End of Manufacturing in Sight for Singapore

Seagate Technologies

The announcement that Seagate Technologies was going to close its Ang Mo Kio factory in Singapore by 2010 was not a major surprise.It was always on the cards and the fact remains that Singapore is a very expensive country to have an operations for high labour intensive manufacturing facilty. A typical operator in Singapore can gross S$ 1000 (with overtime) from a basic of S$ 650. Convert this to Malaysian Ringgit and you get RM 2,400 per month. A similar Malaysian production operator will probably draw the equal amount in Ringgit Malaysia or RM 1,000 to RM 1,200. So the difference per operator is more than 50%.

For a high labour intensive manufacturing business like Seagate's it doesn't make economic sense then to continue operations in Singapore.True, Singapore's produtivity levels and ease of logistics save some costs but all things being equal they add up to the overall cost of business operations worldwide.Additionally, disk drive margins are falling quarter after quarter and for Seagate to survive for so long in Singapore (25 years) is nothing short of a miracle.
I wonder how many of their vendors and suppliers from Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME) are affected by this or have seen their business whittled down from 100% to just 10% because of this development.

In the end, there will be only 2 factories left in Singapore for Seagate,one in Woodlands making the higher value added disk head media and the other in Science Park doing development work.

This begs the inevitable question,whats left of manufacturing for Singapore after this exodus ? Many top brand names have been downsizing their operations quietly, such as Philips, Panasonic, Emerson and Motorola to name a few. The typical electronics and semiconductor companies are few and far between with many of them focussing on the higher end research and development. The so called new green companies such as REC, Oerlikon Solar, Bosch Solar and others are moving slowly due to this economic crisis leaving a vacuum for many a retrenched engineer and tehcnician. The life sciences sector is still in the infancy stage, and again only the top brains with at least a Masters degree in Biomedical Sciences are selected.

The Singapore Government had better take stock of this dire situation to alleviate the plight of many Singaporeans caught in this 'structural unemployment trap' whereby the unemployed are experienced in one sector but the new industries emerging have requirments which require totally new skilsets. I refer to the Integrated Resorts and gaming industries which will kickoff in early 2010.

We live in very uncertain times.

Cool Song Jason Mraz

St Andrew's Reunion Dinner September 12th 2009

 1978 Sec 4 Science 1, 2, M, 4 Tech 1, 2 and Arts classes here ; 
 Photo taken during 30th August 2008 Alumni Reunion Dinner 

Standing L - R : Michael Chong,Chew Ping Nan,Edward Ong,Jimmy Lee,Pang Seng Meng,Andrew Lee,Sunil Sabnani,Gurdeep Singh,Paul Ezekiel,Aldrin Ow Hing Choy, Kenneth Fong Kar Yew, Paul Lim, Tan Loke Khoon,Vijeysuria, Chandrakanth Mahawar, Malcolm Lim Kian Leng

Seated L - R  - Hong Heng Chow, Phoon Kok Kwong, Me, Faisal Alsagoff, Subramaniam I, Thedaisidas,Freddy Choy,Ng Tong Yang and Peter Chin. 

12th September 2009 is a much awaited day for me and a lot of my fellow Saint Andrews friends. It will mark 31 years since we 'graduated' from Secondary 4 St. Andrew's School. Last year, 2008, was a landmark year whereby we had 30 old Saints turning up to meet with our ex-classmates and year mates.Time may have aged us physically but when we met, we were chatting, joking and reminiscing just like we were 16 year olds. 

The time was especially meaningful as we exchanged notes on our lives,how many kids we have, where we are working, what happened to so and so and sadly, those who have passed on a while ago.

2 of our friends, Andrew Fok and Raymond Goh have passed on some years ago, as had our former principal, Mr. Harry Tan and the St Andrews Junior College Vice Principal, Mr. Raymond Ong. They will forever remain etched in our memories as of a certain age and though they are gone, they are not forgotten.

Happy Memories

While we can't go back in time, we can always make an effort to meet up and rebuild the bonds of friendship and belonging which were, in many ways, very pure and noble back in the years 1977 and 1978. Many of us have made it to the top of our various industries,some in banking,some in finance,some in teaching but all these are meaningless when we all get together, one of our cohort is a Government Minister, S. Iswaran, who incidently was the top boy or dux in our school in 1978 for the 'O' Levels. 

