Elitist Class - A permanent feature of Singapore Society?

[scroobal]

I think we read about the President Scholar who rubbished hawker fare as Singapore class. We had a number of situations in the past such as french cuisine Perm Sec who was transferred out of his post and the Govt apologised for his lack of empathy for his fellow citizens. We also had Wee Shu Min affair where her MP father stood by her, and we also had a Scholar who made racists comments about the previous president.

Though there is similar thread but this article by the President Scholar has started to make the rounds and subject of much conversation and now a separate issue has surfaced. The growing sense is that like the faulty selection that is now seen in the MP and Political Leadership process of the PAP, does PSC have the same issue in its selection of scholars or are we relying on the grades alone.

Read the article carefully right till the end. Its an unusual article. You can see the complete lack of EQ.

What are we teaching our potential future leaders and how do we end up picking people like that?

MFA - REPRESENTING SINGAPORE ON THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT

David Chan Tar Wei


OVERSEAS MERIT SCHOLARSHIP (FOREIGN SERVICE) & PRESIDENT’S SCHOLAR
Age: 21
Now: Third year undergrad doing Ethics, Politics and Economics,
at Yale University, USA
From: Raffles Junior College

Meet MFA Scholar David Chan who is set on being a lawyer-diplomat since young.

I have always wanted to understand how international relations work, and was drawn to the subject because of its interdisciplinary nature. I am interested in global justice, and have been studying the relationship between politics, economics and international law during my time here at Yale.

Apart from this innate interest in the subject matter, I was persuaded to read political science because of its combination of theory and practice, which I believe would serve as a useful foundation for my future. Finally, Yale has an amazing political science department, and the ability to access the best faculty appealed to me greatly.

Why MFA Scholarship?
One ought to be attracted to the career first before the scholarship and such was the case for me.

Ever since I accompanied our Perm-anent Mission to the United Nations and the Singapore Embassy to the United States during Secondary Four, I have always dreamt of representing the needs of my fellow Singaporeans on the global stage. Coupled with an MFA internship at the end of my JC1 year, I was encouraged to apply for the MFA Scholarship given my deep interest in foreign policy and international law.

There is something inherently fulfilling in pushing for your country’s strategic interests internationally and benefiting your country as a whole – and this was the main motivating factor for me. In joining the Foreign Service, I can promote the needs of my fellow citizens and see how they are tangibly met, for instance through treaties and agreements, and this was something that attracted me to the job. Moreover, I was challenged by the fact that Foreign Service Officers are not only forced to adapt to different circumstances and conditions, yet at the same time retaining their sharpness and concern for one’s country – something that I truly admire and hope to emulate one day.

Career Development
Given that a strong foreign service requires unity and cooperation, scholars had the opportunity to participate in an Outward Board camp to get to know each other better and to build our confidence.

Also, MFA puts us through a series of activities at its Assessment Centre, allowing us to get a better sense of how we operate as Foreign Service Officers and to learn from that process. Moreover, the ministry trained us to operate independently, teaching us vital skills such as how to cook and how to interact with others in a foreign location – skills which are critical for students and diplomats alike.

MFA links each scholar with a mentor to guide him or her along the path from university education towards a diplomatic career. All of these, taken collectively, indeed prepare scholars for more than just a scholarship but for a career.

I see myself in the model of a ‘lawyer-diplomat’, representing Singapore in the field of international relations and international law, fighting for our interests on the political and legal front, so as to ensure that our interests and rights are not merely upheld through verbal speech or agreement, but rather codified through norms and state practice. I feel that we are at the threshold of a new era. We need to plan for the future of Singapore’s Foreign Service and raise a new generation of ‘S Jayakumars’ and ‘Tommy Kohs’, who not only provide strong leadership for a country like ours and also make our voice heard in the international arena.

All Roundedness
I am interested in debate and public speaking, and I coach local high school students each week. I also play the guitar and the drums with a musical band, and edit a campus publication. I am also involved in student government, and love getting to meet people.

My Advice
Do find out as much as possible about the career you are interested in – by talking to people who are currently working in the organisation, doing an internship and even attending its tea sessions. Be certain you want that kind of job before taking up the scholarship that goes with it.

To work in the public service is unlike any other career. You have to be exceptionally mindful that you are working for the people of Singapore and serving their interests. As such, the motivations for joining the public service ought to include a passion to serve others and to put the needs of others first. While the scholarship is certainly prestigious, this must never be the sole reason for wanting it.

 

[JWNY]

Hey scroobal,

Hope you are well

Another interesting read. Happens globally no? Elitism

Miss your anecdotes and satire lah

 

[scroobal]

See the contrast with this.

