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Ask him to write a book about his work at Japanese Kempatai as a national traitor!
http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4600433
By Channel NewsAsia, Updated: 25/01/2011
President Nathan launches book on his role in the labour movement
President Nathan launches book on his role in the labour movement
President Nathan launches book on his role in the labour movement
President S R Nathan
SINGAPORE : Singapore’s President, SR Nathan, has said the nation should never take for granted the peace and harmony of good labour relations.
This is because any mismanagement of these ties could ignite sparks and discredit all efforts in preserving harmonious labour—management relations.
Speaking to the media ahead of the launch of his book, "Winning Against the Odds", about his work in the Labour Research Unit, President Nathan also revealed that he is working on his memoirs next.
For President Nathan, the book tells of the interesting times he has lived through and about the Labour Research Unit and the role it played in the founding of today’s NTUC.
Mr Nathan said: "It is not a lesson — I thought ... by narrating this, those who read it will get a sense of the times. Of course, there will be those who disbelieve it. I am not creating a story. So my hope is that reading it, today’s generation will know how we came here.
"How much you take from it is yours, how much you reject is yours, but I can only tell you what happened, what I did, what we went through and what is the origin of the NTUC of today."
"One of the important elements was the Modernisation seminar — as the NTUC was struggling for its existence, it was not easy to mobilise people. Subscriptions had to be collected by volunteers who went around to collect money during pay day.
"And the movement could not move without financial support — the affiliates were not rich, so a check—off system was introduced after the seminar and unions found themselves with money in the kitty. To ensure that they were properly made use of, we encouraged the co—op movement to bring the cost of living down so that people couldn’t exploit the market.
"Today we are in a different world — we are plugged to the world economy, and jobs depend on how effective and capable we are. There are others equally capable and willing to take on the jobs at a lesser rate. We will always be vulnerable to the pressures of globalisation — you are not competing with your employer in Singapore but with workers worldwide."
"Winning Against the Odds" is President Nathan’s second book. His first, launched last year, was on his early life as a labour relations officer for a Seafarers’ Union.
Mr Nathan said the title of the book, "Winning Against the Odds", is relevant even in today’s context for Singaporeans.
He said: "It will be a feature of Singapore — that we will be constantly having to win against the odds, be it the economy, be it the social changes and be it our relations with others and be it the strategic landscape in which we exist and in which we have to find survival."
Mr Nathan added that he embarked on the publishing of his two books after much encouragement from his friends.
"I didn’t do anything until I assumed the Presidency. (In) the early months of the Presidency, I was grappling with what I have to do, (I) had time on my hands. I had to determine how I was going to do it, those were all in the thinking process and I had time.
"So with the urgings of friends, I said why not produce it into writing. Much of it was in my memory. As civil servants, we don’t carry documents all around us, some are documented.
"And this is something that happened in the 1950s and 60s and this was essentially trawling my memory and picking up the pieces as you thought through what happened."
President Nathan explained, "I did not maintain any diary in those times because I saw it as a passing phase in my career. Hence, much of what I have narrated has been trawled from my memory. It could seem to some readers that this is a highly selective account of those times.
"If that be so, I can offer no apologies, as I recorded what I remembered and what came to my mind as significant as I recounted the events. Readers could also find some parts of the book somewhat disjointed or even incomplete. Again I offer no apologies as they reflect my personal experiences and encounters as they happened.
"I had to learn on the job and improvise solutions dictated by the prevailing circumstances of those times. I enjoyed living those years, with their challenges and frustrations. I would not wish to say anything differently, even if there are differences of views by others, interpreting the happenings of those times differently."
The President also explained his reason for dedicating a whole chapter in his book to NTUC’s founding secretary—general, the late President CV Devan Nair.
He said: "The NTUC could not have existed if not for his contribution, if not for his leadership, if not for his ability to mobilise people to stand up against intimidation and see the larger picture of Singapore’s interest and how labour with its mood for agitation had to be moved to look at the larger picture and contribute to the kind of stability we were looking for.
"He was a formidable figure, as you know he had been active in the pro—communist sense. He saw the writing on both sides of the wall and he was able to convey through his personal experiences what it was and what it would lead to and he won the confidence of many workers who moved away from the pro—communist camp. His leadership was critical, and having worked with him, I felt we owe him a debt."
President SR Nathan’s book about his work in the labour movement won’t be his last publication. Next on the cards will be his memoirs.
He said work on his memoirs is reaching its final stage. But the President is keeping close to his heart one important decision, and that is whether he will be seeking re—election to the Presidency come August this year.
"I am still waiting, there is still a long way off — couple of months more. When I decide, I will tell you," he added.
Mr Nathan’s book on his work in the labour movement is being launched as part of NTUC’s 50th anniversary celebrations this year.
A new training award — the SR Nathan U Development Award — was also launched on Tuesday.
Proceeds from the sale of "Winning Against the Odds" will go towards setting up the award to recognise and develop outstanding staff in NTUC’s Administration and Research Unit.
So far, over S$1 million has been raised for the award from corporate and individual donors.
