A tribute to my mentors at SBC

My thinking has been shaped by the people I have worked with. How to be creative, bold, cautious, intuitive, and analytical; selecting when to be which at the right time. Here is my tribute to the people who shaped my early career, making me who I am today.

Who interviewed the engineers?

My classmate, Lee Seng Chee and I were interviewed by a panel of 3 people. A distinguished looking middle-aged man, a bespectacled woman and a slim younger man. I found out much later they were respectively: SBC’s Deputy Chairman of the Board Cheng Tong Fatt, General Manager Wong-Lee Siok Tin and Assistant General Manager of Operations Lim Eng Hai.

Such was SBC’s focus on human resources.

Learning by doing

I was first supervised by Leong Ngai Weng. His easy-going, casual style made work interesting and fun. He practiced the art of autonomous management. He once asked me jokingly if I was still alive after the commissioning of an extension of SBC’s switch room. These high-powered facilities literally explode when things go wrong. He got me to specify and buy equipment and systems. Lots of them; and for lots of different areas and applications.

I learned about Television Studios from Tan Sai Yoon, the intricacies of cameras from Goh Kee Chye, maintenance from Ronnie Chng, Video Post Production from Albert Yeo, Contys from Seet Leong Teik, BVH-2000’s and one-inch B’s from Poh Ah Kow and Chan Lian Kan.

I learnt how to build a TV Theatre from Lai Wing Hin and about radio from Assad Sameer Baghagrib.

All these people and more are specialists in their fields and I was fortunate to have gained a glimpse of their knowledge.

Learning by example

Perhaps the most powerful example of a life-long learner was Director of Engineering Sebastian Tan Chiaw Hock. He had a never ending thirst for learning and applying knowledge. I remember being called into his office on many Saturdays to discuss and tutor him on the then emerging field of computers.

He had a gentle, quiet, strong but friendly personality. He and I shared a liking for Kopi-O-Peng (iced back coffee) . Coffee in hand, he often sat next to me at one of the large round tables in the canteen during lunch.

Sebastian showed me the ways of being a good engineer.

Real-time management

My next supervisor, Tay Joo Thong exposed me to the real-time nature of television operations. I learned about teamwork and time management from Outside Broadcast Supervisor Yeo Juay Thiew. I saw in amazement how a good team of people could build a television studio from scratch, operate it under time pressure and later tear it down. And repeat this reliably, time and time again.

I learned about gaining rooftop access and working with third parties so that microwave links could be set up. This I owe to Goh Chee Kok and Chee Chay Chuan.

I learned about television production from Technical Producers: Yew Thiam Hock, Peter Gay, Low Tian Ling, Pok Chye Heng, Wong Yew Wah, Ramamurthy, Ng Say Hin and Yap Seok Hwa.

I learned about the friendly but competitive rivalry between Lighting man Seah Hong Gim and Power man Ong Kim Bok. And how this tension spurred new and creative solutions.

I learned about drive, ambition, courage, politics, agility, directness and imagination from Tay Joo Thong.

All this and more are the many ingredients of the real-time business that is television.

Doing work in peace, up on a hill

Tuning a klystron is both a science and an art. It is mostly art. Peace and quiet allow focus and practice to master that art. I had the peace but not enough time – to master the art. I am very much thankful for the experience extended by the masters: Lee Wai Meng, Low Peng Lye, Kong Sung Yuen, Han Juam Kwong, Stephen Chor Yee Lok and Mano.

They are the Jedi of the transmission force.

Running an office

“The job is not done till the paperwork is done.” says one humorous quote. Many people put down role of the bureaucracy, but no large organisation can run without it. I learned how to read and write board papers, circulars and memorandums. This made possible by the Office: Lawrence Tan, Chong Khiu Ying, Cynthia Lim, Lee Bee Hwa, Lai Sow Yong, Doris Teo, Azlan and Lee Pau Sheng.

I must make special mention of my writing tutor – Sim Choon Hin. I affectionately call him “fussy old man” as his attention to detail was phenomenal. Because of him, I learned to be detailed and when detail was called for.

Strategy and tactics

The politics within SBC was lively. Powerful divisions like News (headed by Ananda Pereira) and Current Affairs (headed by S. Chandramohan) vied to produce ever-more relevant, attractive and informative television programs. SBC Engineering had to diplomatically allocate the required resources. I learned much about diplomacy from Lam Lychow. I learned to stay calm amidst the turmoil by the studying the actions of Producer Joan Chee.

I learned about high-profile and high-risk jobs and the “SBC man” Ho Pan Chun. He was often summoned to fix a certain very important person’s television setup.

I learned from knowledge powerhouses Liew Ter Kwang, Yeo Kim Pow, Quek Tee Chye, Miss Khoo, Mrs Sukumar and Sarah on how they cataloged, retrieved and used knowledge to advantage. Each time I stepped into Ter Kwang’s office I wondered how he managed to track and catalog the multiple tall stacks of documents piled on almost every square foot of space! Ter Kwang ate no sugar then – I wonder if this was the secret to his super power. Now retired, he affords himself the luxury of sugar.

Knowledge is power.

Its about people

Everyone I’ve had the priviledge of meeting has thought me something. Each has had his or her unique viewpoint and philosophy.

John Tan Peng Tee the solid, steadfast worker.

Lim Show Shiaw, Quek Khay Tat, Yap Boon Soo and Tan Yee Tiang, the technology educators of SBC. Lai Weng Tat, technologist extraordinaire.

Wong Soh Soon, kung-fu master of his domain. Loh Kim Song, master of chi and also a Power man.

Lee Sik Hui and Tan Kim Poh of SBC’s commercial enterprise. Tan Hua Long, Cheng Joo Jang and Kueh Teck Yong who ventured out to create an enterprise of their own.

To all these people and the many more whom I have surely missed out,
Thank You.