AUSBE 2012 Aug Journal

Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees

NDP 2012

Loving Singapore, Our Home

MICA(P) 121/03/2012

NDP2012 Contents

Messages

Mr Lee Hsien Loong 05 Prime Minister, Singapore Mr Lim Swee Say 09 Secretary-General National Trades Union Congress BG (NS) Mr Tan Chuan Jin 11 Acting Minister Ministry of Manpower Mr Daniel Lai 17 President AUSBE Mr N Thurairajasingam 19 General Secretary AUSBE Mr Yeo Guat Kwang 21 Executive Secretary AUSBE

features

20 Sharing the Passion for Singapore 23 LOVING SINGAPORE, OUR HOME @ NDP 2012 27 The Paradox of Patriotism 31 Active Agers Celebrate National day 32 Two AUSBE Branch Leaders Receive BORA 35 AUSBE Representatives Attend New EEC Meeting 37 Social Media For ExCo 42 AUSBE New Members List

Editorial Board Editor: N. Thurairajasingam Members: Daniel Lai, N. Thurairajasingam, Yeo Guat Kwang, Manjet Singh, Patrick Teo Designer: The Write Stuff Pte Ltd Printer: Flexi-Pagination & Design MICA (P) 121/03/2012

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lives. Singapore will encounter many new challenges and opportunities.

We must ask ourselves some fundamental questions: What future do we see for Singapore? What kind of home do we want for our children? I believe all of us want to be proud to be Singaporeans, and to live in a successful country that meets our aspirations. What does this mean?

First, Singapore must always offer hope of a better future.

We must always be a fair and just society which creates opportunities for all. A nurturing and open environment which gives every citizen the chance to pursue his dreams.

A forward-looking community where each generation improves on what they have inherited and hands a better Singapore over to their children. This is the way to root able and enterprising Singaporeans here, and inspire all of us to keep on improving Singapore.

Mr Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister, Singapore

M

y Fellow Singaporeans,

We celebrate National Day amidst an unsettled world. Europe and the US face serious economic problems. Asia is doing better than other regions, but China and India are slowing down and tensions are simmering in the South China Sea. Against this backdrop, Singapore is doing quite well. Our economy grew 1.7% in the first half of 2012 and we are on track for 1.5-2.5% growth for the year. Internationally, Singapore’s standing is high, whether with emerging countries like India and China or advanced nations like the US. Domestically, we are clearing the backlog of applicants for HDB flats, building more MRT lines and upgrading our bus services. Our GST Vouchers and U-Save rebates will help lower-income households cope with inflation.

Today Singapore is a success story, but the world is not standing still. The next two decades will be very different.

The emerging economies in Asia are advancing rapidly.

Breakthroughs in science and technology will transform our

Singaporeans all want the best education, to fulfill their potential and be better people. We will equip them with skills and knowledge to thrive in an uncertain world. We must work with parents to bring their children to more equal starting points for primary school, through good and affordable childcare and kindergartens. We will open up more pathways in our education system, to fulfill the diverse aspirations of our young. Let us prepare every child for the test of life, not just a life of tests.

Second, Singapore must be an inclusive society with a heart. We uphold meritocracy, to motivate everyone to try their best. But individual achievement must be tempered with a mutual obligation. The successful ones have a duty to contribute back more to society. We need to treat one another with dignity and respect, and to share the fruits of success widely, so that no Singaporean is left out.

We have strived for such an inclusive Singapore for many years. Our home ownership programme gives every citizen, rich or poor, a stake in our nation. Our universal and almost free education system equips every child with the tools to succeed in life. Our healthcare system provides every Singaporean with good quality and affordable care.

But as new needs have emerged over time, we have enhanced our social safety nets. We introduced ComCare to help the needy, and Workfare for low-income workers.

Low- and middle-income couples now get Additional

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Mr Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister, Singapore

Housing Grants to buy HDB flats. In schools, Opportunity Funds enable less well-off students to participate fully in enrichment programmes and study trips.

This year’s Budget was a further major step. We introduced new programmes. The Silver Housing Bonus is benefiting our ageing population. Increased subsidies for home-based care are helping more families with elderly parents. These are not one-off gestures, but a carefully designed package which lays the basis for stronger safety nets for the future.

We will build on these initiatives in a sustainable way. The Government will do more but it cannot do everything. Every Singaporean must play his part in creating an inclusive Singapore. This is how we can nurture a united community, and do the best for ourselves and one another.

Third, Singapore must be a home that all of us love. We have built a unique home on our little island, striking a balance between preserving the old and embracing the new. Let us make it even better. A beautiful home with green spaces, blue skies and clear waters, just like here in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. A cherished home where we build treasured memories and lifelong friendships. A safe home which we will defend.

This feeling of belonging and identity is especially important for an open society in a globalised world. But it is also harder to nurture when we have new immigrants and foreign workers. We are managing the inflow to minimise the strains on our infrastructure and society. But Singaporeans must remain confident and open, and welcome those who will strengthen our team and help us and our children do better. For their part, new immigrants must make the effort to integrate into our community. They must acquire our social values, our cultural values, adopt our social norms and commit their loyalty and love to Singapore.

Even as we keep our society open to immigrants, we will bring up our own next generation. Singaporeans do want to grow their own families. Many couples do wish to have

children, and we will do more to support their family life and parenthood. I am happy that we expect more Dragon babies this year, but our fertility trend is still declining. We must go beyond the Chinese zodiac and tackle the underlying causes of our low birth rates. If we can create more supportive social attitudes and work environments, and lighten the burdens of parenthood, we will help couples to have more kids.

Beyond specific issues like immigration and procreation, we need to review our policies more broadly, particularly social and education policies. To still be a shining red dot twenty years from now, we must rethink our approaches, and reinvent ourselves. We must anticipate changes and prepare for what lies ahead. Singaporeans will remain at the heart of all that we do, as we update our policies to best serve our people. Core values such as meritocracy, multi-racialism and financial prudence cannot change. But within these broad principles, we should review what needs to change and where we should act more boldly.

