Challenge January – February 2010

PEOPLE • PE RSPEC TIVES • POSSI B I LITIES

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

MARCH-APRIL 2010

THE THIRD AGE FOCUSING ON THE SILVER GENERATION

LETTERS TO A YOUNG PUBLIC OFFICER VETERANS SHARE PERSONAL INSIGHTS INTO LIFE IN PUBLIC SERVICE

THE FOOD HERITAGE TRAIL IN SEARCH OF CULINARY GEMS STEEPED IN HISTORY

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Contents

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Foreword AH MA

This issue of Challenge is dedicated to our senior citizens, and all of us who are doing our part to bring them joy and dignity in their final age.

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Short Takes

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Cover Story

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The public sector is putting in place enabling mechanisms to help Singapore’s greying population achieve self-actualisation in their Third Age.

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Training ENGAGING HEARTS AND MINDS

When the Public Service can better engage the hearts and minds of our officers, the outcome would be exceptional performance and results.

Face2Face THE CPF DNA

Mr Liew Heng San, CEO of the Central Provident Fund Board, talks about the agency’s service culture.

Public Service news and happenings at a glance.

THE THIRD AGE

CHOOSING YOUR THIRD LIFE

It’s the best of times to be part of the Generation S (for Silver) in Singapore.

I Say

Officers share mementos and artifacts from the Public Service of yesteryear.

Opinion

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Finance A SILVER SAFETY NET

Choosing the CPF LIFE plan that fits your needs.

Feature DISPELLING THE MYTHS OF OD

What exactly is this thing called Organisation Development?

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Backstage SCALING NEW HEIGHTS

Singapore Airshow 2010 soars on the wings of private-public sector collaboration.

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Letters to a Young Public Officer ENLARGING OUR SPACE

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Food ON THE FOOD HERITAGE TRAIL

Culinary gems rich in history can be found in places where you least expect.

THE LAST PAGE

Mr Lim Hup Seng kicks off this new series in which public sector leaders and veterans share insights into life in Public Service.

Trivia Quiz THIRD AGE TEST

Exploring a grey area.

COVER GETTY IMAGES

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Foreword

AhMa I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DISCOVER, JUST AS I HAVE, THAT HOW WELL THE ELDERLY WILL LIVE AND DIE, WILL REALLY DEPEND ON US. FOR ME, THIS ISSUE OF CHALLENGE IS DEDICATED TO MY AH MA, OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, AND ALL OF US WHO ARE DOING OUR PART TO BRING THEM JOY AND DIGNITY IN THEIR FINAL AGE AND NOT RUB OUR YOUTH IN THEIR WEATHERED FACES.

I VISITED MY AH MA (Hokkien for grandma) tonight. She’s 83, has a head full of snowy white hair, and spectacles held together with scotch tape. She has a hale and hearty voice, but is almost deaf in both ears. She has lost her sight to cataract – one eye completely, and the other eye has a little blurry vision left.

Last July, Ah Ma went for brain surgery to remove a tumour that had been pressing against her brain, thereby causing imbalance, giddy spells and falls. Because of the long recuperation period during which she was bed-ridden, Ah Ma lost her ability to walk properly. Before the operation, she used to walk to the market every day and cook meals for her children’s families.

I could not write this Foreword without first talking to Ah Ma. How much do I know about the elderly? Not much, even though I am faced with constant reminders about how our population is ageing; and in the future, we are going to have a lot more elderly folk in our midst. In our milestone training programmes, we are educated on the impending impact of our ageing population and what our agencies are doing about it.

I thought to ask Ah Ma a question which I have never asked before: What are the three most important

Tay Li Shing PHOTO: WINSTON CHUANG

EDITOR

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things to you as an elderly person? Her answers came quite quickly. One – to die easily. Two – that everything goes smoothly for her children and grandchildren. Three – that her children and grandchildren will always have money to earn, food to eat, clothes to wear, and good spouses. As she spoke, she held my hand lightly (something she is doing more of these days – grandparents are usually not inclined towards physical displays of affection) and watched TV at the same time.

I mused. Simple needs. What can we as the Government do to meet them? I’m thinking fleetingly: MOH, MOM, SDN??

But wait. Something more fundamental occurred to me. Doesn’t the “family” meet these needs better? While I cannot determine how she will leave this earth, I can do my part to live strongly and responsibly and bring joy to her in her silver years. Maybe if I visited her more often or simply chatted more with her, that alone would bring her joy. She herself remarked how happy she was to receive a visit from me out of the blue on a weekday night. My visit was enough for her to jump out of her wheelchair and onto her sofa.

I hope you will enjoy this issue of Challenge. We have put together a picture of what various agencies are doing in support of the elderly. Lulin Reutens, our opinion writer, gives us her view on what would make a successful third age. In our lifestyle section, we have unearthed food stalls that have stood the test of time.

But most of all, I hope that you will discover, just as I have, that how well the elderly will live and die, will really depend on us. For me, this issue of Challenge is dedicated to my Ah Ma, our senior citizens, and all of us who are doing our part to bring them joy and dignity in their final age and not rub our youth in their weathered faces.

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PEOPLE • PERSPECTIVES • POSSIBILITIES ⁄ WWW.CHALLENGE.GOV.SG ⁄ MARCH-APRIL 2010

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

Tay Li Shing ASSISTANT EDITORS

Edmund Soo and Shaun Khiu

BlastFromThePast!

OFFICERS SHARE MEMENTOS AND ARTIFACTS

EDITORIAL ADVISOR

Agnes Kwek EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Ellice Wong and Amy Sum

FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF YESTERYEAR.

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

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

CurtaCalculator The Curta Calculator was what staff in the 1950s and 1960s used while in the office or out in the field carrying out surveys. The electronic calculator had not yet been invented. It was only after 1973 that they started using the modern calculator. Today, only a handful of staff from my office knows about the Curta Calculator, and most, if not all, have forgotten how to use it. I am in my 30s and happened to dig it out from an old cardboard box dating back to the survey department days.

ART DIRECTOR

Ginny Gay MANAGER, CUSTOM PUBLISHING

Mavis Liang

Aw Tong Wee

EXECUTIVE, CUSTOM PUBLISHING

Jessie Kek

Singapore Land Authority

SENIOR COORDINATOR, PUBLISHING SERVICES

Wendy Ong

AW TONG WEE WINS A DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME WORTH $98.

ALL OTHER PUBLISHED ARTICLES WIN SHOPPING

CONTRIBUTORS

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.

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.

VOUCHERS WORTH $30 EACH.

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.

James Gerard Foo, Lai Ee Na 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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The Singapore Public Service: Serving the Nation and Proud of It! This Public Service Week, show us what makes you proud to be a public officer and you could win attractive prizes! Send us your responses in the form of pictures (jpeg or tiff format), accompanied by a short caption.

E-mail your entries to I SAY at psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg

by Mar 26, 2010. Please include your name, e-mail address, agency and telephone number.

THE BEST ENTRIES STAND TO WIN ATTRACTIVE PRIZES WORTH MORE THAN $100!

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MOFStaffOuting This is a photo of a Ministry of Finance staff outing, taken around 1965-1966, when the late Mr Lim Kim San was the Minister in the early days of Singapore’s independence, and the late Mr Sim Kee Boon was then the Permanent Secretary. In those days, staff size in the ministries was small, and the office was a lot cosier. My late father (third from the right in the top row) served in the Civil Service all his working life until his retirement in 1974 at age 57. I remember he told me that when Dr Goh Keng Swee was Minister of Finance, there were times when staff outside the Minister’s office got a bit too rowdy.

Dr Goh would come out of his office, and with a few stern words, silence would be quickly restored.

FromPaySlips ToPAC@GOV 1970s: We had to go to the admin section to collect our salary with the pay slip.

1990s: We would still receive our payslips but no longer had to go and collect our salary because it was banked into our accounts.

Today: Our salary is banked into our accounts and we can get an update through PAC@ GOV. It is so convenient.

Lee Boon Gek

Ministry of Education

Yeo Oon Chye

I Say

National Council of Social Service

AnimationIn The1960s This set of animation equipment was inherited from a German company in the 1960s. It was used by the then Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore (CDIS) for frame-by-frame animation for educational television programmes. CDIS phased out this equipment in the 1990s when modern technology such as computer graphics came into the picture.

Ang Lay Guan

Ministry of Education

TheTeacher’s RecordBook

ChubbLocks Before prisons were clustered into the high-tech Changi Prison Complex, many functions in the old prisons were analog and these were some of the cast iron locks and keys that were used. Also known affectionately as “Chubb Locks” (after their brand “Chubb”), these locks were regarded as an industry standard for secure locking devices at that time. Some of the locks featured here are heritage items dating back to World War II.

When I joined the teaching service in 1991, the Teacher’s Record Book was still very much in use. Weekly lessons had to be manually recorded in the book and terms like “online submission” were unheard of.

The Record Book reminds me of the progress that we have made in education over the years. It is also a record of my journey in the educational fraternity.

Tan Siew Tiong

East Coast Primary School

PWDInThe1970s Some 40 years ago, two interns from Singapore Polytechnic (first and second on the left) and two interns from the then Singapore University (third and fourth from left) were sent to the old Kallang Public Works Department Workshop for our vacation training.

We were made to dirty our hands in the workshop and sometimes we followed the technician (extreme right) to sites all over the island to repair and install equipment in government institutions and army camps. It was our first taste of engineering in real life. I guess it was quite a decisive moment in our lives because had we not liked that type of work; we might have quit engineering after graduation.

We are now nearing retirement. Both of us have grown-up children. The picture reminds us that we could have taken a very different path if not for that experience at PWD.

Lee Khum Thong

Singapore Prison Department

David Lim Phai Ik (extreme left in picture)

Ngee Ann Polytechnic

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ShortTakes

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PA

NewHeadquarters

MDA

MediaFiesta2010 Enjoy movies, concerts, downloads, games and more!

