BUMPER ISSUE 2&3 F Y 1 3 /1 4
2
I SSUE 2 &3 FY13 /14
Major Affairs 03 05 08
Back to School f or a Blast! LTA- UITP SITCE 2013
Reviewing o ur Mission Statement an d Sha red Values
10 16 18
Corporate Retreat Ou r lib rary is going digital!
Get t ing the best retur ns f or each dollar spent – Value f or Money (VFM)
Special Feature 20
L TA’s Guardian Angels- the Pers onal Assistants f or Management
Centerfold 22
An aft e r noon chat with AgGDVS
Grow with Love 30 31 34
24 26 28
Qu est f or Excellence SHI NE
Eat We ll, Play Hard!
Care & Conc er n - A Spirit Worth Championing
On the Ball 38
Unsung He roe s
Keeping Things Whole 41
W inning Mentality
It’s Lunch Time, People! 42
Quality Service
A Walk to Re me mbe r
If you’re around SMO ... If you’re around ITSC...
Read & Reap
Ach ieving Customer Relations hip 44 Q uiz Excellence!
Risks & Opportunities 29 How t o be a ‘Clean’ Public Service Officer?
Back to Sch
l for a Blast!
Our 18th Annual Dinner and Dance had staff and invited guests going “Back to School” on 7 September 2013. DND Committee
It started with all reciting the LTA pledge and learning the LTA song. Good fun ensued and there was never a dull moment throughout the night with the entertaining and engaging host, Justin Mission.
That night, many stood out with their creative
interpretations of ‘school outfits’ but only one was crowned. Our senior management were equally
enthusiastic as they came decked out in their best school uniforms and co-curricular activities outfits!
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4
Back to Sch
l for a Blast!
For the first time, a talent search—LTA’s Got
DND Committee
Talent—was run to uncover hidden talent within LTA. Competition was vigorous as contestants sang their hearts out and some performed amazing dance routines that left audiences mesmerised.
The school session climaxed when celebrity comedian, Kumar, rocked the stage with his
surprise appearance and created a loud roar of laughter across the entire ballroom.
School was fun!
LTA-UITP SITCE 2013 This year, LTA partnered with the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) to co-host the
Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition (SITCE) 2013, the biggest international transport
Lim Yong Long, Ong Eng Chin, Kelly Ann Stewart, and Jolene Wong
exhibition in Singapore. With the theme “People-centred Mobility for Liveable Cities”, SITCE aims to
address and cover important issues on urban transport such as governance, challenges in rail and road infrastructure development, clean and green transport, and future transport innovations.
Over 1,000 senior government officials, industry practitioners, transport operators and researchers gathered at SITCE to share their experience and expertise with one another.
Of interest among the 99 exhibitions by local and international exhibitors are the ones on Land Transport Master Plan 2013 and BYD e6 electric car.
Land Transport Master Plan 2013 The “textbook” that is undeniably for everyone in LTA is the Land Transport Master Plan. The latest version,
the Land Transport Master Plan 2013 (LTMP 2013), was launched by Minister Lui Tuck Yew at the SITCE on 7 October 2013.
LTMP 2013 continues the LTMP 2008’s vision of a “People-centred Land Transport System”, but with a
strengthened focus on “Enhancing Your Travel Experience”. The promises that we make to commuters are:
Many of you have contributed in one way or another to this refreshed LTMP. It sets out the approaches we will take to achieve our vision and guides many of the projects we will be embarking on in the
coming years. Some of the key initiatives in LTMP 2013 include the doubling of our rail network with new rail lines, adding more trains, bringing forward the Bus Service Enhancement Programme, the Walk2Ride Programme, an expansion of our cycling network, and installation of noise barriers.
The future we want to achieve by 2030 is one in which people can get to more places faster and in greater comfort.
The LTMP 2013 was launched at the SITCE 2013. From Left: Mr Chew Hock Yong (CE of LTA), Mr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport), Mr Michael Lim (Chairman), Mr Lui Tuck Yew (Minister for Transport), Mrs Josephine Teo (Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Transport), Mr Alain Flausch (Secretary General of the International Association of Public Transport), Mr Chua Chong Kheng (DCE)
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6
75%
85% < 60 mins
8 in 10
Of all journeys in peak hours undertaken on public transport
85% of public transport journeys of less than 20km completed within 60 minutes
Households within 10-minute walk from a train station
To achieve these targets is no mean feat. With lots of hard work and dedication from our strong team,
we can certainly fulfil our promises to the people. Let’s take pride that we continue to play a key role in
transforming Singapore’s transport landscape and meeting people’s travel needs over the next 20 years!
The BYD e6 Electric Car has arrived!
The BYD e6 is the only electric vehicle featured at SITCE 2013. Currently running as electric taxis in
cities such as Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Bogota, this 5-seater vehicle, which has a full driving range of 300km after a full quick charge of 20 minutes, is able to reach up to 140km/h. Most importantly, it has zero tailpipe emission!
e6 is developed by BYD, a China-based automaker which aims to promote environmental sustainability and be a forefront leader in clean electric vehicular technology. BYD has further plans to roll out its e6s
in London, Thailand, Taiwan, Costa Rica, Rotterdam and the United States. Currently, Singapore is also exploring the feasibility of testing these e6s on our roads.
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On Thursday, 10 October 2013, three comprehensive SITCE technical tour programmes were arranged for registered delegates. The programmes included site visits to the Downtown Line Stage 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rail
construction sites, Sengkang Integrated Transport Hub, SMRT Kim Chuan Depot and LTA Intelligent Transport Systems Centre.
Excited faces at the technical tour
On the way down to the tunnel!
Each tour provided delegates with the opportunity to view and gain first-hand experience of transport planning and rail projects in Singapore. The tours were conducted successfully with a total of 83
delegates and we received many compliments for the well-organised programme with thorough and insightful briefings.
LTA-UITP SITCE 2013 enjoyed an overwhelming response!
Fun facts Number of vis
3500
itors to the Ex
hibition
10 82
Number of de
legates from 22 countries who register ed for the ev ent
133 Number of sp eakers from 30 countries the Congress at and Expo Fo rum Number of ex
99
hibitors from
22 countries
4000m 2
Total area of Number of pa
exhibition
83
rticipants in
the technica
l tours
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Reviewing our Mission Statement and Shared Values
Janet Ma
We researched on other organisations’ mission statements and shared values and had a discussion over lunch before coming for this Focus Group Discussion session!”
shared Selma Gomez and Halimah Mohd Ali (Human Resource, Corporate Planning and Research Group) enthusiastically. Having been involved in seeking staff’s inputs on LTA’s
Mission Statement and Shared Values for the past few months as an Achieving Corporate Transformation
(ACT) (Leadership) member, staff’s passion in wanting
to make a difference and playing an active part in LTA’s
transformation journey is truly inspiring and infectious.
At the LTA Work Plan Seminar 2013, CE highlighted that LTA
has entered a new phase of land transport development and
public service delivery. Since then, to transform ourselves to be
more customer-centric, efficient, coordinated and responsive in the
way we operate internally and across agencies, six cross-functional
ACT teams were formed to look into specific areas.
Leadership
Planning
Information
Processes
People
Customers
Set the tone & Align with refreshed strategies
Corporate Future Sensing & Research Planning
“Big Data” in Land Transport
Efficient use of resources by streamlining processes and timely management of risks and opportunities
Career development in LTA, every LTA officer to be change agent and “Pass it On”
Raise trust between community & LTA
The ACT (Leadership) team was tasked to lead the review of LTA’s Mission Statement and Shared
Values (MV). Recognising that every LTA officer should be empowered to be a positive change agent, CE emphasised (at least three times!) the need to involve all staff during an informal pre-staff engagement
discussion session with him. CE has also personally urged all staff to participate in this review process through webcast.
Driven, the ACT (Leadership) team arranged multiple engagement platforms from July to September this year to extend staff outreach: (1)
Online Survey;
(2)
SHINE Fiesta;
(3)
Focus Group Discussions (FGD);
(4)
Large Group Intervention (LGI) - for Middle Management and above; and
(5)
Staff Meeting - for Deputy Directors and above
The responses shared via these platforms were filled with apprehension as well as joy and hope for a better future. While some staff bravely acknowledged LTA’s challenges ahead, they also fervently believed that with resilience, commitment and teamwork, we can succeed in the new environment.