I have kept in touch with but a few, Andrew Lee, Faisal Alsagoff, Yap Tzin Haen, Chiu Loo Kwong and Chew Ping Nan. I have also made it a point to meet up and increase this circle of friends to double the number. As the saying goes, when you are a baby, time crawls, when you are a youth, time walks, when you are a young man, it runs, and when you are middle aged, time flies. How true as we are more caught up with a lot of schedules with work, family, church, friends, associates and even more so,business related travel.



                              Aldrin Ow Hing Choy, Phoon Kok Kwong and Jay Soo Kian Teck

Our Form teacher, Mr. Victor Wee is still very active and we were so touched when he could remember most of our faces as 30 years ago is a long time !! My special mention is to Mr. Tan Loke Khoon, a top lawyer with Hill and Knowlton based in Hong Kong,flew all the way down to attend the dinner last year. In addition, he paid out of his own pocket for a film crew to video and cut a DVD of the momentous event last year. What a gesture !

Some of our more famous Saints, Dr. Woffles Wu- plastic surgeon, Mr. S. Iswaran- Minister of State Trade and Industry, Mr. Arthur Lim - eye surgeon, Mr. Koh Boon Hwee - Singtel Chairman, Mr. Harry Elias - top lawyer just to name a few.

Peter Chin, Ng Tong Yang and Ng Heng Chow

I end this blog entry with the chorus of my alma mater, Saint Andrew's School.

"We are arming for the fight,
Pressing on with all our might
Pluming wings for higher flight
Up and On !
Up Boys,
Truest Flame, lies in high endeavour
Play the Game
Keep the Flame
Burning Brightly Even !"

Up and On !

Alleycats night in Kuala Lumpur

Alleycats performing at the Heritage bar, Royal Chulang Hotel

Wednesday 29th July was a memorable day for me as I went to watch my cousin, Gerard Abisheganaden perform with his band, the Alleycats at the Heritage Bar in Royal Chulang.Gerard has been in the music industry for over 30 years, and is the co-vocalist together with the founder of the band, David Arumugam. Alleycats have been in existence for 40 (!) years and was started by the brothers Logan and David Arumugam in 1969.


Gerard Abisheganaden,co-lead singer for the Alleycats, my first cousin.

Probably the premier rock and roll band in malaysia, Alleycats perform their own Malay songs, plus excellent covers from Santana, eagles,Don Henly,Bee Gees and many others. I was extremely impressed by their showmanship as well as their repertoire of songs, needing no tuning or intros which alot of the lead or bass guitarists do when they play songs which they are unfamiliar with. I guess the years of experience have made them so smooth and accomplished that the guitarists, Frank Ong and a chap called Ah Meng, can just play like they were born with the instruments as their limbs !



KLCC all lit up at night, photo taken from the Club Lounge from my hotel

To make the night more memorable, I met up with my long time friend, Chong Ki Kiong, who is a lawyer with his own law firm and we had a great chat about the state of Malaysian politics and economy ever since the change of the premiership early this year. Ever vocal and given his extensive legal knowledge, Ki Kiong is indeed a very engaging person and has wide exposure to the political bigwigs in both the ruling party and opposition camps.


Chong Ki Kiong, an old friend and lawyer based in K.L.

It was indeed a memorable evening.Lets do it again soon !

Air Asia - Success Story in the Making

Now Everyone Can Fly

Air Asia is the upstart company headed by ex-music industry executive Tony fernandez. Formed in 2002, its business model was initially greeted with scepticism and people said, "Oh its not safe, they use old planes, the low cost terminal is not convenient" and other excuses.

Come 2009 and even I am now a convert, I took the first low cost flight to K.L. return and it cost me only S$ 114; I made the final booking about 3 days beforehand. Boarding passes are just printouts,the checkin counters to KL and Bangkok are usually very fast moving, and the check-in staff very friendly.


