Sunday, June 12, 2011

陈志成 Chan Chee Seng: 部长的薪水怎么可以是世界最高

陈志成,公教校友。1973-1976年担任校友会会长。1954年任人民行动党丹戎巴葛支部秘书。1959年当选为新加坡国会议员,直到1984为止,共做了25年的国会议员。1961年被任为内政部政务次长,两年后,转到社会事务部,并于1974年升职为高级政务次长(Senior Parliamentary Secretary) 19816月至198212月他担任贸工部的高级职务次长。

以下是今天联合早报发表对他的访谈:


现年79岁,曾任财政部、贸工部、社会事务部、内政部和教育部高级政务次长的陈志成,也曾是惹兰勿刹区国会议员。他出身贫寒,无力受教育,母亲教他广交天下名士,从中学习。他因此在1954年人民行动党建党之时就入党。

跟在李光耀身边学艺
 
陈志成是在50年代初,在汇丰银行工作时认识李光耀,开始跟在他身边学艺
  
他说:从小,我只在一所叫聘儒私塾读过两年古书,《三字经》我能从头背到尾。五岁父亲去世,本来开藤厂的家就中落了。母亲要养大我们八个兄弟姐妹很辛苦,很小我就要求母亲带我出去找工作,赚钱养家。因为没有钱读书,母亲教我从朋友身上学习,所以什么人都是我的朋友,都是我的老师,和他们相处,就是我在学习的时候。认识了李光耀,我在他身边跟进跟出,像他的保镖和司机,我常常驾车送他去马来亚打官司。在他身边,我学英文,学待人处世,他叫我做什么我就做什么。
  
1957年市议会选举,李光耀叫他参加,当时他什么都不懂,参加只是为了好学 。因为他广交朋友,人脉非常广,正好符合做代议士的条件。第一次出征就中选。
  
去年10月,李光耀的女儿李玮玲曾著文感谢陈志成和一些对新加坡有功的人,她在文章中说:少了他们,领袖无法成大业。她谈及19617月,行动党内部出现分歧,左派份子搞分裂,李光耀提出信任动议,通过议员的投票,决定新加坡政治未来的走向。
  
51席行动党只有25席支持票时,陈志成即时说服了病倒入院的实乞纳选区议员莎荷拉,把她用救护车送到议院,及时把票投给行动党,使行动党成为多数党。
  
陈志成于1957年从政,1984年退出政坛。

为了使国家发展得更好,人民生活更幸福,陈志成以对行动党死忠支持者的身份,要求政府考虑成立政府政策检讨委员会
  
他说:这个委员会每年对政府的政策进行检讨,听取各方人民的意见,以此来督促政府。检讨工作要每年进行,不是每隔五年,大选前后才做。检讨就像学校需要定期接受素质认证,上市公司每年接受业绩评估,以确保学校、公司水平符合理想。表现不够好,立刻改善。我们的政府也应该这样,每年坦然接受民意督导。
失掉六席提醒行动党须彻底检讨
  
陈志成于1984年退出政坛后,和妻子开办国际学校已经27年。他以这27年办学经验,对政府提出意见。
 
他说:这次大选,行动党其实没有输,反而赢。如果这次不输六席,反而对行动党不好。这次失掉六席,仿佛敲响警钟,提醒行动党,要做彻底检讨,只有这样,才有希望,否则,日后可能像骨牌效应那样失去更多。这次失去一个集选区是好的,暴露了很多极待改善的缺点。例如,道路上树立这么多收费的闸门,是让人民恼怒的。从前设立闸门是为了使中央区道路通畅,方便人民办事。现在则为了控制车流,这是不对的。
  
他说,现在新加坡不能骑脚踏车出入,有车人不一定是有钱人。很多做小生意的人,靠车进货送货,通过重重闸门,进牛车水转一个圈就近10元,有谁敢进?他们生意怎么做?提出这个意见,不是为了节省几块钱,而是认为这是没有理由的事。
部长薪水不应和企业家挂钩
  
对部长的薪金,陈志成也有意见。
  
他说,新加坡国家这么小,部长的薪水怎么可以是世界最高?这怎样让人信服?部长的薪水也不应和企业家挂钩,因为企业家做的是生意,做得不好,是要破产的,情况不同。部长这么高薪已经使他们脱离了基层人民,太富裕,是不懂民间疾苦。
  
