YSA AR 2011

Annual Report 2011 

Report 2011 

Annual

Contents 

Contents 

President’s Message ....................................................................................................................... 2 

The Year in Review ............................................................................................................................ 3 

Panel of Advisors (2011) ............................................................................................................ 10 

Executive Committee (2011) ................................................................................................... 11 

Report of the Executive Committee ................................................................................... 14 

Accounts and Reports .................................................................................................................. 31 

Annual Report 2011 1

President’s President’s Message Message 

I am extremely pleased to 

present the Annual Report 

for 2011 of Young Sikh 

Association (Singapore). 

This provides an important 

opportunity for me to 

report on the performance 

of the Association in the 

course of the last year and 

communicate some of its 

key efforts. 

In the course of the last year, the Association organised 

a number of important programmes. At the same 

time, we launched, jointly and independently, several 

interesting initiatives. These have supported our mission 

of fulfilling the aspirations of young Singaporeans. We 

also lent support to key programmes of other Sikh 

institutions and like-minded organisations outside the 

Sikh community. All these programmes have made it 

an eventful year for the Association. 

Whilst the Association has done well in the last year, 

it can do much more in the years ahead. It cannot 

remain static for it will stagnate. It will have to review 

and refine its current slate of programmes and identify 

and implement new and exciting initiatives while 

deciding which of the established programmes will 

continue to give it value and assist in its mission. Some 

things must remain constant though – the Association 

must continue to work with partners in and outside 

the Sikh community to achieve maximum returns. As 

importantly, it must constantly be on the search for 

dedicated and committed youths that it can induct into 

the Executive Committee. In short, it must continue 

to be dynamic, versatile and forward-looking while 

taking advantage of the platforms and the credibility 

that have been built up so that it remains relevant to its 

stakeholders and constituents. 

Advisors have provided much needed guidance to 

chart the directions of the Association. The Executive 

Committee has, over the years, been instrumental in 

executing important and relevant programmes in the 

pursuit of the Association’s mission and objectives. I 

also thank all the members for their strong support and 

patronage. 

The Association will witness a change of leadership at 

its Annual General Meeting this year. We started the 

process of leadership renewal about four years ago. 

The founding team’s goal was to build the organisation, 

give it momentum and then hand over the reins to a 

team that could take it forward. We identified and 

groomed relevant Executive Committee members and 

gave them opportunities to take on key appointments 

so that they would be ready to assume the mantle of 

leadership. 

I am completing my term as President of the Association 

in the firm belief that I leave it in the hands of a highly 

committed and dedicated Executive Committee, led 

by capable and professional leadership. I know they 

will carry on the good work and take the Association to 

new heights. I ask the members to give their support to 

the incoming Executive Committee in the same manner 

as they have done in the past. I wish my successor and 

the incoming Executive Committee every success in 

their endeavours. 

Hernaikh Singh 

I am deeply honoured to have led the Association since 

its founding nine years ago. They have been fruitful and 

enriching years for me personally and professionally. 

During this period, the Association made great strides 

and achieved much. This would not have been 

possible without the unstinting support of the Advisors 

and the members of the Executive Committee. The 

2 

Young Sikh Association (Singapore)

The Year in The Year in Review Review 

“ 

They certainly flew the SIngapore flag high in Punjab 

and did the Association proud by their act of compassion 

and service to the less fortunate in India.” 

The year 2011 was a highly productive and fruitful one 

for Young Sikh Association (Singapore). 

We launched several initiatives and organised a 

range of programmes focusing on the core areas 

of community service projects, intellectual and 

professional development, greater racial and religious 

awareness and understanding, showcasing talent 

within the Sikh community and forging closer linkages 

with other segments of Singapore’s social fabric. 

These initiatives and programmes provided important 

platforms for the Association to reach out to young 

Sikhs and young Singaporeans in particular, and 

the larger Singapore society in general, as well as to 

achieve its mandate of fulfilling aspirations. 

The Important Tenet of Community Service 

Community service has been an intrinsic part of the 

Association’s work in the last nine years. Holding firm 

to the belief that participation in community service 

promotes compassion, care and concern among 

young Singaporeans, we have been organising 

annual community service expeditions to India. We 

also strongly believe that such voluntary and selfless 

efforts should be recognised, and have worked hard 

to recognise and showcase volunteers and support 

the efforts of partner organisations in this area. 

In January 2011, we organised a certificate 

presentation ceremony for participants of Project 

Khwaish X. The 16 participants not only built a 


library but also completely changed the facade of 

the village school in Mandiala in Punjab through a 

complete paint job, a new boundary wall and school 

gates, fans, lights and furniture, among others. They 

certainly flew the Singapore flag high in Punjab and 

did the Association proud by their act of compassion 

and service to the less fortunate in India. Mr Sam 

Tan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and 

Industry, and Information, Communications and the 

Arts, was the Guest-of-Honour at the ceremony. 

In August 2011, the Association once again supported 

the fundraising efforts of the Sikh Welfare Council 

(SIWEC) through its Flag Day. Our members joined 

many other Sikhs and non-Sikhs to walk the streets 

to raise funds for SIWEC’s programmes for needy 

and less privileged families. The fundraising efforts 

met with great success and achieved the target set 

by the Council. 

In the same month, the Association, through its newlyestablished 

Healthy Lifestyle Club, participated in a 

charity football tournament to raise funds for Down 

Syndrome Association Singapore. The YSA Healthy 

Lifestyle Club was set up in July 2011 to promote a 

healthy lifestyle and build a harmonious and vibrant 

community. The tournament enabled the Association 

achieve the twin objectives of supporting a worthy 

cause and encouraging a healthy lifestyle among its 

members. 

At the end of the year, the Association sent its eleventh 

community service expedition to Ludhiana in Punjab. 

Mr Seah Kian Peng, Deputy Speaker of Parliament 

and Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, 

joined the participants’ family members and guests 

at the send-off ceremony for the project participants 

in December 2011. The multi-ethnic group of 22 

Singaporeans built a library of 2,500 books and a 

new staff room in the school. It also donated new 

furniture, stationery and toys during the expedition. 

While making a significant difference to the school 

and host community, the expedition also provided the 

opportunity to the participants to have a more in-depth 

understanding of the Sikhs, their roots and heritage. 

4 




Emphasis on Active Citizenry and Global 

Mindset 

The Association also places a significant emphasis 

on developing a global mindset among young 

Singaporeans. It is important for our youths to have a 

keen understanding of local, regional and international 

developments so that they become active participants 

in society and keep abreast of and, where possible, 

influence changes taking places around them. This 

is important to ensure that all Singaporeans have a 

stake in the development of our society. 