I have asked Minister Heng Swee Keat to chair a committee of younger ministers to take a fresh look at what we are doing. We will engage Singaporeans in this review, and build a broad consensus on the way forward. I ask for your support in this exercise.

Singapore is our shared home. What Singapore becomes depends on what we make of it. With our resources, our resolve, and our imagination, Singapore is well placed to thrive in a changing world. Let us all work together so that our children can always find here hope of a better future, an inclusive society with a heart, and the best home for ourselves and our families.

Happy National Day!

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Since our independence in 1965, we have distinguished ourselves in the way we improved our life and built our nation. We are doing better, and the union leaders we met in Geneva can see that. They also wish to have what we have - full employment, low youth unemployment, and a steady increase in real wages.

Unfortunately, these are not easy to come by as some of them have found out the hard way.

As we celebrate our 47th National Day, let us value our achievements and pledge to work together to stay ahead.

The journey ahead will only get tougher, given the uncertain outlook of the world economy, slower growth and higher inflation in the medium term, and fierce competition regionally and globally.

Mr Lim Swee Say Secretary-General National Trades Union Congress

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ast month, I attended the annual International Labour Conference and spoke with union leaders from a number of countries. The situation in Asia remains cautious but still encouraging. However, the picture I gathered for the USA and Europe was not as good. They are suffering from job shortages, sticky unemployment, high youth unemployment and stagnation of wages.

Such implications can be painful for their people. One European unionist told us that many of her fellow countrymen are working as construction and mining workers in Australia.

What sadden her even more is seeing the younger and better educated leaving the country because of job shortages at home.

We do not want this to happen to our fellow Singaporeans, not now and in future.

But these challenges are not impossible to overcome.

Our economic and social foundation is sound, our young are well educated, and our workforce is well trained. Above all, our tripartite partnership is strong. If we can transform our economy and reshape our workforce better and faster than others, we can continue to enjoy shortages of workers instead of jobs, steady increase in wages instead of wage stagnation in the years to come.

Loving Singapore, Our Home holds many meanings for us to reflect upon. For the Labour Movement, it is about making Singapore a good and better place for all Singaporeans to work, live and play as one big family. There is no guarantee that Singapore will always do well. There will be ups and downs along the way. But one guarantee we can give to each other as citizens of Singapore is that, in good or bad times, we will always do our best for Singapore and give our best to our fellow Singaporeans.

Creating a better home for ourselves and our children is a journey with no end. Let’s do it together and make our home – Our Better Singapore.

Happy 47th National Day to all!

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making sure students get home on time? Is it an exercise in administration and logistics? Is it a show? It is not. It is much more than that. When we decided to drop the ‘P’ from NDP and focus on National Day, everything changed. It was really about capturing the spirit of what it means to be Singaporean, and to provide a platform to rally our people on the day, and the days leading up to it.

Let me share about this year’s theme “Loving Singapore, Our Home”. “Love” and public policy speeches do not sit well together. But on deeper reflection, it struck me that it might be the right word to use. Love is a very powerful emotion.

It is what makes us human. Love is also very much about relationships, it’s about how we bond with others around us. That is the difference. That is what transforms our house from just a physical infrastructure to a home. What makes us Singaporeans, what makes this place our home is our memories, our friends, our families – all these things which have an emotional resonance and cannot be easily replaced.

BG (NS) Mr Tan Chuan Jin Acting Minister Ministry of Manpower Loving Singapore, Our Home

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very year, we celebrate our National Day. But I wonder how often do we spend time to reflect on what we are actually trying to celebrate. On 1st January every year, we celebrate New Year with the rest of the world; the Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year with other Chinese in the world; the Muslims celebrate Hari Raya with fellow Muslims, then there is Vesak Day, Deepavali and Christmas and so on. On 9th August, if we don’t celebrate National Day and think about who we are, no one else in the world would. For us, as public servants, it’s especially important to ask ourselves what it really means to be a Singaporean, since we are serving our people and our nation.

When I was organising National Day in 2009, I realised that it was easy to be caught up in just organising an event. There was so much preparation to get it right and that in itself can become an end in itself. Is it a transportation exercise in

Service in the public sector Our sense of what it means to be Singaporean cannot be mandated by the Government. We have to decide for ourselves. It is important for us to consider why we are serving in the public sector. Did you join because you felt it is a stable option? Or you felt that you could contribute to society and go the extra mile? What does it mean for us as public sector leaders? We serve because we care for others.

It cannot be functional or devoid of emotion. We must have compassion because we must care for the people around us.

Let us consider - What do we do here that makes a difference to our people?

We are part of a larger setup to create an environment that can provide jobs for Singapore. We have a low unemployment rate of under 3%. Technically, it is full employment but we must remember that low as it may be, there are over 50, 000 Singaporeans who are unemployed. Every one of them is an individual person who is affected along with his family.

We play a role to construct a labour framework which helps create jobs. We make Singapore attractive by having an open and diverse workforce with a strong Singaporean core.

Without growth, companies cannot grow. Companies are the ones that create jobs for people. We want to not just create jobs, but good jobs. Companies are here because there is

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BG (NS) Mr Tan Chuan Jin Acting Minister Ministry of Manpower

a dynamic workforce that is well-educated and well-trained.

So we need to establish a framework that can provide good job opportunities for Singaporeans. Facilitating job creation is one of our key roles.

We have done well on several fronts. We got ourselves out of the 2008 financial crisis, enabled real income growth in the last few years along with good employment. But there was a cost that came with it. We feel the impact in terms of strain on our infrastructure that did not quite keep pace with the growth in the labour force. And we also have begun to feel the impact socially. We need to ease this by managing our labour growth. We need to do this by ensuring more emphases on productivity. We will have to restructure the economy to ease the strain but at the same time ensure enough growth and generate enough jobs for our people.