Be enthralled by the transformation of our media world. Experience a sense of nostalgia with local classic films. Bring the little ones for a young author’s workshop. Or groove to the beat with a big bang concert!

This March, Singaporeans of all ages can partake in a bounty of activities spread across the island. Featuring the Media Transformer – a roving interactive media exhibition, four anchor events over four weekends, and numerous fringe activities – Media Fiesta 2010 promises to bring the fun, buzz and action close to your doorsteps.

Be part of Media Fiesta, an annual event hosted by the Media Development Authority (MDA) and organised in collaboration with some 40 partners and sponsors.

For more information on Media Fiesta’s main events, the Media Transformer and other fringe activities, please visit www.mediafiesta.sg

The new People’s Association (PA) headquarters (HQ) located at 9 King George’s Avenue was officially opened by the Chairman of PA, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, on Jan 29, 2010.

The opening ceremony marked the first of a series of events that would take place throughout 2010 to commemorate PA’s 50th Anniversary.

At the event, PM Lee also opened the PA Heritage Gallery. Located at the atrium of the new building, the Heritage Gallery showcases PA’s contributions to nation building and growth over the years, alongside Singapore’s development.

HDB

InternationalHousingConference2010 As part of its 50th Anniversary celebrations, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) held a Gala Dinner on Jan 26 followed by the International Housing Conference 2010, which was held at Suntec Singapore from Jan 27 to 29. The theme of the conference was “Sustainable Housing: Charting New Frontiers”.

Sustainable development has been an important philosophy in HDB’s mission to provide affordable homes of quality and value, create vibrant and sustainable towns, and promote the building of active and cohesive communities.

The Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan delivered the keynote address on Singapore’s sustainable development model, which included HDB’s plans for Punggol to be Singapore’s first Eco-Town.

A highlight at the conference was the segment on “In conversation with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew”, where delegates had the privilege to hear from MM Lee, who envisioned a nation of home owners and implemented the “Home Ownership for the People” Scheme in 1964, giving Singaporeans a physical as well as an emotional stake in the country.

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CAAS

AviationDevelopmentFund The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has introduced an Aviation Development Fund (ADF) with a budget of $100 million over the next five years to promote and develop the aviation sector. Under the fund, various incentive programmes will be introduced to support the development of capabilities in the Singapore aviation industry and ensure its continued competitiveness and dynamism.

Two ADF programmes, of $25 million each for the next five years, will be launched in April 2010. Under the Aviation Partnership Programme, CAAS will partner the industry to drive the adoption of new industry-wide standards or processes to enhance its overall productivity, effectiveness and competitiveness. The Aviation Innovation Programme will provide assistance to companies to develop new capabilities, encourage innovation and build aviation knowledge in Singapore.

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Cover Story

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THE ISSUES OF AGEING have been on the public sector radar for decades, but the rapidly changing demographics of the country have prompted a renewed focus in recent years.

“The ageing of Singapore’s population poses tremendous challenges and opportunities,” said Mr Niam Chiang Meng, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

According to a report by the Department of Statistics (DOS), between now and 2030, Singapore will witness a most profound age shift in its history. “In 2005, one in 12 residents was 65 years or older. In 2030, one in five residents will be 65 years or older,” said the DOS. Through forward planning and sound policies, Singapore hopes to address the multifaceted issues and enable Singaporeans to age successfully, said Mr Niam. This requires close collaboration among all the ministries and government agencies. “A whole-ofgovernment effort is critical to ensure that we provide holistic and workable solutions for our ageing population.”

When discussing the elderly, the public sector does not take the position of “taking over and looking after you so that you are a passive care recipient; it’s about enabling seniors,” said Ms Charlotte Beck, Director of the Elderly, Disability and Gambling Safeguards Division, MCYS.

This “enabling” philosophy underpins what the Ministerial Committee of Ageing has identified as the three dimensions of ageing – participation, security and health.

“Participation is about active ageing, the sense of contributing to society and of individuals remaining empowered,” said Ms Beck. Active ageing, in turn, comes with the ability to stay employable and to have financial security.

There is also the health dimension – the need to ensure that the health and eldercare continuum is holistic as well as affordable, because that also impacts financial security. As Ms Beck pointed out: “The sense of financial security also comes from having the confidence that you can deal with healthcare and eldercare costs.” And it is important to ensure that families remain as the first line of care and support in caring for the elderly.

Then there is the question of “where” to age. “We want seniors to remain in the community and to ‘age in place’ as much as possible,” said Ms Beck. And this means ensuring that the physical and social environment is “elderfriendly”. “Not everyone will age without a physical disability, but you could remain active if you can get around the HDB town on your own, go to work or take part in social activities.”

The Third Age is supposed to be the age of selfactualisation. And the public sector is putting in place enabling mechanisms to help Singapore’s greying population achieve this. By Charles David

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Cover Story

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Employability and Financial Security When it comes to the issue of employability and financial security, the challenges posed by Singapore’s ageing population are multifaceted. “Many older workers are less educated than their younger counterparts, and coupled with seniority-based wage systems which make older workers more expensive to employ and retain, this puts them at a greater risk of being displaced by economic restructuring,” said Mr Tan Lin Teck, Senior Assistant Director, Manpower Planning and Policy Division, Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

Also, even as life expectancy in Singapore rises, many individuals still do not plan and make adequate preparations for their financial security in old age.

To help Singaporeans and Singapore prepare for the ageing population, MOM has adopted a three-pronged approach which encompasses enhancing opportunities and employability; improving Central Provident Fund (CPF) returns; and making savings last during one’s lifetime.

effective retirement age be raised through a re-employment approach, instead of simply raising the statutory retirement age.

“Re-employment is a more flexible and sustainable way than just rigidly raising the retirement age, allowing both the employer and worker to review the job offer, salary and benefits, to reflect the value of the job,” said Mr Tan. The Committee has formulated a draft set of guidelines which include early engagement between employers and workers in the re-employment process and the implementation of a performance-based wage system. The draft guidelines will form the foundation for the legislative changes that will come into effect in 2012.

To address the issue of retirement security, MOM’s strategy is to improve CPF returns and make savings last for life.

A series of CPF reforms was announced in 2007. First, an additional 1 per cent

ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY IS A KEY PRONG IN EFFORTS TO PREPARE SINGAPORE FOR AN AGEING POPULATION.

To enhance opportunities and employability in the face of longer life expectancy, the Retirement Age Act was introduced in 1993, setting the statutory retirement age at 60. This was further raised to 62 in 1999.

A slightly different approach to retirement was mooted in 2007, when the Tripartite Committee on Employability of Older Workers recommended that the

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interest was applied on the first $60,000 in CPF savings. Second, the interest rates for the Special, Medisave and Retirement Accounts were pegged to long-term bond yields to allow CPF members to enjoy market returns. Third, to enable retirement savings to last longer, the CPF Draw-Down Age was raised and CPF LIFE was introduced to ensure CPF members will receive a retirement income for as long as they live. Older lowwage workers receive additional Workfare Income Supplement to encourage them to work and help build up their savings.

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Holistic and Affordable Healthcare and Eldercare There is a fundamental shift in the way healthcare provision is being viewed in the context of the ageing population. “As a person ages, the kind of problems that he faces is going to involve the whole person and we need healthcare professionals to look at the whole person, rather than just organs or systems,” said Dr Ho Han Kwee, Director of the Primary and Community Care Division at the Ministry of Health (MOH). “So one of the paradigm shifts we are undergoing is from speciality-based care to a person-centric kind of care and from acute hospital-based care to community-based care.”

MOH and MCYS work closely together on the health and eldercare continuum to

Mr Tan Shee Hian, Deputy Director (Elderly & Disability Policy), MCYS. CEL also works closely with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to help families navigate the continuum of medical-social care services more efficiently.

“The philosophy here really is moving away from a public sector centric into a national healthcare system. We used to focus very much on the entities that we own, our big hospitals, our polyclinics, our national centres; but really now, in the last few years, we are beginning to look at the whole healthcare ecosystem regardless of ownership to forge better integration among providers,” said Dr Ho. With the rethink in healthcare provision,

ONE OF THE PARADIGM SHIFTS WE ARE UNDERGOING IS FROM SPECIALITY-BASED CARE TO A PERSON-CENTRIC KIND OF CARE AND FROM ACUTE HOSPITAL-BASED CARE TO COMMUNITY-BASED CARE.

try to make person-centric care a reality.

Today, day care centres for seniors provide care and keep them socially engaged. MCYS has also commissioned Tan Tock Seng Hospital to train day care staff, and efforts are also underway to make some day care centres more dementia friendly.

In 2009, MCYS sets up the Centre for Enabled Living (CEL), which works with care recipients and caregivers to understand their needs, list out suitable care options and help families make informed choices. MCYS is also working with non-profit organisations to scale up and provide a range of home- and community-based care options. “Our aim is to avoid premature admissions into nursing homes as far as possible, since seniors also prefer to age in place,” said

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the elderly themselves also need to be empowered to manage their health.

“Chronic disease stays with the patient for years. The patient needs to know what to do,” said Dr Ho. In line with this, MOH is working with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to strengthen patient education for chronic disease. HPB has also rolled out a screening programme for chronic diseases as well as follow-up programmes for those found to be at risk.

Also coming into greater focus in recent years is the topic of end-of-life (EOL) care. There is a need to expand the provision of palliative and hospice care.

However, EOL care is not just about medication or nursing procedures, Dr Ho pointed out. There also has to be greater conversation about EOL issues. “While not everyone is prepared to have such conversations, we need to prepare and empower our healthcare professionals to handle these issues better.”

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ACTIVE AGEING MEANS THAT THE ELDERLY ARE ABLE TO MOVE FREELY AROUND THEIR FLATS, THEIR BLOCKS AND THEIR NEIGHBOURHOODS.

Ageing in Place in HDB Estates The Ministry of National Development (MND)/Housing and Development Board (HDB) is the lead agency driving initiatives to enable “ageing in place”.

