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With a title like 'Why Am I Here' and writing his experiences with seamen (semen) more than 50 years ago, I really can't resist the pun.
Read below : Got Malays, Chinese & Bangla semen all cumming to him for advice ..... LOL :p
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</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="784"> President Nathan launches first book on early life as labour relations officer
By S Ramesh | Posted: 27 April 2010 2124 hrs
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</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="60" valign="top"> </td> <td class="update" height="80" valign="top"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="138">Photos </td> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="47">1 of 1</td> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="18"><input disabled="disabled" id="btnPrev" value="<< Previous" onclick="Prev();" src="http://172.31.254.244/www.channelnewsasia.comm/images/butt_previous.gif" height="15" type="image" width="18"></td> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="19"><input id="bntPlay" value="Play - Stop" onclick="Play()" src="http://172.31.254.241/www.channelnewsasia.comm/images/butt_stop.gif" height="15" type="image" width="19"></td> <td bgcolor="#f6f6f6" width="18"><input disabled="disabled" id="btnNext" value=" Next >> " onclick="Next();" src="http://172.31.254.243/www.channelnewsasia.comm/images/butt_next.gif" height="15" type="image" width="18"></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
President S R Nathan (file pic)</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class="update"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> <table style="background-color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="240"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <td> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="topic" valign="top"> Video </td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">
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</td> <td class="bodytext" align="left" valign="top" width="60%"> President Nathan launches first book on early life as labour relations officer</td></tr></tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" background="http://172.31.254.244/www.channelnewsasia.comm/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1052916/1/images/dotline_240.gif" valign="top">
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SINGAPORE: It's a decision he's taken after much persuasion. President SR Nathan's has launched his first book on his early life as a labour relations officer for a Seafarers' Union.
The title of President Nathan's inaugural book is a question one would constantly ask in life, said the author.
He said: "The cover of the book is very revealing, grey and gloomy. It is into that uncertain world that I went in to, do the job I did.
“So I decided to recall my experiences and write it down and kept it until I spoke to Professor Bernard Tan from the Centre for Maritime Studies. I said I didn't think it was something interesting which would merit publication, but I asked him to read it.
“But after reading, he insisted I should publish and I left it to him to do so. It has taken some time. I wasn't persuaded that it should be published, but he kept insisting I should agree and finally last I agreed and now you have the product.
“I went into an area where nobody had been before. I had no brief and I had to create my own brief.
“Mostly, the seafarers were Malays, some Chinese, and some Bangladeshis, each one had his own characteristics.
“And at that time, civil servants hardly kept notes of what they did, so much depended on memory.”
Mr Nathan recalls that many of the seamen he worked with had little education, but a strong sense of camaraderie.
He said: “The seamen of that generation were mostly with little or no education. They were rough and sometimes very crude with their manners but they had a very strong sense of camaradarie, of concern.
"Sometimes the seamen would die at sea and usually when they sign on a ship, they would make an allotment for their family, a part of the salary will be paid to the family while they are sailing.
“And I know of instances where fellow seamen, who had never known the family, never known the wife or children would make an allotment for an unknown family just because they have been working together. They have a very strong bond. I call them rough diamonds.”
“Some of the gangsters I met are still around, I met them. I went to one restaurant one day and I found him. He knows who I am, I know who he is, but he is now married and he has children, so life has taken him into a new life."
Mr Nathan believes the younger generation can gain from reading his book.
He added: "If they read it they will get to know many lessons of how human tragedy can disrupt a family, how some human problems are formidable and states of helplessness can come and how important it is for us to show a sense of compassion and concern for others.
“I'm sure in daily life there are many such happenings. We come across them directly and indirectly. It is for them to understand and if possible give them a helping hand to uplift them."
President SR Nathan's contributions to Singapore span many areas from his role in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministry, serving as envoy to Washington and Kuala Lumpur and now as the President of Singapore.
But for his next book, Mr Nathan said he wants to focus on his work in the National Trades Union Congress and he hopes the book can come out next year to time with the 50th anniversary of the NTUC.
Next year is also when the Presidential Elections are due, and so will Mr Nathan contest again?
He said: "Next year must come before I can tell you that. When I was asked to be President I had to decide whether I should accept it or not. I wasn’t sure whether I was equipped for it and I wasn’t sure whether anybody was qualified for taking on.”