We can see the tensions involved. There is no easy solution but we must always be able to connect the dots so that we understand the impact of what we do on Singaporeans.

Helping our people be well-trained is also an important responsibility as it enables individuals to fulfil their own potential. How do we help keep our workers well-trained?

This is where Continuing Education and Training (CET) comes in. This is where the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) plays a very big role, providing opportunities for all to upgrade. Mr Naz Muhamed from the Workplace Policy and Strategy Division joined us in 2002. He was a corporate support officer. That same year, he embarked on a four-year part-time diploma course in Business Management at Nanyang Polytechnic. He moved on to be a Management Support Officer. Wanting to improve himself further, Naz decided to pursue a degree with SIM. Armed with his degree two years later, he applied for a Management Executive role and was directly converted in 2011.

Stories like this are not just typical to Naz alone. There are many “Nazs� out there and we want to provide opportunities for all. We want to provide platforms for people to be able to pursue their dreams. We are investing a lot of time and resources on the CET front because it enables individuals to remain skilled and employable, and thus providing a foundation for them to provide for their families. Jobmatching will also make a difference to those who lose their jobs. There are Singaporeans who find it difficult finding jobs and we have to try our best to help them cross industries if need be.

On the Workplace Safety and Health side, the efforts we are putting here are critical. It is not about statistics or just how many fatalities per 100,000 in the workforce. For every fatality, the statistic is 100% for the family affected. The work we do here may not be the most glamorous, but we continue to work hard at it because it is about life and death.

We also make a difference when it comes to retirement adequacy. This is where CPF comes in. We are all going to live longer. We have to save and plan carefully. We have a good system and we must continue to strengthen it. We will work on seeing how best to go further with CPF, and that is something we are studying quite intently.

At the end of the day, what I am saying is this: Why did you join MOM? Why did you step into the public service?

We join for many reasons but this does not stop us from taking a pause and asking ourselves whether we are making a difference in people’s lives. I would suggest to you that you make a tremendous difference even if not always wellappreciated. So let us all take this opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a Singaporean, specifically what it means to be a Singaporean in public service.

Quality of life I will end off with this last point and it is an area that I feel quite strongly about - Quality of life. We rank quite high amongst cities in terms of the number of hours we work. I do not like this state of affairs. We have to figure out how we can address this. We also need to create work environments that are conducive for older workers so that we can all age well and gracefully. We must create a positive workplace for Singaporeans of all ages. As we try to build an enduring home, quality of life with better work-life integration is something we must try to address.

A fulfilling life is not about the things you can measure.

Sometimes, the most important things cannot be measured and quantified. As public servants, we help to provide the foundation pieces to enable Singaporeans to pursue their dreams and aspirations. We can all really make a difference in the lives of Singaporeans.

So thank you very much and I wish all of us a Happy National Day.

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“L

oving Singapore, Our Home” is this year’s tagline for the National Day Parade. The slogan explains the fundamental reason why we love our country – because despite the differences, this island is where we call “Home”. Singaporeans are encouraged to think about what it means to love our country and the things about it that we appreciate. The tagline invites all Singaporeans to take ownership and have a stake in this country.

Mr Daniel Lai President AUSBE

The AUSBE spirit takes on the same approach with the various branches that the union works with. In the best interests of all employees, we look past our differences and render all kinds of assistance in times of need. This is crucial to overcoming obstacles and to face the challenges ahead of us with a united spirit, especially with the issues of inflation and higher cost of living being more prominent now. This sense of unity and togetherness pulls AUSBE through the tough times. For the nation, standing together and staying united is what holds Singapore together.

The Singapore economy grew 1.7% in the first half of 2012, and is expected to meet the GDP growth forecast. However, the global economy still faces an uncertain future due to the Eurozone crisis. Should the situation worsen, the union’s ties with its members will be more important than ever before. We shall strengthen our relationship and strive with them to better engage the challenges ahead for a secured future for our valued members.

Majulah Singapura! Let us move toward our future hand in hand, and be ever ready to face the challenges ahead together!

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n the spirit of this year’s National Day, we are encouraged to look past our differences and consider what makes Singapore our one and only home. Reflecting on our love for this country proves to be a strong reminder to go back to our roots and appreciate how far the country has come.

As mentioned by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day message, our economy has grown in the first half of 2012 and the country is on track for the forecasted growth for the year. Singapore stands high internationally, yet we are dealing with the issues of HDB flats and striving for a better public transportation system. The work to improve our country is never-ending and we should always be prepared for whatever comes our way.

Mr N Thurairajasingam General Secretary AUSBE

Like the journey of our nation, the implementation of the reemployment policy since July 2011 has not been all smooth sailing and perfect. We hear the concerns of our fellow brothers and sisters who are approaching the statutory retirement age and we feel strongly for them. AUSBE had raised up the concerns at various platforms such as the Public Sector Union Management Forum held last month, which was attended by the Public Service Division, Chief Executives, Permanent Secretaries and the unions. The concerns are being looked into and AUSBE will continue to lobby for refinements to the policy.

In this land we call “Home”, our precious resources are the workers. As we celebrate our nation’s 47th birthday, let’s all continue to play an active role in enhancing the well-being of all our workers – workers of the yester-years, workers of today and workers of the future!

Happy National Day, my fellow Singaporeans!

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his year, we celebrated through a month-long series of events. NTUC with its affiliated unions and associations held 25 National Day Observance Ceremonies (NDOC) attended by more than 10,000 workers, union leaders, tripartite partners and management partners. At the finale NDOC on 27 August, NTUC’s Secretary-General Lim Swee Say urged everyone to take ownership of Singapore’s future.

What would the Labour Movement like to see in future Singapore? We would like to see an inclusive Singapore where every job and every worker is respected; and a productive Singapore where tools, working environment and wages are improved. This will be a Better Singapore with hope and opportunities for all. We would like to see a Loving Home with a big heart where our society is a tightly woven fabric of diversity. We would like to see a Best Home where there are more babies and happy families.