“More seniors today wish to live independently,” observed Mr Tang Tuck Weng, Director (Housing), MND. “Beyond financial security and physical accessibility to support their independent lifestyles, our public housing programme also ensures that they remain socially integrated with the larger community.”

In terms of financial security, MND/ HDB provides the elderly with options to monetise their HDB flats. They can rightsize, sublet, or tap on a lease buy-back scheme which was introduced in 2009.

“We provide options to elderly residents, because there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Different elderly people may have different preferences.”

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HDB also has studio apartments that are custom-built for elderly living. These are kept affordable by selling them on 30year leases with restrictions on resale.

These apartments are currently available in two sizes – 35 or 45 sq m – with a price range of between $65,000 and $100,000. They come with elder-friendly features such as support hand-bars, nonslip tiles, lever taps and an alert alarm system. They are also located near neighbourhood centres for easy access to shops, eating places and public transportation nodes.

In fact, since 2006, all HDB units have been built with Universal Design features.

For example, the switches and sockets will be positioned low enough to be accessible from a wheelchair. The toilet will also be wide enough for handrails and wheelchairs.

All HDB housing estates will also be barrier-free by 2011, and the $5.5 billion Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) to retrofit eligible older HDB blocks with lifts to stop at every floor will be completed by 2014.

“Active ageing means that the elderly are able to move freely around their flats, their blocks and their neighbourhoods.

Upgrading the physical environment including our lifts is a key part of what we are doing – to help the elderly enjoy healthy and active lives.”

Even as it facilitates independent living, MND also recognises the importance of family support in the well-being of the seniors. HDB policies encourage young couples to live near their parents for mutual support. Currently, those who intend to stay with or near their parents enjoy double the chance of getting a new flat in a ballot. Those buying a resale flat can apply for the higher CPF Housing Grant of $40,000.

HDB has also piloted the Multigeneration Living Scheme at the recent Build-To-Order project, SkyTerrace@ Dawson. Under the scheme, HDB pairs studio apartments with four- and fiveroom flats and sells the flats to married children and their parents.

However, it takes more than just government policies and measures to enable senior citizens to lead active and meaningful lives, said Mr Tang. “The efforts of the individual, the family and the community are also critical to our preparations for a greying population,” he said.

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Active Ageing In 2007, the Council for Third Age (C3A) was formed as an independent body to promote active ageing. The Third Age refers to a phase in life when an older person is actively engaged in society. In line with this, C3A catalyses the development of products and services that fulfil the aspirations and interest of seniors through partnerships with all sectors of society, and drives the creation of an active ageing culture in Singapore.

The definition of active ageing encompasses six dimensions of wellness – physical, intellectual, emotional, social, occupational and spiritual. “There is a more holistic form of active ageing. It’s not about Grandparents Day once a year, it’s not Senior Citizens’ week once a year; it’s now called the Active Ageing Festival,” said Ms Charlotte Beck, Director of the Elderly, Disability and Gambling Safeguards Division, Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

Another major initiative in Active Ageing is the Wellness Programme, which is being implemented by the People’s Association with MCYS’s backing. The programme has been introduced in 12 pilot sites and will eventually be rolled out across Singapore. The Wellness Programme brings together various stakeholders – grassroots and other community organisations, informal social interest groups, primary healthcare providers and various government agencies.

In promoting the idea of active ageing in the heartlands, the programme calls for a more active approach to monitoring the health of senior citizens. After a health screening for example, the Health Promotion Board (HPB), nurseeducators and various community bodies will work together to provide support to senior citizens and help them modify their behaviours in order to improve their health. General practitioners in the area are also roped in where there is a need for follow-up health checks.

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The physical, social and emotional aspects of a person’s well-being are closely intertwined, said Ms Beck.

“Sometimes after an illness, an older person has a fear of going out. If you have had a fall, you may have real fears about it being safe enough to go out to crowded streets. But if you don’t go out, then chances are that you don’t get physically much better because you are not getting the exercise you need, and socially and emotionally, you could deteriorate.”

So the other aspect of the Wellness Programme is the linking up of older persons to the whole range of activities in the community while encouraging

needs the physical infrastructure that agencies like NParks can provide.

“But there are seniors who may still keep to themselves and not leave their homes. Some may be frail or have disabilities, and therefore find it difficult to move around. Others may have financial concerns. Whatever the reasons are, we have to try to reach out to them,” said Ms Beck.

MCYS and the National Council of Social Service work closely with

THE DEFINITION OF ACTIVE AGEING ENCOMPASSES SIX DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS – PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, OCCUPATIONAL AND SPIRITUAL.

neighbourliness. After all, it is less daunting and certainly more enjoyable to join in activities with friends and neighbours.

It also involves having capability on the ground to see these activities to fruition. To address this, MCYS works with other agencies such as the HPB, National Parks Board (NParks), Singapore Sports Council and People’s Association in the process of promoting these activities.

There is a lot of win-win and synergy in these efforts, said Ms Beck. For example, NParks would like to see their gardens and parks well used and available to people of all ages. They need to know how an elderly person will use the park and what kind of programming can go into parks to make them useful for older people. HPB, on its part, wants to get its message of staying fit and healthy out there, but it

Voluntary Welfare Organisations such as Lions Befrienders to engage seniors at risk of social isolation. Seniors Activity Centres (SACs) also provide support to seniors living in public rental housing, and play an important role in reaching out to vulnerable seniors who are frail, homebound and socially isolated. MCYS has plans to build more SACs over the next few years.

However, it also recognises the importance of getting neighbours to look out for one another, to add to what SACs do. “With all the agencies working together, it really helps to have a common vision, a sense of understanding that we have a common objective. But no matter what, ultimately it is strong family ties and neighbourliness that we must depend on to look out for vulnerable seniors living among us.”

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Designing for the >60 The “problems of ageing” should not be confused with “problems of the elderly”.

“As the human body is subject to wear and tear through the passage of time, there are limitations that need to be understood and catered for,” said Mr Wei Kong, Manager of Design & Research at the >60 Design Centre.

For example, requirements for the simple act of sitting on a sofa would need to be re-evaluated. The elderly would have difficulty in sitting comfortably or getting out of a smooth leather “slouch couch” popular with younger users.

To address this, the >60 Design Centre, Singapore’s National Design Centre for Ageing, was set up to deal with the needs and wants of the ageing population through development of commercially viable products and solutions. “>60 Design Centre and its stakeholders recognise that meeting the needs and wants of the ageing population has to be part of society and commerce in order to be sustainable,” said Mr Kong.

A-HAH! MEMORITZ

The >60 design process is an iterative process of discovering, defining, developing and delivering. Some of the products that have been created by >60 Design Centre include:

MEMORITZ is a set of 40 cards comprising numbers (0-9) and images (20 pairs of different objects of reminiscence) in sets of four different colours. Games played using the MEMORITZ cards include Picture/ Number Pairing, Memory, Mathematics and Spot the Image.

A-HAH! Card game

The A-HAH! Card game is specially designed for people with dementia. It can also be used as an everyday tool for caregivers at home and in dementia centres. A-HAH! is aimed at encouraging active brain stimulation, social interaction and intergenerational bonding, which may reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly. There are various ways of playing the games using the same stack of cards.

A-HAH! FRUITO

FRUITO is a set of 40 cards comprising 10 sets of fruits; each fruit formed by four cards. Each card is coded with different colours to differentiate the fruits.

The games that can be played with FRUITO include Picture Puzzle and Spot the Image.

E-Brollie

The E-Brollie is an umbrella-cum-walkingstick that provides the user with the ease of mobility and shelter, all in one product.

It features an ergonomic grip, which allows the elderly to hold on to it more firmly, and comes with safety features such as a light reflector and a non-slip rubber stopper. There is also a dry indicator – when fully dry, the >60 logo on the umbrella is white but when it is wet, the logo turns black.

Fitto Fun

Fitto Fun is an interactive and engaging game software that can be activated using webcam technology. The game is based on themes. For example, for the theme Money, the player has to reach out to touch the digital “$” objects as they appear on the screen. Players earn points by the number of hits and the time taken to complete the game.

Hanging Car Sign

PHOTOS: NG CHIN SIANG

The “E” plate indicates “elderly and experienced”. This is part of a series of hanging car signs that celebrates ageing with a sense of humour.

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THE >60 DESIGN CENTRE FOCUSES ON COMING UP WITH COMMERCIALLY-VIABLE PRODUCTS FOR AN AGEING POPULATION.

2/25/10 1:48:49 PM

13

Opinion

ChoosingYourThirdLife Lulin Reutens, a journalist for 20 years, is currently a freelance writer. Wife of a retired IT professional, mother of two adult children who live abroad, and grandmother of one, Lulin enjoys scuba diving, taiji, travelling and mountain trekking.

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IT’S the best of times to be part of the Generation S (for Silver) in Singapore.

You can choose to work beyond 55 or retrain for new jobs. You pay mere cents for rides on the MRT and buses, half price for admission to places, and heavily discounted fees in government clinics and hospitals. The government even gives you money to counter inflation or when the nation has done well. All these perks make you feel appreciated and respected as elders, and they help when savings shrink.

Officers in various ministries are constantly finding ways of keeping us fit and involved in living, so we would not vegetate at home. A popular programme is the Active Aging Festival organised by the Council for Third Age, which has activities, games and workshops on how to age successfully by managing your social, physical, emotional, intellectual, vocational and spiritual wellness.

After childhood and adulthood, we all want a happy third life — to retire with good health and friends, able to take charge of ourselves and pay our bills, and maybe enjoy little treats and luxuries without burdening our children.

Now, all these are achievable with some planning and preparation — not just before retirement but years earlier. Increasingly, I hear friends talk about not wanting to burden their children. They carefully build a nest egg to safeguard their independence.

Where incomes are more modest, this needs judicious budgeting during the children’s years from preschool to graduation. The choice may be between an expensive kindergarten or a

neighbourhood play school; a university abroad or a part-time degree course at home; the latest laptop or a secondhand computer. How deep a cut will the decision make in your savings? How will it affect your independent retirement plan?

