The AlumNUS Apr-Jun 2015

The

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NUS ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE A P R –J U N 2 0 1 5 / I S S U E 1 0 1

The

Dinosaurs Are Here!

SEE THEM AT THE LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Contents

First Word

APR-JUN 2015 ISSUE 101

DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,

2 IN THE NEWS 8 COVER STORY OF DINOSAURS AND DESTINY 20 MY WORD TRUTH, UNEARTHED 22 ONCE UPON A MEMORY BUILDING ON EXPERIENCE 24 ALUMNI SCENE DIAMOND LIFE 26 PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE SWEET DREAMS 28 U@LIVE DR YAACOB IBRAHIM, TAN SRI DR MANI JEGATHESAN, MR JACK SIM 34 ALUMNI HAPPENINGS 48 LAST WORD

than 1,000 participants including NUS staff, students and alumni were also present at the ceremony. The venue and social significance of the Anniversary’s initiation underscores the theme of the NUS110 celebrations, “Because We Care”.

This translates to NUS’ continuing concern for underprivileged Singaporeans and for our students, some of whom need financial assistance to complete their education. We thank all of you for contributing your time, expertise and financial help to deserving causes within the NUS community and Singapore at large, and we hope you will continue to do so. In line with the Anniversary Celebrations, the Office of Alumni Relations also has some special events lined up for you. Stay tuned to our upcoming events by reading The AlumNUS or visiting your alumni website – the AlumNET at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet.

Our cover story this issue focusses on the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum – our new biodiversity museum – and the pride of NUS’ exhibits: dinosaur skeletons. NUS joins a small minority of universities worldwide to have dinosaur skeleton exhibits and this is likely to become a major tourist attraction in Singapore. Besides the dinosaur skeletons, the museum is also the permanent home of the legacy of diverse exhibits from the Singapore Museum – the world-renowned Raffles collection of terrestrial and marine specimens of Southeast Asia.

This welcome addition of rare specimens is likely to enhance multidisciplinary education in NUS and for schools in varied fields – anthropology, biology, ecology, environmental studies, geography, prehistory and history, as well as Southeast Asian studies. The museum officially opens this April and signifies another signature event as part of NUS’ Anniversary Celebrations.

It also marks another milestone in the development of our University. To coincide with the museum’s opening on 18 April 2015, this issue of The AlumNUS is distributed only from this date onwards. We apologise for the later-than-usual distribution of the April to June 2015 issue and regret any inconvenience caused.

I would like to remind all alumni that you remain the University’s valued ambassadors.

Most of all you are public torchbearers of your NUS education. You bring pride to your alma mater in the successes you achieve in your occupations, social entrepreneurship and leisure activities. If you know of any alumnus who has excelled nationally in activities and contributed to their Department, Hall of Residence, Faculty or University, please nominate them for the NUS Alumni Awards (see page 7). They deserve our applause and recognition.

On the other hand, take pride as alumni that your alma mater commands the second highest University ranking in Asia, and remains one of the top 25 universities in the world according to the 2015 Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings.

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CORRIGENDUM Jan-Mar 2015 issue, “Seamless Continuum”, pg 11.

We reported that the Duke-NUS Graduate School of Medicine has an intake of 250 graduate students each year. This is incorrect. It should be an intake of about 60 students each year.

The

ALUM

NUS ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

IT HAS BEEN A 40-YEAR DREAM TO SEE IT RESURRECTED …

TO NOW HAVE THE LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, I CAN’T DESCRIBE THE FEELING … IT’S SURREAL. WE’RE GRATEFUL THAT PEOPLE OF THE FUTURE WILL GET TO SEE OUR NATURAL HERITAGE. PROF LEO TAN (SCIENCE ’74), DIRECTOR FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS AT THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND ADVISER TO THE MUSEUM

ADVISOR Assoc Prof Victor R Savage (Arts and Social Sciences ’72) EDITOR Karin Yeo (Arts and Social Sciences ’97) PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Noreen Kwan PUBLISHING CONSULTANT MediaCorp Pte Ltd

The AlumNUS is published quarterly by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the NUS Office of Alumni Relations or the National University of Singapore. For more information or to read The AlumNUS online, please visit www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet.

he University began its 110th Anniversary Celebrations earlier this year with a special community event held at the Taman Jurong Community Club. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, kick-started the celebrations as Guest-of-Honour. NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan and more

The

ALUM

NUS ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE A P R –J U N 2 0 1 5 / I S S U E 1 0 1

The

Dinosaurs Are Here!

SEE THEM AT THE LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Copyright 2015 by the National University of Singapore. All rights reserved. Printed in Singapore by KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd.

CONTACT US Office of Alumni Relations – National University of Singapore 11 Kent Ridge Drive, Singapore 119244 Tel: (65) 6516-5775 Fax: (65) 6777-2065 Email: oarconnect@nus.edu.sg Website: www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Facebook: www.facebook.com/nusoar

COVER CONCEPT: Samuel Ng

ASSOC PROF VICTOR R SAVAGE DIRECTOR, NUS OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Arts and Social Sciences ’72 APR–JUN 2015

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IN THE NEWS

INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL –

OAR’S NEW INITIATIVE FOR 2015 NUS MEMORIAL CEREMONY FOR THE LATE MR LEE KUAN YEW

REMEMBERING OUR FOUNDING FATHER

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n 24 March 2015, more than 1,000 people from the NUS community gathered at the Oei Tiong Ham Building, at the NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, to commemorate the life and passing of Singapore’s founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Participants at the memorial service included Board Members of the University, senior management, alumni, faculty, staff and students.

Another 2,500 members of the NUS community watched the unfolding of the service through its live webcast.

Following a video entitled ‘The Man and His Impact’ showcasing the life and times of Mr Lee, NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ’83) delivered an eulogy in which he pointed out that Mr Lee had always been a strong advocate of education,

NUSSU President Mr Lim Kok Seng delivering his eulogy.

pushing to develop every child to the fullest potential.

Prof Tan said, “Mr Lee was truly instrumental in the shaping and development of higher education in Singapore, and in particular, the university sector. He firmly believed that talent development was not just crucial, but absolutely essential for Singapore’s progress and continued success; as people is Singapore’s only resource.” Prof Tan added, “He foresaw that the demand for more and better-trained graduates and professionals would continue to grow, a responsibility entrusted to NUS which was established in 1980. Today NUS is widely recognised to be one of the leading universities in the world, and in this, as with many institutions and achievements in Singapore, we owe much to the leadership and foresight of Mr Lee Kuan Yew.” Prof Tan also highlighted the appropriateness of holding the service at the location. “It is ... very fitting that we gather to pay our tribute to Mr Lee at this very location, where he studied Economics, English Literature and Mathematics in 1940,” he shared.

NUS Students’ Union (NUSSU) President Mr Lim Kok Seng delivered his eulogy after Prof Tan, noting Mr Lee’s efforts in building up a country that had been beset by issues ranging from turbulent racial discord to communist threats, and transforming it into one self-reliant

and prosperous nation.

“As students and future leaders of our country, we are thankful for Mr Lee’s dedicated leadership and engagement with various stakeholders which helped build the strong foundations of Singapore today. Mr Lee once said he had sung four different national anthems in his lifetime. Today we are fortunate to uphold one national anthem in this very uncertain world we live in,” Mr Lim said.

After the eulogies, a minute of silence was observed before guests queued patiently to sign the condolence books.

MAIN PHOTO: NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan leading participants in the observance of a minute of silence.

TODAY NUS IS WIDELY RECOGNISED TO BE ONE OF THE LEADING UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD, AND IN THIS, AS WITH MANY INSTITUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN SINGAPORE, WE OWE MUCH TO THE LEADERSHIP AND FORESIGHT OF MR LEE KUAN YEW. PROF TAN CHORH CHUAN

In another brand-new initiative driven by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR), alumni were treated to three days of movie screenings at OAR’s first Indian Film Festival on 7, 9 and 10 February 2015. Nearly 650 alumni and friends turned up at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House, enjoying Indian movies like The Lunchbox, Barfi! and Ship of Theseus.

The event is OAR’s new platform to reach out to alumni through varied ways, including organising alumni-enriching cultural activities that will enable them to meet new friends and stay connected to their alma mater.

The event saw the attendance of notable VIPs including the Acting High Commissioner of the High Commission of India, Mrs Paramita Tripathi; the Acting High Commissioner of the High Commission of Sri Lanka, Mr Wishwanath Aponsu; and the Deputy President (Administration) of NUS, Mr Joseph P Mullinix.

RIGHT: The Acting High Commissioner of the High Commission of India, Mrs Paramita Tripathi, welcoming the audience before the screening.

CANADIAN FILM FESTIVAL –

5 Years of Bringing Canadian Film Culture to NUS LEFT: The High Commissioner of Canada to Singapore, Her Excellency Ms Heather Grant, addressing the audience before the movie screening.

2015 marks the fifth year of collaboration between the NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) and the High Commission of Canada to Singapore in bringing the best of Canadian film culture to the NUS alumni community. This popular annual film festival has been steadily gaining traction with alumni film lovers and this year’s festival was no different. Over 1,100 alumni and friends turned up for the three-day festival held at the auditorium of the Shaw Foundation Alumni House from 16 to 18 March. The audience enjoyed Canadian films in both English and French like Starbuck,

Cairo Time and Amal. Notable VIPs for the event included the High Commissioner of Canada to Singapore, Her Excellency Ms Heather Grant; NUS Deputy President (Adminstration) Mr Joseph P Mullinix and Mrs Mullinix; the Deputy High Commissioner of New Zealand to Singapore, Ms Mary Thurston; the Chief Executive Officer of Shell, Ms Goh Swee Chen; and NUS Vice-Provost (Student Life) Professor Peter Pang.

At the end of each evening’s screening, one lucky participant walked home with a gift hamper filled with Canadian goodies.

APR–JUN 2015

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IN THE NEWS

Valentine’s Night Dinner –

Celebrating the Nation’s 50th Year of Independence with a Good Cause and a Brand-New Alumni Group

LAUNCH OF NUS 110TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

The University kicks off its year-long 110th Anniversary Celebrations with community event On 1 February 2015, NUS held a special community event at the Taman Jurong Community Club to mark the University’s 110th Anniversary as well as the nation’s 50th year of independence.

Graced by Guest-of-Honour Singapore Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minster for Finance Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam and special guest Ms Denise Phua (Arts and Social Sciences ’83), Mayor of the Central Singapore District and member of the NUS Alumni Advisory Board, more than 1,000 NUS staff, alumni and students turned up for the opening event, which marks the start of the University’s year-long celebrations along the theme of ‘Because We Care’. Participants also included neighbourhood residents, grassroots leaders and members of the public.

NUS Chairman Mr Wong Ngit Liong (Engineering ’65) said in an earlier statement, “NUS is honoured to celebrate our 110th year of founding together with Singapore’s Golden Jubilee. Over the past century, NUS has remained steadfast in our commitment to educate and nurture generations of talented individuals. Our alumni have made, and continue to make, significant contributions to Singapore and the world beyond.”

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NUS traces its roots to a modest medical school founded in 1905 through the support of the local community. NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ’83) highlighted that the event launch was symbolic as medical students — through the NUS Medical Society — have been working with the Taman Jurong Citizens’ Consultative Committee since 2008, providing free health screenings to residents in rental flats. Since then, this initiative has evolved to become the largest studentrun community service programme in the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, involving around 300 medical, nursing and social work students, Prof Tan said.

While the University has changed dramatically into the leading global university that it is today, it has stayed true to the founding spirit of service to the community. Holding the launch of the NUS110 celebrations in the heart of the community was therefore highly significant, for a university founded by the community, for the community. Prof Tan added, “NUS110 is a very timely opportunity for us to reflect, share and celebrate service to the community, and we felt that it would be most meaningful for us to do this in the community rather than on the NUS campus.”

(From left) Mr Lee Boon Huat, Chairman, Taman Jurong Active Ageing Committee; Professor John Eu-Li Wong, Chief Executive, National University Health System; Mr Goh Peng Tong, BBM, Chairman, Taman Jurong Citizens’ Consultative Committee; Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Chairman, NUS Board of Trustees; DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam; Ms Denise Phua; Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, NUS President; Ms Edna Goh, PBM, Chairman, Taman Jurong Zone B Residents’ Committee; and Mr Lim Kok Seng, President, NUS Students’ Union, launching NUS’ 110th Anniversary Celebrations with a cake-cutting ceremony.

Prof Tan announced a new initiative, the “NUS Community Advancement with Research and Education Synergies” (NUS CARES), to mark the milestone celebration.

NUS CARES* will pair partner organisations with NUS faculty, researchers and students to leverage on the University’s research and academic expertise to identify and find solutions to persistent problems for the betterment of the community at large.

DPM Tharman, Mr Wong and Prof Tan also participated in the Taman Jurong Community Club’s SG50 eyedotting ceremony for 50 new lions for the area’s lion and dragon dance troupes.

Participants toured the ‘Because We Care’ student showcase which featured community initiatives, and attended talks on diabetes and health screening.

The opening event kicks off a series of signature NUS110 events and initiatives to be launched this year, including an international conference on ‘futureproofing’ Singapore for the next 50 years and the official opening of the country’s first natural history museum in April. *To find out more about NUS CARES, visit http://news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/ 8571-nus-cares-for-the-community

Friday, 13 February 2015 was a special day, not only because it was the eve of Valentine’s Day, but also because more than 100 couples who met while studying at NUS gathered on campus to celebrate their love and commemorate their fond memories of their alma mater. Over a Valentine’s Night Dinner organised by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) and held at the National University of Singapore Society Kent Ridge Guild House, these campus couples witnessed the official launch of the NUS Campus Couples Bursary Fund, graced

by Guests-of-Honour Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong (Arts ’64) and Mrs Goh (Law ’65), and the launch of the NUS Campus Couples Alumni Group by OAR Director, Associate Professor Victor R Savage (Arts and Social Sciences ’72).

Initiated by alumnus Mr Yeo Keng Joon The event was graced by Guests-of-Honour ESM Goh Chok Tong (front row, third from left) and (Business ’85), who Mrs Goh (front row, fourth from left), who met each other on campus. met his wife Madam Kong Yuet Peng (Business ’86) at the University, the NUS Fund is expected to disburse up to five Campus Couples Bursary Fund aims inaugural bursary awards, valued at up to assist financially- disadvantaged to S$2,250 each, in the new Academic students, and is the couple’s way Year 2015/2016 which begins in of giving back to their alma mater.

August. The bursary will be open “The financial support I received to all eligible needy Singaporean changed the course of my life,” said undergraduates in NUS. Mr Yeo. “Without it I would have NUS President Professor struggled. Even though most people Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine think Singapore is rich, there are ’83) said, “A university still students who come from humble education should be a lifebackgrounds who will benefit from changing experience — a financial support.” time of inquiry, exploration To date, S$325,313 has been raised and personal growth; a

by NUS alumni and friends for the culmination of knowledge NUS Campus Couples Bursary Fund. gained, friendships forged This includes 12 NUS campus couples and life lessons learned. who made gifts of S$25,000 each. In I am really touched and line with this year’s celebrations for heartened by the passion Singapore’s 50th year of independence, and commitment of the aim is for the Fund to attract our alumni in giving gifts totalling S$1.25 million to back to help be able to eventually disburse 50 ensure that bursaries annually. financiallyThe NUS Campus Couples Bursary needy

NUS students will gain the full benefits of a transformative university education. We are deeply appreciative of their generosity.

As we commemorate NUS’ 110th Anniversary and Singapore’s 50th year of independence, we hope more will join us in keeping the University’s tradition of alumni giving alive.”

