AUSBE 2010 Aug Journal

Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees MICA(P) 096/09/2009

Live Our Dreams, Fly Our Flag

National Day 2010 NDP 2010 – AUSBE Marches with NTUC Contingent Page 33 National Day Observance Ceremony Page 35

1

Contents 2010 features National Flag, State Crest, Pledge and Anthem 30 AUSBE Marches on with NTUC Contingent at NDP 2010 33 MND National Day Observance Ceremony 35 Re-employment for Active Agers 37 National Library Board (NLB) Renews Collective Agreement (CA) 39 AUSBE – LTA Branch Family Day Makes a Big Splash 40 EMA Branch Membership Recruitment Drive in VIVO 45 EMA Branch Membership Recruitment Drive in Sentosa 47

Messages

AUSBE Takes the Proactive Way 49 Learning Trip Revelations in Macau 50

05

Mr Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister, Singapore

07

Mr Lim Swee Say Secretary-General, National Trades Union Congress

VISIT To MINDS Ville@Napiri Home 53 Durian Kakis Forever 54

09

Mr Gan Kim Yong Minister, Ministry of Manpower

11

Mr Mah Bow Tan Minister for National Development

13 Mr Abdul Rahim Farid

President, AUSBE

15 Mr N Thurairajasingam

General Secretary, AUSBE

17

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang Executive Secretary, AUSBE

Editorial Board Editor: N. Thurairajasingam Members: Abdul Rahim Farid, Yeo Guat Kwang, G. Haridass, Tay Ah Lek Designer: The Write Stuff Pte Ltd Printer: Flexi-Pagination & Design MICA (P) 096/09/2009

3

›

Mr Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister, Singapore

Message

We cannot expect to repeat this year’s sterling performance year after year, but we can continue to grow our economy with sustained effort. We must invest in our people, upgrade our infrastructure and improve our productivity.

Then we can take full advantage of opportunities in a booming Asia and prosper.

Our goal is for all Singaporeans to enjoy the fruits of growth. When Singapore prospers, you will benefit from many government programmes: better designed HDB estates, higher quality schools and hospitals, more MRT lines and new places for recreation. But each one of us has to make the effort. Every student must be keen to learn and go as far as you can. Every worker must master the knowhow and skills to be productive and competitive. Every manager must train and motivate his staff to maximise their contribution and potential. Only then can Singaporeans do the better jobs that our economy will create, and enjoy higher incomes, brighter opportunities, and more fulfilling lives.

My fellow Singaporeans, Thanks to the efforts of Singaporeans, our economy stayed resilient during the global economic crisis last year.

We were hard hit, especially in early 2009. But unions, employers and government worked closely to help firms and workers ride the storm. Our focus on saving jobs paid off. Singapore’s employment actually grew amidst the downturn, a remarkable achievement.

Our economy has rebounded strongly from last year’s recession. GDP grew 17.9% Y-on-Y in the first half of this year. Many jobs have been created, and unemployment is low. Our workers can look forward to better wages, more overtime and higher bonuses this year.

Growth is likely to moderate in the second half. Still, MTI forecasts growth for the year to be between 13 and 15%.

This exceptional performance is the fruit of Singaporeans’ united response during the crisis. This enabled us to take full advantage of improved global conditions.

But let us not get carried away. Risks remain in the world economy, especially in Europe and the US. The global financial system is not fully mended. Singapore is small and open. If the world economy turns bad, we will be buffeted.

We need to stay vigilant and watch the developments worldwide.

The Government will support Singaporeans in this, by developing a first class education system for our young, and a comprehensive Continuing Education and Training (CET) programme to upgrade our workers.

Our education system has been successful. A large majority of our students are progressing beyond school to postsecondary and tertiary institutions. Graduates from ITE, polytechnics and universities readily secure good jobs.

Our education system caters to all students, and not just the most outstanding ones. Our schools go beyond book learning to teach students how to solve problems, and imbue them with sound moral values. We create multiple pathways for students of different abilities and interests to progress. We help every neighbourhood school to be a good school, with its own strengths and specialities. We identify and develop each student’s talents, and give him every opportunity to excel.

We will continue to improve our education system. We are recruiting and training more teachers, to enable us to deliver a more holistic and rounded education. We will help every school to offer something extra and different, and thus give students more good choices. We will create new peaks of excellence in ITEs, polytechnics and universities, to stretch our students. I ask parents and students to work with us, to give our youth the best start in life.

5

›

Mr Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister, Singapore

Beyond schools, we must build up Continuing Education and Training. The Government is investing $5.5 billion over 5 years to do this. We are building two CET campuses in the East and West of Singapore, and introducing many schemes and incentives to help companies and workers improve their productivity. I am glad employers and unions strongly support CET, because their support is crucial.

That is the face that Singapore must show the world during the Youth Olympic Games. Our cityscape will certainly wow the visitors. They will see the signature skyline at Marina Bay and our new downtown; the high quality public housing like The Pinnacle, where I am now; and the beautiful urban spaces and natural greenery all over the island.

We will develop and invest in our people, but we also need to reinforce the Singapore team with talent and numbers from abroad. This is critical to us. Other countries are not only much larger than us, but have far deeper pools of talent than we have. We must make up for the shortage of Singaporean workers in our economy and the shortfall of babies in our population. Without an inflow, over time our economy and society will lose vibrancy, our citizens will enjoy fewer opportunities, and our shining red dot will grow dimmer.

More importantly, we must impress with the spirit of our people. At this first YOG, let us show the world what Singapore can do. Our athletes have been training hard.

Our volunteers, 20,000 strong, stand ready to welcome our guests. Thousands of participants and guests will be arriving soon. I hope all Singaporeans will work together to put up a good show, and make the games memorable for all our visitors.

I understand Singaporeans’ concerns about taking in so many foreign workers and immigrants. Some of us wonder: Will it change the ethos of our society? Will it mean more competition for us at work, or for our children in schools?

Will the new arrivals strike roots here? Can they adjust to us, and we to them?

On our 45th National Day, let us celebrate our achievements as one united people. We can be proud of what we have attained, but we must keep learning from others, improve in every area and strive hard to achieve our future goals.

Tomorrow’s Singapore must be better than today’s.

I wish all Singaporeans a Happy National Day.

These are valid concerns which we must address. We will control the inflow, to ensure that it is not too fast, and not too large. We will only bring in people who can contribute to Singapore, and work harder to integrate them into our society. And we will make clear that citizens come first.

After all, we are doing this for the sake of Singaporeans.

We cannot do without a proportion of foreign workers, or a continuing flow of PRs and new citizens. Let us welcome them with an open heart, help them to fit in and encourage those who will become citizens to strike roots here. If we do this well, by the next generation, their children will be native Singaporeans. Remember, we ourselves are descendants of immigrants too. With new arrivals living and working harmoniously with those born here, we will keep Singapore dynamic, cosmopolitan, and successful.

7

›

Mr Lim Swee Say Secretary-General, NTUC

Message

They wondered whether our government needed to borrow money to fund the Jobs Credit Scheme. We said, ‘No, it came from our reserves’.

They wondered whether we will ever be able to replenish the $4.5 billion drawn from our reserves since many countries are running into growing budget deficits and huge government debts. We said, ‘Yes, perhaps over two to three years. Because we make sure that every dollar is put to good use and every extra dollar is put back into our reserves’.

They wondered how we were able to convince our workers to accept wage freezes and even wage cuts without protests or strikes. We shared with them our flexible wage system, and how our national leaders and corporate management led by example by taking deeper wage cuts first.