The financials aside, a substantial nest egg alone will not bring happiness. Far more precious are close family members and friends and good health. A global study on communities where many live over 100 came upon a remote village in South America where the elderly continue to farm vegetables, chop wood and haul water. Life is basic but they are happy, with large families, and good friends and neighbours.

In Singapore, we don’t farm, but there are activities in public parks and community centres to help us stay fit and meet people. You often see happy elderly groups who take morning walks that end with breakfast chatter in hawker centres. So why would someone choose to be a lonely couch potato?

I have spent months at 5,000m in the Himalayas as base camp manager during expeditions in Nepal and Tibet. Friends of my age say they cannot imagine trekking for 10 days up and down steep slopes, staying in a tiny tent in the wilderness with no running water and only wipedowns instead of showers. But I tell them that if I can do it, so can they; it just depends on whether they want to or not.

A joke tells of an old man who prayed to God for a lottery win. The results came and he won nothing. He prayed again, and still won nothing. He prayed again, and heard an exasperated voice: “Look, you need to help me here and buy a lottery ticket!”

The point is that there is a lot we can do for ourselves. How we live our third life is our choice.

2/25/10 1:56:33 PM

Face2Face

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TheCPFDNA Mr Liew Heng San talks about the Central Provident Fund Board, its service culture, and the things that should be keeping him awake at night. By Susan Tsang

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Upon approval Please sign: Name and Date:

2/25/10 11:58:44 AM

How has the role of the CPF Board evolved over the years?

CPF started on July 1, 1955 because the British decided that subjects in their colonies should be responsible for their own pensions. We’re 55 and still evolving.

Medisave didn’t start until CPF was nearly 30 years old. Medisave for the selfemployed took 37 years. People think everything can be done immediately. But it takes time to put in place policies to fill up certain gaps.

For decades, we concentrated on accumulation so that there would be enough for retirement, and to finance housing.

Then there was the realisation that we should pay attention to decumulation, that is, how you expend your savings over the rest of your life. With the Minimum Sum Scheme, you can draw down over 20 years. But because longevity is rising, we started CPF LIFE, an annuity scheme to give people assurance of income for a lifetime. We also have the Minimum Sum Topping-Up scheme, which makes it easier for families to support retirees.

To have people prepare for a longer life after retirement, we encourage deferring the draw-down age, and sweetening it with deferment bonuses and voluntary deferment bonuses. Nothing is as safe as continuous employment, so we hope to make re-employment widely available. As a package, it works.

What do you see as CPF Board’s key challenges and priorities?

CPF Board is known for its good service.

Our challenge is for all front-line staff to consistently provide quality service and also to grow this service mindset throughout the organisation to support our front-line staff.

We handle 43 million electronic

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transactions a year; 280,000 transactions at the counter, 600,000 through our call centre and more than a million e-mails and letters.

We cannot add more counters, so we must make it convenient for people to use the different modes to interact with us. If those using our website to transact or get information are old people and can’t see well, we enable the font size to be increased with a click of the mouse. Still can’t see? Click and you’ll hear a voice.

You have to cater to different folks through different strokes.

This is happening all over the world.

Rising expectations keep us on our toes.

We won the Singapore Quality Award in 2004, and in 2009, the Service Excellence Award. We won a Contact Centre Association of Singapore (CCAS) International Contact Centre Gold Award for Best Call Centre (with less than 100 operators). We also won Asia Asset Management‘s Best of the Best Award

Officer from our Retirement Schemes Department and asked questions not related to her portfolio. He kept on ringing her for three years, and she patiently attended to him. Eventually, he sent her a sweet compliment for such good service.

All these wonderful stories are not due to me, but to the CPF Board DNA of focusing on the customer. This is the only place I’ve been to where I did not change the values, because there was no need to.

What is your personal leadership style?

I don’t believe in one style – it depends on the people you are with, their make-up, and the circumstances. In time, they get used to you, and you to them. It’s a multiplicity of styles to suit the occasion.

We work with the centre for creative leadership, for each individual to understand how he’s wired. Then everyone knows what’s happening when it comes to exchanging information, and both relationships and transactions

I DON’T BELIEVE IN ONE (LEADERSHIP) STYLE – IT DEPENDS ON THE PEOPLE YOU ARE WITH, THEIR MAKE-UP, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES. IN TIME, THEY GET USED TO YOU, AND YOU TO THEM. IT’S A MULTIPLICITY OF STYLES TO SUIT THE OCCASION.

2008 – Winner for “Plan Sponsor of the Year”, Regional Category for Pension Plan. These awards uplift staff morale.

They remind us of what CPF stands for.

Our values are: Take charge, change and innovate. Focus on the customer. Do your best. But all these values won’t be worth much without the last one – lifelong learning to stay relevant. Always know what you need to do, in the box and out of the box. Who benefits most? Not you, but the guy in front of you.

One of our officers, Ms Zuraidah Bte Othman, got a call from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where someone wanted to give up his citizenship and withdraw his CPF funds. She rushed down and met an old gentleman who had been bedridden for a few months. She found he qualified for GST rebates and senior citizen top-ups, so there was a net surplus after paying his hospital bills.

To give another example, one doctor rang Ms Patricia Wong, an Executive

become smoother. I give them room to move and they come up with marvellous ideas when I meet them. And I meet every lot of young recruits.

What keeps you awake at night?

Nothing. Philip Yeo (currently Chairman of Spring Singapore and Special Advisor for Economic Development in the Prime Minister’s office) once reminded me: “When it’s time to sleep, sleep.”

But what should keep me awake?

It’s the changing demographics in Singapore – a shrinking population, an inverted age pyramid, changing social norms, rising longevity...A professor named Sarah Harper once said: “Every hour you live adds five minutes to your life expectancy.” The trends are clear, and it’s important to be prepared. With improving healthcare and a prudent eye to saving for the future, we should be able to meet the challenges ahead.

PHOTO: NG CHIN SIANG

IN HIS 30-YEAR CAREER in Public Service, Mr Liew Heng San has held a wide range of portfolios in agencies ranging from the National Trades Union Congress to the Public Service Commission, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Communications (now the Ministry of Transport), the Economic Development Board and the Ministry of Law. His latest port of call is the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board, which he joined as Chief Executive Officer in September 2005.

2/26/10 11:48:35

Feature Feature

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It’s different strokes for different folks, as the public sector goes about addressing the root cause of performance issues. By Susan Tsang

DispellingThe MythsOfOD

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The misconceptions

IT DOES NOT ADVOCATE “cookbook approaches”; one size does not fit all; and there is no silver bullet. So what exactly is this thing called Organisation Development (OD) that the public sector is turning to, in order to realise its vision of an innovative Public Service?

According to Mr Christian Chao (right), Assistant Director, Centre for OD of the Civil Service College, OD is about improving productivity and employee engagement in organisations, and does this by facilitating systemic change in organisations to address the root cause of performance issues. This typically involves strengthening the human processes and conditions through which work gets done.

“For best results, OD should also be done in collaboration with organisational leaders and management teams,” he said.

The practice of OD has three main features. First, it is a planned effort for change, which involves proper diagnosis so that appropriate interventions are identified and/or designed to bring about the desired improvement in performance.

Second, OD is usually an organisationwide effort, involving and impacting the whole organisation. Finally, OD is performance-oriented. In effect, OD optimises the system by ensuring that its elements, including the human elements, are harmonious and congruent.

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OD does not focus only on “softer” issues like developing organisational culture. It really depends on the root cause of the performance issue being addressed. While behavioural interventions such as team building – which are often regarded as being “softer” – can be deployed, OD can also involve “harder” structural-technical interventions such as 6-Sigma or Balance ScoreCard.

One other common misperception of OD is that it is exactly the same as Human Resource Development (HRD).

However, while HRD focuses on the personal growth of individuals within organisations, OD looks at developing the larger picture of structures, systems, people and processes within the organisation to improve organisational effectiveness.

From OD to OE Ultimately, OD is a means of achieving the big prize of Organisational Excellence (OE).

OD practitioners typically concentrate on four areas to attain OE. The first area, Organisational Diagnosis, gives a proper understanding of the organisation’s performance level and the underlying causes behind performance gaps. This is crucial; it enables interventions to be designed and implemented.

Over the course of their life cycles, organisations must respond to change continually, in order to maintain or improve performance. Therefore, the second area called Change Management, which is the ability to facilitate change within an organisation, has a great impact on organisation performance.

The third, Culture Development, is the intentional development of a desired organisational culture, since culture is an “enabler”, helping an organisation to implement its strategy. Even the best plans often fail when key actions required by the plan are inconsistent with

an organisation’s prevailing culture.

Finally, Organisation Design is about having insight into how the organisation should structure its operations to achieve its desired performance outcomes, and so achieve OE. If OD seems a tall order, we can take comfort in words of wisdom from French philosopher Henri Bergson: “To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.”

THE ORIGINS OF OD PSYCHOLOGIST KURT LEWIN, WIDELY HAILED AS THE “FOUNDER OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY”, IS GENERALLY HELD TO HAVE ALSO INVENTED THE CONCEPT OF ORGANISATION DEVELOPMENT (OD).

LEWIN INTRODUCED THE IDEA OF ACTION RESEARCH, THE UNDERLYING PHILOSOPHY OF OD. ACTION RESEARCH CONSISTS OF SIX STEPS: • Problem Sensing, or identifying the problem • Data Gathering through surveys, feedback and observation • Data Analysis, or applying quantitative and qualitative analysis to diagnose the root cause of the problem • Action planning, which is working out how to implement an appropriate intervention • Action Implementation or implementing the intervention • Evaluation and Follow Up, where feedback is gathered in order to evaluate the usefulness of an intervention and plan for possible follow-up actions.

Lewin died in 1947, but a decade later, his concept of OD became widely accepted.