With the launch of the NUS Campus Couples Alumni Group, the University now boasts 63 alumni groups, facilitated and supported

by OAR. The new Alumni Group was formed with the intention of creating an effective social platform for alumni to meet others who are also campus couples.

Campus couple Susan Leong and Adrian Peh (Law ’86)

APR–JUN 2015

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IN THE NEWS

CNY Appreciation Dinner Chinese New Year (CNY) is a time when family and loved ones gather.

It is also a time when the NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) shows its appreciation to alumni leaders, alumni volunteers and all who have supported OAR throughout the course of the year. This year’s CNY appreciation dinner was held on 24 February. Nearly 200 guests of OAR — including alumni, faculty, staff, students and sponsors — turned up at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House (SFAH) to usher in the Year of the Goat. The festivities began with a lion dance in the lobby of the SFAH, much to the delight of the guests. After the performance, guests proceeded to the National University of Singapore Society Kent Ridge Guild House for the traditional Lo Hei session and an

eight-course Chinese dinner.

The evening’s entertainment included performances by alumnus Ms Dawn Yip (Arts and Social Sciences ’86), a former Talentime winner; Mr Danny Tan Aik Hong (Engineering ’06) who serenaded the audience with two classical numbers; and OAR’s very own Director, Associate Professor Victor R Savage (Arts and Social Sciences ’72). Notable VIPs for the evening included ProChancellor Mr Po’ad Mattar (Accountancy ’71); Chairman, NUS Board of Trustees, Mr Wong Ngit Liong (Engineering ’65) and Mrs Wong; and NUS President, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ’83) and his wife Dr Evelyn Lee.

CLASS AMBASSADORS INVESTITURE

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LEFT: Former Talentime winner Ms Dawn Yip belting out a tune.

On 6 March this year, the NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) organised a Class Ambassadors (CA) Investiture for its Class of 2015 Class Ambassadors. Groomed to be alumni leaders, CAs work closely with OAR to serve as the University’s main point of contact with their peers in building a strong alumni network. The 2015 cohort of 110 CAs showed up at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House alongside 19 CAs from previous cohorts, Deans, Vice-Deans, Masters and Associate Directors of Alumni Relations from NUS’ faculties, schools, halls of residence and colleges. OAR Director, Associate Professor Victor R Savage (Arts and Social Sciences ’72) presented a CA Kit to each new CA who also received a CA certificate from their respective Dean/Master. Assoc Prof Savage announced the launch of the Outstanding Class Ambassadors Awards to recognise outstanding CAs. The evening included sharing sessions by two CAs from the previous cohorts, Mr Bryan Leong (Science ’09) and Mr Lee Junxian (Business ’08). Both shared their CA experiences and gave advice and insights to the new batch of CAs. APR–JUN 2015

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LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM LEFT: The pièce de résistance of the central gallery in the new LKCNHM – the family of three gigantic diplodocid sauropods!

Original fossil dinosaurs over 65 million years old!

OF DINOSAURS AND DESTINY

Professor Lim Pin had allocated three floors of the new Science Library building to house the nomadic collection. In 1988, Singapore’s current President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam (Science ’62), then the country’s Education Minister, launched the Zoological Reference Collection that went on to play an instrumental role in the growth of the RMBR. It was only 13 years later that the faculty established a single-floor public gallery, located in the Science Library building for some of the exhibits, that was opened by then Education Minister Teo Chee Hean.

When Prof Koh mooted the idea of a natural history museum, such an institution was but a pipe dream: there was a distinct lack of money and resources. A natural history museum would cost tens of millions of dollars. Who would pull it together? Where would the land for such a museum come from?

More than a decade later, with the opening of the LKCNHM, Prof Koh says, “I am overjoyed. It is another one of my dreams coming true.”

Prof Ng, a crab expert, is a key figure behind the museum’s establishment. Together with his mentor Prof Leo Tan

T

he journey to give more than 500,000 animal specimens a permanent home in Singapore’s first standalone natural history museum, the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM), began in 2005. That was the year Professor Tommy Koh (Law ’61), Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large and Honorary Chairman of Singapore’s National Heritage Board, mooted the idea to the team at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR) at the National University of Singapore, after a tour of the RMBR. The collection comprises specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates, with some of them originating from the Raffles Museum which was formally established in 1878.

Singapore lost a number of its natural history exhibits starting from the late 1960s, after the Raffles Museum was renamed the National Museum and shifted its focus to exhibits promoting nationbuilding. The zoological collection was divided up and sent to various locations: with most going to the

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Department of Zoology of the then University of Singapore, and some to national museums in cities of other former British colonies such as Kolkata and Kuala Lumpur. Others were auctioned off.

The larger display specimens went to the Singapore Science Centre. The University of Singapore “rescued them”, says Professor Peter Ng (Science ’83), the head of the LKCNHM. The collection moved from five World War II-era huts where the National University Hospital now stands, to the University’s Bukit Timah campus, to the then Nanyang University’s library building, and to Kent Ridge – its permanent home until 2013 when it closed.

Why was Prof Koh so keen that Singapore should have a museum of natural history? As he tells The AlumNUS, that is “because we are located in Southeast Asia, a region with the greatest biodiversity in the world. I was aware that NUS had inherited the Raffles collection and I wanted it to be displayed in a proper museum setting and to be accessible to the public.”

FROM PIPE DREAM TO REALITY

In 1986, NUS Vice-Chancellor

PHOTO BY EALBERT HO

MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AFTER AN AMBITIOUS FUNDRAISING DRIVE WAS LAUNCHED, THE LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM HAS OPENED ITS DOORS. ITS KEY PLAYERS, PROFESSOR PETER NG (SCIENCE ’83) AND PROFESSOR LEO TAN (SCIENCE ’74), TAKE THE ALUMNUS BEHIND THE SCENES, AND EXPLAIN WHY DINOSAURS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE MUSEUM. BY THERESA TAN

I WAS AWARE THAT NUS HAD INHERITED THE RAFFLES COLLECTION AND I WANTED IT TO BE DISPLAYED IN A PROPER MUSEUM SETTING AND TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. PROF TOMMY KOH (LAW ’61)

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LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

museums in Europe are suffering or have even closed due to lack of government funding.

The formula consisted of three things: “One, management – governance needs to be good, you need to see the big picture. Two, you must have endowment – it takes you through bad times and bad politicians; and three, you need dinosaurs because people love dinosaurs,” Prof Ng says.

After the trip however, plans were shelved because of lack of funding. In 2008, Prof Tan returned to NUS, taking up his current position in FoS.

ABOVE: The “Rock” – the nickname of the purposebuilt new building that now houses over a million priceless natural history specimens and the new public gallery of life.

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(Science ’74), both men launched a bid in 2010 to turn RMBR into a stand-alone museum.

“It has been a 40-year dream to see it resurrected,” says Prof Leo Tan, Director for Special Projects at the Faculty of Science (FoS) and Adviser to the LKCNHM. “I saw the old museum (the zoological collection at the National Museum at Stamford Road) being dismantled. To now have the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, I can’t describe the feeling – it’s like déjà vu, it’s surreal. We’re grateful that people of the future will get to see our natural heritage.”

Prof Ng, who was Director of RMBR for 16 years, has been appointed Head of the LKCNHM for two years. His mission there, as reported in The Straits Times, is to maintain the quality of research conducted, develop teaching programmes and ensure the gallery reaches out to the public in the right way.

“We are guarding national treasures,” he declares. “We have become the de facto people’s museum

ALUMNUS

– money came from foundations and members of the public, from thousands of people and corporations. With our endowments, we are about 50 per cent financially autonomous.

“For museums that are wholly dependent on government money, their existence can become precarious.”

A ‘HYBRID’ MUSEUM

The museum, says Prof Ng, is a hybrid: it falls under the auspices of NUS’ Faculty of Science and functions as a department, yet more than half its running costs come from the museum’s own funds, with FoS paying for other costs. “The LKCNHM is a research and teaching museum, and its staff is tasked to function in dual roles: they have to teach and do research, and they also have to take care of collections.”

For Prof Leo Tan, the significance of the LKCNHM is manifold. “As a scientist, it offers an invaluable collection for study,” he says.

“As an environmentalist, I know it will help when we go out on

expeditions to bring back specimens to enhance teaching materials for future generations.

“Even though this museum has a colonial past – and you can’t change history – the animals never knew they belonged to the Japanese, the British or to Singaporeans, right?

Therefore, it’s our Singaporean heritage, plain and simple.”

Following Prof Koh’s clarion call for a natural history museum, in 2005, Prof Ng took a team of five with him on a one-week trip to six natural museums on the east and west coasts of the United States – including the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York City – to learn what would make a successful natural history museum. This trip was partly sponsored by an American entrepreneur who told Prof Ng that the American museums are a better model to study than their European counterparts because they are more financially independent.

A number of natural history

PHOTOS BY AIK CHEN, EALBERT HO & WILSON PANG

PUBLIC DEMAND ARISES

It was in 2009 that the idea began to float once again when the RMBR opened its doors for free entry to the public over one weekend in May to host International Museum Day. To the team’s astonishment, more than 3,000 people turned up to see the zoological exhibits. In a normal year, the gallery would see no more than a few thousand visitors.

“We asked, is this a sign? You know, this museum – nobody can find it, and yet 3,000 people showed up! Letters to the press followed, asking ‘How come we don’t have a natural history museum? We didn’t realise such a treasure exists,’” muses Prof Leo Tan. “That got me thinking: if this is what the public wants then it’s time for us to do something more.”

Ms Tan Dawn Wei, an Assistant News Editor with The Straits Times, wrote a full-page opinion piece the following month, “Let’s have a natural history museum” (The Sunday Times, 14 June 2009), on the back of news reports that had come out of Museum Day at RMBR. She detailed how the zoological collection of the former Raffles Museum had been stored silently for decades. “Is it not high time that Singapore has a stand-alone natural history museum that will complement the other big ones in the country?” she asked. “The answer is practically a no-brainer if you knew what national treasures have been hidden away for so long.”

Ms Tan described the treasure trove of one of the largest collections

TO NOW HAVE THE LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, I CAN’T DESCRIBE THE FEELING ... IT’S SURREAL. WE’RE GRATEFUL THAT PEOPLE OF THE FUTURE WILL GET TO SEE OUR NATURAL HERITAGE. PROF LEO TAN (SCIENCE ’74)

of Southeast Asian animals in the region that NUS had quietly housed for decades. “Among them are century-old specimens inherited from the British, extinct and endangered animals as well as new discoveries made by the current museum’s researchers,” she wrote, explaining that “the stature of a museum rests on its collection of type specimen – the original specimen from which the description of a new species is made – and Raffles Museum has 11,000 [according to Prof Ng] of these. It is a cache that any foreign museum would want to lay its hands on.”

The article apparently did much to spark greater awareness of the collection of natural history treasures.

In August that year, a mysterious man, known only as “James”, approached RMBR curator Professor Tan Swee Hee (now Project Manager for LKCNHM). Prof Leo Tan recalls, “The mysterious man said, ‘The person or people I represent wish to donate S$1 million to your new museum as a catalyst to start you off.’”

But as the benefactor did not want to be revealed or contacted, NUS as a public institution could not accept the gift. Soon after, the same man reappeared, this time with a S$10 million gift and a contact

point: an adjunct professor in the Law Faculty at NUS. “To this day, we don’t know who that benefactor is!” marvels Prof Leo Tan. “I told Peter (Prof Ng), these are signs from above, right? Peter of course said, ‘Nah.’” In December 2009, with the S$10 million in hand, Prof Leo Tan and Prof Ng went to see NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ’83). “We thought, the Faculty of Dentistry had been built for S$17 million, so maybe we could build this [the LKCNHM] for S$20 million.”

BELOW: A display in the Singapore Heritage Gallery.

This is a special section of the Public Gallery dedicated to showcasing material from the old Raffles Museum, including many iconic Singapore specimens some dating back to the mid-1800s!

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LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

WE ARE GUARDING NATIONAL TREASURES. WE HAVE BECOME THE DE FACTO PEOPLE’S MUSEUM – MONEY CAME FROM FOUNDATIONS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, FROM THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND CORPORATIONS. PROF PETER NG (SCIENCE ’83)

“PROFESSIONAL BEGGARS”

For Prof Leo Tan and Prof Ng, having to turn their academic skills to fundraising prowess was far from

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tells The AlumNUS : “I remember Prof Leo Tan and Prof Ng excitedly telling me that they’d started campaigning for a natural history museum after the media put them and the issue in the spotlight. Those stories about the museum being still short of funds probably did more to spur the big donations from the foundations and corporates rather than the public.

“I received some inquiries from readers about how they could donate, and I directed them to the RMBR.” Prof Leo Tan agrees with this, but emphasises the importance of public donations. “Yes, foundations will give big money. But it might be seen as Peter and Leo’s dumb bright idea that nobody else is interested in, right?” To find out for sure, the pair decided that they needed to test the public’s interest. “We wrote to

FAR LEFT: Prof Peter Ng, Head of the LKCNHM.

PHOTOS BY EALBERT HO

Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, however, had a more realistic view. “He said, ‘Ten, 20 million cannot build a museum. You need at least S$35 million. Tell you what, you raise another S$25 million and I will give you a piece of land,’” Prof Leo Tan remembers. “It was impossible.

But what was there to lose? So we said yes.”

Then the President dropped a bombshell. “‘I give you six months.

We need land for other priorities.

Time is not on your side. We were raising money for University Town – you came in at such a late stage, there’s nothing in the master plan for this. But, this is something good for the University, so we’re prepared to give you this,’” recalls Prof Leo Tan of the meeting with the NUS President. “And so, we went on that journey to do the impossible – to raise S$35 million by the end of June 2010.”

easy. By April 2010, they were still short of more than S$24 million. The duo started a public drive for funds.

They wrote two-page appeal letters explaining what the museum would be and why funds were needed.

“We sent out 700 letters – mostly to friends and people who owed us favours! [But] professionals who saw our appeal letter said we were suaku – amateurs. They offered to help but they needed six months.

I said, time’s up, we’ve only got two months. So, [Prof Ng and I] did it ourselves. We wrote from the heart and tried our luck. And we got 400 responses!”

The Straits Times did its part, highlighting the need for a natural history museum and the plight of where the project stood financially. As Ms Tan, now a Senior Correspondent at the newspaper,

BELOW: Part of the Public Gallery. This is a special thematic section showcasing the remarkable plants and animals that live in the canopies of Southeast Asian rainforests.

people we knew, and from whom we thought we’d get a sympathetic ear. Over the past 30 years I have lots of people I’ve done good deeds for – contacts, classmates, whoever we could call up. We raised almost a million dollars from those letters!”

Those who donated included a secretary who gave a month of her salary. Another gave half a month. A technician who had worked at the Biological Sciences Department, but who had already retired from NUS five years previously, gave S$20,000.

“She said, ‘This is our collection,’” says Prof Leo Tan. “I told Peter, if people put their money where their mouth is, our crusade must go on. At this stage, failure was not an option.”

By the 11th hour, in June 2010, the project had received S$46 million – S$11 million beyond the target. The Singapore Totalisator Board gave S$10 million and the Lee Foundation had come forward and donated the deal-making amount of S$25 million for the building of the museum, which is now named after the late philanthropist Lee Kong Chian.

Prof Leo Tan recalls with amusement how, at the LKCNHM’s groundbreaking ceremony in 2010, “our now-92-year-old benefactor, Mr Lee Seng Tee, the second son of Lee Kong Chian, said, ‘You all ah, I’m not getting any younger. When are you going to open the museum?’”

“Everything fell into place. We found a donor who has sympathy for the cause – he loves animals – who gave S$25 million, which is more than half the cost of the building.