他谈到自己从小家贫,能明白人民生活的痛苦。一次他在内政部,接到一个朋友来电投诉他做了官不要见人,他说怎么会呢?原来是他的秘书阻挡朋友在外,说他已经见够人了。他说哪有那样的事?他于是召开会议告诉下属,如果再有同类事发生,不是下属离开,就是他这个做主管的离开。
  
他说,从前乘飞机去联合国,坐经济舱位子,从头等舱出入,为的是顾及国家颜面,方便人家来接。政府为他们置装,也只买上装,没有买裤子,当时因为政府穷,这种情况他们都很明白、很谅解。现在政府的问题是钱太多了。

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

许心昀 Hsu Sin Yun

许心昀(1985公教中四),毕业自新加坡国立大学并考获电机工程系荣誉学位,之后继续深造,成为公共管理学硕士。他在1994年投入警界,曾担任警察海岸卫队行动及保安主任、警察保安指挥处副司令和保安及反恐行动局助理局长。国际货币基金组织与世界银行董事会2006年在本地举行常年会议时,他也负责监督保安工作。

2009年2月17日接任宏茂桥警署署长。在他的领导下,宏茂桥警署取得了良好的成绩,并于昨天荣获新加坡警察‘最佳陆路单位奖’。以下是TODAY报今天的报道:

by Monica Kotwani
 
SINGAPORE 6 June 2011- The Ang Mo Kio Police Division won the "Best Land Division Award", which was presented during Police Day on Monday (6 June 2011) evening.

It's the second such award for the division in three years and was given for its performance in areas such as investigation and professionalism. 

The division has seen some high-profile cases in the last year.

One such case was that of the "Heartbeat Molester", a 48-year-old man who outraged the modesty of 28 girls in 11 years.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Hsu Sin Yun, Commander, Ang Mo Kio Police Division, said: "As with any police unit or any organisation ... we will recognise the good work, the good arrests, the good service that officers provide to the community ... But more importantly, is to appeal to the officers' sense of mission, their passion for police work to help the community keep their premises, their areas free from crime.

"And I think that's a much stronger motivator to our officers compared to whatever awards we can give them."

He added that seeing the arrests of criminals and the community feeling safer in their environment pushed police officers to work that much harder for the community.
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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Chen Show Mao 陈硕茂

陈硕茂于1974/75年就读于公教中一/中二。最近因以在野党工人党的身份,在5月7日的大选中中选为国会议员而声名大噪。以下是Wikipedia对他的介绍:


Chen was born in Taiwan and moved to Singapore at the age of 11. He studied at Nanyang Primary School, Catholic High School and Anglo-Chinese School. Chen was the president of the students’ council at National Junior College and graduated as the top student in Singapore for the 1979 “A” level examinations, scoring straight As in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics B as well as A1s for General Paper and Chinese. Although Chen had yet to become a Singapore Citizen, he chose to serve National Service. During National Service, Chen served as an infantry platoon commander at the Fifth Singapore Infantry Regiment (5SIR) and as Brigade Adjutant, or DYS1, at the headquarters of the Third Singapore Infantry Brigade (3SIB). He took up citizenship in 1986, six years after serving National Service.

Despite graduating as the top student for the 1979 “A” level examinations, Chen did not gain admission into the local medical school. Thereupon, he pursued his undergraduate studies with Major in Economics at Harvard University. Chen graduated from Harvard University in 1986 and from Corpus Christi College, Oxford University in 1988, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In 1992 Chen received his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School and in 2005 received his M.A. from Corpus Christi College, Oxford University.

During his time abroad, Chen regularly returned home to Singapore to visit his parents, his sister and her family. In 2007, he visited the headquarters of the Workers’ Party of Singapore, and found, over a period of time, a meeting of minds on their shared goals for Singapore's future. Subsequently, he became a member of the Workers’ Party of Singapore. Upon his entry into Singapore politics, he was referred to as the Workers' Party "star catch" by the local press. This was mainly because Singapore's opposition parties had previously struggled to recruit top-calibre candidates with profiles comparable to Chen, due to the oppressive political climate which is present in the country.