Two months ago, I was in Geneva to attend the annual International Labour Conference. This was not my first time, but there was something different this year. Besides exchanging notes with union leaders from the US, Europe and Asia, the Singapore delegation was also invited by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to share how Singapore coped with the downturn last year and is riding the upturn this year.

Our presentation, which was hosted by the ILO at a fringe event of the Conference, was well received by the tripartite representatives of other countries.

They were impressed by our strategy of “cutting costs to save jobs” against “cutting jobs to save costs” adopted by many other countries.

They were impressed by the “V-shaped recovery” of the Singapore economy, up from -9.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2009 to +15.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2010, one of the strongest rebounds for any economy.

They were even more impressed by our ability to regain full employment so quickly, with our unemployment rate dropping from 3.3 per cent in the third quarter of 2009 to 2.2 per cent by the first quarter of 2010, one of the lowest in the world.

They wondered how we managed to keep the trust and preserve unity during a downturn as severe as this. We told them that to wait until there is a downturn to build trust is too late. We believe in building trust during good times so that we can stay united during bad times.

They wondered if we will continue with the Jobs Credit Scheme in 2010 and beyond. We said, ‘No, because our businesses have to stay competitive without government subsidies. We also need to save our surpluses and get ready for the next global downturn’.

They wondered if our workers are rewarded in the upturn.

We said, ‘Yes, otherwise, trust will be broken and we will not be able to mobilise our workers to tighten their belts in future downturns’.

Last but not least, they wondered how tripartism could be so uniquely effective in Singapore at a time when it is either breaking down or not functioning in many other countries. We explained that when times are good, we work hard together to build up two types of capital – financial capital, by being one of the most pro-business economies in the world; and social capital, by being one of the most pro-worker nations in the world. So, by the time we are hit by a global downturn, we already have in place the necessary resources and a high level of trust among labour, management and government to rally us to respond in unity.

9

›

Mr Lim Swee Say Secretary-General, NTUC

Singapore’s approach to tripartism is good for our workers.

We avoided massive retrenchments and prevented a rapid rise in unemployment. It is also good for our businesses.

We preserved our economic capacity and upgraded our economic capability to grow again in a global recovery.

Looking ahead, the tripartite partners strive to do even better as we ride the global recovery in 2010 and beyond.

We strive to sustain our economic growth by becoming a “Cheaper Better Faster” economy, and helping our workers to become more productive, capable and adaptable. This is so that our businesses can be profitable and our workers can earn better wages over the next ten years.

We will also strive for inclusive growth to create job opportunities for everyone. This is so that everyone who is willing to learn and willing to work will be able to take on a meaningful job.

Together, let us live our dreams as One Singapore, lift our productivity as One Workforce, and fly our flag as One People.

Happy National Day to all!

11

›

Mr Gan Kim Yong Minister for Manpower

Message

and employees manage the downturn and prepare for the recovery. We have succeeded in keeping retrenchment and unemployment low, and at the same time, helped workers upgrade their skills and enhanced their competencies.

Companies which have retained and upgraded their workers are now in a much stronger position to ride the wave of recovery than those that have lost their workers during the recession. Instead of having to rehire and retrain workers, they have ready capacity to capitalise on the growing business orders.

Fighting the recession as a team also allowed tripartite partners to renew our partnership and strengthen our mutual trust. We have emerged from the recession stronger than before, with our flag flying high.

Living our Dream

Dear fellow Singaporeans, Today, we are here to celebrate our 45th National Day. This year, the mood is clearly more optimistic, with a resurgent economy and a positive outlook. Job creation is stronger, with total employment rising by 63,000 in the first half of 2010. Employers also reported improving hiring expectations.

MTI has projected a booming GDP growth forecast of 13%–15% for 2010, which puts Singapore as one of the fastest growing countries in the world.

Keeping our Flag high This year’s national day theme, “Live our Dreams, Fly our Flag”, reflects the upbeat sentiments and collective sense of accomplishment of Singaporeans. Indeed, we have a lot to be proud of, for responding firmly to recession and recovering swiftly from it.

As we look back over the last 12 to 18 months, MOM and our tripartite partners have many reasons to be proud – for the way we worked together during the downturn to bring Singapore out of the recession. Leveraging on mutual trust and understanding forged over the decades, the tripartite partners rallied together, to help companies

Singapore will face new challenges, but we will also see new opportunities. What is our dream? Our dream is to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth, not just for next few years but over the long term. To realise our dream, we will need to focus our efforts on productivity improvement. This way, we can ensure that Singaporeans will have better jobs and enjoy better wages over time.

Earlier this week, the Labour Movement launched a new $40 million Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP) to drive productivity improvements and uplift the skills and wages of 25,000 low wage workers over the next two years. This is a good initiative and I applaud our union leaders for playing their part in fostering inclusive growth.

Last month, SNEF also launched a Productivity and Trust Leadership Initiative, the first of which is the Productivity Leadership Seminars for CEOs held together with the Singapore Management University. A Trust Leadership Programme is also being developed by SNEF working closely with MOM and NTUC. These are set to benefit SNEF’s 2,000 members, which together employ about 600,000 workers in Singapore.

Tripartite efforts have played an integral role in uplifting the employment conditions, skill-sets and HR practices, resulting in more professional standards and better skilled workers. I am confident the tripartite partners will continue to play their part, and work together towards inclusive growth for all Singaporeans.

13

›

Mr Gan Kim Yong Minister for Manpower

MOM’s role for the Singapore Dream MOM will also play our part in preparing Singapore and Singaporeans for the future. We will focus on three key areas: raising the quality of the workforce, leveraging on our aging workforce, and enabling progressive workplace practices.

First, on raising the quality of our workforce. I have announced earlier that our national Continuing Education and Training (CET) system will do more in three areas.

Firstly, we will invest more in infrastructure and targeted programmes. $2.5 billion will be invested in CET over the next five years. Next, we will support more workers by broadening the scope of CET to cover the entire workforce; both rank and file workers, as well as Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs). We will also deepen the CET system to enable workers to acquire specialist skills and competencies. We will improve the quality of CET, by raising the standards of training providers and professionals.

Lastly, we will also do more to help the lower wage workers upgrade their skills. Under Workfare, we enhanced the Workfare Income Supplement scheme (WIS) and introduced Workfare Training Support Scheme (WTS Scheme) to encourage regular work and provides incentive for low wage workers to improve their skills, take on higher valued jobs, and move up the wage ladder.

Mr Omar bin Wahab is one such worker who has benefited from training, and has seen his career progressed thereafter. You may have seen him in the Workfare campaign posters and bus advertisements. He started out working in the water industry as a technician, but decided to pursue another career path after being retrenched. Mr Omar joined the security industry initially as a guard. After successfully completing the WSQ Security course, he became a supervisor and his pay increased to an average of more than $1,000 a month. Mr Omar not only gets a higher pay, he also gets a total of $2,370 in Workfare for the year.

He is glad that he had the opportunity to go for training to perform better at his job, and is even happier that Workfare has helped to supplement his take-home pay.

Our second focus to achieve sustainable inclusive growth is to tackle the issue of an ageing population. Today, Singapore has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, with one in two aged 65 and above expected to

live beyond 85.3 An ageing population and fast-tightening labour market means businesses will have to tap on a multi-generational workforce to make full use of available manpower resources. We need to turn this challenge into our strength. The re-employment of older employees is thus a key focus for MOM. Older employees represent a growing pool of silver talents with a lifetime of experience and skills. Companies should tap on the skills and valuable knowledge of these workers. Remaining in the workforce would also encourage life-long learning and keep older Singaporeans involved, engaged and active.

