Bag 5 Fa

A Singapore Management University Students’ Association Publication
The Blue and Gold

Issue 5 MICA (P) 200/03/2009 Because You Need to Know. March 2009
The GSR debate

Good cause for protest?
Or just policy-making gone wrong?
Interview with the
new SMUSA Exco
SMU Students’ Association’s take on
the big and small issues
New Section: CCA Pages!

Breeming with content
generated by SMU RUN
TEAM, SMU AQUATHON
PAW, SMUKI, and SMU ISE
Credits
This issue of The Blue and Gold

is proudly sponsored by:
Credits:
It has been a whirlwind journey. And what’s more, a flurry of arts events in SMU over the last month as we
Managing Director slogged to bring this issue from screen to print.
Michael Ng Wai Ting
Editor-in-Chief In fact, I’ve had my own share of arty-farty stuff too. Having spent the last few weeks of the past year flying
Ephraim Loy Suan Je my friends’ kites. Not in a literal sense though. It was an artwork on “freedom of expression” which was
Communications exhibited at the visual art exhibition in conjunction with the sixth SMU Arts Festival.
Secretary,SMUSA
Valmond Teng I also fell in love with the inaugural SMU <3 Film Festival. I swear I saw a nice “heart” embedded in the
Editors: title. Wished the romance could have lasted a little longer.
School Events
Catching Honk! The Musical made me wonder realise why the story was synonymous with SMU. Therein
Bharath Ranganathan lies the difference. It was a nice way to wrap up the festivities with a classic story.
Viewpoint
Suren Rastogi And then I hopped over next door from the Victoria Theatre to the Victoria Concert Hall for a treat most
Higher Learning pleasing to the ears. Fit for a queen, if I could draw some similarities, this concert presented by Symphonia.
Truong Thi Ngoc Anh But just as all the arty stuff was going on, serious things take place too. A new SMUSA Exco had stepped
Worldscope up to serve the SMU community. An exclusive interview with the new team on topics close to our hearts
Esther Yeo Shu Xian awaits as you flip the pages.
Talisa Kaur Dhaliwal
Simple things like the issue of GSRs gets thrown into the spotlight - a lack of student consultation perhaps?
Digital
Pranav Backliwal On the world stage, a new US President sworn in, a Gaza strip conflict and a recession as deep as the Great
Travel Depression.
Truong Thi Ngoc Anh
Campus Arts Tough and exciting times hit us. How do we deal with such challenges?
Pang Hui Qing
Graphic Design Ephraim Loy
Faith Hu Jingyi Editor-in-Chief
Illustrator
Kanika Malik
Part of:
Printer
KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd
Page 2 • Issue 4 • The Blue and Gold

Contents
Contents
Viewpoint
4• Letters from the students 18• Flashpoint: Gaza Strip
Excerpts of views from the ground on issues that matter
CCA Pages
6• Unbranded Column* 20• Fueling Your Run by SMU Runteam
The Wikipedia in your Head: Impossibly large and
incredibly crash-proof 22• Triathlon 101 by SMU AQUATHLON
School Events 24• Paradise on Earth by SMU PAW

8• The GSR debate
Good cause for protest? Or just policy-making gone 26• “Dari Kita Untuk Kita” by SMUKI
wrong?
28• Social Entreprenuership is a Complex
10• Interview with the new SA Exco and Ferocious Animal to Tame by SMU ISE
SMU Students’ Association’s take on the big and small
issues
Campus Arts
30• Honk!
Higher Learning Honkin’ Splendid
12• Interview with Edmund’s
A interview session with our very own entrepreneur 32• Apostrophe: The Poetry Slam Show
33• LAMHE (Moment) - ICS Dance Per-

Worldscope formance
16• Chinanomics
It is one thing to learn about China from textbooks. It 34• SMU Film Fest
is another thing to learn about China from living here. Inaugural three-day film festival in SMU kicks off
A running column on life in Shanghai.
17• All the World’s a Stage
Catch us online!
http://theblueandgold.wordpress.com/
The Blue and Gold • Issue 4 • Page 3

Viewpoint
Letters from the students
Excerpts of views from the ground on issues that matter
Is there sufficient interaction between Many of my friends told me all the good things got admitted, and, comforted by its proximity to
local and International students? that I would get from education abroad. But home, decided to study here.
one of my friends said that he thought it was a
SUMEDHA JALOTE bad idea to go abroad so young. He said that I But my friend turned out to be partially right. I’ve
wasn’t mature enough to take full advantage of been in Singapore for six months now, but all my
“When the idea of my going outside India the experiences that studying in such a diverse friends are Indians.
for college first came up, I was less than place such as the US could give me. He thought
enthusiastic. At that time, my parents were that I’d get scared and end up trying to make I’ve worked with many Singaporeans and with
suggesting the US, not Singapore. I’ve lived in friends only with other Indians to stay within international students from other countries too,
the US for a year, and though I really liked that my comfort zone. but made friends only with Indians. I don’t know
year, I didn’t want to study there for four years. why exactly this has happened: the locals that I’ve
I didn’t want to live so far away from home, It seemed very unlikely to me that I would be part worked with have been very friendly, and I’ve liked
among unfamiliar people. I was scared. of only an “Indian gang” in college. And then, my most of them. But the link would always end with
parents and I thought about Singapore, I applied, the end of the project....”
Then, after a lot of research, I started thinking
about it. I talked to my family and my friends.
What are the rights of a SMU student? in the annual report provided during SMUSA’s can take up positions on issues and participate
AGM. I thought that it was a logical question to effectively and meaningfully in school.
ELVIN ONG ask, since if you proclaim to want to uphold or
advocate something, you should know what you Lest there are some cynics among you who question
“In a state system, citizens have rights accorded to are upholding or advocating. You must know. the purpose for clarifying the rights of students in
them by the constitution, which is the law of the Apparently, you don’t. We don’t. SMU, perhaps a few examples might enlighten
land. Similarly, in any business transaction, we the issue. Suppose that the school administration
know that parties to a contract have specific rights It cannot be just some airy-fairy, imaginative wishes to implement a school-wide policy, say
subject to certain limitations. When disputes arise, notion that SMUSA reaches for conveniently to hypothetically, that all students cannot eat donuts
rights between parties come into conflict, and justify their actions, inactions or arguments when in school. The new policy has been formulated
it is up to the court to weigh the arguments and confronting controversial issues between students by administrative office managers, approved by
to provide a resolution. Human rights, consumer and the school administration. Such an approach is the respective director and an email is sent out to
rights, animal rights, property rights, worker rights weak, reflects badly on our student leaders and does the whole school, informing students about the
– the debate for all of them seem endless. But not help support the various causes of the student new policy change. An uproar ensues. As much as
university student rights? Silent. Not even a pin population. There must be something concrete donut-loving students may complain, do they have
drop. and defensible, to provide for a foundation of the the right to participate and influence eating policy-
relationships between all the stakeholders in the making procedures and decisions?...”
The question simply just popped right into my university system. Students need to know where
head after I noticed that the “rights of students” they can stand, or cannot stand, so that they
appeared both in SMUSA’s vision and mission
Want to see more? Read the full version online!

Log on to http://theblueandgold.wordpress.com/
Aesthetics & Convenience
With advancements in technology, lenses with unwashed fingers. There Upon doing the proverbial math the
Lasik procedures are getting safer and are also cases of pingueculaes and earlier one opts for refractive surgery,
cheaper attributing to why they are so pterygiums which can lead to frequent the more one benefits from Lasik.
common nowadays. However, most red eyes. Hard contact lens users are Viewed from an economic perspective,
people are under the impression that also prone to developing ptosis or after four years one could be looking at
the main reason for Lasik surgery is droopy eyelids. actually saving money.
to be “spec-free” and have that aes-
thetically-pleasing look. However the Economic Benefits Having recently undergone the pro-
benefits of Lasik are much more than By opting for Lasik, one can save cedure myself, if you have not even
aesthetics and convenience. recurring expenses from contact lenses checked out your suitability for the
an d spectacles. Replacing your spec- procedure, I would like to suggest that
Medical Benefits tacles every one and a half to two years you consider doing so during your
By removing the need to wear contact can set you back around $180-$800. break as it is truly an amazing feeling
lenses, the risks of a number of various Combined with the $300-$340 yearly to have your natural vison back.
eye disorders associated with contact cost of contact lenses & cleaning solu-
lens wear are eliminated. These include tions, for those who use both, that’s up Andrew Huang
allergic conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers, to $390-$790 of recurring expenses a [email protected]
and eye infections from handling year!
Viewpoint
Unbranded Column*
The Wikipedia in your Head: Impossibly large and incredibly crash-proof
Pretty much all of these

(memory) problems with
forgetting have to do with
problems of retrieval, not
complete loss of the original
memory link...You have not
lost it permanently and you
know it will show up. But for
now, for the life of you, you
have no idea where it might
be lurking.
S. Ramaswami limitless and virtually permanent, then why do you that exhaustive search and despite your eyes even
Practice Associate Professor of have such difficulty remembering names of people physically passing over the passport a few times,
Marketing you used to know well, or the specific technical you simply cannot find it. You have not lost it
terms of concepts you covered in class just weeks permanently and you know it will show up. But for
You may have learnt in consumer behaviour or in ago? now, for the life of you, you have no idea where it
psychology that the human memory is capable might be lurking.
of absorbing and retaining a vast amount of Mental Mess
information. Almost everything you knew well at Pretty much all of these kinds of problems with The human memory is much like that for the
some point in time (e.g. names of school classmates, forgetting have to do with problems of retrieval, unorganized among us. It is just a vast jumble of
all the members of the table of elements, various not complete loss of the original memory link. information unconnected and in scattered bits
world capitals) is engraved in your memory forever. Imagine you have a very cluttered home. You know and pieces. For those trivia quiz winners, for the
Or until you suffer some physical brain damage your passport has not left your home. And that it is expert, for those exam acers, their memory is not
through a blow to the head, or by playing too many in a very safe place where you have kept it for that necessarily bigger in capacity; it is just much better
video games. Ok, that last part was a joke. But, precise moment when you might decide to leave organized. There is a place for everything, and
really, your memory is limitless and permanent, at on that impulsive Bangkok holiday. It is there, everything is in its place. But you can be like that
least until you get senile and the brain cells begin somewhere, but you have no idea where it is. And too, with a little bit of preparation.
deteriorating. And yet, you all know how tough it the only way you can search, is sequentially, looking
can be to remember everything you need to during through every cubic inch of space – in drawers, in Often, I find that when I teach a concept or
an exam. Or how sometimes, you remember the cupboards, in folders, inside shoes, pant pockets, theory or method in week 2 of the term, and ask
correct answer moments after handing in an exam. old cereal boxes, nestled among books, etc. That some probing questions of my students right after
How can that be? If your memory is virtually can take a very long time, and sometimes despite that, they are able to answer brilliantly well. And

