“Made in Singapore”

Very few things are made in Sge. In today’s ST there’s an *article about some products that were made in Singapore many, many years ago. Reading about it made me feel proud of the little red dot and I hope the present IT generation will produce more inventions and original ideas to do Sge proud.

The silver generation today comprises mostly of baby boomers –mostly educated people – and I believe they have the potential to create/produce  something –  a simple, wonderful idea that benefits a community/society. A case in point is the new social network that was created in Slovenia. It allows residents in retirement homes to travel. Ref. “Social network connects globetrotting seniors” ( ST 9 august – A31). This social network is enhancing the life of the elderly in homes and I’m sure some of us here would make use of it in the near future.  Lol!

Could the silver generation in Sge create something original with the label ‘made in Singapore’ ? Not impossible, I believe. :)

*Celebrating ‘Made in Singapore’ products, ST wed 16/8. Pg. A2

 

Author: Jassmine Teo

I came to know about the SHC from eNN (Seng Kang). My interests are varied. I write on the forum regularly to improve my writing. In my autumn years, my priority is voluntary service. Hope to meet like-minded people and help initiate a programme/project for the disabled like the hearing impaired.

6 thoughts on ““Made in Singapore””

  1. Indeed there are a few things made in Singapore.
    There are a few reasons for it.
    Firstly, we have a small population compared with countries like USA which has
    over three hundred millions people.
    Secondly, for creativity to flourish, certain basic conditions have to prevail.
    Does the educational system promote the students to be creative. A system
    which emphasizes purely on academic results may not make the ground
    “fertile” for young shoots to grow. This is often the case where the academic study is through rote learning and the students regurgitate what they have learnt from teachers.
    Is the society including the parents, the public sector, the business community
    conducive and supportive to generate original ideas which play a very important role towards the encouragement and enhancement of creativity and risks taking.
    Sadly to say, the country is lacking behind compared with upcoming countries
    like South Korea, Taiwan and China. Just to mention one self-made product, the cell phone, all these countries have made it. South Korea has Samsung, HTC in Taiwan and Xiami in China.
    Where does Singapore position? Can it produce a similar product in the near future?
    Robert Ong

  2. Hee hee

    Very few things are made in Singapore… Robert and I are possibly the few older things still around… Well, look on the bright side: we have many new immigrants from the motherland…and they will soon be making Singaporeans, too!

    Ok, put the jokes aside… Our small size as a nation does inhibit creativity and innovation; our education system is too rigid and merit-based. But I hope that the future would be brighter; we need to be smarter and world-savvy.

    Our institutions turn out around 200 engineering graduates per year, Taiwan 2,000 and China 200,000… so we need to be extra-ordinary! Work and reward is no longer the same as before; money is supreme and the winner-take-all mentality permeates society. So can we really succeed?

    I think there is a chance… We have Sim Wong Hoo of Creative, OSIM, Hyflux and SIA as examples; we can nurture and build more successful companies and people.

  3. Hi Robert and Kenneth
    Thanks for digging out those figures :) You have mentioned the factors that discourage the development of innovative minds in S’pore. I would just like to add that our talent pool is very small compared to large countries with large populations and rich natural resources.

    But we have survived and even thrived. Now, with the recognition of multiple intelligences and the belief that ?????, and with the govt providing the support in terms of change in education focus, money and relaxing of red tape, can we hope for a blossoming of new ideas/inventions from S’poreans that could attract world attention?

    And what about the present silver generation in S’pore – can we be part of this exciting change, seeing that we are at the transition? I believe we can, but mindset must change first.

  4. Kenneth has mentioned a few entrepreneurs who have succeeded in their respective businesses.
    The founders have certain distinctive features in common. They are innovators and not inventors and are imbued with passion, a vision, innovative attribute and the courage to take risks.
    Sim Wong Hoo of Creative started with a repair shop and in 1987, the company released a sound blaster sound card which incorporated audio capability into the PCs and had become a standard feature for many years. This is an example of ingenious innovation. The PCs and sound technology were already there long before.
    Douglas Foo of Sakae Holdings Ltd started his Sakae Sushi outlet in 1997.
    It revolutionized the dining experience by making food to customer via conveyor belt. This is another outstanding example of innovation rather than technology. They did not invent the sushi and the conveyor belt. Today the company operates 250 restaurants in 10 countries.
    Do the few examples teach us something about how to nurture to compete and sustain in an increasingly competitive world.
    Robert Ong

  5. I was browsing in a stand-alone minimart/store when I discovered a product that is made in Singapore (not re-packed). It is a brand of instant coffee. I bought a small pack of 10 sachets of “kopi kosong” to try and found it quite good for instant black coffee. And it is not too expensive at 12 cts a sachet. So happy to make this discovery in the new year! :)

  6. To think that during the pioneer generation time, at least 50 things were made- in- Sge products — a great revelation to those not aware and the *exhibition of these products is timely, to instill pride in our people and the ‘can do’ spirit.
    The kerosene lamp of yesteryear (see image), still in production, is a decorative and functional piece. Wonder if it is still sold in Sge. And the orange coloured sugar that goes with puttu mayam and ‘huat kway’ – it’s uniquely Sge!
    Wonder if today’s senior citizens can pioneer/create something uniquely Sge? This year’s beautiful, heart-warming ND song was composed by a senior citizen, so I am optimistic. :}

    *S.T. July 16, B6

    [image=kerosene lamp 001.JPG]

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