The Nanyang Chronicle Vol 16 Issue 01

CHRONICLE

Sartorically scrumptious PAGE 16

THE NANYANG

A U G U S T 11 , 2 0 0 9 | V O L 16 N O 1 | I S S N N O 0 2 18 -7 31 0 | W W W . N T U . E D U . S G / C H R O N I C L E

Camps go on CAI ZHIMIN NEWS EDITOR

HANDS UP: Freshmen bonded over games despite the difficulties faced. PHOTO | COURTESY

ESSENTIAL FRESHMEN PAGE 28

豪放男

罗子涵其实

很内向 22页

FITTING

ROOMS

D E S O P EX PAGE 9

F R ESH M EN or ientat ion ca mp ( FOC) committees were thrown not one, but two curveballs this year, in the form of the H1N1 virus and lack of accommodation on campus.

De s pite t he s e c h a l le nge s , c a mp committees managed to deliver, welcoming their freshmen with a series of successful activities. Only two camps were known to have broken camp earlier as a precaution against the H1N1 virus.

The Student Affairs Off ice (SAO) had instructed all camp committees to halt their activities once the number of confi rmed H1N1 cases hit five, according to Students’ Union President Ng Hwei Yun. The 22-year-old also revealed that Ca mp I n si ny u r, t he N T U Combi ned Engineering Camp, as well as the Nanyang Business School (NBS) FOC were hit by H1N1 concerns.

“But it wasn’t that big a deal because whoever had H1N1 have all recovered,” she added.

A third-year Accountancy student who declined to be named told the Nanyang Chronicle NBS FOC broke camp half a day earlier.

Orientation groups shrunk as much as one-third in size overnight, as freshmen left one after another. It was suggested that the sharing of tumblers may have accounted for an increase in the rate of virus transmission among the freshmen and seniors.

T he v ice-chair person declined to comment when contacted.

C a m p c om m it te e s t he Na n y a n g Chronicle spoke to said they practiced temperature taking twice daily. Freshmen were also instructed to bring a personal thermometer.

Ng said the Union Orientation Camp (UOC) bought an infra-red thermometer costing almost $100 to make temperature taking more convenient for large groups of people. T he t her mometer detects temperatures by pointing the device at the person’s head. UOC also in-vested in masks and other medical supplies.

H a l l s we r e i s s ue d a n i n f r a-r e d thermometer each, on a loan basis from the school, according to Hall 1 President, Justin Lim. His hall camp committee were also u nder i n st r uc t ion s f rom SAO, w it h rest r ict ions issued to m in im i ze t he exchanges of bodily fluid during games.

“Ga me s wh ic h i nvolved pa s si ng food from one mouth to another were previously acceptable but this time, it is a no-go,” said the third-year NBS student.

The university advises all staff and

students who develop flu-like symptoms to visit the nearest Pandemic Preparedness Clinic (PPC). On campus, the Gethin-Jones Medical Practice located at the south academic complex is a registered PPC. To be responsible, seniors insisted the parents fetch the ill camper, said Ng. Other than that, the camp ran smoothly.

Echoing similar experiences, NTU Sports Club camp chairperson Leonard Lim said that bringing unwell freshmen to a PPC or sending them home was the only inconvenience that Sports Unlimited 16 camp faced.

Tan Wee Bing, a freshman who attended both UOC and his Hall 8 FOC felt that the camp committees have taken sufficient precautionary measures.

“There is only so much the seniors can do, temperature checks and quarantining suspected cases. Camp participants must also be responsible and cooperate with the seniors in order to prevent and minimize H1N1 cases,” he said.

I n add it ion to H1N1 fea r s , FOC committees also faced the challenge of hav ing to source for off-campus accom modat ion as ha l ls u nder went renovation.

Besides chalets, FOC committees had to set budget aside for the use of camp sites.

UOC spent four nights at Camp Christine belonging to Girl Guides Singapore, located at Jalan Bahtera off Lim Chu Kang Road.

Ng estimated that the off-campus accommodation and additional transport to fer r y f resh men to and f ro Camp Christine came up to about $5000 for UOC. A check with SAO revealed that camps could seek fi nancial help to offset the costs. “We do provide grants to student groups on a need to basis. We review them case-by-case,” said Mdm Wendy Gwee, Senior Assistant Director, Student Activities.

However, not all camps were affected.

Sports Unlimited 16 camp, for example, traditionally houses its freshmen offcampus, so the lack of hall rooms did not affect plans.

Tan, 20, a freshman from the School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering said: “If we had our hall camp at our own hall, we would be better orientated and adapt to hall life more easily. And I believe the games could be wilder and much more fun if we played them in school instead of in public areas.”

O t he r s , howe v e r, f e lt t he c a mp location did not matter. Edwin Lim, 21, a freshman at Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information said: “Whatever it is, I made friends and had much fun during camp and I guess that is what matters most.”

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NTU graduates face tough economy

A RECORD BATCH: Almost 8,000 degrees were awarded. PHOTO | CHEN WEI LI

Cai Zhimin news editor

NTU's largest graduating class celebrated the culmination of their undergraduate studies with opt i m i sm despite faci ng t he economic meltdown.

A record number of nearly 8,000 degrees were awarded in 16 ceremonies held over a six-day period from July 23rd to 30th.

NTU President Su Guaning voiced the concerns of graduates about the tough employ ment climate in his address to the cohort.

Despite the adverse conditions, he said that NTU graduates “have what it takes to tackle the difficult economic conditions they are faced with".

The ‘NTU brand' is one of the assurances for the graduates.

Pioneer Chinese graduate from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), Ong Shu Qi, recognises most employers are relatively unfamiliar with the NTU Chinese degree, often mistaking the degree with its counterpart from the National University of Singapore.

But she remains satisfied with her four-year Bachelor of Arts Chinese programme, saying she is optimistic about the marketability of the NTU brand.

Employment figures from the School of Art, Design and Media's (A DM) Visual Communication division appear to substantiate Dr Su's confidence.

According to ADM Assistant Professor Jesvin Yeo, 12 out of 14

graduates have already secured a job. She explained that although the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree is brand new, she believes that people are curious about the new school and its graduates.

Moreover, it has the strength of the NTU brand behind it.

However, not all graduates are concerned about employability.

After all, ADM does not function like a normal school, says ADM valedictorian Loo Zihan. The 26year old graduated with second upper honours in Digital Filmmaking.

He said: “The ability to find jobs immediately is not an indicator of the success or stability of a degree.

Most of us will probably freelance half our lives."

This graduating class is also the pioneer batch of graduates from ADM, HSS and the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS).

ADM's graduating class consists of students from six BFA degree programmes: Digital Animation, Digital Filmmaking, Interactive Media, Photograpy and Digital Imaging, Product Design, and Visual Communication.

HSS has graduands from three pioneer Bachelor of Arts degree programmes: English, Psychology, and Sociology.

SPMS, which recently had its official opening ceremony for its new building, has its pioneer graduands from four Bachelor of Science degree programmes: Applied Physics, Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics.

Chemistry and Biological Chemistry graduate Shahidah Bte Safii had no worries about being in the pioneer batch when she joined SPMS four years ago.

The 23-year-old said: “My own perception is that education is the same everywhere, so it didn't bother me.”

She has signed on with the Ministry of Education to be a teacher and is now pursuing a one year post-graduate diploma in education at NIE. Reflecting on her four years at NTU, Shahidah felt that her batch of graduates were ‘definitely guinea pigs'.

For instance, several graded modules she took were no longer graded for the following batches of students.

HSS graduate Ong acknowledeged that it was not easy for the programme to take shape, being the pioneer batch. Fine tuning to the degree programmes are expected.

“The profs gave us a lot of attention and we are very well taken care of. There is a lot of trouble as our whole course, exchange programmes, FYPs, etc., is structured based on our batch's experience,” she said.

A DM valedictor ian Loo sums it up: “Today, we are not on l y e x p e r ie nc i n g a personal rite of passage but also witnessing local history in the making."

Additional Reporting

by CHUANG BING HAN

New position to boost the NTU brand Edmund Lee A NEW position has been created within the universit y - Chief University Advancement Officer, whose responsibilities include increasing fundraising capabilities and st reng t hen ing t ie s w it h alumni members and the larger community. He will also spearhead NTU development initiatives and give the NT U brand an extra boost.

T h i s i s i n l i ne w it h t he university’s vision of becoming a “g r eat g loba l u n i ve r sit y ” which is founded on science and engineering through academic and research excellence.

Mr Chew Kheng Chuan, 51, a member of the Singapore Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, was appointed to the role with effect from May 27th.

He will report directly to the President, Dr Su Guaning, and has leadership and management oversight of the Development Office, Alumni Affairs Office and the Corporate Communications Office.

Mr Chew decided to take on this role in NTU because of his “strong and special affinity for academia”.

Another reason was that he identified with Dr Su’s vision of turning NTU into the first choice for those with ideals and passion.

T hu s , one of t he ma ny cont r ibut ion s M r C he w w i l l make is to bridge the existing “gap” between NTU’s brand and the reality, which he noticed after speaking to a few people.

He said that the public sees N T U more of an engineer ing and science school even though i n rea lit y it is st rong i n it s humanit ies depar t ment as well.

Harvard-educated Mr Chew is said to have an outstanding r e put at ion a s one of A s ia’s finest fundraisers. Prior to his appointment, he was leading the fund-raising efforts in NUS from 2003 to 2008. According to media reports, $1.5 billion was raised under his leadership, four times more than what the National University of Singapore raised in the previous 12 years.

Furthermore, Mr Chew and his wife, Dr Chia Kwok Ying, ran their own business producing publications, annual reports and designing identities for brands such as Banyan Tree and Channel NewsAsia.

news flash a 70 0 squa re me t res Singapore flag, almost the size of two basketball courts, has been officially recognised as the 'L argest National Flag' in the Singapore Book of Records. It has Asia's tallest free-standing observatory tower, the 110m tall Tiger Sky Tower, for a flag pole.

Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang says it is too early to conclude strong economic recovery. The government will continue to maintain a cautious outlook for the rest of 2009. t he Sen tos a N at ure Discovery gallery, located on the fringe of the Imbiah Forest, has opened, offering another place for nature lovers to hang out.

32 students from ASEAN countries were awarded university scholarships under the Singapore Scholarship Programme, which is into its 11th year.

Charity Funds made its way into the pocket of a 26-year old man behind three charities that were set up to help children.

L at est crime stat ist ic s reveal the number of statutory rape cases involving girls under 14 has increased. six in 10 drug abusers are hooked on heroin. More heroin offenders nabbed but overall the drug scene is improving.

Be t ween $10,0 0 0 a nd a permanent weight loss of 5kg, 72% of Singaporeans surveyed recently picked the cash.

Singapore Exchange has reported a 0.9% jump in profit to $91.17 million, even though quarterly revenues fell by 1.2% to $170.05 million.

SINGAPORE'S second largest telecommunications company, StarHub, reported 21% higher net profits of $77.8 million for the three months ended June.

Singapore hopes to host the regional bodybuilding meets in September next year.

IN A bid to whip up more buzz for this year's Formula One night race, a luxury package costing US$10,000 targetted at highspenders has been rolled out.

MALAYSIA is considering the establishment of an Internet filter, similar to China's proposed "Green Dam" project aimed at stamping out pornography. three people, including a married couple, are sentenced to death by an Indian court for planting bombs which killed 52 in the city of Mumbai in 2003.

An Australian man was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Thai court after commuting a death sentence for the trafficking of three kilograms of heroin.

NEW FUNDRAISING OFFICER: Mr Chew Kheng Chuan will assume a key role within the university. PHOTO | COURTESY

With his wealth of experience, Mr Chew is well set on his new assignment on helping NTU to realise its aspirations.

Spea k ing to t he Business

Times, Mr Chew said: “My new formidable task is to build upon NTU’s worthy past to secure its aspiration to be a great university.”

With sadness in her heart, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul announced that she is quitting the hit TV singing competition.

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Fees kick in for special term

SPMS unveiled Goh Siew Luan T H E School of Physica l a nd Mathematical Sciences (SPMS) officially opened its doors to its new building in a ceremony graced by the Minister of Education and Second Minister of Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, on July 21st.

The event was an important one as it also marked the graduation of the school’s pioneer batch, numbering at a modest 168. Come this August, the numbers will increase to 2,600.

The state-of-the-art building will house its three divisions— Chemistry & Biological Chemistry (CBC), Mathematical Sciences, and Physics & Applied Physics.

The 38,000 sq m building boasts excellent facilities, laboratories with high safety standards, as well as classrooms and interaction spaces for a highly conducive exchange of ideas.

“In this school we have very different disciplines with very special requirements. We need to consider how the building can accommodate the special equipments,” Chair of SPMS, Professor Ling San, said.

SPMS students and researchers are also welcoming their new home with open arms.

Jonathan Tan, a third-year CBC student said:“Our previous lab was at the Innovation Centre, and our tutorial rooms and lecture theatres are scattered around the campus.

Now everything is centralized. The facilities are new and we have our own fume cupboards.”

Associate Professor Chua Chek Beng, from the Mathematical Sciences division, said: “There is a lot of space for interactions and whiteboards to facilitate discussion. The students also have their rooms for discussion.”

I n c onj u nc t ion w it h t he opening of the new building, a three-day conference on physical and mathematical sciences was held from July 20th to 22nd.

Some 560 scientists gathered to share creative ideas and explore collaborative opportunities with renowned overseas and local speakers. Among the speakers were Nobel Laureates, Fields Medallists and Lee Kong Chian Professors.

A NEW PLACE TO BELONG: The SPMS building. PHOTO | IRWIN TAN

Kuek Jinhua DEMAND for courses offered during the summer vacation no s e d i v e d a s N T U s t a r t e d charging fees for its special term courses from this year onwards.

According to the Office of Academic Services (OAS), there was a substantial drop in the number of students registering for special term courses this year as compared to last year.

T he se i nte n sive s u m me r classes used to receive about 4,000 registrations in previous years.

Students now pay at least $500 for a special term course, which was previously free of charge.

The fees are not applicable to courses conducted only during the special terms, such as the Minor in Entrepreneurship and the Engineering Innovation and Design programmes.

NTU is not the first to charge for special term courses. The National University of Singapore ( N US ) a nd t he Si ngapor e Management University (SMU) have been doing so for several years. To read a special term course, NUS students fork out at least $636, while those in SMU pay a minimum of $900.

Even though the fees are cheaper compared to the other varsities, the new price tag proved to be too expensive for some NTU students. Many, like Chua Hui Ping, 21, missed out on special term courses to save money.

The fourth-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences chose to spend her holidays on an internship programme instead.

“Even if I had no internship, I wouldn’t want to pay more to study during the special term.

The fees are very expensive,” said Chua.

Wit h t he sha r p d rop i n demand, several classes had to be cancelled even before registration c lose d . Some t r ad it iona l ly popular courses like the language electives saw only 20 students signing up, about a third of the usual enrolment.

“Even if I had no internship, I wouldn’t want to pay more to study during the special term.”

Chua Hui Ping, 21 Fourth-year student, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Accord i ng to OA S, most of the students who applied for these summer classes were allocated their choice of electives.

This was in stark contrast from previous years where the demand far outstripped the vacancies available.

With more vacancies, NTU also introduced a new initiative to allow students to read an

additional special term course.

Students may choose to read both courses in the same term, or read one course in each term.

Some st udent s , suc h a s Kelvin Ng, 23, managed to take two electives in the same special term.

Despite t he i ncreased workload, the third-year student from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering kept pace with classes. “It was easier to cope with classes than in normal semesters as I had more time to study,” said Ng. For others, like Nyan Paing Soe, 26, taking summer classes is a way to lighten their heavy academic loads during normal semesters.

The final-year student from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering took a communications elective in order to free up time for his final year project.

But taking vacation classes has its caveats. “I was enjoying the mid-semester holidays and it was quite hard to get back to the study mode,” said Nyan.

Choo Wei Liang, 22, was not fazed by the special term fees. The second-year student from the School of Computer Engineering spent his summer vacation reading two business electives to fulfill his minor.

“I weighed the amount and I realised that the $1000 I paid could be earned after graduation, but lessening the workload during the normal semesters would be beneficial to my GPA.”

while you were away

The Nanyang Chronicle rounds up what happened during the university vacation

Research Fellow wins inaugural don quixote fund award NTU Research Fellow Dr Adrian Yeo received the Don Q u i xote Fu nd Awa r d a nd US$100,000 at the Singapore International Water Week on June 23rd.

