SAYING THANK YOU TO MINDEF'S VOLUNTEERS

He simply wants to help "bridge the gap".

For Mr Desmond Hill, Deputy General Manager of Penta-Ocean Construction, he chose to volunteer as a representative for employers in the Advisory Council for Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) so as to help businesses and industries better understand Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) policies.

"One should try to give back to society what society has given you. You volunteer because you think you can give back. You don't expect anything in return," he said.

Mr Hill was one of the volunteers at a dinner hosted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean at the Regent Hotel on 21 Jul. The dinner was held to recognise the commitment and contributions of more than 200 MINDEF volunteers.

Mr Teo also presented certificates of appointment and re-appointment to 59 volunteers at the annual dinner.

Expressing his appreciation to the volunteers, Mr Teo said that their efforts added to the collective commitment and determination of Singaporeans from all walks of life to contribute to the nation s defence.

"By volunteering as members of the public, you take personal ownership of the development of the SAF and represent the nation's support and backing for it," said Mr Teo. "This sends a strong signal of deterrence to any potential aggressor - that they face a nation united in its determination to defend and fight for what is ours."

Mr Teo also highlighted that in addition to having committed and ready regulars and citizen soldiers to defend the country, the expertise and resources of Singaporeans committed to defence was crucial in ensuring that Singapore remained peaceful and stable.

With their expertise in the private and public sectors, the volunteers keep MINDEF updated on corporate best practices and help enhance its organisational processes.

"As a qualified practising certified public accountant, I can better share my professional audit, tax and finance experience and knowledge at SAFRA audit and finance," said Mr Douglas Tan, Managing Director of Steven Tan Russell Bedford Public Accounting Corporation, who has served as Chairman of the SAFRA Audit Committee since March 2003.

Another volunteer, Ms Balakrishnan Madhubala, Director of the Legal Department at Housing and Development Board, uses her expertise in the legal field to serve as a member of the Board of Visitors for the Detention Barracks.

As to what motivates her to volunteer, she said: "I see volunteer work as a higher calling. If I can go somewhere and make a difference, it's worth the effort."

The volunteers also play an important role in promoting defence awareness among the public and help to strengthen the bridge between MINDEF and the public.

Ms Joanna Portilla, an ACCORD member and active volunteer community leader in the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency (GRC), started serving as a volunteer two years ago when she was invited into ACCORD. She acts as part of the "two-way communication process" to include women in MINDEF's various outreach programmes, organising visits for them and their families to learn more about the SAF.

"Being part of the committee, we are able to raise questions more directly with the Defence Minister and the Minister of State for Defence," she said.

The volunteers also contribute in domains like music and drama.

For example, Dr Yu Wei Jie, Head of the Department of Theatre at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, contributes to MINDEF's professional artistic repertoire by advising the Music and Drama Company (MDC) on various aspects of performance ranging from stage presentation to costume design.

A member of the MDC Supervisory Board since 2005, Dr Yu said that he has seen a marked improvement in MDC's performances in the last five years.

"MDC has become an industry benchmark in terms of music, dance and theatre performances," said Dr Yu.

Sharing about his volunteering experience, Dr Yu said that it was a pleasure to volunteer because he was not a passive member of the audience, but had to actively take down notes while watching MDC's performances in order to serve his advisory role well.

"It has been an enjoyable and entertaining volunteering experience, one where you never feel tired," Dr Yu said. "It is really an honour to volunteer at MDC."