The Association and a number of its present and past 

Executive Committee members participated in the 

Sikh retreat in January 2011. An important initiative 

spearheaded by the Sikh Advisory Board, the retreat 

provided the opportunity for the Sikh community to 

examine the progress made, the key challenges it 

faces and the measures needed to address these 

challenges. 

In July 2011, we organised a seminar on ‘The New 

Social Compact in Singapore’. This was held on the 

back of a watershed election in Singapore last year 

which led to the emergence of a ‘new normal’ in 

Singapore’s socio-political landscape. The seminar 

threw up many interesting views and perspectives on 

the issue of the new social compact in Singapore. 

We also organised the fourth Ministerial Dialogue with 

Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister in the Prime Minister’s 

Office, in November 2011. Focusing on the responses 

to Singapore’s socio-economic challenges, the 

session witnessed a frank and candid sharing session 

among the participants. 

The latter two events, as in the case of many of the 

Association’s events, witnessed the participation of new 

citizens, which provided an important and, at times, 

different perspectives to the discussions of the day. 

Importance of Racial Harmony 

The Association propagates the view that a peaceful 

and harmonious racial and religious environment is 

vital to the growth and success of Singapore. We have 

been playing an important role in promoting racial and 

religious harmony, understanding and appreciation 

through our programmes. 

At the start of the year, the Association lent its support 

to the Chingay Parade as part of the larger Indian 

community contingent. The Association viewed its 

involvement in the parade as an important reflection 

of its own aspiration of promoting unity across 

communities and cultures. 

In February 2011, more than 250 players and close to 

150 supporters and spectators came together to be 

part of the YSA ‘Racial Harmony’ Football Tournament. 

Into its eighth year, the event has become a regular 

feature on the Association’s calendar. Whilst promoting 

a healthy lifestyle among young Singaporeans, the 

event also promotes the importance message of 

racial and religious harmony. 

A month later, the Association lent its support to 

the Fandi Ahmad Academy Religious Harmony Cup 

through the nomination of a team. It had a similar 

objective as our own annual tournament – to promote 

religious harmony in Singapore. 

6 


“ 

We place much emphasis on grooming the next 

generation of leaders to take the Association to the next 

level of growth. Similarly, we believe on the need to 

develop leadership at all levels within and outside 

the Sikh community.” 

The Association participated in the Fourth Community 

Engagement Games Day in August 2011. We 

have been part of this important initiative since its 

inception and we have found it to extremely relevant 

in strengthening Singapore’s social fabric. 

Spearheaded by the Singapore Buddhist Federation, 

the event provided an important occasion for 

Singaporeans from different faiths to come together 

and develop greater understanding through sports 

and other informal activities. 

Engaging the Next Generation of Sikh Leaders 

We place much emphasis on grooming the next 

generation of leaders to take the Association to the 

next level of growth. Similarly, we believe on the need to 

develop leadership at all levels within and outside the Sikh 

community. Together with the Sikh Centre, Singapore, 

we established an annual networking session and tea 

reception for graduating Sikhs in 2008. 

In October 2011, the Association and the Sikh Centre, 

Singapore, organised the fourth such session for 31 

graduates. This initiative has gained much support 

since its initiation and has become a place for building 

networks for graduating Sikhs. 

Supporting Talent and Cultural Development 

The Association actively reaches out to budding and 

talented individuals and provides the much-needed 

fillip to enable them to showcase their talent to the 

wider Singapore community. It is the Association’s 

way of contributing to the Sikh community and to 

Singapore’s fast flourishing arts and culture scenes. 

In October 2011, the Association ventured into play 

presentation for the second time since its founding. 

Six years earlier, it had presented ‘Khoj…In Search 

Of!’ to a full-house of more than 900 people. 

This time, we lent our support to KRI Art and Theatre 

in its staging of ‘The Doctor is In’ which examined 

issues of globalisation and their impact on traditional 

Indian family values. 

The play had a sell-out crowd at all its three stagings 

and received much complimentary feedback from the 

audience. The Association was pleased to be associated 

with the play and with its efforts to support young Sikhs 

realise their dreams and fulfill their aspirations. 

Active Guidance, Support and Participation 

When the Association was established in 2003, there 

was a strong belief that it was relevant and that it would 

soon occupy its important place in the Sikh community 

and Singapore society. However, at the same time, there 

was some trepidation among the founding members 

as to whether we could succeed in the longer term. 

Such concerns are normal for any new organisation 

and the Association was no different. 

The Association can pride itself as having done well. 

It has, in the years since its founding, become an 

important part of the institutional landscape in the Sikh 

community and earned a reputation for delivering a 

consistently high level of activities. It would not have 

been able to achieve so much in such a short time 

without the unstinting support of and participation 

from many individuals and organisations, and it is 

important to acknowledge their contributions to the 

Association. 

The Executive Committee comprises volunteers 

who have full-time jobs and many other competing 

engagements. Furthermore, the Association has 

never had any full-time staff. Thus, unlike many 

other organisations, the Executive Committee not 



only worked on the strategies and conceptualisation 

of the Association’s initiatives, it also played the 

important role of bringing these initiatives to fruition. 

The Executive Committee members spend much 

time planning and executing programmes in the belief 

that this is but their small contribution to a much 

larger cause or ensuring the long-term development 

and growth of the Association. 

The Association has also relied considerably on its 

Advisors for guidance and support since its inception. 

In the last year, we had the fortune of having another 

distinguished businessman, Mr Kirpa Ram Sharma, 

accepting our invitation to be part of the Panel of 

Advisors. These Advisors give much of their time and 

resources to ensuring that the Association stays true 

to its founding principles of fulfilling the aspirations of 

young Singaporeans. 

Today, the Association has close to 600 members from 

the Sikh and non-Sikh communities. These members 

have consistently lent their support to the Association’s 

programmes and activities. Many have, from time to 

time, assisted with the organisation of the Association’s 

events. We are indebted to them for choosing to be 

part of the Association. 

In addition to the Advisors, Executive Committee and 

members, there are many organisations and individuals 

that have come forward to support the Association’s 

programmes through generous donations, exposure 

opportunities and support in numbers. We are 

extremely appreciative of their support. Without their 

involvement, the Association would not have achieved 

the success that it has. 

Renewal of Leadership and Executive 

Committee 

A new leadership and Executive Committee will take 

their place at the Association at the Annual General 

Meeting. The incoming Executive Committee will 

have re-elected and newly-elected members. This 

is important. The re-elected Executive Committee 

members will ensure continuity and the Association’s 

connections with the past while the newly-elected 

Executive Committee members will bring new and 

fresh perspectives. 