The award provides start-up capital for graduates to develop Singapore’s water sector.

A P h D g r a d u at e f r om t h e S c h o o l of C i v i l a n d Environmental Engineering, he is the first recipient of the inaugural Fund Award.

The prize money will go towards f unding his star tu p c o m p a n y, M e m b r a n e Instruments And Technology Pte Ltd, in advancing the design and operation of membrane processes.

Dr Yeo a l so played a n integral part in helping victims of the Boxing Day Tsunami in December 2004 to overcome water shortages.

ntu and Temasek holdings subsidiary sigN mou with guangdong NTU and Temasek Holdings subdidiary SingBridge International Singapore Pte Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Education of Guangdong Province and the Administrative Committee of G u a n g z hou D e v e lopm e nt District.

Under the MOU, the parties will collaborate in research, education and training in t he proposed Guangdong Knowledge City.

Bot h par ties w i ll a lso explore conducting research and development projects to facilitate the upgrading of the technological capability of the Knowledge City.

This partnership is a key to st ronge r Si no-Si ngapor e t ies through the sharing of management experience, and an opportunity for NTU to establish a two-way flow of talent and the opening of the Chinese market for both education and Singapore enterprises.

NBS S t u d e n t s m a r k e t maybelline

–Caleb Ng

–Wang Simin

–Elizabeth Law

While you were away

N T U’s Team Magnif ique emerged champions of L’Oreal Brandstorm National Finals, piping seven other finalist teams to the crown on May 21st.

T he t h ree-woma n tea m, Britney Cheong, Jessica Ong and Ng Yihan, third-year students from the Nanyang Business School underwent six months of intensive competition where they took up the role of Maybelline’s brand manager to launch the brand’s new perfume.

A s w inner s of t h is Si ngapor ea n leg of t he competition, Team Magnifique was given a chance to represent Singapore in Paris at the L’Oreal Brandstorm Internationl finals in June this year, though they were unable to clinch the title.

To t h i s d a t e , a l m o s t 40,000 tertiary students, both international and local, have taken part.

CHAMPIONS: Britney Cheong, Jessica Ong and Ng Yi Han. PHOTO | COURTESY

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A new look for a new semester Eight halls of residence open their doors to students after three months of renovation Wang Simin AFTER nearly three months of renovation works, residents of Halls 8 to 15 returned to their revamped rooms this semester, but reactions to their upgraded pads are mixed.

As NTU gears up to play host as the Youth Olympic Games Village in 2010, these halls of residences underwent an overhaul. To make way for the works, students from these halls were vacated from their rooms. Some students were temporarily relocated to other u na f fec ted ha l ls du r i ng t he summer holidays.

The rooms were given a fresh coat of paint to adopt a modern look, and furnishings such as the flooring, lightings, fans and curtains were changed as well.

Drawers were added under the beds for extra storage space.

Some students embraced these changes. Terry Mun, 19, a secondyear student from the School of Biological Sciences, thought the

revamp made his room in Hall 8 more refreshing and comfortable.

“The new mattresses are more comfortable, and the gray doors at the shoe racks look neater.

He noted that the desks are wider now. There are three drawers under the desks now.

“Now the room is wide and bright.

This feels like a new home.”

Chan Peng, 20 School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Year 3

He added: “In the past it used to be storage compartments by the side. The drawers under the bed are useful as well.”

Cambodian student Chan Peng, 20, agreed. “After renovation, the room is nicer and neater. It used to be so dark and old like they have not been painted for years, but now the room is wide and bright.

This feels like a new home,” said the third-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

ROOMS REFRESHED: More storage space and new curtains. PHOTO | YUSUF HAMID

However, the Hall 11 resident did not find the drawers under the beds useful. “Though it is neater to have the drawers, they take up too much space and the drawer space is small,” he said.

Air-conditioning units, which work with a prepaid card system, have also been installed in all hostel rooms. According to Ms Angela Shang, Deputy Director of Student Accommodation, students will only be able to use the airconditioners from September 2010 as the installation has not yet been completed.

NEWSFLASH Paul Gilligan

Coroner rules suicide, family disagrees

Residents expecting to be able to use the air-conditioners were disappointed.

“I came back expecting to use the air-con but I was told that we could only use them after YOG,” said Mun. Some hostel facilities were amended too. Students can now go keyless with the new card key lock, similar to those already in place in Halls 3 and 16. The fittings in common washrooms such as washbasins and mirrors, as well as the water-proofing at Halls 12 to 15, were replaced.

However, the revamp was not to everybody’s tastes. Petrie Cheah, 24, a third-year student from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, felt the brighter look of his Hall 14 hostel room had been sacrificed to accommodate the modern look.

“T he door was yellow previously, but now it is grey, and it makes the room look very dull.

Other features in the room like the curtains, table and walls have a darker colour scheme which is very dull too,” said Cheah, a Malaysian student.

Mun added: “The wardrobe is a bit lower now, and hence there is lesser space to put things inside.

The space above the wardrobe usually used to put luggage is now bigger, but unnecessary.”

M d m K oh , a h a l l of f i c e at te nd a nt at H a l l 8 , r a i s e d concerns that the new flooring can be easily scratched. “Unsightly marks could be created when heavy luggage is dragged across,” she said.

More ref u rbish i ng a nd upgrading works will be carried out over the next two vacation breaks in December this year and in May 2010, where older mat tresses and chairs in the student rooms will be replaced.

More than five months on, an official verdict of suicide is passed in the David Widjaja case Tan Jia Yi THE state coroner announced a verdict of suicide in the David Hartanto Widjaja’s case on July 29th, ending an inquir y that stretched for 10 days.

He sa id t hat Widjaja , a n Indonesian scholar and fourthyear student from the School of E lec t r ica l a nd E lec t ron ic Engineering, fell to his death on March 2nd af ter stabbing Associate Professor Chan Kap Luk in his office.

Widjaja’s family, however, did not accept the verdict.

State cor one r V ic tor Ye o took about one and a half hours to deliver his 73-page verdict, with evidence gleaned from 27 testimonies, including eye-witness accounts, autopsy, forensic reports, scene reconstruction and data extracted from David’s personal computer.

He concluded that Widjaja had voluntarily stabbed A/P Chan in the back with a knife at about 10.25am that day. A struggle is believed to have followed, during which Widjaja sustained the cuts on his arms.

The coroner said that after exiting the professor’s office,

DISBELIEF: Mrs Widjaja with two supporters after the verdict. PHOTO | XUE JIANYUE

Widjaja walked along the corridor and down a stair well before climbing over the parapet and onto the roof of the glass bridge. He then sat on the glass ledge before the fatal fall.

The coroner said there was no third party or foul play involved, and explained the autopsy findings were consistent with the witness accounts that he fell on his own.

He stressed that there was no reason to question the integrity of the forensic pathologists and the way the autopsy was concluded.

In addition, he concluded that A/P Chan was a credible witness as he did not deliberately conceal any thing. He stated that the relationship between professor and student was purely professional and Chan did not single Widjaja out.

Widjaja was lucid on the glass

roof, when he talked brief ly to another student. He was shown upright in the video footage on another eye-witness’s handphone camera.

During the inquiry, the Widjaja family expressed unhappiness w it h N T U for c om i n g to a premature conclusion that David had committed suicide and stabbed his professor before the police had completed their investigations.

They also did not accept the verdict that their son had committed suicide and maintained that he had been murdered.

Dav id’s br ot he r, W i l l ia m Widjaja, believes that the court had based its verdict on flawed and false testimonies, but was unable to provide any evidence to substantiate his claims.

The family plans to take further action in Indonesia.

The Nanyang Chronicle is hosting our annual welcome meeting this Wednesday.

We are looking for writers, photographers, page and web designers, and illustrators, and you are invited to come and learn how you can be a part of the Chronicle team.

Be at the heart of news in and out of campus while gaining AUs or CCA points.

Date: Wednesday 12 August Time: 4 - 6 pm Venue: Level 1 Benches of the Wee Kim

Wee School of Communication

and Information

For more info, email: chronicle@ntu.edu.sg

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Canteen plates go eco-friendly Fabian Ng DINING at Canteen B is now a more environmentally friendly opt ion , a f te r t he c a nte e n management moved to replace the disposable plates and cutlery with washable and reusable alternatives during the summer break.

Previously, the canteen used styrofoam plates and plastic cutlery, as it was deemed to be the cheaper option, as well as facilitating faster and easier cleanup of the area.

Since the start of August, the canteen has switched to washable crockery after the addition of a washing facility, which is already a common feature in the other eateries around campus.

“This is part of our ongoing efforts to cut down on the amount of trash generated,” Ms Lau Ai Ling, a senior assistant director of the school’s Office of Facilities Planning and Management said “Timely upgrading is also carried out at the eateries to provide for a more pleasant and comfortable dining environment

for our staff and students.”

Students welcomed the move, lauding the shift as one that fit with the recent groundswell of support for going green.

“The change is for the better, it is more eco-friendly now,’’ said Roxanne Choy, a finalyear student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, who was eating at the revamped canteen.

Other than the ecological advantages of the move, there are those who feel there are other merits as well.

“I personally f ind using styrofoam to serve food quite unhygienic, and especially when it is used to contain hot food,” said Fong Kin Fai, a second-year student from the School of Materials Science and Engineering.

The canteen has undergone progressive upgrading since last year in order to create space for three new stalls as well as increase the seating capacity. This culminated in the implementation of the new washable crockery as well as new consistent signboards for the stalls in early August.

Pioneer shuttle bus Xue Jianyue NTU students and staff now have an alternative to travel to campus from Pioneer MRT station, with a new shuttle bus service connecting the two locations.

The service, which has been running since May 4th, traces the route of internal shuttle service A on campus.

The new route also brings convenience to students and staff heading to the Tan Chin Tuan Lecture Theatre and the Student Services Centre (SSC), as two new bus stops have been erected outside these locations for this service.

Students and staff alighting at Pioneer MRT station can board the bus service at the bus stop outside Block 649A, along Jurong West Street 63.

According to the NTU Students’ Union, some senior staff members at the university initiated the idea and they worked closely with the Union for the idea.

“It took about two to three months to implement the idea, as the new shuttle bus service will have an impact on public transport outside NTU, and the 179 and 179A buses,” said Student Services Executive Li Bo, 21.

The third-year student from t he School of Elect r ica l and Electronic Engineering added that the university had to spend a lot of time meeting with SBS Transit to discuss the route.

Mr Lim Boon Kiat, Deputy Director (Student Ser vices) at the Student Affairs Office, said: “This is an initiative of the NTU administration and the Students’

FREE RIDES: New service gives staff and students more choices. PHOTO | IRWIN TAN

Union to introduce a bus service to supplement the existing SBS bus service.”

Instead of just providing intracampus connections, the new bus route will also serve the students and staff staying at residential areas near NTU, said Mr Lim. Howe ve r at Pione e r M RT station, the shuttle service runs opposite SBS Transit bus 179 to bring passengers to NTU. It does not service the bus stop where 179 serves, en-route to NTU. Explaining the decision, Li said: “That bus stop is more heavily used by other public buses, which will result in the shuttle bus taking a longer time to arrive and at a decreased frequency.”

Yeo Wee Meng, a research officer at SIMTech, welcomes the new shuttle bus service.

“It does reduce transport costs,” said the 30-year-old. He added: “It also serves as an alternative to taking 179 on the other side of the MRT as it takes a long time to come.”

Kong Jen Fong, a doctorate student who came to campus regularly during the holidays to do projects, also benefited from the new service.

T he 26-year-old f rom t he School of Materials Science and Engineering said: “It is more convenient as I do not have to walk so far to take the 179 bus at Boon Lay bus interchange.”

In total, there will be four buses deployed for the new route, with each bus having a 40-minute run time.

Additional Reporting

by Kuek Jinhua

ADM heralds in big changes Chuang Bing Han A NEW academic year, a new Chair and a new Master’s Programme are in store for the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM).

Just days before the c om m e nc e m e nt of t h e ne w a c a d e m i c y e a r 2 0 0 9 / 2 010 , Professor Vibeke Sorensen was appointed Chair of ADM, with effect from August 6, 2009.

P r of e s s o r S o r e n s e n w a s r e c r u ite d by P r ovo s t Be r t i l A nde r s son a nd Col lege of Hu m a n it ie s , A r t s , & S o c i a l Sciences Dean Lawrence Wong, said NTU President Su Guaning.

He added that her specialization, digital multi media and animation, is pivotal to Interactive Digital Media, a “high priority area” for NTU and Singapore.

Prior to joining NTU, Professor Sorensen was the Chair of the Depa r t ment of Med ia i n t he College of Arts & Sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo, a position she has held since 2007.

She has also held facult y

positions in Princeton University, California Institute of Technology, California Institute of the Arts and Arizona State University.

Another new chapter for ADM is the new Master of A r ts in Interactive Design Programme, a joint venture with internationally renowned Italian design school Domus Academy. This is the first time the Milan-based Academy is collaborating with a foreign i n st it ute i n a joi nt Ma ster’s Degree.

The landmark agreement was signed by M r s Ma r ia Gra zia Mazzocchi, Founder and President of Domus Academy, and Professor Ber til A ndersson, Provost of NTU. The one year long Master’s Prog r a m me, com menc i ng i n Januar y 2010, w i ll have t he students spending six months in Milan, focused on “business, conceptual and strategic aspects of interactive design seen from a contemporary perspective and contextualized in an international scenario," Domus Academy said in a press release.

After the one semester stint at Domus Academy, the students will

return to Singapore to develop their Master’s thesis in NTU. The objective will be to apply what they learnt in Italy to the Far East context.

The agreement is more than just collaboration between two schools, but “part of an expansion project of cooperation between the two countries”, Mrs Mazzocchi said.

“Singapore represents a gate to Asia, a bridge leading to new business relationships with Far East and new and incredible job opportunities," she added.

"This collaboration will bring the finest European Designers to Singapore and transform it into a leading and vibrant design hub in A sia,” says Professor Andersson. “The Italian Hi-Design sensibilities and NT U's Asian perspective coming together will not only give a global perspective to Asian students but also offer Asian dimension for international students".

The School of Art Design and Media also plans to roll out more graduate and PhD programmes in media and design in the next couple of years.

Lifestyle Are these burgers worth the trouble?

Page 10

Close quarters

Eating, sleeping and waking together, freshmen get up close and personal with their peers at camp.

Lim Wei Li discovers the perks and quirks of living together EVERY year, hordes of eager freshmen attend orientation camps, their first taste of university promises excitement and the chance to meet new people.

However this year, there is a twist. NTU freshmen are lodged in chalets, adventure camps, and other public venues, belting out raucous cheers and being a general nuisance, all in the spirit of good fun.

The freshmen, usually lodged in halls of residence during such camps, have no such privilege this year. With NTU providing accomodation for the upcoming Youth Olympics Games, the halls have been closed for renovations.

Such a situation did not faze camp organisers, who were still committed to ensuring comfortable accommodation for their campers, although many of them admitted they have had a harder time.

“Some people’s alarm clocks went off at 6am, when we were supposed to wake up at 8am. It woke everyone but the person who set the alarm clock” Hubert Wah, 21 School of Art, Design and Media freshman

“Finding external accommodation is definitely more expensive, and there was more nitty-gritty stuff to look into,” says the chairperson of Union Orientation Camp (UOC), Zave Zhuo.

“It is hard to source for accommodation for such big groups, as chalets do not usually cater to groups the size of orientation camps,” says vice chairperson (events) of Cultural Activities Club Camp, Choi Wen Ting.

He felt that the university could have offered more assistance to camp organisers in light of the situation, although he was thankful that the chalets were not stringent on enforcing their overcrowding quotas.

Roxanne Chua, a first year student from the Nanyang Business School spent three nights at Camp Christine, a Girl Guides campsite, as part of UOC. She felt that despite about 40 people sharing a single toilet facility, the situation was manageable.

“It was actually quite okay because all the campers were considerate,” she says.

Koh Dezhan, a 23-year-old student from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, also found the conditions at Camp Christine satisfactory. “We each got

FULLY OCCUPIED: Freshmen sit shoulder to shoulder in camaraderie. PHOTO | FOO CHEE CHANG

our own beds, which gave us enough rest for the next day’s activities,” he says.

Other freshmen were housed in chalets.

Compared to previous camps, where campers stayed in hall, the air-conditioning and lack of mosquitoes in chalets were a definite plus.