Viewpoint
again been scattered into the deep recesses of the other, with no way of retrieving anything useful.
brain. Instead, you have a wonderful virtual portable
Wikipedia of your own creation. And then every
Reading Information bit of business news, stock market information,
Every new bit of information The time to organize is at the start, when the articles from various media, conversations with
information goes in - when you read, and when friends, is that much easier to file away and hence
should not just be shoved in you listen for the first time. You need to read remember.
on top of everything else but and listen with an active, questioning, organizing
mind – which is constantly confronting the new And that is the true value that you are offering to a
connected to other bits information within some broad organizational company that is looking to hire for the knowledge
of information that are framework already created and which can be
continually refined. Even when you read a text,
economy. Not just a lot of bits and pieces of data
which were once learnt with just enough lasting
already gathered. And the don’t just jump into the assigned chapter and power to ace that end term exam. But knowledge
try to read every line from the first to the last, that is organized and available for life.
time do that organizing is not trying to memorize as much as you can. Instead,
once a term, and not just in start with the contents page where the chapter’s Organization is the key to efficient retrieval. Of
layout is described. The chapter has sections and that passport in that big jumble of your room. And
week 14. headings, sub-headings and sub-sub-headings. of vital information in that Wikipedia you are
And the chapter itself is part of a section of the capable of creating for yourself in your brain.
textbook and course that has some conceptual link
to other chapters and portions of the book. And * The main objective of this column is to convey
that layout of the chapters is usually described in an independent faculty perspective on academic
the introductory chapter. So even if chapter 1 is matters that seem of great importance to SMU
that gives me such great confidence in my own not included in the quiz, or exam, read it anyway, students – on grades, class participation, group
teaching ability. Yet, in week 6 or 7, when I expect because it will often have an organizational projects, examinations, grade reviews, etc. The
them to demonstrate that understanding in some framework for the entire book. So now, when author does not claim to represent the official
application in a project, say the design of a project you read a line of text, it is not a free floating bit SMU view. Comments, critiques, ideas for future
questionnaire, or in some quiz question, the same of information. Instead, it is part of an organized columns, questions are welcome – email me at
students do it like they have never attended class at framework, serving a specific role and connected [email protected].
all. And like they are trying to construct the answer to specific other parts of the initially developed
from first principles as a lay but smart non-student. framework.
And these are not slackers; these are students who
are very bright and very hardworking, and who Expanding your knowledge framework
have been attending class regularly and are able to That framework is your mental filing cabinet –
answer questions at will while the material is being with each concept connected to other concepts
taught. already learnt before. Sometimes, you might be
learning deeper meanings for older concepts
So what’s wrong here? And what can they do to you learnt in an earlier course, or even in JC. And that is the true value
make sure that the learning is more permanent? Sometimes, you might be learning connections to
Just having a lot of information stored in memory other concepts you know of or have had different that you are offering to a
is surely not good enough if you are not able to connections for in a different course. Sometimes, company that is looking to hire
retrieve it at will when you want to. you might be expanding the framework by adding
more boxes and arrows around it. In any case, for the knowledge economy.
Organizing the information mess every new bit of information is being considered, Not just a lot of bits and
The trick to this is to organize your memory. Just contrasted, chewed and stored in a place where you
like you might organize your desk or cupboard or can retrieve it from later. pieces of data which
shelves, or laptop hard drives. Every new bit of
information should not just be shoved in on top And you could do that throughout the 35-45
were once learnt with
of everything else but connected to other bits of courses you take at SMU, connecting learning just enough lasting power
information that are already gathered. And the in marketing about brand equity, to learning in
time do that organizing is not once a term, and finance about valuation, connecting learning
to ace that end term
not just in week 14. If you did that, then, minutes in economics about macro economic effects of exam. But knowledge that is
after the exam is over (or unfortunately for some, taxation, to learning in strategy about reacting to
minutes before the exam is over), whatever macro economic trends, and so on. Then, by the organized and available for life.
semblance of organization was there would have end of these four years, you don’t have some 10,000
bits of information piled rudely on top of each

School Events
The GSR debate
Good cause for protest? Or just policy-making gone wrong?
“Dividing GSRs into

seats,” said one student,
“isamazingly
ridiculous.”
OWEN TAN
The announcement by the Office of Facilities

Management (OFM) by email to students
on January 5 sparked great debate about how
decisions for students were made in campus.

OFM had announced new rules for the booking
of Group Study Rooms (GSRs): that up to three
separate persons can book “seats” in the rooms,
replacing the one-person booking system. This
meant that the usage of a GSR is now given up to
three different groups. the decision was implemented and would have lack of consulting with the students prior to the
preferred if OFM had sought prior opinions. implementation of the policy.
Vice President, SMU Students’ Association This prompted the SMUSA President Rachel
(SMUSA), Daren Li explained: “OFM has Kok, to respond on the same day. “Now,” another student said, “let’s see if our voices
received much flak on this issue. However, are actually heard.”
regardless of their oversight in informing the “As fellow students,” she said, “we too understand
student population....their underlying intention the inconvenience and frustration that you all While the group was indeed active in discussion,
was a noble one. All they wanted to solve was the are experiencing now.” She also promised to hold most of the remarks were complaints – a
problem of students hogging and underutilizing talks with OFM to resolve this matter. discussion board in the same group set up for
GSRs irresponsibly. We should not forget the concrete suggestions on improving GSR booking
other pro-student initiatives that they have come The Facebook protest had only 10 posts, while the Wall posts where
up with, the most recent one being installation of most of the discussions were held had 205.
tables and benches at the LKCSB for more study The GSR debate reached a high when students
space.“ took to Facebookto protest against the new Compromise
policy. At the time of writing, the group already
While OFM’s intentions were to allow for had 1,216 members. On January 7, Rachel responded with another
more students to be able to book these facilities, email informing students that SMUSA and
especially during the later part of the term, most Comments about the new policy by students in OFM were undergoing internal talks, in the hope
of the students were frustrated with the way the group were mostly negative.
“Dividing GSRs into seats,” said one student,

“is amazingly ridiculous.” Others criticized the

School Events
to “glean insight from the perspectives of the Offices to just go ahead and [introduce policies].
different stakeholders”. The compromise would then be their original
desired point.”
Recounting the experience, she revealed: “Quite
a number of us from the Students’ Association While the GSR debate has somewhat cooled after
Council (SAC) went down to find out what was a hectic first week, it remains to be seen if the new
the rationale behind the policy change and to booking system is a bitter, but effective remedy for
share about the potential inconveniences and the students. More important is the question of
repercussions from a student’s perspective. Some of whether future policies might be implemented in a
these include privacy issues, effective reduction of similar fashion in the future.
hours and so on.”
Beyond the GSR issue
When asked about the “unhealthy precedent”

“I believe that (SMUSA) being where students are left out of the decision-making
process al-together until the decision is already
the bridge for the students made, Rachel explained that the “issue indeed came
would give way to greater as a surprise.”

participative and But looking beyond what has happened, she
acknowledged that in the decision process,
consultative decision some stakeholders might have be overlooked
unintentionally by Offices in the school.
making, which would
She is quick to add that the issue had prompted
effectively in-crease the overall concrete actions from the SA ExCo and an
benefit to the school and important realization.
students,” “I don’t rule out the possibility that there might
-SMUSA President Rachel Kok be a similar occurrence in the future, considering
there are more than 20 offices in SMU, but the SA
ExCo is still in the midst of establishing stronger
relationships and we hope that such instances are
minimized.”

Finally, a compromise was reached. On January She also said that she saw this as an excellent
8 at 12.20pm, SMUSA sent an email informing opportunity to institutionalize communication
students of a change in the GSR booking system: channels between the SAC and the offices.

•Two students are now required to book a GSR And by doing so, greater benefits will be reaped.
(one to book, and another to confirm); “I believe that us being the bridge for the
•Hours will be deducted from both persons’ given students would give way to greater participative
quota. and consultative decision making, which would
effectively increase the overall benefit to the school
“SMUSA is here to listen,” she said in an email. and students,” she said.
“As the SA [Executive Committee] embarks on our
new term, we earnestly hope that you will help us Whether the new rules will effectively reduce the
help you.” congestion of GSR booking, however, can only be
determined at the end of the term.
Students respond
Some students are satisfied with the compromise.

Said one: “The Students’ Association has done
a good enough job for now.” Another student,
however, felt that this set an “unhealthy precedent”.
He said: “It now makes more sense for the various

School Events
Interview with the new SA Exco

SMU Students’ Association’s take on the big and small issues
EPHRAIM LOY Just like how Rome was not built in a day, the
MICHAEL NG culture in SMU cannot be established in a day,” she
says.
Just like any election, the swearing-in ceremony is
“...the question shouldn’t be just the beginning. And for the SMUSA case there Along that line is the debate on SMU students
is no exception. Many would commend those who losing their difference. Student Initiatives Secretary
so much what SMU can do step up. And they must have believed something Yin Yin feels that the onus lies on the individual
to help the students become could be done. But in some instances like the SMU
difference debate, the jury is still out.
and not the school.
different, it’s about what She explains: “I think the question shouldn’t be
For Welfare Secretary Delphine Hu, the school so much what SMU can do to help the students
the students can do to identity is one that is daunting. become different, it’s about what the students
gain back that difference, can do to gain back that difference, and to give
“I would say that even universities with long themselves that edge. The reason why SMU
and to give themselves that histories are still unable to establish this sense of students are losing their difference is a lot to do
edge.” connectivity amongst their students. Probably this with complacency. We take for granted that by
is largely due to the structure of universities, where merely being in SMU we have that difference,
Tan Yin Yin students have no structured timetables to follow but that’s not true. We forget that, just as how our
Student Initiatives Secretary and every semester is a different one altogether. seniors fought and strived to give themselves that
Moreover, we are a rather new university to work

with, building a strong school culture would take
a long way and we can only take one step at a time.