The key task of the incoming Executive Committee 

will be to ensure that the Association continues the 

good work of the outgoing leadership and Executive 

Committee and take the Association further in 

the pursuit of its mandate and objectives. With the 

Association’s emphasis on succession planning 

and in its efforts to identify and bring young and 

committed individuals onto the Executive Committee, 

the incoming Executive Committee has the ability to 

further advance the Association. 

Anticipating an Active and Fruitful Year 

The Association now has a range of interesting and 

exciting programmes which have been a regular 

feature on its calendar. These include the racial 

harmony football tournament, the community service 

project, the certificate presentation ceremony, the 

ministerial dialogue and lecture series, and the tea 

reception for graduating Sikhs. 

The year ahead will witness several interesting 

programmes and activities. The fifth Ministerial 

Dialogue will take place in the third quarter of the 

year. Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister for Finance 

and Manpower, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, will 

be the guest speaker at the dialogue session. At the 

same time, we will organise the second Bhangra 

Bonanza, which will see bhangra groups performing 

in the heartlands of Singapore. We shall organise 

the seventh Khwaish Lecture this year as well. At the 

same time, we will initiate several sporting activities 

under the umbrella of the YSA Healthy Lifestyle Club. 

We look forward to the members’ active support and 

participation in these activities. 

The Association has grown from strength to strength 

over the years and has taken its rightful place in the 

Sikh community and Singapore society. With its 

new leadership and Executive Committee, and its 

current and planned activities, the Association, in its 

next phase, hopes to cement its place as a standard 

bearer for Sikh organisations. 

8 



of Advisors (2011) 

Panel of Advisors (2011) 

Panel 

Mr Davinder Singh 

Chief Executive Officer 

Drew and Napier LLC 

Mr Inderjit Singh 

Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC 

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Infiniti Solutions; and 

Executive Chairman, Tri-Star Electronics 

Mr Kirpa Ram Sharma 

Managing Director 

Pars Ram Brothers (Pte) Ltd 

Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman 

Senior Parliamentary Secretary 

Ministry of National Development; and 

Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC 

10 


Committee (2011) 

Executive Committee (2011) 

Executive 

Mr Hernaikh Singh 

President 

Mr Malminderjit Singh 

Vice-President (Corporate Relations) 

Ms Sheetal Kaur 

Vice-President (Administration) 

Mr Nirman Singh 

Honorary Secretary 

Mr Kuldip Singh 

Assistant Secretary and Culture 


Mr Gurmeet Singh 

Honorary Treasurer 

Mr Sukhbir Singh 

Assistant Treasurer 

Mr Satwant Singh 

Committee Member 

Mr Harveen Narulla 


(Newsletter Editor) 

Ms Harsimar Kaur 


(Corporate Communications and 

Intellectual and Professional Development) 

12 


Ms Harjean Kaur 


(Intellectual and Professional Development) 

Mr Simarnirvair Singh 


(Intellectual and Professional Development) 

Ms Sithara Doriasamy 


(Conferences and Seminars) 

Mr Jovin Hurry 


(Conferences and Seminars) 

Ms Huda Ishak 


(Community Service) 

Mr Kulwant Singh 


(Sports) 


Report of the Executive Report of the Executive Committee 

Committee 

Community Service 

Community service to local and international causes 

has been an important tenet of the Association since 

its inception. The initiatives under this banner provide 

the opportunity to young Singaporeans to contribute 

to society and make a difference to the lives of the 

less fortunate and needy. At the same time, they 

enable the participants to experience a sense of civic 

engagement and social responsibility, and develop 

group and leadership skills. Equally important, they 

help develop a closer appreciation and understanding 

of the Sikh community amongst the non-Sikh 

participants. 

In 2011, the Association led its eleventh community 

service project to India. Since its inception in 2003, 

the Khwaish projects have witnessed the participation 

of more than 200 Sikhs and non-Sikh youths who 

have undertaken a range of activities during the 

expeditions. These included constructing a fitness 

park for the aged, refurbishing and re-painting schools 

in villages, conducting English language lessons and 

drama classes for students, holding workshops for 

teachers, developing libraries, and computer and 

multipurpose halls, organising personal hygiene 

classes for the schoolchildren, and donating clothes, 

toys and books to the schools, the children and the 

host communities. 

Certificate Presentation Ceremony for 

Project Khwaish X 

Sixteen young Singaporeans participated in Project 

Khwaish X, YSA’s tenth community service project to 

Punjab, India, from 7 to 27 December 2010. 

During the expedition, the volunteers provided a 

completely new school and learning environment 

to the teachers and students of a village school in 

India in less than three weeks. They started with an 

old rundown room and converted it to a full-fledged 

library, donating 2,500 books, eight bookshelves and 

a laptop to manage the library loans system, which 

they also set up and taught the students to operate. 

They then cleaned, plastered and painted the school. 

To create a safe and demarcated learning space, 

they also built a seven-foot boundary wall around 

the school with two new gates. Moving then to the 

classrooms, the volunteers fitted them with ceiling 

fans and lights to make classes in the hot summers 

more bearable and indoor lessons less strenuous on 

the eyes of the pupils. At the same time, they built an 

indoor kitchen, donated a cooker for the preparation of 

the children’s meals and provided a water purification 

system to the school, which until then had no choice 

but to supply unfiltered and often contaminated water. 

The volunteers also donated more than 160 chairs 

and tables to the school. 

The participants were recognised for their efforts at 

a certificate presentation ceremony organised by the 

Association at the Grassroots Club on 25 January 

2011. Mr Sam Tan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for 

Trade and Industry, and Information, Communications 

and the Arts, who presented the certificates, stated, 

“I would like to commend the team members for their 

selfless contributions to making a difference to the lives 

of the children in the village by providing them with a 

positive educational environment which we take for 

granted in Singapore. I am certain that their efforts have 

also touched the hearts of the local community beyond 

the physical and material outcomes of the project.” 

Mr Tan encouraged the participants to continue to 

do their part for the Sikh community and society at 

large. “I hope that you (the participants of the project) 

will continue to be involved in volunteering work, be 

it at the Association or other organisations, locally or 

abroad, so that more people will be touched by your 

good work.” 

YSA also used the certificate presentation ceremony to 

recognise a very special volunteer – Madam Paramjit 

Kaur. She was not a participant in the project. However, 

she contributed significantly to the project’s success. 

She went house to house with one of the project’s 

facilitators to collect clothes throughout the day till late 

at night. She tirelessly sourced for boxes and helped 

to sort out the clothes. She also singlehandedly raised 

$2,000 for the project, apart from buying 1,500 books 

which were donated to the school, together with 

stationery sets and gifts for the children. 