Bonding with other campers came more naturally, because of the shared living space.

After lights-out, it was difficult not to join in when you hear snatches of conversation all over the room.

Chan Luo Er, 19, a first-year student of Communication Studies, found staying in a chalet enjoyable. She felt it facilitated bonding within the orientation group.

The close sleeping quarters did come with a set of pet peeves.

“Some people’s alarm clocks went off at 6am, when we were supposed to wake up at 8am. It woke everyone but the person who set the alarm clock,” recounted Hubert Wah, 21, a first-year student from the School of Art, Design and Media.

He added that space was a little tight, although there was still enough space to sleep. “If they wanted to add three more people though, it would have been impossible,” he said.

For Ang Jin Yan, a 21-year-old Materials Science and Engineering freshman, space proved to be a bigger issue. He attended “Cosa Nostra”, the combined Material Scienes Engineering and School of Computer Engineering camp, and they were housed in City Beach Resort Singapore, where the rooms were only slightly bigger than that of a regular hotel. There were about 14 occupants to a room.

“The first night, before we moved the furniture around, there wasn’t enough space for all of us to sleep comfortably, so I ended up sitsleeping” Ang Jin Yan, 21 School of Materials Science and Engineering freshman

“The first night, before we moved the furniture around, there wasn’t enough space for all of us to sleep comfortably, so I ended up sit-sleeping,” he says.

The rush for the single toilet in chalets at crunch times was sometimes an issue as well.

“It’s 2.26am and I’m still not asleep because I’m still waiting to shower,” says Chan Luo Er at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information orientation camp. Other freshmen made up rules to be considerate to one another.

For Ang, sharing a single toilet with 13 other guys was a delicate issue.

“We had to take turns, and the guys who wanted to bathe had to rise two hours earlier than the others. We also made it a point that “dropping the kids off at the pool” had to be done in the public toilets, so as not to stink up the room,” he says.

In spite of these discomforts, most freshmen seemed to enjoy their camp experience immensely. It probably helped that they did not expect a huge level of comfor t. T hey just expected good fun, a chance to bond, and a memorable experience.

lifestyle

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09

Dressed up Fitting Rooms Forget crammed and drab fitting spaces. Next time you hit the shops, keep these in mind.

Lifestyle Editor Kezia Toh goes shopping

FITTING rooms are getting fitted out.

With its plush padded walls, leopard-print carpets, lavish velvet couches and swanky chandeliers, The Dressing Room at TANGS resembles a courtesan’s boudoir—in a good way. Dark wooden double door panels with oriental-style engravings open up to spacious fitting rooms, each with its own theme.

The Queen of Hearts is the roomiest, decked out in royal purple hues.

The space also plays court to a large zebra print bed and floor-toceiling mirrors.

The other rooms do not fare too shabbily either. The glamorous Pin-up Girl, for instance, is done in shades of light jade green.

Padded walls and an elegant chandelier complete the modelesque look.

I n h is rev iew a r t icle T he Right Blend, creative director Jose Maria Bustos of designers Visual Merchandising Asia, dubs it “Retail Theatre”.

A nd it is drawing an appreciative audience.

“A lot of women visit the store precisely because of our fitting rooms,” says TANGS marketing and communications coordinator Cherie Lim. Nerine Koh, 32, a customer of TANGS says: “It is nice to shop here because of the different themes. I can see myself in different settings.

Then, I know what to buy.”

But she adds that the Dressing Room tend s to get crowded , especially after work or during weekends. “The fitting rooms are great and all, so people tend to take a very long time inside. It can be quite frustrating to wait,” says Ms Koh. “Perhaps there should be more rooms.”

Social shopping Snugly cocooned by the fitting rooms, a lavishly-appointed centre

effect, reported USA Today. Says undergraduate Yap Han Ning, 21: “I like to shop with friends. It is more fun, and they tend to notice details that I don’t.” “I’d also be more inclined to buy, after my friends have given the thumbsup!”

Light me up, Light me down Flattering lighting may be a retail ploy, but others prefer to see the “real me”.

Mounted discreetly on the walls of its fitting rooms are light switches, and The Dressing Room at Tangs lets customers adjust the lighting to suit their own preferences.

But the grand setting does not always help.

W he n t r y i ng on c lot he s , undergraduate Desiree Tan, 21, loves how she looks in the mirror, beneath soft lighting.

Back home, the same piece seems different. “Sometimes I end up buying something and never wearing it out,” she says.

IN THE LAP OF LUXURY: Model for friends at The Dressing Room’s centre area.

PHOTOS | CHERYL WEE

area holds court at the Dressing Room. A large maroon velvet couch takes centre-stage, with a large pink dresser strewn with bottles of perfume – product samples for waiting friends to try out. No men are allowed in the fitting room

area; but for women who want to model their garb for friends before buying, Lim maintains that their policy is “pretty flexible”.

Shoppers are greatly influenced by others’ opinions, for the fitting room experience has a social

Hansel Pop Up Shop It does not ta ke much to embellish a fitting room, just a whole lot of cardboard and ingenuity.

Hours of cutting, gluing and stacking produced the Hansel popup shop, a temporary shop at the Stamford House, which ran from 26 June to 26 July.

Everything from the makeshift shelves, rack ends and counters, down to the dinosaur cutouts adorning the shop window; was created from the humble material.

“Although the rooms are made from cardboard, they don’t look cheap or tacky. It is very well done,” says student Le-anne Tan, 23.

Building the shop’s fitting rooms was a challenge.

Designer s f rom ar t group Musement worked with the bare essentials – recycled cardboard

boxes, tape and glue.

The fitting room had to be sturdy, have enough height to cover everyone, and stand freely.

“We wanted people to feel secure about going into one, not apprehensive,” says Musement designer Mark de Winne, 25.

Closed off by a black curtain for privacy, both fitting rooms feature makeshift racks of cardboard, and a medium-sized mirror.

QUEEN OF FITTING ROOMS: A large zebra print bed holds court.

Rather than the customar y hooks, shelves were installed—the designers were worried about the weight a cardboard hook could support. The dark fitting rooms faced the constraint of h igh cei li ng light s. Says De Winne, “Lighting wise, there were budget constraints involved. Also, cardboard does not reflect light as much as Formica for instance, which is the veneer for many changing room interiors.”

He adds, “I can promise you though, it’s not a ploy to make you look better when you examine yourself in the mirror.”

Retail ruse

1

A University of Florida study reveals that female shoppers aged 18-35 prefer side-lighting in fitting rooms. Shoppers favoured lights installed by the sides of the mirror, rather than overhead lights which cast an unappealing shadow over the face.

2 Use a fitting room with the most natural lighting possible.

Image Consultant Audrey Quek suggests natural fluorescent lighting as it simulates sunlight, giving the shopper a more accurate picture of the clothes he or she has on.

3 Mirrors resting on the floor and tilting away from the

viewer makes you look taller. Always stand in front of a full-length mirror, placed midway on the wall to capture your entire frame, advises Audrey.

TRY & BUY: Customers try on clothes in the cardboard fitting rooms of the Hansel popup shop.

10

lifestyle

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T H E NA N YA NG C H RON IC L E

food snoop

Off the beaten path

Inaccessible, and secluded, some restaurants have chosen to situate themselves in out of the way places.

Lifestyle Editors Kezia Toh and Cheryl Wee find out if these eateries are worth the hike in UCCELLO PASTA-PIZZA-WINE BAR 241 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim #01-02 The Village @ Jurong Hill Singapore 629143 Tel: 62641543 Opening hours: 11am–11pm daily

NEXT TO the greenery of Jurong Hill is a newly opened Italian casual dining bistro.

An airy alfresco area with a large flat screen TV, pool table and bar holds court outside. Pity about the view—the austere car park does not match up to the view within.

Indoors, golden chandeliers cast a soft glow over faux bricks lining the walls and wicker furniture, while the invitingly warm scents of bread and coffee permeates.

The Uccello special ($15.90) came first, a thin crust pizza with pork sausage, button mushrooms and ham drizzled with barbeque s auc e . T he c r i s p c r u s t h ad a satisf ying crunch, with the mushrooms complementing the generous dose of melted mozzarella.

All pizzas are prepared fresh, oven baked by Chef Mani, instead of the more traditional charcoal bake.

The pizza is enough to feed three.

Next came the spaghetti alla carbonara ($13.90), with a side of warm focaccia bread. Al-dente with a firm bite, the spaghetti is coated with thick egg yolk sauce with a smoky f lavour, lent by the chef’s liberal hand with the fragrant bacon bits.

A pricier option is the osso buco ($29.90), a thick slab of braised veal shank doused in red wine sauce. The sauce does its work right, though the flavourful meat is impeded by its tough texture.

However, it was the side dishes that took centre stage. Goldenbrown crispy steak fries of pure potato goodness, and a small portion of roasted vegetables, which owes its aromatic sweetness to plenty of onions.

The dessert menu is typical of Italian eateries, with the usual suspects like tiramisu ($7.90).

However, you get none of the overly soggy mess served by most other places. Here the standard s ponge ca ke i s r e plac e d by savoiardi biscuits soaked in thick Nescafe espresso, inter-spliced with layers of mascarpone cheese.

But this quintessential Italian dessert runs the risk of being too cloying—with its addition of amaretto wine in place of the customar y less sweet Kahlua, coupled with a layering finish of chocolate powder.

Which Italian meal can be complete without cappuccino ($5)?

Made from ground Lavazza beans, famed for their strong robust

flavour, the coffee is velvety beneath a layer of foam, with a milky aftertaste.

A tip for hungry drivers— Uccello offers parking rebates off the bill. For others, it might prove too much of a hassle despite it being a tranquil respite from the usual dining hotspots.

TIRAMISU: A dainty serving to maintain your waistline.

SPICY FRIED WINGS: Hot enough to make beads of sweat appear on your forehead. PHOTOS | CHERYL WEE

SUNSET GRILL AND PUB

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA: Garnished with salty bacon bits.

140B Piccadilly Singapore Flying Club Tel: 64820244 Opening hours: 4pm–9.30pm daily (Closed on Tues)

Flash your NTU matriculation card to enjoy 15% off all a-lacarte items at Uccello.

Terms and conditions apply.

BRAISED VEAL SHANK: Generously paired with salted fries and sweet roasted onions.

SUNSET Grill & Pub baffled my car’s GPS system. A handful of wrong turns and dead ends later, including a drive past a couple of small private planes, a small round Tiger Beer sign outside is the only clue to the restaurant’s existence.

D i ne r s f i r s t s e t e y e s on a playground overgrown with grass, followed by a mishmash of corrugated zinc, worn concrete and tarnished metal frames. It was like travelling back to the 1960s.

The best way to start the meal is with the spicy chicken wings ($18.50 for 6), for which the place is famed. They arrive coated with spices and with ominous chilli seeds peppering the surface.

“Our chillies are impor ted from the US. You can’t find them any where in Singapore,” said waiter Eugene Khoo.

The wings come in 30 levels of spiciness and there is a wall of fame for those who have eaten six of the hottest wings. Slightly tangy, a numbing sensation overtakes the taste buds after a while. Level two wings, though only a little spicier than Tabasco, are capable of making your nose drip The moment the food arrived, a swarm of flies gathered. Swatting them away did not work. They were distracting and left little opportunity to enjoy the scenic view of planes taking off. Located beside the hangar of the Republic of Singapore Flying Club, Sunset Grill & Pub has a perfect view of the setting sun.

Another popular appetiser is the deep fried button mushrooms ($13.50). Golden-brown balloons of batter-coated mushrooms have pockets of air which trap the juices of the cooked mushrooms, making

them delightfully light with a rich flavour.

T h e f l i e s c ont i n u e d to voraciously attack anything edible.

“It’s no use moving inside. There are just as many there,” says a waiter matter-of-factly. The pesky flies are said to stop coming after 7.30pm.

A ma i n cou r se, good for shar ing, is t he mini-bu rger s ($13.80). Four small burgers with a generous serving of fries. A moist ground beef patty is sandwiched between lightly buttered buns, and accompanied with a smudge of tartar sauce. Crunchy browned onion rings sit nicely atop wellseasoned pat t ies wh ich were done just right. Each mini burger disappeared in two bites.

A tree with a stout trunk forms the centrepiece of the crudely made alfresco area. A mess of taut wires with small light bulbs hang overhead. The sun turns lilac as light slowly fades.

“This place was chosen for the pub’s name. What’s a Sunset Grill & Pub without an accompanying sunset?” says Khoo. In a couple of years, aviation clubs will take over the place. Meanwhile, maps are of little use to find this eatery.

You have to venture off the beaten track, but the reward is worth it.

LUSCIOUS FRIED MUSHROOMS: Dunked in tartar dip, they are best eaten hot.

lifestyle

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11

travelogue H ER E a re t wo e x per iences I traveled 8,000km for: looking up at a sky decked out with glittering stars right up to the horizon and feeling chilled at the eerie roar of a big cat in the distance.

Safar i means ‘jour ney’ in Swahili, but is now popularly used to describe a touring expedition to se e w i ld l i fe. But get t i ng to a national park to see the animals takes some long-distance traveling, both in the air and on the ground.

I opted for the lesser-known Kruger National Park, located about 4 0 0k m by r oad f r om Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa.

But it was only when I left the city behind that the Africa I was expecting started to come into view.

South Africa is an agricultural haven and during the five-hour ride I passed by vast expanses of sugarcane plantations. The journey to Kruger was punctuated by a stop in the sleepy town of Nelspruit, where I had arranged to rendezvous with my tour-guide, Tony.

While it is possible to have a ‘Do It Yourself’ safari, these experienced guides really make sure you get the most out of your trip with their keen eyesight and boundless patience. Tony, an elderly white Afrikaner with a lifetime of stories about his youthful forays into the African wilderness, turned out to be a wise choice as my safari guide cum companion.

In his little white van we crossed Malelane Bridge, one of eight entrances to the national park. A sign war ned against bringing any animals into the park, which is roughly 26 times as big as Singapore.

Thus began my three days in an environment largely unchanged for millennia and dominated by large animals.

Here is one thing to note when on safari: you need to have the patience of a saint. It is not uncommon to doze off in the car while cruising because, unlike in the zoo, animals in national parks could be anywhere and tend to disappear in the day because of the oppressive heat.

With a speed limit of 30km/h on the dusty trails, we were not getting anywhere fast. However, this is where Tony’s experience and eyesight were invaluable, and

Safari on the wild side Leaving the city, Yusuf Hamid goes into the wild and finds it frightening yet majestic

ALL EYES ON THE AFRICAN SUNSET: A glaze of yellow on a darkened horizon delivers an awe-inspiring view. PHOTOS | YUSUF HAMID

within 10 minutes of entering the park our van came to a halt.

“Just past that tree, can you see it?” Tony whispered, his finger pointing at a jumble of greenery.

It took some time before my eyes saw it: the wrinkled grey skin of an elephant’s trunk. Moments later, the rest of the massive creature emerged from the bush and it ambled onto the road behind the van. Experienced guides claim to understand animal behavior, and once the elephant’s ears started flapping we took it as a sign to leave it alone and be on our way.

L o d g i n g i n K r u ge r w a s unexpectedly comfortable, though somewhat spartan. Little camps with a number of huts and tents are scattered around the park.

Visitors are encouraged to rise before dawn, when the weather is cool and the big cats are either finishing up their dinner or still hunting. Bleary eyed and drowsy, I was nodding off in the van when

A MIGHTY GLARE: Staring into the eyes of the king.

Tony nudged me. A hyena was running by the side of the road, a manic look on its cruel face.

Fascinating as that was, I still hoped to catch a glimpse of at least one big cat in the wild.

A whole day went by and there were countless deer-like animals called Impalas, yawning hippos, zebras and the elegant giraffes, but still no big cats.

Camp rules order ever yone behind fences after sundown for safety reasons, but occasionally the rangers organize trips in the night on their own trucks.

Tony booked me a seat, but not before preparing a delectable dinner known as ‘Braai’, Afrikaan for barbeque. With the juicy squashes and lamb sausages jostling for space in my stomach, I took a seat on the ranger truck hoping to get a last shot at spotting a big cat.

The two-hour ride was mostly windy, cold, and animal-free.

The dark countryside was dimly illuminated by moonlight, and everyone spoke in hushed tones.

Then, strangely, the driver flicked off the headlights and motioned for everyone to be silent. Moments later, he killed the engine and let the truck drift silently in the dark.

