanding of the budget policy is clear,” she says.

She points out that the old-timers’ work history is invaluable when it comes to things that are not in the files. “They will remember if something was approved a few years ago,” she says.

“And they know all the tricks.”

“Sometimes, when we try to enter something into the computer, the

system doesn’t accept it. They have to teach us. The budget system is something which I’m not used to, as compared to the Excel spreadsheet which I am very comfortable with. We have to be meticulous when updating the data, as a simple mistake of one extra digit could jeopardise our budget records. With his years of experience, Mr Phua has taught me how to maintain the data, pointing out the mistakes which I should avoid and look out for.”

The older generation, too, is picking up a thing or two from the youngsters.

As Ms Chin observes of the younger generation: “Their computer knowledge is very good – so much better than mine. And they are willing to pass it on.”

Mr Phua, too, has been learning quite a few things from his mentees. “For one thing, outside the work area, I learn from them how to blog and access portals like Facebook,” he says. “My interactions with my younger colleagues have been beneficial in more ways than one.”

8/26/09 9:36:02 PM

A win-win situation Working with someone a generation older than you may take some getting used to, but it could evolve into a win-win situation, as two colleagues in the Ministry of National Development show.

PHOTO: JUSTIN LOH

Mr Zhang Zhongming, Corporate Development Executive, 27, joined the department in August 2008 and works in Emergency Preparedness and Facilities Management. He works closely with his support staff, 55-year-old Abdul Rashid bin Jantan, Senior Corporate Development Officer, on areas like estate management.

“It can be difficult sometimes to relate with certain issues when working or interacting together,” says Mr Zhang candidly about the age gap with his older colleagues. It can also be awkward when

there are differences in job positions, for example, when a younger colleague is more “senior” than the older officer.

However, Mr Zhang has since learnt that one of the key factors in working well across generations is to be humble and to accord older colleagues the respect that they deserve. “I do interact often with much older colleagues such as Mr Rashid,” he says. And after getting to know them, he realises that “they are still young at heart!”

On his part, Mr Rashid’s formula for getting along well with the younger officers is not to buck against progress: “Be prepared to move forward with their generation.”

Like many others of his generation, this “moving forward” has meant getting used to new technology. “Now, everything is done with the computer.

You can communicate without ever talking to someone or facing each other.

But when the technology changes, we follow,” he says.

Drawing on his “low tech” days of face-to-face meetings and phone calls, Mr Rashid also shares his network of contacts with his younger colleagues. “I might be able to tell Mr Zhang who the vendors of furniture are, if he needs to contact them for tenders, so he can ask them for the cost of various work stations, for example.”

Mr Rashid finds that the younger generation “are more energetic, well advanced in their use of the latest technology, and are positive and openminded”. Some of these positive vibes and self-confidence have rubbed off on him through the constant interactions, he says.

For Mr Zhang, working with older colleagues has gone from awkwardness to a win-win situation. “By seeking their advice and words of wisdom on how to do things I’m also able to perform my work better.”

Mr Abdul Rashid bin Jantan (left) and Mr Zhang Zhongming learn to bridge the age gap.

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8/27/09 3:18:12 PM

Feature

22

SeizeThe Challenge!

Public officers put minds and muscles to the task to raise money for this year’s President’s Challenge.

By Ye Dejing

IN TRUE SINGAPOREAN FASHION, ngoh hiang and briyani joined the likes of JJ Lin, Jeremy Monteiro and Ashley Isham in the cast of thousands that was involved in this year’s President’s Challenge.

Now into its 10th year, the President’s Challenge was initiated by President S R Nathan in 2000 as an umbrella event for a diverse variety of programmes aimed at helping the less fortunate and raising funds for the social service sector. Over a decade of fund-raising, the event has successfully raised over $70 million, with every cent going directly to the beneficiaries who now number more than 400.

However, the President’s Challenge is not just about raising money, said Mr Niam Chiang Meng, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Chairman of the President’s Challenge 2009 Steering Committee. “It is about promoting the spirit of volunteerism; to think of others and to take time out to help the less privileged.”

In 2007 and 2008, over 200,000 individuals participated in various President’s Challenge-related events, he noted, expressing the hope that more

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8/26/09 9:28:22 PM

President S R Nathan and Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, helping to stir a pot of briyani rice during this year’s Briyani charity lunch.

individuals would step forward and get involved in President’s Challenge 2009.

This year’s President’s Challenge kicked off with the inaugural President’s Command Performance, which showcased Singapore talents such as JJ Lin, Abigail Sin, Stephanie Sun, Jeremy Monteiro, Professor Edwin Thumboo, Ashley Isham and Russell Wong.

Other events in the 2009 President’s Challenge calendar include: The New Paper’s Be Yourself Day, Singapore GP’s F1 Charity Luncheon, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura’s (MUIS) Briyani Charity Lunch and the Public Service Division’s (PSD) Little Ngor Hiang, a spoof of the highly popular drama serial The Little Nonya.

Food for a cause Tapping on Singaporeans’ love for food, MUIS enlisted the culinary expertise of Hj Alauddin, Chairman of Masjid Khalid in Joo Chiat, for its President’s Challenge 2009 fund-raiser, making it the sixth year in a row that Hj Alauddin is whipping up his trademark briyani to support the event. “He is not in this trade but will cook for charities and friends to help them raise funds as well as for special occasions,” said Mr

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Muhammed Haniff Bin Abdul Razak, Head of MUIS’ Harmony Centre.