He said, ‘I want you to be a worldclass museum.’”

Prof Leo Tan is still in disbelief that he and Prof Ng have pulled it off.

The six months of fundraising was harrowing. “Many times we couldn’t

sleep at night. We are two scientists: how do you raise S$35 million in six months? We’ve never dreamt of that kind of magnitude.

You ask me to raise S$7 million a year, if I’m holding a position maybe I can go round and influence people.

But if you turn yourself into professional beggars with no training in begging, that becomes a real challenge.”

It was, in his words, “The nightmare that haunted us: if we fail we’re going to let many generations down. That was the thought that made us carry on. It wasn’t so much about ourselves.

We’ve already achieved whatever we wanted in our lives, our professional years.”

Ultimately Prof Leo ABOVE: A skeleton of the famed Komodo Dragon, the largest lizard in the world; and one of the most fantastic animals living in Southeast Asia.

Tan feels that it would be a shame if this museum was not plans. Prof Leo Tan says the way returned to the people of Southeast they came into the picture was Asia, particularly Singapore, since it sheer serendipity. In April 2011, was housed here. “And that was what a call came from Germany from kept us going. But every stop of the a dinosaur digger working for way it was, ‘Hey we’re going to be the a Wyoming company called laughing stock!’ Everyone told us it Dinosauria International. This couldn’t be done. man, a palaeontologist, had heard “But the long and the short of it about the plans for the museum is, we got our money.” from his cousin, a German postdoctoral student who was a crab researcher in Prof Ng’s laboratory “PSST! YOU WANT at the time. “This cousin and his DINOSAUR?” partner – a palaeontologist – go The three dinosaurs that will no digging for dinosaurs and fossils. doubt draw thousands to LKCNHM They called and said, ‘Psst, you were not part of the team’s initial want dinosaur?’” says Prof Leo Tan, laughing.

“We asked, ‘How did you find MANY TIMES WE COULDN’T SLEEP AT us?’ They said they had heard through the grapevine because NIGHT. WE ARE TWO SCIENTISTS: this was one of the few natural HOW DO YOU RAISE S$35 MILLION IN history museums being built.

SIX MONTHS? WE’VE NEVER DREAMT OF Others are having their funding cut, or being closed down, so they THAT KIND OF MAGNITUDE. approached us.

PROF LEO TAN Continued on page 15

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“EVERY BONE HAS A STORY TO TELL”

The LKCNHM team with staff from Dinosauria International at Dana Quarry, Ten Sleep, Wyoming in June 2011. From left: Dr Henry Galiano (Director, Dinosauria), Dr Sebastian Klaus (museum volunteer), Professor Rudolf Meier (Deputy Head, LKCNHM), Dr Tan Swee Hee (Project Manager, LKCNHM), Mr Raimund Albersdörfer (Director, Dinosauria), Ms Belinda Teo (Project Manager, LKCNHM) and Mr Derek Teo (museum volunteer).

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(Incidentally, the Natural History Museum in London is retiring Dippy and getting a real whale skeleton to replace him.)

Why are real dinosaurs important to us in this day and age? “Dinosaurs were the most successful creatures on earth,” points out Prof Leo Tan. “They lived for almost 200 million years. Humans have only been on earth for something like 330,000 years. What makes us think we’ll survive as long as dinosaurs did?

“Dinosaurs were also a pinnacle species, but within a relatively short space of time some 65 million years ago they died out. A sudden catastrophe, with climate change, global warming, etc.

Strangely enough, dinosaurs at their peak lived in temperatures 10 degrees higher than we do, and carbon dioxide levels were exactly the same as they are today.

So it shows that the world is liveable in that kind of climate. But what caused dinosaurs’ extinction? Are there lessons to be learned from a successful species which died out completely?”

Dinosaurs can be a divisive topic within an academic context, concedes Prof Leo Tan. During the planning of the building, the museum team put together a scientific committee which came up with a list of reasons for the dinosaurs: the study of global warming, climate change, lessons from the past, what people learn from the past to protect or prepare themselves for in the future.

“The rationale fell in very nicely, and that’s how the dinosaurs got to Singapore,” says Prof Leo Tan. Critics have raised the relevance of dinosaurs to Singapore since they “aren’t Southeast Asian”. Prof Leo Tan isn’t so convinced dinosaurs were never here.

“Recently, scientists found fossils of dinosaurs in Malaysia and Thailand. And actually, we knew all along that northern Thailand had dinosaur fossils so we were very sure Singapore was part of the land when dinosaurs roamed the earth.”

Studies on the LKCNHM dinosaurs have already begun with a 3D scan done of “Apollonia”. Dinosaurs offer different disciplines, different areas of discovery.

“Every bone has a story to tell,” says Prof Leo Tan.

PHOTO BY N TAN

when they were submerged, and eventually when [the watering hole] dried out, they were ‘caked’ and wellpreserved for 150 million years until the winds blew away the top surface [of the soil] and one bone happened to stick out of the ground.”

Despite the high entertainment value of the diplodocids, Prof Leo Tan is adamant that LKCNHM is not a dinosaur museum – it is a natural history museum that is also a research and teaching museum. The presence of “Prince”, “Apollonia” and “Twinky” means that NUS has now become a place for scientists all over the world to visit and study these creatures.

“If you want a replica dinosaur you can have one, it’s quite cheap.

But we are an authentic research museum – why would we want to put on a fake dinosaur? If you go to the Natural History Museum in London, the main hall features exactly the same type of dinosaur as ours, except it’s a replica. It’s called “Dippy” and it’s artificial. No scientist studies “Dippy” in London – they go to the Carnegie Natural History Museum in Philadelphia where the real one is.

“Why would we want a dummy?

We want future generations to come and say, ‘When I was two, three years old, I saw a real dinosaur in the Singapore museum.’”

Continued from page 13

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NUS PRESS

T

he presumed female sauropod, “Apollonia”, was named by those who found her. The first of the three dinosaurs to be discovered, she was excavated in 2007, then assembled and loaned to a museum – the only one of the three dinosaurs that has ever been displayed. The excavation of “Prince”, the presumed male, was only completed in 2013.

“We sent three teams to the site in Wyoming to verify that they dug it out of this ground, or if they took it from somewhere and pieced them together. I went to Utah to ascertain that they were assembling “Prince” correctly,” says Prof Leo Tan. He reveals that “Prince” was assembled in a car park on a full moon night. “There was no space to mount the specimen. After “Prince” was assembled, he had to be immediately disassembled and put into crates to freight to Singapore. We received all the dinosaurs between 2012 and 2013.”

The most special of the three is “Twinky”, the so-called baby. As Prof Leo Tan explains: “It’s rare to get a juvenile that is almost intact. They’re usually soft and vulnerable, and when they die they’re attacked and broken up into pieces.” He believes these three dinosaurs must have been at a watering hole and they fell on the slopes and drowned. “They were wholly intact

“Prince” – under the moonlight in Utah when it was first assembled! The largest of the three dinosaurs at 27m – it now stands proudly in the LKCNHM.

“We said, ‘We’re not interested in dinosaurs, we just want our iconic whale back.’ * “But they said, ‘You think about it. It’s 80 per cent complete. There are very few dinosaurs in the world like these today, and we have three – all found together in a quarry in Wyoming. If you buy them as a package, it will be x dollars.’”

It seemed such a ludicrous idea at the time to Prof Leo Tan and Prof Ng when they were still raising funds for the museum building that they said, “No, no, go away!” But the palaeontologist said, “Think about it.

I’ll give you two months to raise the money.”

When the deadline ended, hardly a fraction of the asking price had been collected. The professors did not ask for an extension because “that would have committed us.

It would mean we were prepared to enter into a contract with them.

As fate would have it, they called back and said, ‘We’re extending your deadline.’”

The museum team revealed the dinosaur dilemma to The Straits Times, which duly ran editorials discussing the merits of dinosaurs in Singapore and called for S$12 million in donations. There was a big buzz when it was reported that a “mystery donor” had donated millions for the bones. This major donor was later revealed to be Mrs Della Lee, the wife of Mr Lee Seng Gee (the elder brother

of Mr Lee Seng Tee), Chairman of the Lee Foundation. In the following two months, the money raised was far more than what was needed for the dinosaurs. “That’s why I told Peter, fate takes a hand again,” says Prof Leo Tan. Although Prof Leo Tan would not reveal how much the dinosaurs – nicknamed “Prince”, “Apollonia” and “Twinky” – cost except to say it was far less than the S$12 million initially asked for, The Straits Times reported in August 2012 that the bid for the dinosaurs and setting up the

WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING, NOBODY CARES. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE RAISED ENOUGH MONEY AND YOU BRING THESE DINOSAURS IN, THEY ARE NO LONGER YOURS. PROF LEO TAN

exhibit was eventually successful at less than S$8 million.

The dinosaurs are a trio of sauropods – with long necks, long tails, small heads – belonging to the diplodocid family, one of the longest dinosaur species known to man.

They are believed to have lived on all continents except Antarctica.

“So we now have almost-perfect specimens of some of the largest dinosaurs in the world: 27m, 26m and a baby about 12m in length,” says Prof Leo Tan. Although they are known to be sauropods, the genus they belong to is unknown. Genus is a principal taxonomic category that ranks above species and below family, and is denoted by a capitalised Latin name. As Prof Leo Tan says, they “may be a new genus, which is exciting.”

The stress of fundraising was matched by the many issues surrounding the procurement of the dinosaurs. First, there was the question of authenticity. After the museum team were satisfied that the palaeontologists’ keenness for Singapore to purchase the bones was because they had wanted the dinosaurs go to a research and teaching museum where the bones could be studied, there was also the very big issue of due diligence.

“When you have nothing, nobody cares. But when you have raised enough money and you bring these dinosaurs in, they are no longer yours. They are ‘belonging to the state’, and therefore, if anything happens to them, you are liable,” says Prof Leo Tan. The issue of ownership became very important. “The onus was on us to help ascertain that there were no controversies about the dinosaurs

* Mention the ‘old’ National Museum to anyone above the age of 50, and they would – in all probability – remember one particular exhibit: the skeleton of a blue whale which had washed ashore at Port Dickson in 1893. The skeleton had hung in the Raffles Museum (and National Museum) since 1907 until 1972 when it was sent to Muzium Negara Malaysia. Today, it is in the Maritime Museum at Labuan, Sabah.

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Chuan offered land to LKCNHM because he concluded that was an ideal spot. “Initially, we were thinking of siting this museum in University Town,” says Prof Tan Chorh Chuan. “However, after consulting with my senior colleagues and the museum team, we felt it would be better to locate the museum next to the University Cultural Centre and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, and transform the precinct into an even more interesting and exciting Arts and Culture Hub for NUS.

A MAJOR ‘BUZZ’ PLACE

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ABOVE: The architect’s original sectional view of the new LKCNHM in 2010. When this drawing was made, NUS had not even considered purchasing dinosaurs for the gallery. It was to prove prophetic.

about this because of the case of Sue, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex that resides in the Field Museum in Chicago. It is very rare to find a good T. rex in America but litigation over ownership took a decade to conclude! We didn’t want to get drawn into this sort of thing,” says Prof Leo Tan. There was one other part for the museum team to pray about: “[At that time] our museum would take three years to build. We were going to break ground in 2013 or something like that. How were we going to make sure that nothing happens to the dinosaurs while they were in America?

“We own the fossils; if anything happened, we were liable. So we made Dinosauria ship the bones over in 2012 and 2013. “In October 2013, the team received “Prince”, the largest of the three; “Apollonia” the presumed female; and “Twinky” the baby. “And so the prophecy of the six major museums came true: they said, ‘You must have dinosaurs’, and now we do.”

HOME IN THE “ROCK”

The LKCNHM building is an instant icon: it is already referred to as the “Rock” and is described by its architect, Mr Mok Wei Wei (Architecture ’82) of W Architects, as “a windowless cocoon”.

Mr Mok’s proposal of a sevenstorey museum shaped like a rock with a “cleaved” planter cliff was an instant hit with the museum team, including Prof Tan Chorh Chuan.

Prof Leo Tan explains that it was a groundbreaking decision for NUS to choose this design with its totally windowless galleries. “We wanted it that way because sunlight and UV hurts the specimens.

“We had other architects in mind when we were thinking who to invite [to pitch]. We knew who the key players were. What we didn’t want was another mundane glass building.”

That W Architects’ threw their hat in the ring to pitch for the project was a surprise. Prof Leo Tan relates that Mr Mok told him, “This is a national project – I want to build something iconic.”

“I think we briefly stated that ceilings had to be high to accommodate ‘animals like dinosaurs’,” says Prof Leo Tan. “We were actually thinking of the whale at the time. Wei Wei drew, in his cross-section, a dinosaur! So I said, ‘Isn’t that prophetic!’”

Early sites proposed for the location of the museum included the plot of land next to the Science Centre, and the Singapore Art Museum (the former St Joseph’s Institution). But Prof Tan Chorh

PHOTOS BY EALBERT HO, ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING COURTESY OF W ARCHITECTS PTE LTD

because in countries like the United States, any specimen found on state land belongs to the country.

And in China it’s guo jia zhi bao (national treasure) and therefore under pain of death if you remove them. Whoever buys them will have to surrender them to the original owner and you lose all your money.”

Prof Leo Tan cites a recent case in New York, in which auction house Sotheby’s auctioned off a Mongolian dinosaur for US$1 million but had to return the dinosaur to Mongolia because the government categorically declared that “no dinosaur is ever allowed to leave the country.”

Prof Leo Tan believes even in this matter, fate was at work again. “These two dinosaur diggers are given a blanket licence for an annual fee to excavate in a desert in Wyoming. This farmer who owns this vast piece of infertile land doesn’t want to use it for anything. He leases it out and he signs a form to say ‘Anything they find, I have no share in.’”

Secondly, the museum team had to be sure that there would be no rival groups coming forward to say that they were the ones who found the dinosaurs and that Dinosauria stole the bones from them. “We had concerns

“We also took the opportunity to redevelop the space linking the three facilities which has now been renamed the Alice Lee Plaza, in recognition of a generous gift from the Lee Foundation. There is huge potential for the Alice Lee Plaza to be one of the major ‘buzz’ places around NUS.” For Prof Leo Tan, it is only fitting that the LKCNHM is located in NUS – after all, the University has been custodian over the Raffles Museum zoological collection for nearly four decades. Additionally, he points out that the University owns the land.

“We’ll have this museum for a long time. If we went elsewhere, we’d be looking at the end of lease after 30 years.”

THE MUSEUM WILL BRING A BIGGER AND MORE DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE TO OUR CAMPUS. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT WAY FOR US TO SHARE AND SHOWCASE THE EXCELLENT COLLECTIONS AND WORKS ...

PROF TAN CHORH CHUAN (MEDICINE ’83)

The LKCNHM has two levels of public gallery space amounting to 2,500 sq m. While there is some representation of botanical specimens, the museum largely features zoological exhibits consisting of the entire RMBR collection. (The collection grew from 160,000 specimens in 1988 to 560,000 in 2013).

“We will continue to grow the collection through expeditions,” says Prof Leo Tan. “And that’s why the research never ends. We will continue another tradition in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. That was resurrected in 1980s from the colonial days – scientists from all over the world can continue to come and study our collections and write about them.”

The other 5,500 sq m comprises office space for the museum team, as well as storage space for the dry and wet collections. Dry collections are specimens like stuffed animals and mounted butterflies. Wet collections are those preserved in jars. The building is constructed not only for public viewing but teaching and research – nearly every part of the building inside and out has a deep link to nature. (See story on Mr Mok Wei Wei.) The LKCNHM has all the makings of a world-class museum, although its size is prohibitive.