“Oooh!” came the muffled cry of someone at the front of the truck when the driver brought up a low beam of light.

Walking sedately in front of us were two lionesses and a lion, seemingly ignorant of the presence of a large truck bearing at least ten edible humans.

Out came the cameras and a flurry of clicking and flashes followed, but the grizzled lion was unruffled. Once, it stopped to

look at the truck and flashed us a disgruntled look, following which all protruding arms retreated back from the railings.

Slowly the lions turned and retreated into the darkness, but we remained for a moment to absorb the moment.

It was at once majestic and frightening, and it is a memory that will stay with me forever.

The last day on the trails was relatively disappointing given the heady experience of the night before.

As we crossed the crocodile bridge gate out of Kruger, a herd of Impalas gathered by the fence as though to say goodbye.

As I waved to them and yelled farewell in a futile effort to make cross-species conversation, I realised that I had not seen enough.

The next time I am on safari, I will not leave until I see a cheetah.

GRAZING: Caught with their ears in the air.

Travel Tips 1. G e t i m mu n i s e d .

Malaria pills are crucial to keeping the potentially fatal disease at bay.

2. Bring a camera, with z o om . D o e s n’t m at t e r whether you borrow, buy or steal. If you go on Safari without a camera you will regret it for the rest of your life.

3. Hire a tour-guide.

Don’t t h in k t hat t hose hours watching National Geographic makes you a wildlife expert, these guys really know what they are doing and will make your trip worthwhile.

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lifestyle review

BOOKS Pygmy Chuck Palahniuk $37.90, available at Borders Published by Jonathan Cape

IN CHUCK Palahniuk’s imaginary worlds, systems are overturned and characters exaggerated to expose more than just the obvious flaws but also the insatiable thirst of Man’s need for unnecessary violence and explicit content. In all these aspects, Pygmy does not disappoint. The protaganist is a hard-hearted task- oriented 13-year-old posing as a harmless exchange student. He is Agent 67, part of Operation: Havoc, hailing from a totalitarian regime which aims to unleash a revolution on the clueless American public.

Palahniuk annihilates basic grammar and sentence structure to narrate an entire tale using what seems to be a mash of Jackie Chan’s spoken English and Yoda’s subject-verb disagreement, which makes for a bemusing but confusing read.

Credit must be given to the tireless research that goes into each of his novels. In the novel we see quotes from a myriad of twentieth century dictators, detailed descriptions of weaponry and of totalitarian regimes.

This lends credibility to his work which forces readers to think about everything from the meaning of life to the purpose of eating.

Palahniuk’s strength in telling controversial stories is also his weakness, since most of his ideas appear to be recycled. There are set pieces painted over and characters glossed over for a new sheen in an ending too bright and shiny to be believed. -Tiffany Tham

au g us t 11, 20 0 9

T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

“This record's called Sunny Side Up for a reason. I want to keep it positive.

Cause for me music is more than just music.

It's a power."

Paolo Nutini (below), on his latest album.

Between The Assassinations Aravind Adiga $24.95, available at Borders Published by Atlantic Books

BETWEEN The Assassinations is a collection of short stories that take place in the fictional Indian town of Kittur in the years between the assassinations of Idira Ghandi in 1984 and that of her son, Rajiv Ghandi in 1991.

The book starts off as a tourist itinerary with descriptions of various sights and landmarks in the town. This is alternated with the stories of the characters, who are citizens of Kittur. Man Booker Prize winner Aravind Adiga makes no qualms about bringing the inadequacies of the town’s inhabitants and the interactions of members of different castes under intense scrutiny.

The writing is sharp and aggressive, with a dark undertone throughout, showing the sense of injustice felt by the characters. The book seller with his legs broken in prison, the factory owner with workers going blind, these are but a few pieces in the mosaic that is Kittur. Yet at the same time, because it is so strong and repetitive, the effect of the novel is reduced and the reader starts feeling jaded. Ultimately, Between The Assassinations is a darkly humourous and critical observation of the Indian way of life - blemishes and all. -Elizabeth Law

MUSIC Zee Avi

Zee Avi (Folk)

¯¯¯¯¯ Zee Avi was originally known on Youtube as Kokokaina and hails from Miri, Sarawak.

AT JUST the tender age of 23, Zee Avi is already a singer, musician and songwriter. Her soulful music infuses elements of classical and jazz tunes beautifully weaved together with witty lyrics and a sweet voice. Yet another Youtube sensation, she was discovered by American singer Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records last December.

From fairy tale love tunes like Honey Bee to songs of heartbreak and longing feelings in Bitter Heart, Zee seems to be hopeful in finding love but at the same time aware of the possible heartaches that comes with being in love. The longing feelings continue in Let Me In, where she sings about an unreciprocated love.

Her radio single Kantoi has quickly gained popularity among the local audience with her quirky mash of English and Malay. This ditty has an upbeat melody and coupled with catchy lyrics, it is highly addictive. - Nur Hanisah Zelani

Lungs Florence + The Machine (Rock)

¯¯¯¯¯ The name Florence + The Machine was initially intended as a private joke between her and a friend.

FLORENCE + The Machine is a seven-strong band fronted by Florence Welch that made their mark with their debut album, Lungs.

Lungs is a manic jumble of fairy tale twists and fancy, sub-animalistic fantasies. Lead singer Florence Welch speaks of bloodied feet across the hallowed ground and of happiness hit(ting) her like a bullet in the head. But beneath this deep dark exterior, the 22-year-old claims the album is simple and is basically about “love and pain”.

First off the album is Dog Days Are Over, which starts off slow and measured but builds up to a mix of strong, pounding vocals and rhythm. Throughout the album, Welch’s astounding vocal range does not disappoint and sustains itself, especially in Howl. Though constantly compared to the likes of Kate Bush and Björk, Florence + The Machine is in a class of their own, powered by a powerful pair of (pun not intended), lungs.

-Noor Ashikin Rahman

Sunny Side Up Paolo Nutini (Blue-Eyed Soul)

¯¯¯¯¯ Though his father is of Italian origin, his family has been in Scotland for four generations and runs a fish & chips stall.

PHOTO | COURTESY

PAOLO Nutini might only be 23, but the Scotsman’s voice conjures up imageries of weather beaten old men singing after a hard day of work in the American countryside.

In his sophomore self-penned album, Nutini does not disappoint. His vocals, reminiscent of Mark Everett’s signature roughness, are the driving force behind most of the songs, which have minimal backing. Many tracks on Sunny Side Up sound eclectic, even to the point of being dated, offering a unique country-meets-70s feel.

In Coming Up Easy, Nutini writes about his struggle with heroin, which would have made a great song. However, like many of his other tracks, it is difficult to make out the lyrics, which is a shame. That being said, there are gems in this album, such as Worried Man, a beautifully dark song about a man ‘getting old before his time’. Nutini is also one of the rare indie performers who smile while performing live, which probably explains the optimistic-sounding album title.

-Elizabeth Law

lifestyle

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FILMS

The Hangover Comedy (NC16)

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Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis 100min

A BACHELOR party in Las Vegas, hardly groundbreaking stuff. Yet The Hangover has resisted milking clichés and resorting to cheap formulaic jokes to make a genuinely funny film, filled with laughout-loud moments.

Usi ng a t r io of odd t r ave l l i ng companions, each surprisingly developed , The Hangover gave a fresh perspective to the portrayal of apparently grown-up American men who are really just boys at heart, who happen to misplace the groom on the wedding day.

The magic is in the easy chemistry of the cast, with Zach Galifianakis claiming the breakout role with his peculiar behavior and dialogue that is tempered with his earnest sincerity as Alan, the bride’s brother. Galifianakis channels Jack Black without being obnoxious, and Seth

Rogen without the need to be cool.

A nother strong character is that of Phil (Bradley Cooper), the married schoolteacher who is sick and bored of where his life is going. Even so, his scowl does not mask the inner doubt he seems to possess, and makes his character a refreshing take on the man who has not entirely outgrown his inner frat boy.

At times, the show is pure comedy gold. Mike Tyson’s cameo is all the more brilliant for its eccentricity. When his punch connects after an air drum solo singing along to Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight, it showed that Mike’s still got it.

While the movie’s main premise is based on the trio trying to retrace their steps of the night before, do not be fooled when loose ends are tied. Stay till after the credits have rolled for a special surprise.

PHOTO | COURTESY

Personal Effects Drama (NC16) Michelle Pfeiffer, Ashton Kutcher, Kathy Bates 110min

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-Fabian Ng

COPING with the loss of a loved one is never easy, director David Hollander presents how two families are affected by the unspeakable deaths of their kin in Personal Effects.

Emotions range from stoic frowns, pregnant pauses, nervous laughter, and extended periods of maudlin.

Both Walter (Ashton Kutcher) and Linda (Michelle Pfeiffer) tragically lose sister and husband respectively from brutal murders.

They struggle with their losses and find comfort in each other through love, yet Walter is unwilling to let go of the hate he has at losing his sister. This is especially shown in a climatic scene where he tries to beat up who he thinks is his sister’s attacker but who turns out to be her only friend.

The movie eloquently presents the spectrum of emotions that comes with a tragic death, and how not everyone behaves the same way when faced with such a traumatic experience. It also shows how families try to establish normalcy in their lives after tragic events.

Though Personal Effects f lexes its muscles with a solid cast of Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kathy Bates, the plot meanders weakly, hurling to a predictable PHOTO | COURTESY

Bookfishing ad 1/4 page, 5 columns.

climax.

In addition, the young man-old woman romance between Kutcher and Pfeiffer was believable at best and forced at worst – or it may just be a case of art imitating life for Kutcher. Nevertheless, the cast’s individual performances salvage this movie from its B grade depths to a cosy take home DVD for leisure viewing. This movie was initially released as a direct to video movie where it’s proceeds benefited a charity organization.

K u tc he r pr ov ide s a de c e nt le ad performance reminiscent of his role in The Butterfly Effect—though there were times you wished he would crack a joke to break out from wallowing in self pity. Pfeiffer is as usual, the seasoned and dependable performer and Personal Effects markets her move from leading lady to leading maternal character.

Meanwhile Bates with her nuanced expressions of love and loss proved to be the gem of the movie despite limited screen time.

Her heart-wrenching bawl from laughter was a scene-stealer as it captured a mother’s grief completely and will be remembered for a long time. -Zakaria Zainal

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tech review

This is my laptop bag Protect your laptop with the right stuff. Foo Jie Ying and Tech Editor Kenneth Wee show you how

A DEFAULT laptop sleeve or bag is usually given when you purchase a laptop. For those who received your laptop without one, thank your lucky stars; you deserve something more.

There are countless nice laptop sleeves out in the market, many readily available at the store where you bought your laptop. However, if you want to be different from the rest of the crowd, we have listed a number of unique laptop sleeves for the discerning shopper.

Fabrix

Incase

My document laptop bag

tech flash samsung introduces the Samsung Preston S5603 mobile phone, measuring a mere 12.9mm in thickness, and featuring a 2.8” LCD full touch user interface. windows mobile 7 finally features multi-touch capabilities, howe ver it is currently only available on high end premium devices. amd announces new 785g Chipset to serve as foundation for exceptional Windows 7 mainstream platform, featuring ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics technology for vibrant colours and life-like visuals.

Since the birth of the iPod case in March 2008, local brand Fabrix has gone on to develop cases of more sizes to fit your other gadgets, more significantly the Apple MacBooks.

However, Fabrix also offers customisation services to fit all laptops - just provide the dimensions of your laptop.

Every Fabrix laptop sleeve features soft inner padding and a Velcro flap fastening.

You can find them at AppleCentre@Funan and MacShop, both at Funan DigitaLife Mall, or buy them online at www.fabrixcases.com, which includes free local shipping. The average waiting time online for an available model takes three to four days, while a customised one takes six to eight days.

Incase makes bags and sleeves exclusively for MacBooks. Their popular standard neoprene sleeves come in a variety of colours. We simply adore the plush faux-fur lining on this one. It is an affordable luxury right at your finger tips.

However, we were more interested in the collaborations with various artists. The series known as “Curated by Arktip” features artworks printed on the MacBook sleeve. One notable installment is by artist Steven Harrington and his “contextual objectivism”, featuring psychedelic square patterns. There is even a matching iPhone case available. Regretfully, these sleeves come in limited quantities, and are only available for the 15 inch MacBook Pro. Incase which is based in America, does not ship internationally, however, Ver y Woonderland, which just opened at ION Orchard, stocks these sleeves. In fact, although the Harrington sleeve is currently sold out on Incase’s website, there are a couple on sale at Very Woonderland.

Prices start from S$45.90 at Funan DigitaLife Mall or www.fabrixcases.com.

Prices start from S$55 at Very Woonderland (#B3-12, ION Orchard).

hard graft

Snupped

Acer presents the all-new Aspire Timeline series, featuring longer lasting battery life to more than eight hours, coupled with an ATI Mobilit y Radeon 4330 graphics card with 512MB of video memory.

The bright and cheerful exterior makes for a great conversation-starter. This computer iconinspired laptop sleeve will definitely get nods of approval from geeks to fashionistas. Made of neoprene, the inside of the bag is lined in plush fleece. The bag can be zipped open fully.

Previously unavailable in Singapore, Shinnpark.com now ships it free-of-charge within Singapore. The bag comes in three sizes; 13.3 inches, 14.1 inches and 15.4 inches.

As an added bonus , each bag comes with one randomly packed “pixelated” design pin.

At only S$42.90 with free shipping, this is definitely one of our absolute favourites!

S$42.90 at www.shinnpark.com. foof

sony unveils new Blu-ray Player BDP-S360, delivering pristine 1920 x 1080p picture quality, with full 7.1ch surround sound through a compatible AV receiver. sony debuts vaio w series mini notebook, offering consumers easy portability and multimedia and web experiences wherever they are.

LG elctronics announces the LG BD370 Blu-ray Player, which enables users to connect to the internet and enjoy streaming services.

LG elctronics introduces the LG HT964TZ home theatre s ystem, which is the f irst to incorporate seven distinct sound modes such as “Night Mode”, creating the perfect ambience for the right time.

Paypal recently announced the opening of its online Asia Mall, an online shopping store offering great deals and special offers for cash-conscious online shoppers.

PHOTOS | COURTESY

This Austr ian-based company offers gorgeous sleeves handmade from pure new wool felt and Italian aniline leather. We liked the Y MacBook Sleeve as it featured a Y-shaped metal snap closure (hence the name) where you could secure documents. There is also an option for a add-on pouch to store accessories.

These luxurious sleeves do not come cheap.

The asking price of 128 euros (S$262.50) for the Y sleeve with pouch makes them a luxury only for those with deep pockets. Still, they are drool-worthy accessories.

Prices start from 79 euros (S$162) exclusively at shop.hardgraft.com.

Another local brand, Snupped, boasts over 40 designs to choose from. If you, like owners Bryan and Darcy, refuse to conform to the boring and generic black laptop sleeve, Snupped sleeves are for you.

E v e r y t h i n g a b ou t Sn u p p e d s p e l l s customisation, from the size of the sleeve to the colour of the interior lining fabric – you can even choose to have handles for your laptop sleeve for just S$5. From polka dots to banana peels, Snupped promises something for everyone, and can only be purchased online at www.snupped.com.

Prices start from S$39.90 for standard sizes, and S$44.90 for custom sizes exclusively at www.snupped.com.

For those want to give their MacBook Pros some TLC, get a foof bag. Australian-based company, foof, specialises in manufacturing slee ves for Apple produc t s , a nd sh ips internationally.

Every handmade foof bag comes with a sherpa fleece inner lining, which is made from acrylic and polyester, yet feels and looks like a sheep’s fleece.

These foofbags come without zippers or Velcro fastening, which is great for those who constantly fear scratches on their laptops when fishing them out of the sleeve. However, your laptop is perfectly safe and will not fall out because foof promises snugness of every foofbag as it is made to fit. Simple and chic, we recommend this laptop sleeve for those who usually carry their laptops in a bag.

Prices start from S$36 before shipping at www. foofshop.com.

nea and microsoft launch Singapore’s first mobile weather service, allowing members of the public to log on to Weather@SG with their mobile phones to get their latest weather information in Singapore. nikon delivers the new Nikon Digital SLR Camera D300S, inheriting the superb product qualit y of Nikon’s DX-format digit al SL R f lagship, with an enhanc e d D - M ov ie f unc tio n providing new features, such as an external AF capability with contrast-detect AF during movie recording.