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang Executive Secretary AUSBE

These are no easy feats and will require mindsets shift of not just the government’s but everyone’s – workers, employers, foreign workers, community and members of the public.

The Labour Movement has been actively identifying gaps, advocating and facilitating structural changes through initiatives such as Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP), progressive wages, strengthening Singapore’s fundamentals and more.

With collective actions and ownership, we can create a shared future together. Let’s all work hand-in-hand to achieve a better Singapore for all Singaporeans!

Happy National Day to all!

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Sharing the Passion for Singapore The theme for NDP 2012 is Loving Singapore, Our Home. The theme serves as a strong reminder to all Singaporeans of the island they call their homeland.

The theme is represented by a logo in the form of our national flower, the ‘Vanda Miss Joaquim’ orchid. It connects Singaporeans from all walks of life to come together and celebrate 47 years of nationhood.

Singapore is an inclusive society upheld by meritocracy, which does not segregate its citizens by race, religion or nationality. Recognising the diversity and vitality of the people, the entire objective of the NDP theme, song and logo serves to do the same.

We hope that all Singaporeans will take some time to take a break from their busy lifestyles and reflect on what makes Singapore their home. As we share and pass on thoughts about our homeland with our children and grandchildren, we seek to strengthen our roots and motivate the younger generations to build a better Singapore.

The logo for National Day Parade (NDP) 2012, also known as the “Orchidstar”, incorporates various elements that express this year’s theme “Loving Singapore, Our Home”.

Inspired by our iconic national flower the ‘Vanda Miss Joaquim’ orchid, the NDP 2012 logo reminds Singaporeans from all walks of life, of this garden city we call “home’. The vibrant colours of the logo reflect the vitality and diversity of our people. The red heart embedded within the logo symbolises our love for our people and our nation. It also reminds us of the importance of a harmonious and inclusive society. The lip of the orchid is represented as the number ‘47’, highlighting our nation’s 47th birthday this year.

The design is also reminiscent of a star; taken together with the child-like script depicting this year’s theme, the “Orchidstar” represents our hopes and dreams through the generations. It reminds all Singaporeans of how we have worked hard for our achievements, and encourages us to reach out together for a brighter future.

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Ausbe | NDP 2012

National Day Parade Theme Song 2012 Love at first light Verse 1 First light Rolls across my peaceful isle Mornings, I wake up, refreshed, renewed Ready to meet the bright new day So much to look forward to Verse 2 Daylight The city has stirred to life Your smiles Put a spring in my step There’s a feeling that binds us one and all Different stories, shared memories Chorus I love my city’s lively ways Warm sunny days Sights and sounds, special tastes That add up to this place I love my friends, my closest ties Now I finally realize When it feels this right You know that it’s love at first light

Verse 3 Night fall, stars twinkling on the bay My dreams can take flight if I dare There’s a feeling that binds us one and all We look forward to a brighter day Repeat Chorus Bridge Hand in hand, we’ll find new strength And see our dreams take flight in Singapore Repeat Chorus Descant Where ever we roam, there’s no place like home Come what may, we’ll be here to stay When it feels this right You know that it’s Love at first light

Loving Singapore, Our Home.

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LOVING SINGAPORE, OUR HOME @ NDP 2012

By Mok Chan Seng AUSBE Assistant General Secretary, Point-of-Contact, AUSBE NDP 2012 Team on what it means to love our country, what we appreciate about Singapore, and how each individual can express our love for our nation. It is an invitation for all Singaporeans to join us on the NDP 2012 journey to rediscover and remember what we love best about our country.

“Our Home” expresses the fundamental reason why we love our country; it reminds us that despite our differences, we all call this island “Home”. It is our sanctuary, where we grew up and where our future generations will continue to reside. “Our Home” emphasises the fact that the prospects of the country and her people are intertwined. It invites all Singaporeans to take ownership, to have a say and a stake in this country we call “Home”.

The National Day Parade (NDP) this year commemorates 45 years of National Service. The Parade & Ceremony (P&C) segment for NDP 2012 incorporates exciting new elements, such as the “Commitment to Defence March” and a Salute to 45 years of National Service (NS45). As part of the Salute, for the first time, parade contingents executed the challenging “Advance-in-Review Order” manoeuvre which saw more than 2,000 parade members march forward in perfect unison; nine fighter jets from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) also executed the enhanced aerial flypast.

This is the largest display of the latest RSAF fighter jets to take part in NDP celebrations. Iconic NDP moments were showcased with a refreshing twist – the challenging “Onward March”, first executed during the Parade in NDP 2011 by uniformed personnel, was carried out by students from uniform groups this year. Another NDP 2011 P&C highlight, the “Majulah Moment” included the participation of NSmen this year, to commemorate NS45.

The theme for NDP 2012 is “Loving Singapore, Our Home”.

“Loving Singapore” encourages Singaporeans to reflect

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Taken together, the NDP 2012 theme evokes the warmth and fondness we feel for our country, and the comfort and familiarity of home. It is a declaration that resonates with Singaporeans from all walks of life, calling us to celebrate everything that we love about Singapore this national day – “Loving Singapore, Our Home”.

A City March carried out after the NDP at the Float @ Marina. The City March commenced below the Helix Bridge and ended at the Marina Bay Sands Board Walk, where all marching contingents took part in the Pledge Moment.

The NTUC Contingent commenced training on 31 March 2012 at NTUC Downtown East @ Pasir Ris. The NTUC Contingent comprised participants from the various unions affiliated to NTUC. Our team, comprising six members from LTA and SLA were also part of the NTUC Contingent. Led by AGS brother Mok Chan Seng (SLA), brother Muthusamy P Vengadasalam, sisters Sangeeta Devi Defi Raj, Rozana Abdul Karim, and Ida Sukarseh (all from LTA), had sacrificed their weekends for four and a half months to practise and rehearse for the NDP. Sister Chan Hwee Ping (SLA) was part of the logistics team that looked after the needs and welfare of the contingent.

