AUSBE 2011 Aug Journal

Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees Majulah! The Singapore Spirit

National Day 2011 MICA(P) 096/09/2009

Contents Messages Mr Lee Hsien Loong 05 Prime Minister, Singapore Mr Lim Swee Say 09 Secretary General National Trades Union Congress Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam 13 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance & Manpower Mr Khaw Boon Wan 17 Minister of National Development Mr Abdul Rahim Farid 21 President, AUSBE Mr N Thurairajasingam 23 General Secretary, AUSBE Mr Yeo Guat Kwang 25 Executive Secretary, AUSBE

2011 features 26 The Singapore SPirit 28 National Day Parade 2011 33 Active agers celebrate national day 36 AUSBE - LTA BRanch Family Day 40 BORA Winners 2011 GO India 45 Visit to MINDSVille@Napiri 48 AUSBE Bowling Tournament 2011 52 Malacca ‘Jalan Jalan’ Trip 55 Retirees Gathering 2011 59 Re-employment Policy 61 AUSBE New Members List

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

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and to support needy families through many assistance programmes.

Overall, Government policies have worked. Our strong reserves saved up over many years gave us the confidence and the means to move decisively with our Resilience Package. Our growth strategies of upgrading education and skills, and breaking into higher-value sectors have created good new jobs for Singaporeans. Compared to five years ago, most households have seen incomes rise.

But despite our best efforts, we could not shield Singaporeans fully from external shocks. In a rapidly changing situation, the Government had to address the most urgent problems first – stabilising the economy, saving jobs, helping those who were displaced by the crisis.

Mr Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister, Singapore My fellow Singaporeans,

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he Singapore economy is consolidating its recovery from the 2008 global economic crisis. GDP grew 4.9% in the first half of 2011, while unemployment remains low at 2.1%. Despite some risks on the horizon, we project steady growth of 5-6% for 2011.

Our last five years were marked by uncertainty and rapid change. We enjoyed several very good years when our economy boomed, and wages went up. But we also experienced some very worrying moments, especially during the global economic crisis.

Amidst such unprecedented turbulence, the Government did its utmost to protect Singaporeans from the global crisis. We introduced the Jobs Credit to keep firms viable and save jobs. We formed the Economic Strategies Committee to identify long-term opportunities and map out a pathway for the future.

This year, with the cost of living rising, we launched the Grow & Share package to help households cope. We continue to retrain workers to become more employable,

Some Government policies did not keep pace, but we have been tackling the problems. We are building more HDB flats, to reduce waiting times and keep prices affordable.

We are adding MRT lines and buses, to improve public transport service standards. We are moderating the inflow of foreign workers and immigrants, and making it clearer that Singaporeans come first. We are reviewing our social safety nets to better support Singaporeans in a more volatile environment. The results will not arrive overnight, but we should see improvements over the next few years.

However, we should be especially careful of one issue.

While we will always put Singaporeans first, let us not turn negative on foreigners. Singapore has prospered because we have been open to the world and alive to economic competition and change. This is how we have attracted investments, created jobs for Singaporeans, and made ourselves a vibrant city. We cannot afford to close in on ourselves, or attribute all our problems to foreigners.

We must stay connected to the world, and continue to welcome talent and ideas, wherever they may come from.

Only then can we continue to thrive, and build a better Singapore for all.

While addressing pressing concerns at home, we must remain attentive to global trends, and take a longer term view of our future. Asia, led by China and India, is expected to continue growing, but the global outlook remains uncertain. Europe’s debt problems are far from solved, despite the recent bailout of Greece by the EU. The US economy remains sluggish. The US President and

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Mr Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister, Singapore

Congress have agreed to raise the debt ceiling, but have put off difficult decisions to raise taxes and cut spending.

Japan has the added burden of earthquake and tsunami recovery. These three key economies are struggling to find the decisive leadership required to resolve their domestic challenges. This will weigh them down and dampen global prospects.

will have many opportunities to seek your own dreams and fulfil your promise. I am happy that many young Singaporeans also feel a calling to serve a shared, higher purpose: volunteering for humanitarian relief missions, taking up green causes, and caring for the aged and less fortunate. This Singapore spirit will hold us together as one people.

The next few years will bring more rapid changes and surprises. We must anticipate and respond to these external events as best as we can, and steer a course that maximises Singa-pore’s chances of success.

Many years ago, our forefathers pulled together and worked hard to build this nation. Their common goal was to survive, and show the world that we could make it on our own. That powerful drive united and motivated a whole generation of Singaporeans.

We need to keep building for the longer term. We will grow our economy by upgrading ourselves and raising productivity, reducing the need to import so many foreign workers. We will educate our young well, and retrain our older workers effectively. And we will create an outstanding living environment for ourselves: a City in a Garden, and a vibrant, thriving home for all Singaporeans. We have comprehensive plans to achieve these goals.

Beyond these specific policies, the way we manage our affairs must change. Our society is changing. A new generation of Singaporeans want more alternative voices, and more debate on issues affecting them. They seek to play a bigger part in co-creating solutions. I welcome this. I invite Singaporeans with ideas and plans to come forward, and help us get more things done in better ways.

The Government will reach out to all segments of society, to tap your imagination, energy and initiative. This will not only improve policies and results; it will also strengthen our sense of commitment and belonging to this place we call home.

We are now at a new defining moment in our history. In a globalised world, we can stay competitive by raising our education levels and productivity. We can pull ahead by enlarging our talent pool and remaining an open, vibrant society. Most importantly, we can surmount the neverending challenges of nation building by looking out for one another and working hand-in-hand to improve all our lives.

This island is our shared home. Together, we have achieved much in the 46 years since Independence. Let us continue to work together to create a brighter future and a better home for all of us.

I wish all Singaporeans a Happy National Day.

More diverse views can produce a more vibrant society, but they may also split and weaken us. We need to enlarge our common space, not magnify our differences and become a house divided. By staying united we can respond effectively to major challenges, and continue to outperform other countries.

In particular, younger Singaporeans have a major part to play. You are our future. You belong to the age of the Internet and social media. You have different experiences, perspectives, and aspirations from your elders. And you will inherit the country that earlier generations have painstakingly built.

We will do our utmost to help you succeed. Your idealism, passion and commitment will make all the difference. You

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First, keep creating enough good jobs for ourselves and our children. It is important that we stay ahead of global competition because we cannot afford a high unemployment rate of 8 per cent as in the case of Europe, or 9 per cent like in the USA. Otherwise, a weak labour market in Singapore will cause our wages to stagnate.

Second, help Singaporeans capture better job opportunities, earn better wages and pursue faster career advancement.

This means higher wages for our low-wage workers; fair wages for our matured workers; meaningful career opportunities for our back-to-work women; and better career prospects for our PMEs (Professionals, Managers and Executives).

Mr Lim Swee Say Secretary General National Trade Union Congress

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appy National Day.

Two years ago, a severe global recession hit the world.

Today, workers in some countries still suffer the pain of job loss.

In the USA, worsening structural unemployment means millions could be unemployed for a long time.

In Europe, high youth unemployment means many jobless youths today could grow up to be unemployable workers in future.

In short, we need to strive for Singapore to be first in global competition to sustain healthy growth and create enough good jobs. We also need to strive for Singaporeans to be first in local employment to take on better jobs, earn better pay and live better lives.

Few countries can set their sights so high but we dare to because our children are well educated, our workforce is well trained, our economy is competitive and our tripartite partnership is strong.

Let us keep strengthening our Singapore Spirit. Together in unity, we can march forward as one unlimited economy and one united workforce.

Majulah! The Singapore Spirit.

Majulah! U & Me. Happy National Day to all!