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I have been in LTA for many years, but this is the first time I really feel involved in making a difference in charting LTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future! Before the FGD I was actually quite fearful about what transformation means and how it will affect me. But today, I finally understand what it is and saw that everyone is open to moving LTA forward!
Every staff has different background and experiences. However, in the face of upcoming challenges, I can see that we are always keen to renew ourselves and adapt to the new environment.
Every vote and comment from every staff matters. On 4 October 2013, senior management gathered and pored over the results, statistics and comments at the Senior Management Review Workshop. They studied various graphs plotted to illustrate staffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinions, compared responses to similar
concerns across the various engagement platforms, and noted down interesting findings. Such is the commitment by our senior management to transform LTA.
Indeed, the first step towards transformation will have to start from within. From now until the
endorsement of our refreshed MV, management will continue to deliberate all feedback and inputs from staff, Board Members and other key stakeholders.
We are still in the midst of reviewing MV; and this is but the (very important) first step
towards transformation. Throughout the entire transformation journey, it is our goal to involve as many LTA staff as possible.
1.1 75
Number
d th
ho share
of staff w
ey
line Surv
h the On
throug eir views
iesta on
HINE F ng the S
duri received omments c d n and mad a d s a glad, s gestion g ff u ta s s f o e r k e a tm 253 Numb and wha Concepts n io s is ntion M p Interve rge Grou a L e th d in articipate ff who p ta s ns f o r 0 e 16 Discussio Numb us Group c o F e th e for their tim o offered h w ff ta s of 78 Number team dership) ACT (Lea e th in ers of memb 13 Number
possible
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Corporate Retreat
Andrea Teo Disclaimer: This article is made light-hearted for your reading pleasure. Corporate Retreat 2013 is our opportunity to influence the direction of LTA’s future. What organisation do we want LTA to be? We can think it through these 4 aspects.. 1. LTA’s Mission 2. Shared Values 3. Corporate Balanced Scorecard & Strategy Map 4. Our Transformation initiatives
Eh, we zuo gang (work) at Seletar Country Club ok! Don’t play play…
Today boh gah-men! (boh gah-men = boss not in)
They are: Yes our Board has set 4 focal areas to direct LTA’s strategies and transformation initiatives
• LTA to be responsible for the entire travel experience; • To re-define role of LTA and Private Transport Operators (Can we be partners?); • To have greater community ownership and involvement;
GDCP Lew Yii Der on the Outcomes of Board Retreat 2013
Your Board Members & CE have set the direction for us. For this 2-day retreat, LTA will now collectively think, discuss, and decide the 4 aspects that CE mentioned.
External Consultant, BALLianz – Guan Mong
• A stronger and more resilient LTA workforce (HR matters).
Important… Important… Must. Take. Notes.
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Setting of Mission & Shared Values
S.P.I.C.E is the key! S = Synergy P = Progressive I = Integrity C = Commitment E = Empathy
CEOs for the day – wear the hat of CE and think about what LTA’s mission and shared values should be…
Gathering thoughts on Corporate Balanced Scorecard
Thinking in progress…
Gathering thoughts on Corporate Balanced Scorecard
Yes, but at the same time, we need to build trust and social capital so that public will appreciate LTA more!
We need to manage travel demand through better understanding of customer’s needs.
Management & the facilitators are filling up the boards fast.
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Andrea Teo
Corporate Retreat ACT Teams Presenting Their Recommendations Breakout session by Achieving Corporate Transformation (ACT) Categories: Planning, Information, Processes, People, and Customers
CE ‘s closing address At the end of this Retreat, I hope that LTA embarks on the next lap with • a sense of Renewal - changes in the way we do things, new staff coming on board every month do it with a collective will; • a Sense of Belief - do what we believe is good for Singapore; and • Explore new Possibilities - be open-minded, embrace new ideas, for a better outcome, just do it!
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WE DID IT! HUAT AH!
Oh, you want to know what else we did during the retreat?
Happy Hour!
Chilling, getting a drink after a hard day of thinking
Good Old KTV
Billiard (and the eagle eyes)
Rain or Shine, Soccer Time!
You goal; I bowl.
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Corporate Retreat
Andrea Teo
T r i b u t e to M rs M a r i a C ho y That last evening of Corporate Retreat was special as management held a farewell to Group
Director Special Duty (GDSD) Maria Choy, who was a boss, mentor and friend to many in LTA. Everyone wished her the best for her retirement.
CE: Not saying goodbye, we will continue to tap on your wisdom.
GDVS Alison: “Maria, how can you remember so much?” Maria: “Ginkgo.”
Jennifer Tan: “Mrs Choy has been a very
appreciative, understanding, supportive and caring boss to me. I miss her very much.”
2DPL Teik Soon: To sum it up…. Maria, we love you!
(supporting Mrs Choy since October 2007)
Facts about M rs M a r i a C ho y
Areas where Maria has le f t h e r i m p r i n t : 1. Development and review of policies:
1973 Mrs Choy joined Administrative Service
April 1997 Mrs Choy was transferred to LTA
9 November 2013 GDSD Maria Choy retired from service
a. Certificate of Entitlement (COE) b. Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)
c. Public Transport Fare Review Mechanism d. Rail financing & regulatory framework
2. Drafting of the 1996 White Paper for LTA - A World Class Land Transport System.
3. Conceptualisation, design and implementation of the registration and licensing of vehicles via e-services through ONE.MOTORING website 4. Provided her guidance on initiatives such
as real-time bus information and Wheelchair Accessible Buses
Our deepest appreciation and respect to Mrs Choy for her 4 decades of dedicated service and contribution to the Civil Service and LTA!
Unleash the Leader Within
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Management Development Programme Your purpose is to design Singapore’s future. Its purpose is to get you there. With its power-packed and pragmatic content, you’ll be sure to know that you are on the road to GREATER SUCCESS.
1
Module
2
3
Module
Module
• Managerial
• Organisational
• Managerial Competencies (2 Days)
Leadership
Awareness (1 Day)
• Performance Management
Development
• Fireside chat with
• Competency-based Interviewing
(2 Days)
CMM member
Techniques
Testimonials
Key Benefits Achieve results through identifying different ways of working with teams
Increase effectiveness of team management through building greater self-awareness
and insights into one’s strengths, areas of development, and working style
Greater networks with counterparts from various LTA Groups and Divisions “The course is very interactive and enriching.
Greater appreciation of the social,
examples to illustrate the concept to be applied
and its implications on policy making
lot from the course. It has helped me to better
Better engagement with CMM members on
The trainer has given the class many real-life
in our work/ family areas. I personally gained a manage situations be it at work or at home.”
economic and security landscape facing LTA
the future of public transport
– Constance Loh
“This programme is useful and pragmatic. There
Who should attend?
personal relationships.”
Deputy Managers, Managers, Senior Managers,
are useful take-away to improve both work and
– Leong Yin Fong
Principal Managers
Organised by HR L&D Team
Enquiries: Roslin_Rustam@lta.gov.sg Vivien_Wong@lta.gov.sg
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Our library is going digital! George Sun & Rebecca How
With the increasing use of Internet, our LTA
Library has been building up its digital resources and disseminating many new initiatives such
as e-Alerts, Table of Contents, and Transport Horizon to staff regularly.
This initiative to bring information to your
fingertips is led by the LTA Library Committee
(a group of dedicated LTA colleagues, many of
whom have served conscientiously as members for more than 10 years).
tee
it m m o C e h t About 1
1. LTA Library Committee members Seated Front Row L-R: Muliady Tandil, Cheong Mun Onn, Pearlene Lim, Rebecca How, Lim Yong Long and Rama Ventka Standing Back Row L-R: Hoe Koon Seng, Joshua Chia, Wong Kok Fai, Mohinder Singh (Chairman), George Sun, Chua Han Hua and Albert Sin Not in picture: Maria Chen and Naveen Kumar
ed by rs are nominat r 1995. Membe be em pt teen Se in fo tablished mmittee of ur mmittee was es in LTA. The Co ith w ns io thly vis The Library Co on di m ey meet t the various inder Singh. Th s and represen oh or M ct ), re LA Di (D d up y ro em G ial, retrieval an of LTA Acad rmation, custod red by Director fo ai in ch e is ov rs pr im be d mem publications an ts to purchase in LTA. to review reques ns io at er for efficient op es ic rv se n io disseminat
2. A monthly meeting in session
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When you ab
solutely positiv ely have to kn ow, ask a libra rian. –American Li brary Associa tion
Due to commercial interests and intellectual property rights, the digital publications are not always available, economical or user-friendly. This poses challenges to the Library Committee whose
members have to weigh the pros and cons of the types, scale and pace in selecting new additions of digital resources.