School Events
difference, likewise that’s what we ought to do, and school CBds to ensure that SMU’s quality of
that’s how we will get our difference back.” education remains unrivalled.”
Couple that with industry rumors that

“SMU graduates are all fluff and no stuff ”,
“Many a times we may have But the undenied strain that runs through the
thoughts of the 9th SMUSA ExCo seems to build
Communications Secretary Valmond Teng has concentrated a little more on on the phrase “ask not what SMUSA can do for
this to say: “I think that awareness is the first step you but do what you can for yourself ”.
to change. While whether or not such rumors
the “support” aspects of their
are true, the fact that they are around is already education, ...We will definitely Valmond says that SMU students should “Seize the
detrimental to SMU’s reputation. Day” no matter how cliché it sounds.
have to seek assistance from
Since we now know that this is the impression the various school CBds to “It challenges everyone to live everyday fully and
that SMU graduates are getting, actions must be without regrets, and I hope that SMU students will
taken to reverse such a mindset, and the only way ensure that SMU’s quality cherish their time spent here, striving together for
to do that would be to deliver the goods as well as of education remains our common goals and dreams,” he adds.
we say we can. SMU’s curriculum is extensive and
substantial enough to lend our degrees enough unrivalled.” As for the President herself, Rachel Kok wants
credence in the world; it is now up to us students students to “make full use of their SMU experience”.
to back it up with our actions.”
Daren Li Zhao Xian
Vice-President “I personally feel strongly about this, because
Putting the SMU difference aside, the more through many experiences, it has indeed dawned
pressing issue is to secure a job in these tough times. upon me in a very personal way that life is really
what you make out of it.
Delphine suggests that a pro-active approach may
help. One has to be more proactive in securing a problem. We cannot just add an extension to our Therefore, to our fellow students, if you see an
future and not to take for granted that a job will building and that’s it – the space is created. It’s not aspect of student life that you think can/should be
always be there waiting for us to accept it. That has that easy, and I hope that students will understand changed, do take a proactive step to do something
to be earned. that we’re trying our very best at our end.” about it, and SMUSA is always here to help.
Studying is important, but it’s also important never
Another is to rely on networking opportunities “Sometimes people think that the easiest way to to forget to take a rest, stop and smell the roses
rather than blame the school. Because there is only solving this problem is to reduce to the intake, around you, because while you’re busy burying
so much the school can do. however they do not see that if we do not increase your head in the books all day long, you’ll never
the intake, we cannot expand, and if we cannot know what you are missing out on,” she quips.
Yin Yin says: “I honestly don’t think it is their expand, we will still be stuck with not enough
responsibility (the school). It is our jobs and our spaces. We need the finance, and the only way of The purpose and what SMUSA hopes to achieve
future that we need to fight for. It’s wonderful not increasing fees is to increase intake, or increase will keep its members going. We just hope that
that the school is doing all they can to help us, but loan of spaces out to external vendors. Either way, those are in line with ours.
the ball is entirely in our court. We’re not here to we’ll still be stuck with the issue of a lack of space.
be spoon-fed. The sad thing is that, even with all Sometimes the seemingly most direct solution to
the help they are extending (such as the network a problem may not be so direct after all. There are
sessions and the talks) a lot of students don’t even always two sides to the coin, and we must always
take the initiative to attend them.” try to balance the pros and the cons to every
issue that we face, work it out one step at a time,”
Still, there are other issues such as space constraints explains Delphine.
that tug the heartstrings of the individuals of
SMUSA. Big issues like space aside, SMUSA can and strives
to create a better quality of education for students.
“We are trying hard to find ways to maximize the Daren Li, SMUSA Vice President, acknowledges
utility of the resources that we currently have. this: “Part of our duty is to oversee a student’s overall
Catch the full interview on
However, the fact still remains that we have limited well-being, and that includes their education. our newsblog @
resources to work with. The councils in the other Many a times we may have concentrated a little
two local universities, surprisingly, also face this more on the “support” aspects of their education,
problem.” for example more study space, more facilities with
http://theblueandgold.
LCD screens for presentation rehearsals. We will wordpress.com/
“As much as we would like to provide more space definitely have to seek assistance from the various
for students, there is no one direct solution to this

Higher Learning
Interview with Edmund’s
A interview session with our very own entrepreneur
TRUONG THI NGOC ANH
Can you shortly introduce yourself and

Divine?
I’m entered SMU in 2001 and graduated in

2005 and went into the baking business directly.
Edmund’s is my choice to be different from my
counter parts in their career path.
What is the mission and vision of Divine?
The vision and mission is to be able to provide

innovative and simple treats for everyone. We
could all use a little sweetener in our everyday life…
What makes Divine different from

other bakery shops?
The difference is in our ever improving and

changing menu. Each semester, we take feedback to
bring in things that students want to eat and we’ll
also remove those that they didn’t like. This variety
rather than (the element of ) being predictable.
The cakes that you are selling have been produced

since you first started your business. Could you tell
us how did you learn to bake?
Much of the learning was self taught and (through

the) exchange with friends who were into baking
as well. Books can definitely teach you a lot about
baking but nothing beats the hands-on experience
and the burning of tons of cakes in the process.
What does Divine need to improve to

sustain its business?
Being in a tertiary institute, there are long periods

of holidays so there is a need to expand and
diversify. We expand to achieve economies of scale
and diversify into catering for events. Our cakes

Higher Learning
and pastries are taken one step further to allow for

better and bigger market exposure.
You are now both a bakery owner and

a financial service consultant. Why do
you choose to manage both instead of
focusing on only one?
I would say that I variety in life too. Being situated

at the café or related business would just make it dull
for me. The last thing I want is to lose myself in the
routine in everyday life. And since I have pockets
of free time because the café is semi-auto pilot, why
not make my time more useful? There can be lots of
synergy between the two jobs.
How do you deal with challenges in

managing both businesses?
Just through planning the week well ahead so you

know what’s coming. Time management is the key
for handling challenges. I think it is also important
to keep a cool mind when facing the stress from
work.
What do you do to keep a work-life

balance?
A heavy week can be dreadful but I would make a

point to take the weekends off and plan two long
holidays in a year to get a way from the hectic life
here. Having said that, I think I still don’t spend
enough time on the business because I can be quite
laid back at times. This can be quite contradictory
at times but that is the joy of running your own
business, because you get to decide what you want to
do and when to do it.
What is your advice for SMU students

who want to run their own business after
graduation?
Setting up your own business isn’t as simple as it

seems. A lot of blood and sweat goes behind the
scenes that people normally don’t see. But the fruits
of labour, when harvested, are definitely worth it.
All the best and pursue your dreams. Like I was told
once, it is not that things are difficult which makes
us fear to try but it is the fear of trying that makes it
difficult.