“When you’re small it’s hard to be world-class, because people like to see grand things. Then we must emphasise something that makes it special. The research, or the experience that people get, is what makes it unique. We cannot be [like the] Natural History Museum in London where you walk in and you stand in awe of its size,” explains Prof Leo Tan. The gallery can take between 200 to 300 visitors at one time, and up to 800 visitors in a day. Says Prof Tan Chorh Chuan: “The museum will bring a bigger and more diverse group of people to our campus.

This is an excellent way for us to share and showcase the excellent collections and works that we have in the LKCNHM as well as the NUS Museum.”

A natural concern is overcrowding and congestion, so

entry to the museum will be ticketed and by time slots, with visitors being encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. “With these measures in place, we believe that the expected higher number of visitors to our campus will be well-managed,” says Prof Tan Chorh Chuan.

WHO OWNS THE MUSEUM, AND WHO PAYS?

The museum is considered the property of the Singapore Government and the people, but it does not come under the National Heritage Board (NHB) unlike the Singapore National Museum or the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Hence, LKCNHM receives neither grants nor funding from NHB, and Singaporeans cannot enter for free. Neither is it a museum of the University unlike the NUS Museum, which showcases primarily Southeast Asian art and is fully funded by the University.

This makes the LKCNHM a cost centre and poses a challenge to the BELOW: A selection of bird skins in the Heritage Gallery collected by various associates and curators of the Raffles Museum including Alec Fraser-Brunner (from the Van Kleef Aquarium) and Carl Gibson-Hill.

Some date back to the 1880s.

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money from donations and got the endowments, we are more financially autonomous and this lets us decide our own future. In a sense, we’re more secure – the vagaries of our existence are reduced.”

LKCNHM is the only natural history museum in Southeast Asia with such a substantial endowment.

Fundraising remains a key activity for the museum team.

Plans are in place for a “Friends of the Museum” and school programmes, plus merchandising, use for corporate functions and other initiatives to help the museum grow.

“We will continue fundraising as we plan for Phase Two. In four, five, 10 years’ time, we will probably need to build a new wing. Prof Tan Chorh Chuan had the foresight to invest in the foundation for a second block to allow us to build another six floors in the future,” says Prof Ng. Prof Leo Tan says he wants the LKCNHM to be sustainable. “That’s why in a way it’s good that it’s self-funded. All my self-cost centre projects I find run better because people are mindful of how they spend. That accountability is what I want in the new team.”

The museum is now [in the hands of] the new generation.

“They must run and steer the ship according to what they believe are the needs of the people they serve.

And that’s the beauty of transitions:

the complex and beautiful range of creatures which share the world with us,” Prof Leo Tan appeals.

“They play a role in bringing us the food, medicine, the quality of the water and so forth which we need for survival – that’s what biodiversity is all about.” To him, this is why this museum of biodiversity is so critical in an age where climate change and global warming are happening.

“Everywhere it is either too hot or too cold. It affects your economy, your livelihood and your personal convenience,” he says. “So don’t knock it when an animal looks ugly, [don’t say] it’s not important, let’s get rid of it or let’s eat it.” The most important question, he believes, is on the role it plays in ensuring humanity’s survival. “That’s the underlying message of building this museum: preparing our future generations to appreciate that all these creatures large and small have a role in keeping the human species going.

“That’s why for 40 years we sat and waited. When the window came, we were prepared for it, and we were prepared to stick our necks out.”

This is a challenge Prof Leo Tan says he always issues the young: “If you believe in something, dream. And then go out and do it even if it costs you. Because that is the meaning of life. You do something that you leave a legacy for the next generation.”

you cannot hold the future for what you believe. The world keeps changing,” says Prof Leo Tan. He reiterates the odds Prof Ng and he were up against, but as he believes, “it’s the will of people, it’s the will of God” that this museum will now see the light of day. “It’s not because Peter and Leo had a big vision. On our own we would not have succeeded. It was so many things that fell into place, people came and rallied, and this is why we cannot disappoint them.”

THE LEGACY OF LKCNHM

Now, some 137 years after Raffles Museum first opened, the LKCNHM picks up the baton. Prof Leo Tan has high hopes – for him, museums can be inspirational. “You never know.

That’s why I believe the Singapore Science Centre was an inspiration to many would-be scientists. Not every child, but at least those who have the inclination.”

Prof Koh says that the LKCNHM has an important part to play for NUS and Singapore. “It will have a research and teaching function. We should also use it to communicate an important message to visitors: that we should love nature and do what we can to stop, if possible, and to slow down the rate at which we are destroying the region’s biodiversity.”

Prof Tan Chorh Chuan sees the museum’s opening as a significant milestone. “This year marks NUS’ 110th Anniversary and it is indeed a wonderful time to open the museum.

It is both a new museum and an old one. In fact, it contains the oldest natural history collection in Southeast Asia,” he says. As the only natural history museum in Singapore, his hope is that its opening will further deepen and expand public interest in the natural history of Singapore and our region. “At the same time, it is also important that we understand our natural history so that we can protect and preserve what nature has endowed us with, and in so doing learn to live sustainably and well with Mother Earth.”

LKCNHM is a massive extension of what the RMBR had been doing for nearly 30 years – the study of biodiversity that affects humankind in a real way. “I hope people won’t dwell on the dinosaurs but look at

PHOTOS BY EALBERT HO, PHOTO OF MR MOK WEI WEI BY WILSON PANG

BELOW: The “Reptile” Gallery in the new museum.

Many of the turtle exhibits date back to before the Second World War. Like most of the specimens used, most also have detailed data on when and where they were collected.

team, which will have to keep the museum going on pretty much its own steam. The former RMBR cost S$500,000 a year to run; running the LKCNHM is likely to cost six to eight times that.

“It’s a strange situation to be nobody’s child: it doesn’t fall under NHB, MoE, or anybody else,” Prof Leo Tan points out. “So the University says, ‘Okay, we’ll take custody of it, but it’s not like the NUS Museum where we are 100 per cent owner and we fund it annually.’”

Prof Leo Tan explains the other key reason why NUS is the ideal custodian: it carries an endowment.

For every dollar NUS raises from non-government sources, it gets a matching amount from the government. This amount is endowed and invested, and the interest goes to NUS. “Prof Tan Chorh Chuan has said he will allow us to keep the interest on the endowment, and he will earmark it for the LKCNHM. [This will] subsidise our running costs.”

Says Prof Ng, “This scheme also makes it very attractive to donors: the S$1 million [they give] effectively becomes S$2 million.”

When the museum project began in 2009, Prof Ng says he was frustrated, wondering “Why can’t [the] government or University offset the cost?” Now, on reflection, he knows that “having raised the

WE SHOULD ALSO USE THE LKCNHM TO COMMUNICATE TO VISITORS THAT WE SHOULD DO WHAT WE CAN TO SLOW DOWN THE RATE AT WHICH WE ARE DESTROYING THE REGION’S BIODIVERSITY. PROF TOMMY KOH

MR MOK WEI WEI (ARCHITECTURE ’82), MANAGING DIRECTOR, W ARCHITECTS PTE LTD

A PURPOSE-BUILT MUSEUM The building that houses the LKCNHM is custom-made to meet the exacting needs of the museum. Designed by awardwinning architect Mr Mok Wei Wei and his team at W Architects, the new museum fittingly resembles a rock.

“What I’m most proud of is the fact that the iconic form of the building was not conceived based on a desire of form, but understanding of the intended needs of the museum,” says Mr Mok. The LKCNHM’s design evolved out of the limitations and boundaries set by the museum team, including the need for thermal controls, building on small land space yet bearing in mind the need for expansion, and the removal of natural light. “The building is compacted so you can build further.

To extend the gallery, we could build upon the courtyard if needed,” he says.

To meet the specialised needs of the project, W Architects worked with a team of five from the Natural History Museum in London who were sent to consult on the project.

The seven-storey building comprises a 2,500 sq m windowless public gallery in the basement and ground floor, wet collection storage on the third floor, dry collection on the fourth and office space. The education and outreach wing, i.e. the teaching lab, sits on a single floor outside.

The heavily-insulated building

runs 24 hours round the clock, hence the need for energy efficiency, which explains the state-of-the-art sustainability features including climate and humidity control systems, a non-water sprinkler system for the dry collection, and recycling of cooled air.

There are four themes surrounding the building, says Mr Mok. The cliff landscape is made up of planter boxes on every floor, and the plants are “not your everyday tropical plants”. Between the building and the single-storey teaching block lies the mangrove pond. At the edge of the building lies a phylogenetic landscape, showing how plants evolve. And last of all, at the back of the building lies a coastal landscape which tells the story of the sea and the changing plant types that can be found.

The LKCNHM building sits in a triangulated area next to the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YSTCM) and the University Cultural Centre (UCC), sharing a central area called the Alice Lee Plaza.

W Architects was also tasked with improving the plaza, which it did by way of a canopy cover that shades half the open space and by creating a sense of presence with a formal drop-off porch. “It’s important for the LKCNHM to be seen together with the YSTCM and the UCC — it is a tripartite hub of music, art and science,” says Mr Mok.

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TRUTH, UNEARTHED

country fit into trading routes of that period, which we also had to teach to the teachers.

We are also using technology to make history come alive even more.

In 2011, I participated in the creation of World of Temasek, a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) that recreates life in 14th century Temasek based on the archaeological data that we have. It has been jointly developed by game developers, the NHB and academics in the field.

In the game, beyond assuming roles to play, you have to interact with others and negotiate for a mutually beneficial result. You need to develop personal relationships, and understand what is polite behaviour or considered prestigious in particular cultures before you talk business. And that is something that remains relevant to this day.

For my students over the years, understanding these links have made them even happier to be Singaporean. It gives them an insight into Singapore’s illustrious past, and demonstrates how this remains relevant.

I am really happy that an appreciation of that has begun. I can’t foresee where it will go, but I know it will go somewhere.”

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HERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO DON’T SEE THE RELEVANCE of

the past, or understand how it influences the present.

Archaeology has the power to weave very different narratives from what is known, and this has implications for the future.

Take Singapore, for example.

Over 27 years we have surfaced many artefacts at various excavation sites, including Empress Place and Fort Canning. When pieced together [these] suggest that the actual local history is very different from the colonial constructs we have, and goes back more than 700 years, in fact.

Unique pieces found, like the Chinese blue and white porcelain developed in China in the 1320s mainly for export to this region, indicate that Singapore was less of a minor fishing village and more of a thriving port city.

From this we know that Singapore’s population had enough buying power to commission these status symbols, and was a trendsetter for places further west.

Pieces like these only reached places like India, the Persian Gulf and Europe later, in the 15th and 16th centuries. Surfacing these artefacts also validates Singapore’s position then on the shipping route between the East and the West.

There have been other unique pieces, including the only known ancient Chinese porcelain compass that has ever been found. Most compasses were usually bronze or brass but this porcelain bowl, found at our Fort Canning excavation site, had direction and degree markers. You would be able to float a magnetised needle on water or mercury in it. It has a Chinese

ALUMNUS

chemical signature, but nothing of a similar style has been found in China, so it may have been made especially for the Singapore market, catering to tastes here.

NUS now has more than 500,000 excavated pieces that include ceramics, coins, and figurines.

Some of the unit’s significant

FOR STUDENTS, UNDERSTANDING THESE LINKS GIVES THEM AN INSIGHT INTO SINGAPORE’S ILLUSTRIOUS PAST, AND DEMONSTRATES HOW THIS REMAINS RELEVANT. finds will become part of the National Heritage Board (NHB)curated National Collection, used for heritage programmes and exhibitions.

People ask why my colleagues and I keep excavating in various areas like Fort Canning and Empress Place, and [why we] are looking for more areas. Every site reveals information on how it was used and how different spaces had different functions. As more of the region begins digging into their past, Singapore’s approach can serve as a role model. Similar data collected can be compared or

viewed together for a better idea of similarities or differences between various sites. We can get a sense of factors that led to periods of growth, and periods of decline.

[I continue to dig deeper also because I am intrigued by] evidence that show that Singapore’s history didn’t start with its colonial rulers, and that it was a much older trading port, a key node in the Maritime Silk Road with a cosmopolitan population that existed peacefully and flourished.

A lot of what happened in the time of the Mainland and Maritime Silk Roads was based on cultural connections, and looking at how those networks evolved over centuries gives us some way of anticipating what could happen in the future. You get an insight into how economies organised themselves, the balance between mass and specialised production, the impact of regulation as opposed to freedom of enterprise, and the longterm impact these arrangements had.

But turning former versions of history on their heads is not easy, which is why I give so many public lectures, at least one a month. I have been doing this for 30 years and there are still so many people out there who only know of Singapore’s ‘fishing village’ past. In fact, it has taken a whole generation to get our real history into textbooks.

Right now, we are developing a new curriculum for primary schools, and actually getting the young ones out on digs. It’s great including them.

They have tiny fingers that are good for digging and really good eyes, and they love to just sit there and find stuff.

This comes not long after we changed the Secondary school curriculum to include Singapore’s pre-colonial history and how the

Prof John Miksic came to Asia in 1968 as part of the US Peace Corps, and stayed on in Malaysia to focus on Southeast Asian archaeology.

He moved to Singapore in 1987 from Indonesia to lead initial excavation projects while teaching pre-modern Southeast Asian history at NUS. He has devoted his career to unearthing pieces from the region’s past, and putting together the stories they tell. He is also a visiting fellow of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies’ Nalanda Sriwijaya Centre.

PHOTO BY WILSON PANG

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PHOTO BY WILSON PANG

BURIED HISTORY HOLDS VALUABLE LESSONS, SAYS ARCHAEOLOGIST PROFESSOR JOHN MIKSIC, 67, FROM NUS’ DEPARTMENT OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES. BY ARTI MULCHAND

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ONCE UPON A MEMORY

(Architecture ’84), 55, was happy to get into the NUS Architecture course in 1981 would be an understatement.

“I wanted to be an architect since I was 14 years old,” he says. “So when I started at NUS ... It felt like I had been waiting for a long time to get there.”

Mr Tan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Architectural Studies) in 1984 and a Bachelor of Architecture (Honours) in 1987, but his NUS experience was defined as much by the people he met there – his wife, Mdm Ho Sweet Woon (Architecture ’84) – as it was by the education he received. The couple began dating seriously during their final year at NUS. “I became more light-hearted, less intense and less abrasive with my opinions after meeting her,” Mr Tan recalls. “I think I was trying to look like a nice person to her!” Married for 26 years, they have two sons aged 18 and 21.

Also in his cohort was Mr Yip Yuen Hong (Architecture ’87), a fellow architect and close friend to this day. In addition, he remembers a tutor by the name of Mr Keith Alexander. “Keith taught me that I could influence how I wanted to learn and that I did not have to accept everything the institutions prescribed,” says Mr Tan. “He had a very caring and gentle way of getting me to act on my beliefs.”

In particular, Mr Tan was fascinated with Islamic architecture and focussed on this topic for his final-year thesis. “I have always been interested in religion,” he explains.

“Islamic architecture is very defined and extremely consistent throughout different cultures, so I was keen to understand more about it.” The insights gleaned from his thesis would eventually help him win an architectural competition in 2000 to design the Assyafaah Mosque in Sembawang, in northern Singapore.

After leaving NUS, Mr Tan trained for a few years under pioneering local architects Mr William Lim and Mr Tay Kheng Soon, both of whom have contributed significantly to Singapore’s urban landscape. He and

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ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IS VERY DEFINED AND EXTREMELY CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT CULTURES, SO I WAS KEEN TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT IT.