Chen stated that he joined the Workers' Party because he believed that "the best way to ensure good governance for Singapore is through the growth of a competitive opposition that offers a credible alternative to the party in government". During an interview, Chen frankly explained why he decided to join the Workers' Party of Singapore:

Certainly, my friends in the PAP are in a better position to formulate policy and implement policy in the short term, and therefore, have a greater impact on people's life, people's livelihood over the short term. But I think what I am doing is just as important. Perhaps more important over the long term and that is to help build up a credible opposition that in time is capable to form an alternative government.

On 27 April 2011, Chen submitted his candidacy for the five-member Aljunied Group Representation Constituency with the Workers' Party of Singapore chief Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh, a postgraduate law student, and Muhamad Faisal Manap, a freelance counsellor. The incumbent team included two cabinet ministers and one Senior Minister of State, and was helmed by the prominent Foreign Affairs Minister, George Yeo.

During the intense nine-day campaign period that followed, Chen was singled out by leaders of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) for criticism. The PAP's Organising Secretary and Minister for Education, Dr Ng Eng Hen, questioned Chen's motives for entering politics in a letter to The Straits Times. Ng also questioned whether Chen would be able to relate to the aspirations of Singaporeans after having spent most of his career in the United States and China. The PAP's co-founder and former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew also suggested that Chen could return to China after losing in the election.

Throughout the campaign, Chen conducted himself in a humble and statesmanlike manner, refusing to get drawn into mudslinging contests despite numerous provocations from the PAP. However, he sought to emphasize his ties to Singapore, addressing rally crowds in Malay and Hokkien to dispel the perception that he was 'foreign'. He also highlighted at a Workers' Party rally that he came to Singapore at a young age with his parents and sister, that he served National Service, and that he owns an apartment in Bishan and frequently commutes by MRT train.

On 7 May 2011, Chen and his Workers' Party team won the Aljunied GRC with 54.71% of the total votes cast, with Yeo's PAP team obtaining 45.29% of the votes. The victory was considered historic because it was the first time in history that a GRC had been captured by an opposition party, and the first time ever that two cabinet ministers had lost their seats in a general election. Chen became the first foreign-born opposition MP in the history of Singapore, while his teammates Sylvia Lim and Muhamad Faisal Manap became the first-ever female opposition MP and the first-ever Malay opposition MP respectively, since independence. Also, together with Pritam Singh and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap, he became the first 3 opposition MPs to be elected into parliament at the first attempt.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

刘威海 Bill Liu Wei Hai

William Liu completed his secondary 4 in 1963 at Catholic High School.

He retired as Chief Executive Officer of IT and e-commerce business Green Dot Capital in 20007. But, barely after six months into his retirement, he started with his former business associates Stream Global, an IT venture catalyst firm. The firm, which operates out of a 1,000 sq ft office in Genting Lane, focuses on companies in the infocomm, digital media and mobile technologies sector.

He is the Chairman and Managing Partner of the company. Unlike a venture capital company, a venture catalyst - a term coined by him - not only invests in start-ups but also mentors its young entrepreneurs.

He is currently also the the Chairman of W3 Infocomm Group Pte Ltd, a boutique VC.

Bill, as he is more commonly known, started his career in the I.T. industry in 1970.after graduating with a B.Sc Hons in Mechanical Engineering from University of Manchester and an M.Sc in OR & Management Studies from Imperial College.


From 2001 to 2006 he was President of Green Dot Capital Pte Ltd, which invested in start-up and early stage companies, globally. It was also the holding company of Singapore Computer Systems Ltd and SNP Corporation Ltd, both were listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.


Prior to joining Green Dot Capital, he was the President & CEO of ABACUS International, Asia’s premier Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and Computer Reservations Systems (CRS) company and a joint venture company with Sabre, Inc of USA. Bill was responsible for its operations and profitable growth that spanned 20 countries in the Asia Pacific.


Prior to joining ABACUS, he was International Computers Ltd’s (ICL) Regional Vice President for Asia and concurrently the non-executive Chairman of the Singapore operations. He also served as General Manager of ICL Taiwan for a year in 1992.


He is currently a Board member of SISTIC.com Pte Ltd, the National Library Board and Monte Jade Singapore. He was the co-chairman of the Singapore British Business Council IT/Software Sub-Committee and Board member of Singapore Computer Systems. Mr Liu was actively involved in IDA’s 2015 “Intelligent Nation, A Global City powered by Infocomm” Master Plan, sitting on 3 sub-committees, viz. Infocomm Competency Council, Financial Services and Enterprise Development.