AUSBE NDP 2012 TEAM MEMBERS Front Row 3rd from right – Sister Sangeeta Devi d/o of Defi Raj (LTA) 4th from right – AGS Brother Mok Chan Seng (AUSBE Team IC - SLA) 2nd Row 1st from right – Sister Chan Hwee Ping (SLA)

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Ausbe | NDP 2012

3rd Row 6th from left – Sister Rozana Abdul Karim (LTA) 5th from right – Sister Ida Sukarseh Mahamud (LTA) Last Row 3rd from right – Brother Muthusamy P Vengadasalam (LTA)

NTUC President, sister Diana Chia visited the contingent at their holding area at the F1 Pit Building on 14 July 2012 to give encouragement and to thank the contingent members for their sacrifices for NDP 2012. Sister Chia was NTUC’s contingent commander for NDP 2011.

The Observance Ceremony cum Sending Off Dinner was held on the evening of 5 August 2012 at NTUC Downtown East instead of the usual lunch on 9 August 2012, as the period from mid July to mid August was the holy fasting month of Ramadan for our Muslim brothers and sisters. We broke the fast with them before the commencement of the

ceremony cum dinner. The Guest-of-Honour was brother Patrick Tay, MP for Nee Soon GRC and NTUC Director, Legal Services & PME. On 9 August 2012, we marched proudly at the Float @ Marina Bay and the City March as we represented AUSBE and NTUC at the National Day Parade 2012.

The appreciation dinner will be held for all the NDP participants on 8 September 2012 at a venue to be confirmed later. NTUC Assistant Secretary-General, sister Cham Hui Fong will be the Guest-of-Honour. Certificates of Participation will be presented to all contingent members during the dinner.

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The Paradox of Patriotism

Random Thoughts of One Singaporean on National Day - by Patrick Teo, LTA Assistant Branch Secretary

An Independence Day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation’s assumption of independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a military occupation.

In Singapore, we celebrate it as National Day. On this day, August 9, patriotic feelings notwithstanding, my random thoughts wander as I ponder how patriotic should a Singaporean be.

As I search for an answer, I had a momentary total recall of this insightful story once shared by NTUC SecretaryGeneral Lim Swee Say in one of his May Day speech.

A man searches diligently under a lamp post at night. He explains to a passer-by that he has lost his keys.

“Did you lose them under the lamp post?” asked the passer-by.

“No,” the man answered.

“Then why are you looking under the lamp post?” asked the passer-by.

And the man replied, “Because there’s no light anywhere else.”

I must not err in the same fashion as this man did in his search. I will thus attempt to search for an answer to this question far beyond the light cast by the metaphorical lamp post.

Being a Singaporean, it is only natural I will feel patriotic on National Day. But how patriotic should a Singaporean be?

Patriotism is a natural and appropriate expression of attachment to the country in which we were born and raised in, and of gratitude for the benefits of life on its soil among its people. Patriotism is an important component of our identity. But for all its ennobling kick, patriotism has almost always been at odds with itself. Herein lies the paradox.

Patriotism is a type of group egoism, a morally arbitrary partiality to “one’s own” at odds with demands of universal justice and common human solidarity. Patriotism reinforces a sense of community by erecting strong walls to comfort those on the inside. But outside those exclusive walls, it has a history of denying those on the outside. Patriotism is

exclusive in invidious and dangerous ways. Love of one’s own country characteristically goes together with dislike of and hostility towards other countries. It tends to encourage militarism, and makes for international tension and conflict.

The wartime example of patriots fighting each other illustrates the point that even self-sacrificing patriotism is selective in its altruism. Patriotism implies that members of a nation owe a greater allegiance to fellow nationals than to foreigners. This selectivity is the most ethically controversial aspect of patriotism.

“Can anything be stupider than that a man has the right to kill me because he lives on the other side of a river and his ruler has a quarrel with mine, though I have not quarrelled with him?”

- Blaise Pascal Much of the seemingly endless global conflicts are due to such misplaced patriotism. And perhaps the seeds of these global conflicts are planted in interactions at the people to people level - in social interactions, at workplaces.

Human resource practitioners, with misplaced beliefs of loyalty to their employer (misplaced patriotism in a different context), may erect strong walls to comfort those on the inside, (their employers), going all out for the interest of the company and at the expense of workers, and often at odds with the union.

Bosses, with misplaced beliefs that supporting the union equates disloyalty to firm (again misplaced patriotism in a different context) who become unsupportive and perceive their unionist subordinates with disdain.

Misplaced “patriotism” in some unionists who feel they owe a greater allegiance to fellow members than to the company regardless of corporate consequences.

Employees, with misplaced beliefs that joining the union equates disloyalty to firm and jeopardises their job security (again misplaced patriotism in a different context), and refuse to join the union but rather enjoy the benefits as a free-rider at the expense of paying members.

HR practitioners, bosses, employees and unionists are really all in the same boat. They sink or float together. Apparently conflicting interests are congruent at a higher plane of perception. Having a deep, collective, determination to reach an identical objective and consciously gravitating

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towards a win-win approach. Mutual benefit in all people to people interactions is attained not by blind “patriotism”, but perhaps through calibrated “patriotism”.

All too often, at the people to people level, the seed of conflict is planted by selective altruism of such misplaced “patriotism”, and when such misplaced mindsets multiply like an infectious virus, the seed is allowed to germinate, potentially growing into the next level - organisation to organisation conflicts.

Tripartism, the uniquely Singapore brand of industrial relation management, is constantly being challenged by organisation to organisation interactions chequered with misplaced “patriotism” of the people behind these organisations. And when the seed is again allowed to germinate beyond organisation to organisation level, it could then potentially grow into the next level - country to country conflicts, which eventually lead to global conflicts.