One of the challenges that the Harmony Centre faced was to get corporate players to support its fund-raising efforts. But the food approach has proved fruitful. Last year, businessmen like Mr Ng Kim Suan of Mini Environment Services came forward to donate $2,000 for a meal, helping Harmony Centre to raise $60,000 through just one Briyani Charity Lunch event. And that excludes funds raised from the sale of the briyani at $10 a packet. Buoyed by the success, Harmony Lodge is targeting to raise $100,000 from this year’s Briyani Lunch, said Mr Haniff.

The Little Ngor Hiang Cooking up another novel approach to fundraising this year was PSD. “We wanted to try something different for this year’s President’s Challenge, so we came up with the idea of staging a short film plus stage play and selling the tickets to raise funds,” said Mr Clarence Chia, Senior Assistant Director (Innovation & Organisation), PS21 Office, PSD.

The Little Ngor Hiang, cast and produced entirely by PS21 Office officers, was based on the MediaCorp drama serial The Little Nonya. “We thought it would be fun to do a spoof of the drama serial and recast it in the context of the Singapore Public Service,” said Mr Chia.

But coming up with the idea was the easier part. “Convincing people to do it was the hardest. Many officers were naturally concerned with the amount of work involved while some were worried about how bad they would look in front of the camera.”

However, the spirit of charity eventually wore down all resistance and the project finally garnered enough support and consensus. “Of course, assuring people that we will not make anyone look (unnecessarily) foolish helped to allay some fears.”

Technical expertise was another real challenge. “None of the officers had any real experience in putting together a video, let alone a film. Very often, we had to improvise and make do with whatever resources we had and whatever we felt was funny enough,” said Mr Chia.

8/26/09 9:28:34 PM

Feature

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The Little Ngor Hiang eventually played to a sell-out audience at the Treasury Auditorium on May 29, 2009, raising $1,673 for President’s Challenge 2009.

High-impact workouts While MUIS’s Briyani Lunch and PSD’s The Little Ngor Hiang were about delightful ways of piling on the calories – literally or by association – the Vertical Challenge will be about making an impact on President’s Challenge 2009 by working them off.

The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) held its first Vertical Challenge in 2003 with participants racing up the 27-storey Environment Building both for charity and to “encourage a healthy lifestyle and build rapport within the MEWR family”.

Last year, the organisers took the Vertical Challenge one step higher by involving members of President’s Challenge beneficiary organisations such as the Association for Persons with Special Needs’ (APSN) Centre for Adults and the Infant Jesus Homes and Children’s Centres. “In working with them, the organising committee had the opportunity to visit their schools and meet the young people and children, which made the experience special for us,” said Ms Hannah Lee from PUB, who was Chairperson of the 2008 Vertical Challenge.

The 2009 Vertical Challenge, which is being organised by National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Panel of Employee Engagement and Recognition (PEER)

Memories are made of these committee, will be expanding on these efforts with a Green Bazaar. “Apart from our usual focus on charity and caring for the less fortunate, we will also include an aspect on caring for our environment by setting up a Green Bazaar. We would like to invite organisations that focus on recycling, eco-friendly and natural products to set up stalls to raise funds for the event, and to create awareness of eco-friendly tips,” said Ms Sim Li Ling, who co-chairs PEER with Mr Lim Kew Leong.

The competition itself heats up with a new category – the four-person Ladies Relay, which has been introduced in response to the growing number of women joining the competition. This new category joins the current Men’s and Mixed-relay races. With its target to raise $40,000 this year, Vertical Challenge continues to aim high.

Also in line with the active lifestyle theme is a 5km Run Singapore, which will be held on the Formula 1 circuit on Sept 6. This charity run is organised by Singapore Cares (SG Cares), a new initiative from the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) providing flexible volunteer opportunities for community service. Said David Fong, Director of SG Cares: “We want to encourage people to step forward to help one another in these difficult times.

We also want to demonstrate that everybody can do something good. Run Singapore coincides with NVPC’s launch of SG Cares, which will see the SG Cares volunteer portal being commissioned by President S R Nathan.”

Over at the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA), its 50th anniversary celebration combined social gathering with fund-raising at the ministry’s Dinner and Dance held on June 5, 2009. The event was attended by about 200 guests and ticket proceeds and pledges have been donated to President’s Challenge, including about $6,000 raised from the evening alone. “There is no better way to commemorate our 50th Anniversary than to include a fund-raising component to help the less fortunate,” said Mr Chan Yeng Kit, Permanent Secretary of MICA. MICA will be organising other events to raise funds for charity as part of the Ministry’s community outreach efforts.

So far, more than 15 agencies have pledged their support to President’s Challenge 2009. But Mr Niam is aware that the going will be tough. “While Singapore is doing her best to battle this recession, social needs, on the other hand, are increasing,” he noted.

President’s Challenge 2009 has set its sights on raising $8 million again this year.

“Given the economic backdrop this year, it will be more difficult to raise funds from corporations and the community. However, I remain hopeful that Singaporeans will continue to give, even during bad times. I urge our fellow civil servants to play their part, and rise to the challenge posed by the current adverse economic situation facing us,” said Mr Niam.