14 


Community Community Service Service 



Committee 

Project Khwaish XI 

Twenty-two Singaporeans went on a journey of selfless 

and charitable service in aid of underprivileged and 

needy children in Punjab, India, from 7 to 26 December 

2011. They were part of YSA’s Project Khwaish XI. 

The project represented a truly Singaporean ethnic 

flavour. It comprised participants from all the racial 

and religious groups in Singapore, namely, nine Sikhs, 

two Chinese, nine Indians and two Malay/Muslims. 

The overseas community service expeditions are an 

important means for the Association to showcase 

its efforts to be inclusive and to reach out to young 

Singaporeans from all walks and backgrounds. 

books in order to make them easier to access for needy 

schoolchildren in Punjab, India. The group also cleaned, 

refurbished and painted the school building. Beyond the 

library, the team came up with a large new staffroom 

as the teachers had expressed a lack of motivation at 

having to work in an old room with no proper furniture. 

Besides donating the furniture, the team contributed 

about 50 books and transformed it into a conducive 

room for the staff with other improvements. Over the 

three weeks, the team provided a completely new 

school environment for the teachers and students. 

YSA organised a send-off ceremony for the 

participants on 7 December 2011. Mr Seah Kian 

Peng, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member 

of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, was the 

Guest-of-Honour at the ceremony. He applauded 

the participants for their initiative and stated, “Such 

efforts demonstrate that our youths are far from 

apathetic. They want to contribute. They want to be 

seen. They want to be heard. They want to make a 

difference.” 

During the project, the participants built two libraries 

and subsequently catalogued close to 2,500 donated 

16 


Community Community Service Service 

“ 

The project also enabled the participants to 

better understand India and Punjab, their rich history, 

tradition, culture and way of life.” 

It was a wonderful opportunity for young Singaporeans 

to come together to and work as a team to help the 

schoolchildren by developing a library and painting the 

whole school. The Singapore team made a significant 

difference to the host community. The school was its 

shining and tangible contribution. 

The project also enabled the participants to better 

understand India and Punjab, their rich history, 

tradition, culture and way of life. Through seeing 

Punjab and India first hand, working with the 

locals on the project, eating, communicating and 

interacting with the people on the ground, and visiting 

places of educational and historical significance, 

the participants had a clearer understanding and 

appreciation of India and Punjab and their socioeconomic 

systems. 



Committee 

Conferences and Seminars 

Among many other programmes, YSA has been 

organising regular and timely forums on many 

thought-provoking and topical issues. This effort aims 

to broadens the perspectives young Singaporeans on 

global politics, businesses, technologies and other 

social and cultural environments. 

In 2011, several developments in Singapore pointed 

to a transformation in the social landscape, with 

implications on the social fabric of the country as well 

as on the political and economic fronts. The Association 

took the opportunity to organise a seminar comprising 

speakers from relevant sections of Singapore’s society 

as well as a dialogue session with a Singapore minister 

on key socio-economic challenges for Singapore. 

Seminar on New Social Compact in 

Singapore 

YSA organised a seminar on ‘The New Social Compact 

in Singapore’ with a cross section of the stakeholders 

of Singapore’s society on 9 July 2011. More than 130 

participants attended the seminar, which brought 

together four distinguished panelists from a cross 

section of Singapore’s society. These were Mr Inderjit 

Singh and Mr Pritam Singh, Members of Parliament 

for Ang Mo Kio GRC and Aljunied GRC respectively, 

Mr Zakir Hussain, correspondent on the Political 

Desk of The Straits Times, and Dr Tan Chi Chiu, 

Chairman of the Lien Centre for Social Innovation at 

the Singapore Management University. Together, they 

focused on the issue of the new social compact from 

the perspectives of the government, the opposition, 

young Singaporeans and civil society. 

Mr Inderjit said that the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) 

decision of “growth at all cost”, without paying closer 

attention on the socio-economic impact it had on 

the people, resulted in it losing a significant number 

of votes in the recent election. He added that the 

policy to increase the number of foreign workers 

and new citizens resulted in increased demand for 

flats and public transport, which added pressure on 

infrastructure and services. He further stated that 

the last election had the most number of hot-button 

issues surfaced in a single election and this affected 

the confidence of the people in the ruling party, apart 

from the party having to face the challenges of the 

new media. 

Mr Zakir opined that the voters who would vote against 

the PAP are young people seeking a new social 

compact (a ‘contract’ or understanding between 

people and the government). However, he added 

that those who subscribe to the old social compact, 

including many older people, will still vote for the PAP. 

Mr Pritam gave his view that the new social compact 

has been around for many years now but has only 

started being expressed more vocally in recent 

years. He added that it is important to recognise 

this new social compact and to address the needs 

and concerns of Singaporeans. According to Dr Tan, 

often politicians are not obstacles to the changes 

that need to be made, but that it is the civil service 

and administrative staff who often defend and keep 

entrenched policies they have formulated. 

In addition to Singaporeans, the seminar also saw 

the participation of new citizens. This provided them 

with an opportunity to share their views on the new 

social compact as well as provided a platform for 

robust discussion among the panelists and other 

Singaporean participants. The effort to integrate these 

new citizens into the larger Singapore community, 

which is a feature of the changed landscape here, is 

part of the new social compact. YSA was happy to 

have facilitated this through the seminar. 

18 


Conferences and Conferences and Seminars 

Seminars 



Committee 

Ministerial Dialogue 2011 

The Singapore General Elections in May 2011 threw up 

several critical socio-economic issues that Singapore 

needs to address moving forward. These included 

affordable housing, transportation, large influx of 

foreigners, integration of new citizens, helping less 

well-off Singaporeans, employment and employability 

for Singaporeans, and economic growth. 

YSA, therefore, organised a dialogue with Mr Lim 

Swee Say, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, on 26 

November 2011 on ‘Ensuring Singapore’s Socioeconomic 

Success: Challenges and Responses’. 

During the session, Mr Lim stated that the government 

is concerned with structural unemployment and he 

expects it to get worse, given the economic outlook 

for Singapore. He told the about 200 participants that 

the government aims to expand the economy by three 

to five percent over the next five to ten years for real 

wages to keep growing. A key concern though is the 

mismatch between workers’ skills and the needs of 

employers. He added that low-wage workers and 

even professionals, managers and executives are 

vulnerable to structural unemployment. 

Mr Lim further stated that the government’s current 

focus on achieving sustainable and inclusive growth 

is an extension of this goal, “Simply put, sustainable 

growth is to ensure there are enough opportunities. 

Inclusive growth is to minimise structural mismatch. If 

a growing number of Singaporeans is not able to take 

on these jobs that are being created in the economy, 

then they will be excluded.” 

The lively discussion session saw Mr Lim peppered 

with and deftly fielding a slew of questions from the 

participants on topics ranging from inclusive growth, 

opportunities for Singaporeans, affordable housing 

and healthcare and social mobility, to integration of 

new citizens, the generally poor language skills of 

foreigners working in the services sector and national 

service for second generation permanent eesidents. 