In Singapore, we succeeded in putting the global recession behind us. Our economic growth is healthy, job creation is strong and unemployment is low.

As Singaporeans and tripartite partners, we can be proud of our unity in securing this quick and solid turnaround together.

Having regained full employment, our challenge is to do even better on two fronts.

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head-on every time; something to do with how we each do our best in our jobs, in the way we raise our families and the way we look after the elderly, in the way we try to improve our communities, how we each play our part and try to do all these. It is something to do with improving Singapore year by year.

So Majulah! The Singapore Spirit is what we are as a people - forward-looking, and determined to overcome obstacles to build a better future for Singapore and for all Singaporeans.

At MOM – we must continue to “Majulah” or press ahead in our key priorities for the future. First, to boost productivity across the board; second, to ensure inclusive growth where all Singaporeans benefit; and third, to sustain and add resilience to tripartism in Singapore. These priorities are all interwoven. Each depends on the other.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance & Manpower

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his year, we celebrate the 46th year of our independence with an economy that is healthy and strong. The global economy is troubled, and it could deteriorate further. But our fundamentals in Singapore are strong. And it is these strong fundamentals that allow us to keep our sights on the future and not be bogged down by the problems of today.

Employment is growing well. In fact, job vacancies have risen sharply, and unemployment is low.

Majulah! The Singapore Spirit The 2011 National Day theme is “Majulah! The Singapore Spirit” - what does it mean for all of us?

“Majulah” - which means “Onward!”1 – it represents our constant desire for a better future as Singporeans. The word “Majulah” connects all of us because we all sing it in the National Anthem on every important occasion.

And what does “Singapore Spirit” represent? – there are many different definitions, many different takes on the “Singapore Spirit”. It is something to do with how we come together, regardless of race or religion, to face challenges

Priority 1: Productivity Our key task is to achieve growth driven by productivity, rather than growth driven by an ever-increasing supply of labour. The growth of our local labour force is slowing.

And we cannot keep increasing our dependence on foreign labour.

We must therefore focus on improving the quality of jobs in the years ahead, rather than growing more jobs.

This productivity-driven growth – growth that involves improving the quality of jobs - is how we will raise the incomes of Singaporeans, in every job and for every skill and talent. It is how we will get a better standard of living for all Singaporeans.

Our tripartite partners are working together to achieve 2-3% productivity growth on average per year over this next decade. If we achieve this, we have a good chance of raising median Singaporean incomes by 30% in real terms, in other words, after deducting inflation, over the course of this current decade - which is a significant lift in living standards. What we achieve in median incomes is of course only possible if it is growth-based income growth, so that those at the bottom, those at the lower half of the population, everyone must come onboard. We must achieve broad-based income growth for all Singaporeans.

The truth of the matter is that this is a challenging goal.

2-3% productivity growth is much higher than what we achieved in the last 10 years. And it is also much higher

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Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance & Manpower

than what most other countries at a similar level of advancement as Singapore have achieved over a 10 year period.

So this is a real challenge, but we can achieve it if we work together and put every effort into training workers, improving management processes, investing in equipment and better software, and if we raise our game in innovation in every sector of our economy. Raising our game in innovation is the responsibility of owners and managers of enterprises, as well as the responsibility of the entire workforce.

We will not be able to transform ourselves overnight. Our national productivity drive is really a multi-year marathon, not a sprint. It will require concerted effort by companies, industry associations, unions, branches of unions and individual workers - all with the support of the Government.

And we have committed to providing very strong support.

At the end of the day, it will require the Singapore Spirit, that will help us tackle this challenge and secure a better future for all Singaporeans.

CET MOM is pressing forward in developing a first-class continuing education and training (CET) system. There are many examples of how we are developing the CET infrastructure, many new programmes such as those that are aimed at the PMET group. STEP for instance, which is a very important initiative that we have embarked on to help to upgrade the professionals, managers, executives and technical workforce.

Already, we are seeing success stories coming out of STEP. Let me share with you one example, Mr Jeremiah Oh Mr Jeremiah Oh; a 31 year-old recently graduated from CG Protégé Animation School. A former customer services officer, he had taken the plunge and embarked on a sixmonth advanced certificate, followed by a 12-month WSQ Diploma in Animation.

We gave him a 90% course fee grant and also given a monthly training stipend of $1,000 for the 12-month diploma course.

Today, he is a proud member of the team who produced Singapore’s first 3D animated TV series - Dream Defenders and has seen his pay increase by more than 30% compared to his previous employment.

One of many examples of how CET efforts are tailored to

real jobs in the economy, how individual Singaporeans boost their skill-sets and salary potential.

Let’s press on with re-skilling and up-skilling, and improving the quality of every job, from the simplest to the most complex, from manual or the office-bound. Every job up and down the ladder can be improved, and must be improved. That is how we will raise median incomes as well as incomes for all Singaporeans.

Priority 2: Inclusive Growth As we seek to lift productivity and wages, we will pay special attention to our lowest wage workers. No worker will be left behind.

The Government will continue to work together with our tripartite partners on the multi-pronged effort to uplift low wage workers so that they enjoy better income prospects, better employability, and more financial security.

Supporting self-reliance: The Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) payment serves to encourage older and low-wage workers to find a job, stay in it and do as well as possible on the job.

Over and above the WIS, the Government is providing a Workfare Special Bonus (WSB), a temporary scheme which shares our budget surplus with low-wage workers for the next three years.

The first bonus payout was made in mid May this year and is expected to cost the Government about half a billion dollars over a span of three years – this year and the next two to come.

Give “lift” to low-wage workers and set them on path to grow their incomes: The Workfare Training Support (WTS) was launched in July last year to help older low-wage workers upgrade their skills and improve their employability, upgrade to better jobs and thereby earn more.

Outreach efforts by Tripartite Committee for Low-Wage workers and Inclusive Growth (Tricom) such as roadshows have even brought training right to the heartlands – with demonstrations, talks to career consultants and details on available courses, making upgrading attractive, accessible and something not too distant for the average worker.

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Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance & Manpower

Effective employment laws to protect workers: Another dimension of our work is to enforce laws to protect Singapore workers.

MOM has stepped up our enforcement efforts. Last year, 33 employers were convicted for offences under the Employment Act. We have also increased the number of outreach sessions to educate low-wage workers on their employment rights and other employment-related issues.

Conclusion I thank tripartite partners for their strong support, and all MOMers for their good work and dedication. Let’s work together towards a higher skilled workforce, a higher level of productivity, and a better standard of living for all Singaporeans.

Let’s keep up our Majulah spirit. Remaining ever ready for challenges in the economic landscape and ever steadfast in our service to the nation.

Priority 3: Tripartism

Majulah Singapura and Happy National Day!

Our concerted tripartite efforts and cooperative spirit allowed us to hold unemployment down in very difficult circumstances and also allowed the economy to recover rapidly, so that we brought jobs back quickly after the recession and brought unemployment back to the near-full employment situation.

This speech was made at the Ministry of Manpower National Day Observance Ceremony 2011, on 08 August 2011, at the Singapore Airlines Theatre, Lasalle College of the Arts.

This same spirit of tripartite cooperation is critical to our future - both in crisis and in peace-time.

Tripartism is fundamental to how we respond to future difficulties, which are bound to come in a troubled world environment. Tripartism is a real advantage in how we deal with downturns - in a way that is a plus for both workers and a plus for businesses.

We will be conducting public consultations with both employers and employees to see how we can also proactively enhance employment practices. This practice is not only for crises and downturns, but also for peace-time.

We continuously seek to improve employment practices, improve working environment and take care of the interest of workers.