Bringing it all together
Philip Seah, Chief Executive Officer, Prudential Assurance
Company Singapore Pte Ltd., shares on his family-cen-
tered corporate culture
1) Hi Phil, could you introduce mettle of our people shows especially in times of
yourself to our readers? crisis. As early as April last year, we felt the pressure
on the business, first with changes in regulations
Hello. I am Philip Seah. As the Chief Executive that affected a significant part of the business, then
Officer of Prudential Singapore, it is my overall the financial meltdown which started in September.
responsibility to ensure that the trust people have As a company, we rallied strongly and as our results
placed in us - as customers, shareholders, staff, have shown, we have come through 2008 very well,
agency force and business partners, continues to be considering the state of the economy.
well-placed and protected.
4) What are the company’s policies to encourage
Today, Prudential Singapore has over half a million this set of values?
policy holders, over 3,500 financial consultants,
three bancassurance partners and approximately It starts with the management. Within the leader-
500 employees. In addition, we also have a network ship team in the company, we work consciously to
of hundreds of business partners build trust amongst the team – we have open and
healthy debates on issues while remaining com-
2) What is your vision for your company? What mitted to group decisions and we hold each other
are the core values of Prudential? accountable for actions and results.
Prudential Singapore has been the market leader We cascade the same set of mindset, attitudes and
in the life insurance industry for three consecutive behaviours throughout the organisation and use
years. The vision for Prudential Singapore is to be both formal and informal platforms to continually
Asia’s Number One in providing financial solutions. over-communicate the same message down the line.
We aim to be the most successful life insurance
company - in sales, but as importantly, to be the We have, for example, numerous occasions in the
“We work and think as a Family, life insurance company of choice in the hearts and year when the whole company gets together – at
minds of our customers; to be the employer of Employee, Executives and Agency Leaders Forums,
rallying around to support each choice and continue to attract and retain the best at the two key agency force events – Flying Start
other – in work, celebration or crisis talent, and in creating shareholder value. and Final Sprint, and with the office employees, at
. Steering Prudential Ahead. The last event for em-
3) How important do you think cohesion within ployees is a companywide forum held twice a year.
the organisation is to Prudential? At these different platforms, we reiterate the same
..we are Passionate in every aspect message and “One Force, One Prudential” has been
of work and play. We believe that At Prudential, we have a unique culture that is our rallying cheer for many years.
embodied in the “Mind and Spirit of Prudential”.
“everything that is worth doing, is We are Results-focused in everything we do and
worth doing well”. “ are proud of being number one in new sales for 4 5) Could you elaborate more about Steering
consecutive years . Prudential Ahead(SPA)?
Secondly,We work and think as a Family, rallying Steering Prudential Ahead or SPA are times when
around to support each other – in work, celebration we share the company’s key initiatives with our staff.
or crisis . These sessions are held at the beginning and in the
third quarter of the year. They are important plat-
Thirdly, we are Passionate in every aspect of work forms to ensure clarity on the company’s goals as we
and play. We believe that “everything that is worth provide the direction on where we are heading and
doing, is worth doing well”. what we are focusing on in the months ahead.
The beginning of the year is the right time to share
The culture of a company is crucial and the true our targets and KPIs for the year, as well as the
various initiatives that we will be embarking on, be 8) How do you compensate and reward your em-
it product launches, customer initiatives or agency ployees while not making it over-competitive?
strategies.
Everyone is an individual while being part of a
The second meeting is to take stock of the situation larger team.
– where we are in terms of meeting our targets and
the initiatives and “sprint” for the last quarter of the As a global company, we have clear policies where About Prudential
year to achieve our targets. remuneration and benefits are concerned. Everyone Assurance Company
has KPIs that they work towards and some of these
6) What are some of the events that the company KPIs would include the success of how well a team Singapore (Pte) Ltd
organises to reinforce these values? performs. As such this encourages individuals to
support one another and others in the teams they
We conduct employee engagement programs and work with. Prudential Singapore
employee communication sessions - SPA being one is a top life insurance
of them - on a regular basis. As mentioned earlier, Personal interest aside, the family spirit in Pruden-
these sessions are business-related and results- tial is very strong and everyone is encouraged to company in Singapore
oriented. help one another. It’s not something that you can and is a wholly owned
institute with monetary rewards – it is a value that
each person has to embrace to make it work.
subsidiary of UK-
“We aim to be the most successful based Prudential plc.
life insurance company - in sales,
Naturally, we are very careful in our selection of As a market leader
candidates who join the company; and will not
but as importantly, to be the life compromise in selecting people who will embrace in investment-linked
insurance company of choice in the our results focused family culture and respect plans, Prudential
teamwork.
hearts and minds of our customers; Singapore Prudential
to be the employer of choice and 9) Does the company carry a ethical code of Singapore has over
conduct? And how are these enforced in the
continue to attract and retain the company? S$5.2 billion funds under
best talent, and in creating share- management as at 31
holder value.” Yes we certainly have an ethical code of conduct.
December 2008. With
This is imparted during Orientation program with
new employees, and a refresher is conducted with almost 80 years of
existing employees every year. history in Singapore, the
On the “Family” front, we also ensure that there
are enough opportunities for our staff to ‘let their company services half
hair down’. Our social calendar includes the annual 10) Could you share some of your work experi- a million policy holders
dinner and dance which is a highlight of the year ence in the field to our readers?
and staff put up song and dance items. The Heads with over a million
of Department also put up an item by themselves. I have been in this company for over 30 years and policies with a team
As keen proponents of healthy living, (especially my interest and passion for the business has not
important given the industry we are in,) we have waned; I continue to enjoy the challenges the in- of approximate 3,500
several sports interests groups, where staff partici- dustry and the job pose. I put in approximately 10 – financial consultants
pate in marathons, and other sporting activities 12 hours a day at work, Mondays to Fridays. Given
which they are passionate about. We also have a the magnitude of the business, I am on call “24
and more than 500
unique practice – Birthday Leave, where our staff is hours” and while I have a capable team of managers, employees. Prudential
given a day off on their special day. I believe in a hands-on approach and when duty Singapore is the first
calls, I will attend to matters at hand personally.
life insurer in Singapore
7) How much flexibility does the company allow Having said this, I do observe that weekends are my named Asia’s Life
staff to achieve their desired work-life balance? family time. My wife Christine and I have four chil-
dren; my daughter is working, two of my sons have Insurance Company of
We prefer to term it work-life balancing…. It’s more just finished NS and my youngest son is fourteen the Year in 2000. Most
about balancing the demands of work and family and schooling. My “Happy Hour” is when I return
life. We all have family and personal commitments home after work and have dinner at home with my recently, Prudential
and we encourage our staff not to neglect these. On family. It relaxes and re-energises me. My weekend won the Gold Award in
the other hand, we also stress that in years such as with Christine and my family is very important in
the present, the company may need you to put in balancing my life. I am also very fortunate that the
Reader’s Digest Trusted
more work, and we ask for the family to be under- industry has numerous incentive programs with Brands 2008.
standing and supportive. As part of this ‘balance’, opportunities to travel and my family travels with
we also allow flexi time , for those who may need to me whenever possible!
start/end their work day later on a regular basis for
pertinent reasons.
Worldscope
Chinanomics
It is one thing to learn about China from textbooks. It is another thing to learn about China from liv-
ing here. A running column on life in Shanghai.
ESTHER YEO Seems like Chinese are not entirely equal among
themselves.
Shanghai, Land of Dreams.
The first thing I heard when I walked onto the Tackling Shanghai, Singapore style.
streets of Shanghai was a loud gargling sound In the one week I have been here on Shanghai
followed by a “PUI!” I sucked in a deep breath and soil, there have been a lot of things to look at, if
walked on, not wanting to look at the source of the you are ready to keep your eyes wide open. Little
offending noise and smiled tensely. niche areas which serve as excellent shopping
spots, coffee stops , eating joints are littered
Oh yes, welcome to China. throughout the entire city, ready to be explored by
the adventurous. It would do no justice to hang out
For all its shortcomings, smells, and offensive at the popular areas- there is just so much more to
sounds, there is a certain energy in Shanghai. Shanghai.
Wandering around the streets in Nanjing lu, it is
difficult to pinpoint exactly what the energy is, but Of course the city comes with its rough edges. Do
I soon found out my answer when I went for my not be perturbed by the smells of the sewers nearby
foot massage. in the underground train stations, or the pushing
or shoving during peak periods in the MRTs. You
The masseur was a young man who hailed from may curse and swear at the guy who runs forward
Shanxi. He was very polite, and a little quiet, but to snatch your cab or repulsed by the common
started to talk more when he found out I was from sight of spitting everywhere.
Singapore. He started to ask animated questions
about the little country I had ‘escaped’ from and Rather, make use of the Singaporean spirit of
grew even more excited. kiasuism and tackle Shanghai the Singapore way.
Shove your way through the crowd with a very
“Singapore! Ah, I want to go there someday.” “Please walk on the left and stand on loud ‘让开！’ , and stand at the entrance of the
“It’s not very interesting. Smaller than Shanghai.” the right, ride the escaltor in a civilized glass door, even though the sign says to give way
“But it’s a good place to earn money.” manner” to alighting passengers. Keep running ahead of the
“Yeah, maybe…” guy who runs ahead of you and see who tires out
“Do you think I can find a partner there?” first. Chances are, he will and you get first dibs at
dragon as Chinese like to call themselves), it seems the cab. Or you could always shove him aside when
When he left the room, I finally realised an aspect not everyone think this way. he reaches the cab and jump inside.
of the energy present in Shanghai. For the many
migrants from the countryside and rural areas We took a cab once and the driver started talking Sounds strangely familiar, is it not?
of China, Shanghai was a land of opportunity to to us, commending us on our fluent Mandarin Whatever it is, the first impressions of Shanghai
improve their lives and also a stepping stone to (well, we sounded much better than the American have left me with wanting more.
even better places in future- The Land of Dreams. students on exchange) and asking where we were I can hardly wait.
from. Without any prompting, he proudly told us
Shanghai 101 he was Shanghainese, and stuck his chin up as he
As mentioned earlier, Shanghai is home to many said that.
migrant workers from the rural areas- a melting
pot of China. However, even though everyone The guys snickered as they recounted how it was
is Chinese or 龙的传人 (descendents from the easy to tell which girls were Shanghainese- the ones
who held their heads up high with noses in the air.

Worldscope
All the World’s a Stage

ESTHER YEO Euro. Japan is trying hard to fight against the black
hole of deflation which sank the country almost a
William Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage, decade ago. And suddenly, it seemed as though the Obama deserves his solo act,
and all the men and women merely players;” in ‘As curtains were brought down on the key players. for the very fact that he defied
You Like It’. One of the most widely quoted phrase
seems too apt, for the current global financial and The Second Act- Sovereign Wealth national convention to be the
Funds, China and Middle East
economic climate.
first African-American
In just two years since the subprime crisis started, When banks started announcing their troubled US President and taking
the key players in the economic global stage have financials, sovereign wealth funds went shopping.
changed- Some have been removed, some have These funds included Singapore’s very own
over an economy that
stayed but with diminished roles, some with larger Temasek Holdings and GIC, the Chinese’s China was in shambles.
bits. Investment Corp (CIC), the Middle East’s Abu
Dhabi Investment Authority went around bailing
out troubled banks which included UBS, Merrill hungry consumers who suddenly woke up to the
Lynch and the like. idea that conservation of oil helped the wallet a lot.
“Already, the influence of emerging Suddenly, newspapers were flooded with And just as suddenly as the SWFs came on stage,
commentaries on the safety of allowing such they just as quickly exited the stage.
powerhouses of China and the funds which were flushed with country reserves
Middle East had been pervasive, to buy significant stakes in banks, particularly the The Third Act- Barack Obama
US ones. Many argued that such funds should be
with China growing to be the regulated as countries controlling these funds could Obama deserves his solo act, for the very fact
world’s factory and the leverage on such buy-outs to extract favours from that he defied national convention to be the first
US. Some argued for these funds by criticizing the African-American US President and taking over
Middle East controlling lax controls on the US financial industry, which led an economy that was in shambles. Hopes are high
much of the world’s oil. to such drastic actions, and ultimately saying that for this man, who is being watched closely by the
beggars could not be choosers. world.
Many wondered if such a situation
would threaten the US’s position More importantly, the troubling question was His act is not just about himself but also about
both economically and politically.” whether China and the Middle East were using bringing together on stage with him the key
such funds to further their political interests players of the global economic stage. First, he has
abroad. Already, the influence of emerging to prevent a greek tragedy from happening, by
powerhouses of China and the Middle East had restoring confidence in the US. Second, he has
been pervasive, with China growing to be the to choose carefully the players to work with and
The First Act - Established Players world’s factory and the Middle East controlling manage the delicate strings of each relationship.
much of the world’s oil. Many wondered if such Most notably, he will have to manage China
The key players are the often commonly cited a situation would threaten the US’s position both carefully, the biggest buyer of US debt and one of
United States, United Kingdom, Europe and economically and politically. the growing economic forces. It will be an uneasy
Japan. These countries were viewed as the main dance on stage with China, together with longtime
forces driving the global economy, with changes in The flurry of activities soon died down however, partners Europe and Japan, but the show has to go
their domestic economy sending global markets in when the side effects of the crisis hit close to on.
a frenzy. home. The Chinese government announced a huge
trillion Yuan stimulus package to save the economy Final Act
Things changed drastically in 2008. The which was hit hard by declining US consumer
announcement of the collapse of Lehman Brothers demand. Singapore had to dip into its reserves to The financial crisis has proven that no country is an
drove home the reality of the subprime crisis. fund a billion dollar stimulus package aimed at unshakeable economic powerhouse, and that truly,
Here was a crisis that threatened to destroy the US helping Singaporeans and companies tide through every country is just but a player. Just as easy it is to
economy singlehandedly with the numerous side the difficult times. The Middle East floundered to be thrust into the limelight, it is just as easy to fall
effects it brought. Europe saw Iceland declaring rescue Dubai which was on the brink of a national from grace. Who is left on the stage is as good as
itself bankrupt with the threat of many Eastern debt crisis and had to cope with a sudden slump anybody’s guess now.
countries following suit. UK saw its pound fall in demand of oil as recession started to hit energy-
to such a level that it is almost on par with the