Let’s hear from them...
Albert Sin: Having digital resources in our library is convenient and time-saving for our colleagues who can now
enjoy quick access to information even from project site offices. Besides, reducing hardcopies helps to maximize the library’s space and save our environment! Joshua Chia: I joined the Library Committee last November and was impressed by the members’ dedication.
Publications, electronic resources, databases, and materials are painstakingly selected and organised to meet the learning needs of staff. Particularly, the digital collection has been expanded. Do check
out our library webpage or visit our Library located at Block 10, Hampshire Office (HSO) to begin your journey!
Rama Ventka: Knowledge is power, and what better way to have this power than at your fingertips! With our library going digital, the wealth of information is readily available. Now, that’s what I call convenience! Wong Kok Fai: With digital resources, staff can access a large amount of information wherever they are and whenever they need it.
Referencing engineering standards, reading professional books, or browsing through journals at your desktop? Look out for the e-services brought to you by our very own Library!
Transport Horizon Library e-Alerts
Table of Contents
Look out for them in your emails!
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Getting the best returns for each dollar spent
- Value for Money (VFM)
Ang Xian Hui We make decisions based on value for money
everyday. In fact, Singaporeans are known to be always on the lookout for the best deals. As the saying goes, “Good buy, best buy, must buy!”
So how can we apply the same concept in our daily work?
What is Value for Money?
Value for Money (VFM) has many definitions as the concept of money varies among individuals. The
most widely accepted definition encompasses three aspects – Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness (“3Es”) – as illustrated in the diagram below.
VALUE FOR
MONEY
Costs are re
MY CONO
E EFFICIENCY EFFECTIVENES
low
latively
Productivity is high
S
e Outcomes ar d ve ie ach
Why Value for Money?
VFM, together with Economy Drive (ED), is a component of Economy Value Drive (EVD).
ECONOMY
DRIVE
VALUE FOR MONEY
ECONOMY VALUE
DRIVE
In 2003, ED was launched against a backdrop of decreasing government operating revenue and
increasing expenditure in the previous 10 years to ensure sustainability of government resources and
to reinforce the philosophy of prudence in the public sector. In 2011, ED was repositioned as EVD, with an emphasis on the concept of VFM in deriving savings, shifting the focus from cost efficiency to value creation in our processes.
Thus, it is imperative that we integrate VFM into our daily work and reduce wastage, extravagance
and inefficiency as we strive to achieve our mission of providing an efficient and cost-effective land transport system for different needs.
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Value for Money Opportunities
There are several VFM opportunities throughout a project life cycle, especially during the early stages of the project such as project planning and project development.
Source: Adapted from Accentureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Public Sector Value-For-Money Discussion Document, Nov 2010
Value for Money in Action!
While many of us are already practising the concept of VFM and 3Es in our work, we should aim to make a larger, more conscious effort in incorporating them into our daily jobs. Here is one of our very own exemplary VFM cases that we can learn from. Footpath Maintenance
Some of the footpaths in mature residential estates are worn and require maintenance. However, the
existing practice of topping up the footpath with concrete has several disadvantages. To address these
areas of concern, a team from the then Road Operations & Community Partnership proposed an alternate
maintenance method using Fibre Reinforced Polymer Cementitious Coating (FRPCC). A comparison of the two maintenance methods is summarized in the table below. EXISTING METHOD
PROPOSED METHOD: FRPCC
Repair Time
5 days
8 hours
Cost
Higher cost due to more manpower
27% lower cost at $6.70/m²
Inconvenience to Public
Pedestrians diverted to a temporary
Less inconvenience as footpath is
Safety of Public
Safety hazard for pedestrians as the
Thickness is only 3-4mm compared
required
or alternative footpath for 5 days
sidetable may be lowered significantly due to the increase in the level of the
closed for a shorter duration to concrete (50mm)
footpath Noise Level
Relatively high
Relatively low
More Value for Money?
Today, EVD serves to instil in every public officer the mindset of maximising
social and economic benefits from every public dollar. Remember, create value in every dollar and time spent because every dollar saved is a dollar more we can spend on another service for the public!
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Paulin Chan
LTA’s Guardian Angels - the Personal Assistants for Management A few dealings with the personal assistants (PAs) at work convinced me that PAs are tough women.
How else can they handle bosses’ diaries and deal with situations in their absence if they are not cool and competent? They remain composed when dealing with difficult people; they become assertive
when negotiating for bosses’ time and resources and insulating bosses from unwanted solicitations and distractions; they can get into damage-control mode as soon as plans fall apart at the last minute. Curious, we spoke to a few PAs.
What are the challenges at work? Adjusting to a new boss is very important for
PAs. It can be nerve-wrecking to assist someone we know nothing about. Thereafter, it is about keeping an open mind and trying various
approaches. On the same note, we have to
discuss and manage expectations with the new boss.
The biggest challenge is the constant need to communicate effectively and manage GDIIT’s demanding schedules and meet her high
expectations. It is challenging to excel in the
different roles that I play – I am GDIIT’s ‘security
guard’, her confidant, her personal ‘IT help-desk’ and her record keeper. As such, I need to stay
— Chris Low
Communicating effectively with internal
customers (colleagues from various departments)
organised and be on top of everything that is requested of me every day.
— Eileen Tan
and external customers (such as contractors) is
During the initial period after being transferred
“barrier”, guarding confidential information from
from scratch and learn on the job as I was
very important. Particularly, I need to act as a
from Rail (E&M) to Rail (Civil), I had to start
some external customers. As the first point of
unfamiliar with how the teams work.
passed sarcastic remarks when they could not
The challenge lies a lot in managing boss’ tight
contact, there have been times when contractors get to speak to the boss.
meeting schedules. At times, he is so busy
that I have to prompt him to take his lunch!
Staying organised at all times and keeping
proper records are also challenging with the number of appointments and meetings my boss has.
— Christine Goh
— Suzie Ng
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What’s your secret to remaining unflappable under pressure? Work-life balance at LTA helps reduce stress and restore harmony to our life.
— Chris Low I try to manage my time by being organised and
proactive. Practising “CANJOE” – Clear A Nasty Job Off Early, prevents me from procrastinating and gives me a better day.
Keeping a positive mindset is equally important. I believe there is always a solution to a problem; it’s how you look at it and find ways to solve it.
I always remind myself to stay calm so that I can concentrate and clear my work on time.
If you are not afraid of hard work, challenges, and unpredictable changes and are passionate about
your work, you will eventually overcome whatever
difficulties that may lie ahead of you. Never be afraid to learn as it will add on to the skills that you already have.
My appreciation to SGDRL Mr Sim Wee Meng for giving me this opportunity; and to my Director Mr
Song Siak Keong for his understanding and support all the time. I also have a good team to work with and that is why I’m still with LTA!
And the best antidote? Laughter!
— Suzie Ng
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
GDIIT for her patience, guidance and learning
opportunities that have been extended to me all
these years. Of course, not forgetting my fellow colleagues who are always there for me when I
The secret is to understand my role and accept that every day is a learning process at work.
need their help.
— Endoon Omar — Eileen Tan
‘Personal assistant’ is an understatement. They are the guardian angels for our bosses and ultimately for LTA. They keep management focused on top priorities without neglecting the smaller yet still important
issues. Not only do they assist the bosses but many a times also assist the staff and act as our advocate. What would we do without them?
Let’s hear it for LTA’s guardian angels! Thank you so much for doing what you do!
Introducing our brave guardian angels!
Chris Low Yoke Fun
Christine Goh
Eileen Tan
Endoon Omar
Suzie Ng
Supporting Group Director Lew Yii Der for about a year
Supporting Deputy Group Director Leong Kok Hoong for about 12 years
Supporting Group Director Rosina Howe for about 10 years
Supporting Director Ow Chun Nam for about 22 years
Supporting Director Song Siak Keong for about 3 years
Innovation & Infocomm Technology
MSI Global Pte Ltd
Downtown Line Stage 3 (Civil Team 3)
Corporate Planning & Research
Safety & Contracts
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Stephane Lim
An afternoon chat with AgGDVS I spent a pleasant afternoon catching up with the new Acting Group Director of the Vehicle Services Group, Alison Tan. The neat, trim and smartly-dressed lady reveals more about herself just so that you, our readers, can get to know her better. Below is an excerpt of our little afternoon chat. Stephane: How different is your current portfolio compared with what you were doing in LTA previously, and what are some of the challenges that you currently face?