With re-employment legislation scheduled to come into effect in 2012, MOM has been reaching out to companies to help them be re-employment ready. This has proven successful, with 64% of private establishments reported that they have implemented measures to allow their local employees to work beyond the statutory retirement age of 624. But more can be done. We will need continued tripartite support to press on with our efforts to help both employers and employees be re-employment ready, and encourage companies to adopt the tripartite guidelines on re-employment ahead of legislation.

Ms Angie Ng is a good example of a re-employed worker, who is still contributing to her company with her valuable experience. The youngest of 16 children, Angie took a bold step and applied for a nursing course in the UK in 1966.

Upon returning to Singapore 5 years later, she started working in an Operating Theatre. She has risen up the ranks in her 21 years in nursing, and is now a Director at the Operating Theatre at Thomson Medical Centre. Initially wanting to retire, Angie decided to be re-employed on a part-time basis, and is now able to continue to do what she loves and does best, as well as spend more time with her grandchildren. Angie is 66 years old this year.

Planning for retirement and healthcare adequacy is also crucial with an ageing population. CPF LIFE will be fully rolled out in 2013, to help Singaporeans secure a lifelong income. Last year, we made CPF Life available earlier for older cohorts of Singaporeans to opt in.

Our third focus is on progressive workplace practices and human capital strategies. MOM has been working closely with the tripartite partners using a promotional and educational approach to complement enforcement.

One important and successful innovation is the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) centre set

15

›

Mr Gan Kim Yong Minister for Manpower

up in 2007, where the tripartite partners work closely with employers to change their mindset towards adopting fair, responsible and merit-based employment practices.

With globalisation, rapidly changing market conditions and a more diverse workforce, the war for talents will intensify.

Employers need to go beyond basic and fair employment practices. They need to adopt more progressive employment practices to attract and retain talents, such as the implementation of work-life strategies, flexible wages and benefits, flexible work arrangements, and the re-employment of older employees.

Lastly, I would like to thank you MOMers as well, for your hard work and dedication over the years. Let us continue to work together, to keep our Singapore flag flying high, and make our Singapore dream come true.

Thank you, and happy 45th National Day. This speech was made at the Ministry of Manpower National Day Observance Ceremony 2010, on 06 August 2010, at the Singapore Airlines Theatre, LaSalle College of the Arts.

Such practices often involve the changing of employers’ and employees’ mindset over a period of time. Today, various tripartite bodies, channels and networks such as the National Wages Council (NWC), the Tripartite Committee on the Re-employment of Older Employees and the Singapore Tripartism Forum (STF) have been instrumental in formulating guidelines and measures, and engaging companies, unions and workers to implement progressive employment practices. Moving forward, MOM will work closely with tripartite partners to coordinate our efforts and render more help to companies in this regard.

Coming Together for Singapore There is much to do in the year ahead. Even as we celebrate how far we have come during this National Day and remember the successful lessons of the past, we need to keep on our toes constantly, ready to adapt to the challenges and opportunities ahead of us.

Everyone has a part to play in shaping Singapore’s future, and we must work hand-in-hand to grow together and share the fruits of our growth together. I would like to thank our tripartite partners for their unstinting support. The strength of our tripartite partnership will always be the key to achieving winning outcomes for businesses, workers and all Singaporeans.

17

›

Mr Mah Bow Tan Minister of National Development

Message

Council on Tall Buildings & Urban Habitat. Further away, the first phase of Gardens by the Bay, a landmark project by NParks, will be ready at the end of 2011, giving locals and visitors alike a fresh new green experience in the heart of Singapore’s new downtown.

Collectively, these developments serve not some grand scheme. Rather, they are intended principally to make this island city-state a better home for all of us. That’s been our consistent focus since we became independent, transforming Singapore not just into a global oasis, but also into an eminently liveable home for Singaporeans.

Overcoming the odds, endowed with little natural resources, we have worked hard as a people to build what we have today.

We have made significant progress as a nation. The past year, in particular, has seen us turning the corner on the recession, emerging stronger and more resilient. Even with signs of dark clouds and strong winds on the horizon, 2010 has been generally good so far, and the future looks bright.

We have reason to be optimistic. Our economy is set to grow by 13 to 15 percent, a marked increase from the earlier forecast of 7 to 9 percent. Next week, we will welcome thousands of young athletes and other officials from many countries for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. This presents an excellent opportunity for us to showcase Singapore’s new skyline and the exciting experiences the city-state offers.

Singapore is changing. If you take a walk or drive around the island today, you will see a distinct new cityscape emerging. At the Marina Bay area, the integrated resort has welcomed its first guests, while the Marina Bay Financial Centre will be open for business in due course. Meanwhile, the 3.5 km-long Marina Bay Promenade and City Gallery are already receiving visitors; and the uniquely designed Helix Bridge is fast becoming a popular destination for scenic night strolls.

For those who pass by Tanjong Pagar, it would be hard to miss the seven towers of the Pinnacle@Duxton. In fact, the 50-storey residential project by HDB has been named Asia and Australasia’s ‘Best Tall Building’ by the Chicago-based

We have come far. Indicators such as Mercer’s 2010 Quality of Living Survey rank Singapore as the most liveable city in Asia, surpassing even the more established cities in larger countries. And just this June, we hosted the second biennial World Cities Summit. This was a high-level forum where ministers, governors, and mayors, policy experts, academics, and other distinguished delegates came together to discuss the future of sustainable urban living around the world. But taking centre-stage was this city-state of ours, Singapore, and for that we can be proud.

A Milestone Year For MND especially, 2010 is a milestone year. Besides the various developments which have taken shape, 2010 marks HDB’s 50th anniversary, capping a half century of accomplishments. Later this year, we will welcome a new member into the MND family; CEA, the Council of Estate Agencies, will be set up to raise the professionalism of the real estate agency industry and better safeguard consumer interest.

For some of our staff, today will be a milestone moment as well. Amidst tough competition, five teams from across MND have emerged as the winners this year of the Minister’s Team Awards, in recognition of their outstanding performance and contributions to the ministry and country.

They have showcased not only their innovative and cooperative spirit, but also their dedication towards MND’s mission of building a better home for all Singaporeans.

I would like to commend these officers for flying the MND family flag high and proud.

19

›

Mr Mah Bow Tan Minister of National Development

It is the dedication and commitment, the sacrifice and service of the many officers we have that brought this ministry to where it is, in our mission to provide a best home for all Singaporeans. As we mark National Day 2010, let me briefly share with you some of our current priorities, and outline a few exciting plans in the pipeline.

Defining a new Singapore Our handiwork at Marina Bay has become reality. As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, Marina Bay will define Singapore in the same way the iconic Bund defines Shanghai. Looking further into the future, URA is drawing up plans to guide the development of Singapore over the next 40 to 50 years. With a growing population and economy, it is imperative to plan ahead to make sure that enough land is safeguarded to meet these needs. As part of the 2011 Concept Plan review, URA has sought ideas and feedback from the public to make sure that its plans are keeping pace with and can support Singaporean’s evolving lifestyles and aspirations.

On the housing front, HDB continues to realise the dreams of many young families in providing affordable and quality public housing. It has increased its building plan for this year to 16,000 new flats to meet the strong housing demand, especially from first-timer households. In view of the robust economic environment and property market this year, HDB has also made several policy changes to strengthen the fundamentals of our public housing system and to advance socio-economic policy objectives.

concessionary loan from HDB. Housing counsellors have also been deployed to all HDB Branch Offices to help counsel families in financial difficulty on managing mortgage payments.