The discussions continued into the tea reception 

with many animated and engaging exchanges over 

refreshments. 

YSA launched the ‘Ministerial Dialogue’ in November 

2004 to enable young Singaporeans gain an 

understanding of local, regional and global issues 

and developments and interact with policymakers 

on them. Past ministerial dialogue speakers have 

included Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Dr 

Vivian Balakrishnan in his then cabinet role as Minister 

for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and 

former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo. 

“ 

YSA launched the ‘Ministerial Dialogue’ 

in November 2004 to enable young Singaporeans 

gain an understanding of local, regional and global 

issues and developments and interact 

with policymakers on them.” 

20 


Intellectual and Professional Intellectual and Professional Development 

Development 

Intellectual and Professional 

Development 

Today’s dynamic local and international environments 

demand relevant skills acquired through continual 

professional and intellectual development and 

advancement. Programmes under this platform focus 

on presentation, communications and organisation 

skills, and management and leadership development, 

as well as helping young Singaporeans adopt a positive 

attitude, an entrepreneurial spirit and develop the 

confidence they need to become a more competent 

and active constituency in Singapore. 

Last year, the Association, in partnership with the 

Sikh Centre, Singapore, reached out to graduating 

Sikhs though a tea reception and plaque presentation 

ceremony, in what has become an annual event on 

the Sikh community’s calendar. We understand the 

need and importance of investing in the development 

of today’s undergraduates and young professionals to 

ensure there is a considerable pool of talent to supply 

the ranks of our future community, business, political 

and civil society leaders. 

Tea Reception for Graduating Sikhs 

On 8 October 2011, YSA and the Sikh Centre, 

Singapore, organised a plaque presentation ceremony 

and tea reception to recognise the academic 

achievements of Sikh graduates. Minister of State for 

Education and Defence, Mr Lawrence Wong, was the 

Guest-of-Honour. 

Mr Wong’s message to the graduates was clear: 

“Be involved in your own community, and you 

can contribute to the country’s socio-economic 

development. Each person needs to stay connected 

to his or her community, understand its needs and 

seek to address them. 

According to Mr Wong, the graduates’ educational 

achievements must be complemented with a steady 

character that can be developed through active citizenry 

and community involvement. As such, they should seek 

out opportunities to get involved and serve, be it in their 

neighbourhood, community or at the national level. 

Mr Wong presented plaques to 31 Sikhs who 

graduated recently from local and overseas academic 

institutions. Over 100 guests attended the ceremony, 

including family and friends of the graduates. 

The annual presentation ceremony is aimed at 

recognising the academic achievements of Sikhs, 

including those who pursue post-graduate studies and 

continuous learning. It is also an important platform 

to engage Sikh graduates and to impress upon them 

the need for them, as intellectuals, to contribute to 

the Sikh community and Singapore society. Over the 

years, the ceremony has also provided an opportunity 

for graduates to expand their networks with one 

another and others in the community. 



Committee 

Sports 

The Association believes that sports is a fun and 

exciting means of networking and interaction, and, 

hence, organises a range of sporting activities to 

enable young Singaporeans to come together. 

The camaraderie that sporting activities brings is 

important in breaking boundaries of race, religion and 

socio-economic status. 

The Association launched the Healthy Lifestyle Club 

in partnership with Central Singapore Community 

Development Council (CDC) in 2011. At the same 

time, we organised the eighth edition of the football 

tourney aimed at promoting racial understanding and 

appreciation. 

Racial Harmony Football Tournament 

On 12 February 2011, approximately 400 players and 

supporters from various ethnic groups participated in 

a multiracial football tournament aimed at promoting 

racial harmony. They were part of YSA’s ‘Racial 

Harmony’ Football Tournament. 

The event involved 43 teams, including teams from 

the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) and 

OnePeople.sg, as well as new citizens and expatriates 

from China, India and Russia. The teams played more 

than 100 matches, which involved players who were 

as young as nine and as old as 52 years. 

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Senior Parliamentary 

Secretary for National Development, joined the 

festivities and kicked off the tournament. 

At the end of the competition, Dorset Boys defeated 

Khwaish to win the ‘Open’ category title, Chimes took 

the honours in the ‘Veterans’ category, the ‘Junior’ title 

went to A Better Team and AMP won the ‘Ladies’ final. 

As with previous years, the tournament was well 

received. It has grown in stature to become the 

second largest racial harmony football tournament in 

Singapore. 

YSA Healthy Lifestyle Club 

YSA started a club for regular fitness and sports 

activities on 23 July 2011 to promote a healthier 

lifestyle. 

Mr Zainudin Nordin, Member of Parliament for Bishan- 

Toa Payoh GRC, officially launched the YSA Healthy 

Lifestyle Club at the Bidadari Park in the presence of 

about 50 enthusiastic participants and guests. He then 

flagged off a brisk walk and joined the participants in 

the walk as well. This marked the first event under the 

YSA Healthy Lifestyle Club’s banner. 

Launched in collaboration with the Healthy Lifestyle 

Cub, Central Singapore CDC, the Club aims to 

promote a healthier lifestyle and build a harmonious 

and vibrant community. Open to all races and ages 

(young and seniors, children and families), the YSA 

Healthy Lifestyle Club aims to organise regular fitness 

and sports-related activities. 

22 


Sports Sports 



Committee 

Culture 

The Association strives to strengthen racial and 

religious harmony in Singapore through intercommunity 

cultural activities and showcasing the 

Sikh culture to create greater understanding and 

appreciation of the Sikh heritage and traditions. 

It also plays the important role of discovering and 

showcasing the artistic talent of young Sikhs on 

a larger stage. Under its Culture portfolio, the 

Association aims for one major cultural activity every 

two years. 

In 2011, the Association partnered KRI Art and 

Theatre to present a highly relevant play on the impact 

of globalisation and the importance of relationships 

and understanding within the family. 

A Globalisation Comedy 

In 2005, YSA presented its maiden play titled ‘Khoj… 

In Search Of!’ to a sell-out crowd of more than 900 

people at the Victoria Concert Hall. We teamed up 

with KRI Art and Theatre to present a second fullhouse 

production on 15 and 16 October 2011. More 

than 700 people watched ‘The Doctor is In’ at the 

Alliance Française Theatre at its three stagings. 

The English-language comedy revolved around an 

Indian family that moved back from the United States 

to Mumbai and grappled with the various demands of 

globalisation eroding traditional Indian family values. 

Directed by Ms Lovleen Kaur Walia, the comedy was 

written by Mr Shane Sakhrani, a Hong-Kong born 

Indian with a Masters in Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing 

from the University of Southern California. 