Worldscope
Flashpoint: Gaza Strip

TALISA KAUR DHALIWAL
No two countries can better epitomize the concept

of ‘arch enemy’ except Israel and Palestine. History
has witnessed how sworn enemies wage countless
of bloody battles against each other. However,
time manages to somehow heal these deep gashes
and wounds by allowing reconciliation to take
place. India and Pakistan, though still not the
best of friends today, have demonstrated this. So
have China and Japan, Cambodia and Thailand,
North and South Korean, and America and Russia.
Somehow, it fails miserably in the ‘Holy land’. The
three-week war in 2008 waged by Israel in the Gaza
strip is a blatant indicator of the eminent wrath still
burning in the hearts of both Hamas and Israel. It
confirms once more of the want of each to eradicate
the other.
History of violence
The recent war in Gaza did not grip anyone by

surprise. After all Israel and Palestine has shared
decades of long and bitter animosity marked by
wars such as the 1947 War of Independence, the
Six day war in 1967 and the Yom Kippur war in
1973. The war in December 2008 was merely an
addition to the list, which the UN and America
have tried quite unsuccessfully to shorten.
Background to the 2008/2009 conflict
The Gaza conflict or Massacre, as it is known in

the Arab world, was sparked when Israel launched
a military campaign, codenamed ‘Operation Cast
Lead’, in response to the rockets which Hamas had
fired into Israeli soil.
Branded as a terrorist organization, Hamas assumed

political power in Gaza after emerging victorious
in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_Strip
Following this, in July 2007, Israel blockaded all
routes to Gaza. As Egypt sensed a heightening of
conflict, they took on the role of mediator and
brokered a ceasefire which included a six-month The Gaza conflict or Massacre, as it is known in the Arab
‘Tahdia’ (Arabic word) or ‘lull’ between Hamas
and Israel. However, neither of the sides respected world, was sparked when Israel launched a military
the terms of the ceasefire and what ensued was a tit- campaign, codenamed ‘Operation Cast Lead’, in
for-tat game straining the relation further. When
the ceasefire expired on the December 19 last year, response to the rockets which Hamas had fired into Israeli soil.
Hamas chose not to renew it as it blamed Israel for
not opening the border. Soon after, rockets and

Worldscope
Human Rights Council of targeting Palestinian

Israel and Palestine has shared decades of long and bitter civilians as well.
animosity marked by wars such as the 1947 War of Israel has been and will continue to be held
Independence, the Six day war in 1967 and the Yom responsible for a long line of things caused by
its attack on Gaza. However, the international
Kippur war in 1973. The war in December 2008 was merely community should consider if their harsh stance
towards Israel is entirely justified.
an addition to the list, which the UN and America have tried
quite unsuccessfully to shorten. When the Rwanda crisis broke out, the Hutus
went around massacring innocent Tutsis based
on a flimsy justification of ethnic differences.
mortars were launched into Israel and within a few combatants of using Palestinian civilians as human Israel however, went into Gaza with a proper and
days Israeli prime minister declared war on Hamas. shield. strong justification. Their primary intention was to
eradicate only Hamas as the latter was threatening
The blame game Which government, for the sake of their own Israel by its rocket launches. It is no wonder that
safety, puts their own people in the line of fire Israel won the strong support from the Bush
One of the main aims of the Israelis was to wipe out during war? Only a very irresponsible government administration as well.
Hamas entirely from Gaza. However, in the midst would do that. It appears probable that Hamas
of this, many innocent Palestinian civilians were prioritizes killing the Israelis over protecting their If civilians were killed in the process, it was
killed in the attack and the humanitarian crisis in own people. something which could be avoided after all Hamas
Gaza is dire. This is the central debate surrounding had put their very own people’s lives in jeopardy
the Israeli offensive today. In fact, it was in the Recently UN aid agencies had to halt supplies as by hiding in civilian populated areas. The sad and
heat of this debate where Turkish Prime Minister Hamas had seized the aid deliveries at gunpoint bitter truth of war is that death and destruction
Edrogan walked out of the Doha round of talks from a distribution centre in Gaza. Although always occurs no matter how hard it is prevented.
early this year in 2009. sources have no definite answer as to how Hamas Perhaps, instead of blaming Israel entirely for being
had used the supplies they looted, it is clear merciless, the international community should
Most of the world would be quick to have Israel that Hamas acted very irresponsibly in this case understand this one fact of war and understand the
shoulder the blame for the staggering death toll too. The calculated risk they took of raiding the position which Hamas had put Israel into when
and destruction caused in Gaza. However, as the deliveries caused Palestinian civilians their source they used their very own Palestinians as shields.
saying goes, “It takes two hands to clap”. Therefore of sustenance for a short period.
Israel alone is not alone guilty of this humanitarian BBC reports suggest that it will take around three
crisis. Hamas should not escape scot free from this Any thoughtless action of a government will always to five years for Gaza to be rebuilt. However bearing
blame game. cause harm to its civilians. Thus, the responsibility in mind the fragile and highly volatile relationship
of the death of 1,314 Palestinians should be borne Israel shares with its Palestinian neighbor, no final
A responsible government? by Hamas as well. conclusion can be reached on the fate of Gaza. For
peace to flourish in the Israel and Palestine, war
Of the several duties a government has to fulfill A fact of war and Israel’s position should be prevented at all costs. The war fought in
in times of war, protection of its civilians ranks Gaza brought nothing short of misery and turmoil.
as paramount. It is the foremost duty of the Israel’s popularity has plummeted in the Judging from the geographical proximity of Israel
government to ensure the safety of its people and international scene since the conflict began. Besides and Gaza, both Israel and Hamas should accept
not put them in the line of fire like what Hamas having to bear the brunt of the blame for the 1,314 that residing in peace is the best option as no one
did. Besides Israel’s claim that Hamas confuses its dead and 5,300 wounded, BBC reported how can escape the other. Countries like America and
combatants with civilians, additional proof has the Israeli operation left “two-thirds of Gaza’s 1.5 Egypt as well as organizations like the UN are
surfaced on BBC of how Hamas fired rockets from million residents without power, a third without ready to broker peace talks between the two. All
within populated civilian areas. Hamas was found running water and medical facilities overwhelmed it needs is for the enemies to cast their differences
to be hiding in hospitals and mosques and cells and lacking basic supplies”. Amnesty International aside, discard the long-term faith they had in war
were noticed to be firing from neighborhoods in blamed Israel’s military of breaching the 1980 and choose peace.
Gaza City, Jabalya, Khan Younis and Rafah. This Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
flagrantly violates international laws. Amnesty when it used white phosphorus in the conflict. In
International for instance accused Palestinian fact Israel has been accused by the United Nations

CCA Pages
Fueling Your Run
...eating the right foods at the

right time will aid in fuelling
your workouts and will
restore your body back
to the optimum level after
that strenuous run.
JOYCE KOOR
for us to perform at our peak. This is especially so “Just a healthy diet that is high in carbohydrates,
Why do you eat what you eat? Other than the for runners. low in fat and sufficient in protein!”
rumbling sensation in your tummy, feelings of
boredom that never fail to ‘miraculously’ arise Whether you are an amateur runner who aims to A friend recently said to me that he had the
when you flip open your BGS textbook or for a very complete a five kilometer race without stopping or unfortunate experience of running with an
simple fact that the Old Chang Kee curry puff just an elite runner who pounds the ground more than uncomfortable tummy, no thanks to his food
smells so good, we eat to answer the psychological four times a week, eating the right foods at the choice made during lunch; a huge bowl of chicken
and physical calls of our body. right time will aid in fuelling your workouts and rice, paired with a copious amount of ‘shiok’ garlic-
will restore your body back to the optimum level chilli sauce.
However, how much do you know about what’s after that strenuous run.
going in for your body? A basic reason often Sure, there are carbohydrates in the rice, but had he
overlooked is that food gives us the energy needed There is no fixed runner’s diet. Our mothers and chosen whole grain foods like oats, brown rice or
health-education lessons in primary school are whole-wheat pasta over the white processed goods,
right; they have often said this phrase tirelessly,

CCA Pages
and a dish with less saturated fat, he would not have New Section: CCA Pages
felt the urge to run to the toilet. How your club can
Remember, not all fats are bad. Fat provides contribute!
flavour and energy, but just remember to have fatty
foods like red meat, full-cream milk and cheese in · It’s got to be informative - keep
moderation. You would want to pick unsaturated For long distance runners who recruitment/event publicity articles
fats, such as those in avocados, olive oil, salmon
with its omega-3 benefits and a pat of peanut butter. cover a mileage of more than to a bare minimum.
These fats actually reduce your blood cholesterol. 10km each time, the two days
before your run should be · Here’s an easy way to think about
And contrary to belief, peanut butter is actually
the article - If you had a magazine,
great food for runners. The protein and fibre in high-carb days. what would you write in it?
peanut butter, if paired with multi-grain bread, can
keep you satisfied without weighing you down. Just
resist the temptation reach for that Subway peanut · Do provide photographs and your
butter cookie. CCA logos in your article.
Another great form of protein is eggs and low-fat
yogurt. For the former, the amino acids will help · The word limit is 1000 words.
with muscle repair and recovery. Whether you like like beans and cabbages a day before you embark on
them boiled, scrambled, poached or fried, eggs are a long run. Deadline 1: Book your slot along
an easy way to add protein to your diet. Low-fat
yogurt offers calcium, which is beneficial for bone After your workout, do replenish energy by
with a line or two stating what you are
and teeth health. consuming carbohydrates and some protein as covering with us by May 2009
a post-run snack. Research have shown that the
Frequent runners who are also at a higher risk of muscles are most receptive to restoring glycogen Deadline 2: Send in your article,
stress fractures if they are not careful, and having a within the first 30 minutes after exercise and heals pictures ,and logos by June 2009
healthy intake of calcium is crucial for runners to the damage done to your skeletal muscles.
prevent bone density loss.
For long distance runners who cover a mileage of Design: It is fine if you guys don’t
In addition, do remember to throw in your fruits and more than 10km each time, the two days before have any designers. Just send the
vegetables too. Those are packed with anti-oxidants, your run should be high-carb days. In order to word document and the pictures each
vitamins and minerals, which are vital in preventing prevent unnecessary weight gain, remember not to
cardiovascular diseases. Some runners’ favorite increase your total calories, but just the percentage
separately (please don’t paste the
include bananas and sweet potatoes to fuel up before of carbohydrates in your diet. It does not give you pictures into the word document, it
a run. There is a host of information available on the a license to indulge in three huge plates of pasta for takes away a lot of details.)
web and from books that provide creative ways to in one sitting!
include more greens and color to your plate. If you want to do your own design, do
Remember to drink plenty of water and non-
Before you lace up your shoes for a run, it is alcoholic fluids as well as getting enough rest before let us know and preview in advance,
important to note that you feel neither stuffed nor your run. there are some restrictions on fonts,
starved. Having a full meal within two hours before size and resolution.
a run will lead to cramping, while running on an Do use the information here as a set of general
empty stomach usually cause feelings of giddiness. guidelines. Eating is one of the sublime pleasures
Snack on something that is high in carbohydrates in life, so don’t get too caught up with the specifics
This is open to any student bodies,
and low in fat, fibre and protein. until you no longer taste your food and find yourself and not only to clubs as the name
grazing like a rabbit. seems to imply.
Some examples of food for a run that is going to last
more than half an hour include a bowl of cereal with Last of all, for a refreshed mind and a healthy body, Itching to write? Send us your article
a cup of milk, a cup of yogurt with fruit or a handful do take a couple of hours a week to engage in a short
of crackers with peanut butter. Avoid rich or very run with some friends. It would be a great time to [email protected] today!
fatty foods as they may cause digestion problems. It of distressing and catching up with one another
is also advisable to stay away from gas-forming foods (perhaps in more ways than one)!