American union leader Eugene V. Debs said this, “I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth, and I am a citizen of the world.”

One People. One Nation. One Earth!

I am a Singaporean. On National Day, I shall prefer to feel cautiously patriotic - with calibrated patriotism.

“Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for Imagine all the people Living life in peace You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will be as one” - John Lennon “Imagine”

“The World is Awesome!” - The Discovery Channel. Indeed it is. All apparently conflicting interests are incongruent at a higher plane of perception. Perhaps one day we will all learn to live the alternative concept of a universal human community and be calibrated patriotic Earthlings.

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Active Agers Celebrate

National Day On 25 August 2012, a special event was held by AUSBE for all branch unionists to commemorate the Active Agers’ National Day Observance Ceremony on Kusu Island.

Unionists from statutory board branches gave their full support by participating in this special event. They arrived at Marina Bay Jetty at around 9am, and boarded the Cheng Ho cruise ship which berthed at Marina Bay. They waited enthusiastically for the arrival of Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Seng Han Thong to kick off the event.

Our honourable Guest-of-Honour was given a hearty warm welcome by unionists as he arrived. Unionists took turns to have a photo-taking session with him.

Participants queuing up for registration and clearance at Marina Bay Jetty

AUSBE participants posing with MP Seng Han Thong on board Cheng Ho cruise ship

AUSBE participants getting a commemorative photo at Kusu Island

AUSBE participants (standing, L-R) Mr Loh Nai Min and Mr Lee Wah Keat from AVA, and Ms Tang Kwai Fong from HSA

AUSBE participants posing with MP Seng Han Thong NDP 2012 | Ausbe

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Two AUSBE Branch Leaders Receive BORA Branch Officials are the voice of the members. They devote time and energy in their strive to look after and improve the welfare of their members without asking for anything in return. In recognition of their contributions, a record number of branch officials were awarded with the prestigious BORA by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) on 6 July 2012.

The 12th Branch Officials Recognition Award (BORA) 2012 ceremony saw a record number of 83 branch officials from 51 unions recognised for their outstanding efforts to the Labour Movement. Organised by the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute, this year’s Guestof-Honour was NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Ong Ye Kung. He awarded the 12th BORA to two branch officials from AUSBE, Mr Rohaizad Bin Mohamed Ishak from the Energy Market Authority branch, and Mr Martin Bernard Nalpon from the Maritime and Port Authority branch.

With the award, Brothers Rohaizad and Nalpon attended a teambuilding session with other BORA recipients.

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From 12 to 15 July 2012, the delegates went on an Overseas Learning Journey to Seoul, South Korea, where they visited the Seoul Regional Employment and Labour Office, South Seoul District Office and the Federation of Korea Trade Unions (FKTU). There, delegates learnt how the two organisations dealt with the issue of an ageing population workforce, which was through wage subsidies, and adjustments to their retirement and re-employment act. This allowed them to reflect if similar measures could be applied to the ageing population in Singapore in time to come.

“When you hold your major events, scholarship events, major social outings for your members to serve them, to make sure that their membership is worthwhile, value for money, who does the work? Most of the time, it is with the help, hands, legs and brains of the branch officials.”

– Guest-of-Honour, Deputy Secretary-General Ong Ye Kung

The delegates got to enjoy more light-hearted activities in the later part of the trip as they learnt more about the Korean culture, such as their traditional dressing and how to make a uniquely Korean dish, kimchi.

Brother Rohaizad receiving the award from Mr Ong

Brother Martin receiving the award from Mr Ong NDP 2012 | Ausbe

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AUSBE Representatives Attend New EEC Meeting Unionists from 12 industry clusters, together with staff and representatives from the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), attended the Employment and Employability Committee (EEC) meeting. Among them were AUSBE representatives Brother Patrick Teo from the LTA branch, and Brother Govindarajan Haridas from the HSA branch.

At the meeting, valuable information on e2i, its Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP) and the Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP) was shared and the unionists learnt how the resources of these programmes can help unions meet the employment and employability needs of their members. With the new found knowledge, the unions will be in a better position to advise members on the available upgrading options.

At the meeting, Chairman of the EEC, Brother Terry Lee, called for more ideas which could help in achieving the objectives of the Labour Movement 2015. The three outcomes are to have a cheaper, better and faster economy, a strong Singaporean core of workers and to have inclusive growth.

The Secretary of the EEC, Brother Gary Goh shared with members the purpose and structure of the EEC, which are to identify issues affecting employability of working people in Singapore from all collars, all ages and all nationalities. The Committee also seeks to suggest and promote programmes to enhance employment and employability of working people in Singapore, and to provide input and guidance on the usage of NTUC Education and Training Fund (NETF).

(WDA). E2i will be appointed by WDA to operate these campuses located in Jurong, which will be known as the Devan Nair Institute.

The meeting also touched on the various funding programmes available under NETF to assist those who attend the trainings. These include UTAP for individual members, UTAP for unions and unionised companies and Surrogate Employer Programme (SEP). The UTAP scheme for members is applicable to courses by Labour Movement training providers such as the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Learning Hub (LHUB).

Brother Goh also shared the updated vision of e2i and its mission, which is to help workers upgrade their skills, enhance employability, find better jobs for workers and to aid retrenched workers. He informed members about two new Continuing Education and Training (CET) campuses built by the Workforce Development Agency

The IGP which aims to help low wage workers increase their productivity and earn higher wages, was presented.

With $100 million invested in the IGP, NTUC aims to benefit 100,000 workers by 2015.

In the closing, Brother Lee encouraged unions to consider inviting Chief Executive Officers and Human Resource officers from unionised companies to attend a briefing on how UTAP could help them to defray the costs of training workers. He also stressed the importance of observing the unfolding of the Eurozone crisis, as Singapore’s economy could be negatively affected should the crisis not resolve. Workers could be affected, and measures to assist them will need to be rolled out quickly. Union representatives were informed to approach e2i to discuss the various trainings needs and courses available for members.

