A SOUTH Korean man who had been fined $8,000 for lying that he had a university degree to get a job here, had his sentence increased to a two-month jail term yesterday.

Chief Justice Yong Pung How accepted the prosecution's argument that the degree had been crucial to Kang Seong Yong, 40, getting his job as a sales manager. He worked here for four years.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ong also pointed out that Kang's credentials could not be verified earlier in view of the sheer volume of applications for employment pass received by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) each year.

Kang had falsely stated in his employment pass application in June 2000 that he holds a degree in business administration-accounting from Korea University. The father of two boys has only a high school diploma.

He made the same false declarations when he renewed his pass in June 2001 and June 2003. But he was found out when MOM checked with the university in June 2003.

District Judge See Kee Oon had noted this delay when deciding against giving Kang the usual jail term last August. He said MOM could have prevented the offence by acting 'more expeditiously and proactively' to verify Kang's qualifications.

At the appeal yesterday, DPP Ong said the ministry processed 149,320 such applications in 2002 and 136,844 in 2003. The number for last year, up till September, was 106,942.

Sixty-eight people were convicted each year in 2002 and 2003 for falsely declaring their educational qualifications.

So the ministry's efforts to verify the credentials must be put in context of the volume of applications it receives, said DPP Ong.

He was replying to CJ Yong who asked why the ministry had accepted Kang's credentials without checking with the university.

DPP Ong also said the district judge was wrong in concluding that Kang could have obtained the employment pass based on his actual educational qualifications.

Kang's supposed degree was a 'key criterion' in him being able to work here as a sales manager for a medical hall, liasing with Korean tourists, travel agencies and the Korean travel industry.

But defence lawyer K. Mathialahan said Kang's case was similar to three previous cases in which people were fined for submitting forged documents to obtain an employment pass.

Among the cases was that of businesswoman Lai Yu Jing, 41, who had lied in 2001 that she had a degree in accountancy. Her original three-week jail term was reduced to a $2,000 fine after an appeal before CJ Yong in July 2003.

Dismissing the defence's arguments, CJ Yong said he had a 'responsibility to uphold the law'. He also ordered that the $8,000 fine be returned to Kang.

THE new vision for Singapore tourism is ambitious: 17 million visitors a year - double last year's figure - and tourism spending tripled to $30 billion, all goals to be achieved within a decade. Industry players must surely be cheering the $2 billion being set aside for new investments.

But what is perhaps less clear is the average Singaporean's role in this. An estimated 100,000 new jobs is welcome news but this bold plan cannot just be led by investors with deep pockets and diligent bureaucrats.

Singapore can boast a state-of-the-art airport, world-class architecture or even a high-end casino, but if its people cannot be brand ambassadors for their own country, then the battle to win the tourist dollar will be an uphill one.

For the typical tourist, staying at any destination must entail some interaction with the locals. That is not just with tour guides, taxi drivers and service staff, but also with people from all walks of life - fellow shoppers, diners, or the passer-by who gives directions to a lost traveller.

If Singaporeans take a more active interest in tourism, and appreciate how their country is an attractive destination to many, they can make a difference to the visitor experience.

Although there is no research linking residents' attitudes to the success of their hometown as a tourism spot, every marketer knows the power of word of mouth.

Clearly, the Government has decided that the sector has potential, even if its current contribution to the gross domestic product is a modest 3 per cent. This shift to broaden Singapore's economic base beyond manufacturing and finance has been evolving in recent years.

Still, it will take some time before Singaporeans show the pride and knowledge about their home which is second nature for people in places like Bali and Hawaii, where tourism is their bread and butter.

Of course, this begs one question: What does Singapore offer to tourists anyway?

Although we often take this for granted, Singapore is, in the eyes of many tourists here, a safe, convenient, multicultural city destination, hassle-free and a quick getaway.

And let's not forget that many of these visitors hail from countries which do not have the verdant landscaping of our city, its harmonious multi-ethnic mix, or its reassuringly clean and safe environment.

Singapore thus represents a welcome contrast from their resident cities.

Based on statistics from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) - and even after discounting the more developed regions like Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan - Asia still contributes more than half of all the arrivals to Singapore.

To many of them, Singapore has an aspirational quality. The story of how a First World city-state was built in one generation on the hard work of an immigrant populace must strike a chord with many of our Asian guests.

Through their short stay, visitors can aspire to, and vicariously experience, the city's standard of living and its cosmopolitan buzz. They are also more amenable to forking out a little more for this holiday. That is probably why Singapore managed to attract a record-breaking 8.3 million visitors last year.

Marketing Singapore abroad may be the STB's raison d'etre, but it has said it also wants to win over Singaporeans' hearts.

It has made some inroads in recent years in encouraging the average Singaporean to rediscover the island and boosting awareness of its tourism offerings.

This includes providing ready information at the very visible Visitors Centre along Orchard Road. There is also the annual postcard promotion, which provides free postage and prizes for people who write to friends overseas to invite them here.

Nonetheless, it is hardly time to pop the champagne just yet.

In the first instance, do most Singaporeans have enough basic knowledge to convince friends that there is anything worth seeing in Singapore?

For example, how many know where the two Asian Civilisations Museums are, and what they showcase? And if they don't, do they know where to get such information?

Of course, there are excellent tour guides who can show overseas guests the sights and sounds of the city, but wouldn't it be even better if Singaporeans could play host?

The insider perspective will certainly make for a more personable travel experience.

While many Chinese Singaporeans may be able to recommend great hawker food, I suspect few can take a guest through the colourful streets of Little India without getting lost themselves. The STB should organise more domestic brand-building programmes.

While it may be easy to provide ready information for Singaporeans playing host, it will be much tougher to change innate attitudes.

There will always be naysayers who readily equate safe and efficient with boring. But as the country evolves and liberalises in some aspects, perhaps these people will be in the minority.

Hopefully, the next time an acquaintance considers travelling to South-east Asia, Singaporeans out there could at least do a little research and make a few queries.

The visitsingapore.com website and the two STB-run Singapore Visitors Centres in town are well poised to fill any information gaps.

Then, when Singaporeans recommend Bali to friends, it's because the Indonesian island is a natural complement to urban Singapore, and not because we are a bland transit point with nothing to offer.

The writer, who is deputy head in the branding and editorial projects department in Singapore Press Holdings, worked in the STB for four years.