CCA Pages
Triathlon 101
SMU Aquathlon (swim + run) was first conceived

around a small table cluttered with cups from
SMU’s favorite (or otherwise) tea shop in 2007.
The general idea was to provide a home for
multi-sport athletes in SMU where everyone
could share and learn from follow club members,
and to introduce to the school population this
seemingly insane sport that we affectionately refer
to as a lifestyle sport. Why do we call it a lifestyle
sport? The reason is simple. This sport does not
discriminate anyone and is open to all who wishes
to. Age, weight, height, gender and even disability
are definitely not an issue when it comes to doing a
biathlon or triathlon.
Racing in the IVP just days after forming the club,

the SMURTS nonetheless managed to come in
2nd, beating traditional powerhouses NTU and
TP. It was a sweet, sweet ending to the hectic
journey that the few of us had embarked upon. The
SMURTS now look forward to retaining or even
improving on their IVP standing this year in less
than a month’s time. Will we make it? We can’t be
too sure, but definitely every SMURT at the start
line of this year’s IVP will be enduring and giving
his/her all every step of the way. And that is the motivated those few around that table in 2007 to Swimming is a sport that is very technique based.
most basic essence of a lifestyle sport: sheer grit. form an official club, rather than just keep it at an Open water swims (yes you are swimming in the
informal level. I’m not going to say that starting sea!) require an additional set of skills such as
A triathlon consists of three disciplines, swim, a club was easy, especially due to the fact that sighting (popping out of the water to locate the
cycling and running over various distances. Aquathlon would be stepping into the boundaries buoy for directions) and drafting (swim behind
of the Sharks and the Run Team. After months of someone so that you conserve energy).
Distances Sprint Olympic Ironman 70.3 convincing the various parties, the green light was
Full Ironman given for our club. SMURTS is an abbreviation Having a good swim start marks the beginning of
Swim 750m 1.5km 1.9km 3.8km for SMU Turtles, amphibious and steady. With a good race and like the famous saying goes “You
Cycle 20km 40km 90km 180km the right amount of training and determination, can’t win a triathlon in the swim, but you can
Run 5km 10km 21km 42km anyone will be able to complete an aquathlon or definitely lose it.”
triathlon.
I believe some of you reading this article at this Bike
point would be shaking your head, thinking “Siao Swim After exiting the water, you head to the designated
(Crazy) ah! Are they trying to ask for an early death This is the first segment of a triathlon and it is one transition area where your bike, running shoes and
or what?” Well, it is precisely the satisfaction of segment that is different from many other sports. everything else will be.
completing something which many would simply Most of the time, swims are done in the sea, or
shrug off as undoable that spurs many multi-sport what we call open water. Usually, triathletes will use either road bikes
athletes on today. It was also this exact reason that or triathlon bikes for this segment. There are

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I believe some of you reading

significant differences between the two and don’t multi-sport race? It has been proven that running
this article at this point would
be shy to seek opinion and advice on these when after cycling involves a different set of muscles; you be shaking your head, thinking
you want to get your first bike. You will not be allow feel the most strain here mainly because you have
to draft (stay close to a cyclist in front of you and already slogged your guts out in the previous two “Siao (Crazy) ah! Are they
save energy) and try to keep left unless overtaking disciplines Pace yourself out and tell yourself to run trying to ask for an early
(sounds like Basic Theory Test?). Likewise, there (at least jog!) all the way.
are a lot of cycling techniques that you can pick up death or what?” Well, it is
as you cycle with a group. Finally, you will make it to the finish line and be precisely the satisfaction
able to join the ranks of many who have already
Run done so. Remember to smile all the way… of completing something
Being the last discipline left, the finishing line is Savour the finish. Completing a race is, simply put,
which many would simply
within grasp! (Well, not literally, but thinking of it sweet. shrug off as undoable
like this helps. Trust me.) You will dismount your
bike at the line before pushing it back to transition Join our club and enjoy racing today; in the SMU
that spurs many multi-sport
area to park it. That’s when you will get ready for Aquathlon Team, everyone is a winner! athletes on today.
the next leg.
A lot of people run. What’s the difference in a

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Paradise on Earth
(only Animals allowed)
On December 7 last year, People for Animal enjoyed the company of the 700 dogs, 400 cats and
Welfare (PAW) made its way down to Noah’s Ark, six horses in the animal sanctuary.
The animal-lovers on the trip a friendly private animal shelter in Johor Bahru,
Malaysia. And, as I glanced around Noah’s Ark and took
with us described the place as in the sights around me, Berlinda Carlisle’s song-
kampong-like, and for many The animal-lovers on the trip with us described the
place as kampong-like, and for many of us, it was
“Heaven is a place on earth” came to my mind…
of us, it was the first time the first time that we saw so many animals roaming “Ooh, baby, do you know what that’s worth?
around freely. Indeed, this is not a usual sight to Ooh heaven is a place on earth
that we saw so many be found in the concrete jungles of Singapore! They say in heaven love comes first
animals roaming around Sounds of “awwww... so cute” were commonplace We’ll make heaven a place on earth
throughout the trip as we joyfully played and Ooh heaven is a place on earth”
freely.
For the well-fed animals staying here, roaming
around on this safe and wide area does indeed

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Raymund’s passion for stray animals inspired the humble beginnings of Noah’s Ark.
It was also this passion that drove him to practice dog grooming to bring in extra funds, while
seeing to the day-to-day running of the animal farm at the same time.
make Noah’s Ark seem like heaven on a place on

earth. From the three-legged dogs which survived
hit-and-run accidents to the race horse that almost
got put down due to injuries, these animals have
shown us that there is definitely love in this world
and the power of a strong will to live. This is all
thanks to the wonderful and dedicated team of
animal lovers here.
Founded by Raymund Wee, Noah’s Ark first

started off as an animal shelter in Jalan Kayu, In
June 2000, it was moved from Singapore to its
current location in Pekan Nanas, Johor Bahru.
Raymund’s passion for stray animals inspired the
humble beginnings of Noah’s Ark. It was also this
passion that drove him to practice dog grooming to
bring in extra funds, while seeing to the day-to-day
running of the animal farm at the same time.
Indeed, Raymund’s noble efforts are admirable,

pushing the benchmark for animal welfare activists.
Another remarkable achievement was in setting up
Noah’s Ark CARES (Companion Animals Rescue
& Education). Set up in June 2005, this non-profit
organization aims to reduce the strays in Singapore
through active sterilization, micro chipping,
licensing, and to support the 1,000 animals on
the sanctuary. Through this initiative, some of the
13,000 abandoned animals put to sleep each year
can find heaven in a place on earth- Noah’s Ark
Animal Sanctuary.
Inspired, Boon Sun, one of the participants on the

trip said this, “This visit has made me want to do
more for the animals and so, I am looking forward
to PAW’s next CIP trip – where we will be building
shelters for Noah’s Ark.” I believe he speaks for
many of us. Every initiative, even something as
small as a one-dollar donation could go some way
into making heaven a place on earth for the many
deserving animals out there.

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“Dari Kita Untuk Kita”

Indonesia is endowed with richness in cultural
diversity, as every one of the 18,000 islands has
its own customs and artistic history. This results
in hundreds of different forms of sophisticated
traditions with each having their own uniqueness.
The country itself is home to around 300 culturally

different ethnic groups. Their cultures have been
shaped by long interaction over the centuries
with Arabic, Chinese, Malay, and European
sources. Adding to the complexities, a multitude
of religions have blended together, enriching the
culture even more.
Contemporary Indonesian culture has recently

emerged as a synthesis of both modern pop-culture
and traditional culture. With the traditional
culture still retained, Indonesian culture is
evolving without losing the unique Indonesian
distinctiveness itself. This cultural mix is expressed
in the various Indonesian art-forms, ranging from these non-traditional genres into traditional music
music to cuisine. to come out with some new ‘fusion’ genres.
Music Tourism
Indonesia is home to hundreds of forms of music. Indonesia is more than just a tropical country with
The assortment itself is very diverse, ranging the sandy beaches where the sun shines everyday
from kroncong to contemporary rock. One of so tourists can easily get themselves tanned. With
the most popular forms of Indonesian music is a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, 300
undoubtedly dangdut. First surfaced in the 1970s, different ethnic groups and 250 distinct languages,
it is mostly used to accompany communal dances. one can expect a lot of tourist attractions in
Its popularity raises even more when it is widely Indonesia.
used in political campaigns.
For the beach-lovers and surfers who are looking
Even though it becomes less popular now, for white-sanded beach, they can go to the famous
traditional music is one of the mainstream genres Kuta Beach, Bali. Those who have a desire to
of music. Traditional music differs by regions to explore the underwater utopia with its exotic fishes
regions. In Central Java, gamelan is the prevalent can take one or two dives at Bunaken.
traditional music, which is played with an ensemble
of tuned percussion instruments. While in West Indonesia is also famous for its great multitude
Timor, its traditional music, Sasando, is played of floras and faunas. Interested tourists can visit
using an instrument made from lontar palm. the national parks in Indonesia, such as Komodo
National Park which hosts the Komodo Dragon,
Contemporary music is also diverse as it embraces which is the largest living species of lizard.
rock, house, hip hop and other genres. Some Lastly, with the cultural richness, tourists can visit
contemporary musicians incorporate elements of one of the many cultural sites in Indonesia. Some
of the most popular sites are Yogyakarta, the centre

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them. For example, Indonesian Chinese dishes

such as buns and noodles are adapted to the
Indonesian culture itself and Western cuisine can
be served with rice instead of fries.
Indonesia is also abundant with tropical fruits.