2/25/10 2:22:34 PM

Feature Feature

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THE SINGAPORE COMBAT ENGINEERS Finding meaning and a sense of purpose For Colonel Ng Kin Yi (below), Commandant, Singapore Command and Staff College and former Chief Engineer Officer, Organisation Development (OD) represents a culture of continual improvement, not just of an organisation, but of its people. “For the military, it’s important to continually improve, to stay relevant and forge ahead,” he says.

Singapore Combat Engineers is a full-spectrum force, which has operations even in peacetime. “If we

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don’t keep ourselves up-to-date and operationally-ready, we do the army a disfavour,” Col Ng points out. “If we don’t have a culture of learning and continual improvement, we’ll arrive at a point where we’re no longer relevant.”

And so getting down to brass tacks was essential. “The starting point is to be honest. If not, you cannot look at yourself and understand where your current status is. It means taking a hard look at things that are sensitive, but it’s important. Then cast a vision, because if you don’t have an idea of what you want to be as an organisation, you can’t get there.”

The vision might take time and effort, but if it is compelling enough, there will be a buy-in.

“We are not afraid of hard training in the army, unless it’s meaningless,” says Col Ng. “If they can find meaning, the soldiers want to train harder, and they get a sense of accomplishment. With OD, as you improve, people see their efforts making a difference, and they become happy workers.”

Morale is a welcome by-product. “The main thing is that staff feel they are putting in a meaningful day of work and are doing something purposeful.”

One part of the Combat Engineers’ vision was to develop “deployable construction engineering capability”. Col Ng explains with an example: “Initially we didn’t have the necessary skill sets to build houses or prefab buildings. The Combat Engineers plugged the gap by commissioning such a unit.”

Little did anyone guess the unit’s crucial role in disaster relief work in the region. “When the tsunami hit, we were there (in Meulaboh) within weeks, providing disaster relief, opening roads, building temporary structures,” recalls Col Ng. Besides enhancing skill sets, the Combat Engineers adopted the EVO framework – a performance management system that uses the Balanced Scorecard – to articulate and communicate a shared blueprint for success. The Combat Engineers also streamlined their key processes and were proud to achieve the coveted International Standards Organisation or ISO certification, thanks to the commitment and good teamwork of its people.

Col Ng adds: “To achieve the certification and the vision, every member of the organisation counts. To sell them the idea of OD, it is necessary to promulgate it consistently and allow ideas to flow freely with more open discussions. The more you talk about it, the more people get it, and you refine your own thinking too.”

Best of all, the message stays evergreen. “The army experience is ever transforming, so OD gets a lift with each new batch, and the momentum for excellence continues unabated.”

2/25/10 2:22:45 PM

CPF BOARD Measuring the innovation culture An innovation index? The Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB) has one, to measure the innovation culture within the organisation.

Similarly, staff engagement level is also monitored through the Employee Opinion Survey, which is conducted biennially.

If all this sounds somewhat formal, it is in line with how the Board defi nes Organisation Development (OD) as “a series of planned, organisation-wide efforts to improve the Board’s performance”. OD, it believes, “will influence individual and collective behaviours in eliciting superior performance for the Board”.

On the ground, however, this is translated into human terms. “In CPFB, OD interventions are geared towards raising the people and process capabilities of CPFB in serving and delighting our CPF members,” says Chief Human Resource Officer, Derek Tan (left).

“Through our OD efforts, we promote a virtuous cycle of staff engagement, process improvement and delighting our customers who in turn reinforce the engagement of our people with their compliments.”

A key OD initiative is the WOW Ideas programme, where staff are encouraged to come up with ideas that bring about quantum leap improvements. In 2004, the Housing Schemes Department (HSD) won the WOW Idea Award with their idea to return title deeds to CPF members. Until then, the Board used to

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keep the title deeds of private properties bought by members, a practice in line with standard conveyancing practices. The Board had to keep these important documents in special fire-rated strong rooms. Faced with space constraints, the department re-examined their mental model and decided that there was little risk in returning the title deeds to CPF members.

“Removing the process to safekeep the title deeds by returning them to our CPF members was indeed a breakthrough for us as this process had been in place for more than 20 years,” says Senior Deputy Director (Housing Schemes) Ms Tan Chui Leng (below).

“Over at our end, we were able to achieve manpower savings of $40,000 per annum.”

This move proved popular among CPF members as well.

Previously, members who wanted to transfer ownership of their private properties or have any legal transactions relating to the properties had to approach CPF Board for the title deeds with the assistance of their lawyers, incurring costs themselves.

The positive response from members has also spurred the Board to look for other ways to streamline its processes.

“We have, over the past few years, questioned our long-standing practices and eliminated some of them,” reports Ms Tan. These changes have created manpower savings for the Board, as well as greater convenience for CPF members.”

Another WOW Idea evolved to become the m-Ambassador service.

Customer Service Officers equipped with Ultra Mobile Personal Computers help customers with transactions that are simple and straightforward. This has reduced waiting times at the Service Centres by 40 per cent.

However, CPF is not about to rest on its laurels. “After the hype of introducing any new OD initiative, the challenge has always been to sustain the initiative in a meaningful way that still meets the original intent,” observes Derek. “We are currently reviewing the situation. In order to shift the focus from quantity to quality, there is a need to review the existing key performance indicators and shape the appropriate behaviours towards qualitybased ideation and problem-solving.

“Preserving the positive core of what we have done well and extending our reach towards more challenging (and relevant) targets is a strategy we will use to inspire CPFB staff,” he says.

2/26/10 11:52:11

Feature Feature

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SUBORDINATE COURTS Putting a premium on people The Subordinate Courts has to balance a growing caseload, a more demanding and sophisticated public and greater pressure on finite resources, with the desire to maintain high levels of quality and timelines in its administration of justice.

“All the programmes and initiatives in our Organisation Development (OD) efforts serve one common goal, which is to ensure that we in the Subordinate Courts can fulfil our mission to provide an effective and accessible system of justice, inspiring public trust and confidence.” says Ms Chan Wai Yin (below), Senior Director of the Centre for Research and Statistics (CREST) and the Organisational Excellence Unit (OEU).

In 2009, the leadership of the Subordinate Courts decided to imbue in all staff a sense of ownership and empowerment, creating opportunities for staff to contribute and initiate changes in the working environment and processes in all Divisions.

To this end, the culture of the Learning Organisation was developed. Group discussions and dialogues are now held regularly at all levels of the Subordinate Courts, addressing challenges and issues that staff face, with the aim of serving court users better without compromising staff morale and welfare. These Learning Organisation sessions are essential to ensure that front-line offi cers’ voices are heard and ideas are reaped – supervisors and managers are expected to translate what is discussed at these sessions into practicable solutions for implementation.

In July 2009, the OEU was set up as a central body to provide a more focussed and coordinated approach to developing and institutionalising initiatives to pursue higher benchmarks in the Subordinate Courts’ OE journey. The OEU is actively

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engaged in the facilitation and implementation of programmes and putting in place international standards to develop and strengthen management systems and processes.

“Besides putting in place a good system, the Subordinate Courts also places a premium on the training and development of its people,” says Ms Chan. “At a re-certification exercise of the People Developer Standard, the Subordinate Courts’ score jumped from Band 4 in 2006 to Band 5 in 2009. The organisation hopes to attain the People Excellence Award in the longer term.”

Aside from having a solid system and first-rate employees, processes must also be efficient, so the Subordinate Courts also introduced and institutionalised Kaizen in 2009. Kaizen is a concept which encapsulates continual improvement involving everyone in the organisation. It reduces red tape and bureaucracy, thus saving time, money and resources.

The reduction in the time taken for bail processing is one example of how Kaizen significantly increased the productivity and efficiency of the court system, as well as enhanced the level of service to court users. The bail centre has now succeeded in further reducing the bail processing time for all cases to within 15 minutes to half an hour, compared to within a day in the previous years.

In the latest Asian Intelligence Report published by Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), Singapore was rated one of the top three judicial systems in Asia, together with Hong Kong and Japan, in terms of quality and confidence in the judicial system. “Our hope is to not only maintain but also to improve the standing of our courts in the eyes of the people of Singapore and the world.”

2/26/10 11:53:52

21

Backstage

Singapore Airshow 2010 soars on the wings of private-public sector collaboration.

ScalingNew Heights “ASIA’S BIGGEST FOR AVIATION’S FINEST” – this sums up the Singapore Airshow, one of the top three aviation events in the world. Held biennially, it is the biggest aerospace and defence exhibition in Asia and serves as a global marketplace and powerful networking platform for the world aviation community.

Singapore Airshow 2010, which took place from Feb 2-7, 2010, stood out for its dazzling flying display, glitzy array of jet planes and superb showcasing of aerospace innovations. It also featured high-level conferences dedicated to leading players in the global aviation industry – the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit and the Asia-Pacific Security Conference series.

And despite the recent economic

downturn, aviation players continued to show their support, with 85 per cent of the 2008 exhibitors and 62 of the top 100 global aerospace companies taking part in the 2010 edition.

Working behind the scenes to put it together were show organiser Singapore Airshow & Events (SAe), public agencies such as the Economic Development Board, Republic of Singapore Air Force, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board and International Enterprise Singapore, and private sector enterprises like JCS Technology and JEP Precision Engineering, among others.

In the end, the show’s success owed as much to the partners’ synergy and coordination as to their willingness to align individual objectives with the common goal.

THE SINGAPORE AIRSHOW IS ONE OF THE TOP THREE IN THE WORLD, AFTER THE PARIS AND FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOWS.

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2/25/10 2:56:0 PM

Backstage

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AIRCRAFT EXHIBITS AND THE FLYING DISPLAY WERE CROWD PULLERS AT THE SHOW.

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2/25/10 2:56:26 PM

Mr Vincent Hwa Head (International Air Navigation Services Policy), Air Traffic Services Division, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore I served as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore’s (CAAS) point of contact to liaise with the organiser, Singapore Airshow and Events (SAe), on the coordination of the flying display, which included the use of the airspace.