Just last week, MOS Tan Chuan Jin led our public consultation exercise on issues regarding foreign domestic workers (FDWs) - the first we have done for FDWs. About 50 participants, comprising employers, employment agencies, NGOs and training providers turned up to discuss issues of recruitment, selection and entry of foreign domestic workers. It was a fruitful and spirited engagement, and we received valuable feedback and insights, which will help us to formulate our policies on foreign domestic workers.

This is an example of how we must sort out problems and issues calmly and with practical solutions in mind.

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Working around the clock to ensure food safety On 11 March 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami resulted in severe damage to the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, Japan. A multi-disciplinary team comprising officers from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) demonstrated tenacity in ensuring a resilient supply of safe food amid threats of radioactive contamination of food from Japan.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan Minister of National Development

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he annual awards, first presented in 2006, represent the highest accolade given by the ministry to outstanding teams from across the MND Family of agencies. These officers have worked closely together with passion and dedication to contribute to MND’s vision and challenges of transforming Singapore into “an endearing Home and distinctive Global City.” The award-winning teams demonstrated innovation, team-spirit and commitment.

The winning teams in 2011 worked on the following projects: • “Ensuring Food Safety amid Threats of Radioactive Contamination of Food Products from Japan” • “Building Information Modelling (BIM) e-Submission for Regulatory Approval” • “Treelodge@Punggol” • “Park Connector Network (PCN)” • “Planning and Development of Marina Bay” These five teams and their projects were selected by a highlevel panel, comprising the Permanent Secretary for National Development and the CEOs of the various MND Statutory Boards.

It adopted a risk management approach instead of a blanket ban to facilitate trade and the import of safe food during the crisis. Officers rose to the challenge and worked tirelessly round the clock in a race against time. The team maintained constant contact with the Japanese embassy in Singapore and local importers on updates on regulatory measures and surveillance, with respect to food shipments from Japan. As a result of the close collaboration, Certificates of Origin were smoothly implemented to effectively identify the source of food exports.

Championing Revolutionary Technology in the Built Environment A multi-agency collaboration to enable ‘Building Information Modelling (BIM) e-Submission for Regulatory Approval’ was led by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) with officers from the Housing & Development Board (HDB), the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). Started in January 2009, BIM (Building Information Modelling) is a key technology driver to improve the level of integration and collaboration across various disciplines in the building lifecycle.

To push for greater acceptance of BIM via electronic submissions, the team developed an e-submission template which works seamlessly on CORENET (COnstruction and Real Estate NETwork) infrastructure. With the Government taking the lead to use BIM, there were significant savings in the construction process. For instance, HDB recently completed two housing projects (from modelling to regulatory submission) using the BIM template, achieving 40-45 percent in manpower savings.

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Mr Khaw Boon Wan Minister of National Development

First Green Mark Platinum Award-Winning Public Housing Project The Treelodge@Punggol is a live showcase and prime testbed of multi-disciplinary research and development projects spearheaded by a team of officers from HDB. Located at the junction of Punggol Road, Punggol Drive and Punggol Place, the eco-precinct comprised seven residential building blocks, with generous provision of green spaces. Its design principle is to harness the elements of nature wherever possible, such as wind, daylight, rainfall and greenery, to promote sustainable green living. Green building technologies are also adopted to help promote energy conservation, efficient use of resources, recycling efforts and reduce maintenance cost.

the opening and closing ceremonies of the inaugural 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games, the third Formula One Singapore Grand Prix and “i Light Marina Bay”.

Adapted from Press Release where Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan presented the MND Minister’s Awards (Team) to 120 officers from five outstanding teams from across the MND family of agencies at MND’s National Day Observance Ceremony on 08 Aug 2011. Each winning team received a crystal trophy and Certificates of Commendation from Minister Khaw.

Green Linear Spaces in Our Garden City Developed since 1991, the Park Connector Network (PCN) is an island-wide network of linear open spaces around major residential areas, linking up parks and nature sites in Singapore. Park connectors optimise the use of land by turning them into beautiful green corridors that serve an ecofunction, apart from recreational purposes. Greenery along the PCN also enables birdlife and other fauna to traverse from one refuge to another; enhancing the biodiversity.

The PCN brings people closer to greenery, enhancing recreational opportunities for all and is an important part of NParks’ plans to evolve Singapore into a “City in a Garden”.

It is also an innovative way to expand and enhance the quality of recreational space in a dense urban setting.

Transforming Singapore’s Skyline The continuing success of Marina Bay was a result of innovative planning and collaborative efforts by officers from URA, NParks, service partners and stakeholders. Their efforts have significantly transformed the physical, social and economic landscape of Singapore.

As the place manager for Marina Bay, URA collaborates with other government agencies and private stakeholders to implement exciting activities and signature events, such as

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Mr Abdul Rahim Farid President, AUSBE

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he theme for this year’s National Day is “Majulah! The Singapore Spirit”. This encapsulates the determination, the never say die attitude of our people. We are always striving to better our life for the sake of the generations to come. The onward spirit of Singapore has brought the country to where it is today.

The AUSBE spirit mirrors that description. As a union, we strive to add value and stay relevant to our members. We stay united to overcome obstacles and to face challenges head on. Times could be good or bad – but one thing remains constant – it is our togetherness that pulls us through.

The global economic outlook remains uncertain. All the more we need to stay on course in our skills upgrading efforts; in engaging our members and in strengthening the harmonious relationship with the management.

We celebrate the National Day well aware of the challenges confronting us.

We stand united, bold and confident that we will tackle the challenges head on.

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Mr N Thurairajasingam General Secretary, AUSBE

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ajulah! U & me! - this is the labour movement’s theme for this year’s National Day Observance ceremonies.

The reminder to step out and step up to stay united and progress together cannot come at a better time when there is a impending risk that the global economy may relapse into a second recession.

Prepare for turbulence ahead, our Prime Minister sounded a warning. We have to take heed and be very prepared for a rough roller-coaster ride ahead.

This is not about race, religion, class or even political affiliation. It is about people who choose Singapore as our home coming together with a common destiny to make the country relevant, vibrant and prosperous.

It is about coming forward to play an active role in making the community we live in better and in caring for the less fortunate.

The labour movement’s theme mirrors that the National Day Parade tagline, Majulah! The Singapore Spirit! Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says that the Singapore Spirit is ‘the determination that makes us press on” in the face of tough times and the confidence that Singapore will prevail.

And indeed, we will prevail together, united, U and me.

It is about striving to achieve better jobs, pay and life for all the workers.

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Mr Yeo Guat Kwang Executive Secretary, AUSBE

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t was not too long ago when we came face to face with the worst storm we have ever experienced since independence.

The Singapore government took a bold move to dip into our reserves to help the country out of the murky situation.

The timely solution worked. The economy bounced back, many jobs were protected, and we quickly recovered. Many were envious of how swift our response and recovery were.

Other countries were not so fortunate. We are not unfamiliar with the situation in the USA and Europe where the unemployment rate and consumers confidence remain low.

We are fully aware of our vulnerability. Thus we remain watchful yet hopeful that come what may, we will fight the beat the odds; vigilant yet grateful of the many good things this country has.

One of the many blessings is the tripartite relationship we enjoy today. This relationship works because there is trust, respect and a common understanding that we are all in the same boat, fighting the same battle on the same side.

Both the union and management do not have to be confrontational in our encounters with each other to show how strong each side is. This is old school. We show our strength through solidarity and positive outcomes. The win-win formula has served us well.

Together, we will build to ensure the resilient and dynamic economy we now enjoy continues to flourish.

Singapore is vulnerable to external problems. Internally, we have to close ranks and work shoulder-to-shoulder to weather the storm.

Singapore is vulnerable to external problems. Internally, we have to close ranks and work shoulder-to-shoulder to weather the storm.