Nikon unveils four new digital cameras in the Coolpix line, including the Coolpix S1000pj, which has a built-in projector, and slideshow capabilities.

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A NEW CHAPTER UNFOLDS

Memories made, friendships forged, experiences gained - the annual Freshmen Orientation Camp for clubs, halls and schools serve as a platform for our new students to bond. This year was no different, with the numerous games, cheers and activities lined up for them by the seniors. The joy and fun experienced in the camps was indeed a memory that our freshmen will hold dear to their hearts forever.

TEXT: IRWIN TAN & ZOE LIM PHOTOS: NTU/NIE CATHOLIC STUDENTS APOSTOLATE, SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, NTU MUSLIM SOCIETY, NTU PSYCHOLOGY SOCIETY, NTU BUDDHIST SOCIETY, NTU STUDENTS UNION, NTU CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST, NTU PHOTO-VIDEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY FILM STRIP: COURTESY

show

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show dapper: your essential style guide

T

here’s a reason why gluttony is one of the seven sins.

Sometimes temptation is hard to resist, especially when it comes in the form of a perfectly iced cupcake. We show you how to look glamourous — even when you’re stuffing your face with a Big Mac and fries (upsized, of course). Fast food has never looked so good.

On Esther: Military vest, $39.90, Spellbound; Diamante hairband, $48.90, FuncDeko On Jayne: White top with frills, $95, Egg3; Striped purple skirt, $59.90, LoveParade; Peacock headband, $25.90, FuncDeko; Silver studs bangle, $18.90, FuncDeko

On Jayne: Sequined tunic, $39, Myth; Black mesh hairpiece, $15.90, FuncDeko

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“Eat to please thyself, but dress to please others.”

On Jayne: Navy blue blazer, price unavailable, Spellbound; Checkered leggings, $69, Egg3; Reindeer ring, $25.90, FuncDeko

- Benjamin Franklin

McGlamour

A girl’s gotta look good, but a girl’s gotta eat too.

Save model looks for the catwalk and enjoy yourself.

Stockists Egg3 LoveParade 03-42 Far East Plaza Spellbound 03-24 Far East Plaza FuncDeko 03-90B Far East Plaza Myth 03-48A Far East Plaza Styling Audrey Tsen Carina Koh Photography Foo Chee Chang (chang-photography.com) Photography Assistant Prayudi Utomo On Esther: Black tutu skirt, $45.90, LoveParade; Cupcake ring, $24.90, FuncDeko; Pink flower hairpiece, $35.90; FuncDeko

Hair & Makeup Lee Ruiqi Models Esther Tan Jayne Tham

陈迪雅：我不是歌手 —— 刊22页

新闻

南大需提升品牌 方能符合实质 随着首席大学推展司 周庆全于6月份走马上 任，南洋理工大学的品 牌和定位再度成为坊间 议论的焦点。 黄顺杰●报道 中文副编辑

当

香港城市大学三年级生 梁颖欣（21岁）决定选 择南大进行交换计划之前，主 修翻译的她，心中对于这所历 史仅有54年的学府，充满许多 疑惑。 她说：“在来到南大之前， 我确实挣扎了许久。因为我从 网络得知有关南大的讯息，尽 是同工程和研究相关的，对我 一个文科生来说，不知合不合 适。” 梁颖欣认为，南大的“国 际声誉”主要是建立在扎实的 工程和理科学系的基础上。然 而她觉得，长期以来，这些学 系的光环似乎有“掩盖其他学 系”之嫌。 她说：“虽然从名称上，就 可知道南大是以理工科为主的 大学，不过，南大却又同时不 断地追求理工科以外的发展， 如艺术和商科等，让南大的学 术焦点变得相当模糊不清。” 其实，南大从创办初期，便 以工程学系为其教育的主轴。 1981年，南大的前身， 南洋理工学院（Nanyang Technological Institute）就以校 内的三所工学院，获得联邦工 程师理事会（Commonwealth Engineering Council）的赞誉， 被列为“全球最出色的理工学 院之一”。 根据南大的历史资料记载， 直至1987年，南洋理工学院才 正式开办会计、商科及教育文 凭等学位课程，把触角延伸至 科学和工程学系以外的领域。 随着南洋理工学院于18年前 改名为南洋理工大学，南大也 成立了四大学院——商、工、 文、理，并于旗下设立12所学 院，“为学生提供国际级的高 品质全球教育”。 尽管南大内的数间学院，如 商学院、黄金辉信息与传播学

随着南大在6月份聘请周庆全先生出任首席大学推展司一职，向来以科学和工程科系“享誉国际”的南大，其品牌和定位再度成为关注 的焦点。 摄影|陈奕龙 院所开办的课程和栽培的毕业 生，都受到业界和学术界的一 致肯定，但南大所给予大众的 印象仍停留在科学与工程领域 的优势。 德明政府中学的高二生赖淑 仪（18岁）在受访时说：“南 大给我的印象，就是太‘机械 化’、太‘工程化’了。” 即将在年底参加“A”水准 会考的她也指出，南大除了理 工科之外，也应“大力的推广 其他很优秀的学院”，以示公 平。 新官上任 协力提升南大品牌 6月份，南大正式聘请了周 庆全先生（51岁）出任首席 大学推展司（chief university advancement officer）。

根据《海峡时报》在6月 16日的一篇报道，周庆全将主 要负责协助南大“提振筹款方 面的策划和行动，并且扩大支 持者的阵营，同时为南大建立 品牌”。 报道也指出，周庆全在加入 南大前，曾于新加坡国立大学 任职，并在5年任内为国大筹集 15亿新元的资金，筹款经验相 当丰富。 报道中，周庆全也指出， “社会大众都认为南大是一所 在科学和工程领域非常强的学 府”。 事实上，周庆全却认为“南 大在其他方面如商科、传播、 人文、媒体和研究，都已占有 一定的优势”。他说：“南大 肯定比它的品牌来得好。” 在截稿前，《南苑》仍未

能同周庆全取得联系，无法向 他了解有关他接下来的计划详 情。 同国大与新大比较 南大招生广告略显单调 同新加坡管理大学和国大比 较，南大所给予大众的形象， 略显“刻板”了一点。 德明政府中学高二生包欣卉 （17岁）说：“如果凭各所大 学的招生广告来评定，新大显 得较为专业，却不失平易近人 之处；国大则以多彩多姿的校 园生活为主打；而南大就只有 单调和无聊。” 她解释说，南大的招生广 告都以理工科为强打，对希望 攻读文科的她而言，毫无吸引 力。

她说：“如果南大能以更活 泼的形象推广品牌，我想（招 生）成效会更大。” 不过，香港城市大学学生刁 伟 （22岁）却抱持不同的看 法。 曾到南大进行交换计划的他 说：“我觉得南大的品牌和定 位都很好，所以我一直都认为 南大是全球大学中，最突出之 一。” 然而，香港交换生梁颖欣告 诉记者，由于各所大学提供的 科系各异，学生往往都以心目 中的理想科系为选择的基础， 即使该大学非首选，也别无他 法。 她说：“我本身是主修翻译 的，而南大是唯一提供翻译课 程的新加坡大学，所以我就只 能选择这里了。”

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“汉语桥”世界大学生中文比赛

南大生代表新加坡 勇夺三等奖

林诗婷（中）赴中国参与“汉语桥”决赛，却因自小就在汉语环境 长大，身份备受争议。 照片|取自网络

马依苇●报道

南

大生远赴中国参与“汉 语桥”世界大学生中文 比赛决赛，身份备受争议，最 终取得三等奖佳绩。

国立教育学院三年级生林诗 婷以新加坡区第一名的身份晋 级决赛，其他选手同样是从各 地区脱颖而出的高手，但她的 身份却饱受争议。 汉语桥是由中国国际汉语 推广领导小组主办的大型国际

所以走搞笑路线不算讨巧。 于是，她选择做回自己， 走知性、有深度的路线。 在比赛中拍卖“不值钱” 东西的环节中，她将祖父在 动乱时期颠沛流离的生活娓娓 道来，虽然紧张得有些忘词， 仍获得好评。 林诗婷很爱读书，看过的书 数不胜数，没事闲下来就喜欢 翻开书本看上几眼，这也因此 造就了她深厚的汉语功底和文 化知识内涵。 谈到自己在比赛中的表现和 最终取得的成绩时，林诗婷轻 松地说：“这只是一个game。

汉语比赛，今年已步入了第8 届。 它也成为了各国大学生学习 中文和了解中华文化的平台， 吸引来各国对汉语感兴趣的学 生参与。 林诗婷来自马来西亚，自小 就在汉语家庭中长大，对汉语 更是非常着迷。 林诗婷透露，有观众指出， 她的祖辈是中国人，从小也接 受汉语教育，根本就是个“中 国人”，中文好也是应该的， 参加比赛对其他选手并不公 平。 一开始，林诗婷更因此感到 受伤。“中国人好像都觉得华 侨本来就该保守好汉语一样， 完全不了解到了另一片土地， 民族的母语就不再是绝对， 而是需要通过艰辛的方式争 取。” 她说：“我从来也没有想 到，解释身份、解释我为什么 能参加比赛成为了一道我每天 都要重复的问题。” 尽管面对着不少舆论压力， 林诗婷仍积极应战。 论中文实力，选手们不是攻 读中文文学或中国历史，就是 从小就打下了汉语基础，可以 说不相上下。 比赛的关键，就在于谁最能 用中文展现自己的个人魅力， 谁的表演最讨观众喜欢。 她自知一个女生在表演时 或许不能像男生那样放得开，

如果你参与其中，会发现娱乐 的元素大于对汉语能力的要 求。” 她解释说：“被淘汰的不 一定很弱，晋级的也不一定 是最好的。罗马尼亚的科林， 他对中华文化的认识，我敢说 比任何还留在台上的十二位选 手都好，但是复赛就被淘汰 了。” 她也说：“如果（比赛）是 测试汉语水平，我并不满意只 拿三等奖。但是，这个比赛更 多的是你能不能娱乐大家。那 么，我对名次一点也不在意， 尽情的玩就是了。”

在“快乐拍卖会”上，林诗婷（左）将祖父在动乱时期颠沛流离的 生活娓娓道来，深获好评。

旅游 到青岛旅游，究竟该看什么、吃什么、买 什么？让记者宋慧纯为你一网打尽！下次 有机会到青岛，可别错过这些宝！

必看

必吃

必买

远近驰

名的刘

城 小长

上的

黄岛

必看

必吃

嫂海鲜

，是大

家到此

必尝的

美食！

到青岛，当然必买青岛啤酒咯！

必买

青岛啤

馆

照片｜宋慧纯、刘仲康提供

喔！

不会坏

酒博物

粘的

触感粘

红猪 这只粉

摔都 ，怎么

很细，味 果冰不但冰沙磨得 这家店所售卖的芒 品。 对是夏季的必喝饮 道也十分清爽，绝

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言论 编辑室

校园大声讲

偷窥镜头后的幕后黑手 之前，就有一 名网民指出，只要 有人比你更需要个 座位，不管你坐的 是不是优先座位， 都应该让出座位。 现在，除非空座 位非常多，我都会 尽量站着，省去尴 尬让位的状况，同 时更避免不小心不 让位，被人偷拍传 上网。 公开示爱很恶心？ 为何还拍照留念 巴士、地铁上上 下其手，停车场、 楼梯间偷尝禁果， 海边、森林野合； 这类照片、影片最 近经常在网上流 传。 那天，和朋友 讨论起这个问题， 我们都有同样的疑 惑：既然觉得这种 插图｜Sarah Amnah Zainah 行为恶心，为何还 要拍下照片“作纪 念”，还要传上网让更多人看见这些恶 萧佳慧 心的行为？ 中文总编辑 这些公开示爱者在无形中造就出不 少“公开偷窥狂”。 这些“公开偷窥狂”几乎都是反公 果你上过本地网站STOMP， 你一定看过国人在地铁上以及其 开示爱主义者，认为人们不应该在大庭 他公共场合中犯下各种恶行恶状的图 广众之下表达对另一半的爱意，因为并 证。但是，我认为最丑陋的是掌握着相 不是所有公众都想看这种免费爱情片。 令人不解的是，他们为何还要紧盯 机镜头，企图揭露社会黑暗面的“公民 着人家看，还为他们拍照留念，之后还 记者”。 自从“公民记者”的概念在新加坡 把这些照片放上互联网。 不在乎公众眼光的豪放情侣在公共 掀起潮流以来，各种社会弊病如在地铁 上破禁食令或是装睡不让座，还是年轻 交通上亲热，好意思的话你可以上前制 情侣在大庭广众下忘情示爱，统统在 止，否则就把视线移开，并无需像个观 淫狂（voyeur）似的偷拍。 “公民记者”们的协助下披露。 眼不见为净，不该看到的脏东西， 被镜头捕捉到的人，不算无辜。 控制着镜头的人呢？隐姓埋名不露面， 请不要宣扬。 大肆批判他人恶劣行为，对自己的行为 媒体炒作 又该负上怎样的责任？ 意外鼓吹偷拍行为 睡得舒服不让座？ 上传公开示爱照片的风潮刚开始 别只瞄准他一人 时，这类“新闻”占据了不少报章版 “ 公 民 记 者 ” 最 爱 揭 露 的 恶 行 之 位。 “公民记者”们如此积极揭露社会 一，就是那些在地铁上占用优先座位 （priority seat），睡觉或装睡，无视眼 问题，一方面或许是想要满足自己的 “记者瘾”。 前站立着的老人或孕妇。 当他们看见自己上传的照片在网上 拍下照片的“公民记者”，人在现 场，大可上前去叫醒占着优先座位的乘 引起热烈回响，甚至被本地媒体用作头 条新闻，相信都会相当自豪，认为自己 客，要求他让位。 但 很 多 时 候 ， 人 们 都 只 敢 在 一 旁 新闻直觉敏锐、身手敏捷。 公众供应新闻，媒体随之利用， 偷拍，放上网后再自命清高地大肆 批 评 这 些 “ 没 有 公 德 心 ” 的 乘 客 ， 制造出需求假象，导致公众继续制造供 应。 却不敢当面指责他们。 再看一看近期的报章，媒体对这 只有少数人是在劝阻失败后才把同 类“新闻”已经失去兴趣，读者也是。 车乘客的丑态拍下、传上网。 但是，应该让位的只有占用优先座 希望“公民记者”们能看清这一点， 揭露一些更有意义的社会问题。 位的乘客吗？

下一站：结婚？工作？ 鞠欣航

对

多数亚洲女人而言，婚姻是一 个可以让自己脱胎换骨的大事

件。 从古到今，飞上枝头变凤凰的 故事不计其数。这证明了女性如果 “嫁对郎”，那无忧无虑的幸福生 活就近在咫尺。 在经济不景气的今天，很多大 学生都面临失业的威胁。有些女大 学生甚至放弃了毕业后找工作的机 会，希望觅得一位“金龟婿”，帮 自己完成未来的规划。这样，即使 没有工作，做个富太太也可以高枕 无忧。 然而，并非人人都能成功挤入富 太的行列。要在美女如云的竞争中 胜出，女性的魅力和修养是不可缺 少的。这些修养不仅包括与生俱来 的美貌，还包括了后天的言谈和举 止的培养。 不过，对那些“金龟婿”来说， 他们也一定见识了不少希望通过婚 姻，改变命运的女人。 对一个希望事业有成就的男人 而言，“娶老婆”不仅仅是关于爱 情，还关乎如何找到一个贤惠聪颖

的知己。这个知己，不但需要端庄典 雅，也需要有一定的智慧和能力，帮助 丈夫在事业上更上一层楼，适当的时候 还可帮他指点迷津。如此内外兼备的女 人，才能深得丈夫的敬佩和真心，婚姻 也才会有幸福的基础。 婚姻不是一场游戏，但是如今步步 盘升的离婚率却反映了当代人对婚姻的 新时代看法。虽然“嫁个有钱人”是好 多女生的梦想，但如果女生自身的修养 不过关，被丈夫娶回家的，就仅仅是一 只“花瓶”罢了。 当夫妻双方没有共同语言，或妻子 没有能力辅佐丈夫的时候，婚姻最后也 只剩下形式。如果一个女人将自己的未 来孤注一掷，投资在一个男人身上，风 险其实是很大的。当男方出轨时，没有 事业、家庭、丈夫的妻子，必定输得一 败涂地。 因此，女性若能在年轻时，多培养 内涵和增进智慧，努力创造自己的事 业，那么即使容貌不再，仍可韵味十 足，信心不减。 事实上，钓“金龟婿”犹如购买彩 票，中不中奖，概率在天。而女性能控 制的，唯有个人的事业。建立了事业的 女性不仅在金钱上能够独立，在物色心 上人时，也可以没有后顾之忧，无须再 以“身价”作为挑选伴侣的考量。