There were two major challenges. Firstly, safety is of paramount importance. SAe provided the expertise to ensure that the flying display and flying manoeuvres were safely performed. CAAS, as the safety regulator, reviewed and validated that SAe had in place the necessary expertise and safety procedures to conduct the flying display.

Secondly, Changi Airport is a global air hub serving more than 5,000 weekly scheduled flights round the clock. As such, it is necessary to work closely with SAe and other stakeholders, including the Changi Airport Group (CAG) and airlines, to identify suitable time slots for the fl ying display, which would result in minimal disruptions to the flight schedules at Changi Airport.

Behind the scenes, CAAS, CAG and SAe collaborated closely to ensure the success of the flying display. At the airport, CAAS’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Changi Control Tower planned and coordinated closely with CAG to ensure the smooth operation of aircraft movements on the ground during the rush period just before and immediately after the flying display period.

In the air, CAAS ATC in the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre planned and worked closely with the SAe’s Flying Control Committee to ensure that all non-flying display aircraft were kept clear of the flying display area.

One of the main learning points for me was teamwork, as the

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expertise required to put together the fl ying display transcended a single division or organisation.

Harnessing the experience and knowledge of the various entities to assess, plan and approve the fl ying display was key to the overall success of the Singapore Airshow.

Mr Kevin Chow Deputy Director, Transport Engineering, Economic Development Board The Singapore Airshow is an international event that delivers value to not only aerospace companies but also civil aviation and defence agencies from across the world. It is one of the top three airshows in the world, after the Paris and Farnborough airshows.

The Singapore Airshow is therefore of strategic interest to Singapore, both in terms of the spin-offs the event brings, and the spotlight it places on Singapore’s aerospace industry.

The integral factor ensuring the smooth running and success of the Singapore Airshow is the crossagency teamwork that goes on behind the scenes.

Organising an event of such scale involves the participation of many partners from the private and public sectors, each with its own mission and constraints.

A key role played by the Economic Development Board (EDB) is that of a facilitator. To support the Singapore Airshow, EDB leads a committee that serves as a platform for partners to provide updates on their efforts as well as resolve problems. This strong collaborative effort across agencies enables ground issues to be resolved quickly, and makes the Singapore Airshow an exciting and useful platform to forge

partnerships and exchange ideas.

In addition, EDB is actively involved in inviting top executives from leading aerospace companies to the Singapore Airshow and setting up meetings to engage them.

Many aerospace companies also choose to announce new investments in Singapore or hold their events – such as opening and ground-breaking ceremonies – during the Airshow.

EDB plays an instrumental role in coordinating with the companies on their events so that Singapore is highlighted in the international media and presented in the best light.

Mr Shaun Goh Director, Exhibitions & Conferences, Business Travel and MICE Group, Singapore Tourism Board As part of the Singapore Airshow Steering Committee, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) provided our inputs from the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) perspective and offered assistance whenever needed.

To profile Singapore Airshow’s status as one of the top three airshows in the world and showcase it as one of Singapore’s key tent pole events, the STB actively helped publicise the event in some of our marketing collaterals to gain media mileage and help draw interest and attendance to the show. STB also worked closely with SAe to reach out to travellers attending the Singapore Airshow. For example, we set up our mobile Singapore Visitors Counter at the event to provide information on the latest leisure and

2/25/10 2:56:34 PM

Backstage

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business offerings in Singapore.

One of the key learning points of the event was the importance of having a close interface between private and public sector partners, to leverage on each other’s strengths so as to achieve the common goal of a successful international event for Singapore.

Mr Tan Yee Teck Manager, Precision Engineering, Industry Development Group, Spring Singapore My key role was to plan and execute initiatives to build up the presence of local aerospace small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Singapore Airshow. This included working with key partners to set up the Singapore Pavilion at the event. This year’s Singapore Pavilion was larger (in space area and number of exhibitors) by 50 per cent compared with the previous event.

The Pavilion had about 40 exhibitors, most of which were local SMEs participating in this international event for the first time.

As there were many initiatives taking place during and after the event, there was a need to manage the various tasks carefully. For each initiative, there were different partners from the public and private sector involved and each had their individual objectives for the event.

A key learning point is that for an event of such scale, we should always “begin with the end in mind”. By having a vision of what we want to achieve for the event, the planning for the respective initiatives will be better aligned and there will be better focus.

Another point is to always plan ahead of time. With such a scale of collaboration, there is a need to plan the resources required and start engaging key partners at an early stage.

It is important to identify each

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organisation’s objectives and try to align them to the common goals of each initiative. Also, to achieve an impactful outcome from each initiative, there is a need to work together with key partners (both within and outside the organisation) as each team/individual will have their own expertise.

Ms Sarah Wong Manager, Electronics & Precision Engineering, International Enterprise Singapore I facilitated the formation of Singapore Pavilion in the Singapore Airshow to showcase the aerospace manufacturing capabilities of local aerospace SMEs. One challenge was in getting the bigger aerospace SMEs to participate. I had to make them see that the Airshow was a tool or platform to promote their company to an international audience.

Much synergy, communication and alignment among the government agencies, associations and organiser were needed to make this event successful. There was also a need for Singapore aerospace companies to band together to showcase the comprehensive supply chain we have in Singapore and market this industry in a Singapore Inc/consortium manner.

Mr Jimmy Lau Managing Director, Singapore Airshow & Events For an event of the magnitude of the Singapore Airshow, a well-coordinated team effort and can-do spirit are of utmost importance. As Managing Director of Singapore Airshow & Events (SAe), my focus is on ensuring that the whole team takes charge of their respective components,

communicates well and works together as a cohesive unit.

The recent downturn in 2009 added new challenges.

Nevertheless, many key aviation players continued to show their unwavering support for Singapore Airshow 2010. Eightyfive per cent of our 2008 exhibitors joined us this year and we also saw the participation of 62 of the top 100 global aerospace companies such as Boeing, Honeywell and EADS. As the Singapore Airshow is one of the few events that attracts such large numbers of high-level foreign dignitaries and visitors, there is a need to work closely with numerous agencies to ensure the success of Singapore Airshow, and these include the EDB, Republic of Singapore Air Forces, CAAS, International Air Transport Association, Ministry of Transport, SPRING Singapore, International Enterprise Singapore and Ministry of Defence, just to name a few.

It is essential for all parties to work closely together as we learn the best practices of the individual agencies.

From inviting the guest speakers for our key high-level conferences such as the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit and the Asia Pacific Security Conference to the air traffic clearance, each agency plays a crucial role in putting the entire show together.

Singapore Airshow is a massive undertaking and we are very grateful for their support in making Singapore Airshow 2010 the best one yet.

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SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2010 SAW THE PARTICIPATION OF 62 OF THE TOP 100 GLOBAL AEROSPACE COMPANIES.

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2/25/10 2:56:54 PM

Letters

26

BY LIM HUP SENG

LETTERS TO A YOUNG PUBLIC OFFICER

In this new series, public sector leaders and veterans share their insights into life in Public Service. The series is inspired by Letters to a Young Poet, a compilation of letters written by poet and art critic Rainer Maria Rilke to a student at the Military Academy of Vienna in the early 1900s.

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2/26/10 1:35:9 PM

IN MY MANY years of working in the Public Service, one of the most valuable lessons I learnt is the management of my personal workspace. One adage: "You are as big (or small) as the office made you to be.” In other words, the job defines you. The other adage: “A big man can grow a small job and make it big.” You define the job! I found both to be equally true. It is certainly easier to do a “big’ job than to grow a small job into a “big” one. How does one grow his job? Does one “shrink” in a big job? I would like to share some insights into managing your workspace.

We all work within the space circumscribed by our supervisor. The space is framed within the dimensions of trust, confidence and ability. Trust is the faith that our supervisor has in us for getting work done right.

Confidence is our belief in ourselves to deliver what we have been assigned.

Ability is our skill and competence to get things done. The more trust our supervisor has in us, the more confidence we have to deliver; and the greater our ability to do things right, the larger our space grows.

The size of the space is determined by the relationship we have with our supervisor. This relationship cannot be mandated nor conscripted. It has to be carefully nurtured and sustained. There is no prescribed way to get it right.

Developing and sustaining the relationship is an art, not a science.

Those with more EQ will do better in this area than those with lower EQ. Our space is that we are accountable and within which we are deemed to have the competence. We all need to live up to the expectation our boss has of us. If we fail to do so, our space may be conquered and captured (by others or even by our boss). Once we lose the space that is rightfully ours, we lose the initiative. We then become reactive (instead of proactive). A space once conquered and captured is hard to win back!

To increase our space, we need to increase any or all three dimensions of trust, confidence and ability. The

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enlarged space may be earned or “leased” to us by our boss. Space is earned on the basis of our track record.

“Leased” space belongs to our boss.

We have right of use but the boss has the right to take back (when we fail to live up to his trust).

Enlarging our space involves the following: 1. TAKE THE INITIATIVE! We must learn to take effective control of our work within the space assigned to us.

We need to take the initiative within our space. If we prove to be worthy of our space, more space will be given to us, and the better control we have over our work. Taking the initiative on a sustained basis increases our boss’ trust in us.

2. EMBRACE PERSONAL MASTERY (PM). PM is the foundation for personal effectiveness. It is about seeking to be the best we can be regardless of the situation or circumstances we find ourselves in.

PM brings out the best of ourselves that resides deep within us. It helps us to exercise mastery over our destiny. Exercising PM builds up confidence in ourselves.

3. SEEK TRAINING! Let us not be so busy that we do not have time to sharpen our skills. An axe that is often used will get blunt. Take time off to sharpen our axe so that we can fell more trees. Remember, we are measured not by our “busy-ness”, which focuses on activity; we are measured by the results and outcome we bring about.

Training increases our ability. As we seek to increase our space, be mindful that our supervisees also seek to increase theirs. We seek to enlarge space from our boss through trust, confidence and ability.