24 


Culture Culture 

YSA accepted the offer to partner KRI Art and 

Theatre for two key reasons. The first was that we 

wanted to replicate the success of the first play and 

had been on the lookout for a similar opportunity for 

some time. Secondly, YSA has always been keen to 

support youth in the community in their endeavours 

and in realising their vision through projects they are 

passionate about. 

Whilst it was a comedy revolving around an Indian 

family, the issues it raised were real and serious. 

These included the challenges of the perceived 

generational and communication gap within Indian 

families, issues of filial piety, inter-racial relationships 

and prejudice, and the need for the family to remain 

united to overcome challenges in life – all delivered 

with a good dose of humour. 

The three shows received much complimentary 

feedback from the audience. Many who attended were 

impressed by the level of talent and professionalism 

displayed by the cast. 

“ 

YSA has always been keen to support youth in the 

community in their endeavours and in realising their vision 

through projects they are passionate about.” 



Committee 

“ 

The Association has received the Report on the 

Sikh retreat and looks forward to implementing the 

recommendations in it in partnership with other 

parties and persons within the Sikh community.” 

In Support of other Organisations 

The Association has always believed in partnership in 

the fulfillment of its mandate and objectives. Whilst the 

Association’s key focus is the successful organisation 

of programmes for its constituents, it also gains much 

value in collaborating with like-minded organisations 

so as to achieve much greater returns. Since its 

inception, the Association has made significant efforts 

to establish linkages with various groupings within 

and outside the Sikh community. 

In the course of the last year, the Association 

supported the work and programmes of a number 

of organisations. These included the Sikh Advisory 

Board, Sikh Welfare Council, PA Narpani Pearavai, 

Fandi Ahmad Academy, Down Syndrome Association 

Singapore and the Singapore Buddhist Federation. 

The Sikh Retreat 

As a result of initiatives in the Sikh community in the 

past three years to chart a path forward, a mood of 

reinvention, reinvigoration and review has taken hold in 

the Sikh community. There has been a keen sense that 

a generational shift is beginning and that the wealth of 

experience of the older generations which are involved in 

leadership in Sikh institutions should be shared with the 

young, who also need to take the onus to come forward 

to contribute and serve in community institutions. 

The retreat commenced with the tone set by Chairman 

of the SAB, Mr Surjit Singh, and Member of Parliament 

Mr Inderjit Singh, who acknowledged the strong 

performance of the Sikh community in the past across 

various fields and wisely warned that the need of the 

day was not to be self-congratulatory but instead to 

understand and accept that the performance of the 

community was no longer as strong as it had been in 

the past, and that it would need a major community 

effort to be restored to its previous trajectory. 

The retreat itself focused on six specific areas: 

• Promoting Sikhi and the Punjabi language; 

• Improving academic and sporting performance; 

• Helping the less well fortunate in the community; 

• Engaging youth proactively; 

• Improving governance and management systems 

in Sikh institutions; and 

• Establishing an umbrella body for the community. 

Each area comprised some discussion points that had 

been suggested in the weeks prior by the attendees 

as well as others. The participants were allocated 

to the discussion areas based on their interest, 

experience and ability to contribute to the various 

specific discussions, with each group breaking away 

to have its separate discussion before all the groups 

came together to listen to each of the groups present 

and take questions on their discussion area. 

On 22 January 2011, the Sikh Advisory Board (SAB) 

spearheaded the organisation of a Sikh retreat. 

The attendees were selected from people who had 

involvement in community institutions in various 

capacities – those whose perspectives could be of 

value. The retreat also saw representation from youth 

and women, two traditionally under-represented 

groups. Some of YSA’s present and past Executive 

Committee members were part of the Sikh retreat. 

26 


In Support of other In Support of other Organisations 

Organisations 



Committee 

It is hoped that the shared understanding of good faith 

that has been established at the Sikh retreat will help 

the community’s leadership and the sangat as a whole 

to come forward with their ideas, suggestions and 

enthusiasm to implement programmes that will take 

the community forward. It is hoped that no difference 

in view will be too far to bridge and no good idea to 

move the community forward will go unimplemented. 

The two-day Chingay Parade was held on 11 and 12 

February 2011 at the Formula One Pit Building at the 

Marina Waterfront. The 2011 parade was the largest 

and grandest in the Chingay history. 

Chingay Parade began in Singapore as an expression 

of communal unity and festivity in 1973 and has grown 

steadily to its current stature. 

YSA was proud to have several of its current and 

past leadership as invited participants to the retreat. 

Some of the suggestions resonated with programmes 

and annual events that the Association has already 

established, for which it which received recognition 

and encouragement. The Association has received 

the Report on the Sikh retreat and looks forward 

to implementing the recommendations in it in 

partnership with other parties and persons within the 

Sikh community. 

The Chingay Parade 

YSA was a proud participant in Chingay Parade 

Singapore 2011. Chingay Parade Singapore is 

Asia’s grandest street and floats procession. YSA 

was represented as part of the 300-strong Indian 

community contingent. YSA’s banner was displayed 

on one of the life-sized puppets paraded at the event. 

The Association was delighted to have been invited 

to participate in the Parade. We were one of the 12 

organisations invited by the People’s Association 

Indian Activities Executive Committees Council. 

Fandi Ahmad Academy Religious Harmony Cup 

The Fandi Ahmad Academy was officially launched 

on 12 March 2011. To commemorate its launch, the 

Fandi Ahmad Academy Religious Harmony Cup was 

held at Tampines SAFRA with the aim of promoting 

religious harmony in Singapore. 

The team from YSA was one of two from the Sikh 

community in the football tournament, with the 

other being from Yishun Sikh Temple. The YSA 

team performed admirably in the preliminary round, 

winning two of its three matches to qualify for the 

knock-out rounds. However, it failed to win its 

knock-out round match. The eventual champion was 

Braca Vita, a team from a Hindu organisation, which 

overcame a Catholic Church team, Spiritus United, 

in the final. 

YSA was pleased to support this initiative for religious 

harmony. We extend our best wishes to the Fandi 

Ahmad Academy and look forward to collaborating 

again. 

28 


In Support of other In Support of other Organisations 

Organisations 

DSA Football Tournament 

It was for a good cause and YSA instantly agreed to 

be a part of it. 

A group of footballers organised a charity football 

tournament at the Indian Association on 9 August 

2011 to raise funds for Down Syndrome Association 

Singapore (DSA). It invited YSA and nine other groups 

to lend support to the initiative. 

YSA’s Healthy Lifestyle Club took part in the full-day 

competition which was played in good spirit, with 

camaraderie and enjoyment. The YSA team did well 

to qualify for the semi-final. Unfortunately, it lost in the 

semi-final and in the third/fourth placing, and finished 

fourth. 