We have also revised the conditions for the Lease Buyback Scheme in order to help more seniors monetise their flats.

We will continue to work closely with MCYS to ensure that vulnerable groups like the elderly, the low-income, and families with young children are given the social support that they need to improve their lives. Meanwhile, strengthening community relations and promoting better social behaviour remain important works-in-progress. For instance, HDB launched the Town Council Management Report to give town councils and residents more information on the performance of their towns.

Building a Solid Infrastructure Amidst these changes, our efforts to transform Singapore into a City in a Garden are also coming into fruition. We will reach a new milestone in the expansion of the Park Connector Network as we launch the Northern Explorer Park Connector Network this year. This is the third of seven loops that will link our parks islandwide into a seamless lush network. The national gardening movement, through the Community in Bloom programme, has also taken off.

About 400 community gardening groups have been formed since its inception in 2005.

To reinforce home-ownership and discourage speculative purchases, we raised the minimum occupation period for non-subsidised flats to three years. To ensure the continued cohesion and integration of our community, we introduced a new quota for Singapore Permanent Residents buying HDB flats. To reflect the current demographic realities, we also raised the quota to allow a higher proportion of Indian/Others households under the Ethnic Integration Policy. In addition, housing benefits for families comprising Singapore Citizens and PRs were also differentiated to give greater recognition to Singaporean families.

In line with national efforts to move towards productivitydriven economic growth, MND and BCA are championing the productivity improvement of the construction industry.

There is much scope for this move, given the labour intensive nature of the work and its high reliance of foreign workers. To support the industry, we launched the $250-million Construction Productivity and Capability Fund (CPCF) in June 2010 to encourage technology adoption, manpower development, and capability building. We have also revised the foreign worker levy framework to encourage employers to retain more experienced and better skilled workers, and to reduce the overall supply of foreign workers in phases.

Besides helping Singaporeans take steps towards their dreams, we have not forgotten the more vulnerable groups in society. To support financial prudence, families who are right-sizing to smaller flats are now eligible for a second

Together with BCA, we are actively engaging the industry stakeholders to seek their inputs and buy-in. BCA has set up the Construction Productivity Centre (CPC) to drive the productivity movement in the construction industry. The

21

›

Mr Mah Bow Tan Minister of National Development

CPC will have account managers to engage individual firms in the industry to improve productivity. In addition, BCA will work with other government agencies to review procurement processes and existing regulations to remove impediments to productivity improvement. This will enable us to work towards a transformation of the construction industry into one that is highly productive, well-equipped with a skilled and experienced workforce, and innovative in adapting new technologies and construction methods.

And while we push ahead rapidly with our plans to build a better home and city, we are well aware of the need to ensure a resilient supply of safe food for our growing population. What is a country if it cannot feed its people safe, good food? To do that, we need to continue to diversify our food sources. The Jilin Food Zone project in China is an example where our companies have taken the lead to help secure a food supply upstream. We have made good progress, with AVA providing technical advice to the Jilin City Government to establish a Disease Free Zone (DFZ) in the Food Zone.

To all the staff of MND, I extend a heartfelt thank you for all your contributions over the past year. Thank you for your service to this ministry, and to this country. Congratulations, in particular, to the winners of the Minister’s Team Awards for your exceptional performance.

Let me conclude here by wishing everyone a very happy National Day. The speech was made at the MND National Day Observance Ceremony 2010 on 6 Aug 2010 at the HDB Auditorium.

Here in Singapore, AVA will continue to help our local farms build their capabilities to meet some of our food supply needs. AVA’s Food Fund, which is receiving positive response from the industry, will provide support for local companies to improve production in eggs, leafy vegetables, and aqua-cultured fish. It also encourages our agri-food companies to explore new business opportunities overseas to further diversify our food sources.

Conclusion Friends and colleagues, despite the odds, and against a backdrop of fast changes over the past 45 years, it is heartening to know that together, we have built a strong foundation. It is upon this basis that Singapore can develop further, from where our dreams can take off. The theme for this year’s National Day is “Live Our Dreams, Fly Our Flag”, which encourages Singaporeans to not only celebrate how far we have come, but to aspire for an even brighter future.

So, as we celebrate forty-five years and more of nationhood, let us join hands to write the next chapter of the country’s history; and let us aspire to build an even better home for our children and grandchildren. For our dreams to come true, we have to be bold and imaginative, and we have to work as one country united and determined.

Singapore’s best days still lie ahead of us.

23

›

Mr Abdul Rahim Farid President, AUSBE

Message

With the remarkable rebound from the recent financial crisis emerge many affirmations and lessons learnt.

While we suffered the volatility of the world economy and its devastating effects, the silver lining in the crisis developed heightened appreciations for the plethora of governmental measures set in place - the Jobs Credit Scheme (JCS), Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR), Skills Development Fund (SDF) and Skills Redevelopment Programme (SRP) as well as tripartite efforts.

In addition, the crisis has helped develop resilience and strengthen the resolve of our tripartite partners in the labour movement.

In the popular Aesop fable of The Ant and the Grasshopper, the ant worked hard to store up food for winter. While the grasshopper, in stark contrast, spent the warm months singing away.

When winter came, the ant was well prepared, while the grasshopper was left cold and hungry.

So while we reap and share the fruits of our economic upturn, we too must remain vigilant and mindful of building up our social (pro-worker) and financial (pro-business) capital in preparation for the next rainy day.

Similarly, while AUSBE continues to work hard to build mutually benefitting relationships with our branch affiliates, it is equally important for us to invest time and energy sharing our resources with others as demonstrated by our 20 volunteers who visited the MINDS Ville@Napiri earlier this June.

Indeed, National Day is a time to celebrate our national achievements, but it is also the best time to show our solidarity and concern for others. So how can they tell we are Singaporean? The answer lies within each and every one of us.

I wish one and all a very Happy 45th National Day!

25

›

Mr N Thurairajasingam General Secretary, AUSBE

Message

In the space of just a few months, much has transpired since AUSBE’s May Day journal this year.

In line with Singapore’s 45th birthday, what better way for us to celebrate this grand occasion than to offer some informative nuggets about the history of our national flag, anthem, state crest and pledge as well as recent national events that have unfolded this year which I’m sure many of us can identify closely with: Integrated Resorts and National Day Parade.

Three of our members from LTA and SLA among 92 participants from various affiliated unions had the privilege of representing AUSBE in the NTUC Marching Contingent at the National Day Parade.

We are also proud to announce that Union membership strength has been increasing steadily from the various membership drives at EMA, AVA, MPA and LTA as evident from our new members list from April to June 2010. We encourage management staff and fellow workers to come forward and join us as new members in our continued tripartite efforts to bring better terms and conditions for our fellow workers.

These and other articles within these pages are testament of AUSBE’s progressive efforts to keeping up with the times and working tirelessly in support of NTUC, government and branch initiatives. Hope that you will enjoy reading these articles, as we much as we have enjoyed bringing them to you.

Happy National Day!

27

›

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang Executive Secretary, AUSBE

Message

Singapore has ridden through the recession and achieved a “V” shaped recovery. Unemployment has dropped from 3.3% in the 3rd quarter to 2.2% by the 1st quarter of 2010 and the forecasted growth this year is expected to be between 13–15 per cent.

This exceptional rebound has been the result of our strong tripartite collaboration and the hard work of many Singaporeans during the crisis. However, we cannot rest on our laurels but remain resolute in our efforts to working hand in hand as we move on.