As we enlarge our space, we ought to give space to the people we supervise. To give space, we need to have faith in our people; take the risk of our people doing things incorrectly and be willing to let go. With trust, confidence and ability, we enlarge space. With faith, risk and willingness, we give space to our people.

Giving space involves the following: 1. MATCH THE SKILL TO THE JOB. Identify the strength of our people and match their strength to the job. While everyone is trainable, it is wiser to have them apply what they are already good at. When there is a good match between skills set and job, we have better assurance of our people producing consistently good output.

2. TAKE RISKS, MANAGE IT. When we assign work to our people, there is a risk that the work may not be correctly done. We can reduce the risk by coaching our people. We should also be ready to take recovery action when mistakes arise. It is an imperative for us to take risks, but we must manage it.

3. LET GO! It is often easier to do a piece of work ourselves than to get someone else to do it. But such an approach denies the opportunity for our people to grow. In the same way parents wean out a child as he matures into teenage and then adulthood, we must be willing to let go so that our people may grow.

At the end of it all, the space we operate in is not static. It is dynamic. It may grow or shrink. We win it one day and may lose it the next. How the space changes depends on how we manage the relationship. Managing space is all about nurturing, calibrating and sustaining a good healthy relationship with our boss and our people.

All that I have shared here are my personal empirical observations. They have helped me manage my own space. I hope they will be helpful to you in your own learning to manage and grow your space.

Mr Lim Hup Seng is the immediate past Deputy Secretary (Performance), Ministry of Finance. He retired from the Public Service on Nov 1, 2009. He is now Adjunct Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Advisor to the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore and IDA International. He also conducts occasional programmes at the Civil Service College.

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CONFERENCE

Leadership: Engaging Hearts and Minds 14 - 15 April 2010 How can leaders live up to the mantra - “People are our most important asset?”

What can leaders do to inspire and excite employees in challenging times?

How can organisations capture both the hearts and minds of employees?

Join us and gain insights from the following speakers: Howard Behar, author of “It’s Not About the Coffee“ and the former president of Starbucks International whose leadership principles led to the success of this world-reowned brand Dr Jim Laub, creator of the Organizational Leadership Assessment (OLA) and President of OLAgroup, best known for his research in organisational health and servant leadership David Skews, Chairman and Founder of a UK-based Health Safety & Environment consultancy firm with a vision to “build a better world” through inspiring leadership and corporate social responsibility

and more...

For Whom • Deputy Secretaries, Chief Executive Officers, Directors and Deputy Directors • Principals, Vice Principals and Heads of Departments • Managers and Senior Executives who are interested in leadership perspectives

Details are available at www.cscollege.gov.sg

Organised by For enquiries on registration, please contact:

For enquiries on conference content, please contact:

Ms Norhuda Mahat

Ms Elsa Wang

DID: 6874 1841 Email: norhuda_mahat@cscollege.gov.sg

DID: 6874 1721 Email: elsa_wang@cscollege.gov.sg

29

Training

By Dr Low Guat Tin

Leadership:Engaging Hearts&Minds?

ACCORDING TO SURVEY RESULTS reported by the Gallup Management Journal in 2006, less than 30 per cent of the United States workforce is made up of engaged employees. In Singapore, this figure is even more worrisome, with only six per cent of the workforce being fully engaged. As the largest employer in Singapore, can those in leadership positions in the Public Service play a role in building a more engaged workforce?

Robert K. Greenleaf, who first conceptualised servant leadership, believed that it is possible to engage each employee in the organisation. He highlighted in his seminal work A Life of Servant Leadership that even an immature or stumbling person is capable of great dedication and heroism if he is wisely led.

Captain D Michael Abrashoff not only believed this but proved that it could be done. His experiences are recounted in It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy. In

1997, he took over as Commander of USS Benfold, a US Navy ship ranked at the bottom of the fleet. By engaging the hearts and minds of his crew members, Captain Abrashoff eventually led USS Benfold to become the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet – all within 24 months!

How then can we engage the hearts and minds of our people? How can we inspire our people to become committed to the extent that they behave like owners of our organisations? In an age where leadership strategies and instant recipes are much sought after, are there principles to adopt from successful leaders?

For Captain Abrashoff, he believed in inspiring people from within and creating a climate where employees can unleash their potential and develop their gifts. The benefits of doing so are enormous for the leader too. He said: “Unlike some leaders, I prefer to build myself up by strengthening others and helping them feel good about their jobs and themselves. When that

happens, their work improves and my own morale leaps.”

Indeed, a leader has an unusual degree of power to create the conditions under which his employees work.

Former president of Starbucks International, Howard Behar firmly believes that engaged employees will achieve results beyond what is thought possible. In his recently published book Engaging the Hearts and Minds of All Your Employees, Dr Lee J. Colan noted that when the “heart” is engaged, passion is ignited; when the “mind” is engaged, performance is enhanced.

When the Public Service can better engage the hearts and minds of our officers, the outcome will be exceptional performance and results.

The upcoming Creating Great Places to Work Conference – Leadership: Engaging Hearts and Minds, organised jointly by the Civil Service College and The Greenleaf Centre for ServantLeadership (Asia), will challenge those in leadership positions not only to look within themselves but also to engage the hearts and minds of our people.

Dr Low Guat Tin is Associate Professor in Policy and Leadership Studies at the National Institute of Education. Dr Low will be one of the speakers for the upcoming Creating Great Places to Work Conference.

CREATING GREAT PLACES TO WORK CONFERENCE THEME: Leadership: Engaging Hearts and Minds WHEN: Apr 14 & 15, 2010 TARGET AUDIENCE: Deputy Secretaries, Chief Executive Officers, Directors, Deputy Directors, Principals, Vice Principals, Heads of Departments and officers who are interested in leadership perspectives.

More information is available at www.cscollege.gov.sg

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2/25/10 1:41:44 PM

Finance Feature

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30

2/26/10 1:10:10 PM

Choosing the CPF LIFE plan that fits your needs. By Lai Ee Na

ASilverSafetyNet WHETHER IT IS having enough money for daily expenses, wanting your savings to work a little harder for you, or being able to leave something behind for the children – these are the financial questions that sometimes weigh on the minds of retirees.

To help alleviate some of this load in financial planning, CPF Board has come up with the CPF Lifelong Income Scheme For The Elderly (LIFE), which provides monthly payouts to CPF members. The amounts vary, depending on the Retirement Account (RA) savings used to join the scheme, the member’s gender, age when joining CPF LIFE, and the plan chosen. Part or all of the RA savings will be used to pay for an annuity premium, and the annuity payout begins at various ages, depending on the LIFE plan chosen.

However, regardless of which plan a member chooses, he will receive a Draw-Down Age (DDA)

BORN BEFORE 1943

AGE 60

1944 – 1949

AGE 62

1950 – 1951

AGE 63

1952 – 1953

AGE 64

1954 AND BORN LATER

AGE 65

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monthly payout from his Draw-Down Age (DDA) for as long as he lives. This refers to the age at which he can start receiving monthly payouts from his Retirement Account.

There are four plans availabe – Basic, Balanced, Plus and Income. The first three enable beneficiaries to receive bequests when the CPF member passes away while the fourth does not.

The Four Plans CPF LIFE Plus

This plan provides a higher payout than the Balanced Plan, but leaves less for the CPF member’s beneficiaries. All of the RA savings will be used to purchase the annuity premium. The annuity will be paid from the CPF member’s DDA until he passes away.

CPF LIFE Balanced

This is the default plan for members who are born after 1957, have at least $40,000 in their retirement accounts at age 55, and have not chosen any other plan when automatically included in CPF LIFE. Under this plan, the distribution of funds is balanced between the CPF member and his/her beneficiaries.

Payouts will be made from the RA from the CPF member’s DDA until a month before he turns 80. After that, annuity

payouts will be made until he passes away. For a member who reaches 55 this year and chooses to join this plan, about 30 per cent of his RA savings will be used as the annuity premium.

CPF LIFE Income

This plan gives the highest payout but does not leave any fund for beneficiaries.

All of the RA savings will be used to purchase the annuity premium. The annuity will be paid from the DDA until the CPF member passes away. Members will not receive any refund if they withdraw from the scheme or pass away before monthly payouts start.

CPF LIFE Basic

This plan provides a lower payout than the Balanced Plan, but leaves more for the CPF member’s beneficiaries. Payouts will be made from the RA from the CPF member’s DDA until a month before he turns 90. After that, annuity payouts will be made until he passes away. For a member who reaches 55 this year and chooses to join this plan, about 10 per cent of his RA savings will be used as the annuity premium.

Four public officers, aged 55 to 68, shed light on why they chose the plans they did.

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Finance

32

1.

PHOTO: NG CHIN SIANG

MONEY FOR DAILY EXPENSES Mr Henry Siah Koon Seng Age: 68 Operations Support Officer, Ministry of Education Plan: CPF LIFE Plus “With the plan, I’ll have some money for daily expenses. At first, I chose the Balanced Plan. However, my children said they didn’t need my money and advised me to get a plan that would give me a higher monthly payout instead. They told me to enjoy my retirement money. I have three children and all are working. They give me an allowance.

“I appreciate the plan because it gives the elderly pocket money every month. The insurance plan that I had did not provide coverage and money after I turned 64. I received notice of this from the insurance agency through a letter.

“The CPF plan enables me to leave something for my children when I pass away, even though they don’t need my money.”

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2.

BETTER RETURNS Mrs Michelle Chan Age: 62 Retired as Head of Department (English Language), Red Swastika School, in 2007 Plan: CPF LIFE Income “The moment I got the CPF LIFE brochure, I signed up for it. The interest rates in banks and CPF are low.

“Being a pensioner and having an annuity from a local bank, we invest our money wisely. For example, we invest in blue-chip stocks. During the recession, our money was not badly affected.

Our sons also give us an allowance, so we are living comfortably.

My children are working and we all live under the same roof.