Contributing to the President’s Challenge in 2008.

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8/27/09 3:27:26 PM

Reaching out to the beneficiary organisations Each year, the President’s Office works closely with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, National Council of Social Service, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises in nominating Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) as beneficiaries of the President’s Challenge Fund.

Among the beneficiaries is the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN), a voluntary welfare organisation catering to persons with mild intellectual disability. “The President’s Challenge has been a great help to us, its funding has contributed to a better learning environment for our students and clients, such as the refurbishment effort for the Centre for Adults, and to start up new programmes in Katong School (Literacy Club) and Tanglin School (The ICT (InfoCommunication Technology) Journey),” said Dr Chey Chor Khoon, Executive Director of APSN. For example, a grant from President’s Challenge 2006 benefited 420 students through a project called The Art of Digital Literacy Through E-Books. It involves 45 teaching staff and uses electronic gadgets such as cameras and computers to teach students geometric concepts and to empower them to express themselves through digital imaging

The Befrienders’ Outreach programme.

projects such as the creation of personal e-portfolios.

A second grant from President’s Challenge 2007 was used to fund a programme called E-Learning, EAssessment & E-Portfolio at Tanglin School. “This programme adds value to the teaching and learning process of the students because the teaching staff are able to promptly identify the strengths and weaknesses of students by assessing the students’ abilities and then offer them suitable materials,” said Dr Chey.

Another beneficiary of the President’s Challenge is the Befriending Programme run by the Lions Befrienders Service Association (Singapore), a voluntary volunteer welfare organisation set up in 1995 by the Lions Clubs in Singapore.

Mr Alwyn Chia, Communications and Partnerships Department Manager, said the funds constitute part of the government’s funding for this islandwide programme in which Befrienders – the volunteers – conduct regular home visits to lonely senior citizens.

The President’s Challenge also contributed to the Lions Befrienders’ Outreach Programme in February 2008.

The money helped fund activities and programmes for senior citizens at the Neighbourhood Links located at Ang Mo Kio, Bendemeer and Mei Ling. ”Most activities and courses are provided for our seniors free-of-charge or at a heavily subsidised rate to encourage seniors to participate,” said Mr Chia.

The line-up of activities for 2009 included the President’s Command Performance (bottom left) and The New Paper’s Be Yourself Day at Zhangde Primary School.

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Feature

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ServingUp LittleNgorHiang Plotting a fund-raiser for Presidents’ Challenge.

By Clarence Chia

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8/26/09 9:18:15 PM

PHOTO: JUSTIN LOH

EVERY YEAR, JUST AS thousands of Singaporean males receive their notice for In-Camp Training from the SAF, thousands of civil servants will also receive a challenge from the President of Singapore.

But unlike SAF’s challenge, which is to survive a few days without showers and home-cooked food, the President’s Challenge is to raise funds to help the less fortunate in Singapore.

This would have been easier if you ignore the fact that 1) There is a global economic crisis going on, and 2) There is a global H1N1 epidemic going on.

But against all odds, we would still have to do it. After all, times like these are when the less fortunate need the most help. And after all, you do not just simply say “no” to the President.

So, like everyone else in the country, many public officers set about in their own quiet ways to raise money. And like everyone else, we were hard-pressed to come up with creative ideas to pry that extra dollar off our fellow officers’ hands. After sessions of intense brainstorming, the greatest idea we usually came up with was – “let’s have a break”.

We did, eventually, come up with the idea of staging a production. We were not quite sure what to call it since it was neither a play nor a film but rather a combination of both. The idea was to do a spoof of a popular drama or movie that could be cast in the setting of the Public Service. We thought it might work since we heard that Jack Neo’s Just Follow Law – a spoof about the idiosyncrasies of Public Service – did quite well in ticket sales.

Choosing what to spoof was not too difficult either. With Little Nyonya being such a hit on Channel 8, and everyone jumping in on the Peranakan craze, we knew we were onto something. But we had to have our little twist – we called our production Little Ngor Hiang.

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In order for people to relate to the Mediacorp production, we tried to follow the plot as closely as possible. Young man joins the Ministry of Food (long commercial break); young man gets bullied by adversaries (long commercial break); young man finds love interest (long commercial break); and by some divine luck, (long commercial break) young man gets the help he needs to overcome the challenges confronting him.

Young man and love interest do not get together. Audiences/viewers inundate our phone lines and we address their complaints by adding a five-minute cliffhanger to the production. That was how closely we wanted to follow the plot.

Then came our first obstacle. None of us had any prior experience in producing something remotely similar to this. I mean we all have experience in being bullied but not in acting (except maybe for officers who have been in the service for more than five years), directing (re-directing maybe), producing, shooting (not the army kind) or even editing an hour-long production! In

Our second challenge was finding time to do the shooting and editing. People were simply too busy with work, projects and regular meetings. It was impossible to find a common time slot for everyone. In the end, most of the shots were done after office hours and on weekends. People were squeezing time in between project deadlines and meetings to come together for discussions and productions.

Finally, marketing and the selling of tickets was another big worry. How do we stand out among the many other interesting fund-raising activities that were going on at the same time? The marketing team did all they could to advertise our production and get people to part with $10 for the tickets.

Everyone also chipped in to try to sell tickets to their friends/relatives/colleagues/ passers-by, etc.