Alison: I was previously in the Policy division for the past 15 years, where there were only over 20 staff,
whereas the Vehicle Services Group is a lot bigger with over 200 staff. So I’ll have to adapt and further hone my leadership and management skills to lead such a big group.
The Vehicle Services Group is primarily an operational outfit. Compared to Policy, it is more front-line
and closer to the ground and we have a lot of dealings with the public. So there are a lot of operational details and work processes to learn. At Policy, the work was generally more strategic and focussed
more on the bigger picture and we often relied on our operational colleagues to work out the details for implementation. Fortunately, I have a good team in the Vehicle Services Group that is competent, dedicated and very experienced.
Being at the frontline facing members of the public can be very demanding. I fully appreciate my staff for their hardwork and commitment. So I also try to make sure we give them due recognition for services rendered to the public.
Stephane: What are some of the ways you use to overcome these challenges? Alison: One of the first things I did after I came in was to find out where staff from the various divisions are located, then take a look at their working environment when I visit or meet them. I’m still struggling
to remember their names or to recognise them. One thing which I try to do is to call the officer directly to
clarify on their submissions. This gives me the opportunity to get to know them quickly. It’s also faster and more direct to contact them directly as sometimes the Deputy Directors (DDs) could be out for meetings. (Laughs) I told them, “Don’t be surprised, panicked or shocked if you
pick up a call from me directly or when I call you into my
office.” It’s just the style I’m used to working with a smaller team at Policy. I also feel
that such personal interaction is good to get to know staff better and establish rapport with them.
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Stephane: Considering the challenges and stresses that you face in your current portfolio, what do you do to relax and “de-stress”? Also, what hobbies have you taken up?
Alison: I love baking cakes and cookies. I find it very relaxing just measuring, mixing and working on the dough. Sometimes I bake with my little girl and it’s bonding time for us. It’s very gratifying when a cake comes out well smelling yummy. It’s even more satisfying when I see my family enjoying it. A sense of achievement — a different kind from work!
Stephane: Tell us more about your family and how you juggle work and family commitments. Alison: I try to carve out dedicated family time, but with VPN (Virtual Private Network) access to emails
nowadays, that can be difficult. What I hold “sacred” is bedtime with my younger girl (she’s 8 years old, the elder girl is 17). We spend quiet time together, whether it’s reading a book or chit-chatting before she goes
to sleep. There is also family weekend time where we will try to at least have dinner together. It’s so difficult to have dinner together during the week! When I get home, my younger girl would have had dinner while my elder girl would sometimes still be in school. And then of course, there’s work (sigh). [Do you split the family commitments between you and your husband?] As I don’t believe in taxing my kid with tuition, I share the workload of supervising my little girl’s schoolwork with my husband – he takes care of Mathematics and I teach all the others, including making sure that
she does her practice for piano and ballet! But he is the official driver at home for my kids’ extracurricular activities while I’m only the backup when he’s overseas or busy (Laughs).
I also have a domestic helper at home. I can’t imagine not having a helper, and having a good one is so important as it frees me up to spend more time with my children.
Stephane: If there is one thing you could change in this world, what would it be and why would you want to change it?
Alison: One is not enough! It’s so difficult to choose just one thing and my wish changes with my mood.
For example, on a hot and stuffy day, I would love to have four seasons in Singapore as I think the change
in seasons can be so refreshing. But that preference may change. Sometimes I also wish that I can teleport, like in science fiction shows, so that I can transport myself from office to home in an instance after a hard day’s work!
Stephane: Do you have a favourite lunch place to recommend to our readers and what’s good there? Alison: I haven’t gone to many lunch places yet but there are some good restaurants around (Sin Ming).
For instance, one of my DDs brought me to a restaurant called “Ice Edge”, which has good Italian food! I
also intend to check out the eateries at Bishan Park, which I’ve heard about from others. However, I always
feel that the lunch company is more important than the food or ambience. After all, there’s no point going to a great restaurant if you’re alone or uncomfortable with the company!
We agree with you there, Alison, and we wish you even more good food and good company! Thank you for sharing with us so much about yourself and we wish you all the best in the Vehicle Services Group!
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Quest for Excellence! Celebrate excellence!
Kua Li Min & Audrey Ow
356 staff joined us at NTUC Centre on 29 August 2013 for Quest for Excellence (QFE) Day to recognise and celebrate LTA’s and staff’s efforts and achievements in the various areas of excellence such as service and innovation, a spirit of volunteerism and staff’s efforts to derive optimal use of government resources. The theme of the event was “Transformation”.
This year, we achieved a total of 83 awards! National Innovation & Quality Circles Competition (NIQCC) Gold Awards
15 winners
Economy & Value Drive (EVD) Awards
17 winners
NIQCC Silver Awards
14 winners
Staff Suggestion Scheme (SSS) Awards
15 winning suggestions
Annual Team Service Awards
12 winners
15 winners
Special Recognition Awards
13 winners
SSS Outstanding Activists Awards
Caring Hearts Awards
Super Star Service Award
1 winner
4 winners
Apart from the award presentations, we received insightful sharing by our winners and guest speaker from Singapore Customs who won the Singapore Quality Award last year. We also learned ways to manage
difficult customers through an interesting in-house video done by our Transportation & Road Operations (TRO) colleagues earlier this year.
Once again, congratulations to all award winners and nominees for your excellent efforts in sustaining and continuously pursuing organisational excellence. Let’s continue to take pride in our work as public officers and our quest for excellence.
1. GDIIT Mrs Rosina Howe presenting the SSS Awards to the winners 2. A colleague from the team receiving the LTA Annual Team Service Award proudly showcasing an artwork done by primary school students in appreciation of their hard work!
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No Wrong Door @ Service Forum
I’m not in charge of that. Can’t help you…
So tiring whenever my query gets
bounced around… Why can’t somebody just help to answer
this simple question? It’s not fun trying to find my way
through so many How frequently do you hear such comments or share such sentiments?
doors…
With an increase in the number of complex situations and demanding customers today, it is inevitable that
we will need to handle feedback or queries that involve more than one party. But how do we know who the correct party is?
Indeed, we know it is not easy to handle such challenges. That is why the last Service Forum focussed its discussion on “Practicing No Wrong Door Internally”.
The Service Forum is one of the many regular corporate initiatives organised to permeate a strong service excellence culture and a platform to share service queries and experience. Held on 8 July 2013 @ Club 7, it was the first collaboration between the newly formed Quality Service Manager Office (QSMO) and
Corporate Transformation Office (CTO). It was also the first Forum where more than 100 participants from various divisions had lively discussions in small groups on a common challenge. So, what were some suggestions gathered from the Forum? A dedicated Service Champion in each Group A service recognition scheme for all Groups Platforms to share what our colleagues in different divisions do Platforms to reward customers who create solutions with us Thank you for your ideas! The QSMO has heard you and we are working hard to explore ways to get these done.
Meantime, keep a lookout for the implementation of some of these ideas! 1.Breaking the ice and learning that we are as strong as our weakest link 2. In the “heat” of things - Our colleagues sharing their views freely on the challenges and possible solutions to better practise No-Wrong-Door internally
1
2
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SHINE The SHINE Fiesta is conventionally a week-long festival comprising Service, Human capital, Innovation N’
Audrey Ow
Economy Drive (SHINE) elements. This year, the Fiesta coincided with Caring Month and a caring booth was set up to raise awareness for our LTA Cares Programme and the various initiatives under it.
In the spirit of transformation, the SHINE Fiesta for 2013 adopted the theme of Transformation. Modelled after the Business Excellence framework, six cross-functional Achieving Corporate Transformation (ACT) teams have been formed to kickstart LTA’s transformation journey: Leadership, Planning, Information,
Processes, People & Customers. Together with the core organising committee of the SHINE Fiesta (from
Corporate Planning, Corporate Services, IIT Groups and QSM Office), these teams worked hard to spread LTA’s transformation objectives and seek our colleagues’ ideas on how to reach these goals.