At the launching ceremony of the book on Tuesday, it was announced that President Nathan waived all fees and royalties due to him from the book.
President Nathan started working on the first manuscript in 2006 and took about a year to complete it.
3,000 copies of the book have been printed and some copies will soon be available at NUS libraries as well as libraries under the National Library Board.
Limited copies of the book will be on sale at the NUS Co-Op at a retail price of S$29.90 from Wednesday. - CNA/vm
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Read below : Got Malays, Chinese & Bangla semen all cumming to him for advice ..... LOL :p
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="789"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="5">
</td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="784"> President Nathan launches first book on early life as labour relations officer
By S Ramesh | Posted: 27 April 2010 2124 hrs
<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="260"> <tbody><tr> <td align="right" width="20"> </td> <td align="right" width="240">
President S R Nathan (file pic)</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class="update"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> <table style="background-color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="240"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <td> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="topic" valign="top"> Video </td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#cccccc" valign="top">
</td> <td class="bodytext" align="left" valign="top" width="60%"> President Nathan launches first book on early life as labour relations officer</td></tr></tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" background="http://172.31.254.244/www.channelnewsasia.comm/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1052916/1/images/dotline_240.gif" valign="top">
SINGAPORE: It's a decision he's taken after much persuasion. President SR Nathan's has launched his first book on his early life as a labour relations officer for a Seafarers' Union.
The title of President Nathan's inaugural book is a question one would constantly ask in life, said the author.
He said: "The cover of the book is very revealing, grey and gloomy. It is into that uncertain world that I went in to, do the job I did.
“So I decided to recall my experiences and write it down and kept it until I spoke to Professor Bernard Tan from the Centre for Maritime Studies. I said I didn't think it was something interesting which would merit publication, but I asked him to read it.
“But after reading, he insisted I should publish and I left it to him to do so. It has taken some time. I wasn't persuaded that it should be published, but he kept insisting I should agree and finally last I agreed and now you have the product.
“I went into an area where nobody had been before. I had no brief and I had to create my own brief.
“Mostly, the seafarers were Malays, some Chinese, and some Bangladeshis, each one had his own characteristics.
“And at that time, civil servants hardly kept notes of what they did, so much depended on memory.”
Mr Nathan recalls that many of the seamen he worked with had little education, but a strong sense of camaraderie.
He said: “The seamen of that generation were mostly with little or no education. They were rough and sometimes very crude with their manners but they had a very strong sense of camaradarie, of concern.
"Sometimes the seamen would die at sea and usually when they sign on a ship, they would make an allotment for their family, a part of the salary will be paid to the family while they are sailing.
“And I know of instances where fellow seamen, who had never known the family, never known the wife or children would make an allotment for an unknown family just because they have been working together. They have a very strong bond. I call them rough diamonds.”
“Some of the gangsters I met are still around, I met them. I went to one restaurant one day and I found him. He knows who I am, I know who he is, but he is now married and he has children, so life has taken him into a new life."
Mr Nathan believes the younger generation can gain from reading his book.
He added: "If they read it they will get to know many lessons of how human tragedy can disrupt a family, how some human problems are formidable and states of helplessness can come and how important it is for us to show a sense of compassion and concern for others.
“I'm sure in daily life there are many such happenings. We come across them directly and indirectly. It is for them to understand and if possible give them a helping hand to uplift them."
President SR Nathan's contributions to Singapore span many areas from his role in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministry, serving as envoy to Washington and Kuala Lumpur and now as the President of Singapore.
But for his next book, Mr Nathan said he wants to focus on his work in the National Trades Union Congress and he hopes the book can come out next year to time with the 50th anniversary of the NTUC.
Next year is also when the Presidential Elections are due, and so will Mr Nathan contest again?
He said: "Next year must come before I can tell you that. When I was asked to be President I had to decide whether I should accept it or not. I wasn’t sure whether I was equipped for it and I wasn’t sure whether anybody was qualified for taking on.”
At the launching ceremony of the book on Tuesday, it was announced that President Nathan waived all fees and royalties due to him from the book.
President Nathan started working on the first manuscript in 2006 and took about a year to complete it.
3,000 copies of the book have been printed and some copies will soon be available at NUS libraries as well as libraries under the National Library Board.
Limited copies of the book will be on sale at the NUS Co-Op at a retail price of S$29.90 from Wednesday. - CNA/vm
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