In addition to helping to raise funds for DSA, the 

event provided the opportunity for members of YSA’s 

Healthy Lifestyle Club to participate in a sports activity 

to promote a healthier lifestyle. 

The event raised close to $13,000 for DSA which was 

presented to its representatives during the dinner 

reception at the end of the competition. 

SIWEC Flag Day 2011 

YSA was pleased to be a part of the Sikh Welfare 

Council’s (SIWEC) Flag Day on 20 August 2011. 

The donation drive witnessed an increase in the total 

participation to over 760 volunteers. These included 

many more volunteers from outside the Sikh community 

– an encouraging development which showed that 

compassion is not limited by lines of race, ethnicity 

or religion. 

In addition to participating in the collection drive, YSA 

coordinated the efforts of the students from Greendale 

Secondary School. The other organisations and schools 

involved in the island-wide fundraising included Cedar 

Girls’ Secondary School, Montfort Secondary School, 

Fuchun Secondary School, Singapore Sikh Education 

Foundation, Silat Road Temple, Gurdwara Sahib Yishun, 

Khalsa Dharmak Sabha and Central Sikh Temple. By 

the end of the day, more than $50,000 was raised for 

the cause. 

YSA has been involved in the SIWEC Flag Day since its 

inception. We feel that it is important to lend support to 

an organisation that delivers welfare services to needy 

Sikhs in Singapore. SIWEC works in consultation with the 

Sikh Advisory Board and other Sikh institutions to carry 

out regular needs assessments of welfare recipients 

and to improve the quality of welfare programmes. 

“ 

Whilst the Association’s key focus is the successful 

organisation of programmes for its constituents, it also gains 

much value in collaborating with like-minded organisations 

so as to achieve much greater returns.” 



Committee 

The Buddhist Federation Harmony Games 

The annual Harmony Games, organised by the 

Singapore Buddhist Federation, were held at Sentosa 

on 20 August 2011. The Games aim to promote racial 

and religious harmony and understanding among the 

different communities in Singapore. As in the case in 

the previous three years, YSA gladly participated in 

the games in 2011. 

The participants were each given an orange t-shirt and 

Sentosa monorail tickets two days prior to the event. 

However, a surprise awaited all the teams on the day 

of the event – all the participants were re-grouped 

into different teams. The teams had to complete eight 

tasks as well as answer 12 questions on the religious 

beliefs, significance of different festivals and the 

cultures of the various religious groups. 

The event was flagged off by Venerable Seck Kwang 

Phing, Chairman of the Organising Committee. It was 

graced by MG (NS) Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister 

for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and 

Minister of State for Information, Communications and 

the Arts, who presented the prizes to the winners. 

30 


YOUNG SIKH ASSOCIATION (SINGAPORE) 

(Registered under The Societies Act. Cap. 311) 

(Club Registration Number: 61-171590000-K) 

Accounts & Accounts & Reports Reports 

For the financial year ended 

31 December 2011 

CONTENTS 

Page 

STATEMENT BY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ........................................................................................ 32 

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT ............................................................................................................ 33 

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION ....................................................................................................... 34 

STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ........................................................................................ 35 

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN FUNDS ......................................................................................................... 36 

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS ........................................................................................................................ 37 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS .................................................................................................. 38 




STATEMENT BY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 

We, the two Committee Members duly authorised by Young Sikh Association (Singapore), hereby state that in 

the opinion of Management Committee, the accompanying statement of financial position, statement of income 

and expenditure, statement of changes in funds and statement of cash flows together with the accompanying 

notes thereon, have been properly drawn up so as to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the 

Association as at 31 December 2011 and of the results of the Association for the financial year ended on that 

date. 

The Management Committee has authorised these financial statements for issue on the date of this 

statement. 

MR HERNAIKH SINGH 

President 

MR GURMEET SINGH 

Honorary Treasurer 

32 


INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF YOUNG SIKH ASSOCIATION (SINGAPORE) 


We have audited the accompanying financial statements of YOUNG SIKH ASSOCIATION (SINGAPORE) as at 31 December 

2011. These financial statements comprise the statement of financial position of the Association as at 31 December 2011, 

statement of income and expenditure, statement of changes in funds and statement of cash flows of the Association for the 

financial year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory notes. 

Management Committee’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements 

The Management Committee is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in 

accordance with the provisions of The Societies Act. Cap.311 and Singapore Financial Reporting Standards. This responsibility 

includes devising and maintaining a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide a reasonable assurance that 

assets are safeguarded against loss from unauthorised use or disposition; and transactions are properly authorised and 

that they are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of true and fair statement of comprehensive income and 

statement of financial position and to maintain accountability of assets; selecting and applying appropriate accounting 

policies; and making accounting estimates that are reasonable in the circumstances. 

Auditors’ Responsibility 

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in 

accordance with Singapore Standards on Auditing. Those Standards require that we comply with ethical requirements and 

plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance as to whether the financial statements are free of material 

misstatement. 

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial 

statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material 

misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor 

considers internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to 

design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the 

effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies 

used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by the Management Committee, as well as evaluating the 

overall presentation of the financial statements. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit 

opinion. 

Opinion 

In our opinion, the financial statements are properly drawn up in accordance with the provisions of The Societies Act. Cap.311 

and Singapore Financial Reporting Standards so as to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Association as at 

31 December 2011 and of the results, changes in funds and cash flow of the Association for the year ended on that date. 

LEE S F & CO 

Public Accountants and Certified Public Accountants 

Singapore, 

MW/LSF 


STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2011 

CURRENT ASSETS 

Note 2011 2010 

Prepaid expenses 3 10,200 8,850 

Cash and cash equivalents 4 77,420 55,772 

87,620 64,622 

LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 

Accruals 5 1,200 9,979 

Contributions received in advance 6 - 3,000 

1,200 12,979 

Net Current Assets 86,420 51,643 

Represented By: 

Accumulated Funds 86,420 51,643 

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements 

34 


STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2011 

2011 2010 

Income / Revenue from Activities 

Community service projects 91,940 78,578 

Cultural activities 53,740 10,750 

Intellectual and professional development activities 2,500 2,426 

Sports events 21,630 19,025 

Conferences and seminars 28,270 32,000 

Members’ entrance fees 180 190 

Sponsorships and donations 16,100 7,840 

214,360 150,809 

Cost of Activities 

Community service projects 70,276 54,762 

Cultural activities 45,843 40,595 

Intellectual and professional development activities 4,386 5,981 

Sports events 18,245 16,440 

Conferences and seminars 22,013 20,053 

160,763 137,831 

53,597 12,978 

Less: Operating Expenses 

Advertisements 700 4,758 

Accounting fee 600 600 

Auditors’ remuneration 600 600 

Bank charges 150 140 

General expenses 100 - 

Postage and courier services 1,119 413 

Printing and stationery 9,322 5,795 

Refreshments - 303 

Sponsorships and donations 1,213 6,560 

Website design and maintenance 5,016 6,589 

18,820 25,758 

(Deficit) for the financial year 34,777 (12,780) 



STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN THE ACCUMULATED FUNDS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 

2011 

Accumulated 

Funds 

Surplus / 

(Deficit) 

Total 

Balance as at 1 January 2010 13,440 50,983 64,423 

(Deficit) for the financial year - (12,780) (12,780) 

Balance as at 31 December 2010 13,440 38,203 51,643 

Surplus / (Deficit) for the financial year (2011) - 34,777 34,777 

Balance as at 31 December 2010 13,440 72,980 86,420 

36 


STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2011 


Cash flow from operating activities 

(Deficit) for the financial year before taxation 34,777 (12,780) 

Add / (Less) changes in working capital 

(Increase) / decrease in prepaid expenses (1,350) (8,850) 

Increase in accruals (8,779) 8,779 

Increase / (decrease) in contribution received in advance (3,000) 3,000 

Net cash (used in) operations (9,851) 

NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 21,648 (9,851) 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR 55,772 65,623 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR (Note 4) 77,420 55,772 



NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

1. MISSION 

The mission of Young Sikh Association (Singapore) is to fulfill the aspirations of young Singaporeans. It 

reaches out to young Singaporeans with the aim of understanding and appreciating their aspirations, 

and integrating these aspirations into the Singapore society through enhancing mutual understanding on 

issues of common concern and fostering friendships across ethnic groups in Singapore, the region and the 

world. 

2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES 

a) STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of The Societies Act. 

Cap.311 and Singapore Financial Reporting Standards. 

The financial statements, expressed in Singapore dollars, have been prepared in accordance with the 

historical cost convention. The functional currency of the Association is Singapore dollars. All revenue, 

expenses, receipts and payments are denominated primarily in Singapore dollars. 

b) OTHER PAYABLES 

Liabilities for other payables are carried at cost, which is the fair value of the consideration to be paid in 

the future for goods and services received, whether or not billed to the Association. 

c) PROVISIONS 

Provisions are recognised when the Association has a present obligation as a result of a past event which 

is probable will result in an outflow of economic benefits that can be reasonably estimated. 

d) REVENUE RECOGNITION 

Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to the 

Association and the revenue can be reliably measured. 

Revenue from sports events and donations is recognised in the account on an accrual basis. 

e) CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 

. 

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash in hand and cash at bank placed with creditworthy financial 

institutions. 

3. PREPAID EXPENSES 

Prepaid expenses represent advance payment of expenses incurred for the project Khwaish 11 Community 

Service in Punjab which will be carried out in the next financial year. 

Prepaid expenses are denominated in Singapore Dollar and they approximate their fair values. 

38 


4. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 

For the purpose of cash flow statement, cash and cash equivalents comprise the following: 


Cash in hand 160 100 

Bank balance 77,260 55,672 

77,420 55,772 

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents are denominated in Singapore Dollar and they approximate 

their fair values. 

5. ACCRUALS 


Accounting fee 600 600 

Audit fee 600 600 

Expenses incurred for cultural activity - 

- Bhangra Bonanza 2010 

8,779 

Accruals are denominated in Singapore Dollar and they approximate their fair values. 

1,200 9,979 

6. CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED IN ADVANCE 

In the previous year, the contributions received in advance represent the contributions from the Lee 

Foundation as sponsorship for the 7 th ‘Racial Harmony’ 4-Aside Football Tournament which is carried out in 

the current financial year. 

7. FINANCIAL RISKS AND FAIR VALUES 

The Association is exposed to financial risks arising in the normal course of association operations. 

a) Liquidity risk 

The Association monitors and maintains a level of cash and cash equivalents deemed adequate by the 

Management Committee to finance the Association’s operations and mitigate the effect of fluctuations 

in cash flow. 

b) Interest rate risk 

The Association is not exposed to interest rate risk as it has no interest-bearing borrowings. 

c) Credit risk 

Cash is placed with creditworthy financial institutions. The maximum exposure to credit risk is 

represented by the carrying amount of each financial asset in the balance sheet. 


d) Fair values 

The fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities approximate the carrying amounts of those 

assets and liabilities reported in the balance sheet. 

8. OTHER INFORMATION 

Young Sikh Association (Singapore) is registered under Societies Act. Cap. 311 with its registered office at 

Sikh Centre, 8 Jalan Bukit Merah Singapore 169543. 

These notes form an integral part of and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying financial 

statements. 

40 



FULFILLING ASPIRATIONS… 

Young Sikh Association (Singapore) or YSA was established in August 2003 to fulfill the aspirations of young 

Singaporeans. 

YSA reaches out to young Singaporeans with the aim of understanding and appreciating their aspirations, and 

integrating these aspirations into the Singapore society through enhancing mutual understanding on issues of 

common concern and fostering friendships across ethnic groups in Singapore, the region and the world. 

Objectives 

• To enhance understanding of national issues among young Singaporeans and to encourage them to contribute 

to the betterment of our society as thoughtful and responsible citizens. 

• To provide platforms for young Singaporeans to strive for intellectual and professional development. 

• To strengthen inter-racial friendship and harmony by organising and actively participating in inter-community 

activities. 

• To foster community spirit among young Singaporeans through community service at home and abroad. 

• To build networks with local and international youth groups so as to foster national identity and a global mindset 

among young Singaporeans. 

Programmes 

As a totally independent youth organisation, YSA’s programmes are initiated by young Singaporeans for young 

Singaporeans in particular, and the Singapore society in general. 

From lectures, dialogue sessions, seminars and professional development workshops to bhangra competitions, 

cultural shows and sports activities, they choose their avenues of aspiration and integration. 

• Conferences and Seminars 

• Intellectual and Professional Development 

• Community Service 

• Culture 

• Sports 

Membership 

• Ordinary Membership: For Sikhs and non-Sikhs from the ages of 16 to 50 years residing in Singapore. They have 

the right to vote. 

• Associate Membership: For Sikhs and non-Sikhs of all ages residing in Singapore. They are not eligible to vote. 

Young Sikh Association (Singapore) 

c/o Sikh Centre 

8 Jalan Bukit Merah 

Singapore 169543 

Tel : (65) 6327 2007/5 

Fax : (65) 6327 2009 

Email : enquiry@ysas.org 

Website : www.ysas.org

YSA AR 2011

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