In addition, there were other activities lined up during this week-long Fiesta. Too bad if you missed any of it! You will need to wait till 2014!
Till then, here are some snapshots from SHINE:
Caring @ S
HINE
DCE Crooning for Charity
Hello Sharity Elephant - The Community Chest Booth @ SHINE
SHINE Syn
Are You Ready for Laser Tech
ergia
What LTA Means to Me
27
rnival SHINE Ca
buzz buzz buzz....
I want to adopt...
Snapshot of Our Shared Values
The 1st Agents of Positive Change
The ACT Processes Team
Intertwined in Teamwork
The lucky
winners who contributed ideas @ SHINE and
How much did we raise for LTA Cares Fund?
won (and claimed) $50 worth of shopping vouchers are: Day 1
Day 2
1. Hermanjit Singh (QSMO)
1. Derick Qiu (VS)
2. Aileen Yii (CS)
2. Chong Shaw Feng (TRO)
3. Eio Kia Wee (TRO)
3. Tan Cheon Kheong (CP)
4. Alexei Ninan Mathew (TRO)
4. Susan Koh (P&P)
5. Low Ying San (S&C)
5. Sherry Heng (S&C)
S 325 from sales of
heart-shaped Hama Beads
S 300 from “The Teh Tarik Challenge”
S 317 from “Karaoke in Auction”
28
Audrey Ow
Achieving Customer Relationship Excellence! Congratulations to all of us for winning the Customer Relationship Excellent Awards 2012 – Public Service – Government Category! The Customer Relationship Excellent (CRE) Awards, organised by the Asia Pacific Customer Service Consortium (APCSC), is an international award that promotes customer relationship excellence in
the Asia-Pacific region. The award has recognised many industry leaders and professionals for their
customer-centric service innovation with participants from more private than public sectors in both the corporate and individual categories, all demonstrating their organisational successes, best practices, and leadership on CRE. The last award was received by Taipei City Government in 2009.
The CRE Award, jointly applied for by the Corporate Planning & Research, Vehicle Services, Public
Transport Groups and the Quality Service Manager Office, and supported by all Groups, is indeed a
morale booster and reminds us to continually promote customer relationship excellence to persist in quality service delivery.
Well done, LTA!
SUPPLEMENT
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
SUPPLEMENT
17
17
CRE & CSQS 2013 Asia Pacific Leadership Summit & Hong Kong International CRE Innovation Expo CRE & CSQS 2013 Asia Pacific Leadership Summit & Hong Kong International CRE Innovation Expo Tuesday, July 16, 2013
2013 Customer Relationship Excellence Awards Official Launch 2013 Customer Relationship Excellence Awards Official Launch 2013 Asia Pacific CRE Awards Dinner Ceremony 2013 Asia Pacific CRE Awards Dinner Ceremony 2012 CRE Awards Corporate Winners (Property Management) 2012 CRE Awards Corporate Winners Henderson Land Group Property Management Department Corporate Environmental & Social Leadership (Hang Yick and Well Born)
Corporate PublicEnvironmental Service (Public Utility)& Social Leadership The Hong Kong Electric Co., Ltd. (Property Management) Public Service (Government) Henderson Land Group Land Transport AuthorityProperty (Singapore) Management Department (Hang Yick Well Born) Globaland Support Services (Telecom) China Telecom Global Limited Public Service (Public Global Support ServicesUtility) (Logistics) DHL Express Kong) Ltd.Ltd. The Hong Kong (Hong Electric Co., Contact Center (Logistics – Under 50 Seats) Public Service (Government) DHL Express Taiwan Land Transport Authority (Singapore) Contact Center (Logistics – Under 100 Seats) Express (Singapore) Ltd. GlobalDHL Support ServicesPte(Telecom) Contact Center (Telecom – Under 200 Seats) China Telecom Global Limited IOIO Customer Relationship Excellence Awards Winner Group Photo with Mr. Jason Chu, Chairman of APCSC at Asia Pacific CRE Awards Dinner Ceremony 2013 Center (Telecom –(Logistics) Under 300 Seats) GlobalContact Support Services Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. DHL Express (Hong Kong) Ltd. Contact Center (Logistics – Under 300 Seats) Express(Logistics (Hong Kong) – Ltd. ContactDHL Center Under 50 Seats) Contact Center (Entertainment – Under 500 Seats) DHL Express Taiwan services in order to improve satisfaction towards The uncertainties of global economy have CSQS would, in the long run, be the foundations of Tsing Yi Telebet Centre, The Hong Kong Jockey Club policies and efficiency.” subjected companies to more rigorous challenges. brand building and customer loyalty, in readiness Center (Logistics – Under 1000 Seats) ContactContact Center (Logistics – Under 100 Seats) To meet customer demands and retain their loyalty, to meet future global customer demands across and Online customer service recognized from Malaysia DHL-Sinotrans International Air Courier Ltd. DHL Express (Singapore) Pte Ltd. firms must focus on CRE (customer relationship beyond the Asia Pacific. National Customer Service Department While self-service is essential when using any excellence) strategy in the center of their business The CSQS guidelines are reviewed on an annual online platform, high speed customer service stays Contact Center (Telecom – Above 1000 Seats) Contact Center (Telecom – Under 200 Seats) philosophy and operations. Those that have excelled basis so as to keep an up-to-date best practice roadmap Advanced Contact Center Co., Ltd equally important to be competitive. Winner of the under these difficulties have recently been recognized for firms to reinforce strategic customer retention IOIO Integrated Support Team (Government) Online Customer Service, Innovative Technology Customer Relationship Excellence Awards Winner Groupfor Photo with Mr. Jason Chu, Chairman ofdisciplines. APCSC“This at Asia Awards Dinner Ceremony 2013Service of the Year, Ms their outstanding performance. year, Pacific we expandCRE our focus on such and High Speed Customer Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, Contact Center (Telecom – UnderSystem 300Service Seats) issues as customer lifecycle management and personal Executive Yuan Personnel Information Center Swee Lin Liew, Chief Commercial Officer of Astro Coveted international prize of excellence data and security treatment,” said Chu. “It is critical Chunghwa Telecom Co.,(Service Ltd. Desk) Integrated Support Team Malaysia, saw the growing significance in online At the 11th international gala dinner organized by for firms to carefully handle customers’ personal IBM Solution & Services (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd (ISSC) platform. “The awards are true tributes to our Go Asia Pacific Customer Service Consortium APCSC on requirements, feedback and data for CRE Leadership.” Contact Center (Logistics – Under 300 Seats) Beyond values in Multi-Channel Customer Care 14th June, over 220 business leaders from outstanding Innovative Technology (Entertainment) Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad strategy including mobile, web, on-air and social firms and individuals at all levels, from frontline to Lifetime journey to CRE discovery DHL Express (Hong Kong) Ltd. media, and we will uphold our efforts as Malaysia’s CEOs, were singled out for their contributions to Emphasizing the importance of treating CRE Best Use of Technology (Logistics) ContactDHL Center leading integrated consumer media entertaining group customers in the AP region, to receive the coveted Leadership as a life-time journey, Chu further Express(Entertainment (Singapore) Pte Ltd – Under 500 Seats) services in stop order improve satisfaction towards CSQS Customer would,Relationship in the Excellence long run, beAwards. the foundations The uncertainties of global economy have to offer the most robust service for our consumer.” Tsing YiCustomer (CRE) explains: of “As true leaders, we never in ourto CRE Telebet Centre, Hong Kong Jockey Club Service CenterThe (Insurance) This year, and on topcustomer of the many loyalty, multi-national Journey to engage our customers; empower our AIA Guangdong Branch (Insurance) policies and efficiency.” brand building in readiness subjected companies to more rigorous challenges. International CRE Awards Judging Panel winners and finalists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, people; innovate beyond customers’ imagination; ContactCustomer CenterService (Logistics – Under 1000 Seats) Center (Banking Service – Bureau De Change) to meet future Malaysia, global customer demands andourselves To meet customer demands and retain their loyalty, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, across transform to provide better customer Online customer service recognized from Malaysia RHB Bank Berhad Singapore DHL-Sinotrans International Air Courier Ltd. industry experts and key media were well experiences; pursue professional standards, and strive beyondeminent the Asia Pacific. firms must focus on CRE (customer relationship Customer Service Center (Property Management) National Customer Service Department While self-service is essential when using any represented at the gala dinner, signifying the prestige for customer satisfaction.” Hang Lung Properties The CSQS guidelines are reviewed on an annual excellence) strategy in the center of their business of the award on a global level. Henderson Land Group, winner of the Corporate online platform, high speed customer service stays Contact Center (Telecom – System Above 1000 Seats) Customer Satisfaction Quality (Insurance) Social Leadership and the Best similar European Championship basis soCRE asAwards to keep an toup-to-date best practice Environmental roadmap & equally philosophy and operations. Those that have excelled MetLife Advanced Contact Center Co., Ltd Mr. Brett Whitford Prof. George Huang Mr. Tatsumi be competitive. Winner of the Clubhouse categories, has important participated intothe Majority of corporate winning teams have reached Department of Industrial Executive Director Yamashita Customer Satisfaction Quality System (Logistics – North Asia) for firms to reinforce strategic customer retention under these difficulties have recently been recognized Customer Service of Help Desk and Manufacturing Awards for 11 consecutive “The compliment Onlineyears. Customer Service,CEO Innovative Technology world class and market leadership. Hong Kong Support Team Air (Government) Systems Engineering The Institute of AustraliaIntegrated Institute Japan DHL-Sinotrans International Courier Ltd. continuous commitment to University of Hong Kong disciplines. year,electricity we expand our focus demonstrates on such theand for their outstanding performance. Electric,“This for example, supply reliability National Customer Service Department High Speedservice Customer Service of the Year, Ms Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, provide premium property management as reaches over 99.999% ranking at top of the world. It is
CRE Philosophy for Business Leadership
CRE Philosophy for Business Leadership issues as customer lifecycle management and personal
Customer Satisfaction Quality System (Logistics – South Asia)
Angela Khoo & Janet Ma with input from Lee Gwo Mey & Evelyn SY Tan
How to be a ‘Clean’ Public Service Officer?