“WITH LITTLE NONYA BEING SUCH A HIT ON CHANNEL 8, AND EVERYONE JUMPING IN ON THE PERANAKAN CRAZE, WE KNEW WE WERE ONTO SOMETHING. BUT WE HAD TO HAVE OUR LITTLE TWIST – WE CALLED OUR PRODUCTION LITTLE NGOR HIANG.”

terms of equipment, we had only two basic digital video cameras (those you would bring with you on your holidays), a shaky camera stand, a trolley (which came in useful for all sorts of special effects), and lots of enthusiasm.

Initially, we were not quite sure where to start or what to shoot. We were doing a lot of trial shots – which was basically an excuse to make goofy faces in front of the camera. Later we realised that some of these footages might turn out to be useful after all. So we started shooting whatever ideas we had regardless of whether they were relevant or useful.

After we had enough material, we sat down and tried to piece everything together. Fortunately, along the way, a central theme that made reasonable sense emerged and we started to refine and tighten the scenes.

In the end, the performance went well.

We played to a sell-out crowd (of 160). As we listened to the laughter from the audience, we were quietly thankful that we managed to pull it off despite the obstacles.

To me, the most valuable take-away from doing the project was the chemistry we gained in working together as a department to make the project a success. That we managed to help the less fortunate at the same time made our efforts all the more worth it, and our success even sweeter.

Clarence Chia is co-producer, co-scriptwriter, actor and cheerleader for Little Ngor Hiang. He has a day job as Senior Assistant Director (Innovation & Organisation), PS21 Office, PSD.

8/26/09 9:18:35 PM

Face2Face

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PHOTO: TAN WEI TE

The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon, President Emeritus, Canada School of Public Service, and Senior Visiting Fellow, Civil Service College, talks about her public service experiences in Canada and the inroads that are being made in the practice of public administration.

By Charles David

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Mission Possible 8/26/09 8:56:49 PM

When did you join the public sector?

What are your thoughts on life as a public officer in Canada?

I joined the Public Service in 1974 as a student and discovered very quickly that public service and public sector missions had a lot of appeal for me, and so I stayed on. By accident, I discovered what would be the passion of my life.

The public sector is not for everyone. You must believe in the importance of the State.

You must be passionate about what the Government can accomplish. Good policies can change the course of events and improve the standard of living and quality of life of citizens.

It is a career like no other. When you get up in the morning, you know that you can make a difference. It is a great school. It gives you the opportunity to learn – about your country, the world and your humanity.

I’ve worked in fisheries, transport, constitutional negotiations, energy mines and resources, before becoming the Secretary to the Cabinet. Very few careers offer so much diversity.

What type of culture does the Service embody and how are its values shaped and promoted?

We have been working on and debating values for as long as I can remember. In the mid-1990s, I set a taskforce to examine how the values we inherited from earlier times could best coexist with new and emerging values. Since then, we have had discussions in departments, round table discussions, and have analysed and published case studies. It is an ongoing process of discussion.

We are public servants first. This means a commitment to serving the public good, the collective interest and respect for the law, due process and public sector values.

We are public administrators and therefore Servants of the Crown. This entails a responsibility for courageous policy advice and loyalty to the Government. Public administrators have a responsibility to leaving to the next generation better institutions than the ones they have inherited.

We are public sector managers committed to quality, efficiency and effectiveness. We are responsible for encouraging innovation and responsible risk-taking to achieve better public results.

If we have mastered these skills and competencies, we may then aspire to be

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“THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. YOU MUST BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATE. YOU MUST BE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN ACCOMPLISH. GOOD POLICIES CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF EVENTS AND IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF LIVING AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF CITIZENS.” public sector leaders. The key is to know when to lead and when to rely on the strengths of others.

How active is the citizenry in Canada when it comes to public sector engagement?

Canadian citizens are very active in their community. There are historical reasons for this. Imagine a small population coming from all over the world, dispersed over a huge continent. Out of necessity, people depend on the strong bonds with their community to survive, prosper, raise their family and pursue a peaceful life.

Mutual help, mutual assistance and community-based activities are part of the Canadian culture. Public servants bring these values to their work in public service. Voluntary activities are essential to the way we run hospitals and schools as well as the way we take action at the community level. It is part of the way we achieve public results.

What are some of the learning points you can share with regard to citizen engagement and public administration?

Canadians are pragmatic. We don’t go from doctrine to implementation; we go from practice in a principled way to the ongoing modernisation of principles.

Firstly, successful citizen engagement requires clarity of purpose. Why is the Government asking citizens to take the time to engage on an issue? Is it really engagement that is being sought or is it rather, information, consultation or participation?

Are citizens invited to frame the issue?

Will they influence the decision? Will they have a role in the implementation? The first step is clarity of purpose and the nature of the engagement.

Secondly, we should not assume that people want to be engaged or involved in everything; different issues are of different

importance to different people. The issue is to build ramps that make it possible for people to engage in issues that matter most to them, rather than limiting the possibility for engagement to the matters of interest to the Government.

What is the one thing the Singapore Public Service can learn from the Canadian Public Service and vice versa?

The Canadian Public Service has much to learn from Singapore. Maybe it’s out of necessity, but Singapore possesses an understanding of the international scene that exceeds the one we have – you have a better understanding of the risks and the opportunities of the global world we live in.