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Social Media For ExCo A course sponsored by AUSBE - by Ms Ng Woon Tim Clara, LTA Assistant Branch Secretary The Admin and Training Committee (ATS), led by our Brother Govindarajan Haridas, had been actively rolling out training courses as part of AUSBE’s strategic thrust to develop leaders and members. They have tirelessly identified many useful courses for our upgrading and training.

The recognition that social media is a powerful tool is undeniable. It opens up the world to us once we know how to use it. Though it is only a click away to connecting with the youths and tech-savvy crowd, many of us lack the confidence and hands-on skill to access this wonderful discovery.

With this in mind, the ATS organised a course on ‘Social Media For Beginners’ at NTUC Learning Hub’s e2i Campus located at Bukit Merah. A total of 18 Executive Committee members attended the course on 14 June 2012.

Our trainer, a youthful looking Ms Audrey Loo gave her warm welcome to the large class of ‘baby boomers’. There were only two younger learners, our brothers Chin Chog and Mok. All of us listened intently as Ms Loo introduced us to the common types of social media including Twitter, YouTube, Blogs and Facebook.

Step by step, she led us through the creation of a Twitter account. As some of us could not follow, she had to actively shuttle back and forth to assist the slower participants.

When the afternoon session began, we were as bright as ever despite the warm afternoon. Ms Loo began with the introduction of Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook. Naturally, we were very interested in this form of interaction which had caught the world by storm, gaining 500 million users worldwide.

It was fascinating to learn the creation of a Facebook Account. We were a tickled bunch of participants when it came to the filling in the ‘Age’ and ‘Sex’ fields. As we created our profiles, so too we began to have a clearer look at ourselves in our area of interests and what we could share with others.

The later part of the afternoon took on a more serious note.

Confusion set in for quite a number of us when Ms Loo taught us how to upload videos onto YouTube.

Personally, I got into a fix when Ms Loo started teaching us how to integrate the different forms of media, such as YouTube with Facebook and YouTube with Twitter.

AUSBE President Daniel Lai getting guidance from Ms Loo

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But she assured us that the trick to learning how to use social media lies in the command of ourselves. Slowly but surely we would be able to master the nuts and bolts of its use.

Ms Loo’s words of encouragement held strong meaning to me as I lacked a great amount of confidence in using technology. From past experiences, I was a laggard when it came to adapting to new technological systems, to the extent that it affected how I worked. I am sure many of us who grew up in the 50s and 60s may share similar handicaps. Ms Loo reiterated that having more selfconfidence would aid us greatly in this learning process.

It is fortunate that we were given many opportunities to learn and grasp the advent of new platforms in communication. Why not make this a learning journey for ourselves so that we can better contribute to our workplace and community?

Start Tweeting brother, see you on Facebook!

(L-R) The 3 ‘Cs’ Branch Chairmen, Mr U Popathi from EMA, Mr Lawrence Chong from AVA and Mr Manjet Singh from MPA

