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General Veers
Guest
Apr 27, 2010
Mr Nathan, welfare officer
<!-- by line --> By Nur Dianah Suhaimi
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Speaking to the media at the Istana ahead of the launch, Mr Nathan, 85, said he was encouraged by friends to record his civil service experiences. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
<!-- story content : start --> BEFORE becoming President, Mr SR Nathan was known for his notable career in the civil service. Yet, few knew that for six years from 1956, the young Mr Nathan worked as a seaman welfare officer helping trouble-stricken sailors and port workers. These early experiences as a social worker are documented in his first book, 'Why Am I Here?', launched yesterday.
The 120-page book is a personal account of his work and struggles as a welfare officer, and the effort that he and others made to help workers overcome problems, which ranged from dismissals to pay and family issues. Speaking to the media at the Istana last week, ahead of the launch, Mr Nathan, 85, said he was encouraged by friends to record his civil service experiences. While had a varied and distinguished career, he chose to focus on this period.
'I decided to sit down and write this particular book because it was the first challenge I had,' he said when asked about the book and what readers could draw from it. 'They should, when they read it, get to know many lessons of how human tragedy can disrupt a family, how some human problems are formidable and how important it is for us to show a sense of compassion and concern for others.'
Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.
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