Mr Lim Hng Kiang at the Special Awards Presentation Ceremony, 20 Aug 09

SPEECH BY MR LIM HNG KIANG, MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AT THE SPECIAL AWARDS PRESENTATION CEREMONY ON 20 AUGUST 2009, AT 3.00 PM AT THE SEAMEO REGIONAL LANGUAGE CENTRE AUDITORIUM, 30 ORANGE GROVE ROAD

His Excellency Abdul Ghafar bin Ismail, High Commissioner of Brunei to Singapore

Ms Ho Peng, Director-General of Education

Distinguished Guests

Award Recipients

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good afternoon

It gives me great pleasure to join you at this year’s Special Awards Presentation Ceremony. This ceremony celebrates the outstanding achievements of our students in various domains. Whether you are receiving an award for mathematics and science or for academic achievement in the normal courses; for upgrading or for all-round excellence, you have all demonstrated the drive to excel, a passion for learning and a desire to accomplish something significant and meaningful. As I congratulate you, I would like, at this juncture, to pose you a question.

What do you consider to be your responsibility, having won these prestigious awards? Some of you may say that you will continue to excel and carve out outstanding careers in the future. Others may want to strive for higher benchmarks and maybe, go on to win international recognition for your work.

Let me pose this challenge to you. Just as you have been given the opportunity to achieve personal mastery and success, I urge you to come forward to help others thrive and succeed. Your drive, passion and talent will have a significant impact on the community and Singapore. I hope you will be role-models to other youths.

This year’s recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew All Round Excellence Award, Mr Mohamed Hyekel B Abdullah (Woodgrove Sec), is already an excellent role-model for his schoolmates. He has been contributing extensively to his school and community. Even after graduating from Woodgrove Secondary, Hyekel returned to his alma mater to plan the ‘Music Therapy Programme’ for the TanglinSchool for the Intellectually Disabled. He is also a mentor to younger Woodgrove Secondary students in the music exchange programme to Perth. Hyekel’s teachers describe him as an outstanding leader and observe that many of his peers are inspired by him and desire to emulate him.

The significance of these awards goes beyond an affirmation of your individual abilities. It is also recognition of your potential to contribute to Singapore and make it a better place for everyone. Miss Wendy Wong from Raffles Institution (Junior College), recipient of the Prime Minister’s Book Prize, has won a number of accolades for being effectively bilingual. Wendy’s accomplishments, however, extend beyond her writing and oratory abilities. She has been a committed volunteer with the Singapore Society for the Physically Disabled since she was thirteen and has participated extensively in fund raising activities and administrative work. In 2006, Wendy initiated a successful campaign to raise funds for her schoolmate who was diagnosed with advanced tongue cancer. Her efforts resulted in the Joan Chan Shu Fang Fund, which has since accumulated over $170,000. This fund is dedicated to help young patients with cancer treatment. What is commendable about Wendy is that her efforts are not ad-hoc or desultory. She has a clear and committed focus to serve society.

I would also like to acknowledge those among you who have pushed personal boundaries and prevailed over setbacks, slow starts and various other challenges

Logendran s/o Sugumaran, recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship to Encourage Upgrading, was eager to enter the job market upon the completion of his national service. He had then a Nitec certificate in Multi-Media Technology. However, he realised that his future job prospects were not as promising as he had hoped they would be. With renewed zeal and determination, he decided to return to ITE to take up a new Nitec course in Electronics. With encouragement from his teachers and friends, he also brought his innate leadership abilities to bear by serving as the President of the Student Council. He seized new opportunities to learn and rose to the challenge of presenting his project on ‘The inclusive society, caring for others’ at the 2007 ITE-VTE Seminar in Hong Kong.

Paul Tan and Wesley Chan, recipients of the inaugural Lee Hsien Loong Award for Special Achievement, have also overcome various challenges in order to succeed in their respective fields.Despite their difficult personal circumstances, both Paul and Wesley have emerged as top students in their respective institutions. Apart from their stellar academic performance, it is their resourcefulness and optimism in facing life’s challenges that is worthy of note.

Paul, in order to alleviate the financial difficulties his family faced, dropped out of school and took on odd jobs to support them. He returned to school later by enrolling in NorthLightSchool. In his early years, Paul developed a passion for badminton and did so well that he was selected to be in the National Badminton Junior squad. Today, he works as a free-lance coach to primary and secondary students and uses his earnings to support himself in his studies.

Wesley, from Assumption Pathway School (APS), currently finances his own education from his earnings as a part-time worker in a hotel. To ensure that he does not lag in his studies, he finds time in between the 8-hour work shifts to complete his work. Despite the stress of having to juggle his studies and work, Wesley is on track towards achieving his goals. He intends to get into a Polytechnic and eventually working with Formula One cars.

Each of you has shown extraordinary talent and strength of character. Your parents and teachers must be very proud of you. I would like to congratulate the parents, teachers and schools who have been instrumental in supporting your growth and achievements. I hope that you will always remember the roles that each of them has played in nurturing you.

On this note, I congratulate all of you once again on your outstanding achievements, and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.