URA - TAKING THE LONG ROAD

SHARON CHUA SI HUI



URA SCHOLARSHIP
Age: 23
Attained: BA in Geography (Hons), University College London, UK
Now: Planner, URA
From: Hwa Chong Institution

After having travelled *widely, Sharon Chua is using her *experience to help shape *Singapore’s urban landscape.

I always had a keen interest in travelling, cultivating a .love for Geography in me. The interactions between people and places, and how this varied *geographically, intrigued me, as with the evolution of physical and *human landscapes across space and time.

Perhaps this was why, amid the myriad of *scholarships on offer at school fairs and talks, I found myself drawn to the one by the Urban Redevelopment *Authority (URA). I was drawn by how the URA, the national land use planning and conservation authority, had transformed Singapore from a little fishing village to a blossoming city of distinction and excellence. I also learnt that the agency constantly strives to formulate plans and policies that would support economic growth while maintaining a quality living environment for us and generations to come, which is an issue close to my heart.

I accepted the URA Scholarship, for it not only *offered the opportunity to engage with these *issues while helping to manage Singapore’s urban *environment, but also the chance to study at *University College London, which houses one of the best *Geography departments in the world.

‘There is in London all that life can afford’
When the great English author Samuel *Johnson made the above statement in the 18th *century, he *probably did not expect London to become the *sprawling metropolis it is today. Nonetheless, these words held as much truth for me as they presumably did for Johnson all those years ago.

The three years I spent in London were some of the best times of my life. Despite its status as a global financial capital, there was still a quaint charm about the city, expressed in its beautiful parks and winding lanes, lined with *independent cafes and bookstores decorated in an endless number of ways. Many an afternoon was spent wandering around the city, *admiring the Victorian and Edwardian buildings and *perhaps enjoying a musical in a similarly styled theatre thereafter. London’s *proximity to the rest of Europe also made jaunts to France, Italy, Greece, Iceland and other nearby countries *affordable and possible, which certainly pleased the travel bug in me!

Academically, University College London opened up a new world of learning opportunities. My professors were all experts in their fields and used a variety of *teaching *methods which were both interesting and enriching. A *single school term could see me going straight from poring over *century-old *records from London’s archives, to taking *photographs of *graffiti on a field trip to Berlin. Listening to debates by *prominent geographers and urban theorists such as *Professors Peter Wood, Jennifer Robinson and Ulf Hannerz had also stretched me intellectually, during the module I took at the leading Bartlett School of Planning.

Beijing And Hong Kong
Having been exposed to Western theory throughout my university years, I was also grateful to the URA for sponsoring my participation in a travel study programme to Beijing and Hong Kong the summer before I started work. Organised by the University of California, Los Angeles, the programme let me gain valuable insight into the urbanisation and *planning strategies adopted by these two cities, as well as benefit from having studied urban issues in both Western and Asian *contexts.

The diversity of my current role as a planner with the URA’s Development Control Group allows me to put all these academic knowledge to practical application. *University *education gave me an excellent grounding in the *various *planning ideals such as the need to green a city and to *enhance its community spaces. However, it is by being on the job that I learnt the need to constantly engage and interact with the industry and public to ensure that they benefit from our planning work.

This is a key aspect of my work in development *control, which is to facilitate the continuous rejuvenation of *Singapore’s urban landscape. We ensure that the proposals of the private industry fulfil long-term planning intentions and safeguard public interests. A typical working day therefore sees me *engaging with architects, developers and engineers through phone conversations and face-to-face meetings to better *understand their project proposals and marketing *concepts. We then evaluate these proposals while balancing the needs of businesses, homeowners and the general public.

Undoubtedly, this balancing act is sometimes difficult, and a complicated project can involve months of work, endless chains of emails and even some sleepless nights. But there is nothing like the satisfaction of seeing a development move from plans to reality and take shape right before my eyes. It is this sense of fulfilment that I value most.

The Right Decision
Although I have only joined URA for just over a year, I know I made the right decision signing on that dotted line all those years ago. The URA has given me so many opportunities to not only *develop myself as an individual, but also to play a part in helping to shape the future of Singapore. Of course, the fact that my job often brings me on site visits is a plus, for I can do exactly what I love – observing people and the evolution of urban landscapes – all in the name of work!

 

[laksaboy]

Please get out of my elite, uncaring face.

 

[scroobal]

Another one that is humble despite the Organisation is one of those which is sought after and certainly high up there.

GIC - WORKING WITH A GLOBAL LEADER

JACQUELINE CHAN



Jacqueline Chan’s best birthday present is the signing of the GIC Scholarship.