International literacy is essential for public sector leaders. Your Public Service demonstrates a drive to learn, to try new things – which is exemplary. It is in part responsible for Singapore’s success.

The Canadian Public Service has a strong sense of community – it is an asset. It helps to work across boundaries and to support government-wide priorities. This sense of belonging to a community exists among permanent secretaries as well as in professional communities and in communities of practices. Significant public results require that we work across boundaries; strong communities reduce the costs of cooperation.

Both countries understand the need to continue to modernise their public organisations. We can explore how to improve the anticipatory capacity of the Government, how to build the innovative and adaptive capacity of society and how to build the resilience of our communities.

Governments are called upon to serve beyond the predictable – to face complex issues in an increasingly uncertain environment. It would be an enriching experience for both countries to explore some of these questions together.

Have an opinion or wish to comment on this article?

E-mail us at PSD_Challenge@psd.gov.sg

8/26/09 8:57:04 PM

Style

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Alternative Image What if you were to ditch your current wardrobe and go for a change in style?

Three public ofďŹ cers gamely take up the offer of a makeover.

Interviews by Susan Tsang

MS PATRICIA WONG Personal Assistant Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts FORMAL: Slim-cut Just Cavalli business suit with black trim and frilly sleeveless shirt from 6ďŹ ve barcode.

Heels from Nine West.

CASUAL: Checked long top, darkwashed denim jeans and belt from Promod.

Necklace from Aldo.

Buckled sandals from Nine West.

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“I LIKE THE FORMAL OUTFIT. THE DESIGN IS VERY NICE, WITH BLACK CURVY TRIMMINGS THAT ARE FLATTERING TO THE BODY. I LIKE THE CASUAL OUTFIT TOO. IT IS SOMETHING I WOULD WEAR BECAUSE IT’S EASY TO PUT ON AND HAS A VERY PLEASANT COLOUR COMBINATION – PINK AND GREY. IT IS ALSO COMFORTABLE. THIS WAS THE FIRST

PHOTO: JUSTIN LOH STYLING: ARTHUR .T (9688 0642) HAIR AND MAKEUP - ELIZABETH CHIU (9220-6966)

MAKEOVER I’VE HAD SINCE MY WEDDING DAY.”

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MAIN LOOK White long-sleeved shirt (Raoul), chequered jacket (Ben Sherman), black tie (Raoul), black pants (Banana Republic), shoes (Raoul).

FAR LEFT Navy blue printed long-sleeved shirt (Ben Sherman), black pants (Banana Republic), black blazer (Celio).

LEFT Navy blue printed long-sleeved shirt (Ben Sherman), black pants (Banana Republic), tie (Raoul).

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Style

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“I AM USUALLY IN UNIFORM IN MY WORK. I OCCASIONALLY DRESS FORMALLY, SUCH AS WHEN I’M HELPING TO HOST FOREIGN VISITS, THOUGH THIS FERRE MILANO OUTFIT WOULD TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO AS I FIND IT QUITE FORMAL. AS FOR THE CASUAL OUTFIT, WHAT THEY GAVE ME WAS MORE TO MY TEENAGE SON’S TASTES. I SUPPOSE THEY WANTED ME TO FEEL AND LOOK YOUNG.”

MR JAMES TYE Deputy Superintendent Queenstown Remand Prison, Ministry of Home Affairs FORMAL: Ferre Milano business suit and embossed longsleeved shirt from 6five barcode. Shoes from Pedro.

CASUAL: Printed T-shirt, zip-up jacket and light-washed denim jeans from Springfield. Loafers from Pedro.

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“I THINK THE FIRST OUTFIT ACTUALLY MADE ME LOOK MORE MATURE BECAUSE IT WAS A BIT ROOMY AND BROWN IS NOT REALLY MY COLOUR. I ACTUALLY PREFER THE SECOND OUTFIT. YOU MIGHT SAY IT IS AN ATTIRE FOR A TEENAGER, BUT I FELT MORE COMFORTABLE IN IT.”

MS SATHASIVAM JEYAMANY Personal Assistant Ministry of Transport FORMAL: Business suit and sleeveless gold-printed polo top from Liz Claiborne. Heels from Nine West.

CASUAL: Short-sleeved cotton top from Springfield. Shawllike cardigan and short denim skirt from Promod. Coloured necklace from Aldo.

Sandals from Nine West.

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8/28/09 9:50:00

Finance

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WHAT IS IT that will make our life comfortable during the golden years? Besides the obvious answer – good health – what we really need is to be financially independent.

To do that, however, we need to have a game plan – one that is not only realistic but also needs a bit of discipline to implement. Here are a few steps you can take to realise your retirement dreams.

1. Define retirement goals To realise your dreams, you have to first define your goals, like whether you would still be doing some work on a part-time or consultant basis, doing voluntary work, travelling around the world or taking care of your grandchildren.

It is only after you have a rough idea of what you want to do, that you can figure out how much money you will need to achieve the lifestyle you desire.

This can be easily done with the help of a financial advisor who will assist you with the aid of computer software to map out a detailed financial roadmap – one that

Retirement P How to live comfortably in our golden years.

By AJ Leow

will take into account your estimated expenses, savings, risk tolerance for investments and the effects of inflation in order to build up your nest egg.