Majulah!

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THE SINGAPORE SPIRIT IS... “the determination that makes us press on in the face of tough times and the confidence that Singapore will prevail.”

PM Lee Hsien Loong The theme for NDP 2011 is Majulah! The Singapore Spirit. Majulah means “Onward!”. It represents our strength, energy and dynamism to continually strive towards building a better Singapore. It is a word with deep roots in our history that also connects with our National Anthem – a familiar touch point that is close to every Singaporean’s heart.

The Singapore Spirit, highlights our unity as one people. It symbolises the competence and confidence that drive us to reach beyond our boundaries and to constantly seek new heights to scale. It also represents a unity built upon mutual trust as well as our can-do attitude and determination to take challenges in our stride.

Taken together, Majulah! The Singapore Spirit is a rally cry that calls on all Singaporeans to move forward together to bring Singapore to greater heights, to excel in our diverse fields of work and play and to realise our fullest potential. Through the theme, we hope Singaporeans will pause to reflect and discover what the Singapore Spirit means to them. In sharing and passing on the Singapore Spirit to our children, and our grandchildren, we seek to strengthen our roots and at the same time inspire future generations to build a better home, a better Singapore.

This year’s National Day Parade (NDP) logo depicts the passion and dynamism of the NDP 2011 theme “Majulah!

The Singapore Spirit”.

The five figures symbolise brightly burning flames whose soaring motion reflects Singaporeans’ constant drive for higher levels of success as a nation. The two central figures form the shape of a heart which represents our love for Singapore and the compassion in our society as we celebrate 46 years of independence.

The five stars stand for our nation’s ideals of democracy, justice, equality, peace and progress.

The shades of red reflect Singaporeans from all walks of life. The overall vivid red colour signifies our unity, determination and can-do spirit that bond us in times of success and adversity.

The National Day Parade (NDP) 2011 Show was presented in an integrated musical, showcasing the Singapore Spirit and Singapore’s progress over a prologue and five acts. Stringing the acts together were several main characters and various renditions of this year’s theme song “In A Heartbeat”. The show tells the story of Singapore from the perspective of a family, centering on two main characters – Mother and Son, whose story brings out different elements of the Singapore Spirit, with Singapore’s history as the backdrop.

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Ausbe | NDP 2011

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NDP 2011 Theme Song In A Heartbeat Music by Goh Keng Long Lyrics by Haresh Sharma Sung by Sylvia Ratonel

Verse:

I have a dream of starting a life I have a hope, a flame alight This is the moment, freedom is calling This is my start, a new beginning I have a heart, it beats for you A step at a time, our spirits renew Living together under the sun Our hearts will beat as one Chorus:

In a heartbeat, I’ll be there for you In a heartbeat, no one else will do In a heartbeat, we will always be Together, united; you and me In a heartbeat, time has passed us by In a heartbeat, we will reach the sky In a heartbeat, this will always be Our people, our country This is our family.

We found a home on this land This is the place where we can We have a part, a role to play It’s time for us to stay

In a heartbeat, time has passed us by In a heartbeat, we will reach the sky In a heartbeat, this will always be Our people, our country This is our family.

Bridge:

Nothing will stand in our way We can be strong today The flame is alive This is our life Chorus:

In a heartbeat, I’ll be there for you In a heartbeat, no one else will do In a heartbeat, we will always be Together, united; you and me In a heartbeat, time has passed us by In a heartbeat, we will reach the sky In a heartbeat, this will always be Our people, our country This is our family.

MAJULAH! THE SINGAPORE SPIRIT @ NDP 2011

By Mok Chan Seng AUSBE Executive Council Member and Team Leader, AUSBE NDP 2011 Team

The Singapore Spirit soared high as our nation celebrated its 46th birthday bash on 9 August at The Float @ Marina Bay.

The theme for NDP 2011 was Majulah! The Singapore Spirit. The Malay word Majulah means “Onward!” and it represents our strength, energy and dynamism to continually strive towards building a better Singapore. To many it had a deeper connection as the word Majulah is close to every Singaporean’s heart, being sung in our National Anthem.

A total of 29 contingents participated in the Parade.

They comprised four Guard-Of-Honour (GOH) contingents, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Colours Party, the Combined Band and 23 other contingents representing the five pillars of Total Defence – military, civil, economic, social and psychological.

This year’s NDP saw its first female Parade SergeantMajor (PSM). It was to be the last NDP for our President Mr S R Nathan as he would not be seeking re-election and will retire as Head of State come 31 August 2011.

This year’s NDP was extra special for AUSBE as we joined the NTUC contingent, which led the Social and Economic group contingents onto the parade ground. The NTUC contingent comprised of 63 participants (including the two commanders and reserves) from the various unions affiliated to NTUC.

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Ausbe | NDP 2011

Our AUSBE NDP 2011 team, represented by 6 members from LTA and SLA, joined the NTUC contingent training as early as 9 April 2011 at NTUC Downtown East @ Pasir Ris. The contingent sacrificed a total of 16 weekends to practise and rehearse for the NDP. As usual, we went through internal training at Pasir Ris, combined marching rehearsals at Nee Soon Camp before proceeding to The Float @ Marina Bay for the full combined rehearsals, NE Shows, NDP Preview and the actual NDP on National Day. We

AUSBE NDP 2011 TEAM MEMBERS 2nd Row 4th from right – Sister Rozana Abdul Karim (LTA) 3rd Row 6th from left – Brother Mok Chan Seng (SLA) – Team Leader

were trained by a team of dedicated trainers (warrant officers) from the Army.

NTUC President, brother John De Payva visited the contingent at their holding area at the F1 Pit Building on 23 July 2011 to give encouragement and to thank the members for their sacrifices for NDP 2011.

The Observance Ceremony cum dinner was held on the evening of 6 August 2011 at NTUC Downtown

6th Row 3rd from left – Brother Tan Teck Su (LTA) 6th from left – Sister Chan Hwee Ping (SLA) 3rd from right – Brother Muthusamy s/o P Vengadasalam (LTA) Not in Photo – Sister Sangeeta Devi d/o Defi Raj (LTA)

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East instead of the usual lunch on 9 August 2011 as August was the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

We broke the fast with our Muslim brothers and sisters before the commencement of the ceremony cum dinner. The Guest-of-Honour was brother Seng Han Thong, NTUC Assistant Secretary General and MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC. On the big day, 9 August 2011, Singapore’s 46th birthday NDP 2011, we marched proudly at The Float @ Marina Bay, followed by the City March as AUSBE together with NTUC, reaffirmed what it means to carry the Singapore Spirit.

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Active Agers Celebrate National Day

Happy Active Flyers

Jointly organised by the NTUC Re-employment Group and U live, the Active Ager National Day Observance Ceremony (NDOC) was held at the Marina Barrage on 22 August 2011. Three members of AUSBE – Mr Joseph Philip, Mr Liow Chin Chog and Ms Jenny Neo participated in the annual event.

Serving as a platform to showcase the labour movement’s progress in the area of re-employment, the gathering also reminded seniors aged 55 years and above to continue to remain active, healthy, engaged and connected.

Explaining why the organisers decided on holding their NDOCs at Pinnacle@Duxton in 2010 and Marina Barrage this year as opposed to conducting them in hotels or workplaces, Guest-Of-Honour NTUC Assistant

Secretary-General Mr Seng Han Thong said that these places were uniquely Singaporean and analogous to “Active Ageing”.

“I think these two places remind us something about the Singapore spirit, the willingness to dream, the ‘can do’ and ‘do together’ attitude that we are world famous for.”

“Pinnacle used to be an old and forgotten HDB precinct.