29
LTA, as an agency of the Government, must strive to command a high level of public trust and uphold the community’s confidence in us.
As an LTA officer, besides making sure that we shower everyday (even when we are not in office) and wash our hands after going to the washroom, how can we ‘be clean’ and ’stay clean’? Here are some tips:
DO declare the gift presented to you by any delegates to Administrative Services. DO share the hamper of perishable goods like Korean strawberries, Australian cherries and Chinese peaches with your colleagues after obtaining approval from your Deputy Director or Director.
DO make declarations on your private property purchase, investments and indebtedness promptly or at least annually (your colleague covering your work duties in your absence is not the type of indebtedness we are talking about here).
DO inform CE through HR when you, your wife or your underage daughter buys a private property in Johor (or anywhere else in the world) via a contractor you know…
DO declare conflict of interest if one of the tender proposals you are evaluating is from the company your brother-in-law works in…
DO know what you are signing for. Be clear on your roles and responsibilities when signing off on documents (approval papers, invoices, etc).
DO NOT accept gifts from supplier(s) or anybody/ company with business dealings with LTA. DO NOT try to profit from a condominium unit near an upcoming MRT station; we have eyes lurking everywhere if you don’t already know.
DO NOT take company stationery home for your son’s art project and then tell your colleague handling administrative work that stocks are running low…
DO NOT over-specify quotations or tender specifications to the extent that only your favoured consultants or companies can bid for the job.
DO NOT brag about what you know in LTA which may contain confidential or sensitive information. DO NOT violate or circumvent internal controls for the sake of convenience. DO NOT do anything that you don’t want to read about in the newspaper. NEVER forge your bosses’ signatures! In short, when in doubt: • ASK HR via HR-Confidential @ LTA-HRConfidential@lta.gov.sg or our Risk Management Committee Secretariat @ LTA-RMC_Scretariat@lta.gov.sg.
• DECLARE any conflict of interest (even if it’s your step sister-in-law’s husband’s cousin’s company…)
For more information on how to stay clean and smell fresh like a lemon, you may refer to the following on the intranet: • The LTA Fraud Risk Management Manual [http://mwp14/ sops/doc/LTA%20 Fraud%20Risk%20 Management%20 Manual.pdf] • The HR Employee Handbook [http:// hrhub/docs/policies/ Employee%20 Handbook.pdf] • Conflict of Interest Perception test [http://hrhub/html/ perception_test_ v2%20(2).pdf] • The Declaration of Gifts Policy [http://mwp14/ sops/admin_ services/2.5%20 Corporate%20Gifts. doc]
30
A Walk to Remember Even amidst the tight deadlines of multiple projects in an intense working environment, Rail Group exemplifies the importance of caring for our health. Raymond Liw Chee Wei
14 June 2013 was a slightly hazy Friday (the day before haze engulfed Singapore). Despite that, a steady stream of LTA Rail Group staff trickled out from Nicoll Highway MRT Station at 4pm, with many of them arriving together in their choice team colour/ identity to demonstrate their
camaraderie. Over 400 staff registered and close to 500 turned up at the Rail Group Brisk Walk @ Marina 2013. It was a joyous occasion especially for those whose ‘natural habitats’ are their work cubicles and meeting rooms.
After the energizing warm-up session led by Director (Thomson Line, Civil Team 3) Henry Foo, the brisk walk along Marina waterfront towards Singapore Flyer began. Along the way, apples and
bananas were handed out to reinforce Senior Group Director Rail (SGDRL) Sim Wee Meng’s call to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The event ended with happy smiles on everyone’s face. It was a walk to remember, successfully organised by Principle Project Manager (PRPM) Raymond Tan Lak Suan and his team.
Ove regis r 400 staf tered f and c to 50 l o se 0 at the turned up R ail Gr Brisk oup Walk @ Ma rina 2013 .
31
Eat Well, Play Hard! It should not be all about work at LTA! That’s why the LTA Staff Club (LSC) was formed to promote sports, recreational, and social activities amongst LTA staff. Su Ying & Chan Hin Phung
To do well, we must eat well. This is indisputable as more than 900 staff turned up at the LTA’s Fruit
Festival held on 16 August 2013! They were all over mangosteens, rambutans, longans, grapes, cherry tomatoes and… durians (with Mao Shan Wang being best of the best)! Together we had healthy fruits; together we had happy times!
32
Eat Well, Play Hard! When it comes to games, staff are equally enthusiastic. To provide staff with accessibility to sports
activities through friendly competitions and to foster better camaraderie among staff, LSC organized the
inaugural Inter-Group Games (IGG) tournament for six sports events held over one week from 30 August to 6 September 2013. The response was overwhelming!
Su Ying & Chan Hin Phung
Four team colours of blue, red, green & yellow comprising various Groups vied for the overall IGG 2013 Championship. The composition of the 4 Team Colours are as follows:
IGG Team Colour
Represented by:
Vice Captain
Blue
Directorate, Corp Comms, Internal Audit, Road Projects, Special Duties, Transportation & Road Operations
SM(RPP) Chan Hin Phung SE(RD) Rachmat Hidayat
Red
Corp Planning & Research, Engineering, QSM Office, Policy & Planning, Systems & Rail Assets
SE(SAI) Wong Siew Chee HENO(GTT) Muhammad Fahmi
Green
Corp Services, Innovation & Infocomm Technology, Public Transport, Safety & Contracts, Vehicle Services
APPM Sun Lu DYM(TXOP) Anthony Tan
Yellow
Rail
D(C3)TSL Henry Foo D(CT2)DTL3 Rama Venkta 1 2
3
4
1. Carrom 2. Ladies Captains Ball 3. Badminton 4. CE was playing Futsal
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After an intensive battle of strength and wits over one week, Team Yellow clinched the Overall LTA Inter-Group Games (IGG) 2013 Championship! Congratulations!
9 Ball Pool
Badminton
3-on-3 Basketball
The LTA Staff Club would like to thank all management and staff who have participated and supported the IGG, as well as our following Sports Convenors and their teams who have assisted in the event.
Chong Zhong Yang (3-on-3 Basketball) Rohaida Kasmani (Badminton) Sze Yu Sheng (Badminton)
Noor Haizad Mohamad (Futsal) Neo Kong Yong (Carrom) Vincent Ong (Carrom) Kok Kam Sun (Pool) Cyline Koh (Pool)
Nor Aishah Mohamad Arshad (Ladies Captains Ball) Murnirah Mohamad Ridwan (Ladies Captains Ball)
We look forward to your continued support for our events in future!