He was a past Chairman of the Singapore Federation of the Computer Industry (SFCI) from 1995 to 1998 and a Board member of the Singapore National Computer Board and the Institute of Systems Science. He is also a past President of the Operational Research Society of Singapore.


He says that starting Stream Global was a case of better late than never. 'If I were to start all over again, I would do it earlier as it is good to try things when you are young. Then, I would have had a longer time to decide if owning a business is really what I want to do,' he says.


These days, he reckons he drinks more coffee than ever before, thanks to daily meetings with potential and existing mentees to review their business strategies.


But he still has time to pursue his interests such as qigong. He has stopped playing golf due to a frozen shoulder.


While his wife supports his decision to work, she feels that he should not stress himself too much either. 'She knows that I tend to exert myself too much,' he says.


'But working keeps me mentally and physically fit, especially now that I enjoy what I am doing. It gives me satisfaction to be able to offer my experience and contribute to the creative and innovative eco- system,' he says.
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Sunday, April 10, 2011

Passing of Marist Brother Noel Wang Shuang Hui 公教中学前教务主任王双会修士逝世

Our ex-teacher Brother Noel Wang has passed away on the afternoon of 8th April.  Brother Joseph, our ex-Principal shares his thoughts and memories of Brother Noel. 

_____________

On the demise of Bro. Noel Wang, Friday afternoon, 8th April , when I heard the news from Bro. Thomas Chin, my immediate superior, I was about to have my interview with an important personage none other than Rev. Bro. John Klein, an American, the General Councillor from Marist Brothers Generalate, Rome, My personal feeling is that of perplexity, very difficult to describe.

I know Bro. Noel Wang (Wang Shouan Hui) since our childhood days: He was born in Baxian, near Beijing on 25th Dec. 1927 Christmas Day-- Noel in French, and I was born in Beijing 21 Nov. the same year. So I was more than a month his senior. But in real life, I was his senor all the time: In secondary school juniorate and novitiate, Chala, Beijing he was a year behind me, I left China in 1949, he came out of China in 1950 after the Liberation, and when I finished my B.A. at Marist College Poughkeepsie N. Y. and came to teach at Catholic High School, Queen St. Singapore, he managed to come to Bukit Mertajam and teach in a Primary School. When I was appointed Principal at Catholic High 1960 , he managed to work under me as Senior Teacher Primary Morning Session till I left CHS in 1974, he then was shifted to Maris Stella High School to teach.

Somewhere between 1964 and 1968 he had his study leave to obtain his B.A. Chinese Lit. at JouHai University, Hong Kong before re-joining the Catholic High staff.

I spent 14 years at St. Francis Xavier's College, Hong Kong, Kowloon and 6 years Rome, Italy then finally I settled in Singapore 1994 at Flower Road , Upper Serangoon to live in the same Community with Bro. Noel Wang after his having worked in Singapore , Ipoh, Taiwan Kaohsiung in ongoing formation in Rome at Fratelli Maristi EUR Roma where we could meet for more than half a year.

Well, you see I could very well say Bro. Noel has been my life companion even during his long, long sickness in the last few years of his earthly abode. I could very well confirm that the late Bro. Noel was up-right in his conduct, sincere to his belief and an outstanding educator ...

Bro. J. D. Chang (Chang She-Dien)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

林嘉丰 (Lim Kia Hong) 游走中西文化 成功打造分销王国

林嘉丰(1973年公教中四毕业)接受联合早报访问,该访问内容刊登于3月3日。以下是有关访问的报道:


李敏雯 报道

林嘉丰(右)与李显龙校友合影
他比西方人更了解中国、也比中国人更懂得西方。正因他从容地结合中西方文化和经济的优势,新龙国际(SiS International)主席兼总裁林嘉丰成功打造了一个分销王国。

毕业自公教和华初,林嘉丰有着深厚的华族文化底蕴,但他当时不随波逐流,1978年毅然选择到美国深造,还报读了当时非常冷门的学科——工商管理。不过几年美国的求学生涯,让他摒弃了很多传统和局限,明白了只要有心去实现,梦想也可以成真。