LEFT: Mr Tan (in pink) with coursemates in front of the then NUS School of Architecture.

BOTTOM: The interior of the Assyafaah Mosque.

BUILDING ON EXPERIENCE FOR CO-FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR OF FORUM ARCHITECTS TAN KOK HIANG (ARCHITECTURE ’84), THE YEARS SPENT AT NUS HAD A SEMINAL IMPACT ON BOTH HIS WORK AND PERSONAL LIFE. BY WANDA TAN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAN KOK HIANG

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O SAY THAT Tan Kok Hiang

Mdm Ho went on to set up their own firm – Forum Architects, at Ann Siang Road – in 1994, but he has not forgotten the lessons imparted by these two “amazing mentors”.

“Kheng Soon taught me that the client and the architect should not be in a master-servant

relationship, but in a real partnership to produce worthy architecture,” he says. “Willie taught me the power of mentorship and caring for the next generation [of architects]. He never ceased to care about my career and always helped whenever he could.”

Now in its 21st year, Forum Architects has picked up numerous local and international design awards for an array of commercial, residential, hospitality and civic buildings. Among Mr Tan’s most high-profile projects are the aforementioned Assyafaah Mosque and the Singapore Embassy in Manila, the Philippines.

These works earned him two consecutive nominations for the annual President’s Design Award – Singapore’s most prestigious design accolade – in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

But Mr Tan is equally proud of his other, if less highlyacclaimed, projects. These include the Almukminin Mosque, the Henderson Community Club and the Maxwell Chambers complex, all in Singapore. His firm was also commissioned to design the NUS Law Faculty and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at its historic Bukit Timah campus, and the Yale-NUS College campus.

Besides shaping NUS’ built

environment, Mr Tan continues to give back to his alma mater in other ways. He is currently an Advisory Committee Member of the NUS School of Design and Environment and, as a Guest Critic for the Department of Architecture, serves as a mentor to final-year students.

Through these roles, he aims to bridge the gap between architectural school and practice.

“What I hopefully bring to the table is my experience in practice and how the education system can be tweaked to better respond to the situation in practice,” he says. This means ensuring a rigorous educational platform in which students are introduced to architectural theories as well as real-world business concerns such as managing client relationships and operating within financial constraints.

Last year, Mr Tan was one of three people to win the coveted Designer of the Year prize at the President’s Design Award 2014.

He was described by the President’s Design Award jurors as “one of the most versatile architects in Singapore”, as shown by the wideranging projects he has worked on over the years. But running through all of his designs is a common thread – an emphasis on place-making or, as Mr Tan puts it, a people-centred approach to architecture that “pays heed to basic functions and aesthetics”.

Citing the Assyafaah Mosque as an example, he says, “It was about striving for a universal language for mosques removed from MiddleEastern influences. It was about modern Singapore, about ethereal spaces which elevated one’s being, about a gentle progression from tradition.” He sought to create a contemporary structure that, in keeping with Singapore’s multiracial heritage, would be attractive to Muslims and non-Muslims.

Being an architect is thus both a privilege and a responsibility.

“Every architect should do his or her own thing. We need variety, not homogeneity. Every project has different conditions and different needs, so even [one’s] style should vary,” he asserts. “What is important is place-making.”

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ALUMNI SCENE

DIAMOND LIFE

The iconic Peranakan kasut manik, beaded slippers that were possibly inspired by Victorian cross-stitch designs.

OWNER OF PRIVATE MUSEUM THE INTAN, ALVIN YAPP (BUSINESS ’95) MIGHT HAVE COME ACROSS AS AN ODDBALL UNDERGRADUATE, BUT IT WAS ALL ABOUT CHASING HIS DREAMS AND DISCOVERING HIS PERANAKAN ROOTS. BY ARTI MULCHAND

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things have always been the way they are now,” he explains.

He is unfazed by the fact that he lives in a museum. “I actually enjoy the house most through the eyes of my visitors, he says.

This planter’s chair was the first piece in Mr Yapp’s collection, and sowed the seed for The Intan 30 years ago.

During term-breaks, he would travel, often backpacking, through Eastern Europe to Indonesia, picking up clothes and accessories for the following semester’s “look” along the way.

“I never knew where I was going until I got there, and I often came back looking like a hippie or a farmer. Friends [later] told me I was regarded as quite the character at NUS – friendly but bizarre,” he says.

CHASING HIS DREAMS It came as no surprise then to anyone when upon graduating, Mr Yapp landed a job that spoke of his love for travel. He became a station manager with Singapore Airlines, based first in San Francisco and then Dhaka, for a total of four years before returning to Singapore in 2000. That was when his Peranakan passion also resurfaced.

Soon after his return, he moved into a condominium unit in Marine Parade. The collection he had amassed became an intrinsic part of its décor. Before long, he found himself receiving requests for

mini-tours, which he obliged.

In 2003 he left SIA to head Corporate Affairs for renowned homegrown outdoor display player BusAds, which his father Matthew had set up in 1983. It also allowed for the idea of a private Peranakan museum, The Intan (meaning ‘rose-cut diamond’ in Malay), to fully bloom.

In 2008, Mr Yapp chanced upon a 1,000 sq ft shophouse for sale in Joo Chiat Terrace and decided to give The Intan a proper home. It was also around then that the National Heritage Board suggested turning the unit into a museum – an idea that Mr Yapp took up.

Now, apart from a second floor bedroom that is “off limits”, The Intan is used for the display of Peranakan furniture and artefacts, from colourful tiffin carriers and porcelain pots, to rows of kasut manik (beaded slippers) and jewellery. Mr Yapp has lost count

of the number of pieces in his possession, and laughs when asked their value.

For a fee, he conducts private tours of The Intan that end with either Peranakan kueh (desserts) or a meal prepared by his mother, Alice.

The Intan also hosts seminars, photo shoots, plays and even weddings, and is “registered as, but not operated like, a business,” Mr Yapp declares. It has no paid staff. His parents – his mother is 73 and his father, 68 – are his most active volunteers.

Displayed on a piano are some PHOTO BY WILSON PANG

UNCHED OVER books in the Hon Sui Sen Library and clad in fisherman’s pants, an ethnic tunic purchased in Nepal, with a rattail down his back, Alvin Yapp cut an odd figure. Back in 1991, he was often the first to arrive, and among the last to leave campus – when he did leave.

Often, the self-confessed “mugger” (Singlish for someone who studies by rote) could be found outside the library late at night with a small group of fellow-bookworms, bonding over suppers of Fong Seng Nasi Lemak on Pasir Panjang Road.

Academic success came late for Mr Yapp, 45. “I was such a terrible student,” he recalls. “I even flirted with the Chinese teacher so I could pass. I don’t know how many times my parents were asked to see the principal.”

When he finally made it into the National University of Singapore, he was more surprised than anyone else. In his second year, he made the Honour Roll. “I overcompensated for the decade spent fooling around – all my time and energy went into studying.”

While he did find time to be a member of the NUS Catholic Students’ Society, and had “girlfriends here and there”, his true non-academic passions lay elsewhere. It all started when at 15, after watching – but not being able to follow – a Peranakan play with his family, he developed a fixation with discovering his roots.

His undergraduate weekends were spent scouring antique shops and garage sales for authentic Peranakan artefacts.

of the top accolades The Intan has received, including a plaque for the Best Overall Experience in 2011’s Museum Roundtable Awards, and the Patron of Heritage Award, presented to his parents in 2012 for their donation of 72 batik altar cloths (tok wi) to the Peranakan Museum.

These awards celebrate his lifelong quest to stay connected to his roots and introduce the culture to Peranakans and non-Peranakans alike.“It’s about remaining anchored to history. Singapore has developed and changed so much and so fast, I worry that young people think that

I CAN HELP CREATE MEANING IN PEOPLE’S LIVES, AND I SHOULD USE THAT GIFT TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY ... IT IS WHY I LOVE WHAT I DO.

PASSION FOR GIVING The Intan also allows Mr Yapp to do the community work that drives him. Before the elder Mr Yapp started BusAds, the family was not well off and money featured highly in the younger Mr Yapp’s prayers.

“I prayed for money all the time.

Everything we had was second hand, and we had chicken rice only on birthdays. Those things stuck with me even after life became a lot more comfortable in my teens,” he says.

Now is his “time to give back”.

The revenue generated from The Intan’s tour fees supports the community work it does. Mr Yapp has organised charity events to raise funds for several organisations, including the Assisi Hospice, where he volunteered when he was younger, as well as Arc’s Children Centre and the Singapore Children’s Society.

In the last eight years, The Intan’s contributions to various causes through Project Intan, its fundraising arm, have added up to about S$500,000.

Ultimately, Mr Yapp hopes for The Intan what he hopes for himself – to continue being able to do good. “I realise that I can help create meaning in people’s lives, and I feel like I should use that gift to make things better for the community, the people I love and the people I meet every day … It is why I love what I do.”

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PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE was the turning point for me – had I not gone on the exchange, I would probably have just become a banker after graduating.”

One of Ms Wong’s creations – a cassis plum, yoghurt and bamboo shoot confection.

SWEET A DREAMS JANICE WONG (ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ’05) WENT ON AN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE AS AN UNDERGRADUATE, AND HER LIFE BECAME ALL THE SWEETER FOR IT.

BY KOH YUEN LIN

Shades of Purple

T HER POP-UP STORE, Janice Wong paints on canvasses with marshmallow and chocolate and creates edible installation art pieces for glamorous lifestyle events. And at her restaurant 2am: dessertbar, she serves up avant-garde confections – think popcorn ‘clouds’, edible ‘corals’ shaped out of chilli chocolate, and a chocolate cake made from only mixing chocolate, egg white and water – creations that have won Ms Wong the title of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef at the San Pellegrino Asia’s 50 Best awards in 2013 and 2014.

With guest chef stints all around the world, spanning Mexico to Japan, and an invitation from a Japanese mall developer to open in Tokyo, the 32 yearold alumnus is truly becoming a global

MAIN PHOTO BY WILSON PANG, DESSERT PHOTOS COURTESY OF JANICE WONG

DIVERGENT ASPIRATIONS

name. Yet Ms Wong says her life could have been very different if not for an academic exchange in Melbourne in 2004, when she was an undergraduate in her second last semester studying economics.

“I picked Melbourne as I have always liked the cultural diversity of the city. School was just four days a week so I spent the rest of the time exploring the city,” recounts Ms Wong.

“It was in Yarra Valley that I was introduced to artisanal produce. One of the most vivid memories I have is of picking strawberries at a farm. Growing up in Singapore, one hardly has any exposure to farming. To discover that one could enjoy such delicious flavours [just by picking the strawberries] right off the ground blew my mind. That

Indeed, if you had met Ms Wong some 10 years ago, you would have encountered a very different person.

A national squash player in her junior college days, she remained an active sportsperson in university. As she relates, “Sports kept me very disciplined, so I did badminton, rugby, basketball – whatever I could play. I am not the type of person who can just do one thing and one thing only.”

The opportunity to take up modules unrelated to one’s field of study was something that also appealed to her need for diversity. Among them were French and Japanese – both of which came in very handy when she embarked on her journey as a chef, first while studying in pastry school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and subsequently while exploring Japan for expansion opportunities.

Perhaps having always had her finger in many pies gave Ms Wong the innate confidence to embark on a new path in life. After she graduated in 2005, Ms Wong headed for Cordon Bleu – where she studied for three months – and then started knocking on the doors of top restaurants around the world. Within two years, she had garnered experience working with names such as cutting-edge American chefs Will Goldfarb, Wylie Dufresne and Grant Achatz, Spanish chocolatierextraordinaire Oriol Balaguer and iconic French pastry chef Pierre Hermé.

But Ms Wong never lost sight of her purpose. She knew from the get-go that her end goal was to start her own business within two years, and was constantly coming up with ideas and proposals to present to her father.

Despite his initial disappointment upon learning of her career move, Mr Wong – who works in the finance industry – agreed to fund his daughter’s first business venture. After she had presented multiple proposals, he finally gave one his stamp of approval. This would become 2am: dessertbar, which opened in September 2007.

MORE THAN A SUGAR RUSH From the single dessert bar, she has since gone on to open multi-functional space 2am: lab, which is used for research and private events. Since

MY BACKGROUND IN ECONOMICS AND THE ABILITY TO CRUNCH NUMBERS MEAN THAT I MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ON WHERE TO INVEST MY RESOURCES. December 2014, Ms Wong has also been busy setting up pop-up stores selling her newly-developed collection of retail items such as edible chocolate paints in rainbow colours and chocolates that can easily be mistaken for jewels. She is also in the midst of setting up a flagship retail store that is slated to open by end of 2015.

She dismisses the notion that she is an idealistic artist doing things to satisfy her own creative needs. “I always understood not just my strengths as a creative individual but also as a business person. My background in economics and the ability to crunch numbers mean that I make better decisions on where to invest my resources,” she says.

“It is very important to have an idea.

But even more important is to think about how to turn that idea into a viable business,” Ms Wong reflects. A case in point is the commissions for the edible art that she creates . “It takes perhaps five-fold more time to develop art exhibit pieces than desserts [sold at the bar].

But the arts scene is booming and is constantly being promoted – these days, I generate about S$300,000 in revenue annually from arts events.”

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U @LIVE

ONE SPEAKER. 10 MINUTES. BOUNDLESS INSPIRATION. U@live is our monthly guest speaker series that showcase NUS alumni who have a passion for making a difference.

Hosted by Alumni Advisory Board member and veteran TV presenter Mr Viswa Sadasivan (Arts and Social Sciences ‘83) at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House, the one-hour session is also streamed live on the U@live website.

To register for future U@live events, visit www.nus.edu.sg/ualive.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE LOCAL CONTENT, WHICH EMBODIES THE STORIES OF SINGAPORE AND ITS PEOPLE.

DR YAACOB IBRAHIM (ENGINEERING ‘80)

FINDING THE PERFECT BALANCE Minister for Communications and Information Dr Yaacob Ibrahim on media convergence and the need to constantly review the media regularity framework. lmost everyone in Singapore has easy access to digital content on-the-go. In the 298-seater auditorium of the Shaw Foundation Alumni House alone where this U@live session – with Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim as the guest speaker – was held, the crowd could get on their smartphones and tablets. Through these, the audience could post their questions to the Minister as he spoke on the topic of media convergence. The one-hour session was also telecast live online,

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so those not physically present could also be a part of the discussion.

Information technology at work?

Most certainly.

However in 1996 – not too long ago – the Internet was a rare privilege used only by the University’s professors, and only within the campus as a means to exchange ideas, said Dr Yaacob who was at that time, a faculty member.

He was an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Connection speed was at a mere 28 kilobytes per second (Kbps), Dr Yaacob recalled with a chuckle.

Today, the average connection speed throughout Singapore is 12.2 megabit per second (Mbps) – over 50 times faster – placing the republic at 10th position in global rankings for surfing speeds.

Media convergence – which refers to digitisation of media content, coupled with high-speed broadband connectivity and the proliferation of Internet-enabled devices – is now a buzz phrase.

This has led to a transformation in the way content is distributed and consumed globally, said Dr Yaacob.

He cited a trend in the United Kingdom where there is a distinction between ‘lean forward’ and ‘lean back’ medium brought about by an increase in the engagement of the computer screen as a television set.

“Isn’t it only logical then that the laws governing television applies also to the Internet?” he asked.

While media convergence is byand-large a “positive development”, which “improves the quality of life for Singaporeans”, it is not without its dark side, warned Dr Yaacob.

The Media Development Authority (MDA)’s policy and regulatory frameworks – which so far has been designed for traditional media platforms and industry structures – will therefore need to be reviewed in order to keep pace with the changing media environment. “It’s crucial to find a balance – that sweet spot,” he said.