Remember: eat well, play hard!
34
Care & Concern
- A Spirit Worth Championing Caring Month Paulin Chan
When asked ‘What do you enjoy about working in LTA?’, most staff pointed to their caring colleagues.
Heart-warming, isn’t it? To exalt and celebrate this culture of Care & Concern, the Culture Excellence section of
Corporate Transformation Office (CTO) dedicated August as LTA’s Caring Month.
Some divisions responded enthusiastically and designed their own ‘Caring Board’! They are: Survey & Lands; Intelligent Transport Systems Operations; Administration Services;
Corporate Marketing; Downtown Line 2 (Civil Construction Team 2); Road Asset Management; Rail Services 1 & Rail Services 3.
Moved by the divisions’ initiative and commitment, CTO credited a token amount of $100 to each division’s welfare fund.
Hopefully, this little encouragement will lead to an even more positive work environment!
To generate a Caring Movement, cards were randomly distributed at Hampshire Office (HSO), Sin Ming Office (SMO), and North
Bridge Road (NBR), together with a kind act. Staff receiving this
kind act were encouraged to carry on the movement by passing on a kind act to another person and making his day too! Most
staff were pleasantly surprised and could not wait to spread the love and goodwill around. For passing Care & Concern around, 15 caring souls were encouraged to continue in their
caring ways through dining vouchers worth up to $30!
Throughout the month, staff were also urged to do caring acts like ‘Smile, it’s Mondays’
and ‘Send a GEM card’. Indeed, it just takes
a little act to lift somebody’s spirits up and we
couldn’t stop smiling when we received comments
like ‘Thank you for sharing and brightening up the day!’ in response to our publicity emails. This is the spirit of
Caring Month – a celebration of our caring colleagues, and a reminder to stop and take time to care for others.
35
Caring Hearts Champions At LTA, the spirit of ‘Care
& Concern’ goes beyond caring for one another to
caring for our community.
To exemplify that, LTA CareGivers Programme adopted two beneficiaries – Metta
“An LTA care-giver since 3 years ago, he has always been enthusiastic in giving “With joy, care, and fun to her regular all beneficiaries at attendance at SPD...” our activities, she ~SPD staff provides comfort to our students who welcome familiar faces...” ~Metta School teacher
“Treating them like his children, he teaches them... and motivates them... His selfless spirit is so infectious...” ~his colleagues
“An LTA caregiver since October 2012, he is a responsible person who volunteers with pride.” ~SPD staff
School and the Society for the Physically Disabled.
Every month, volunteers
take time off during office
hours to join the children and clients on their respective monthly outings, bringing
them out on public transport. Endoon bte Omar
D Sakthivel
Chiam Choon Meng
Teo Jieh Ping
At the Quest for Excellence (QFE) Award Ceremony held on 29 August 2013, four active volunteers
were recognized as Caring Hearts Champions in view of their participation and contribution for the past financial year.
Bringing joy and teaching independence to our beneficiaries is possible not only because of our CareGivers, but also their supervisors who understand the importance of contributing back to society and
wholeheartedly supporting the Programme. Thus, the supervisors of our Caring Hearts Champions were also invited on stage and were appreciated for inculcating the culture of Care & Concern within LTA.
For information
Visit http://cdd/instill_caregiversprog.htm. You may also contact Jocelyn Tan (6396 2162) or Paulin Chan (6396 2425).
36
Care & Concern
- A Spirit Worth Championing International Coastal Clean-Up Singapore 2013 (ICCS) Low Shi Mei
Annually, the Safety Division (Environment) of Safety & Contracts organizes a team from LTA to support ICCS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an annual volunteer-based initiative to reduce the impact of marine trash which contributes to climate change and biodiversity loss.
This year, on 21 September 2013, 33 volunteers headed out to Jalan Selimang. Although Selimang beach was smaller than the Sungei Seletar they visited last year, the amount of rubbish collected was no less â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 421kg as compared to 405kg last year! 1
2
3
1. Great teamwork there guys! 2. The most important job of the day: Data collection! 3. Our volunteers may come from all divisions, but we unite with the same purpose in mind
37
Other than the regular items that are removed from the beach every year, there were also interesting items like a harness, lantern, sets of undergarment, a sealed oil drum, and monkey skulls!
Marine trash not only pollutes our beaches and oceans, but also threatens marine life. The toxins in the
plastic fragments, when ingested by wildlife, may also bio-accumulate up the food chain and eventually endanger our health.
Thus, as we clean up the beach, we are in fact saving the environment and lives; it may just be a 100-metre shoreline off a small Singapore coast, but no effort is too small to make a difference.
‘We care for each other because we are a family. We care for community and environment because they are a part of us.’ That’s what our shared value of ‘Care & Concern’ is about.
38
Carolyn Tan
Unsung Heroes Two of our officers were commended by the Singapore Police Force earlier in June this year for the assistance they rendered in a case investigation. We spoke to Benson Khoe and Chang Eng Hock from the Intelligent Transport Systems Operations (ITSO) Division of the Transportation and Road Operations Group (TRO) to find out more.
Name: Benson Khoe (left) Designation: Assistant Operations Manager, KPE Operations Control Centre, in ITSO for six and a half years Name: Chang Eng Hock (right) Designation: Senior Engineering Office, in ITSO for eleven years
QFE: What does your division do? Both: ITSO Division ensures smooth traffic flow on the roads through the use of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). Spanning over 161km of expressways and road tunnel systems, some of the ITS infrastructure include the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System (EMAS), the Green Link Determining (GLIDE) traffic light system, and Junction-Eyes (J-Eyes). ITSO Division monitors
through two Operations Control Centres (OCCs) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ITSC OCC manages expressways and major roads island-wide while KPE OCC is dedicated to the KPE and future MCE tunnel operations. In addition,
ITSO Division also looks into traffic planning and operations matters, as well as the maintenance and development of the ITS and tunnel equipment.
QFE: Wow, sounds like a really important job! Then what are your roles in your division? Benson: My role is to ensure efficient day-to-day operations of the OCC and prompt management
of incidents on the roads, along with a team of Operations Executives under my care. Together, we
manage a team of ground crew (Vehicle Recovery Services (VRS) and LTA traffic marshals (LTM)) in responding to traffic incidents.
Eng Hock: I belong to traffic operations and planning section under ITSO Division. My core duty is to manage traffic impact caused by big events in the vicinity. We also manage expressway service operations like LTM and EMAS vehicle recovery.
39
QFE: So what happened in this incident? Both: The police received a crime report relating to an outrage of modesty. As time was a crucial
factor in locating the suspect, they needed to view the CCTVs urgently and made an appointment
on that very day. Together with the police, we spent many hours viewing the CCTVs at the possible
locations that the suspect might be travelling to, playing and rewinding the videos several times until the police got the leads they needed. The following week, the perpetrator was arrested.
QFE: How did your assistance contribute towards the arrest of the perpetrator? Both: As we are familiar with the road network, we know the possible routes the perpetrator may have taken and the location of the cameras. Since time was of essence, this helped to narrow down the scope.
QFE: Very dramatic, just like in the movies! Are such incidents common in your day-to-day operations?
Both: Such requests are increasingly common as the police are keen to leverage on our technology in their crime-fighting and investigation efforts. Each time, we try to render assistance without
compromising our core duties. Be it managing traffic or fighting crime, such extra effort to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice is no more than an extension of our duties as a public servant.
QFE: Yes, it is great that there is Whole-of-Government collaboration and we play a part in crimefighting! Other than this, any memorable incidents you have encountered in your work? Benson: In 2008, a woman wanted to commit suicide by jumping into the sea from the
Benjamin Sheares Bridge. For a long time, she sat on the parapet wall before emergency response personnel convinced her to dismount. This had an immense impact on traffic as it occurred during the peak hour.
QFE: Were there any other incidents in which you helped members of the public through your job? Benson: Once, upon spotting a vehicle that had broken down in the tunnel, we quickly dispatched
our VRS crew and LTM to assist. When I spoke to the driver on the phone, she was very grateful as
at that moment, she was lost and her baby was crying in fear as vehicles were moving past them at a high speed. Later, we received a thank you letter from her.
Eng Hock: There were some events such as popular concerts, travel fairs and computer fairs that attracted large crowds and posed traffic problems in the vicinity. We helped the stakeholders and
event organisers by setting and tuning the timing of traffic lights to manage traffic congestion in the area and reduce the inconvenience to other road users.