林嘉丰日前受访时忆述了当年上的第一堂市场行销课程时的情景。他说:“教授问我‘你干吗抄个不停?’(新加坡学生的习惯)他说你不用抄,这些都是我讲给你听的,你若只会把我所告诉你的再转述给我听,那你市场行销的能力差得一塌糊涂。”

他恍然大悟,于是摒弃了很多传统的思维方式,开始乐于创新,并大胆尝试新事物。

林嘉丰1981年回国后继续服兵役时,微型电脑还被当成一项新科技引入到军事。他当时赫然发现,一些在欧美很容易买到的微型电脑,在东南亚却很难觅得,他因此挖掘到了商机。

独具慧眼的林嘉丰很快意识到,这股高科技旋风很快将登陆本区域,而当时正是个将高科技产品引进区域的时机。他于是在短短10年里,建立起一个完善的分销系统和庞大的经销商网络,为厂商的产品提供了全方位的服务,赢得了市场的口碑。新龙国际共代理了苹果、惠普、IBM、联想、微软等众多世界知名品牌的产品,拥有超过近万家各地经销商,成为香港的“微电脑分销大王”。

被问及成功秘诀,林嘉丰指出,当时“知己知彼”,对亚洲和西方都了解,才让他有机会从一家由零做起的小公司,在众多海外竞争对手中脱颖而出。

他说:“西方企业的做法和我们华人不一样,他们比较注重短期成效,不会考虑三到六个月以后发生的事。换句话说,若六个月内没有成绩,他们就退出。这给了我们很好的机会,我们就从长计议,成功取得市场份额。”

林嘉丰也指出,西方企业的文化是铁面无私,今天可以与你很好,但明天不合就马上分。相反的东方人比较讲感情,重关系,这教会了他如何随机应变,与什么类型的生产商打交道,就用什么样的方法。

此外,林嘉丰也懂得用人,拥有一支能干的团队,很多员工都与他拼了二三十年,林嘉丰也从来不摆老板的架子,虽然掌管年营收超过10亿美元的大企业,平时公干还是和员工一起搭经济舱。

林嘉丰对此,只轻描淡写地讲了一句:“短短几小时,经济舱与否,又有什么分别?”

就这样,林嘉丰将当时一个新加坡的小公司,漂洋过海到香港和泰国上市,这位“过江龙”乘风破浪,不仅成功打入市场,还占了市场的领导地位。去年11月底,新龙国际以不少于1亿3000万美元(1亿7000万新元),脱售旗下在新加坡、香港及马来西亚的资讯科技分销业务。  

买家是怡和控股(Jardine Matheson)旗下的怡和科技(JardineOne Solution,JOS),它是一家以资讯科技服务及方案主导的公司,也是新龙国际20多年的竞争对手。

尽管获得买家垂青,林嘉丰并不满足于此。他说,2011年是个非常具挑战性的一年,因为他又要进军新的领域,把新加坡、香港和马来西亚的IT业务从分销的层面上“更上一层楼”到分销管理服务(distribution management services),与海外财雄势大的竞争对手一较高低。

新龙已经承诺两年内为怡和科技所收购的这些分销业务提供管理服务,并按月收取固定费用。

这家公司也将利用脱售资产的所得,到全球其他市场拓展分销管理的新业务,比如新兴市场如中国、印度、越南和柬埔寨等,让其资讯科技分销业务在当地发扬光大。

新龙国际去年的营收突破10亿美元大关,是本地在海外创业的成功例子。公司于1983年成立,1992年在香港证交所上市,2004年又在泰国上市。这家公司在本地注册,由林嘉丰和其姐夫林惠海、哥哥林家铭一起打理。

记者采访林嘉丰正好在2010年的最后一天,也就是新旧年交替的那天。日以继夜不断耕耘的林嘉丰说:“过了今天午夜,一切又必须从零开始,以前的业绩只不过是历史。”
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Friday, February 18, 2011

Alan Yiu Tiong-Chai 姚忠在变成老阿伯

姚忠在于1969年毕业于公教高中二。就职于航空公司,经常写作,发表于各报章杂志。以下是发表于联合早报的老年感想。(2011年2月18日)
___________________

2011年2月18日,星期五,我终于60岁,变成老阿伯。

60岁衰老的脸,60岁退化的脑袋,使我越来越减分,忘记关门,忘记关灯,忘记关电视,是近年常有的事,朋友说“你这个糊涂蛋,别忘了穿裤上街!”