GIC GLOBAL SCHOLARSHIP
Age: 21
Now: Doing BA in Economics at Cornell University, USA
From: Hwa Chong Institution

On my 18th birthday two years ago, I inked my commitment to the Govern-ment of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) with my ‘lucky’ blue pen while trying to repress the shake in my hand that was arising from an *overwhelming sense of anticipation and joy. The search for my ideal scholarship and career path had taken months of research, consultation and *deliberation – an exciting, yet daunting situation for 18-year-olds.


My JC years were spent among very energetic and opinionated people. From the moment you start talking about *university and scholarship applications, everyone seems to have an opinion about what you need and where you should go… including the all-important *definition of who you are. After sifting through the *recommendations from my parents, tutors and friends, I came to the conclusion that the best *decision was to go for the *scholarship that best represent my values, personality and interests. For me, that would be the GIC Global Scholarship.


The GIC Global Scholarship attracted me largely because I was fascinated by nature of the work in GIC. As a prominent sovereign wealth fund that manages an international portfolio of various asset classes, there is literally no other scholarship in Singapore that operates on such a global scale in this field of work. With nine offices in major cities around the world, GIC is easily able to reach out to its scholars even during the academic year through informal sessions and office visits. I can only begin to imagine how exciting it must be to work alongside colleagues from across the globe, let alone have the opportunity to be posted to an overseas office to work with and learn from some of the best and brightest in the investment arena.


The global finance industry has been stereotyped as fast-moving, *unpredictable and filled with unexpected pitfalls, as demonstrated by the recent hard-hitting European crisis and Occupy Wall Street movement. This fast-paced and ever-changing landscape excites me. Above all, I was particularly inspired by the challenge of contributing towards an organisation that has the responsibility to preserve and enhance Singapore’s foreign reserves.


On a more personal level, I have always enjoyed learning from various sources across many different fields. Hence I chose Cornell University – a large school with strengths in both the sciences and *liberal arts – over my other college choices. Com-ing from a Humanities background in JC, I have always been certain of my decision to pursue Economics as a major, and perhaps I should further my interest in English by taking up a second major. Or should gear myself towards quantitative thinking through a major in Mathematics? Despite my diverse academic interests, GIC has always been there to encourage me with words of wisdom and explore my options with me, never once adopting a disparaging tone or trying to make the decision for me. Finally, I decided on *complementing my Economics major with a double minor in Real Estate and Southeast Asian Studies, a combination that I believe would come in useful in my GIC career.


To aid us in our journey, GIC has an excellent internship structure for scholars, developing us professionally and personally through talks with professionals, mentors, as well as workshops with external vendors to develop useful skills such as business presentations, advanced Excel, Bloomberg. There are vacation trainings for GIC’s first- and second-year scholars.


I have been extremely grateful for the stimulating and nurturing environment that GIC has generously integrated us into since joining the company. Let me share with you my fondest memory with GIC yet. I was then an intern during the Summer holidays as a first-year college student. It was a day where all GIC scholars from *different years met with the Management to have a relaxing and lively exchange over lunch. Coincidentally, it was also my 19th birthday. Imagine my surprise when the whole room - scholars and management - burst into singing the birthday song as a lovely cake was placed in front of me. At that point in time, I knew that GIC is more than a scholarship and a mere workplace for their scholars – they are also family.


If you are looking for a *scholarship, I hope that you choose one that best represents your ideals and aspirations while providing you with an *encouraging environment to be the best that you can be.

 

[scroobal]

Happy to contribute bro, if I find the time.

Hey scroobal,

Hope you are well

Another interesting read. Happens globally no? Elitism

Miss your anecdotes and satire lah

 

[scroobal]

Just had lunch and you post this. Spare a thought for the common man.

Please get out of my elite, uncaring face.

 

[Bigfuck]

Just had lunch and you post this. Spare a thought for the common man.

She is doing great in the States and is definitely not coming back. She has had the mole surgicially removed.

 

[scroobal]

Only the mole?

She is doing great in the States and is definitely not coming back. She has had the mole surgicially removed.

 

[jw5]

Just had lunch and you post this. Spare a thought for the common man.

What a fucking humbug Scroobal is.