We need to remain adaptable and adopt a “Cheaper, Better, Faster” attitude in our work so as to improve our productivity levels and remain competitive within the region and around the world.

Take the shopping centre 313@somerset for an example, which believes in superior customer experience for its clients. It was able to achieve CBF through its investment in its staff by providing them with the adequate levels of training. By doing so, 313@somerset was able count on each employee to give his best and now they are able to ride the on the upturn faster.

In AUSBE, the union is working closely with our management partners to identify bottlenecks and break them where possible and make training an important aspect of each officer’s career path. We are positive that our efforts will lead to our Statutory Boards being “Cheaper, Better and Faster” like 313.

I wish you all a very Happy National Day !

29

The National Flag › of Singapore

The National Coat of Arms

› (State Crest) Designed by a committee headed by Dr Toh Chin Chye, the national flag, together with the anthem (Majulah Singapura), and state crest were incorporated on 3 December 1959 during National Loyalty Week – effectively replacing the union jack. This was the same year Singapore attained self-governance within the British Empire.

The flag was later reconfirmed as the republic’s flag when Singapore gained its independence on 9 August 1965.

The flag spots two horizontal sections of red and white with an overlay of crescent moon and five stars at its top left corner.

The red represents universal brotherhood and equality of man while white signifies pervading and everlasting purity and virtue.

The crescent moon symbolises a young nation on the ascendant while the five stars represent the ideals of democracy, equality, peace, progress, and justice.

The Pledge

Launched on 3 December 1959 together with the national flag and anthem at the installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara at the City Hall steps, the state crest consists of a shield emblazoned with a white crescent moon and five white stars against a red background.

Like the national flag, red represents universal brotherhood and equality of man, while white signifies pervading and everlasting purity and virtue.

The crescent moon symbolises a young nation on the ascendant while the five stars represent the ideals of democracy, equality, peace, progress, and justice.

A lion and a tiger support the shield. The lion represents Singapore, while the tiger represents Singapore’s historical links with Malaysia.

The pledge was written in 1966 by Mr Sinnathamby Rajaratnam. Believing that race, language and religion were divisive factors, he set about emphasising that these factors can be overcome by Singaporeans’ care for their country.

A banner with the Republic’s motto, Majulah Singapura is inscribed below the shield.

In the pledge, he revealed that the dream was to build “a Singapore everyone could be proud of”.

The National Anthem

The draft text was passed to the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who refined the text before submitting it to the Cabinet.

“Majulah Singapura” (“Onward Singapore”) is the national anthem of Singapore and was originally composed by Mr Zubir Said in 1958 as a theme song for official functions of the City Council of Singapore.

We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.

30

With the national flag and national state crest, the song was unveiled in 1959 as the island’s anthem at the installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara at the City Hall steps when Singapore attained self-government.

“Majulah Singapura” was formally adopted as Singapore’s national anthem on its independence day – 9 August 1965.

Malay (official lyrics)

English translation

Mari kita rakyat Singapura Sama-sama menuju bahagia Cita-cita kita yang mulia Berjaya Singapura

Come, fellow Singaporeans Let us progress towards happiness together May our noble aspiration bring Singapore success

Marilah kita bersatu Dengan semangat yang baru Semua kita berseru Majulah Singapura Majulah Singapura

Come, let us unite In a new spirit Let our voices soar as one Onward Singapore Onward Singapore

Marilah kita bersatu Dengan semangat yang baru Semua kita berseru Majulah Singapura Majulah Singapura

Come, let us unite In a new spirit Let our voices soar as one Onward Singapore Onward Singapore

31

The National Day Parade 2010 returns to the Padang, the very spot where Singapore celebrated its first National Day in 1966, one year after Singapore’s independence from Malaysia on 9 August 1965.

AUSBE NDP 2010 representatives with their trainers: 3rd from left – Brother Mok Chan Seng (SLA), Centre – Sister Chan Hwee Ping (SLA) and Sister Rozana bte Abdul Karim (LTA)

At NDP 2010 › AUSBE Marches on with NTUC Contingent

By Mok Chan Seng, AUSBE Executive Council Member & AUSBE NDP 2010 Team Co-ordinator

Singaporeans once again saw an impressive mobile column display made up of military, police and civil defence vehicles, rumbling past the Padang and into the heartlands. For the 2.3km City March, the marching contingents marched past landmarks such as the Fullerton Building, Water Boat House, Clifford Pier, NTUC Centre, Marina Boulevard, into the new Financial District and ending at the Marina Bay Sands Resort.

AUSBE’s team, comprising three members from LTA and SLA marched proudly with the NTUC Contingent of 92 participants from various affiliated unions.

All the weekends of practices that we went through at Pasir Ris, followed by combined marching contingent rehearsals at Nee Soon Camp before proceeding to the Padang from 19 June 2010 for the full combined rehearsals, NE Shows and NDP Preview, were geared towards Singapore’s 45th birthday.

All the sacrifice taken was worth it and did not go unnoticed.

Deputy Secretary General, NTUC brother Heng Chee How visited the contingent on 26 June 2010 at the Padang to give encouragement and to thank the contingent for their efforts in training and preparing for NDP2010. This was followed by

a visit by NTUC President, brother John De Payva and Vice President, sister Nora Kang on 24 July 2010.

On 9 August 2010, the contingent was given a sending-off and cake cutting ceremony cum lunch at Marina Mandarin Hotel, with Guest-of-Honour, Executive Secretary (ES), brother Yeo Guat Kwang, who is also MP for Aljunied GRC and NTUC Alignment Director, Quality Worklife and All Nationalities.

Brother Mok Chan Seng, Chairman of the NDP Sending-Off Ceremony Committee also thanked the SAF trainers, NTUC Club and the contingent members for their commitment and involvement in NDP2010.

Later in the evening we represented AUSBE and NTUC as we marched on, reaffirming what it means to be Singaporeans as we ‘Live Our Dreams, Fly Our Flag’ as one united people.

Brother Mok Chan Seng and GOH Brother Yeo Guat Kwang cut the cake during the Sending Off Ceremony

33

MND › National Day Observance Ceremony A sea of red and white joined hands as a family, during the Ministry of National Development (MND) National Day Observance Ceremony, held on 6 August 2010 at the HDB Hub Auditorium, and at various observance ceremonies held islandwide.

Minister Mah Bow Tan delivers his NDOC speech

Guest-of-Honour, Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister of National Development, painted an optimistic outlook on the economic situation in Singapore. “The past year, in particular, has seen us turning the corner on the recession, emerging stronger and more resilient. Even with signs of dark clouds and strong winds on the horizon, 2010 has been generally good so far, and the future looks bright.” Mr Mah encouraged Singaporeans to not only celebrate how far the nation has come, but to aspire for an even brighter future.

AUSBE’s attendance and participation in the National Day Observance Ceremony represented the union’s banding together with fellow Singaporeans to bring the nation to a brighter future. And so, as the MND family sang community songs in unison, their voices reverberated throughout the auditorium, uniting hearts and hands to write the next chapter of Singapore’s history. Singapore’s best days are lying just ahead.

AUSBE General Secretary N. Thurairajasingam receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from NTUC Assistant Secretary General Mdm Halimah Yacob

AVA CE Ms Tan Poh Hong receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from NTUC Assistant Secretary General Mdm Halimah Yacob

35

Re-employment

› for Active Agers Mr Lim Boon Heng, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office was the guest of honour at the National Day observance ceremony at the Pinnacle@Duxton attended by several groups of active agers.