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AUSBE New Members

Recruited From June-August

2012

MUHD FARHAN BIN MOHD ZAIN.......................................... AVA

NG SHAH AI ............................................................................ EMA

LIM SHWU SHAN ................................................................... AVA

ONG CHWEE LI ....................................................................... EMA

PEE YIN JIA JOANNE ............................................................. AVA

ANDREW SEAH BOON YONG *............................................. EMA

QUEK QINHUI ......................................................................... AVA

KOH CHOON WEE SAMUEL .................................................. EMA

ONG GIM HAI . ........................................................................ AVA

TAN TECK HAO ....................................................................... EMA

LIM XIAOTIAN ........................................................................ AVA

EDEN HONG . .......................................................................... EMA

FARADILAH ABDUL WAHAB ................................................. AVA

LIM KIAN CHYE . ..................................................................... EMA

TAY BOON CHUN ................................................................... AVA

NURAINI CHUHARI.................................................................. HPB

TOH SOON HUAT ................................................................... AVA

CHEN CHUN YAN ................................................................... HPB

FOO AI SOON ......................................................................... AVA

TRISHEENA D/O THANASINGAM ......................................... HPB

KOK POH KENG PEGGY . ....................................................... AVA

SAFIAH BTE RAJUDIN............................................................ HSA

NG ANG SENG ....................................................................... AVA

RABBIAH BINTE CHE OMAR ................................................. HSA

TEO TERRINGTON . ................................................................ BCA

SU XIAOTING ......................................................................... HSA

ETHAN CHOW CHIN MUN *................................................... BCA

CHIA GUO HAO KELVIN ......................................................... HSA

ONG ENG GHEE *.................................................................... BCA

TAN WAN CHENG .................................................................. HSA

CHUA CHUAN GUAN *........................................................... BCA

SHIREEN BEGUM D/O MOHAMED SIDIK ............................. HSA

CHERN KIN MENG . ................................................................ BCA

TEOH KAI RU .......................................................................... HSA

NG JIN KIAN............................................................................ BCA

SEAH NUR FADILAH ............................................................. HSA

YEO KWANG BOON *............................................................. BCA

ONG WENDY .......................................................................... HSA

LEE HIENG HAN . .................................................................... BCA

KIMBERLY MIM JIA YING ...................................................... HSA

AMY LEE VERN SIEW *........................................................... BCA

CHENG SHI YUAN................................................................... HSA

LEONG CHEE LAI *.................................................................. BCA

SOH XIU WEI............................................................................ HSA

DANIEL HO RUN HAN............................................................. DSGB

SEET FOONG YEE PRISCILIA.................................................. IDA

GONG ZHENYU ...................................................................... DSGB

KOO WEN CHUNG ................................................................. IDA

TAI KAU.................................................................................... DSTA

FABIAN CHEW YONG KIANG................................................. IDA

YANG HUIQIAN........................................................................ DSTA

CHUA JUN SIONG . ................................................................ IDA

RICHARD SEAH KEE TECK . ................................................... DSTA

MEMIZ MD. SALLEH .............................................................. IDA

ROCH CYRIL ALEXANDER ..................................................... DSTA

NEW HUI CHUAN ................................................................... IDA

DIANA MOTCHARANI D/O MARIADOSS ............................. DSTA

TEH NGEE CHEE ..................................................................... IDA

ONG KIM SIU........................................................................... DSTA

KOH HUILIN....................................................................IDA-DSGB

LIM LEE SAN SUSIE................................................................ DSTA

LI MAN...................................................................................... LTA

TAN GEK HUA.......................................................................... DSTA

FANG JIARONG....................................................................... LTA

LAU FENG LAN ....................................................................... DSTA

EI EI MOE.................................................................................. LTA

HO MUN CHUEN .................................................................... DSTA

WANG JIANBO........................................................................ LTA

TEY WEN LI GWYNETH........................................................... EMA

TAN SWEE CHIN...................................................................... LTA

NEE SENG SOON BERNARD.................................................. EMA

TAN HONG KWANG ............................................................... LTA

MILTON GOH YUEN KHENG.................................................. EMA

TAN HONG KWANG................................................................ LTA

ABDUL MALIK S/O ANWAR NEEN......................................... EMA

JANET LAU HUA TIN ............................................................. LTA

AZIZAH BTE BUJANG ............................................................ EMA

DONG WEI . ............................................................................. LTA

LIM JUEMIN............................................................................. EMA

WU JUN LAN .......................................................................... LTA

SEOW BEE LAY........................................................................ EMA

YU WEN JIAN ......................................................................... LTA

TAN LI PENG............................................................................ EMA

LOGANATHAN S/O SATHIYACELAN...................................... LTA

YEOW YORKYEN..................................................................... EMA

WOON WILLY . ........................................................................ LTA

NG SWEE ENG . ...................................................................... EMA

MOHAMMAD HANIFF BIN JAAFAR....................................... LTA

ANG SOO HERN ..................................................................... EMA

NG CHONG YEW .................................................................... LTA

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Ausbe | NDP 2012

MUHAMMAD FADHULLAH AHMAD . ................................... LTA

TAN CHIU MUI ........................................................................ MPA

TEE KOK KIONG ..................................................................... LTA

XAVIER CHONG LIANG ZHI.................................................... MPA

MICHELLE LAU ....................................................................... LTA

JOANNE FANG HUIMING ...................................................... MPA

ABDUL RASHID BIN ABDUL RAZAK . ................................... LTA

TAN ZI YU . .............................................................................. MPA

MOHAMAD NASROM BIN OMAR *....................................... LTA

TAN WEI QIANG ..................................................................... MPA

KHALIESAH ............................................................................. LTA

HUANG JINBAO ALAN .......................................................... MPA

MUHAMMAD ALFIYAM BIN RAZALI .................................... LTA

MUHAMMAD RASYIDIN ........................................................ MPA

NG MIN LAY SONIA *............................................................. LTA

ISHAK B MOHD HASSAN ...................................................... MPA

JOSEPH CHEONG KHOI MENG *........................................... LTA

GLENN SIM HOON CHANG ................................................... MPA

TAN CAI QIN ........................................................................... LTA

IDA LYANA BINTE KAMSANI.................................................. MPA

BASKARAN S/O NARAYANAN*............................................. LTA

NICHOLAS CHIEW .................................................................. MPA

CHIA GUAN HONG *............................................................... LTA

LAU WEI JIE ............................................................................ MPA

TAY CHING LING RICHARD *.................................................. LTA

NURUL FITRAH ...................................................................... MPA

TAY BAN KAH *....................................................................... LTA

LENA KOH ............................................................................... MPA

CHEONG CHIN YEW ............................................................... LTA

NG GEE LIAN(HUANG JILIAN) .............................................. MPA

IBRAHIM MALIK....................................................................... LTA

NG KENG YONG ..................................................................... MPA

VESALINI D/O SACHE.............................................................. LTA

MARINA BINTE ZAINAL ......................................................... NLB

MAS’AD BIN IDRIS *............................................................... LTA

TAN SIEW LENG ..................................................................... NLB

MUHAMMAD FAIRUZ BIN SYED M SALLEH*...................... LTA

ZAILISYAH BINTI ZULKIFLI..................................................... NLB

HENG HUI KENG...................................................................... LTA

NURUL SYAFIQAH BINTE ABDULLAH.................................. NLB

PHILLIP JAMES MUSTEY ...................................................... LTA

TEO SHEN NI .......................................................................... SLA

CHIN JING YEE *..................................................................... LTA

NG ZHEN HAO......................................................................... SLA

PABUSTAN ALBERT MACAPAGAL *..................................... LTA WU YOKE MEI . ....................................................................... LTA YOW KHAI CHENG.................................................................. LTA LAM NGOC TIEN...................................................................... LTA

TOTAL RECRUITED 156 MEMBERS

NG KWEE LIAN *..................................................................... LTA NG AH KHOON *..................................................................... LTA TAY CHENG TIONG EMMAN *............................................... LTA KII KING HENG *...................................................................... LTA NG HUI TIAN ALICIA *............................................................ LTA ALGER T. BISMONTE *........................................................... LTA NG TZE SENG *....................................................................... LTA NG GIM KHOON...................................................................... LTA ELVIN TAN MENG KIAT........................................................... LTA LOH WENG KEONG STEPHEN............................................... MPA YAP ZHI WEI DAVID................................................................. MPA TEO MUI KENG........................................................................ MPA TAN LI YI . ................................................................................ MPA RAMAKRISHNAN ARAVAZHI . ............................................... MPA ZONG XINGDONG . ................................................................ MPA JURAIDA BTE NORMAN......................................................... MPA MUHAMMAD RIDHWAN B ISMAIL ....................................... MPA SANTHOU KELVIN RICHARD . ............................................... MPA

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