Foreign service Working in the MFA enables scholar Samuel Myat San to learn new things By Mary Lim MINISTRY of Foreign Affairs (MFA) scholar Samuel Myat San likens a scholarship to a commitment. He says: “Most consider a scholarship as a natural path to a good career. But never accept on a whim; talk to past scholars for a better understanding of what it means to take up a scholarship. It’s important to take time to properly decide, especially since it requires that you be ready for the organisation and the career path that awaits.” He should know. After all, the former Anglo Chinese Junior College Humanities student himself took up a scholarship from the ministry. In 2002, he enrolled at the Harvard University in US to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Government. Says Mr Myat San, 26: “I chose Harvard because of its multi-disciplinary approach, and its liberal arts system meant I could do electives such as psychology and sociology, in addition to my core subjects. Moreover, I was drawn to the Government faculty because its tutors were professors who wrote their own books on the subjects they taught. And since the university comprised the brightest talents in US, I felt it was a good opportunity to get to meet them. Studying in the country also allowed me to be exposed to and immerse in American culture.” Being on a scholarship also provided him with new focus, adds Mr Myat San. Knowing that he would be joining MFA after graduation helped prepare him mentally, and allowed him to better anticipate and understand issues and concerns thrown up during classes. In 2005, a year before he graduated, Mr Myat San completed a five-week internship at MFA’s Washington Mission. “It was a turning point for me. More than giving me useful insights into how Singaporean interests were being represented in the country, I also understood the efficiency with which MFA staff worked,” he says. “One talk I attended featured a comparison between foreign services in different countries, and it was during then I found out that, for the same amount of responsibilities, Singapore had a relatively lean team. So I realised I had to prepare to work hard and learn to multi-task. From then on, I resolved to push myself out of my comfort zone to pick up as much new knowledge as possible and I started to read voraciously.” In June last year, he started work as a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) at the ministry. Now a desk officer at its International Organisations Directorate, Mr Myat San’s primary responsibility is to help raise Singapore’s global standing and ensure that there’s a clear stance on international issues at the United Nations General Assembly. These issues include the moratorium of the death penalty and safety and security of humanitarian aid personnel. Another aspect of his work includes supporting other ministries or agencies to lobby for Singapore’s inclusion in international bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization. “Dealing with so many crucial issues requires me to react quickly at all times, to provide and pull together input from other ministries or agencies, in order to help draw up a clear resolution for MFA, especially since we are involved in many aspects that impact Singapore’s international standing, ranging from participating at the United Nations General Assembly to bidding to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010. So MFA is no longer just about diplomacy and foreign service, as was perceived in the past,” he says. “As many of the issues we deal with tend to overlap, it’s important to keep an open mind and be willing to learn new things all the time. Being part of MFA has made me understand how little I know and appreciate the effort and knowledge of the experts and other agencies. That’s why I find the work here very enjoyable and meaningful.”