“But who should set the standards for this refreshed framework? Is it for the government to decide what is right?” asked session moderator Mr Viswa Sadasivan. Dr Yaacob acknowledged that it is indeed impossible for the government to be right all the time. Therefore, the ministry needs to consult widely before any drastic measures are put in place. It is important, he said, that the MDA continues to support the growth of the media sector while protecting consumer and societal interests in this new media landscape.

At this juncture, Mr Sadasivan brought up the controversial documentary To Singapore, With Love by local film-maker Tan Pin Pin. The 70-minute film on Singapore’s political exiles (who were mostly members or supporters of the Communist Party of Malaya) received a “Not Allowed for All Ratings (NAR)” classification from the MDA in September 2014. In this case, asked Mr Sadasivan, was the decision to ban the film politicallymotivated? Dr Yaacob was quick to clarify that while the film cannot be screened publicly or be allowed for distribution (reason being that it offers only a one-sided account with minimal attempts to provide a balanced mix of views beyond those provided by the interviewees), it is on the contrary, not entirely banned and therefore can still be viewed in private.

In a similar vein, a member of the audience questioned the production of local content – is there enough of these and are these of quality?

Dr Yaacob revealed that the government has invested heavily in public service broadcasting to support local content development.

“We strongly encourage local content, which embodies the stories of Singapore and its people”, he said, noting how such productions strengthen national identity and play an important role in bonding the community.

Another member of the audience expressed concern over the “explosion of information Singaporeans are subjected to” whenever a new scheme or policy is introduced. “Must the government release so much information at one go? It’s a lot to take in and very confusing for senior citizens like me,” he said, citing the launch of the Pioneer Generation Package in February 2014 as an example, drawing laughter from his fellow audience members. Agreeing, Dr Yaacob reassured him that the government is beginning to understand the need to be succinct

when making any announcements.

More efforts will be made to break down large chunks of information into “little, bite-sized nuggets” that Singaporeans can easily digest and understand.

Mr Sadasivan concluded the session by applauding the Minister for being open and sporting in answering questions, enabling an invigorating discussion to take place. It’s hard enough to get family members to all be on the same page, much less an entire society in which everyone is asserting different views on a topic that’s relevant to us all, he said.

“I don’t envy the position you’re in, Minister,” teased Mr Sadasivan.

Dr Yaacob quipped in turn, “Well if this doesn’t work out, I believe I still have a place in the University faculty.”

BY FAIROZA MANSOR DR YAACOB SPOKE ON 26 NOVEMBER 2014.

U @LIVE

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road).

“The school had a good athletic environment, and I had teachers who were keen to develop my athletic talent.”

It was people like these who gave him the much-needed support and confidence to pursue his ambitions, thus expanding his outermost circle.

“The 1966 Asian Games were held two months before my final MBBS exams, so I had to train and study at the same time,” Dr Jegathesan recalled. “Before each race, I envisioned myself being the first to cross the finish line over and over again – and it worked! That just shows how powerful visual imagery and auto-suggestion can be.”

His enabling environment was also largely shaped by his undergraduate years. “Being at NUS taught me how to have good time management. It also taught me about integrity, honesty and accountability – values I cannot shake [off].”

Of course, hard work and sacrifices are required to achieve one’s dreams.

TAN SRI DR MANI JEGATHESAN (MEDICINE ’67)

AHEAD OF THE PACK Now a high-ranking sports administrator, Tan Sri Dr Mani Jegathesan reveals how in his youth he was able to excel in his twin passions of athletics and medicine. he first U@live session of 2015 may have been a highly anticipated affair for members of the audience, but for its speaker it was a long time coming. The Malaysianborn Tan Sri Dr Mani Jegathesan has not been at NUS for a long while, and called it a “singular honour” to be back at his alma mater. After all, Dr Jegathesan admitted, he owes a lot of his success – on and off the track – to the education he received here.

Once dubbed the ‘Fastest Man in Asia’, Dr Jegathesan won three gold medals at the 1966 Asian Games in Bangkok in the 100m, 200m and 4×100m Men’s Relay races. He also competed in three consecutive Olympic Games in Rome (1960), Tokyo (1964) and Mexico City (1968).

It was during his last appearance

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at the Olympic Games that he set a time of 20.92 seconds in the 200m event – a Malaysian record that remains unbroken today.

He was no slouch at his studies, either. In 1967, Dr Jegathesan graduated among the top of his cohort at NUS (then the University of Singapore) with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). He then spent 30 years at Malaysia’s Ministry of Health, culminating in his post as its Deputy Director-General (Research and Technical Support) (1994–1998).

Now retired, he is Honorary Medical Advisor to the Commonwealth Games Federation (since 2003) and Chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia’s Medical Committee (since 2007).

Before Dr Jegathesan went on stage, another sporting legend

– Singapore’s own Mr C Kunalan, a two-time Olympic sprinter in 1964 and 1968 – gave a brief introduction.

He elicited much laughter with his entertaining account of how, in a photo-finish ending, Dr Jegathesan pipped him to first place by 0.01 seconds at the 1966 Asian Games 100m Final. “We were archrivals back then, but good friends today,” said Mr Kunalan. “‘Jega’ pushed me to be the best athlete I could be.”

So how was Dr Jegathesan – aka the ‘Flying Doctor’ – able to reach such a high echelon in sport while simultaneously achieving excellent academic results? He described his ‘can-do’ outlook in terms of three concentric circles (from innermost to outermost): the individual, the people around you and the enabling environment.

Within the innermost circle lies the individual whose development is influenced by both nature and nurture. On the one hand, Dr Jegathesan’s talent for sports ran in the family. “My father and two of my older brothers were also athletes,” he said. But on the other hand, “nothing will happen if you do not develop your talent.”

Helping Dr Jegathesan to nurture his athletic ability were those in the middle circle, including his parents and coaches. He also spoke about his earlier years in Singapore as a student at Singapore’s

“In my case, I had less time to make friends, so I only hung out with a small circle of close friends,” he said.

That was a sacrifice Dr Jegathesan was willing to make, but he said that “you have to judge for yourself if the price you are paying is worth it”.

U@live session moderator Mr Viswa Sadasivan was clearly thrilled to be in the presence of not one but two sporting icons.

Given Dr Jegathesan’s impressive accomplishments, Mr Sadasivan wondered how he managed to keep his ego in check. “Power and wealth make you arrogant; I had neither,” replied Dr Jegathesan. “[After winning three gold medals at the 1966 Asian Games,] the reality was that I still had to go back to university and pass my final exams.

So I found it very easy to stay humble.”

Dr Jegathesan also took questions from the audience, many of whom wanted to know what key lessons he learned from his experiences as an

U@live is a monthly

athlete. “Sport builds up your inner strength and resilience, teaches you how to deal with successes as well as failures, and teaches you about team spirit. These are all qualities that CEOs need [to be good bosses],” he said. Unlike in the past, most universities now offer tailored programmes such as part-time and deferred courses, making it easier to combine sports and academics.

Before the session ended, Mr Sadasivan asked Dr Jegathesan if he had any words of wisdom for the current crop of NUS students and young graduates. “Make the most of the opportunities you are given; don’t waste them,” he advised. “Don’t be afraid to dream, for out of dreams come visions; if you envision a plan, you can make them happen.”

BY WANDA TAN TAN SRI DR JEGATHESAN SPOKE ON 28 JANUARY 2015.

one speaker 10 minutes

BOUNDLESS INSPIRATION

speaker series that showcase outstanding members of the NUS community. Apart from having a live audience, U@live will also be

27 MAY 2015 WEDNESDAY 7.30PM

webcasted live through a dedicated website where users can send in real time

Ms Tin Pei Ling

comments and questions

DON’T BE AFRAID TO DREAM, FOR OUT OF DREAMS COME VISIONS; IF YOU ENVISION A PLAN, YOU CAN MAKE THEM HAPPEN. 30

ALUMNUS

Arts and Social Sciences ’07

directly to the speakers.

Member of Parliament, Marine Parade GRC

U@live Speaker Series are moderated by Mr Viswa Sadasivan, Chairman of the U@live Organising Committee and Member of the NUS Alumni Advisory Board.

Reserve Your Seats Now!

Attend the forum live at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet

OR

Join Us Online!

www.nus.edu.sg/ualive

U @LIVE

MR JACK SIM (LEE KUAN YEW SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY, MASTER IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ’13)

STARTING AT THE BASE

Struck by a midlife epiphany, Mr Jack Sim gave up a lucrative business career to found the World Toilet Organisation and subsequently, the Base of the Pyramid Hub. ost of us might bristle at being nicknamed ‘Mr Toilet’ but then again, few of us might be the socially conscious visionary that Mr Jack Sim (LKYSPP MPA ’13) is, to deserve that moniker.

Unconventional to the hilt, he has – arguably more than anyone else – broken the taboo surrounding sanitation and made it his mission to ensure that everyone has access to clean toilets. This is a basic requirement for personal hygiene, yet Mr Sim told a full auditorium at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House that 2.5 billion people worldwide are wanting in that need.

Mr Sim has always been somewhat of a maverick. A self-made man, the Institute of Technical Education graduate started his first business – importing building materials from Europe for distribution in Singapore and

M

THE GREAT EQUALISER [AMONG THE RICH AND THE POOR] IS THAT WE ALL NEED TO GO TO THE TOILET. Malaysia – at the age of 24. By the time the 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis hit, the then 40-year-old had founded or co-founded 16 profitable ventures – including a roof tile manufacturing plant in Malaysia and the Australian International School in Singapore.

Like many others, Mr Sim was 32

ALUMNUS

affected by the recession. But rather than worry, he took stock of his life – and realised that the corporate ‘rat race’ no longer appealed to him. Having achieved financial independence, he wanted to devote the rest of his life to social causes.

“A man lives, on average, for about 80 years. [That meant] I only had half my life left to do useful things before I die,” he said.

After reading a newspaper report in which Singapore’s then Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong (Arts ’64) mentioned that the country’s graciousness could be measured by the state of its public toilets, Mr Sim was inspired to tackle the global sanitation problem. He established the Restroom Association of Singapore in 1998, followed by the World Toilet Organisation (WTO) in 2001. The WTO is a non-governmental organisation committed to improving toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide through education, training and the creation of business opportunities for toiletrelated companies in developing countries.

In 2013, WTO’s stature was solidified when its self-proclaimed World Toilet Day – held on 19 November, the same day WTO was formed – was declared an official United Nations day. Along the way, Mr Sim has won numerous accolades including Fellow of the Ashoka: Innovators for the Public (2007), Time magazine’s ‘Hero of the Environment’ (2008)

and Reader’s Digest magazine’s ‘Asian of the Year’ (2011).

Clean toilets aside, Mr Sim also wanted to alleviate poverty among the world’s poorest – the so-called ‘base of the pyramid’ made up of more than four billion people in emerging economies who live on less than US$10 a day. He realised that charitable donations, although well-intentioned, actually hamper job creation and productivity.

“Donations perpetuate poverty because [giving free stuff] creates a market price of zero, against which locals cannot compete,” he explained. “Instead, we need to encourage and empower people at the base of the pyramid to become entrepreneurs themselves.”

This was the rationale behind Mr Sim’s second social movement,

Base of the Pyramid (BoP) Hub, launched in 2011. The Singapore-based business accelerator platform offers matchmaking services to business entities looking to enter the largelyuntapped BoP markets. It promotes cross-sector collaboration between players with the aim of stimulating the business environment in these economies, hence fuelling local entrepreneurship.

“Capitalism is supposed to unlock people’s spirit of enterprise, but it has resulted in an inequitable distribution of wealth,” lamented Mr Sim, who called for “a new manifesto for success”.

“How relevant or useful is what you do for other people?” he asked.

Couching success in these terms will hopefully spur people to do social good and lead to a fairer distribution of wealth. “After all, the great equaliser is that we all need to go to the toilet.”

Mr Viswa Sadasivan (Arts and Social Sciences ’83), who has moderated more than 40 U@live sessions to date,

described Mr Sim’s “wholehearted and plainspoken” speech as one of the most inspiring. He asked Mr Sim what he thought it would take to produce more like-minded social activists in Singapore. “Real leaders are people who are not afraid to make fools of themselves,” said Mr Sim who proudly goes by ‘Mr Toilet’ despite receiving his fair share of laughs. “Don’t be tied up in your own self-image or vanity, and [let go of] your fear and your [hidden] feelings of inferiority.”

When queried by a member of the audience on why he went back to university in his 50s to pursue a Master in Public Administration, Mr Sim spoke about his past – and at times frustrating – experiences with bureaucrats. “They kept saying ‘no’ to my ideas,” he recalled. “[Eventually] I realised that I was less frustrated at them than I was at my inability to engage them. I had to learn how to incentivise them, how

to align my interests with theirs.”

Indeed, Mr Sim has put this lesson – the alignment of interests – to good use. Although happy to have drawn attention to the previously-neglected agendas of improving sanitation, helping to end poverty and redefining success, Mr Sim refuses to take the credit for it. Rather, he sees his role as “a catalyst or trigger” in getting people on board to create large-scale social change.

“You cannot solve an inclusive problem exclusively,” he explained. “[But by finding out people’s interests and aligning these with your own,] many people can take ownership of the problem and contribute to a solution in their own way.”

BY WANDA TAN MR SIM SPOKE ON 25 FEBRUARY 2015.

NUS Faculty of Engineering

Gala Dinner 2015 Date: 16 Oct 2015, Friday Time: 6.30pm Venue: Shangri-La Hotel For enquiries, please contact Desmond at engkcpd@nus.edu.sg or 6516 7925

YOUNG CAMPUS COUPLE REPAYS GIFTS OF KINDNESS WITH BURSARY

M

r Kelly Choo Hon Min (Computing ’08) first met his wife, Ms Jessie Tong (Science ’09), at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Entrepreneurship Society’s recruitment drive for newcomers.

The attention of the budding entrepreneur from the School of Computing was drawn to Ms Tong’s pink-tinted glasses, and he spoke to her about the organisation and activities. She was very attentive to what he had to say and they brought their further interactions over to online messaging as well as CCA activities where they got to know each other better.

In Singapore’s 50th year, the now happily-married couple will be expecting a jubilee baby, and has given back to NUS through the NUS Campus Couples Bursary Fund to commemorate the many memories they share about their University

$ $ $

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H

AS WE HAVE BENEFITTED FROM SOMEONE ELSE’S KINDNESS, BE IT THROUGH ADVICE, MONEY OR TIME, WE SHOULD PAY IT FORWARD TO THE NEXT GENERATION. MR KELLY CHOO HON MIN (COMPUTING ’08)

days. An alumni-led initiative, the NUS Campus Couples Bursary Fund encourages couples who met on campus to make a gift to bursaries in support of financiallydisadvantaged students.

“We were both in the NUS Overseas College in Philadelphia where we got to travel and know each other better,” says Mr Choo, reminiscing about the quality time spent with Ms Tong, then a student from the Faculty of Science.

The couple was thrilled to be given the opportunity to repay the acts of kindness they had received during their University days.

“My wife benefitted from various NUS bursaries during her The couple’s marriage solemnisation at Flutes at the Fort. undergraduate studies

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FROM TAN CHIN TUAN BURSARY RECIPIENT TO PIONEER TO PHILANTHROPIST

and we are delighted to give back to our alma mater. As we have benefitted from someone else’s kindness, be it through advice, money or time, we should pay it forward to the next generation,” Mr Choo says.

Through this Bursary, the couple hopes to enable students, regardless of financial standing, to pursue their dreams and passions.