AUSBE was on-site to lend support to the event on 18 August.

Count on us Singapore

Referring to a survey conducted by the National Trades Union Congress of 100 unionised companies, Mr Lim noted that close to half of them do not have structured consultation processes for workers who are hitting the retirement age.

In his speech, he urged the labour movement to press on with their efforts in helping to iron out the kinks and hurdles faced by companies and older workers.

On Top of the World

Responding to the debate about retirement age, Mr Lim said: “What we want is to see people actively working and earning an income. They need this income because we are all living longer and with more income, they can have a better life.

“So what is important for us is whether people are actually working. So let us not be overly focused on the retirement age – whether it is official or unofficial – but look at how to make re-employment or employment of people in the older age groups happen.”

GOH, Mr Lim Boon Heng’s Arrival

37

National Library Board (NLB) › Renews Collective Agreement (CA) NLB has recently renewed its Employees’ Collective Agreement with AUSBE on 20 August 2010.

Attended by both NLB Management and Union Leaders, the Collective Agreement Signing Ceremony heralds the inclusion of new and improved changes within the renewed CA. This new CA – the 5th agreement to be signed with AUSBE, will be valid for three years, effective from 1 Aug 2010 to 31 Jul 2013.

Group photo of NLB Management and AUSBE-NLB Branch

In line with the government’s legislation to extend the retirement age to 65 years old in year 2012, a new clause has been added. NLB in consultation with the Union, shall provide re-employment packages in line with Public Service Division (PSD) guidelines.

AUSBE President, Mr Abdul Rahim Farid and NLB CE, Dr N Varaprasad shake hands over the signed Collective Agreement

The key changes are highlighted below: • L ong Service Award has been enhanced for those on service for 30 years & 35 years and every fifth year thereafter.

• R e-employment

AUSBE would like to wish Dr N Varaprasad all the best and thank him for his outstanding contributions, dedication and keen support all these years and congratulate Mrs Phoon Chew Ping on her new appointment as NLB CE (Designate). We look forward to working closely to increase union membership in NLB and boost bipartite relations.

39

AUSBE – LTA Branch › Family Day Makes a Big Splash

By Clara Ng

AUSBE – LTA Branch held its 3rd Family Day at the Wild Wild Wet in Downtown East on 1 August 2010.

The heavy rain in the morning did not dampen the spirits of a number of our staff who turned up early to support the event.

Next, the ‘Balloon Man’ would perform for us.

Amongst them were our guest of honour DCE (PPC) Amy Hing and her family as well as our HR colleagues Hui Boon (DDHR) and Rhu Wei (SEHR) and their families.

Our master of ceremony for the day, Water Tay gave a warm welcome to the participants. The children were thrilled when Water told them of the exciting games they could anticipate for the morning. There were also fun, food and ice cream stalls set up for the occasion. By 10 am, as a steady stream of our colleagues had gathered, Water announced the names of the ten winners for the ‘Early Bird Lucky Draw’ Soon the time for games began. Water organised two teams of children to play the Hula Hoop Game. A team of boys and another of girls were to keep the hula hoop going at the beat of the music. Those who could keep at it longer would add a point to their team. The kids tried very hard.

Balloon Sculpting

We saw a myriad of balloons of various shapes and sizes. It turned out to be extremely fascinating. Several children went up the stage where the wonderful ‘Balloon Man’ weaved different patterns of balloons for them.

Hula to the Beat!

To our surprise, it was the boys who did a better job. They were declared winners but the girls were given a consolation prize for their efforts too.

40

Momentum gathered when the balloon man got himself into a giant balloon. We watched in amazement as he performed tricks within and later freed himself. He was given a thunderous applause.

When Water gathered everyone back to the stage, he prepared them for the much awaited Telematch ‘Power Up!’

The amazing Balloon Man enters a giant balloon

We had a break of an hour at 11am. Our committee members guided participants to the various stalls near the stage. Children and adults enjoyed the ice-cream, cup corn and kacang.

‘Power Up!’ Telematch

Our colleagues and their families formed four teams, The Red, Green, Yellow and Blue Teams. They listened intently to the details for their roles. The telematch would be a test of skills and teamwork.

Key Chain Design

It was good fun to design your own key chain at the Shrink Art Counter. Naturally, the kids found that interesting too, bringing their very own creations home.

Splashing good fun

Aiming the ball accurately at the bull’s eye was popular too.

An accurate shot each time would mean that the volunteer had to plunge into the mini waterhole. Jieh Ping, one of our committee members who volunteered in this game enjoyed getting himself wet.

A major challenge was the matches in the Tsunami pool where balance and timing were important.

As the participants frolicked and stumbled in the pool, there was much cheering around from supporters of the four teams.

41

After the decisive outcome, Water decided to add more colour to this event.

The respective male representatives from the teams were invited on stage. Extra marks would be awarded to the best performer for the Hawaiian dance.

Aloha-oe, aloha-oe, ... lu Pi’i na nalu la lahalaha

The green team led by Tang Kiew Chay from the Boon Lay Extension Project emerged as the champions. The General Secretary of AUSBE, Nadarajah Thurairajasingam gave away prizes to all the teams.

Sporting male representatives sway to tune of Hawaii Five O

They were each given a Hawaiian grass lei and other accessories. Water taught them specific arm movements. So, much to our delight, each of the representatives took turns to sway and twirl to the tune of the famous ‘Hawaiian Five-O’.

All of us clapped and cheered. They were so good and kept us thoroughly entertained.

In his short speech, Singam encouraged our members to introduce new members to join the union movement. Together, we can keep our LTA Branch strong and vibrant. In line with national goals, we would do our part to raise productivity to a cheaper, better and faster level.

42

Telematch

GS Singam says a few words

DCE (PPC) Amy Hing awards 11th to 30th pre-draw prizes

Singam invited our DCE, Amy to conduct the grand draw for the 1st to 10th prizes.

And a smiling Ahmad Ehwan Shariff, a planning officer from the Transport Planning Group walked away with the first prize.

Finally, Water announced the lucky winners for a pre-draw for the 11th to 30th prizes.

He concluded with a word of thanks to all our participants and the committee who made the family day possible. It was an enjoyable day for all of us! Truly, it was a gathering of family and friends.

DCE (PPC) Amy Hing gives out 1st to 10th prizes

Working Committee

43

EMA Branch › Membership Recruitment Drive … In VIVO

The EMA’s Branch membership recruitment drive was held in conjunction with EMA’s staff forum on 19 May 2010 at Vivo City’s Golden Village.

EMA’s Branch Chairman, Mr Popathi congratulates new member, Dr Sanjay Kuttan

With the approval and support of EMA’s management, a recruitment booth was setup at the forum to recruit more members. Union committee members were at hand to smoothen the recruitment process by explaining the benefits of a union member and helping applicants with the registration forms. In order to encourage more EMA employees to sign up, gift vouchers worth more than $350 were given out, including 1000 NTUC Linkpoints. Recruiters were also given incentives in the form of 1000 NTUC Linkpoints for their efforts.

EMA’s Branch committee is proud to announce that its membership strength has risen to 81%. This feat would not have been accomplished if not for the hard work of its committee members and the support of EMA’s management.

EMA’s management led the way in the recruitment drive with two top high ranking officials, Dr Ow Chee Chung, Assistant Chief Executive and Dr Sanjay Kuttan, Director Industry Development Division, joining as new members. The union committee acknowledges the management’s support in this area.

By the end of the forum, 32 members were recruited.