A public housing project in the heart of city that nobody ever thought could become pinnacle. It could either go to private developers or become commercial. But we chose to keep it a public housing project, and not only any other HDB project but high rise buildings with inter connected roof top gardens.”

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“The Marina Barrage is another example of our daring to dream, can do and do together spirit. It was an achievement to clean up the Singapore River in the 1980s and 1990s. But in the new millennium, we dared to dream of turning the Singapore river bay into an enclosed downtown lake in the heart of the city.

And we did it with the great engineering feat that is the marina barrage. Like the Pinnacle and Marina Barrage, active agers also dare to dream, and adopt a ‘can do’ and ‘do together’ attitude.”

Kite flyers with their colourful friends

Alluding to ageing populations around the world in developed countries, Mr Seng Han Thong explained that governments have raised the retirement age to the displeasure of elderly people or have chosen to ignore the problem and let pension schemes go bankrupt.

In light of the increased life expectancy, he added that an inclusive system where government, employers and older workers coming together will not only allow older workers to work longer but creates decent jobs for them.

After the ceremony, participants enjoyed a session of kite flying at Marina Barrage’s roof garden for old time’s sake.

Mr Liow Chin Chog, Mr Joseph Philip, and Ms Jenny Neo

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AUSBE LTA BRANCH

OUR DAY AT THE ZOO

AUSBE – LTA Branch held its 4th Family Day amongst friendly creatures great and small, at the Singapore Zoo on 23 July 2011.

It was a bright and sunny day that greeted LTA Branch staff, members, their families and guests.

While members of the working committee for the Family Day were the first to arrive, others slowly streamed into the zoo with the intention of establishing family ties and experiencing the wonders of nature.

AUSBE LTA Branch had entered the Singapore Zoo, a rainforest haven, home to over 2,500 specimens and 316 species of animals. It’s literally a zoo out there!

Members of the working committee for the Family Day came as early as 8.30am to ensure a smooth running of the day’s programme.

The Family Day commenced with the arrival of Guest-of-Honour, AUSBE President Mr Abdul Rahim Farid.

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Sand art activities kept the children and those young at heart busy.

What better way to energise ourselves than the sweet delight of ice-cream. Michael Pang and Joseph, our ice-cream men were the coolest men in zoo town.

Members and their families were ‘entertained’ as they walked to their first meeting point at the ‘Pavilion by the Lake’, a sheltered area with a serene ambience, near the Seletar Reservoir. It seemed as though the animals were at their best behaviour. Family of monkeys were seen chattering happily while baby Malayan tapirs “tap” danced as if it was their opening number of the day.

The Family Day kickstarted with the arrival of Guest-ofHonour, Mr Abdul Rahim Farid, President of AUSBE, followed by a variety of games, entertainment and activities spread throughout the day. The programme climaxed with a Lucky Draw, and then it was time to bond with the animals. Members and their families zipped around the 28-hectare compound, as they kangaroo-

At noon time, it was time for the Lucky Draw. With 25 attractive prizes to be won, there was an air of excitement at the pavilion. Prizes were presented by AUSBE President Mr Abdul Rahim Farid. The first prize went to Ms Janet Loh, from Engineering, Signals and Systems.

As Janet went on stage to receive her prize, her family cheered on.

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hopped into the Australian Outback; had a face-to-face encounter with the big cats; caught a glimpse of the curious critters; were humbled by the gentle giant elephants; socialised with the orang utans; got friendly with the polar bears; enjoyed a mélange of monkeys at the Primate Kingdom; discovered a myriad of species at the Reptile Garden; meandered into Wild Africa; and many more.

There was so much fun in one day for everyone of all ages, we feel that our pictures would best tell the story of “Our Day at the Zoo”.

Mr Nadarajah Thurairajasingam, General Secretary of AUSBE and Chairman of AUSBE LTA Branch, gave a rousing speech, thanking members for their continual feedback and urging them to spread the message to “Join us for a strong AUSBE!”

A touch of Bollywood was at the zoo. Muthusamy showed members that it takes practise to do those dance moves you see in the movies. After some demonstrations, even the brave members who tried to join in the dance had to admit that only Muthusamy could do it with Bollywood gusto!

Both adults and kids let their hair down as they participated in a galore of games.

The ‘fabulous four’ contestants sweated it out in a battle of the best dancer. Although all impressed, there could only be one champion. To stamp his mark as the undisputed leader and after some encouragement and applause from the crowd, the winner executed the moonwalk - made popular by the late Michael Jackson.

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BORA Winners 2011 GO India

BORA 2011 winners with NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say and NTUC President John De Payva.

They are the ones who know the ground - who bridge the gap between members, the Executive Committee and the Labour Movement. They are our Branch Officials.

This year’s Branch Officials Recognition Awards (BORA) by the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute (OTCi) paid tribute to 79 branch officials from 51 unions and affiliations, recording the highest number of awardees and unions since its inception in 2001.

The 11th BORA 2011, held at the Orchid Country Club on 13 Jul 2011, gave special recognition to branch officials who supported NTUC’s 3 Flow Leadership model, particularly those who Flow On and stepped aside for younger leaders.

The awardees represented officials who made

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contributions to leadership development and succession at the union and paved the way for younger leaders to take up key positions in the past two to three years. Not only have these leaders graciously stepped down, they also contributed through identifying and nurturing potential leaders through a structured leadership succession plan.

Besides leadership, the Awards also honoured outstanding officials who have contributed in industrial relations and membership efforts.

Two branch officials from AUSBE, Mr Toh Cheng Tee and Mr Koh Cheok Chye were among the winners this year to accept the awards for their contribution. Brothers Toh and Koh won the opportunity to join other BORA winners on a Learning Journey to Bangalore, India, from 20 to 23 July 2011.

The overseas learning journey was aimed at learning about India’s approach to key threats and the opportunities arising from their social, economic and trade union developments. Led by NTUC Central Committee member and United Workers of Petroleum Industry General Secretary Mr Karthikeyan Krishnamurthy and NTUC Director (Casual, Contract and Low Wage Workers) Mr Zainal Sapari, the delegation focused their visits to the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and the Hind Maxdoor Sabha (HMS). The trip also included an industrial visit to the well-known International Tech Park Bangalore (ITPB).

In their visits to INTUC and HMS, the Singapore delegates had an active exchange of ideas with our Indian Union Leaders. Among some of the benefits for Indian workers highlighted were:

Toh Cheng Tee from LTA receiving his award from NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Ms Cham Hui Fong

- The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, which assures a secured job for able bodied persons;

- Welfare Schemes, similar to our CPF saving and Medishield system for construction workers; and another called -“Swavalaban” (Self-Dependent), similar to our CPF Life, for unorganised sectors; - Government initiatives to engage women back to the workforce such as maternity leave benefits for women.

The delegates’ industrial visit to the ITPB was welcomed by the Assistant CEO, Mr Lee Fu Nyap who briefed them on the history and development of ITPB, a park that integrates office, retail, residential and recreational facilities in a single location, set amidst a refreshing and aesthetically appealing lush landscape. Opened Koh Cheok Chye from MPA receiving his award from NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Ms Cham Hui Fong

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in 1998 as India’s first “Work, Play, Live” business environment, ITPB is virtually a self-contained city spread over a sprawling 28-hectare estate, and has over 25,000 tech-savvy professionals working for more than 145 companies in the fields of IT & ITES, bioinformatics, software development, telecommunications, electronic and other hi-tech industries.

The four-day learning journey to Bangalore, India was a fruitful one for the BORA winners, as it gave them insights into how cheaper economies are getting better and helped them to see for themselves how India could add value to the Singapore economy and to Singapore companies. The experiences brought back with them would help them serve their branches more effectively.