— CNA/al
http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4600433
By Channel NewsAsia, Updated: 25/01/2011
President Nathan launches book on his role in the labour movement
President Nathan launches book on his role in the labour movement
President Nathan launches book on his role in the labour movement
President S R Nathan
SINGAPORE : Singapore’s President, SR Nathan, has said the nation should never take for granted the peace and harmony of good labour relations.
This is because any mismanagement of these ties could ignite sparks and discredit all efforts in preserving harmonious labour—management relations.
Speaking to the media ahead of the launch of his book, "Winning Against the Odds", about his work in the Labour Research Unit, President Nathan also revealed that he is working on his memoirs next.
For President Nathan, the book tells of the interesting times he has lived through and about the Labour Research Unit and the role it played in the founding of today’s NTUC.
Mr Nathan said: "It is not a lesson — I thought ... by narrating this, those who read it will get a sense of the times. Of course, there will be those who disbelieve it. I am not creating a story. So my hope is that reading it, today’s generation will know how we came here.
"How much you take from it is yours, how much you reject is yours, but I can only tell you what happened, what I did, what we went through and what is the origin of the NTUC of today."
"One of the important elements was the Modernisation seminar — as the NTUC was struggling for its existence, it was not easy to mobilise people. Subscriptions had to be collected by volunteers who went around to collect money during pay day.
"And the movement could not move without financial support — the affiliates were not rich, so a check—off system was introduced after the seminar and unions found themselves with money in the kitty. To ensure that they were properly made use of, we encouraged the co—op movement to bring the cost of living down so that people couldn’t exploit the market.
"Today we are in a different world — we are plugged to the world economy, and jobs depend on how effective and capable we are. There are others equally capable and willing to take on the jobs at a lesser rate. We will always be vulnerable to the pressures of globalisation — you are not competing with your employer in Singapore but with workers worldwide."
"Winning Against the Odds" is President Nathan’s second book. His first, launched last year, was on his early life as a labour relations officer for a Seafarers’ Union.
Mr Nathan said the title of the book, "Winning Against the Odds", is relevant even in today’s context for Singaporeans.
He said: "It will be a feature of Singapore — that we will be constantly having to win against the odds, be it the economy, be it the social changes and be it our relations with others and be it the strategic landscape in which we exist and in which we have to find survival."
Mr Nathan added that he embarked on the publishing of his two books after much encouragement from his friends.
"I didn’t do anything until I assumed the Presidency. (In) the early months of the Presidency, I was grappling with what I have to do, (I) had time on my hands. I had to determine how I was going to do it, those were all in the thinking process and I had time.
"So with the urgings of friends, I said why not produce it into writing. Much of it was in my memory. As civil servants, we don’t carry documents all around us, some are documented.
"And this is something that happened in the 1950s and 60s and this was essentially trawling my memory and picking up the pieces as you thought through what happened."
President Nathan explained, "I did not maintain any diary in those times because I saw it as a passing phase in my career. Hence, much of what I have narrated has been trawled from my memory. It could seem to some readers that this is a highly selective account of those times.
"If that be so, I can offer no apologies, as I recorded what I remembered and what came to my mind as significant as I recounted the events. Readers could also find some parts of the book somewhat disjointed or even incomplete. Again I offer no apologies as they reflect my personal experiences and encounters as they happened.
"I had to learn on the job and improvise solutions dictated by the prevailing circumstances of those times. I enjoyed living those years, with their challenges and frustrations. I would not wish to say anything differently, even if there are differences of views by others, interpreting the happenings of those times differently."
The President also explained his reason for dedicating a whole chapter in his book to NTUC’s founding secretary—general, the late President CV Devan Nair.
He said: "The NTUC could not have existed if not for his contribution, if not for his leadership, if not for his ability to mobilise people to stand up against intimidation and see the larger picture of Singapore’s interest and how labour with its mood for agitation had to be moved to look at the larger picture and contribute to the kind of stability we were looking for.
"He was a formidable figure, as you know he had been active in the pro—communist sense. He saw the writing on both sides of the wall and he was able to convey through his personal experiences what it was and what it would lead to and he won the confidence of many workers who moved away from the pro—communist camp. His leadership was critical, and having worked with him, I felt we owe him a debt."
President SR Nathan’s book about his work in the labour movement won’t be his last publication. Next on the cards will be his memoirs.
He said work on his memoirs is reaching its final stage. But the President is keeping close to his heart one important decision, and that is whether he will be seeking re—election to the Presidency come August this year.
"I am still waiting, there is still a long way off — couple of months more. When I decide, I will tell you," he added.
Mr Nathan’s book on his work in the labour movement is being launched as part of NTUC’s 50th anniversary celebrations this year.
A new training award — the SR Nathan U Development Award — was also launched on Tuesday.
Proceeds from the sale of "Winning Against the Odds" will go towards setting up the award to recognise and develop outstanding staff in NTUC’s Administration and Research Unit.
So far, over S$1 million has been raised for the award from corporate and individual donors.
— CNA/al