2. Start planning early The sooner you start making plans, the better. This will give you more time to let your money grow by letting the magic of compound interest take its course.

The advantage of starting early is that you will need a smaller monthly or annual outlay to achieve the monetary goals that you have set out to achieve. For example, if you put aside $100 every month. Based on a 10 per cent interest per annum, you would be able to see a nest egg of $226,000 by the time you are 55. But if you start saving only at 35, you will need to save $300 a month – or three times as much – to achieve the same figure.

3. Create a savings plan and stick to it If you are one of those who is tempted to say: “I can’t afford to save because

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of all those household and family expenses, not to mention the money set aside for an annual holiday”, well, try this – pay yourself first, every month, before you settle all other bills.

In other words, put aside a fixed amount of money every month, just for yourself. Bank it in first and do not touch it ever! Unless, you are withdrawing it to put the money into a long-term investment for retirement.

If you still think you do not have that discipline – use an automatic savings plan so that a fixed amount is put into your account by Giro. You can also put a fixed sum into a unit trust investment on such an automatic savings scheme.

4. Educate yourself on investments Do not just rely on a simple bank savings or fixed deposit accounts to grow your nest eggs for retirement. This is because your “gains” can be easily eroded by inflation over time. You will need to

through a bad patch. This is because when it comes to investing for retirement, it has to be viewed with a long-term perspective.

6. Diversify your portfolio One of the key tenets of investing is that you spread your risks among different asset classes. This is so that your investments will not suffer because of a particular sector taking a hit or declining because of a cyclical downturn.

If you are not sure of which unit trust to invest, one way of natural diversification is to invest in an index fund, which often mirrors a wide cross-section of a market.

7. Use time, not market timing Use a buy and hold strategy when you are investing for the long term for your retirement. Do not try to beat the market by getting in and out of the market too frequently. Many studies have shown that this is often an exercise in futility.

While, it may be difficult for one

t Planning rely on other investments as time goes forward. Studies have also shown that you can get better returns on the stock markets if you invest for the long haul.

5. Find out your risk tolerance It is important to know how much risk you can tolerate as it will help you decide which investments you want to place your extra funds in – be it cash or CPF surpluses.

Risk tolerance may vary with the age group you are in. For example, if you are just starting out or are in your late 20s or 30s, you may be more amenable to putting your money into more aggressive equity funds. But if you are close to retirement, you may want to shift some of your assets into more conservative investment vehicles such as balance or bond funds.

Knowing your risk levels can also help you weather volatility in the stock markets, and rest easy even if the markets are going

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to stay calm when the stock market dips and eats into your investments, selling your stock funds out of despair and buying into the safety of money market funds could also be detrimental to returns over the long haul.

8. Adopt a long-term perspective As a retirement plan is a long-term strategy, do not expect to see results immediately. Historically, despite the fluctuations of the markets, stock market investments (which include funds that invest in stocks) tend to provide returns of 10 per cent to 15 per cent over the long run.

9. Consider insurance Do not overlook the importance of insurance plans as a means of accumulating funds for your retirement.

There are many types of plans available in the market, including those in which you can use your CPF funds. Annuities too are another way to invest for retirement

as they pay you a fixed monthly income as long as you live after you retire.

It would also be prudent to purchase some health insurance schemes such as critical illnesses and hospitalisation plans, in case you succumb to some form of illnesses that may affect your regular income or worse, incur huge hospitalisation bills. That way, you will at least alleviate the need to sell your investments at inopportune times just to settle those bills.

10. Stick to your plan Bear in mind that your retirement plan is a long-term goal. So once you have built up your investment portfolio according to an asset allocation plan devised with the help of your financial planner or investment advisor, do not let your long-term plans be distracted by short-term returns.

11. Avoid borrowing from your accounts From time to time, you may be tempted to dip into your nest eggs to fork out the down payment for the new car or house you have always dreamed of.

The general advice is that you should not siphon off the funds you have been putting aside for your retirement.

Always invest with the “extra” money that you have, and not on borrowed funds.

This is because with borrowed money, you will lose your long-term perspectives.

12. Monitor and review your investment plan regularly With easy access to the Internet as well as other technology, it is easy and tempting to fall into the trap of checking your investments on a day-to-day or even an hour-to-hour basis. But just remember that unit trusts, unlike stocks, do not experience as much changes in their daily prices. So do not get too obsessive over the tracking of your investments, especially if they are long-term ones.

However, you should review your portfolio from time to time – once every six months or annually – either to finetune your portfolio because of changes in market environments; or because of a job switch and a change in your income level, thereby changing your risk tolerance.

The writer was formerly an editor of a financial planning portal.

8/27/09 3:31:49 PM

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Big D’s Grill

Our Picks

Fifty-four-year-old Damian D’Silva opened his first restaurant, Soul Kitchen, specialising in Western and Peranakan fare, at Purvis Street seven years ago, Though well received, high maintenance costs saw his restaurant fold in 2005.

This setback did not deter him and he made his comeback in 2008 with Big D’s Grill, located in a coffeeshop at Blk 18, Bedok South Road. Then, in February this year, responding to the call of loyal clients from his Soul Kitchen days, Big D’s Grill relocated to Holland Drive, an area where many of them stay. It is now located at Chang’s Swallow Eating House at Blk 46.