如

插图｜洪雪婷

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人物

天生反骨的另类未来教师

敢脱敢演的罗子涵

不

管是电影还是舞台 剧，刚毕业自南洋 理工大学艺术、设计与传 播学院的艺术才子罗子涵 （26岁）所演出的大胆角 色都让他一再成为媒体关 注的焦点。 两年前，罗子涵在电 影《快乐工厂》中豪放地 三点全露；今年，他在舞 台剧处女秀《上身不由 己》里大胆演绎有性虐待 倾向的警察和乩童。但这 位大家眼中的“豪放男” 却觉得自己是一个含蓄， 且理性胜过感性的人。 虽然罗子涵并不担心 每每尝试这样尺度宽的 角色会被定型，但他笑 言：“我想过以后从事教 育工作，只怕没有学校要 我！” 在日前圆满落幕的 《上》中，罗子涵饰演的 角色不仅多变且复杂，还 触及同性恋和被虐情节。 罗子涵透露：“我一 开始也担心这个角色太复 杂，无法胜任，是导演杨 君伟不断地说服，我才接 演这出戏。” 此外，比较习惯用英 语沟通的罗子涵坦言，用 华语演出确实是参与这部 剧的挑战之一，因为剧本 中还穿插了一段佛经的台 词，让难度增加了不少。

罗子涵日前在毕业典 礼上发表的致词也让他再 度成为话题人物。他坦言 一开始时很不习惯，但他 认为现在最重要的是要向 家人解释清楚自己的行 为。 “我必须让他们了解 我给公众的印象与形象， 和我在家里的形象是截然 不同的，所以我不会怪媒 体报道的内容。而且，我 更感谢家人一路来给予的 关切与支持，这让我不至 于太失控，做出疯狂的行 径。” 罗子涵坦言，他一开 始的兴趣在于剧场。他在 就读于华中初级学院时， 曾参与校内年度戏剧演出 的幕后工作，对剧场工作 的兴趣也就此萌芽。后 来，他在拉萨尔艺术学院 修读了一年后，就转到南 洋理工大学修读电影。 罗子涵说：“透过电 影教育公众，探讨艺术价 值，还有让具争议性的课 题有一个可以辩论和探讨 的空间是极为重要的。我 们不应该为自己设限。” 就快要前往美国芝加 哥修读硕士学位的罗子涵 表示，还有很多艺术领域 是他想要参与但还未涉足 的。他觉得自己能处在国 家新旧时代交替中，是十 分幸运的，至少现在本地 的艺术领域一直在成长。

他们热爱表演，也热爱艺术。不过，在更 大的程度上，这两名大男生更希望执起教 鞭，以充满“艺术”的方式，教育下一 代。记者宋慧纯和黄顺杰带你了解他们的 理想。

电影人罗子涵（左）和新晋本地编剧邹文森都在各自 的领域中发光发热。 摄影|黄顺杰

敢怒敢言的邹文森

艺

术表演和学术教学 虽看似风马牛不相 及，但对于国立教育学院 新生邹文森而言，拥有表 演天赋的教师，更能将色 彩注入单调乏味的课堂 中，进而达到意想不到的 教学效果。 刚毕业自上海复旦大 学中文系的邹文森说： “因为我是一个剧场的 人，所以我很在乎表演 性。其实，这和我作为老 师的身份是没有矛盾的， 甚至是很吻合的。” 他补充说：“因为 在当老师时，我俨然就 是一个performer（表演 者），‘表演’给同学们 看，让他们得到一些讯 息。这两个身份反而会互 惠互利。” 从中学时期开始，这 位圣公会中学和华中初级 学院的校友便发现，自己 对剧场表演有着异常浓烈 的热忱与执着。 日前，由邹文森编著 的舞台剧《上身不由己》 因涉及限制级题材，未演 先轰动，票房更是报捷。 剧中，邹文森透过同 性间的床戏、性虐待等意 识大胆的表演方式，阐明 他对这个充满弊病的社会 和人性的看法。 他说：“我们作为一

个人，活在这个社会当 中，我们其实时不时地都 在想别人怎么看我们。然 后，就自然而然地想去满 足别人对我们的想象。” 邹文森认为，为了符 合他人的眼光，社会中的 多数人都将原本的性格扭 曲，变成他人心中的理想 形象。 虽然热爱剧场艺术， 年仅25岁的邹文森却即将 从学生升格当华文教师。 对于这两种角色的平衡， 邹文森透露，他非常欣赏 穿梭于剧场与课堂的义安 理工学院中文系媒体讲 师——杨君伟。 邹文森说：“君伟能 够很好地平衡理想和现 实。他做了很多让他自己 开心的事情，与此同时， 他又可以在现实生活中得 到一些他需要得到的（认 同），所以我觉得这是我 很想做到的。” 然而，自认“很敢写 敏感东西”的邹文森坦 言，如果往后所创作的舞 台剧同《上》一样被列入 限制级，他希望他日后的 学生能在心智成熟后（即 满18岁）再去捧场。 “分级是有存在的必 要，但当然不是每一次的 分级都是合理的。不过， 以《上》为例，我不希望 我的学生来看，还是等到 18岁后再来看看吧！”

陈迪雅不把自己当歌手 黄佳敏●报道

陈

迪雅是第二届《绝对 SuperStar》的女冠军， 也有自己的歌曲，但她并不把 自己当歌手。她说：“只要还 没有自己的专辑，我就不认为 自己是个歌手。” 陈迪雅自从一年前毕业于 南洋理工大学黄金辉传播与信 息学院以来，接了不少表演工 作，也参与了几部本地电视剧 插曲的演唱，努力朝着发行个 人专辑的梦想迈进。 “这是我的梦。我不断地唱 歌，就是要累积经验，为歌唱 事业做准备。” 这次参加《超级星光大道 5》踢馆赛，陈迪雅认为就算失 败了，这也会是个为自己加值 的经验。 为了一圆歌手梦，陈迪雅参加了台湾《超级星光大道5》的踢馆赛， 陈迪雅说：“我相信条条大 却不幸败下阵来。 摄影|符志强 路通罗马。要实现我这个梦想

有很多条路可以走，所以我也 不敢确定比赛后会怎样。我只 是努力地朝一个方向前进。” 她认为自己在没有压力的情 况下表现得最好，所以她不会 对自己有太高的期望。就像当 初参加《绝》，她并非自愿参 赛，所以得失心不重，结果却 有不错的表现。 被问及为《超》比赛做了 什么准备时，陈迪雅说：“ 我会努力地把心态调整到参加 SuperStar时的那种心态。我只 想享受唱歌的过程。” 她认为对自己的要求过高， 很容易迷失自己，所以她希望 就算自己红了，也还会是大家 一直认识的陈迪雅。她表示， 如果为了梦想而迷失自己，到 头来却没有闯出一片天，最后 将是两头空。 她说：“就算我失败了， 我还有我自己。这对我来说很 重要。”陈迪雅透露，一开始

会注意到《超》这个节目， 是因为她非常喜欢其中一位选 手——林宥嘉。对迪雅而言， 林宥嘉是一位对歌唱很有想法 的歌手，是她学习的对象。 她说：“他年纪比我小，却 对音乐那么有想法，清楚自己 要什么。在我眼里，他是一位 货真价实的音乐人。” 《超》踢馆赛已于8月初在 台湾举行。原本受音乐人兼比 赛评审黄韵玲青睐的陈迪雅， 在首轮的踢馆中演唱卢广仲的 《我爱你》，与实力坚强的台 湾选手孙自佑平分。 第二轮时，陈迪雅选唱瑞 恩的《讨厌》，却败给了李杰 宇，无缘再度踢馆，结束了短 暂的“星光”梦。 到台湾参赛的本地选手共 4名。除了迪雅无法成功晋级， 其余三位包括蔡艾珈、黄智阳 和王顺达都顺利过关，并将于 本周再到台湾进行踢馆赛。

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娱乐 娱乐休闲厅

乐评 音乐Jukebox

Lizz 专访

Lizz梁丽怡： 音乐没有规律 创作需靠感觉 黄施嫣●报道

本

地音乐市场较小，要在 独立音乐界发展更不是 件容易的事。 但是本地独立创作歌手Lizz 梁丽怡仍然勇敢闯入这个行 列，为的是要完成属于自己的 音乐梦想。 对梁丽怡而言，音乐并没有 独立与商业之分，因为“音乐 就是音乐”。 她以台湾创作鬼才卢广仲 为例解释：“卢广仲的音乐比 较有独立的感觉，可是因为很 多人喜欢，就变成一种潮流 了。” 音乐没有一定的规律， 所 以 创 作 中 最 重 要 的 还 是 感 梁丽怡认为音乐没有规律，创作时更讲究感觉，从不刻意营造 什么。 照片|梁丽怡提供 觉。 梁丽怡创作音乐时也秉持着相同的信念，跟着 Perfect Dream是能够照顾家人 感觉走，不刻意营造什么。 她在今年2月发行了首张同名EP《Lizz》。 在专辑内页里，梁丽怡坦言自己是“单 EP收录的4首歌曲都由她亲自创作。 亲家庭的独生女”。 乍听之下，专辑洋溢着浓厚的复古风格和 她非常坦然这样的身份，因为她并不 爵士韵味，但梁丽怡说这并不是她刻意营造的感 认为自己和其他人有什么不同。她能够乐 觉。 观地看待这样的家庭背景，全靠妈妈和婆 她热爱百老汇歌剧表演，音乐风格也因此受其 婆、阿公给她很多的关爱，从不让她感觉 影响。 自己缺少了什么。 专辑中唯一一首英语歌曲，是由梁丽怡 亲自填词的歌曲“Perfect Dream”；而她 的“完美梦想”就是照顾好家人。 她说：“能够真正地在金钱上照顾和 爱我的妈妈、婆婆和阿公，那个就是我的 perfect dream。” 儿时志愿并非歌手 很多独立音乐人因为从小热爱音乐和 演唱，所以才会踏上这条不易走的路，她 从小的志愿不是当歌手，而是当一名表演 者。 她解释：“唱歌就是很专注在声音，坐 在一旁慢慢地唱，但我比较喜欢表演、跳 舞等有动感的东西。” 后来，她了解到唱歌也是一种表演，而 她也想用自己的语言写歌，因此便开始以 表演者的观点来演绎歌曲。

赢取梁丽怡首张个人EP pulse.sg将送出三张Lizz梁丽怡的亲 笔签名EP。 问：梁丽怡首张个人EP的英文名称是 什么？ 请把正确答案、个人资料和联络号 码电邮至：editorial@pulse.sg

专辑：“LIZZ” 歌手：Lizz 梁丽怡 推荐：《常用语》 “Perfect Dream”

曾



为不少独立音乐人的 EP写过乐评，一般上 都觉得他们为EP付出的心血 和心思，值得嘉奖；创作方面 也各有特色。 收到本地独立音乐人Lizz梁丽怡的EP时，我充满期待，结果却 没办法听出独立创作上的特色，就是少了那“不一样”的音素。 可是，歌曲的编曲都相当华丽，让我耳目一新，尤其是《常用 语》和“Perfect Dream”。单听音乐，就足于让人陶醉。 《常用语》带有复古韵味，加上喇叭的配乐，在轻快俏皮诠释 中，不失怀旧情怀。 唯一英语歌曲“Perfect Dream”是EP中最突出的，词曲都由 Lizz包办。钢琴和吉他在音乐上的结合，Lizz的轻轻歌声，把女 声没有办法进入男生心中的无助感，浪漫诠释一番。 独立音乐人对于音乐的热诚，在EP中听到和看到了。若能够 注入多一点的元素，增加独有的特色，更能让人留下深刻印象。 （文／韩伟定）

专辑：《王妃》 歌手：萧敬腾 推荐：《爱过了头》

自



萧敬腾发行首张个人专 辑后，许多人都期待着 他还能带来什么惊喜。 原以为他会延续上一张专 辑里的《收藏》或《王子的 新衣》的风格，往摇滚曲风发 展。结果，这张专辑竟然以抒 情K歌为主。 萧敬腾有一定的实力， 情歌的可听度还是有的。 但是，《阿飞的小蝴蝶》的歌 词内容若更充实一点，效果一 定会更亮眼。 专辑的节奏是从一开始《王妃》的摇滚转变成抒情，最后 以编曲简单的《Green Door》和《寂寞还是你》作结尾。没有华 丽的编曲或乐器，只有简单的吉他和钢琴伴奏，重点全放在他独 特的歌声上。听着淡淡的音乐和歌声，犹如萧敬腾就在现场唱歌 给我们听。 就让我们回归到最原始，好好地欣赏这把感动人的歌声。 （文／廖婧 ）

专辑：《爱.旅行.一公里》 歌手：许茹芸 推荐：《亲爱的是你把我 宠坏》

许



茹芸相隔两年后终于发 片了，专辑主题也相当 明确：爱和旅行。 从专辑名称看来，就知道 这张专辑是以抒情为主。情歌 一直是许茹芸擅长的歌路； 专辑主打《一有爱就走吧》

就是典型的“芸式情歌”。 许茹芸虽然高调告知天下自己现处感情空窗期，但这并没有影 响她诠释幸福之味的方式。听了节奏轻快的《亲爱的是你把我宠 坏》，让人心情变好，而且旋律琅琅上口，百听不厌。 吴克群也变成了许茹芸专辑里的常客。这次，他为许茹芸写 了《一公里》，相信两人能够继续合作，带给歌迷更多好歌和惊 喜。 虽然专辑名称取为《爱.旅行.一公里》，但10首歌听下来， “爱”占的比例居多，“旅行”的部分好像只出现在随专辑附送 的许茹芸亲自摄影的两张图文创作旅行明信片。但歌迷们或许也 （文／廖婧 ） 不会介意，因为他们就是喜欢听许茹芸唱情歌。（文／廖婧

Opinion

Need some tips on how to survive the first few weeks of school?

Turn to page 28 to find out

frankly, my dear

EDITORIAL

A column by The Chronicle editors on issues close to their hearts

Find your voice and speak up The issues of press freedom and free speech have often been debated in our country, from heated discussions in the classrooms to animated banter in coffee shops across the citystate.

E v e n i n ou r s h e lt e r e d university in our own little corner of the island, we have been subject to events that make us question our own beliefs and make a stand for what we think is right.

T he g r aduat i ng Sc hool of A r t D e s i g n a nd Me d i a va le d ic tor ia n , Loo Z i ha n , chose to use his speech as a platform for making his views on censorship heard. Right or wrong, that was his podium, his choice of how he wanted to make himself heard.

Closer to home, this paper had a minor brush with censorship last year. Without f logging a dead horse, I believe t he subsequent reaction showed that students in this university are prepared to make themselves heard.

Nevertheless, merely typing strong words in the anonymity

of cyberspace is hardly going to challenge the status quo.

Eve r y r e volut ion ne ed s a battleground, and every speech needs a platform.

With an incoming class of freshmen, we have a unique oppor tunit y on our hands.

Rather than remaining silent critics of the establishment, and staying within our comfort zones, we can all do our parts and make a difference.

Be more inquisitive, find out more about what goes on around campus and find out the rationale for why things are the way they are.

Put your thoughts to paper and articulate your views on record.

The Chronicle is open for every student in the university, and everyone is welcome to play their part in making our school a more open campus.

On ly by engaging in informative dialogue, with the establishment being accountable to its students in a clear and transparent manner can we then mature as an educational institution.