40
Unsung Heroes
Carolyn Tan QFE: What are some of the reactions you get when you describe your job to your friends and family? Benson: Typically, they will say “Wow, your office sounds like a NASA Control Room!” as a place like OCC is restricted and not usually accessible to public, many are intrigued and interested to visit my workplace.
Eng Hock: They are impressed when I tell them I have access to J-Eyes. To them, this is very
different from the usual office job. Many would relate it to the movie ‘Italian Job’ where traffic lights in a vicinity can be controlled by one person.
QFE: What are some of the challenges you face in your line of work, and why? Both: We face a lot of pressure from demanding motorists. We are also acutely aware that as we reach an information age, updates such as traffic news are expected to be accessible, prompt and accurate.
QFE: One last question, what are some of the things you love about your work, and why? Benson: The OCC functions as a team. At the end of each shift, I’m immensely satisfied that my
team has successfully mitigated all inclement traffic situations and incidents through teamwork. The
key is to leverage on everyone’s knowledge as some are particularly well-versed in the road network
while others have an intricate understanding of the tunnel equipment. Needless to say, the friendship and camaraderie is something I treasure very much.
Eng Hock: During big events, my section helps OCC mitigate the traffic congestion and ensure the organiser opens up the road on time. Aside from the sense of satisfaction when our effective traffic
management strategy works effectively, I really enjoy the synergy between our OCC colleagues and
us. On top of this, my supervisors trust me with the responsibility to create new EMAS messages to mitigate the traffic congestion; the satisfaction is immense when those advisory messages help.
At LTA, we are all unsung heroes as all of us work hard to create a pleasant travel experience. It is more than building roads; it is about improving lives.
Let us stay resilient and work together towards moving people.
A Winning Mentality Nizam A Haja
41
Winners take chances.
Like everyone else, they fear failing, but they refuse to let fear control them.
Winners don’t give up.
When life gets rough, they hang in until the going gets better.
Winners are flexible.
They realise there is more than one way and are willing to try others.
Winners know they are not perfect.
They respect their weaknesses while making the most out of their strengths.
Winners fall, but they don’t stay down.
They stubbornly refuse to let a fall keep them from climbing.
Winners don’t blame fate for their failures nor luck for their successes
They accept responsibility for their lives.
Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things.
From the ordinary, they make the extraordinary.
Winners are patient.
They know a goal is only as worthy as the effort that’s required to achieve it.
When a winner makes a mistake, he says, “I was wrong”.
When a loser makes a mistake, he says, “It wasn’t my fault”.
A winner works harder than a loser and has more time.
A loser is always “too busy” to do what is necessary.
A winner goes through a problem.
A loser goes around it, and never gets past it.
A winner makes commitments.
A loser makes promises.
A winner says, “I’m good, but not as good as I can be”.
A loser says, “I’m not as bad as a lot of other people”.
A winner respects those who are superior to him and tries to learn something from them.
A loser resents those who are superior to him and tries to find chinks in their armour.
A winner feels responsible for more than his job.
A loser says, “I only work here”.
A winner says, “There must be a better way to do it”.
A loser says, “That’s the way it’s always been done here”.
The choice is yours. Choose to be a winner!
42
Foo Jong Ai & Paulin Chan
When You’re Around SMO... For the second stop of our food trip, we headed to Block 24 at Sin
1
Ming Drive for the much anticipated coin prata and Nasi Briyani. Braving the heat, we skipped toward our destination... and was confronted by a vacation note.
Thankfully, there is no shortage of good food around that area. We had a Plan B – the “Wonderful” coffee shop at Block 22, #01-244.
After taking some time to survey what other patrons were gobbling down, we placed our bet on the Earth Jar Treasure Chinese Herbal
Soup. The stall was prominent with its huge urns in which small clay pots of soups were cooked. The huge urns raised our expectations
and we were thus left disappointed when we found the pot of Ginseng
Chicken Soup too sweet and the pot of Lotus Root Pork Soup too bland. The dried shrimp and cabbage rice was fragrant but too dry – unless, of course, you wash it down with soup.
Craving for variety, we joined the queue at Teck Kee Duck Rice. Although not as well-known as the
Hup Seng Duck Rice a few doors away, we were pleased with the tender duck though we would have
enjoyed it more with richer braised sauce. The yam rice was too wet and we could not bring ourselves to finished it.
Nevertheless, we persisted with a dessert - coffee pau. As we sank our teeth into the soft bun, smooth
sweetened bean paste flavoured with coffee oozed out. But well, while the coffee-lover loved it, the rest of us didn’t... I guess it’s all about individual preference.
At the end of it all, we were filled without being truly satisfied. Would
we go again?
When the cravings for roti prata didn’t wane even after a week, we 2
knew we had to make another trip to Sin Ming Roti Prata.
We dived in. 8 ladies maxed out their daily calorie limit for 28
pratas. But with their crisp crust surface and fluffy soft insides,
those freshly made pratas are worth the while. In fact, there was
very little oil left on the plate! A special mention is the coin pratas of which we ordered four sets of six ($3.50 each set). The thick
spicy curry gravy added an extra kick. Don’t like curry? They are equally sublime when dipped in sugar!
On the other hand, we were a tad disappointed with the Nasi
Briyani, of which the rice was cold and hard. The bee hoon goreng 1. Coffee Bun (60 cents) 2. (Top Left) Coin Pratas ($3.50 for each set), (Bottom Right) Nasi Briyani
redeemed the store with generous ingredients that elevated both its flavour and appearance.
Finally, we left Sin Ming satisfied. Would
we go again?
When You’re Around ITSC... Foo Jong Ai & Paulin Chan
43
A bumper issue means an additional food stop, doesn’t matter that it’s Friday the 13th.
1
To Riverwalk Tandoor @ The Riverwalk we went for North Indian Buffet. A glance at the ala carte menu
would convince you to opt for its buffet. At $15.90++ for lunch buffet and $18.90++ for dinner buffet, why
wouldn’t you? The buffet has a good spread of meat and vegetarian dishes from starters to desserts,
along with a free flow of hot (plain/ butter/ garlic)
naan fresh from tandoor (oven). While drinks are not
included in the buffet, water might be a better choice given the richness of the food.
2
For a person who shuns spices, it took me some courage to try all the dishes. I was pleasantly
surprised (by the food and myself) as I helped myself to a second serving. The vegetarian
spread (aloo curry, jugni bhaji, chaw chaw masala, and yellow dhal) was my personal favourite but the nilgiri fish and keema mutter are equally
delicious. Ironically, the only letdown was its tandoori chicken that was a little too dry.
All meals should be concluded with desserts.
When it comes to Indian cuisine, they tend to be cloyingly sweet. The gulab jamun – deep-fried
balls of milk solids soaked in sugar syrup – tops them all. Do not underestimate its humble size; 3
a good advice to heed is to start with a tiny
bite, and be humbled. The semiya, on the other
hand, is an acquired taste. It may be odd to have vermicelli cooked in milk and sugar, but you can enjoy it more by thinking of it as jelly.
Good lunch aside, this place will provide a
different experience for you and your colleagues – a very good conversation starter!
Would we go again?
1. Free flow of naan 2. Awesome lunch buffet spread! 3. A good place for a good meal with good company!
Read & Reap 5x
1. List the three aspects of Value for Money.
CapitaLand Shopping Vouchers worth $10 to be won.
2. Which of the following would a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cleanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; public service officer do?
a.
Brag about what he knows in LTA which may be confidential/ sensitive
b.
Make declarations on his private property purchase promptly
c.
Try to profit from a condominium unit near an upcoming MRT station
d.
Take company stationery home
3. List the six Achieving Corporate Transformation (ACT) teams. 4. List the two beneficiaries LTA Care-Givers Programme has adopted. 5. List two of the digital resources available at LTA Library.
Congratulations
to the winners of Issue 1 Read & Reap Quiz! Naomi Low Internal Audit
Lee Tse Hung Thomson Line (Civil Team 3)
Doreen Hung P G Fare System
Chan Chee Weng Development & Building Control
Goh Siew Tee Vehicle & Transit Licensing
wers by our ans y il a m E g 14 to a.gov.s uary 20 nce@lt e 31 Jan ll e c x E ail. st_for_ d by em lta-Que e notifie b l il w ers All winn