“Our wish is that we can continue to grow the membership. In order to grow the membership, we want to ensure that our leaders can serve them more effectively. So to serve them more effectively, you have to bring in more people onboard because of this multiplier effect. The more leaders we have, the greater their impact to bring more members onboard.”

- Ms Cham Hui Fong NTUC Assistant Secretary-General

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Visit to MINDSVille

›

@ Napiri

The spirit of Doing Good, Doing Together, and Doing More was at an all-time high as 67 volunteers turned up to spread the love and cheer at MINDSVille@Napiri.

If there’s one community outreach activity that AUSBE does consistently and annually, it is the visit that AUSBE Social & Welfare Sub-committee organises to its adopted home, the MINDSVille@Napiri.

This year saw a good response with organisations such as NTUC U-Live, Woodlands Secondary School (WSS), Bishan RC Zone H and Kampung Chai Chee CC taking part.

A touch of youthful enthusiasm and cheer was brought

in by students from Woodlands Secondary School. Some 33 students came with guitar in one hand, songsheets in the other and the brightest of smiles as they performed for the residents. In another part of the programme, the auditorium was transformed to a Jazz festival when members of the AUSBE Sub-committee and RC took the lead in the song and dance segment. The residents including children with special needs joined in the fun with such joy and jubilation that it was quite a sight to behold.

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After an hour of entertainment, the volunteers and students were invited for a tea break. Thereafter, they were brought on a tour of the Home, its facilities, and were oriented on the different activities conducted for the residents.

A total of $2,430 was raised from cheques and cash donations. AUSBE donated a cheque amount for $1,000, while cheques and cash donations amounting to $1,430 were collected from volunteers and wellwishers. The donations were presented to Ms Sridevi of Napiri Home by Chairman of AUSBE’s Social & Welfare Sub-committee, Mr G Haridas. He was assisted by brother Tay Ah Lek. AUSBE also donated provisions worth $500; while NTUC U-Live presented towels to the residents of MINDSVille@Napiri.

In a show of appreciation for their kind efforts, AUSBE presented each student and teacher with an NTUC U-Live goodie bag filled with food provisions worth $279. For the students and teachers from Woodlands Secondary School, receiving the opportunity to reach out to residents in the home proved to be an eyeopener. They left the place in a chartered bus, feeling good about what they had accomplished for the day.

Union ExCo members - Brothers Popathi, Nah Hwee Seng, and sister Lau Lai Meng also showed moral support by being present.

It was an exciting and unforgettable day for the volunteers and their family members, many of whom were visiting for the first time. The outreach event helped volunteers to observe firsthand the many ways in which they could render assistance. Indeed, every little bit counts.

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AUSBE Bowling Tournament 2011 Strike while the Lane is Hot AUSBE’s Sport Subcommittee held its annual Bowling Tournament 2011 on 8 July 2011 at the Planet Bowl (CSC Tessensohn).

The committee’s objective was to promote healthy living and competition amongst members and to foster closer ties between AUSBE’s twelve branches.

This year, a total of 20 teams from various AUSBE branches such as LTA, MPA, EMA, HSA, HPB, NLB, SLA and AVA registered for the Orange Ribbon – Racial Harmony Month Bowling Tournament. The first 10 teams who registered for the game were rewarded with an AUSBE shoe bag.

Action! Bowl!

Team AVA

Team HSA

Team EMA

Team LTA

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Bowlers wear orange ribbon pins in support of racial harmony

“Let the games begin” they said, as AUSBE President Mr Abdul Rahim Farid threw the first ball. The competition began with each team playing three games - the 10 pin, 9 pin and 8 pin strike. Each game was fiercely contested as each player attempted to achieve the “perfect game”.

When all the games were played and the scores tallied, the result was unanimous. Mr Rahim and Mr Singam presented the prizes to the well-deserving winners of the game. Team “Twinkle Twinkle” from LTA, beat first runner up, “The PIN Wreckers” from LTA, by an impressive 83 pins. The champions achieved a total score of 2,480 pin falls, while the second place winners scored 2,397 pin falls. The third prize winners, team “King Strikers” from MPA, were not far behind with a score of 2,360 pin falls. All of them walked away with trophies and NTUC vouchers worth $300, $200 and $100 respectively.

There was a short break for a lucky draw segment in between the first and second games. Mr Abdul Rahim and AUSBE General Secretary, Mr Nadarajah Thurairajasingam gave away the lucky draw prizes to the winners.

Mr Toh Heng Leong from MPA took the championship for the men’s high series with a total pin fall of 736, followed by Mr Tan Beng Kiat from LTA, with 694 pin falls. Mr Nicholas Tan from LTA, who was one pin fall behind the second winner settled for third place.

On the day of competition, some 100 players and their supporters came early. Enthusiastic participants staked their place at the registration counter just as it opened at 6pm. The programme started with a light meal for all attendees.

Team MPA

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The women’s high series champion was Ms Lynn Foo from EMA, with a total pin fall of 670. In second place was Ms Lim Wee Hoon from LTA with 590 pin falls and in third place - Ms Cecilia Ling Si Si from HSA with 537 pin falls. The men’s and women’s high series champions, and first and second runners up each walked away with trophies and NTUC vouchers.

The highest scorer for the men was Mr Yeo Kok Siong from LTA, who clinched a perfect 300 points for the 8 pin strike game; while for the women, Ms Cecilia Ling from HSA received that accolade with a pin fall of 276.

Men’s Champion Toh Heng Leong from MPA

Sport Committees with AUSBE President Rahim & GS Singam

Women’s Champion Lyn Foo from EMA

We are Champions!

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Malacca ‘Jalan Jalan’ Tour 2011

By Clara Ng, LTA Branch

A ‘jalan jalan’ tour on 3 July 2011, took some 82 AUSBE members to the historic and multicultural city of Malacca.

The “We Love Malacca” fans were picked up from two different pick-up points at Lavender MRT and Bishan MRT at the crack of dawn. On the way to the Second Link, one of the buses picked up remaining passengers from the Jurong East pick-up point. After clearing immigration, the tour group headed for breakfast at Gelang Patah. The journey to Malacca was expected to take about three to four hours.

Time passed quickly as our informative tour guides gave us a rundown of Malacca, its rich heritage, blend of many cultures, tradition, architecture, and cuisine; including recent developments. We made a brief stopover at a local products factory before lunch. By the time we reached our lunch destination, we were rather famished and relished the sumptuous peranakan fare with delight.

We reached Malacca town soon after lunch. The first attraction that awaited us was the famous Jonker Street; once renowned for its antique shops. Today, Jonker Street is a shopper’s delight and has turned into a street walk of clothing shops, crafts outlets as well as restaurants. While we were there, we spent a fair bit of time soaking in the atmosphere. At the ‘Sam Su Kong’ shop, we watched the world go by from the second storey balcony as we tucked into bowls of local durian chendol.

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Members of the tour group dispersed for some free time before congregating at a pre-arranged meeting point. It was quite a sight when members returned with a harvest of bargain buys they could not resist.

There were tasty treats unique to Malacca, quirky bargains such as a hair massager, which looked like an egg beater, cute nik naks and many more.

Our tour guides took us along a route that was known to have been significant in shaping the history of this land – the Malacca River.

One of the most interesting architectures and the first fort built by the Portuguese when they arrived

Working in Harmony

Look! What’s that?

Fellowship over lunch

at the shores of Malacca was the A Famosa. The oldest European architecture present in South East Asia, the A Famosa still stands majestic overlooking the river, bearing testament to its glorious past.