A long long time ago and in a land far far away
A boy started a forum for folks to have their say
It’s meant for the common man a place for all and sundry
He tried to think of a good name and finally thought of sammy

A pathetic coward from the elite wanted to say his piece
Too scared to appear in public this place to him was bliss
His chosen nick was scroobal a name now known to all
It would be fine except it didn’t say that he was missing one ball

He claimed to be a know-it-all and he would name drop daily
His behaviour as seen by most was that of a manipulative bully
Arrogance was his forte and he was not beyond deceit
If you wanted him to like you, you had better lick his feet

Disagree with him one time and he would never forget you
Tyrants like him would never allow you to have your point of view
This piece of shit would sometimes try to talk like the common man
But if you dared to go against him he would hit you with a ban

He would later lie about it and claim it was not him
It’s simply normal for this asshole to think that we are dim
He has a bunch of elite cronies who would follow him to the end
This bunch of sycophants insist on keeping their heads in the sand

Blind to the bullying and manipulation he continues with gutso
This egoistic charlatan scroobal has really reached a low
He has no self-awareness his upbringing is in question
What he needs from the rest of us is to be taught a severe lesson

He claims to be a defender of the common man but that is pure bullshit
Just mention anything about those elites and he’s chomping at the bit
His anger with the men in white may sometimes confuse us
Most likely he was discarded by them and thrown under the bus

This manipulative bully still runs the roost but this ditty is for fun
If you think of trusting him, remember he said “Khaw will not run!”
If this piece of scroobal shit does not realize he’s a bullying pest
The rest of us will simply have to think of ways to whip his fucking ass.

 

[Leongsam]

There is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with elitism. Why should the talented have to take lesser mortals into consideration in everything that they do?

Usain Bolt doesn't wait for the slower athletes. He runs as fast as possible in order to trash them good and proper. He reaps the rewards in prize money, appearance fees and endorsements and milks his status for all that it is worth. The slower athletes sink into oblivion. It's the natural order.

 

[jw5]

I think we read about the President Scholar who rubbished hawker fare as Singapore class.

Manipulative hypocritical motherfucker Scroobal once claimed that "HDB is not for him."

Fucking humbug.

 

[Leongsam]

Manipulative hypocritical motherfucker Scroobal once claimed that "HDB is not for him."

Fucking humbug.

Can you stop messing up the thread. Say your piece and get lost. If you want to settle scores, take it private.

 

[jw5]

Can you stop messing up the thread. Say your piece and get lost. If you want to settle scores, take it private.

According to you, the courtyard forum is fine for things like this.

http://singsupplies.com/showthread.php?149981-How-about-infraction-for-Repetitious-posts

 

[Leongsam]

According to you, the courtyard forum is fine for things like this.

http://singsupplies.com/showthread.php?149981-How-about-infraction-for-Repetitious-posts

If you want to say your piece, go right ahead. However, just say everything you want in one post and be done with it so that others who want to debate the issue of elitism don't have to wade through your nonsense.

In fact, you can start a thread dedicated to screwing scroobal and I'll make it a sticky for you for as long as you wish. You can update it as often as you like. Anyone who wants to know your latest opinion of scroobal can then click on that thread for the latest information. In the meantime, the rest of us can get on with more interesting issues without having to be interrupted with your irrelevant inputs on every single page of a thread.

 

[jw5]

In fact, you can start a thread dedicated to screwing scroobal and I'll make it a sticky for you for as long as you wish. You can update it as often as you like. Anyone who wants to know your latest opinion of scroobal can then click on that thread for the latest information. In the meantime, the rest of us can get on with more interesting issues without having to be interrupted with your irrelevant inputs on every single page of a thread.

Ok, I'll think about it.

 

[soIsee]

TS is a fucktard.

Elitism? So fucktard what do you or the Sinkie the common breed that is , can do about it?

Use 2016 as a threat again?

Don't come here to use some young punks as 'fine' examples of what the new gen is going to be.

As a matter of fact, if you 'think' you are disappointed about the current breed of ppl who rule you , didn't you know such present breed of rulers you have, were once 'fine' example of ppl who you could have thought, could have make that 'difference'?

Made the difference they did, FOR THEMSELVES!

Tell me fucktard, out of every 10 'fine' ppl you had come across in your miserable life since how many have CROSSED OVER TO THE DARK SIDE? LOL

 

[wendychan]

Manipulative hypocritical motherfucker Scroobal once claimed that "HDB is not for him."

Fucking humbug.

oh did he? do you have the link??

 

[singham]

boss, that's a race that you are raising in your example. our society function as a whole, and if there are too much inequality, problems like coup will arise. look at this forum, it's all about bashing the pap. why does it happen... cos' elitism leads to cronyism. a lot of talented and diligent individuals felt imbalanced as a result of only pap's cronies are given a hand in whatever they do, especially in their career and business. i didn't expect you not to know this...

There is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with elitism. Why should the talented have to take lesser mortals into consideration in everything that they do?

Usain Bolt doesn't wait for the slower athletes. He runs as fast as possible in order to trash them good and proper. He reaps the rewards in prize money, appearance fees and endorsements and milks his status for all that it is worth. The slower athletes sink into oblivion. It's the natural order.

 

[JWNY]

Why you guys so hard on bro scroobal? Am i missing something? :(