NYJCians you had voted for your president of 32nd Student Council and he is none other than Benjamin Chua Chee Siong of class 0928. NYCX caught up with Benjamin as election fever subsided to understand his motivations, upcoming plans and some of his general concerns in the term ahead.

NYCX: What drove you to run for your position?
BC: The eagerness to learn from being in a leadership position within the student council EXCO and the ability to make a change in the school.

NYCX: How do you feel now, carrying heavy responsibilities on your shoulders as President of the Student Council?
BC: With great power comes great responsibility, I have learned a lot from the seniors; therefore I feel that I am ready for the presidential post. I will have to maintain an image as I represent the Council.

NYCX: What do you think that the 31st has done that should be modeled after and things that should be changed?
BC: They have a high amount of respect for one another and they have set a good foundation for their juniors. However, the mistakes made by the 31st have created a negative perspective for them and these have to be changed, luckily they seldom make mistakes.

NYCX: Some students felt that the speeches that the Presidential candidates gave during the elections were superficial and insincere; do you think you were sincere in your speech and will hold true to your word about accomplishing what you might have claimed you would?
BC: My speech came from the bottom of my heart and I meant everything that I said. I will do my best to ensure that the school’s studying conditions are improved, improve student’s welfare and make the school a more vibrant place.

NYCX: So where do you see the 32nd SC at the end of the term?
BC: I see them at the level of the 31st and hopefully surpassing them in terms of contribution and achievement. I believe that they are our benchmark and it is imperative that each batch does better than the last.

NYCX: Previous Student Councils seem to be unable to get much done in the period leading up to the December holiday due to the myriad of exams. This early half of the term could be your only time to serve the J2s, so how will you best make use of this time period? How practical/helpful do you think these activities will be?
BC: We will try our best to give it a shot. We now have a greater understanding of what the J2s need, which is a more conducive environment, so we will try to make it happen.

NYCX: With representatives from the minority races in the council, will that mean more of their issues will be taken care of?
BC: More of their issues will be taken care of due to the presence of such minority races in council. However, I will try to maintain a good relationship with MCS and ICS to ensure that their needs will be better taken care of.

NYCX: Do you think that you will play a greater role than the other members?
BC: I think everyone in the council plays different roles and I play the role as an overall leader. However, without them a leader would have nobody to lead, so everyone plays an equally great and important role in Council.

NYCX: How would you work with the rest of your Council to ensure that agendas are carried out smoothly?
BC: I'll try to get them to understand the need of working efficiently to minimize time loss and to create more outstanding works, in such a way that the agendas will serve as an important guideline to their work. I will also communicate with the EXCO of Council with respect to the agendas to ensure that every one knows and understand them well.

And there you have it, spoken like a true leader. Undeterred by the recent spate of bad publicity surrounding the Student Council, brave souls have stepped up to the calling and aspire to make a difference. We hope to see some of their great contributions in the near future bringing back the honor and pride once associated with this prestigious CCA while they serve with humility. Here’s wishing them all the best in the coming council term.

Reported by Chan Di and Daniel Keng