这点我肯定不会忘记,外祖母在家教我规矩,老师在学校教我礼貌,他们教导有方,使我终生得益,妈妈教我唱的《小小洞房》《孤儿乐园》《妈妈好》我也牢牢记住,她的嗓子那么动听,不灌录唱片传世,真是可惜。

妈妈为我主持过一次生日会,那年我九岁,满脸天真,她订了个漂亮的蛋糕,摆满一桌子的甜品美食,被盛情邀请的邻居小朋友们,笑嘻嘻闹哄哄,一唱完生日歌曲就吵着要吃,外祖母及妈妈为了伺候他们,忙得天翻地覆,那是我一生人中,最快乐单纯的生日,谢谢妈妈和外祖母。

往后的生日,逐渐失去了单纯性,脑袋随着人的成长,越变越复杂,举例说某些机构,因为我有被利用价值,所以要为我庆祝生日,跟我结交为“商业良朋”,把我好好的利用,榨到干绞到尽。

又譬如说,那朵“出墙肥杏”为我庆祝生日,以分散其出墙的注意力。

更复杂的,如果我是二战时的欧洲要人,希特勒为我庆祝生日,准是想贱价收购我的资源,运去德国制造攻击性武器,攻打自由欧洲。

随着人的长大,四周环境的改变,原本单纯的生日,越变越复杂,人原本单纯的心思,不也如此?心思在影响及需求之下,越变越混浊不清,跟人脸的变化一样,婴孩刚诞生时,细皮肉滑,脸色红润。中年之后,脸部酝酿着复杂动机。成为公公婆婆后,全脸的皱纹乱成一团,外人无法从沉默的老人脸上,猜测得出他们在想什么,满怀好意还是满怀恶意,老人太复杂了哟!

我常回去公教小学及中学,虽然学校已经搬迁,但我喜欢在旧的环境中,感觉童年及少年时的单纯,我们的同学交往至今,当他们知道我失去工作,生活困难,面对肝癌危险时,还出力帮助我生存,我衷心感激他们,没想到一把年纪,还感觉得到那份单纯,他们也在合力照顾张世典校长,大家都尊敬他深爱他。

60岁咯,希望我这只老兔子,能多写创意性的文字。
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

李国基 Patrick Lee Kwok Kie

Old boy Patrick Lee Kwok Kie is the Chairman (董事长) of Sing Lun Investments Pte Limited (星纶投资私人有限公司). He was borned in 1948 and left school in 1968.

Sing Lun Investments Pte Limited was originally founded in 1951 as a textile trading and wholesale company. In 1969, the company expanded into apparel manufacturing. Since then, the company has grown to be a renowned apparel contract manufacturer for international brands and retailers, supplying fashion apparels to the North America, EU and Asia markets. The company now possesses production facilities in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam and China. In 1999, the company transferred the apparel business to a subsidiary Sing Lun Holdings Limited. Sing Lun Holdings was listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange Main Board in Year 2000 and privatised in Year 2008. Besides the apparel business, Sing Lun Investments also invests in real estate, hotels and engineering businesses in Singapore, Malaysia, USA and China. 

In 2009, the Singapore Management University (SMU) has established the Sing Lun Scholarships, Sing Lun Fellowship and Sing Lun Seminar Room with a S$1 million gift from Patrick Lee and his family. The gifts are named after Sing Lun, in honour of Patrick Lee's late father, Mr Lee Chee Hung (李子衡), who founded the business. The gift attracts a 1:1 matching by the Singapore government for SMU's endowment. To thank and recognise Patrick Lee and his family for their exemplary support of higher education and research at SMU, Seminar Room 2.8 at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business will be named Sing Lun Seminar Room. 

Patrick Lee said, “We share SMU's vision to nurture all-rounded ethical business leaders of tomorrow. Through this donation, my family and I hope to contribute towards supporting the aspirations of SMU undergraduates, especially now more than ever, when access to financial resources is much needed. Educational causes have also been of special focus for my family and we hope the gift will also play a part in SMU's long term development as an outstanding institution of higher education and research.”