Some fruits that are indigenous to Indonesia
are mangosteen and rambutan. One typical dish
made from these tropical fruits is rujak, which
is an assortment of sliced fruits with sweet and
spicy-hot rujak dressing.
A slice of Indonesia at SMU

With more than 150 active members (and
still growing!), SMU Komunitas Indonesia
(SMUKI) is the closest student cultural club
you’ll every get to Indonesia in SMU. The club
prides itself in being one of the active contributors
to the vibrant student life in SMU.
Ever since its inception, SMUKI has embarked

on a journey to raise the awareness of the
Indonesian culture through showcases of our
diverse traditional dances, music and costumes. We
have been invited to participate in various events
within or outside SMU. SMUKI also has its own
annual music production, better known as GAYA
(Gelar Budaya or Cultural Exhibition).
Apart from promoting the Indonesian culture,

SMUKI also thrives to foster relationship
between Singapore and Indonesia. As such, the
club extends its membership to both Indonesians
and non-Indonesians alike. Moreover, the club
annually holds Indonesian language crash courses
of of classical Javanese fine art and culture, and soybeans. Compared to its counterpart tofu, tempe for SMU students, an introductory course to
Toraja, where traditional funeral rituals can still be has a higher content of nutrients. Indonesians Bahasa Indonesia. SMUKI has also been entrusted
observed. usually cook tempe by frying it first before eating it by SMU Undergraduate Admission Office to
or using it as an ingredient for other dishes. organize SMU Campus Talk, an effort by SMU
Cuisine in attracting more Indonesian students to come to
Extraordinarily unique. With its richness in Padang restaurants can be found in many parts SMU.
diversity, unique ingredients, and significant of Indonesia. In these restaurants, they serve the
influences from Chinese, Indian and Western cuisine of the Minangkabau people, which is For the club’s efforts and contribution to university
culture, Indonesian cuisine is truly a mélange of served in many small dishes. Diners can select life in academic year 2007/2008, SMUKI was
cuisine that would probably amaze every food which dishes they want to eat and they will be awarded the “Most Outstanding CCA” award
gourmets. charged accordingly. Most of the dishes served in presented to us by SMU Students’ Association.
Padang restaurants are spicy, such as rendang.
Most popular of these cuisines is undoubtedly sate. What are you waiting for? Plan your next vacation
Sate is a dish consisting of chunks or slices of grilled Most Indonesian dishes are usually eaten with destination now to indonesia. Or just soak in the
dice-sized meat on wooden skewers, served with sambal to add spicy flavors. Some people also add Indonesian culture by joing SMUKI.
various spicy seasoning. Also popular in Singapore bawang goreng, which is fried small red onions, to
and Malaysia, it originated in Java, Madura, and some dishes, giving them a unique crispy taste.
Sumatra with the influence from Arabian kebab.
Non-Indonesian cuisine, such as Chinese, Indian
Tempe is another popular example of Indonesian and Western cuisine, has adapted with the
cuisine. It is made by naturally fermenting the Indonesians’ tastes and become popular among

CCA Pages
Social Entreprenuership is a Complex

and Ferocious Animal to Tame
“Social Entrepreneurship is a Complex and

Ferocious Animal to Tame”
For the past few years, social enterprises have been
sprouting like mushrooms around the world. Why
are so many people jumping onto this bandwagon?
Is it really the next big thing? Starting a social
enterprise may sound easy and appealing.
However, it is not as simple as it seems. A social

enterprise is like a ferocious animal to be tamed,
with many complexities with require a high level
of mastery. Think about it, setting up a factory
hiring the physically disabled to produce clothes
- what are the factors that need to be taken into
consideration? Firstly, these people are physically
disabled, which means that they cannot work for
long hours. Secondly, they require special training.
Thirdly, it is difficult for these people to master the
skills and produce goods of fine quality. All these
factors add up to low productivity and higher costs
incurred.
With strong competitors from China and Vietnam

where labour and materials are inexpensive and
abundant, it makes it even more difficult for such
manufacturing-based social enterprises to break
into the market. With the odds against them, social
enterprises need to work twice as hard in order to
be competitive.
Some people believe that customers are willing

to pay more for products that supports a social
cause. However, should social enterprises market
themselves based on that? Should quality and
cost be compensated by evoking pity among
customers? In reality, many social enterprises fail
simply because their products are not comparable
with their competitors and they rely too much on
customers’ sympathy.
Products produced by social enterprises should

at least be of similar standard as that of their
competitors. Moreover, products should not be
marketed based on their cause, but instead based on
the value they bring to customers. Having a social
cause behind it should not be the mitigating factor

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affecting their marketing strategy. Unfortunately,

Products produced by social enterprises should at least be of many social enterprises fail to see that.
similar standard as that of their competitors. Moreover, An illustration in our SMU community would be
products should not be marketed based on their cause, but one faced by SMU Initiatives for Social Enterprise
(SMU-ISE). SMU-ISE is a club that aims to be the
instead based on the value they bring to customers regional leading innovator in the arena of social
entrepreneurship and thereby create opportunities,
as well as to value add both our ISE members and
society. They too face similar problems as mentioned
above.
One such project is Project Lil’ Mustard Seed

(LMS). It is a social enterprise that sells baby clothing
produced by poor Nepalese women. These baby
clothing are exported for sale in Singapore. SMU-
ISE manages the business and markets the product
in the local market. They face problems such as
high costs and low productivity as their beneficiary
comprises of single mothers who at times have to
take care of their children and hence are unable to
work. This makes it difficult to compete with other
clothing manufacturers who are able to produce
clothing at a cheaper price and faster rate.
In order to remain competitive, SMU-ISE helped

build up the LMS brand by coming up with different
range of clothing every 3 months, each with a story
behind it. This story illustrates the personality of the
girl who wears their clothing and portrays different
styles depending on the range of clothing. This is
to cater to the changing consumer demands and to
keep up with trends. LMS now sells the story of a
product to customers, instead of merely marketing
it based on pity.
Recently, they have diversified the production into

laptop sleeves to cater to students and trendy working
professionals. SMU-ISE saw this as a new business
opportunity and went to Nepal to oversee the
production of laptop cases which will be launched
in schools soon. It was not easy coming up with
solutions to overcome these problems. It is critical
to recognize and acknowledge the short comings
of a business before proceeding to overcome them.
Changes do not just happen overnight, it requires
both strategic planning and hard work to enjoy the
fruits of the labour.
Setting up a social enterprise is really not as simple

as it seems and requires more than just hard work.
However, at the end of the day, when you receive
a smile or a thank you from your beneficiary and
realise how you have changed lives with a good
business idea, it makes all the effort worthwhile.

Campus Arts
Honk!
Honkin’ Splendid
OWEN TAN
Two ducks, Drake ( Jeremy Wang) and Ida

(brilliantly performed by Ann Lek) worry about
their “fifth egg” being bigger than the rest. Their
fears are confirmed when the other eggs hatch to
ducklings that quack and the duckling from that
fifth egg only “honks”.

The duckling that “honks” – christened “Ugly”
(portrayed by Joshua Jonathan Lim) quickly
becomes unpopular among his peers, because he
looks, behaves, and quacks “differently”.
In the meantime, the Cat (a stellar portrayal of a

suit-wearing feline by Aaron Goh) takes interest
in Ugly, whom due to his relative size becomes
potential to be cat food.
Ugly’s disappearance, however, triggers a farm-wide

search for Ida’s missing child. Ugly does not realize
that he is about to commence on an adventure
that will bring him within seconds from being
eaten; meeting wild geese, a bullfrog (a special, and
hilarious performance by Margaret Chan), and the
love of his life; but most importantly, discovering
who he really is, and his transformation from Ugly
into a swan.
That in essence sums up the story of Honk! – The

Musical, the closing gala performance for the SMU
Arts Festival this year.
The musical’s success was played to the tune of two

sell-out crowds at Victoria Theatre on January 23
and 24.
Adapted from the classic fairytale, The Ugly

Duckling, the audience was treated to a
heartwarming tale of finding one’s identity – and
accepting others’ differences.
Great performances
There is no doubt that an immensely talented cast

was chosen for Honk! – Joshua Jonathan Lim is a

Campus Arts
PHOTOS: OSL, EPHRAIM LOY
perfect fit for the role of Ugly, while Aaron Goh don’t see them as student performers. They had established actors Chua Enlai and Lim Yu Beng in
holds his own as Cat, especially with the wicked great stage presence.” the audience giving a rousing applause at the finale.
Play with Your Foodscene which left the audience Speaking to The Blue and Gold after the musical,
in stitches. He thought, however, that more funding might director Sebastian Tan said that the performance
have made the production even better. “Given a was “great” and he was “so proud of [the entire cast
Credit must also be given to Natalie Balakrishnan, bigger budget,” he said, “it will be hard to tell the and production team”.
who plays multiple roles in the musical – as difference (between a professional musical and a
Henrietta, a friend of Ida’s; then as Queenie, the school-produced one).” He also hoped to have more opportunities to work
pet cat who gets infatuated with Cat; and as Penny, with SMU in the future.
who becomes Ugly’s love interest. Some members of the audience, however, felt that
the budget was already sufficient. Chen Zhihao,
Praise must also go to Ann Lek, who wowed the who has experience in theatre CCA StageIt,
audience with her solo, Every Tear a Mother Cries. observed that “quite a significant sum of money”
put into the musical from the lightings and props
‘Great stage presence’ that were used.

Audiences mostly had praise for Honk!. Paul, an ‘Very proud’
SMU alumnus who graduated in 2005, said, “I
Sebastian Tan, the critically-acclaimed actor best
known for his role in Broadway Beng!, made
his directorial debut in impressive fashion, with

Campus Arts
Apostrophe: The Poetry Slam Show

raucous laughs, even engaging in naughty banter
with the poet herself.
With each bard allowed just one poem for each

round, the pool of contenders was swiftlywhittled
down from twelve, to six, and then to four.
The studio was fraught with tension as the final,

fantastic four slammed out poem after poem.
Each appeared inimitable, but a winner had to be
picked. As the contestants formed a line-up and
the audience waited with bated breath, the judges
made their final decisions and the scores were
tallied.
Winner of Apostrophe
Finally, with dramatic music pounding theatrically
in the background, Bhavya Khanna was announced
the winner of the night.
Consistently delivering candid poetry on hot

topics such as surviving joblessness, SMU and
TERRI-ANNE TEO as the crowd cheered and posed gamely for the the economics of life, Bhavya stole hearts with his
cameras. guileless eyes and natural, open demeanor.
As part of 2009’s Arts Festival, Literati threw
a poetry slam on January 23. This was in joint By the time the competition commenced, the When interviewed on his style of writing in first
cooperation with Word Forward, a leading literary participants and audience were raring to go. person, and about himself, he joked easily that
community in Singapore. The judges for that night Based on the theme of Time, twelve wordsmiths his inspiration was probably bred by a narcissistic
included Word Forward’s Chris Mooney-Singh, from far and widebattled through three rounds of nature. This proclamation was however debunked
SMU’s resident librarian Ruth Pagell, MOE officer elimination, judged on a scale of one to ten. The by a quick laugh as he carries on, “No, it’s all just
Lim Siew Yea and renowned Singaporean writer, group of contestants consisted of both students for fun really,” explaining that it was just easiest
poet and playwright Ng Yi-Sheng. and non-students of SMU, including a National to write about a topic he knew best. Still, it takes
Serviceman, a published author and other unique certain talent to bring form to words and more so,
A Poetry Slam personalities. to enliven them in performance.
For the uninformed, a poetry slam is a poetry
competition where original works are not just This diversity was distinct in the medley of poems As part of the Arts Festival, Apostrophe sought,
recited, but performed in an interactive manner. that spanned across various ethnic backgrounds, and found, an incredible band of writers who were
This unique characteristic invokes involvement in sports interests and lifestyles. The crowd was able to showcase their genius on a stage. As fellow
the crowd, creating a lively and rowdy atmosphere carried to great heights of passion, as love poems Apostrophe viewer Kelvyn aptly raved, “Passion
not unlike that of a party scene on a Saturday night. filled the room. It mellowed, when joblessness, war can definitely be seen in SMU’s blooming arts
and terrorism darkened the mood. Sexy humour culture!”
Apostrophe did the trick and flipped the switch, as the audience
Apostrophe was of no exception. The event kicked and judges greeted racy poems deliciously torrid Indeed, this marks a wondrous 2009 for our school
off with energetic performances by a group from with illicit tension, with exuberant fanfare and of burgeoning young talents.
CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, ‘The Word Must
Rock’ from Chris Mooney-Singh, replete with
finger-clicking and feet-drumming, and high
altitude acts by Ng Yi-Sheng. The presence of a
Channel NewsAsia team injected even more hype

