![](http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/agP3gp8kRUgfMOb8dF5Gng--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/249/2012/07/02/630adrian-jpg_095308.jpg "Adrian Pang will be looking out for nominees with passion, imagination and "perhaps a bit of a rebellious streak"")
Adrian Pang will be looking out for nominees with passion, imagination and "perhaps a bit of a rebellious stre …
Adrian Pang is on the hunt for someone with passion, imagination and “perhaps a bit of a rebellious streak!”
No, the artistic director of Pangdemonium Productions, the theatre company he founded with his wife, Tracie, is not casting for his next production.
Rather, these are the qualities that he will be looking for in the Singapore 9 nominees, in his position as one of the three judges for the campaign, along with the Elim Chew, founder of youth fashion chain 77th Street and lifestyle entrepreneur Michel Lu.
Asked why he has agreed to be a judge for the campaign despite his busy schedule – Pang was in the Philippines for work when Yahoo! Singapore caught up with him for this e-mail interview – the gregarious 46-year-old said, “I understand what it is like to have a genuine desire to make a difference and to affect lives in a significant way by one’s chosen field of profession.”
He lauded the Singapore 9 campaign for recognising and celebrating “the spirit of daring, innovation and social responsibility” and added, “I personally am very honoured to be in a position to champion a select group of individuals who are having a positive influence on our lives.”
Pang, who is a law and psychology graduate from Keele University in Britain, also believes the three categories in this year’s revamped Singapore 9 campaign – social enterprise, business and entertainment – are relevant and important in today’s society.
“I believe the categories are the three vital cornerstones of any progressive society. It is a given that business and social enterprise are vital to a vibrant and prosperous nation, and Singapore is now in a privileged position to have a thriving arts/culture/entertainment scene, and our lives can be so much enriched by embracing and encouraging it,” he attested.
But he warned that the winners of the award should not regard the campaign as a mere vehicle for personal glory. “Being so recognised should not simply be an accolade; the winners each have a responsibility as they will be looked up to as role models and figures of inspiration.”
Singapore's haze situation worsened on Monday as the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) crossed into the “unhealthy” range of 111 at 4pm. It had earlier climbed from 55 at 9am to 80 at 12pm, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).