“My husband and I never discussed my choice of the plan with our children because we feel that we can choose what we want to do with our money. We own a house, which will go to my sons when we pass away. I also tell them, ‘If I still have leftover money before I die, I’ll give it to my grandchildren so they will have a better chance in life’.”

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3.

4.

“The monthly payout is the highest. And I will leave something for my daughter – she is an undergraduate of Oxford University – when I pass away. It’s the best of both worlds.

“I initially considered leaving no bequest, but if I should return to China when I am 60 years old, I won’t be able to get a refund of the money put into the plan, and the plan will end.

“CPF LIFE is a very good idea because it allows me to feel secure after retirement. I prefer getting a monthly payout instead of getting a full one.

“Singapore’s living standard has gone up and I worry about coping with the living costs. CPF LIFE gives me a good guarantee for my life after retirement.”

“CPF LIFE is part of my retirement plan. It will give me the assurance of a source of income for my three daily meals.

“Only 30 per cent of my Retirement Account funds go into CPF LIFE to purchase the premium annuity, so 70 per cent stays in the RA. The 30 per cent portion continues to earn 4 per cent interest (the minimum guaranteed interest rate till Dec 31, 2010, after which the minimum guaranteed interest rate of 2.5 per cent for all CPF accounts applies). I also have other monies (insurance and equity investments) set aside to supplement my savings.

“My sons have grown up – one is working and the other is studying in Nanyang Technological University. They have their own savings, but when I pass away, I still want to leave some money for my wife and children.”

COPING WITH LIVING COSTS Madam Zheng Xinjing Age: 55 Senior Librarian, National Library Board Plan: CPF LIFE Plus

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PART OF RETIREMENT PLAN Mr Dennis Lye Age: 57 Executive Officer, Central Provident Fund Board Plan: CPF LIFE Balanced

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Finance Feature

34

TOP FIVE QUESTIONS ON CPF LIFE 1. Is there a minimum amount required to join CPF LIFE? No, however, the monthly payout depends on the savings that you have in your Retirement Account. Members with lower balances will receive correspondingly lower monthly payouts.

2. How can I get higher CPF LIFE payouts?

You can make cash and/or CPF top-ups into your Retirement Account, up to the prevailing Minimum Sum of $117,000.

Your loved ones can also make the topups to your Retirement Account to help you join CPF LIFE.

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3. How do I go about topping up my own or my loved ones’ Retirement Account?

You may submit an application online via CPF website using your SingPass, or download the Topping Up application form from the Board’s website and mail it to the CPF Board.

4. What is the monthly payout that I will receive?

Your monthly payout depends on the savings you have in your Retirement Account. Other factors that will affect the monthly payout include your gender, the age at which you join the scheme and the CPF LIFE plan chosen. You can use the CPF LIFE Payout Estimator at www.cpf.gov.sg to find out how monthly payout varies with your Retirement Account balance.

5. What is the incentive for me to join CPF LIFE? To encourage and help Singapore citizens born before 1963 join CPF LIFE, the Government will provide a bonus of up to $4,000, called the LIFE Bonus (L-Bonus).

To receive the L-Bonus, you will need to join CPF LIFE by the following dates:

IF YOU WERE BORN IN 1954 AND EARLIER

By Dec 31, 2010

IF YOU WERE BORN IN 1955 - 1962

Within 12 months after turning 55

For more information on CPF LIFE, please visit www.cpf.gov.sg

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35

Food

Culinary gems rich in history can be found in places where you least expect. With the help of public officers, Challenge tracks them down.

OnTheFoodHeritageTrail

WHERE: 27 Maude Road OPERATING HOURS: 11.30am – 8pm (daily)

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PHOTO: DARREN CHANG AND JUSTIN LOH

HWA HENG BEEF NOODLES Recommended by: Mr Lim Jit Yin Housing and Development Board “They used to operate from a trolley stall behind the row of old shophouses located between Bain and Cashin Street in the early 1970s (the present Bras Basah Complex) and became famous when they shifted to the coffeeshop opposite the old Odeon cinema (now the new annex to Raffles Hotel). Several relocations later, they are now in a coffeeshop off Jalan Besar. And their followers still swear by the addictive concoction – juicy, smooth beef slices dunked in savoury soup. Bon Appétit!”

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Food

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SOON LEE PORRIDGE Recommended by: Ms Bernice Xu Singapore Department of Statistics “This stall is close to my heart as I grew up eating its supremely delicious pork porridge. That was around 20 years ago and it is still going strong when I last patronised it a few months back. The taste of the stall’s porridge is the same – heavenly.

Soft in texture without being too watery or hard, the porridge is paradise to the palate with its heady mix of beaten egg, turnips and bits of you tiao. You owe it to yourself to sample it at least once!”

WHERE: Clementi Central Market & Hawker Centre, Clementi Ave 3 OPERATING HOURS: 6am – 9pm (daily)

WARONG NASI PARIAMAN Recommended by: Mr Saiful Hisham Sidek Workforce Development Agency “In business before World War II up till now, this stall’s authentic Sumatran cuisine is easily recognisable by its rich beef/mutton rendang, roast chicken in gravy, freshly prepared bergedil (fried potato cakes) and cucumber achar. Other side dishes like baked fish in spicy coconut gravy and vegetable sambal goreng will also titillate your taste buds. So don’t hold back, have your fill!”

WHERE: 738 North Bridge Road OPERATING HOURS: 7am – 3pm (closed on Sundays and Public Holidays)

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2/25/10 2:14:36 PM

37

Food

LAO ZHONG ZHONG EATING HOUSE Recommended by: Mrs Koh-Yeo Li Joo Parliament Secretariat “When I was a kid in the ’70s, I ate regularly at this stall when it used to be at the Eu Tong Sen hawker centre in front of the old Tong Chai Medical Institution. Periodically, I will still get my ngoh hiang fix at this new location with my friends or family members. Its meat rolls are totally handmade and prepared on the spot. I especially love the cuttlefish. It is best enjoyed with the stall’s homemade sauce consisting of chilli sauce and groundnuts.”

WHERE: 29 Tai Thong Crescent OPERATING HOURS: 11.30am – 11.30pm (closed on alternate Mondays)

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2/25/10 2:20:29 PM

Food

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MACKENZIE REX RESTAURANT Recommended by: Ms Rosmawati Sulaiman People’s Association “Nearly 44 years old, this restaurant is a favourite with me and my family since we discovered it a few years ago.

Thanks to its Halal preparation, we are able to savour authentic Chinese food. The restaurant’s signature dish is Hainanese Chicken Rice, and needless to say, it became our pet dish. Its polished rice and tender meat is something to relish slowly. We also enjoy the restaurant’s fresh seafood, namely prawns and fish. Most importantly, meals here are affordable. Be prepared to queue for around half an hour during lunch hour, though!”

WHERE: 66 Prinsep Street OPERATING HOURS: 11.30am – 10pm (daily)

CHE’ ROSE Recommended by: Mr Sukri Kadola Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore “Rosmah Nidar Marlian, affectionately known as ‘Chek Rose’ by her customers, started serving nasi padang at Bussorah Street in 1958 before relocating to Toa Payoh. As with most women from Padang, West Sumatra, Chek Rose is meticulous in her preparation of dishes. If there is one dish that epitomises this attention to detail, it is her dry, but lip-smacking tender beef rendang. It can be paired with focaccia bread or French baguette, or even used as fillings in Chinese buns!”

WHERE: Blk 125, Toa Payoh Lorong 2 OPERATING HOURS: 9am – 3pm (closed on Fridays)

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2/25/10 2:21:00 PM

39

Food

HIONG KEE DUMPLINGS Recommended by: Ms Irene Tay Public Service Division “Satisfying the cravings of foodies for over 40 years, this bak chang (dumpling) purveyor serves up not only traditional Hokkien dumplings with pork, chestnut, mushroom and salted eggs fillings but also red bean and Nonya dumplings as well.

Plain dumplings are also sold. Truly a dumpling haven!”

WHERE: Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, 531A Upper Cross Street OPERATING HOURS: 8.30am – 7.30pm (daily)

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2/25/10 2:21:53 PM

Food

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WAH KEE FARRER PARK PRAWN NOODLES Recommended by: Ms Lee Shiao Wei Ministry of Education “The friendly stallholder proudly informed me that he has been selling prawn noodles for 58 years. He started off with a humble pushcart stall and sold his noodles at 20 cents a bowl, but prices are now at $3, $5, $8 or $10. Go for the $10 version which gives you three very fresh jumbo prawns in a clear and light yet full-bodied stock, accompanied by fragrant home-made egg noodles.”

WHERE: Pek Kio Hawker Centre, Cambridge Road OPERATING HOURS: 7.30am – 2pm (closed on Wednesdays)

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41 The Short Takes Last Page

ThirdAgeTest 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: Apr 17, 2010

1. According to the Department of Statistics, one in ______________ residents will be 65 years or older by 2030.

A B C D

5 8 10 15

2. The ______________ is an independent body that promotes active ageing so that seniors can achieve a better quality of life.

A B C D

Active Ageing Commission Committee on Active Ageing Council for Third Age Council for Golden Age

3. Previously known as Senior Citizens’ Week, the ______________ is a platform for promoting an active ageing culture in Singapore.

A B C D

Senior Citizens’ Festival Grandparents’ Day Active Ageing Week Active Ageing Festival

COMPILED BY EDMUND SOO

4. For more information on reemployment, or working beyond the statutory retirement age, employers and employees alike may visit the one-stop information and resource centre at ____________ A B C D

www.re-employment.sg www.onestopemployment.gov.sg www.retirementjobs.gov.sg none of the above

5. Which of the following CPF LIFE plans provides a higher monthly payout and leaves less bequest for beneficiaries?

A B C D

LIFE Basic Plan LIFE Balanced Plan LIFE Plus Plan LIFE Income Plan

ll thse a t e G swer d an ect an cortrand toie s mov winuchers! vo

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2/25/10 1:36:44 PM