1. Australian Pasture Fed Rib Eye Steak, $24 (200g) The steak is not marinated and is grilled to a consistency that allows you to taste the natural flavour of the cut. You have a choice of mushroom sauce or anchovy butter to go with the steak, which is also accompanied by huge wedges of steak fries and home-made barbecued beans.

2. Anchovy Pasta, $17.90 This addictive offering is made of firm pasta strips infused with Spanish anchovies – which are fatter and richer in taste – and a smattering of garlic, chilli and parsley.

3. Crabmeat Linguine, $10.90 Doused with a generous dose of home-made tomato sauce – made from freshly ground tomatoes – and complemented by chewy crabmeat and springy pasta, this dish is as appealing as its anchovy counterpart.

WHERE: Blk 46, Holland Drive OPERATING HOURS: 12pm – 2.30pm (Lunch); 6pm – 9.30pm (Dinner).

Closed on Tuesdays.

HauteCuisineIn TheHeartlands Years in the restaurant business have equipped them with the know-how to replicate classy servings in a modest residential setting. Challenge talks to these heartland chef-owners and checks out their fare.

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PHOTO: WONG WEILIANG

Food

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“I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED COOKING. AT A YOUNG AGE, I LEARNT HOW TO PREPARE SIMPLE DISHES WITH TIPS FROM MY MOTHER

PHOTO: WONG WEILIANG

AND GRANDMA.”

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8/27/09 3:47:47 PM

Food

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Chocolat ‘N’ Spice She used to oversee production of the desserts and cake orders at the now defunct Lighthouse fine dining restaurant operated by Les Amis. After working for a year at the restaurant, Mary Chan decided to strike it out on her own in 2002. Together with her two younger sisters (Pei Yeng, below, is the youngest), they opened their first pastry store – specialising in muffins and cakes – in Shunfu Mart at Block 320 along Shunfu Road.

Mary’s winning formula lies in being unconventional. She offers cheesecakes and mousse cakes, which are uncommon in heartland stores. Her muffins– the signature pastry and best-seller – are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and are available in different flavours.

So successful was Chocolat ‘N’ Spice in drawing the crowds that Mary opened another outlet in 2004 to meet the growing demand. It was a masterstroke. The second store is located at Tanjong Pagar Plaza on the fringe of the central business district.

Not only is the rental cheap, but it is also able to tap into the office crowd.

Our Picks 1. Coffee Walnut muffi n, $1.30 Drizzled with coffee and embellished with chips of walnut, it is crispy and rich, but not too strong for the taste buds.

2. Red Berry muffi n, $1.30 It has a fi lling made from an assortment of fresh berries like cranberry, strawberry, cherry and blackberry. If you are looking for a tangy kick to go with fl uffy textures, this muffi n is for you.

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3. Chocolate Rum, 3pcs for $2.50 These muffi ns have a rich chocolate base infused with a modicum of rum, giving them a strong yet pleasing taste. This ingenious concoction is the embodiment of why Chocolat ‘N’ Spice is such a hit for heartlanders and beyond.

WHERE: #02-12 Shunfu Mart, Blk 320 Shunfu Road; #01-18 Tanjong Pagar Plaza OPERATING HOURS: 8.30am – 2.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday (Shunfu); 8.30am – 5pm, Tuesday to Friday and 8.30am – 3pm, Saturday (Tanjong Pagar)

8/26/09 7:49:16 PM

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Food

Modern Italian Cafe They started out as cooks, then as chefs at restaurants in upscale places like the Raffles Town Club, Raffles Hotel, Shangri La and the now-closed Centro 360. It was at these places that Melvin Chiam and Max Liew first met in the late 1990s. When they parted ways, they still kept in touch periodically until 2007 when they reunited to invest in their own business – a humble stall at the Old Airport Road Food Centre.

Drawing upon their experience in Southern European cuisine, they decided to go Italian and called their operation “Modern Italian Food”. Business was brisk and when their lease expired in the middle of this year, the profits earned enabled them to upgrade to

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bigger premises in a shophouse at 184 Joo Chiat Road, which they have rebranded “Modern Italian Cafe”.

The popular thin-crust Hawaiian and Calzone pizzas from the Old Airport Days have made their way to the new cafe.

The menu has also been expanded. What makes their pizzas such hot sellers is that they are made from scratch. Every serving is extremely crunchy and the warm pizza cheese literally melts in your mouth.

Our Picks 1. Hawaiian Pizza, $10 (10-inch) This signature dish is made to order, from the dough to the sauces. When served piping hot, it is a treat to the senses. The thin crust means you can have more without feeling stuffed.

2. Beef Lasagne, $9.50 A bewitching blend of Mozzarella cheese, ground beef and herbs and garnished with lettuce and tomatoes, it is as healthy as it is lip-smacking.

3. 184 Modern Italian, $13.80 This new item combines three separate desserts – Tiramisu, Lava Cake with Vanilla ice cream and Creame Pruee with Lavender – into one tantalising serving. Not to be missed!

WHERE: 184 Joo Chiat Road OPERATING HOURS: 12pm – 10.30pm (closed on Thursdays)

8/27/09 3:47:59 PM

ChallengeSurvey2009 Take part in our Challenge Readership Survey now and stand to win attractive prizes worth up to $100 in a lucky draw!