Refurbished Airbuses A 320 for Air Asia

My reservations were that Air Asia were compromising on safety by using old planes and inexperienced pilots, but all these were wiped away when I took my first flight to KL. The plane looks to be about 15 years old but refurbished interior and was able to carry about 240 passengers,about 6 per aisle, 3 on each side. The cabin crew and stewardesses were very friendly and ever smiling and the experience I had was as good as SIA's which says alot about Air Asia.


Departing flights from Changi Terminal 1

Air Asia departs from Changi's Terminal 1, where we use the aerobridge.On arrival in K.L., we disembark at the Low Cost carrier Terminal LCCT in Sepang,about 10 minutes drive from KLIA. The only downside is that you have to walk down the airramp steps as used in the past by airlines onto the tarmac, and walk through the long walk-way to the Terminal, typically about 10 minutes or less.It is a good idea that this mode of disembarking allows both the front and rear exits of the plane to be used, thus ensuring a speedy getting off.


Passengers alighting from the plane at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur

The plane cruises at 23,000 feet, therby using more fuel and taking about 10 minutes longer than if it were SIA or MAS.However, this time lag is not notiecable for such a short trip and everything else of this trip was first class.
I intend to use Air Asia again. The airline recently voted by Sky Trax Magazine as the Best Low Cost Carrier in the World for 2008.

SIA, the challenge has been thrown down. In these uncertain economic times, business people and travellers are scaling down on travel costs and low costs carriers still get the job done. You have been warned !!

KSK victories

Esther as our only participant in the International Shitoryu Youth Championship 2009

This year, our member Esther Tan received the rare honour of winning the Kumite or free sparring Gold for the age group 17-21 Ladies in the International Shitoryu Championship held in Singapore. Renowned for her tenacity and aggressiveness, she totally overwhelmed her opponent in 3 rounds.


Esther Tan wins the Gold Medal for Kumite at the International Shitoryu Youth Championship 2009

A friendly and humble member, she is easily our most decorated member of the Club with immense potential to go very far in this sport.She has brought alot of recognition to herself and to the Club. I wish her the very best for the coming years !

Ken Shin Kai Karate Club

Ken Shin Kai Dojo (school) July 2009

I have been a member of Ken Shin Kai Karate dojo since 2002, or roughly 7 years. The sensei is Mr. Chia Kwek Fah,7th Dan Shitoryu karate instructor who trained under the legendary Shitoryu master Mabuni from Japan. Mr. Chia's experience in the sport this martial art in particular spans more than 40 years.His life experiences can be accessed online at www.ckf567.blogspot.com. Mr. Chia is also a certified sports fitness coach from Australia as well as an accomplished artist in Chinese caligraphy and photographer.

Ken Shin Kai has been in existence for 12 years. Since its humble beginnings, it has grown to almost 100 members in Singapore, but over the past few years has shrunk to approximately 40 members. Its base is at the Tanglin Community Club in Whitley Road. Our most accomplished karate-ka is Esther Tan, who has done our club proud by winning gold medals in recent inter-country club competitions in kumite (free sparring) and kata. Only 20 years old, she is very enthusiastic about her training,combining weight training with endurance runs and of course our weekly training sessions.



Shiko dachi (horse-riding stance) with gedan barai (low downward block)

Recently during the Annual General Meeting, the committee voted in Mr. Roland Teo, an experienced multi-disciplinary martial artist, who holds a second dan in Akhido, and a 1st dan in Shitoryu karate as its President. We have high hopes that with the new Executive-Committee, of whom I am part of, we will be able to galvanise our members and raise the awareness of this centuries old martial art as a means to acquire grace,flexibility,endurance as well as a very efficient way to protect oneself from attackers.Karate promotes fitness, toughness,grace and agility all at the same time.

Karate is not only a martial art, but also a way of life. Through my many years of association with this art, I have discovered that it is ultimately (as Bruce Lee so eloquently put it) "the highest form of self expression". Its objective is not to destroy or decimate but to express oneself through positive actions and poses.Through karate, I have higher self-esteem, better self discipline, confidence and a well toned body.


Roland Teo doing the Ina Shi Gi or Movement Drill

I have set myself a personal objective to increase membership by 2 times, in total, to try to enlist and motivate about 20 individuals of all creed, ages and sex to join. It will be a major challenge but it is a worthy one.