CH R O N ICL E THE NANYANG

chief editor Ng Yong Kiat Fabian MANAGING editor Ahmad Iskandar sub-editors Ng Wei Chuen Caleb Vo Van Hung Chuang Bing Han Hong Shuheng News editors Cai Zhimin Alexis Yusuf Abdol Hamid Lifestyle editors Toh Li Min Kezia Wee Ling Li Cheryl

opinion editors Shahida Bte Hassim Shereen Naaz Charles sports editors Tham Hui Min Tiffany Xue Jianyue layout editors Cha Ee Ling Alexis Josephine K Chow photo editors Foo Chee Chang Tan Yi Leong Irwin Lim Joe Ee Zoe graphics editor Sarah Amnah Zaihan

Reviews editor Law Shi Ming Elizabeth

ONLINE editor Kuek Jinhua

TECH editor Wee Zhi Qiang Kenneth

business managers Teo Xin Wen Jean Yong Sze Yean Joyce

dapper editors Koh Fang Ting Carina Tsen Si Jia Audrey Chinese editors Seow Kia Hui Ng Soon Kiat

production support Ng Heng Ghee Teacher advisors Andrew Duffy Javed Nazir Xu Xiaoge

A students’ newspaper published by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718 Tel: 6790 6446 Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board of The Chronicle and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Nanyang Technological University, its employees, the students or the Council of the University.

Signed opinion columns, letters and editorial cartoons represent the opinion of the writer or artist and are not necessarily those of The Chronicle.

Just take it, please?

Kezia Toh lifestyle editor

I

gave up my train seat to a pregnant lady yesterday.

Well, at least I tried to do so.

She declined my offer, only to rush over and sink with palpable relief onto another seat at the next station.

Before that, though her heavily pregnant tummy was more or less right in my face (it was a crowded train) as she rubbed her belly and shifted from foot to foot, clearly in discomfort.

Sitting snug, I was also in discomfort.

I felt like a total prat for not giving up my seat to someone who needs it more—as the courtesy posters exhort.

But hey, at least I t r ied , right? And with all the ongoing campaigns: Singa, the courtesy lion, and now a rapping Phua Chu Kang; a “I’d like that seat very much, thank you” might be nice to hear.

Well, or something of that sort.

A few weeks ago, I was on my way to town. Sitting in a bus, I saw an old man staggering up the steps. So I rose with a clear indication that the seat I just vacated was meant for him, and promptly moved off.

What happened next was just plain ridiculous.

With a harried gesture (quite akin to impatience, might I add), he limped off to join the squash of people clinging on to the handrails for dear life during the peak-hour rush.

If you have to stop and think about it, you don’t have to give up the seat

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU News Hotline: 6790 6446 Letters: chronicle@ntu.edu.sg Opinions: chronicle.opinions@ ntu.edu.sg Please include your full name, contact number, faculty and year of study.

Mea nwh i le, seei ng my recently vacated seat was meant for someone else, no one in the jam of commuters moved forward to claim it.

So throughout that 20-minute journey, with people hanging precar iously to handrails as the bus navigated tricky bends, t he seat r ema i ned woef u l ly unfilled.

GRAPHIC | CHRISTIYANI KABUL

Those two were not isolated incidents. Acceptance would be easier on both sides.

Ever scrutinized another passenger, wondering if she is pregnant or merely bloated?

T he recepient can sit comfortably in a journey that might otherwise be spent in much discomfort.

The kind soul can stand by, basking in the glow of great karma. How nice!

And sometimes, as a fairly young-look ing person, I feel embarrassed about occupying a seat. Never mind that I paid the full fare. But how do you decide if another person is “someone in need” anyway?

Eve r sc r ut i n i ze d a not he r passenger, wondering if she is pregnant or merely bloated? An

elderly person or just someone with tinted white hair?

Obviously, there are no fixed rules. But a friend of mine offered her words of wisdom.

“If you have to stop and think about it, you don’t have to give up the seat. The decision should be a split-second thing.”

I imagine that it’ll be quite hurtful to be courteously given a seat, when you do not need it or feel it.

My dad was the unwilling beneficiary of such an offer. He shrugged it off initially. We did not realize how much it bothered him till I caught him surreptitiously applying hair growth oil on his scalp, and spending more time in the bathroom in rare displays of vanity.

How tricky all these subtle rules of etiquette and attempted courtesy, as well as their effects, are.

Besides e x hor t i ng people to be gracious and considerate, shouldn’t we encourage those who are on the receiving end to be so too?

Be cau se, se r iou sly, whe n someone offers you a seat, just take it. Please take it. Please.

opinion

au g us t 11, 20 0 9

T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

Artistic junk

canteen talk

It is the beginning of a new school year and we ask seniors for their two cents on how freshmen can survive their first few weeks of school.

Shahida Bte Hassim opinion editor

I

n t he late 19t h cent u r y, American philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson urged his nation to produce a new kind of poet. This poet, he declared, must not only be one who is unique, but also one who is able to identify the problems present within his society, before challenging mindsets and pushing forth for greater change.

Fast forward two centuries t o Na n y a n g Te c h n olo g i c a l University’s (NTU) School of Art, Design and Media’s (ADM) first convocation ceremony, and one is immediately able to draw parallels between Emerson’s words to those of Mr Loo Zihan, the valedictorian from NTU’s School of Art, Design and Media.

Speaking on behalf of the pioneer batch of graduates from ADM, Mr Loo talked about the need for change by bringing to light the issue of censorship.

This came after being informed by the school that the poster for his thesis film was deemed “inappropriate” to be displayed during the school’s convocation ceremonies.

The controversy drew various responses.

While some applaud Mr Loo’s ‘courage’ and ‘bravery’ in voicing out against the censorship he claimed he “did not understand” – as seen by the rousing response he received on a video of his speech, posted on the v ideo-shar ing website Youtube – others accuse him of simply being “selfish” and “rude”.

It seemed to the latter group that all the 26-year-old was doing, was to (mis)use his valedictorian speech as a platform to draw special attention to his personal works. They felt he should have instead delivered a speech that celebrated the accomplishments of his peers, especially on such a significant day.

Netizens accuse Mr Loo of being “deceitful”, and of “biting the hand that fed him”. Others pointed out his lack of sensitivity, as well as his disregard for the different groups of audience present. The list of criticisms goes on.

T he volat i le r e lat ion sh ip shared between censorship and the arts is not something new to Singapore.

The nation has had its fair share of infamous artists such as Josef Ng, who, in 1994, snipped his pubic hair in front of a small group of audience as a protest against the treatment of gays.

Another, Vincent Leow, caused a furore when he drank his own urine before an audience during a performance in 1993.

Both cases left the Singaporean public in a state of frenzy, with many expressing their disapproval for such art.

The saying goes that ‘one man’s meat is another man’s

27

Do not be shy or afraid to ask questions if you are lost or need help. The seniors are more than willing to help you out.

”

Aisyahtun Hanim, EEE Year 2, 21

“

poison’. In this case, one man’s art is another man’s junk.

It should be evident by now that not everyone shares the same sentiments as to what is artistic.

More importantly, however, is the fact that not everyone has the same maturity to be able to comprehend such art, least of all the children present during NTU’s convocation ceremonies.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that Mr Loo does not have his right to be seen and heard.

Being a student of the arts myself, I have repeatedly been reminded by my professors of the importance of the artist’s role, which, as mentioned by Mr Loo, is “to think, to question and to challenge.”

However, in the quest to fulfil that role, the artist must also not forget the need to exercise discretion and rationality, taking into consideration the suitability of the time, place and type of audience present.

The volatile relationship shared between censorship and the arts is not something new to Singapore While I may not necessarily find Mr Loo’s poster to be extremely sexual or suggestive in nature, I wouldn’t exactly want to find myself in a situation where I have to explain the meaning of the poster in specifics, to a highly inquisitive six-year-old present during his sibling’s convocation ceremony. Chances are, he or she will not even understand what I am saying, even if I tried.

Just as Mr Loo stood up for his

GRAPHIC | SARAH AMNAH ZAIHAN

right to be seen and heard, it seems to me that the school too has the right to ensure that its guests are not subjected to discomfort.

True, if we were to compare Mr Loo’s poster with the public performances staged by Ng and Leow, the former would most certainly be considered ‘mild’.

Nevertheless, bearing in mind presence of the young during these ceremonies, compromises would have to be made.

If there is one learning point t hat we ca n d r aw f rom t h is incident though, it is the fact that Singaporeans in general are still not ready to handle such ‘controversial’ contents publicly.

For one, the manner in which many responded to this incident is awfully similar to the responses received in the early 1990s.

This also reveals how far away we are actually are from becoming the centre for fine arts that the government envisioned for us to be.

Local media reported that NTU had called Mr Loo to inform him that he was allowed to display his poster during the convocation ceremony. However, he claimed that he did not receive this call.

I was struck by a response Mr Loo gave during an interview with a local paper.

Speaking to The New Paper, he he said: “I regret that I didn’t receive NTU’s approval message (over the poster) earlier.” It appeared that the university had indeed given the green light for his posters to be displayed.

Which then makes me wonder whe t he r t h i ng s wou ld have played out differently, had the misunderstanding not occurred.

Does his “regret” mean that he would not have brought up this same issue of censorship, which he so strongly advocated during the valedictory speech, had his requests been fulfilled?

I guess this is something we will never find out.

Be more active and find the right information first before moving around campus. It is very easy to get lost in NTU. Saara Raasu, HSS MA, 24

Never use the NTU map, it will confuse you all the more. Asking around for directions will enable you to make new friends.

”

Suriya Arachichi, EEE Year 3, 24

“

Always pick a quiet zone on campus to complete your work or study. I personally like studying in the canteens at night.

Savitha Dhayala, EEE MA, 24

”

Make it a point to attend every single tutorial because sometimes, professors “leak out” important information.

Lee Chun Hsien, HSS Year 4, 22

TEXT | NABILAH SYED SULTAN; PHOTOS | FOO CHEE CHANG

28

opinion

au g us t 11, 20 0 9

T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

Starts at at 40mm 40mm // 5mm 5mm apart apart from from top top story story Starts

Freshman 101: Your Guide to NTU Has your first day in school gotten the worst of you yet? Fret not! Chung Yue Sien, Hyun Kim Phong, Manjit Kaur, Nabilah Syed Sultan and Shereen Naaz Charles offer ten helpful tips to help you get through your very first semester in NTU. 1. SHOOT FOR THE STARS OR YOU’LL GET NOTHING AT ALL

Communication and Information.

Alternatively, bus service 199 also takes you to LWN library albeit taking longer. The new shuttle service from Pioneer MRT Station provides free bus rides to school. During peak hours (7.30 am – 9.30 am), the bus arrives every five minutes, and at 15 minute intervals thereafter till 10.30 pm.

Within campus, shuttle buses take you all around. Each bus stop is fitted with a map which will tell you what routes are covered by the different buses. Most importantly?

Leave early, especially when heading for morning classes as traffic congestion in NTU can turn a five minute journey into a 15 minute one.

Any NTU senior will tell you that knowing the Student Automated Registration System (STARS) will save you from academic hell. Know how to work the system by reading the online guide, talk to seniors and plan your timetable prior to the actual day of subject registration. Learning how to place subjects on the waitlist, reading the vacancy or waitlist tables and learning how to register the modules will save your nerves when it comes to our famous ‘Fastest Fingers First’ policy. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself with an empty timetable and not many choices to choose from.

8. RECHARGE, REJUVENATE, RECESS

2. FINDING YOUR FLAVOUR

Recess Week falls on the ninth week of the school ter m and there are no lectures, seminars or tutorials. This is the best time to catch up on school work and get back on track or meet up with project mates because school’s out and your timetables do not clash.

The week after Recess is usually the time all the assignments and reports are due, so try to complete those as well. To put it simply, it’s the best time to do the things you’ve been putting off for the past eight weeks because of school and time constrains. While you’re trying to get all these work done, don’t forget to take time off and spend time with your family and friends.

Regardless of whether you’re a local student or an exchange student, NTU’s 14 canteens provides a myriad of different dishes ranging from fast food like McDonald’s and Subway to zi char ( zi means “cook” and char means “stir fry”). All the eateries provide ample space for you to sit and dine, but if you only have a minute to spare, quick bites like Mr Bean and Old Chang Kee provide a simple alternative to cater to busier schedules.

However, if there is one ‘must try’, it is NTU’s famous laksa at the Quad. With air conditioned dining and at $3– you can’t go wrong.

3. FINDING YOUR STUDY ‘HOT SPOT’

9. RUNNING THE NON – ACADEMIC RACE

When push comes to shove, people would do anything to snag a good study spot to cram for the finals. Some people prefer studying in air conditioned Quiet Zones in Lee Wee Nam (LWN) library, while others may find study solace in the open aired benches that line the North and South Spine.

If those places don’t suit your fancy, the newly refurbished Canteen A might be the spot for you. No matter where you choose to study, the golden rule always applies – go early, or risk losing that special spot.

4. A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Some say that the best part of varsity life is their experience as a hostellite. Part of what makes hall life so fun is the activities one takes part in like interblock games and performances.

These activities combined with learning to live with a complete stranger may prove to be slightly intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of things, you’ll find that these are the memories

you will reminisce fondly years after graduation. Some housekeeping tips? Take out the trash, clean your room, and don’t step on your roommates toes. You don’t need to be best friends, but having a friendly relationship helps.

5. BATTLING THE ‘FRESHMAN FIFTEEN ‘

With all the good food around campus, it’s difficult to beat the Freshman Fifteen – piling on the pounds within your first year in varsity. Beat the myth by making use of all the sports facilities that are available free of charge for undergraduates. From the gym, swimming pools and even the tennis courts, there is always

a place not just to get fit, but to keep healthy. If you favour a less crowded setting, the sports facilities at National Institude of Education is a good alternative.

6. BEING FASHION APPROPRIATE, NOT FASHION FORWARD.

While you don’t need to dress to kill, do put in some effort while choosing your outfit for the day.

Jeans, berms and polo-te’s are fine for the guys while ladies can strut it out in jeans, dresses, skirts and even shorts. Low cut tops and micro-minis are best left for the beach. You want your professors to take you seriously right? And unless you’re planning to drive around campus, those six-inchheels are best left at home. Your

GRAPHIC | SARAH AMNAH ZAIHAN

feet will thank you. If you really are at a loss at what to wear, watch and learn from your seniors.

7. STEP INTO MY RIDE

There are three bus services that cater to NTU students – 179,199 and 179A. All buses depart from Boon Lay Interchange.

179 and 179A travel along the same route however the latter shaves 10 minutes off your travelling time by taking you straight to school without the hassle of stopping at the residential bus stops.

179A serves most of the NTU population and stops at the two main bus stops at LWN Library and Wee Kim Wee School of

From clubs and societies to sports and recreation, NTU offers many CCAs for all to choose from.

Many during their freshmen year feel pressured to get themselves involved in a CCA the moment they set foot in NTU. Take your time to settle down, explore your options and really think about what you want to do because your involvement in a CCA could possibly be a life changing experience. Even if you decide not to get involved in the first semester, that’s alright.

Just remember not to rush into anything; take baby steps first and then set of to a sprint.

10. FLY ME TO ... THE MOON ?

It’s nice to dream about what life is like on the other side of the world - why stop at dreaming? With so many programmes to choose from, a taste of life overseas is now possible and affordable. Look out for mailers from the International Student Exchange Programme (INSTEP) and Global Immersion Programme (GIP) offices which provide you with information on tea sessions and when they open their applications.

opinion

au g us t 11, 20 0 9

T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

29

Hello Singaforeigns!

Xue Jianyue

A

s I watch Singapore celebrate her 44th birthday on the floating platform, my thoughts drifted back to memories in May 2007.

Then, as a participant in the National Day Parade (NDP) guard-of-honour contingent, I was among the first few to step onto the world largest floating platform for rehearsal.

A source of national pride back then, construction of the floating platform was still incomplete and working over the numerous steel wires and wooden planks were mostly foreign workers.

It reminded me of how the majority of Singapore's construction projects today are staffed by foreign workers.

Ironically, Singapore’s HDB housing which is so crucial in enabling Singaporeans to sink their roots here is also built by people who do not even call the country their home.

Singapore also has a high proportion of foreign talent working and studying within our borders.

In 2008, it was reported that of the 4.8 million people currently residing in Singapore, only about 3.1 million are citizens.

Love - hate relationship While Singapore has mainly welcomed foreign citizens, the relationship between foreigners and Singaporeans has not always been cosy.

Policy – wise, Singapore is very liberal and friendly towards foreign talent, welcoming them to boost the talent pool, in the hope that they may become citizens to counter our low birthrate.

While Singapore has been tolerant to foreign citizens, the relationship between foreigners and Singaporeans has not always been cosy However, there is resentment on the ground that many Singaporeans could lose jobs to foreigners who are willing to work for lower pay.

There are two sides to this

GRAPHIC | SARAH AMNAH ZAIHAN

very issue.

Companies need foreign workers for jobs that are no longer popular with Singaporeans. At the same time, Singaporeans lose out in the job market competition against foreign talent.