1. How many issues of Challenge do you typically read in a year? ® All 6 issues ® 3-5 issues ® 1-2 issue(s) ® none

6. ON A SCALE OF 1 – 4, HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR INTEREST IN THE FOLLOWING CHALLENGE SECTIONS? (CIRCLE THE RATING THAT BEST APPLIES) 1: Never read it 2: Hardly read it 3: Will usually read it when there’s time 4: Always looking forward to it

2. How do you normally obtain your copy of Challenge? ® Picking it up from the office or reception counter, or Challenge booth ® It’s distributed to me personally ® It’s circulated within my department or unit ® Sent to me personally via snail-mail ® Online ® Others _____________________(pls specify) 3. How much of Challenge do you usually read on average? ® Almost all of it ® Most of it ® About half of it ® Very little 4. What do you normally do with your copy of Challenge after you have finished reading it? ® Keep it for future reference ® Only keep some selected articles ® Pass it on to a friend/colleague/family member ® Dispose of it ® Recycle it ® Others _____________________(pls specify)

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LIFESTYLE: Food

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LIFESTYLE: Finance

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1: Strongly Disagree 2: Disagree 3: Agree 4: Strongly Agree INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE

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LIFESTYLE: Fashion

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FRESH AND ENTERTAINING

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LIFESTYLE: Health

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THOUGHT-PROVOKING

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TRIVIA

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EASY TO READ

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FILLED WITH ATTRACTIVE GRAPHICS AND PICTURES

7. Do you prefer reading the print edition or the online version of Challenge? ® Print ® Online

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USEFUL AND RELEVANT TO MY WORK

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CONCISE AND TO THE POINT

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ABLE TO PROVIDE A BALANCED VIEW OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE 1

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TOO SERIOUS

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DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND

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20 winners stand to win $20 shopping vouchers each

TOO LENGTHY

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YOU MAY SEND IN YOUR ENTRY BY THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

SHOULD BE MORE OBJECTIVE/ LESS BIASED

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POST: CHALLENGE MAGAZINE READERSHIP SURVEY 100 High Street #02-03 The Treasury Singapore 179434

A PUBLICATION THAT ELICITS PRIDE IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

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Duplicate entries will be disqualified. Closing Date: Oct 30, 2009

8. Do you have any other comments or suggestions to improve Challenge?

TOP PRIZE

1 lucky winner stands to win a Takashimaya voucher worth $100

CONSOLATION PRIZES

FAX: 6333 4010 or

NAME:

OFFICIAL E-MAIL:

MINISTRY / ORGAN OF STATE / STAT BOARD: AGE:

® 29 AND BELOW

GENDER:

® MALE

® 30 – 39

® FEMALE

® 40 – 49

® 50 AND ABOVE

DIVISIONAL STATUS:

®1

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JOB LEVEL: Which of the following best describes your position in your organisation: ® ® ® ® ®

Senior Management – (Example: Permanent Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Director, CEO or its equivalent) Middle Management – (Deputy Director, Snr Asst Director, Asst Director or its equivalent) Managers and Executives – (MXOs or its equivalent) Support Officers – (MSO/TSO/CSO/OSO or its equivalent) Others (pls specify)

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25 The Short Takes Last Page

SpeakGoodEnglish Send in your answers today!

Online: www.challenge.gov.sg E-mail: psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg Fax: 6333-4010 Post: PS21 Office, The Treasury, 100 High Street, #02-03, Singapore 179434 Include your name, e-mail, agency and telephone number. All winners will be informed via e-mail.

Deadline for submission: Oct 17, 2009 COMPILED BY THE SECRETARIAT, SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH MOVEMENT

1. In which year was the Speak Good English Movement launched?

A. B. C. D.

2000 1995 1990 1980

2. Singapore’s biggest collection of public signs in broken English can be found at: A. B. C. D.

www.goodenglish.org.sg www.brokenenglish.gov.sg http://english.stomp.com.sg www.gebiz.gov.sg

3. What can we do to start improving our own standard of spoken English?

A. Audit the things we say daily, identifying and correcting the non-standard English phrases we usually use.

B. Attend courses and workshops on the usage of standard English.

C. Encourage friends / colleagues to correct your mistakes.

D. All of the above.

IBC Trivia copy.indd 25

4. Which of the following is a great resource to find out the meanings and pronunciations of words?

A. B. C. D.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org http://en.wiktionary.org www.merriam-webster.com All of the above.

5. Besides the latest updates on the events and activities organised in conjunction with the Speak Good English Movement, what else can you expect to find on the website: www. goodenglish.org.sg?

A. Articles on financial planning B. Online quizzes, audio lessons, and practical tips on how to speak grammatically correct English C. Healthcare tips and recipes D. All of the above

ll the Get sawers d an ect an cortrand toie s ov ! winum hers vo c

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96%

CREATIVITY

PS21 ExCEL Convention 2009

2-5 November 2009 • HDB Hub, Basement 1

123% IDEAS

99%

INNOVATION

91%

OPPORTUNITY

98% PASSION

97% INITIATIVE

93%

EMPOWERMENT

code Name

Agent of Change mission

To inspire a mindset of innovation and change among the masses by eliminating apathy, cynicism and mediocrity Special moveS

Be the Agent

Creativity energy blast Empowerment force field Lightning-quick idea generation Telescopic beam of foresight

of CHANGE