EMA’s Branch Chairman, Mr Popathi presents vouchers worth more than $350 to the union’s new member, Dr Ow Chee Chung

45

EMA Branch › Membership Recruitment Drive … In Sentosa The EMA’s Branch membership recruitment drive also went to Sentosa.

On 4 August 2010, the recruitment drive was held in conjunction with EMA’s staff forum at Sentosa Resorts World. EMA chose to celebrate Singapore’s National Day with its staff.

At the recruitment booth, union committee members were seen explaining the benefits of union membership and helping applicants with the registration forms. In order to encourage more EMA employees to sign up, gift vouchers were given out and corporate discounts on Starhub handphone subscriptions were given to newly registered members.

EMA’s Branch committee recognises the importance of having good relations with the management and are grateful for their support. In all its recruitment drives, it was heartwarming to see EMA’s management leading the way.

The EMA’s Branch membership recruitment drive added 10 new members into their roll.

New members sign up for union membership

Brother Popathi hard at work

47

AUSBE › Takes The Proactive Way

By Muneerah Bee Mohamed Iqbal

It’s clear by now that with the aging population and workforce, re-employment of older workers is an important area for employers and unions to look into. As a union in the public sector, the Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees has been leading by example and successfully signed a Memorandum of Understanding with all of its 12 branches in October 2008.

As early adopters of the re-employment policy, the union has been proactively working with its management partners to offer the option of re-employment to older workers, three years ahead of the re-employment legislation.

Reaching out to another group of workers, the union is also looking to recruit more PMETs, especially higher division employees. In 2009, the union set a target to reach 5,000 members and has successfully exceeded the target by more than 100 members. This year the target is 6,000 members.

AUSBE President Abdul Rahim Farid explained: “To meet this target, AUSBE’s membership committee partnered NTUC’s Membership Department to come up with membership recruitment drives. The drives are tailored and targeted differently for each statutory board and the first drive for the Energy Market Authority in May was successful.”

To enhance membership benefits, AUSBE also has an affordable insurance scheme in place which is very wellreceived by members in the lower income group. For $2 per month, members enjoy hospitalisation and death benefits.

The union works very closely with NTUC and is very active in the NTUC Women’s Development Secretariat, Young NTUC and the U Live Committee. Such participation allows AUSBE to provide greater bonding opportunities and programme variety for their members.

Another successful partnership is the union’s good LabourManagement Relationship. Through this good LMR, management and union officials from various statutory boards such as Land Transport Authority, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, Maritime and Port Authority have attended trainings such as the Industrial Relations programmes by the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute and Programme for Re-Employment Practices: A Roadmap for Employers (PREPARE™) by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.

AUSBE General Secretary N. Thurairajasingam (front Row, 4th from left) with AUSBE members who are champions of the Men’s Team of 8 (Union) category at the U Run

“AUSBE also places importance in grooming its union officials and has been actively sending their union leaders for training at the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute,” AUSBE General Secretary N. Thurairajasingam added.

The Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees was formed on 28 October 1996.

Initially representing three statutory boards, it has grown to represent 12 currently: the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore, Building and Construction Authority, Defence Science and Technology Agency, Energy Market Authority, Health Promotion Board, Health Sciences Authority, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, Land Transport Authority, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, National Library Board and Singapore Land Authority.

First published in NTUC This Week, 30/07/2010 issue, by NTUC Media Co-operative Ltd

49

Learning Trip › Revelations in Macau

By Michael Pang Fock Joo

During their visit to the Macau Polytechnic Institute Gaming Teaching and Research Centre (GTRC), the Singapore delegation was given a peek into the kind of training offered by the Polytechnic. AUSBE was represented by Executive Council Member, Mr Michael Pang.

The Macau Gaming Industry Labourers Association (MGILA) Panel

An expedition to explore recruitment, training and productivity initiatives, saw 39 members from NTUC’s Employment and Employability Committee (EEC) and 8 members from Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) heading to Macau on 24 – 27 June 2010. The Macau learning trip, co-sponsored by NTUC involved visits to a training institute, training centre, gaming industry association and casino.

Established in 1 September 2009, GTRC specialises in the training of gaming and offers a Bachelor of Science in Gaming & Recreational Management, which is fully funded by the Macau government. Upon completion of their courses, graduates will be given the opportunity to work in one of the 33 casinos in Macau. GTRC matches the trainees with prospective employers through an electronic job matching (EJM) system.

The visit to GTRC also revealed some trade skills pertaining to identifying fake notes; handling large amounts of cash and chips; and monitoring gaming activities in surveillance rooms.

Exchange of tokens of appreciation between President of MGILA, Mr Joao Bosco Cheang and Singapore EEC Chairman, delegate leader Mr Lim Kuang Beng

50

AUSBE EXCO Member Mr Michael Pang – standing 2nd last row, 3rd from left

Mr Michael Pang (seated, 2nd from left) with the Singapore Delegation

On the second day, the contingent visited the Macau Gaming Industry Labourers Association (MGILA), an organisation that functions as training centre, association as well as a collaborator between the casino operators and the Macau government. The association which was established in 2002, receives full funding from the government to train 80-1300 trainees each term. The meeting ended with an exchange of tokens of appreciation between President of MGILA, Mr Joao Bosco Cheang and Singapore EEC Chairman, delegate leader Mr Lim Kuang Beng.

Vice President of Human Resource, Mr Antonio Ramirez explained how essential the provision of facilities, products and services such as shopping, entertainment, function rooms and hotel stay would play in the business of gaming.

Venetian employs 14,992 staff from 48 countries.

In the afternoon the team visited the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel, which boasts of extensive convention halls for hosting international events; a casino that can accommodate 600 gaming tables and 2,500 slot machines; 2,950 bedroom suites; and a Grand Canal shopping alley reminiscent of the canals in Venice. The Venetian is also registered as a university, awarding degree courses in gaming. The Venetian’s Senior

With all the wealth of information gathered from the visits and comparing against Macau’s thriving casino scene, the group gathered on the last day to discuss a workplan to improve employment and employability in Singapore under the Industrial, Service and Public sectors.

The brainstorm session reaped improvement ideas that brought the learning trip to a fitting conclusion.

51

Visit › To MINDS Ville@Napiri Home

By Hasanah Ahmad

AUSBE AGS Lau Lai Meng handing over a cheque to Senior Therapist Ms Sri Devi. AUSBE DGS G. Haridas looks on

MINDS Ville@Napiri residents

Time and effort is never lost when it’s contributed for a worthy cause. This was certainly true for 20 volunteers from AUSBE who visited MINDS Ville@Napiri on 19 June 2010.

The AUSBE Entourage

The visiting entourage dropped by MINDS Ville@Napiri bringing cash and cheque donations amounting to $1,180; groceries worth $500 from Teo Soon Seng Pte Ltd; clothings, cartons of chocolate biscuits and groceries from AUSBE members (see left photo).

Besides gifts and donations, the AUSBE team entertained the residents with song and dance performances. Ms Nirmala from National Library Board (NLB) sang three songs in Malay, Tamil and Chinese, while Ms Clara and her team from Land Transport Authority (LTA) entertained the children with her comical song aided by soft toys. Above all, it was the time and the joy they were able to share with the residents that made their visit to MINDS Ville@Napiri a special one.

53

Durian Kakis Forever › 2010

By Hasanah Ahmad

The durian season descends on us once again and AUSBE Women Subcommittee capitalised on Singaporean’s favourite pastime of feasting durians by organising a one-day tour to Muar, Malaysia on 4 July 2010. It was no surprise to us when we received an overwhelming response of 47 participants who signed up for the durian tour.