The Straits Times report on 26 Jan 2011:

In October 2010, Patrick Lee was elected secretary-general of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA). Patrick siad that he agreed to step into the post because he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, the late Lee Chee Hung, founder of textile company Sing Lun. His father was known for his contributions to Kong Chow Wui Koon, the 170-year-old Cantonese clan association formed by fellow clansmen from their home town in Xinhui, Guangdong province, China. He died in 2003 at age 86.
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In the past few years, he has been involved in more than 20 government-linked, civic and grassroots organisations in which he is either a trustee, patron, director, committee member or some other honorary title holder.
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He now sits on the boards of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO), Business China Singapore, Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) and Tan Kah Kee Foundation, among others.
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He was elected vice-president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) in 2007, and will be the new chairman of Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital and Nursing Home when the new management committee is sworn in on March 6.
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On the role of SFCCA, which celebrated its 25th anniversary at a gala dinner last week, he says: 'It was the importance of clan associations in the community and what they could do to preserve the good old values for the younger generation that convinced me to take up the challenge.'

Far from being irrelevant and outdated, Chinese clan associations have a role to play in society, he says.

He recalls how the early clan associations were set up by immigrants to help fellow clansmen related to one another by the same surname, dialect group or the province, county, area and even village in China where they came from.

'When Singapore was still ruled by the British, the Chinese community had to take care of its own members, and clan associations played the important role of providing basic social services such as education and health care,' he says.

Although the Government has taken over most of these roles since Singapore achieved self-government in 1959, he feels that the charitable and selfless spirit of the forefathers who set up the clan associations and provided for the poor and needy should be preserved and promoted.

'This is social capital which can contribute to building a nation of people who care, not a younger generation of selfish individuals who care only about themselves and go after material things,' he says.

As he sees it, another urgent task for the clan associations lies in integrating new Chinese immigrants who have arrived in large numbers from China recently.

Unlike the earlier generation of Chinese immigrants who came here to build a new life and future, he observes that many newcomers are here in search of better opportunities but have no sense of belonging.

'We need to help them integrate into our society and see Singapore as more than a place to work and buy a house to live in.

'As Singapore's birth rate is still far from the replacement level, we must continue to welcome new immigrants and foreign talents to help our economy grow,' says Mr Lee.

To prevent the emergence of a divided Chinese community in future, he wants to forge closer ties between Singapore- born Chinese and new Chinese immigrants.

One way is to bring the newly formed new immigrant groups into the Chinese clan federation's fold. There are now six such groups: Tianjin Club, Shanxi Association, Hua Yuan Association, Tian Fu Club, Kowloon Club, and the Singapore Chinese Scholars and Students Association.

'If left to themselves, the new Chinese immigrant groups may develop in another direction and the two groups can end up suspicious of each other. It will be a problem,' he cautions.

Noting that the new immigrant groups have expressed interest in joining the federation, Mr Lee says: 'Many told me they find living in Singapore interesting as they can meet Chinese from all over China here.'

On the immediate plans of the federation, he says the strength of his secretariat will be increased from the present 10 to 17 or 18 members.

'We need more event organisers and a bigger communications team because connecting and reaching out to members and informing them about our programmes will be our priorities,' he adds.

The number of its governing council members will be expanded to allow more clan associations to participate in the decision-making process.

There are now 15 members on its present council, with seven seats reserved for representatives from its seven founding member clans: Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, Singapore Kwang Tung Association, Nanyang Khek Community Guild, Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan, Sam Kiang Huay Kuan and Singapore Foochow Association.

'So with only eight seats in the council open to contest at each election, few will have the chance to be on the governing council,' he points out.

By increasing the number of members on the council, the process of leadership renewal can be speeded up, he says.

Chinese language and culture is another area which the federation wants to promote this year. An annual cultural award will be instituted soon to recognise clans which excel in the promotion of Chinese culture and the arts.

Noting that the Chinese operas of all the major dialect groups are practised and performed by local groups, he says: 'They should be promoted and the federation will help the clans do so.'

The federation is also offering five annual scholarships to students for undergraduate studies in top Chinese universities.

The federation's headquarters in Lorong 2, Toa Payoh, which occupies the premises of a former primary school, will be undergoing a major makeover soon.

Last month, the federation closed the kindergarten in its headquarters after 20 years because of dwindling enrolment. It will make room for 'a historical corridor or passage' where the history of Chinese clan associations in Singapore can be told in words and pictures.