We had enough time for a short tour around the area before making our way for dinner at a restaurant by the sea. By that time, dusk had descended. We tucked into fresh seafood under the stars, far away from the maddening crowd. After dinner, it was back on the road again. At the final stopover in Yong Peng, some members made a final attempt to buy more local products, which they had missed earlier.

It was on our ride back to Singapore that our entourage were at complete ease with each other. Members of the

AUSBE Women’s Sub-committee entertained with sister Clara belting out her rendition of ‘Burong Kakak Tua’ and sister Saras sharing a laugh or two. We even celebrated the birthdays of a few members which happened to fall on the same day. At the Tuas immigration checkpoint, one of our sisters was caught in the crowd and had difficulty getting through. Despite the delay that ensued, there was full cooperation and support amongst all members.

It was heart-warming to see the sense of unity that grew out of this ‘test’. What others may have perceived to be mere a ‘jalan jalan’ or a walking tour of Malacca, turned out to be a time of establishing bonds and building solidarity. The AUSBE Women’s Sub-committee had a blast organising this tour and look forward to the continued support of its members for future activities.

Mmm.. can’t wait to sample these delectable delights!

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Retirees Gathering 2011 Retirement can be an exciting and active time if one aims to live everyday to its fullest potential. This was exactly what the retirees did when they attended an event organised by AUSBE Social & Welfare Sub-committee on 24 May 2011.

The Retirees Gathering cum Appreciation Dinner was held at LTA’s Club 7 from 6.30pm to 9.45pm.

A total of 78 members were recorded to have retired within 1 January to 31 December 2010. Out of these, 21 were union members for less than 20 years, while the remaining 57 were members for more than 20 years.

As an encouragement to those who had recruited new members, the Membership Sub-Committee had implemented a monetary award to reward the top three recruiters.

For the year 2011, the top three recruiters were rewarded with NTUC vouchers worth $300, $200 and $100 respectively. Mr Manjet Singh was top recruiter, followed by Mr U Popathi, who was second. The third top recruiter prize went to two winners, Ms Tan Chor Khim and Mr Seah Chong Beng.

During the Retirees Gathering, two speakers from the Professional Investment Advisory Services (PIAS) shared ways in which retirees could leverage on their retirement savings and manage their finances. NTUC U-Live also shared some exciting ‘A’ series U-Live programmes and encouraged the retirees to participate in the many activities available.

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The retirees and guests were later invited to a sumptuous spread of buffet dinner.

Toward the closing of the progamme, a lucky draw was held where 15 lucky winners walked away with prizes.

With great company, good food, prizes, and an interesting preview of upcoming programmes to look forward to, attendees unanimously agreed that it was an evening well spent.

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Join our fun-filled interest groups & activities where you can learn a new skill, pick up a new hobby or widen your circle of friends.

Be part of the U Live community, specially for NTUC members aged 55 years & above.

Green Swingers Team

putt a Take to the green and g with kin or birdie while netw fellow enthusiasts.

Crazy Boots

Golden Eye

Gourmet Club

Enjoy mouth-watering culinary delights, and learn how to prepare them, with our eager ‘makan kakis’..

Just Travel

Step into the spotlight as you line dance your way to an energetic and healthy tempo.

Golden Bowl

Let the world be your oyster as you travel with us!

Woodball Warriors

Play like the Royals do with us in this lawn game.

Blaze the lanes to glory as you strike a bond with our bowlers.

Eco Club

Let your green fingers create magic with our award-winning club.

Call 6582 3605 or email to events@ulive.com.sg for enquiries on activities or interest groups. Call 6213 8008 or email to membership@ntuc.org.sg for Ausbe | NDP 2011 enquiries on membership matters.

Visit www.ulive.sg today !

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Capture precious moments while learning photography tips from us.

Retirement and Re-employment Act New Bill Passed in Parliament It is now official. Employers in Singapore must offer to rehire their mature workers beyond the minimum legal retirement age of 62 years old following a bill that was passed on the Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA) in Parliament on 11 January 2011.

Re-employment at or after the statutory retirement age of 62 years gives employees the opportunity to continue working up to age 65 in the first instance, and later up to age 67.

Implementation All statutory boards will be adopting these guidelines on re-employment at or after age 62 for the public service with effect from 1 July 2011.

The three criteria for re-employing eligible mature workers are:

While salaries upon re-employment are determined as follows:

The Tripartite Implementation Workgroup (TIWG) has issued guidelines on the re-employment of older employees, and the national legislation on re-employment will take effect in January 2012.

From its consultations with ministries, statutory boards and the public sector unions, the Public Service Division has drawn up guidelines to provide direction to ministries and statutory boards to implement re-employment ahead of the national legislation (with effect from 1 July 2011).

• Consistent and satisfactory work performance for the past three years with at least a “C” performance grading; • Medically fit to continue working; and • Good conduct in the last three years.

Officers should not have been found guilty of misconduct after formal disciplinary proceedings for the last three years.

Gross salary if officer is re-employed in the same scheme at

The same substantive grade A lower substantive grade Mid-point of the range/scale, or an Mid-point of the range/scale in which Above the mid-point of the range/ he is re-employed, or up to the midscale in which he is re-employed amount equivalent to 70% of the officer’s last drawn salary, whichever point of the next higher grade. is higher.

At or below the mid-point of the An amount equivalent to the officer’s last drawn salary. range/scale in which he is re-employed

Employment Assistant Payment (EAP) Eligible officers who are not offered re-employment upon their retirement at age 62, or are not re-employed up to the age of 63 years and 6 months, will be given a one-off Employment Assistant Payment (EAP) that is equivalent to three months of their salary, subject to a minimum and maximum amount of $4,500 and $10,000 respectively.

This is to ensure that eligible older workers who want to work, but are not rehired due to a lack of suitable job vacancies in the company will be duly compensated.

the one-off EAP quantum will be reduced to two months of their last drawn salary, subject to a minimum and maximum amount of $3,000 and $7,000 respectively.

The penalty for non-compliance of the RRA is S$10,000, while the fine for offences was raised to S$1,000 (up from S$500).

Workers with rehiring grievances can approach the Union or Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for help.

For eligible officers who are re-employed at least up to the age of 63 years and 6 months, but not up to age 65,

Visit www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-rights-conditions/reemployment or call (65) 6438 5122 for more details.

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AUSBE New Members Recruited From June-August