C&C Tropical Mushroom Snacks Sdn Bhd – Malaysia’s largest fresh oyster mushroom producer and distributor

54

As early as 6.30am, some members gathered first at Bishan MRT, before picking up the rest at Jurong East to set off for this gastronomical affair. The cool and breezy day kept the mood positive for the long wait at the second link checkpoint.

In typical Singapore fashion, the entourage kicked off the journey with a sumptuous Malaysian breakfast before proceeding to C&C Farm, Malaysia’s largest mushroom cultivation farm. C&C Farm harvests various types of mushroom and uses aerobic composting technology to produce Forest Bio-Plus fertilizer (see photo below).

Members were given a short educational tour around the farm before sampling and buying the farm products.

After the farm tour, we stopped by at the Oasis Bay for durians. With the help of friendly staff, we were able to pick and choose any durians and ate till our hearts content.

Although curry chicken and fried bee hoon were offered, the temptation to try other food could not lure the durian kakis from their main mission.

On the way back we were able to buy Muar’s famous otah.

The journey continued with more shopping at Yo Yo local products and another stopover at Permas Jaya for local Halal Seafood dinner. Our last point culminated at Jusco Mega Mall for more last-minute shopping. Everyone came back to Singapore around 10pm, a few kilogrammes heavier.

The third stopover was at the Ecolite Biotech Factory which produces pure, clean and chemical-free birds nests.

The farmhouses were built to attract swiftlets in making their nests and reproducing young ones in an unpolluted environment, thereby producing birds nest that contain fewer impurities and more nutrients.

The AUSBE Women’s Sub-committee had a great time organising this event for members and looks forward to continued support in its future activities.

Clean and chemical-free bird nests

Durian Haven at the Oasis Bay

Delectable Durian Delight for Durian Diehards

55

AUSBE › New Members Recruited From April – June 2010 IZMAN BIN HASSAN...........................................AVA KHO AH LYE EDDIE . ...........................................AVA LIM GIOK HOI . ....................................................AVA LIN KUNG JU.......................................................AVA MOHAMAD EFFAND BIN WARMA ....................AVA NIKO ROO KAN . .................................................AVA NORHANA BTE MOHD ALI MARICAN ..............AVA SEAH HUAY LENG . ............................................AVA NG KAY BENG *..................................................BCA WANG LEI . ..........................................................BCA DAWEYAH BINTE DASWAN...............................DSGB MUHD ZALI BIN MOHD MOKHTAR *.................DSGB SITI ROKIAH BTE HITAM . ..................................DSGB ANG MUN FOO SUNNY......................................DSTA CHEN JIYAN.........................................................DSTA HOONG KAR MIN ANGELIA...............................DSTA LEE SEAH PENG .................................................DSTA LIM CHEE HIN......................................................DSTA LOH KAR WHEE ..................................................DSTA LUM YUEN YOON...............................................DSTA NG CHOON CHAI *..............................................DSTA ONG SIEW WAH .................................................DSTA PUA CHAI SIONG ...............................................DSTA RAYMOND ONG HSIEN PENG ..........................DSTA TAN CHENG LEE..................................................DSTA TAN SHAO WEI....................................................DSTA TAY SIOK CHOO .................................................DSTA YEE CHI PENG . ...................................................DSTA CATHEREINE KOH HUI SIOK..............................EMA CHIA SEE LIAN.....................................................EMA FONG YOKE LENG...............................................EMA GOH AIHUA JOANN . .........................................EMA HO JIN CHENG.....................................................EMA JAE ANIE TAY......................................................EMA KEVIN GOH ZHILUN............................................EMA SAHA RAM KRISHNA . .......................................HPB SETIAWATI BTE AKBAR .....................................HPB SITI MONIRAH BTE A RAZAK . ..........................HPB SYAHIDAH BTE HAMIDE ....................................HPB THEIN THAN WIN ...............................................HPB TOH WEI WEI WENDY . ......................................HPB TONG CHEW YANG *..........................................HPB U WIN NYUNT ....................................................HPB WANG CAI JUAN . ..............................................HPB WU SHA................................................................HPB YE HTUT ..............................................................HPB CHIANG KHENG LONG *....................................HSA DURAN MICHELLE SILAGAN.............................HSA GILLIAN CHIA EE PENG......................................IDA GOVINDAN SEENI VASGAM .............................IDA SEAH CHWEE NGHO HELEN..............................IDA FATEHAH BTE MUHAMMAD KHAIRUDDIN .....IPOS ABDUL RAZIK BIN MOHD YUNOS *..................LTA ANG WEI NGEE....................................................LTA ASRI BIN ABDUL RAHMAN ...............................LTA CHAY POH KHUM AUDREY................................LTA CHEN SIYAN BERNICE........................................LTA CHENG MUI MUI EUNICE ..................................LTA

CHIN KWEE SOON PATRICK . ............................LTA CHOO LIYUE JULIET ..........................................LTA FONG WEE LING PATRICIA . ..............................LTA GAJENDRA S/O SUNDRAJOO *........................LTA GANESH S/O D R BALAKRISHNAN...................LTA HE YANHUI...........................................................LTA HO YEW LEONG BENJAMIN *...........................LTA JAMUNDA D/O PARMASIVAM...........................LTA KULASERGARAM S/O SINNATHAMBY KATHIRGAMAR....................................................LTA LEE BUAY CHIANG .............................................LTA LEE HUI CHING....................................................LTA LIM LOOT YIN JERLIYN......................................LTA LIM YONG CHUNG ALAN ..................................LTA LOO SEO HOON...................................................LTA MOHAMED FARED BIN MAKMON . ..................LTA NG WEE KWANG ................................................LTA NINA FARHANA BINTE ABDUL JALIL ..............LTA NOR JANNAH BINTE AHMAD . .........................LTA OOI WEI BENG *..................................................LTA PASCUAL ROBERTO BESABE............................LTA PEH SIOK HOON CATHERINE.............................LTA RASIDA BTE AB RASID ......................................LTA RUMZI BIN KAMIN .............................................LTA S.A.S. ERIC LEONARD CALISTUS JANSE ........LTA SATHIABAMA D/O RAJAH SEGRAN . ...............LTA SELVARANI D/O MUNIYADY MADAMUTHU.....LTA SYED MUBARAK BIN MUBUKUTHEEN.............LTA TAN GIM SIONG..................................................LTA TAN SEE MUN SIMON .......................................LTA TAY BOON HENG ...............................................LTA TEO WAH TZE RAYMOND..................................LTA WEE GEK HUAK WILLIAM..................................LTA WONG YAN KIT ..................................................LTA WUU KEK SIONG ...............................................LTA YVONNE TSEN MUI YUN ..................................LTA ZURAIDA BINTE MOHAMED ARIFF ..................LTA ANG TONG HANG TERENCE..............................MPA DHARMINDERJIT SINGH GILL...........................MPA FOO CHIA YEE JAMIE.........................................MPA GUO HE JUN EUGENE *.....................................MPA KOH CHUNG KIAT...............................................MPA WONG KAI CHEONG...........................................MPA YITNO ISHARNO BIN AB JAMIL *......................MPA FARIDAH BTE MAHADI ......................................NLB FRANCY CHONG..................................................NLB MARLINA BINTE ROSNI . ...................................NLB IVAN LEE YEE KEONG.........................................SLA MABEL PEK .........................................................SLA

TOTAL RECRUITED 142 MEMBERS

57