'We want our visitors to feel the spirit of selflessness and charity of our forefathers and understand our past when they step into our premises,' he says.

In his view, the future of Chinese clan associations lies in the younger generation. Each clan association has to address the problem of not attracting enough young members.

'They have to recruit more young talent and organise activities appealing to the young and to have them interested in their past,' he says.

He had already persuaded his daughter Anne to be the youth group leader at Kong Chow Wui Koon last year and hopes his son will join them at the clan association when he can find the time.

'I have even started taking my four-year-old grandson to the clan association's activities,' he quips.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Martin Huang 黄祥瑞:被少女起诉索赔

1月29日联合早报报道:
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一名少女声称她找知名整形外科医生黄祥瑞进行疤痕缝合术,却被护士扯下内裤拍摄照片,她备受侮辱。不过,医生辩称少女同意拍摄有关照片,且是为了管理她的病情。

这名17岁少女去年11月29日在母亲和妹妹的陪同下,到位于百利宫(Paragon)的手术中心The Specialist Surgery And Laser Centre,接受由整形外科医生黄祥瑞(Martin Huang,49岁)操刀的疤痕缝合与脂肪重塑手术。

少女指黄医生和几个护士在手术前擅自拉下她的内裤,拍摄她一丝不挂的下身。少女认为黄医生等人的行为侮辱和伤害了她,起诉黄医生和手术中心,要求对方交出照片和赔偿。

根据上个月入禀的起诉状,少女未成年,由她的母亲在手术前代她签署同意书接受手术和麻醉。同时,少女的母亲也确认她明白手术中心会拍摄少女的照片存入病历档案。

注:黄祥瑞是公教校友

郑斌辉 Tay Ping Hui:如受邀竞选 必认真考虑

联合早报1月23日报道有关郑斌辉的新闻。郑斌辉与马炎庆都是公教的校友。

当身旁的同事和朋友知道新传媒艺人郑斌辉,接受人民行动党青年团邀请出席昨早举行的政治论坛时,第一个反应是“确定了啦,郑斌辉这次一定会出来竞选!”

接着,他最常被问的问题是“什么时候大选?到哪个集选区?”

郑斌辉昨天向参加论坛的年轻人澄清,关于他即将从政的消息纯属谣言,表明自己还未被行动党领导人邀请参加物色候选人的茶会,不会代表行动党参加来届大选。

自从本报去年3月独家报道郑斌辉是行青团成员后,坊间一直揣测郑斌辉将在近日内从政。

他在论坛结束接受记者访问时表示他对政治存有浓厚兴趣,如果有朝一日被邀出来竞选,他必定会认真考虑。

“基于我对政治的兴趣,加上到了我这个年龄,如果可以为社会和其他人作一些贡献,我应该是会义不容辞。如果真的被邀请,我觉得是一种荣誉,我绝对不会轻易地拒绝,会慎重地考虑。”

那新加坡社会是否能接受艺人担任议员呢?

郑斌辉认为不应该低估新加坡人的成熟度和接受度。“我坚信凡事都有可能。无论是演员、歌手或从事任何工作的人,只要是真心爱护我们的国家,有正直的人格,为什么不可能呢?重要的是,这个人是否能有所贡献,而非他的职业。”

昨天上午,郑斌辉和丹戎巴葛集选区国会议员马炎庆同150名年轻人进行约两个小时的对话会,轻松分享他们对政治、名人参加政治、议员的公众形象等的看法。
郑斌辉坦言,名人效益确实能对政治家的工作有一定的帮助,然而最终还是得靠个人实力才能为民服务,赢得选民的信任。


向来关心本地政治动态的他,希望有一天能见到内阁部长与反对党代表在电视上,针对热门课题进行辩论。“我觉得这样做能加强公众对这些课题的认识,同时也能让他们更关心政治发展。”

马炎庆也谈到年轻一代议员与老一代议员的不同之处,以前的议员形象比较严肃认真,现在的议员比较善于透过各种媒介,包括社交网站等拉进与选民的距离。

行青团主席、社会发展、青年及体育部兼交通部高级政务次长张思乐也参加了昨天的论坛。行青团今年将举办系列的论坛,让团员有机会同商界领袖和各界名人交流,多了解社会和商界动态。
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郭丽娟报道。
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