ALVIN WEE SHI ZHAO*........................................................... AVA ANG KHENG SOON................................................................. AVA CHUA AI GEK JULIE................................................................ AVA EDWIN IGNATIONS M............................................................. AVA MOHAN S/O KESAVAN........................................................... AVA PLACIDO, RONALD PALAPAL................................................. AVA THONG BAI HUI DENISE......................................................... AVA XU QUNYING*......................................................................... AVA JONATHAN S CUNANAN....................................................... BCA KANG SWEE ANN................................................................... BCA KWOK HUI LING...................................................................... BCA MAHPUT BIN AHMAD............................................................. BCA CHOW WING KONG................................................................ DSGB GOVIDARAJU SUBRAMANIAM............................................. DSGB KAMARIAH BINTE ABDUL RAHMAN..................................... DSGB SABARIAH BTE AHMAD......................................................... DSGB MOHAMAD FARRIS BIN MOHD HARIS................................. DSGB ADRIAN THAM YEU TSAIR..................................................... DSTA LEE CHEE TENG....................................................................... DSTA LEE KIAN HENG....................................................................... DSTA LIM CHENG HUA..................................................................... DSTA RAJA SEGARAN S/O KARUPAYA PONNUSA....................... DSTA SANDY CHUNG BEE LAN....................................................... DSTA SEE CHIT WEE.......................................................................... DSTA SNG KOK SENG....................................................................... DSTA TAN PEIHAO RAYMOND *...................................................... DSTA TAY LI WEI BERTRAND........................................................... DSTA YEN CHONG LIAN *................................................................ DSTA AMANDA YIP MEI LING.......................................................... EMA CARYN GILL............................................................................. EMA CHAI HUI YI.............................................................................. EMA CHEW CHIEW YING................................................................. EMA EDWIN SEAH QJWUE SENG.................................................. EMA ENG TECK CHEW ANDY......................................................... EMA JANE LIM HUI CHEN............................................................... EMA JULIANA CHOW...................................................................... EMA JUNIPER FOO JON MIN.......................................................... EMA LALITHA NAIR . ....................................................................... EMA LEE SOK SAN . ........................................................................ EMA LIM CHONG WUI..................................................................... EMA LIM FENG LING........................................................................ EMA LIM TZE YONG . ..................................................................... EMA LIU SERN YANG....................................................................... EMA LIU YANG ............................................................................... EMA LOW YING CHUN..................................................................... EMA ONG MIN LIH GRACE.............................................................. EMA PANG YAN WEI........................................................................ EMA PATRICK FOO PENG KANG..................................................... EMA RANGARAJAN VIJAYARAGHARAN . .................................... EMA RICHARD QUAH . ................................................................... EMA SHARON TAN HUI CHEN........................................................ EMA SIM PAULINE........................................................................... EMA SITI MARYAM BTE MD YUNUS ............................................ EMA SOPHIA TAN SHU HUI ........................................................... EMA TAN CHUN WEI........................................................................ EMA VENETTA MIRANDA *............................................................ EMA AMANDA LEE XIN LIN............................................................ HPB ASHWANI PRABHAI................................................................ HPB CHER HONG KAI MARVIN...................................................... HPB CHERR HUI YI........................................................................... HPB GOH JIA QING......................................................................... HPB HAILEN LEE.............................................................................. HPB LEE HUI SHAN......................................................................... HPB LIEW SER YIEN GLORIA.......................................................... HPB

2011

NUR ADILLAH BTE ABDUL YAZID......................................... HPB NURUL FAEZAH BTE HASSAN............................................... HPB SEE LEE HOON ANGELIA....................................................... HPB SHARMILA BEGUM *.............................................................. HPB SIA WEE LENG *..................................................................... HPB SITI NORASHEILA *................................................................. HPB TAHIRAH BTE MOHD YASIN................................................... HPB TAN YAN PENG........................................................................ HPB YEO AH KHIM CHRISTINE....................................................... HPB CHAN SIAN HUI....................................................................... HSA CORRINE SANTA KUMARI...................................................... HSA FONG CHUE THIEW................................................................. HSA HASLINA BINTE MOHD YUNOS............................................ HSA LEE BENNY............................................................................... HSA NGAN HUEI ENG..................................................................... HSA NORLIANA ABDUL AZIZ......................................................... HSA PENNEFATHER TERESA.......................................................... HSA SHARMEEZAH BINTE EDRIS.................................................. HSA WEE EL-JIN.............................................................................. HSA WONG HWEE YIN.................................................................... HAS CHAN NGA LAI ALICE *.......................................................... IDA NARAYANAN ANDIAPPAN *.................................................. IDA ONG WEE LEONG.................................................................... IDA ROHAYA BINTE ABDULLAH................................................... IDA TANG CHOON KER ADRIAN................................................... IDA KANG YEN THIING.................................................................. IDA/DSGB TAN HOCK KIM........................................................................ IPOS ABDUL RAHIM SIDDIQUE....................................................... LTA AHMAD TARMIZI BIN MOHAMED HASHIM.......................... LTA ALLAN TANDIONO.................................................................. LTA ALLAN YEO CHEN LONG........................................................ LTA AU FOONG YIN SHARON....................................................... LTA BAMBANG SUMORYONO BIN ALI........................................ LTA BOCK YIN HAR......................................................................... LTA CHEANG SIEW LOON.............................................................. LTA CHIN CHIA HAW *.................................................................... LTA CHOR YEW SENG VINCENT................................................... LTA GAN KOK WEE......................................................................... LTA HABIB RAJA MOHAMED........................................................ LTA HAMDI RIZAL........................................................................... LTA HO CHAI YAN........................................................................... LTA HWONG PENG SUNG VICTOR............................................... LTA JAMALUDIN B OTHMAN*...................................................... LTA JOYCE LEE JIA XIN................................................................. LTA JUWITA BINTE JUMAAT......................................................... LTA KARPAGAVALLI D/O KARUPPIAH........................................... LTA KOH LIP YUNG......................................................................... LTA LAW AH TEE............................................................................. LTA LEE POH POH *........................................................................ LTA LEE WEI LING GERALDINE..................................................... LTA LIANG HUIKAI.......................................................................... LTA MUHAMMAD AFIQ BIN ZAINUDDIN..................................... LTA MUHAMMAD FAIZAL BIN ZULKEFLI..................................... LTA MUHAMMAD SAZALIE BIN DAHLAN.................................... LTA MUHAMMAD SYALIHIN JUNAIDI.......................................... LTA MURUGAMOORTHY CHELLIAH............................................. LTA NG SWEE HIN.......................................................................... LTA NG WEI HIONG........................................................................ LTA NICHOLAS WANG KOK YAW . .............................................. LTA NOR LINI SHUHADA BINTE RAZALI...................................... LTA NORASHIKIN BTE KOMARI.................................................... LTA NORASLINDA SELAMAT........................................................ LTA NUR RUZANNA ZAINAL......................................................... LTA NUR SAKINAH BTE KASIM..................................................... LTA

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› OW HO KENG AUDREY........................................................... LTA PHYLLIS LEONG POH PENG................................................... LTA QUEK ZHIQIAN , MELVYN...................................................... LTA RIZAL NORISMAN BIN ABU BAKAR...................................... LTA ROGINI KANDAYAH................................................................. LTA ROSHIDA BINTE JAMARI........................................................ LTA RUBIANTI BINTE JANAL......................................................... LTA SHARMA KRISHNA PRASAD.................................................. LTA SIM LI GEK............................................................................... LTA SIM PEI KOON.......................................................................... LTA TAN CHIN HOCK...................................................................... LTA TAN LEE WAN.......................................................................... LTA TAN NUR SHAFIK BIN MOHAMAD FAZLI TAN..................... LTA TAN TZEYANG KELVIN............................................................ LTA TAN WEI GHANG..................................................................... LTA TEO CHUI LIAN *..................................................................... LTA TEO WEE LENG *..................................................................... LTA TEOH JIAO LI GRACE.............................................................. LTA THAM GEOK PING . ............................................................... LTA VINCENT ZILLANSTETRA....................................................... LTA WANG TAH LIM....................................................................... LTA WEE CHU HOON...................................................................... LTA WENDY CHAN SZE YEAN....................................................... LTA YONG JING YI.......................................................................... LTA LIM PEK SHIA *........................................................................ MPA MOHAMED ASLAM B HAROON............................................. MPA ONG ENG PU JOEL................................................................. MPA TONG QIAN HUI GENUINE..................................................... MPA ADABALA BALA SATYA SRINIVAS........................................ NLB MIDAH BINTE HUSSIN............................................................ NLB NOOR AINI BTE MOHAMED................................................... NLB TAN POH LIANG...................................................................... NLB YASMIN ALLY........................................................................... NLB SITI JULIANA BINTE SURAIMI............................................... NLB/DSGB AIDA BINTE WAN MUHAMMAD............................................ NLB/DSGB K SETHA................................................................................... NLB/DSGB TAN TING KWEE...................................................................... SLA

TOTAL RECRUITED 165 MEMBERS

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