“The University allows us to acquire the foundations of learning how to learn, which is important for lifelong learning and selfimprovement,” says Mr Choo.

He has since started his own online business intelligence company Brandtology, which hosts many students and aspiring entrepreneurs in its offices to share their entrepreneurial journey and lessons. They also participate regularly in corporate social responsibility events and hope to contribute more to society in future.

IMAGE ISTOCKPHOTO

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS GIVING

bursary, also provided e was one of nine

by Tan Sri Dr Tan, to children and his pay for his studies in parents could not social sciences at the afford to pay for Mr Lee Kok Wah University of Singapore, his school books, the predecessor nor could they provide him with institution of the National pocket money. So, Mr Lee Kok Wah the key to our future. He was (Arts and Social Sciences ’69) would University of Singapore (NUS). very enterprising and showed Today, Mr Lee is a businessman me that from failure you get borrow his classmates’ books and with over 40 years’ experience in his father would laboriously copy success. This bursary also serves the corporate, finance and capital the text on a typewriter – by to remind future generations of markets and is renowned for his candlelight. If he was lucky, his the tremendous sacrifices of our ability to turn around flagging grandmother would give him a parents for a better future,” he says. companies, particularly in the potato to take to school for his What is his hope for the marine and shipping sectors. lunch and his friends would share recipients of his bursary? “They He is one of Singapore’s pioneer their food with him. should use the money wisely and generations who helped lay the Mr Lee’s life changed hopefully one day they will help foundations for modern day dramatically 50 years ago when the poorer sections of society.

Singapore’s success. “Those were a teacher put him forward for Money should be used wisely. fantastic days, the 60s, 70s and a scholarship to pay for his ‘A’ Instead of accumulating money, 80s. We were part of the pioneers. level studies. The scholarship they should put their dollars where We were building up Singapore. was provided by banker and they can do more in terms of being We were tiny in Asia and no one philanthropist Tan Sri Dr Tan of real benefit to society,” says knew where Singapore was,” he Chin Tuan, who gave both his Mr Lee. recalls fondly. money and his time generously to Mr Lee has made a gift to NUS young people in financial need. “I to set up the Mr and Mrs Lee Wai was touched and inspired by his Mr Lee Kok Wah Kin Bursary at the Faculty of Arts generosity. He taught me the value and his late father. and Social Sciences in memory of hard work. His philosophy was of his parents. “My father truly if I give one dollar to someone believed that education was who does not need it, it is not as impactful as giving to someone who is in desperate need. I told myself that one day I would reciprocate and help low-income families whose children qualify for university,” shares Mr Lee, who met Tan Sri Dr Tan on a number of occasions.

The scholarship MR LEE KOK WAH (ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE ’69) was followed by a

INSTEAD OF ACCUMULATING MONEY, [RECIPIENTS] SHOULD PUT THEIR DOLLARS WHERE THEY CAN DO MORE IN TERMS OF BEING OF REAL BENEFIT TO SOCIETY..

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ALUMNI HAPPENINGS EVENTS

NUS Bizad Charity Run 2015 Another record-breaking year

LEE KUAN YEW SCHOOL CHINESE NEW YEAR LO HEI DINNER Chinese New Year is traditionally a period of big celebrations, and also a time of reunion and affirmation of friendships. Over 100 alumni from the Lee Kuan Yew School Alumni Chapter (Singapore) and staff from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) gathered together for the Chinese New Year Lo Hei Dinner on 27 February 2015 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel.

The evening celebration kicked off with an impressive lion dance performance.

Ms Ann Yom Steel, Director of External Affairs, provided an update on the school’s development while Mr Bernard Oh (LKYSPP ’11), President of the Lee Kuan Yew School Alumni Chapter (Singapore), shared the Chapter’s plans for the new year.

The event emcee, Mr Yang Li (LKYSPP ’13), led the dinner party with an elaborate explanation of the Lo Hei (Chinese New Year salad) process, explaining the auspicious connotations of each ingredient. This was followed by the intense tossing of the salad, a memorable experience relished by all.

Ms Ann Yom Steel, Director, External Affairs and Head, Global Partnerships, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Mr Bernard Oh (LKYSPP ’11)

Enthusiastic runners getting ready to start the NUS Bizad Charity Run 2015.

Light clouds and a gentle cool breeze made the perfect setting for the fifth NUS Bizad Charity Run, held on 10 January 2015 at the National University of Singapore Kent Ridge campus. This annual event is a chance for students and alumni as well as members of the faculty and staff to get together in a relaxed and fun environment, and to contribute to a good cause.

This year’s race was particularly momentous as it marked the 50th anniversaries of both the Business School and Singapore’s independence, with proceeds going to the event’s chosen charity, Assumption Pathway School, as well as the NUS Business School Alumni Association Bursary Funds which support undergraduate students in need of financial assistance.

The event raised a record-breaking S$140,000 and drew 1,300 participants.

THIRSTY THURSDAYS 2015’s first Thirsty Thursdays organised by the Office of Alumni Relations was held on 15 January at D’Bell, a modern Indian and restaurant lounge. The popular event where young NUS alumni meet up to network saw close to 100 participants turn up to meet new friends under the memorable setting of a bhangra dance performance delivered by the NUS Sikh Society.

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ALUMNUS

The venue was abuzz with the excited chatter of participants as they took their places at the starting line outside the Mochtar Riady Building. Among the sea of red Bizad T-shirts were enthusiastic students from Assumption Pathway School and members of the public, many of whom ran with their spouses, children and even canine companions.

This year’s routes were drawn up by Mr Benn Ng (Business ’89). An experienced runner, Benn decided to contribute his knowledge to the worthy cause and joined the event’s organising committee. “I wanted to make the terrain a little more challenging than last year’s by including hills and staircases,” he said. The new-and-improved routes also offered participants a chance to explore the campus and share their experiences with family members and friends. Many participants expressed their enjoyment at discovering parts of the campus they had never seen before.

Mr Colin Chow (Business ’81), Director of the NUS Business School Alumni, came dressed in bright green shorts and a bandana. His enthusiasm was infectious as he spoke animatedly about the day’s events. “It’s a fun event but, more importantly, it’s a chance to give back and do some good,” he explained. “We have a 10-kilometre run for more serious runners and a five-kilometre run in which the whole family can participate.”

Among participants was also former national gymnast and alumnus Ms Lim Heem Wei (Business ’14), who flagged off the first batch of runners.

Summing up the spirit of the event, Guest-of-Honour Mrs Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Transport, reminded participants that there is no better way to celebrate how far we have come than by giving back: “More than the funds raised, it is the spirit of reaching out that makes this event so important.

Let us continue to demonstrate this spirit and build a better Singapore!”

MPAM PROGRAMME VALEDICTORY DINNER The fifth run of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP)’s Master in Public Administration and Management (MPAM) programme closed on a celebratory note on 6 January 2015, when the Class of 2014 gathered for a valedictory dinner held at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

The dinner commenced with a speech from LKYSPP’s Dean, Professor Kishore Mahbubani (Arts and Social Sciences ’71) , who conveyed his heartfelt congratulations and well-wishes to the graduating class of 70 students.

LKYSPP MPAM graduands dancing to the beat of a popular Chinese tune.

Ms Grace Fu with the School’s management.

The Dean of the NUS Business School, Professor Bernard Yeung wished the graduands not only success in their careers, but also the spirit to continue pursuing their ideals. He said, “Life must be lived forward, but it must be experienced backward.” Prof Yeung added that while building a career was a priority, it was equally important to care about the world at large and to cultivate a sense of fulfilment and purpose.

Guest-of-Honour Ms Grace Fu presented commemoration plaques to the graduands at the dinner. In return, the Class of 2014 presented appreciation tokens of framed Chinese calligraphy works to LKYSPP and the NUS Business School.

APR–JUN 2015

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ALUMNI HAPPENINGS EVENTS

NUS BUSINESS SCHOOL CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF DEVELOPING LEADERS On 16 August 1965, a week after Singapore gained independence, a new department was established at what was then the University of Singapore.

In the beginning, the Department of Business Administration had a full-time staff strength of four and its first cohort comprised 24 students. It grew quickly in size and scope to meet the growing demand for formal business education in Singapore, and would eventually come to be known as the NUS Business School.

Today, the school has 140 full-time faculty members and a student population of around 3,000 undergraduates and graduates.

Connecting with the Community With its vision of ‘Leading from Asia’, the school remains distinctive among the world’s leading business schools by offering the best of global knowledge with deep Asian insights. Its strong links with the business community give its students a critical edge for success

through collaborations that include consulting projects and internships such as field service projects, and management practicums. Programmes such as the Management Communications Camp teach students the soft skills they need to navigate the corporate world. These experiential learning programmes prepare future-ready graduates by immersing students in real-world situations.

Developing Leaders for Business and Society Growing in tandem with Singapore, the NUS Business School has benefitted from the nation’s rise and in turn contributed to its growth by developing business leaders who have made significant contributions in Singapore, throughout the region and elsewhere. On 4 November 2014, at the Eminent Business Alumni Awards, the School celebrated the achievements of alumni who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields and contributed to the larger community. Award recipients

over the years include outstanding leaders such as DBS Group Holdings Chairman Mr Peter Seah (Business ‘68); Former Chairman of NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Limited, Mr Ng Ser Miang (Business ‘71); SingTel Group CEO Ms Chua Sock Koong (Accountancy ‘79); and IBM Singapore Managing Director Ms Janet Ang (Business ’82), among many others.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS Alumni can look forward to a series of events to commemorate the official 50th Anniversary of the School during 2015. To mark the golden jubilee, a series of homecoming events are being organised in multiple cities to reconnect with fellow alumni as we celebrate the past, present and future of our alma mater. In Singapore, a major homecoming celebration is planned for 4 September at the Mochtar Riady Building, as well as a Gala Dinner on 28 October. Keep in touch with the School through the Global Alumni Network Office (GANO) and its various social media and outreach channels including its Outside-In blog and newsletter.

An Evening of STARS

Recipients of the Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Awards with Guest-of-Honour Prof Lily Kong (fourth from left) and FASS Dean Prof Brenda Yeoh (fourth from right).

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) organised its inaugural Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Awards in conjunction with the FASS STARS Awards 2015 (recognising FASS Service, Teaching, Alumni, Research and Long Service) on 2 March 2015. Former President Mr S R Nathan (Class of ’54) was conferred the Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Award (Lifetime Achievement) for his contributions to the Faculty, the University and Singapore.

Seven other alumni were conferred the Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Award for their contributions towards 38

ALUMNUS

nation-building, growth of the University and promotion of the arts and social sciences. They are Professor Maurice Baker (Class of ’41), Professor Wang Gungwu (Class of ’52), Mr Herman Ronald Hochstadt (Class of ’57), Mrs Tan Suan Imm (Class of ‘60), Ambassador Chan Heng Chee (Class of ’64), Mr Yap Boh Tiong (Class of ’69) and Professor Kishore Mahbubani (Class of ’71).

Professor Brenda Yeoh, Dean of FASS, commented, “As we celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday alongside NUS’ 110th Anniversary, it is fitting to honour the achievements of our alumni. The FASS Distinguished Alumni Award recipients have contributed with verve, energy and creativity to the nation, the University, the Faculty and Singapore society in various ways — be it in education and research, public service, the corporate world and volunteerism. Many of them were pioneering figures in the development of Singapore, without whom, our country would not be what it is today. Collectively, their achievements will inspire the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and NUS to new heights.”

Faculty members excelling in teaching and research were also acknowledged with the FASS Teaching Excellence, Outstanding Researcher and Promising Researcher awards.

FASS Service and the Long Service Awards were also given to colleagues who had served the University faithfully and with distinction. Alumnus Mr Jonathan Leong (Class of ’07 and first runner-up of Singapore Idol in 2006) was also present to entertain guests over the Chinese New Year Lo Hei dinner.

Assoc Prof T C Chang (Arts and Social Sciences ’89)

SOCIOLOGY ALUMNUS WINS ESTABLISHED ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD Sociology alumnus Mr Yap Boh Tiong (Arts and Social Sciences ’69) was honoured as a winner in the Established Entrepreneur category of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award (EYA) in November 2014.

In winning the award, Mr Yap’s agency, Mileage Communications, became the first PR agency to achieve this accolade. The Entrepreneur of the Year Award was jointly organised by the Rotary Club of Singapore and the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME). It is the oldest award (26th year) in Singapore that salutes and honours local entrepreneurs who have shown outstanding performance as business owners.

“Being the first is a big boost for the PR industry. I am honoured and delighted to receive this award which recognises my trailblazing journey as an entrepreneur. We have grown from a local operation to a pan-Asian network of 15 offices in nine countries serving many local and multi-national clients in various sectors,” said Mr Yap, Chairman of the Mileage Communications Group and a seasoned veteran PR practitioner. “I hope to see more local PR firms follow suit in the future.”

“The diversity of industries from which our winners come reflects

Mileage Communications is the first PR agency to achieve this accolade.

Singapore’s vibrant business landscape and also indicates that the entrepreneurial spirit is very much alive in Singapore. In today’s competitive business environment, cultivating entrepreneurs is crucial as they bring in improved ideas, new

innovations and perspectives that are essential to growth. We are extremely proud to have recognised these outstanding and diverse entrepreneurs this year,” said Mr Thomas Fernandez, from ASME and Award Co-Chairman of EYA 2014.

ALUMNI RETURN FOR GEOGRAPHY CAREER TALK 2015

Second from left, Ms Jolene Goh; fourth from left, Ms Celine Teo; fourth from right, Mr Jonathan Goh; third from right, Mr Keith Wong with faculty members from the Department of Geography.

The Department of Geography under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences was visited by four of its alumni on the occasion of the Geography Open House and Career Talk on 25 February 2015. They included Mr Keith Wong (Arts and Social Sciences ’00), Mr Jonathan Goh (Arts and Social Sciences ’07), Ms Jolene Goh and Ms Celine Teo (Arts and Social Sciences ’12). Speaking to over 300 students comprising undergraduates and junior college students, the alumni reminisced about their time at the Department and how their geographical training prepared them well for their work in organisations as varied as DBS Treasures, S.E.A. Aquarium, Singapore Land Authority and the Singapore Tourism Board. Mr Wong (Vice President of DBS Treasures) said: “Geography taught me more than just a ‘sense of place’ and ‘territorial maps’. It is the unexpected interrelations between the discipline and the economic realities of our ever-changing financial landscape in a globalised world that have helped me in my career.”

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ALUMNI HAPPENINGS OVERSEAS CHAPTERS

CHENGDU OVERSEAS CHAPTER REUNION DINNER The NUS Chengdu Overseas Chapter gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving on

Saturday, 22 November 2014.

About half of the alumni who turned up for the event were first-timers.

The atmosphere was characterised by the warmth and camaraderie of new friends getting to know one another and the strengthening of new bonds. A new WeChat group called NUS Chengdu Alumni was created that evening to mark new beginnings.

Mr William Gan (Computing ’89), Chairperson, NUS Chengdu Overseas Chapter

VANCOUVER OVERSEAS CHAPTER

Auckland Overseas Chapter The NUS Auckland Overseas Chapter held their much anticipated ‘TaiChi’ session on 6 December 2014.

Cornwall Park was the perfect location for their weekly fitness routine. After the 90 minutes of the 10-form workout session, the enthusiastic group of 34 adults and 16 children ended the evening with a sumptuous dinner.

Mr Ee Chiong Boon (Arts and Social Sciences ’82), Chairperson, NUS Auckland Overseas Chapter

On 29 November 2014, the NUS Vancouver Overseas Chapter organised a reunion dinner that was attended by 40 alumni and their spouses. The reunion was a great opportunity for fellow alumni to network with new alumni in Vancouver, Canada. Many had the chance to learn about recent developments in Singapore, and at NUS in particular.