The need for foreign workers and giving Singaporeans the best job opportunities can never be perfectly balanced. The tension between the two ends results in the risk of xenophobia. embracing geopolitical reality Difficulties in getting a job in the current economy aside, one has to look at the larger picture of Singapore in its historical context.

Historically, coastal cities in Southeast Asia are born as portpolities, developed out of global trade and driven by the brawn and brain of immigrants.

As a nation shaped by constant migration, about 40% of Singapore's population are either migrants or descendants of early colonial period migrants

such as the Chinese, Indians and Malays.

While Singapore's economy has modernised from the portdependent model of the past, Singapore remains very much dependent on global trade.

This is a hard fact we cannot dismiss.

The government must also realise that it is nurturing the economy for the sake of the nation, not sacrificing its citizens for the sake of propping up the economic figures The victims of the imperfections of such foreign talent policies will always be present, and unfortunately Singapore's geopolitical

context is that foreign talent will always be necessary to give the economy a competitive edge.

However, the government must also realise that it is nurturing the economy for the sake of the nation, not sacrificing its citizens for the sake of propping up the economic figures.

If any overly aggressive intake of foreign talent ends up compromising the livelihood of Singaporeans, then it will only heighten the resentment against foreigners and backfire against the newcomers. That should be a reminder now that we are celebrating National Day, not Singapore Economy Day. extending national day parade celebrations to foreigners Understanding the large population of foreign citizens here will always be a vital part of Singapore's development, engaging them is necessary.

NDP presents Singaporeans an opportunity to reach out to foreign citizens in our

country by sharing with them our history, culture and people.

Similarly, Singaporeans can also use the National Day to reach out to others living overseas.

Many may still have relatives where, and these connections would be useful for international business.

That should be a reminder tha we are celebratingNational Day, not Singapore Economy Day.

Even before 1965, Singapore had always been a nation of immigrants in close contact with foreign citizens, and it is this reality from which our country has flourished.

The best way for Singapore to keep our nation cohesive yet competitive is to nurture a form of nationalism minus the xenophobia.

30

sports

au g us t 11, 20 0 9

T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

bpl talk

sports talk

Going beyond exploitation Lim Wei Li If YOU are a sports fan, the visits of Kobe Bryant and Liverpool in July would not have escaped your notice.

One is indisputably the biggest name in the NBA today, and the other, the football team with the biggest fan base in Singapore, though Red Devil fans would fiercely contest that.

Ordinary Singaporeans were reduced into starry eyed fans, chasing their favourite sports stars around the country, or queuing for hours at various locations for a glimpse, an autograph, or for the lucky ones, a sign of acknowledgement from some of sports’ biggest names.

However, were these visits really a bane or boon for sports and for fans in Singapore?

Looking at Kobe’s visit, there were few negatives. One would have noted that the organisers, Nike Singapore, gave 1000 tickets away for free, so the most avid fans would have a chance to catch their idol live. Some Singaporeans were mercenary enough to sell the tickets, but to others, it was still a goodwill gesture that went down well. If Nike wanted to use Kobe’s star power to sell their brand, they did not do it too overtly.

A lt hough Kobe was in Singapore for barely a day, he made the most of his time, conducting a coaching clinic, meeting with some of Singapore’s aspiring sports talents, interacting with fans, even squeezing in a gym session, a reminder that even on holiday, he is still one of basketball’s most hardworking talents, and that no one gets to the pinnacle of sport without paying their dues. Not even Kobe.

T he v isit by Liver pool though, had more commercial undertones.

Tickets for Singapore-Liverpool match started at $88. Several fans also felt deceived by the

promotional material of the tour, which featured a noticeably absent Steven Gerrard, Liverpool’s captain, who was answering charges of affray back home.

There was also a closed door training session for the club, tickets for which were only available through the sponsors.

Not that it deterred the most ha rdcore of fans. T hey were present in force, hiding behind the boardings at Jalan Besar during Liverpool’s training session, lining the banks of the Singapore River to catch their idols on a river cruise or thronging venues like Jurong Point to get autographs.

T he matc h t houg h , wa s predictably one-sided. The tiring Singapore defence was given a runaround by the much fitter Liverpool squad, in particular Dirk Kuyt, who set up three of the four second half goals.

The National Stadium was painted in a sea of red, but it was all Liverpool. Instead of the Singapore National Anthem, the strains of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” rose from the stands. The atmosphere was akin to Anfield, but in a tropical setting.

The national team naturally felt aggrieved at what they perceived was a lack of support, but I felt it would be harsh to blame the fans. After all, they had paid good money to watch Liverpool in action, and the gulf in standards is so far that not a single local player would make the reserve squad of Liverpool.

One fan summed it up by saying “It is an honor for Singapore’s national team to play Liverpool, not the other way round.” Touché.

Despite the commercialism, Liverpool’s visit was ultimately good for Singapore. The most de voted fa n s were rewa rded with a show to remember, in an atmosphere they savoured, especially when you realize that for many of these fans, it could be their only chance to see their idols live.

RED SEA: Fandom fever for decorated Liverpool fanatics. PHOTO | COURTESY

Meet the Premier League cliques

GRAPHIC | SARAH AMNAH ZAIHAN

Fabian Ng After a summer spent travelling to far flung locales around the world, school is in again for the most famous institution in the world.

Here’s taking a look at the Barclay’s Premier League Class of 2009/2010: The freshmen Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Burnley Coming from the provincial Championship, these starry-eyed newcomers better get adjusted to the fast pace of the top-flight bullet train before the bullyboys chew them up.

Howe ve r, t he y ca n t a ke heart from their seniors who punched above their weight, and Wolves have shown that they are prepared to bite, after assembling a potentially lethal strikeforce of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Kevin Doyle.

After all, the freshies enjoy the crucial elements of surprise and beginners’ luck.

The sophomores Hull City, Stoke City, Wigan Athletic and Portsmouth Hull and Stoke are battlescarred after their debut year, surviving with grit and hard work after flirting with the drop for most of the year.

Long study sessions are in store for them if they hope to improve their performance, otherwise they may find themselves f lunking out.

Portsmouth may suffer after having their only genuine goal threats like Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson sold off, but Wigan may sur prise with their new manager, Roberto Martinez who built his reputation at Swansea and brought his star protégés like Jason Scotland along with him.

With the new threat from t he incoming f reshmen, t he

sophomores have their work cut out to remain competitive.

O t he r w i s e , t he y m ay f i nd that their experience does not guarantee them a spot in the most coveted class in the world.

The wannabes Manchester City, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspurs Flashy and ostentatious, these nouveau riche crave nothing more than the respect of their peers, failing which they will settle for any attention they can get.

Man City have led the way in paying over the odds for ac compl i she d playe r s who nonetheless are not in the worldclass bracket.

Much more likely to find them working on their tans at the swimming pool than putting in extra training sessions in the gym. Even so, their loose pursestrings could just buy them the edge to pip the nerds to better results.

Tottenham have a slightly different strategy. They delight in reassembling old partnerships, and Crouch's arrival may prove to be a masterstroke in getting Spurs to outgun their rivals across North London, Arsenal.

The nerds Aston Villa, Everton, Fulham and West Ham You can spot them a mile away, thick-framed spectacles buried in the latest journals or occupying the last free spot in the library. These are the nerds who would inherit the world, if not for the jocks who stand in their way.

A f te r ac h ie v i ng above average grades for the past few years without ever quite challenging the star students, it remains to be seen if the nerds could lose their spot to the wannabes with cash to burn and who could buy their way to success.

The brutes Blackburn and Bolton Nobody quite knows how they made it to the school, let alone how they have managed to stay for so long.

In fact, it seems like they do not even intend to graduate, being perfectly satisfied with their mediocre grades.

What they do enjoy is making life hard for ever yone wit h their own brand of physical intimidation. What they lack in finesse, they make up for it with an aggressive attitude.

They serve an important role in ensuring that the star jocks experience an embar rassing moment every once in a while, to prevent them from getting too arrogant.

The jocks Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea Last, but certainly not the least, these are the star students w ho v a l id at e t h e s c ho ol’s reputation as the world’s best.

The jocks dominate the latest canteen gossip and are odds on to finish on the dean’s list yet again.

The reigning top pupil may struggle to replace the swagger lost af ter Cr istiano Ronaldo left for a collection of academic superstars in Spain, but still remain the likeliest candidate to be this year’s valedictorian.

Unless Liverpool finally finds the consistency to turn in grade A essays week in and out, it is hardly likely that the precocious talents of young Arsenal or the aging experience of Chelsea can pip Manchester United to claim the title.

With the new school term just around the corner, it remains to be seen what fresh drama could unfold further on the school premises.

One thing can be certain there will never be a dull moment with this bunch of students.

sports

au g us t 11, 20 0 9

T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

sports profile

Every single individual counts Outgoing captains of the NTU Dragon Boat Team speak to Sports Editor Xue Jianyue about their journey to double victory “It still feels like a fairy tale.”

This was how Melissa Zeng Xiang Jin, the outgoing female Dragon Boat captain, described as her feelings after the NTU female team finally recaptured the Prime Minister’s (PM) Cup from National University of Singapore (NUS) after two years.

The particular victory enabled the NTU Dragon Boat team to sweep both the men and women Prime Minister’s Cup Challenge Trophies on June 28th.

The PM Cup did not come easy for the female team, as Zeng, a third-year student from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, could testify.

She credited their change in fortunes to “each and every single member of the team, their commitment and heart to keep pushing for one another physically and mentally.”

“Having lost the Cup to NUS for two years in a row really dampened the team’s spirit and morale,” Zeng said. “We had to start from scratch, go back to the basics and slowly build the team in terms of not just physically, but mentally too.”

“It was really not easy building our team from zero.” said the 22year-old.

Derick Tan Jia Xiong, 24, outgoing male Dragon Boat captain, also credits the effort put in by each and every individual rower.

“They are willing to push themselves to greater heights with extra trainings during their free

5mm apart from story

SUCCESS: Dragon Boat captains Derick (left) and Melissa (right). PHOTO | COURTESY

time,” said the fourth-year student from the School of Computer Engineering (SCE). “If you do not have a full team of committed rowers, you will not have a team with all these achievements.”

The male team’s second consecutive win also puts them on the verge of becoming the first university to win a hat trick of Prime Minister's Cups should

they repeat their feat next year.

When quizzed about how the men’s team would go about achieving that, Derick places a strong emphasis on recruiting new blood.

“If we can maintain two boats full of rowers, the main team will go and row for the PM cup, while the other team will pick themselves up to take over the seniors in two

years time.” Tan said. “Hopefully this trend will keep on going so we can defend our title.”

Both NTU Dragon Boat captains are also aware of the increasing competition in the sport.

“When you win consecutively for two years, everybody will definitely want to bring you down, so they will train doubly hard,” Tan said.

Their experience in leading the highly team-based sport also puts them in a unique position in understanding their team mates.

“I also learnt that everyone has the potential,” Zeng said.

“Sometimes it's just a matter of time and helping them to discover and explore. Don't ever give up on someone just because they can't achieve certain things at that point of time.”

“Being the captain, I learn how to understand the feelings of each individual rower and to oversee the team in a bigger picture,” Tan said.

As the drummer and coxswain (the person in charge of the boat, particularly in navigation and steering) of the team, Tan also has to judge the strength of the team as well as other competitors to see where they stand in a race.

His judgement is crucial in deciding exactly when his team mates are able to pull away from the rest of the competitors.

Zeng’s advice to future captains of the NTU Dragon Boat team is to have both an open mind and heart towards the team and towards each individual regardless of whatever comes your way.

“There are bound to be ups and downs during the journey, but your teammates will always be there for you, to support you as you lead them,” Zeng said.

Sports CCAs adapt to renovations Maxie Aw Yeong Some sports CCAs will continue to face hiccups in training schedules due to the extensive upgrading works for campus sports facilities at NIE and Sports and Recreation Centre (SRC), which will continue till February 2010.

In particular, sports CCAs that use the outdoor courts and the indoor activity rooms are the most affected.

NTU Cricket Club captain Rohan Tripathi, 20, said taking down the training nets and the main pitch has forced the cricket team to stop their practices and matches on campus.

Tripathi, a final-year student from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, said that there are ongoing discussions with other places, such as the National

University of Singapore, to look into the possibility of NTU sports clubs using the facilities in other schools for the time being.

The cricket team is not alone in their woes.

The Archery Club is also affected even though the archery range is not undergoing any renovations.

According to club president Gavin Chan Wei, 24, safety concerns have been raised as the range is near the field, where toilets and new floodlights being constructed.

The third-year student from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering also said that the archery team sought alternative training areas such as Zhenghua Community Centre’s range in preparation for their next competition.

The NTU Floorball Club is also

looking for alternative training locations just in case their bookings for the sports facilities are cancelled due to renovation works in the sports halls.

The ex-president of the NTU Floorball Club, Ye Yiping, 24, a recent graduate from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, said: "We have to book the external venues through our sports manager, Ms Louis Khng."

The renovation works have also affected the frequency of trainings.

The NTU Cricket Club will reduce training to once or twice per week, instead of the usual three.

For the Archery Club took breaks of up to two weeks when there were no suitable training grounds due to renovations.

In midst of these inconveniences, the SRC has

provided assistance to the sports groups when it comes to booking of external courts.

For example, SRC has paid for Cricket Club’s high booking fees for external ranges.

Senior Assistant Director from Office of Sport and Recreation, Yum Shoen Kang, 44, said that the renovation works had been carefully scheduled during the semester break to minimise the impact on those utilising sports facilities.

While most sports groups think that the state of the campus sports facilities are not in urgent need for upgrading, most agree that it would be beneficial in the long run.

Archery Club president Chan also hopes previous problems such as water-logging and insufficient practising areas would be solved after the upgrading.

31

they said that?

“In my 23 years working in England there is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson.”

Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson expresses a deep respect for the late Sir Bobby Robson, England's manager from 1982-1990

“By the time I was 17, I was training like a maniac. I’d put in at least eight hours at the court each day.”

Kobe Bryant (below) recounts his long and difficult training when he was in town to conduct a coaching clinic for young basketballers

GRAPHIC | SARAH AMNAH ZAIHAN

“I knew I had a strategy to follow and if it went like that I could win.

It did and that’s not down to suits, it’s a matter of training.”

Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps clocks a world best of under 50s for his 4 x 100 metres medley and it did not have anything to do with Arena X Glide bodysuits

“When they play the ball looks round - with some teams it looks square.”

Former England national footballer Glenn Hoddle knows Barcelona would not put square pegs in round holes

Sports

NTU Dragon Boat scores a double win Page 30

Campus sports facilities get a facelift WANG SIMIN AS NTU prepares to host athletes at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) next year, it is revamping many of the campus sports facilities.

Upgrading of facilities at the Spor ts and Recreation Centre (SRC) includes a replacement of the running track, new floodlights to the multipurpose field and improvements to playing pitches at the stadium. All outdoor courts, carparks and the stadium gallery will also undergo an overhaul.

Furthermore, NIE’s hockey pitch, indoor and outdoor courts will be refurbished to provide a prime environment for the YOG athletes to train.

Mr Allan Ch’ng, Divisional Director of Corporate Planning

and Development at NIE, said: “The hockey pitch will see better lighting, and its surface will be that of the quality endorsed by the Singapore Sports Council.”

There will also be renovations to washrooms at the swimming pool, building a wading pool for children and non-swimmers, and general upgrading works at the swimming pool compound.

Indoor sports facilities will also be repainted and upgraded.

Upgrading projects, previously planned by the school, have been brought forward now that NTU won the bid to host the YOG. “Our philosophy right at the start is to use existing facilities.

What construction there is involves projects that were already planned before we decided to bid to host the 2010 YOG,” said Ms Lim.

The objective of the upgrading works is to benefit NIE and NTU students, after the YOG ended.

Lin Xinni, 22, who often uses the sports hall and running track for her CCA training, said: “Though some of the sports facilities at the SRC should have been renovated earlier, all SRC users will benefit from the newer and improved facilities in the long run.”

Lin, a third-year student at the School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, also called for more water cooler points especially for the outdoor courts furthest away from the general office.

“There should also be more rollers to dry the outdoor courts after rain. The sports equipments for loan, such as basketball, can be replaced as some of them are rather worn out,” added Lin.

MAJOR REVAMP: New toliets at the multi-purpose field. PHOTO | XUE JIANYUE