Campus Arts
LAMHE (Moment) - ICS Dance Performance
TALISA KAUR DHALIWAL and contemporary segments to portray the changes choreographed and brought us participants
in music, movements and costumes after 50 years. together.
The clamoring and the whistling were getting
louder every minute. It was a sign that the crowd The costumes and the music were the major While dance has always remained one of the main
was enjoying. differences between the two segments. The dance highlights of the Indian cultural scene, the ICS
opened with a trio of girls clad in the traditional has explored the area of theatre as well. The drama
‘Lamhe’ was the title of the dance segment put Indian costume called the Lehenga. This was production entitled Karna the eternal warrior has
up by the Indian Cultural Society, on January 19, accompanied by the original and traditional awed the audience with its display of talent in the
in conjunction with the Arts Festival which was version of the song. genre of drama.
celebrated so vibrantly in SMU. This performance
was a prelude to the Kathakali performance which Transiting to to the second half was a performance
was staged by the Bhaskar Academy of Fine Arts. by a different trio clad in chic black halter neck
tops and sleek black three-quarter pants. The music
Lamhe was a unique blend of the traditional and changed to a remixed version elements of rap and
contemporary Indian dance in a backdrop of a hip-hop elements. These differences made it more
highly popular Hindi song from 1958- Ek Pardesi identifiable with the generation of today.
Mera Dil Legaya (A foreigner stole my heart).
Though the theme of the song is that of love, The audience made up SMU students, working
the purpose of the dance was not to portray this adults as well as young children accompanied by
perspective. their teachers. The item was well received judging
from the audiences’ response. According to Charu,
When asked about the significance of the dance, probably the way the two styles differentiated itself
Charu Srivastava, current president of the Indian and blended together for the finale, impressed
Cultural Society, commented that “It showcases them.
the evolution of Indian dance over the years”. For
this reason, the item was split into the traditional It is ironic that the dance was choreographed,
rehearsed and perfected all within one week.
Accolades should be given to Charu who

Campus Arts
SMU Film Fest

Inaugural three-day film festival in SMU kicks off
PHOTO: OSL
“The festival was a EPHRAIM LOY

Lucky for Cai Yu, she had obtained valuable advice
collaborative effort where Getting the SMU <3 Film Festival started for the from former Singapore International Film Festival
the audience would be able first time this year was not only a challenge for the Director Philip Cheah, who was the adviser for the
organizing committee. It was also a frightening SMU <3 Film Festival.
to ask questions and find experience.
answers with regard to The inaugural event was born as a result of the
It was the first time Lam Cai Yu, the main producer, organizing committee’s brainstorming efforts on
the direction of the films,” was interacting with the medium of film. what to include for this year’s SMU Arts Festival.
explained Cai Yu. Speaking to The Blue and Gold she said: “I felt like Apart from the screening of short films, it included
a fish out of water and was struggling to learn the dialogue sessions on two out of three screening
ropes,” as she recounted the process. days. These sessions, however, were impromptu

Campus Arts
decisions which were initially contemplated but good to start with ideas and stories that you truly to ensure that the equipment to be used for the
were only finalized after directors had expressed understand,” he said. screening was functioning well.
interest in having them.
This year’s inaugural festival also featured Kelvin When contacted, OSL said they would improve
“Watching a film is passive – you decide if you Tong’s Love Story for the opening, Anna and the event next year by finding better venues and
like it or not. But the objective was to create Anna for the closing night including another two use better equipment.
an interactive platform. The festival was also a of Junfeng’s films Katong Fugue and Stranger.
collaborative effort where the audience would be Plans are also underway to have a longer festival
able to ask questions and find answers with regard On why three of his films were chosen for the held on certain days over two weeks. The organisers
to the direction of the films,” explained Cai Yu. festival, Cai Yu shared her thoughts on the also plan to incorporate more short films into the
curatorial process. programme, particularly more short films from
Apart from a dialogue held during the closing the various tertiary institutions. A documentary-
where producer Ng Sian Ngoh and filmmaker She said: “It was through submissions and making competition targeting tertiary students is
He Shu Ming shared their thoughts on the film recommendations. One of our members had in the pipeline.
industry in Singapore, there was also a session with alerted us to Junfeng’s work and when we looked
one of Singapore’s up-and-coming directors, Boo at the films on his website we felt many had fit in Filmmaker Loo Zihan feels that this would
Junfeng. with the overarching theme of this year’s SMU encourage more people to make films. He notes
Arts Festival – Re: Present.” that film festivals are avenues for works to be
At the dialogue, the concept of Junfeng’s 16-minute screened and seen.
short film Keluar Baris was shared. Shot over three The interpretation of the theme was thought out in
days, it was an autobiography and take on his army the representation of relationships such as those of “An effort to increase activity which encourages
experience. a mother and a son, friends, family tensions as well people to create and make films is always
as relationships with places and religion. beneficial,” he added.
Junfeng’s style of film follows strongly after
Taiwan’s Hou Hsiao Hsien. It is the element of Junfeng told The Blue and Gold that it was an Daryl, on the other hand, feels that the festival
working with a non-professional cast that he honour to be able to participate in the festival. is a good platform to cultivate interest in films
emulates which is evident in Keluar Baris. although he adds that the quality of films that
He added: “Many of these works may have would be screened and the publicity efforts are also
The film also features second-year business student travelled to places around the world, but I believe aspects to consider for next year.
Daryl Pan who was also present at the dialogue it is always special when they are made accessible in
session. Singapore. I hope the festival has inspired an even Final-year economics student Don Tan who was
greater interest in Singapore films.” present for two out of three screenings said that
On how he scored the role, Daryl said that it was it was an eventful experience: “I loved the idea
through a teaching stint in which he had met Organised by the Office of Student Life (OSL), of having a film fest. The dialogue session was
Alfian Sa’at, a friend of Junfeng’s. the three-day festival had a crowd of almost 300 impressive and the films were enjoyable.”
people. This included both working professionals
“It was lucky to be able to work with a good and students from various universities, But he felt that the event lacked a professional
director. Before the film was shot, he had met up polytechnics and art schools according to Jeanine touch which could be improved with more effort.
with me to add in elements of my own character Lim, Manager, Arts.
into the film as well. This was possible as the script And that would be what next year’s organizers
was not written and fixed,” explained Daryl. The event went well on the whole except for a glitch could look into.
on the opening night that caused a 15-minute
Other than speaking about his films, the director break in one of the films.
also shared about various ways to obtain funding
for films and touched on the topic of film Explained Jeanine: “The technical problem was
censorship in Singapore. caused by the malfunctioning of the DVD player
that was used.”
One advice he had for budding filmmakers is to
“tell stories you are familiar with”. The event was described as unfortunate. Cai Yu
explained that the team had made several checks
“I believe one does need to be in touch with himself/
herself to be able to tell a story convincingly. It
is especially hard for young filmmakers because
there is only so much life experience we can tap
into sometimes. So if you want your sincerity to
come through in your works, then it would be

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A Singapore Management University Students’ Association Publication

The Blue and Gold

The GSR debate

New Section: CCA Pages!

This issue of The Blue and Gold

Page 2 • Issue 4 • The Blue and Gold

School Events 24• Paradise on Earth by SMU PAW

33• LAMHE (Moment) - ICS Dance Per-

17• All the World’s a Stage

The Blue and Gold • Issue 4 • Page 3

Want to see more? Read the full version online!

Pretty much all of these

Page 6 • Issue 4 • The Blue and Gold

The Blue and Gold • Issue 4 • Page 7

“Dividing GSRs into

The announcement by the Office of Facilities

“Dividing GSRs into seats,” said one student,

Page 8 • Issue 4 • The Blue and Gold

When asked about the “unhealthy precedent”

Some students are satisfied with the compromise.

The Blue and Gold • Issue 4 • Page 9

Interview with the new SA Exco

Moreover, we are a rather new university to work

Page 10 • Issue 4 • The Blue and Gold

Couple that with industry rumors that

The Blue and Gold • Issue 4 • Page 11

TRUONG THI NGOC ANH

Can you shortly introduce yourself and

I’m entered SMU in 2001 and graduated in

What is the mission and vision of Divine?

The vision and mission is to be able to provide

What makes Divine different from

The difference is in our ever improving and

The cakes that you are selling have been produced

Much of the learning was self taught and (through

What does Divine need to improve to

Being in a tertiary institute, there are long periods

Page 12 • Issue 4 • The Blue and Gold

and pastries are taken one step further to allow for

You are now both a bakery owner and

I would say that I variety in life too. Being situated

How do you deal with challenges in

Just through planning the week well ahead so you

What do you do to keep a work-life

A heavy week can be dreadful but I would make a

What is your advice for SMU students

Setting up your own business isn’t as simple as it

The Blue and Gold • Issue 4 • Page 13

Page 16 • Issue 4 • The Blue and Gold

All the World’s a Stage

The Blue and Gold • Issue 4 • Page 17

Flashpoint: Gaza Strip

No two countries can better epitomize the concept

The recent war in Gaza did not grip anyone by

Background to the 2008/2009 conflict

The Gaza conflict or Massacre, as it is known in

Branded as a terrorist organization, Hamas assumed

Page 18 • Issue 4 • The Blue and Gold

Human Rights Council of targeting Palestinian

The Blue and Gold • Issue 4 • Page 19