The event kicked off with a video on the Autumn Festival in Singapore and continued with Christmas carolling. The evening ended with all guests joining hands and singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

Mr Arthur Yap (Arts and Social Sciences ’63), Chairperson, NUS Vancouver Overseas Chapter

Let's

Chill Out! 30 april 2015

(PG)

28 may 2015

(PG-13)

25 june 2015

(G)

Admission is FREE Venue: Shaw Foundation Alumni House Time: 7.30pm Register at: www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet 40

ALUMNUS

For enquiries, please contact Mr Kyaw Win Shwe at kyawwinshwe@nus.edu.sg or 6516 5769.

APR–JUN 2015

41

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS OVERSEAS CHAPTERS 30 May 2015, Saturday

NUS ALUMNI DINNER IN MANILA of creative ways to nurture and maintain bonds that will make a difference. One such avenue is for local alumni to raise funds to provide scholarships for underprivileged Filipino youths.

It was an evening to remember, not just for the good food and great company, but more importantly, for the inspiring prospect of NUS alumni in the Philippines getting together to make it possible for more Filipino students to study in NUS. Dr Nikki Briones - Carsi Cruz (Arts & Social Sciences ’11)

BOSTON OVERSEAS CHAPTER CHRISTMAS LUNCH

20 June 2015, Saturday

The NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) held an alumni dinner for NUS alumni in the Philippines at the Glasshouse, New World Makati Hotel on 10 January this year.

OAR Director, Associate Professor Victor R Savage (Arts and Social Sciences ’72), delivered an engaging welcome speech, reminiscing his first trip to Manila as a young student of NUS in the 1970s. He highlighted the activities of OAR, emphasising the importance, value and great potential of the NUS alumni network.

The speech ended with a challenge issued to the alumni — to think

Chair a talk!

Networking opportunities!

Reconnect with fellow alumni!

12 September 2015, Saturday

Leadership skills!

The NUS Boston Overseas Chapter alumni were very excited to meet other fellow alumni for a Christmas lunch on 6 December 2014 at the Shabu-Zen restaurant in Boston.

Mr Girish Vanganuru (Engineering ’08) was a returning alumnus from the 2012 Christmas lunch who attended the gathering to meet and greet new alumni.

Alumni relished the opportunity to catch up with one another and share their experiences over the sumptuous ‘Shabu Shabu’ lunch.

Mr Robin Low (Engineering ’00), Chairperson, NUS Boston Overseas Chapter

Lead an interest group!

Master of ceremonies for OAR functions!

KEEN TO FORM YOUR OWN NUS ALUMNI GROUP (AG)?

We are here to help.

The NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) will provide you with the resources to get your new group off the ground: • Connect with students and fellow alumni • Event and publicity support • Preferential rental rates for facilities at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House for your alumni events • Access to the Alumni Network Hub - an interaction space - reserved

exclusively for alumni groups

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ALUMNUS

Log on to our website www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet for more information.

If you would like to start an NUS Alumni Group or join existing groups, do call us at 6516 5775 or email oarconnect@nus.edu.sg.

We would love to hear from you.

The NUS Alumni Group (AG) Network is a collective of 63 groups from faculties/schools, halls and varied interests. Each group caters to NUS alumni and aims to enrich their lives and strengthen ties among them through social and professional activities.

APR–JUN 2015

43

PRIVILEGES & OFFERS

FASHION AND RETAIL

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Nanyang Optical

- 40% discount off regular-priced frames.

- 30% discount off conventional contact lens.

- 10% discount off all contact lenses with minimum purchase of 2 boxes (on top of prevailing promotion price).

W: www.nanyang.com.sg

Your complimentary AlumNUS Card entitles you to a host of benefits and privileges!

Get your complimentary AlumNUS Card at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/alumnuscard

Rasel Catering Singapore

- S$100 discount off with minimum order of S$1,200.

- S$50 discount off with minimum order of S$600.

W: www.rasel.com.sg

We welcome alumni business owners to come on board as our AlumNUS Card merchant partners.

Drop us a note at oarconnect@nus.edu.sg and make an exceptional offer to fellow alumni.

ARTS SHOWCASE

The French Cellar

ZALORA

Ding Yi Music Company

10% discount off all standard concert tickets.

W: www.dingyimusic.com

The A Cappella Society

S$5 discount off ticket prices to all TAS productions.

W: www.a-capella.org.sg

S$50 discount off all wine subscriptions: two exclusive wines from France selected by 3-star Michelin sommelier.

W: www.thefrenchcellar.sg

- 18% discount off first purchase (code: NUSALUMNI).

- 12% discount off storewide for subsequent purchases (code: NUSA12).

W: www.zalora.sg

Pedro

BEAUTY AND WELLNESS Strip: Ministry of Waxing - 50% discount off first wax.

- 10% discount off all package purchases.

W: www.strip.com.sg

Browhaus - The Brow Salon

- 50% discount off first brow shaping service.

- 10% discount off all package purchases.

W: www.browhaus.com/sg_en/

Intune Music

10% discount off regular courses fees, and waiver of administrative fees worth S$20 (one-time fee).

W: www.intunemusic.com.sg

Prime De Vie

10% discount off regular-priced items. Plus, receive a Pedro membership with minimum of S$180 spent in a single receipt.

W: www.pedroshoes.com

The Mad Poet

10% discount off regular-priced items.

W: www.themadpoet.com

20% discount off Vinturi and all wine accessories.

W: www.primedevie.com.sg

Skinny Pizza

10% discount off total bill.

W: www.skinnypizza.com.sg

Tiong Bahru Bakery

10% discount off total bill.

W: www.tiongbahrubakery.com.sg

GNC

15% discount off regular-priced items.

W: www.gnc.com.sg

HEALTHCARE

The PPP Shop

- 3 complimentary facials + 1 Hyaluronic Acid Facial Mask.

- 20% discount off selected products.

W: www.pppshop.com

RafflesMedical

EDUCATION AND SELF-ENRICHMENT Aureus Academy

50% discount off the fees for first month of lessons and waiver of Registration fees (valued at S$35).

W: www.aureusacademy.com

Wiley

20% discount off all print products online.

W: www.wiley.com

Ink Fusion

S$35 discount off monthly Cartoon and Manga Course inclusive of art materials (valued at S$195).

W: www.inkfusion.com.sg

1. General Practice (GP) consultation from S$21.30.

2. Dental Screening Package at S$100.

3. Professional Take-home Teeth Whitening Package without consultation at S$433.35.

4. Essential Health Packages.

W: www.rafflesmedical.com

LIFESTYLE AND LEISURE Zoom Park

15% discount off Jump Tickets (minimum purchase of one hour jump time ticket).

W: www.zoomparkasia.com

LilliPutt Indoor Mini Golf

10% discount off all regular-priced tickets.

W: www.lilliputt.com

Hertz

Rent a car from the Hertz Prestige or Family Collection in Singapore and get 1 DAY FREE if you rent for 3 Days!

W: www.happartners.com/AlumNUS

F1 Recreation

- 30% discount off all Fitness equipment.

- 25% discount off all outdoor furniture.

W: www.f1-recreation.com

44

ALUMNUS

Terms & Conditions apply. The NUS Office of Alumni Relations and the AlumNUS Card merchants reserve the right to amend the terms and conditions APR–JUN 2015 45 governing the offers at anytime. All information is correct at press time. Visit www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet for the latest privileges and promotions.

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS OVERSEAS CHAPTERS

NUS Alumni-Standard Chartered

SHANGHAI OVERSEAS CHAPTER ANNUAL GATHERING The NUS Shanghai Overseas Chapter organised an alumni reunion dinner in Shanghai on 10 January 2015, to celebrate multiple milestones, from the ushering in of the New Year and the 50th anniversary of Singapore’s independence to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore, as well as the 110th anniversary of the founding of NUS. The gathering saw the coming together of alumni from the NUS Law School, the NUS Business School, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Engineering Faculty.

Mr Ong Siew Gay (Arts and Social Sciences ’95), Consul-General of the Singapore Consulate-General in Shanghai, and also an NUS alumnus, addressed the participants. Mr Philip Ong, Deputy ConsulGeneral of the Singapore Consulate-General in Shanghai, Professor Jiang Haishan, Vice President of the China Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong and Vice President of the Shanghai Overseas Returned Scholars Association, as well as other distinguished guests also attended. About 200 NUS Shanghai alumni and guests were present.

GLOBAL CONVERSATIONS

US-CHINA RELATIONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR ASIA This year’s gathering commenced with an Internet Finance Forum. Mr Wu Jun, Deputy-Director of the Shanghai municipal government’s Office of Financial Services, Mr Gao Fuping, Director of E-commerce Institute, East China University of Political Science and Law, Mr Shen Yiwen, Visiting Associate Professor of the NUS Business School, Ms Yang Sheng, Chairman of Zhejiang Uni-Power Group, and Mr Ye Wei, Vice President of Entertainment Business Unit of Ping’an Group, were invited to speak on the hot topic of Internet finance and interacted with NUS alumni.

The new committee of the NUS Shanghai Overseas Chapter was introduced at the gathering. All alumni thanked Dr Cheah Kim Fee (Dentistry ’90), the Chapter’s former chairperson, for his contributions over the past seven years. The forum ended with a buffet dinner and a lucky draw.

Dr Geng Jing (LKYSPP ’11)

Jakarta Overseas Chapter Reunion 51 alumni and friends took part in the special NUS Jakarta Overseas Chapter end-of-year reunion dinner held on 11 December 2014, at the Cassis French Fine Dining Restaurant in Jakarta. Alumni networked, renewed old friendships and shared exciting experiences of their year.

Mr Dirgantoro Tarmizi (Business ‘06), Mr Alex Winata (Business ‘00) and Mr Junius (Business ‘00) addressed the topic of ‘Internet Startup Business and Founding’, followed by a colourful question-and-answer session and a surprise lucky draw. Three lucky winners won dinner vouchers.

Mr David Suwarto (Business ’08), Secretary, NUS Jakarta Overseas Chapter

The Honorable Kirk Wagar

United States Ambassador to the Republic Repub of Singapore

Professor Kishore Mahbubani Mahbuba

Arts and Social Sciences ’71 Policy Dean, NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public P

Date Time Venue

: 22 April 2015, Wednesday : 11.45am – 1.45pm : Townhall (Level 21), Standard Chartered Bank Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 1 8 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018981 Moderator : Mr Neeraj Swaroop CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore

Programme : 11.45am – Registration Lunch Reception 12.30pm – Dialogue between Ambassador Wagar and Prof Mahbubani 1.15pm – Q&A Session 1.45pm – End of Programme Global Conversations is an interactive corporate networking event. The discussions will cover a wide range of topics related to the financial services and issues pertaining to the regional and global economy, and foreign policies.

Organised by:

Supported by:

Celebrating:

Like the “Office of Campus Amenities” Facebook page and receive updates on Retail & Dining promotions in campus!

FREE ADMISSION. Limited seats available. Please register early to avoid disappointment.

Seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

46

ALUMNUS

Register at: alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/GCapr15.

For enquiries, please contact Ms Gabriella Nyam at 6516 5771 or email her at gabriella@nus.edu.sg

APR–JUN 2015

47

LAST WORD

ALUMNI EVENTS

Dates to REMEMBER

Mangrove Tree Nymph

APRIL TO JUNE 2015 Jewel Nawab

APRIL

Green Dragontail

HOW ONE OF THE MOST COVETED BUTTERFLY COLLECTIONS FOUND ITS WAY TO THE LEE KONG CHIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing 48

ALUMNUS

11.45am, Townhall (Level 21), Standard Chartered Bank, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 1, 8 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018981 Register at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/GCapr15 Enquiries: Ms Gabriella Nyam at gabriella@nus.edu.sg

30 APR THU Movies On The House Crazy Stupid Love (PG)

Yellow Rajah

SPANNING PANNING 1,031 SPECIES a and nd d 8,000 SPECIMENS,, he Fl F e in em ng co ollllec ecti ec t on rrepresents ti ep pre esse en ntts ar rgu uab ably ly y the Fleming collection arguably the most complete picture of butterflies in West Malaysia and Singapore. The prized collection was collected by Scotsman W A Fleming and his son, Angus, from 1961 to 1978. After the senior Fleming died that year, his wife took the collection back to Britain.

Through chance and connections, however, the collection is back in Singapore at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM), where visitors will be able to admire these beautiful insects in the future. Malaysian tycoon Mr Tan Teong Han, long acquainted with the Flemings and a fellow butterfly lover, bought over the collection in 2013 and donated it to LKCNHM. It has been estimated that some 15 per cent of the species may be hard to obtain today.

Rare specimens include the Green Dragontail, Mangrove Tree Nymph, Jewel Nawab, Yellow Rajah, and Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing.

All information is correct at time of print and is subject to change without prior notice.

Butterfly Effect

22 APR WED NUS Alumni-Standard Chartered Global Conversations with The Honorable Kirk Wagar and Professor Kishore Mahbubani

7.30pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Enquiries: Mr Kyaw Win Shwe at kyawwinshwe@nus.edu.sg

NUS PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION ACT (PDPA) As of 2 January 2014, in line with Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) Do Not Call (DNC) Registry, you may indicate your preference for receiving marketing messages from NUS on your Singapore telephone number via the various methods.

If you wish to make changes to your preference, you can update at https://myaces.nus.edu.sg/DNC/index.do.

As of 2 July 2014, in view of Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), the NUS Office of Alumni Relations would like to inform you that NUS will continue to engage you as an alumnus through the following ways: • Providing you information about the University and alumni-related initiatives and activities.

• Sending you invitations to NUS- and alumni-related events.

• Requesting you to update alumni information.

• Sending you invitations to participate in alumni surveys.

• Sending you alumni-related communication collaterals.

If you wish to withdraw your consent to be contacted, please visit https://myaces.nus.edu.sg/PSR/index.do.

MAY

27 MAY WED U@live featuring Ms Tin Pei Ling 7.30pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Enquiries: Ms Lin Shushan at shushan@nus.edu.sg

28 MAY THU Movies On The House Jack Reacher (PG 13) 7.30pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Enquiries: Mr Kyaw Win Shwe at kyawwinshwe@nus.edu.sg

30 MAY SAT Afternoon Delights Edutainment Concert – Peter & The Wolf by S. Prokofiev and Carnival of the Animals by C. Saint-Saëns 3pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Auditorium Register at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/AftDelights15 Enquiries: Ms Idy Lim at idylim@nus.edu.sg

JUNE

20 JUN SAT Afternoon Delights Edutainment Concert – The Four Seasons by A. Vivaldi 3pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Auditorium Register at alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/AftDelights15 Enquiries: Ms Idy Lim at idylim@nus.edu.sg

25 JUN THU Movies On The House Penguins of Madagascar (G) 7.30pm, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet Enquiries: Mr Kyaw Win Shwe at kyawwinshwe@nus.edu.sg

Bukit Timah

HOMECOMING 2015 2015

4 July, Saturday 5pm to 8.30pm

Upper Quadrangle, Bukit Timah Campus

PROGRAMME 5.00pm 6.00pm 7.00pm

- Registration & Cocktail Reception - Dinner Reception - ‘The Alumni Idols’ & ‘Folk Jazz’

Dress Code : Psychedelic 60’s

NUSni Aluml Ido Award

t Fartehles ed Trav mlni Aluward A

Best Dresse Alum d ni Awar d

‘Varsity

Showtime’ Register at: alumnet.nus.edu.sg/event/BT15 Organised by: Office of Alumni Relations Co-hosted by: Faculty of Law Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

Celebrating: