Excellencies
Singapore Scholars
Ladies and Gentlemen
1 On behalf of the Singapore Government, I extend a very warm welcome to all of you. It is my pleasure to join you this afternoon for the 9th annual Singapore Scholarship Certificate Presentation Ceremony. This year, we are pleased to honour a new batch of 48 recipients for the Singapore Scholarship, which comes under the Singapore Cooperation Programme administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With this latest batch of 48 scholars, we have altogether awarded a total of 448 scholarships to promising young men and women from the ASEAN countries, since the start of the Scholarship in 1999.
2 At the recent opening ceremony of the 5th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth on 26 April 2007, Singapore's Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Lee Hsien Loong said that "Our young people must have a greater awareness of our interlinked destinies, for they will be our future captains to steer the direction of ASEAN, and secure its place in the world." Indeed, one of the objectives of the Singapore Scholarship is to develop the potential of young men and women like you so that you can better serve your country after graduation. As leaders of tomorrow, you can help to "steer the direction of ASEAN" and contribute to shaping ASEAN's future.
3 In a few days' time, on 8 August 2007, ASEAN will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Much has been achieved over the four decades, with ASEAN growing from five to ten member countries covering the Southeast Asian region. But much will have to be done, in order to meet the challenges of globalisation and the rapid political, social, and economic changes.
4 As a founding member of ASEAN, Singapore has been providing technical assistance to our fellow ASEAN members. The provision of the Singapore Scholarship awards is one important facet of this assistance. Besides the Singapore Scholarship awards, Singapore has been sharing its experience and expertise in economic development, trade, urban development, environment management, information and communication technology, civil aviation, land transport and port management through the Singapore Cooperation Programme. To date, we have trained more than 30,000 participants from the ASEAN countries under our Singapore Cooperation Programme.
5 We hope this sharing, with the emphasis on education, has contributed to the integration and human resource capacity building in ASEAN. To quote an Asian proverb, "If you want to think one year ahead, plant rice. If you want to think 10 years ahead, plant trees. But if you want to think 100 years ahead, give education to people." This aptly describes the importance of educating young talents like all of you, and the positive impact it will have on the long-term future of ASEAN and the region.
6 Through the Singapore Scholarship Programme, you have been given the opportunity to study at one of the three universities in Singapore - the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, the National University of Singapore, and the Singapore Management University. Our universities, reflecting Singapore's multi-racial society, offers a tapestry of the various cultures we have, with a campus life that is vibrant, dynamic, and engaging. This is a great opportunity for you to acquire the knowledge and skills that are relevant to the developmental needs of your country. As Scholars, I hope that upon your graduation you will contribute meaningfully to your country and to the political, social, and economic environment in the region.
7 However, education should not be confined to a pursuit for academic excellence. I would like to stress the importance of an all-rounded education, which includes character building, leadership development, social skills, art of communication and inculcation of life values. In this regard, I am happy to know that many of your senior scholars have been active in co-curricular activities and community work despite their busy academic schedules.
8 For example, Mr Tha Sothun, Mr Saing Dararith and Ms Veth Sokly from Cambodia, together with other Singaporean undergraduates from SMU, had spent two weeks in Cambodia to construct houses and conduct HIV educational programmes for the villagers. Mr Huynh Tran Vy, from Vietnam, has been mentoring secondary school students and giving them tuition during weekends. Mr Garcia Jerome Cezar Pama, from the Philippines, who graduated from NTU with a First Class Honours in Engineering earlier this year, had spent precious time teaching computer courses to fellow Filipino workers in Singapore. These examples reinforce the importance of an all-round education, and they serve as role models for you to emulate.
9 I have also noticed that many of you have been active in co-curricular activities and community work in your country. For instance, Mr Jeremy Hadidjojo, from Indonesia, joined his school's community service to befriend and reach out to patients recovering from leprosy in the rehabilitation village. Ms Soo Mun Ling, from Malaysia, found her passion in sports and had won awards in track and field events, and table tennis in school. I encourage all of you to pursue co-curricular and community work and be actively involved during your stay in Singapore.
10 We have arranged for a Singapore host family to be your guardian. The host family will help you to settle in quickly and act as a valuable point of contact for information, friendship, and advice, especially to those of you who are leaving your homes for the first time. To the participating host families here, I would like to thank all of you for volunteering your time and effort to this important function. In addition, a senior scholar has been assigned to each of you as a "buddy." The senior scholar will ease your adjustment to campus life and provide valuable advice to you. Do cherish this bond of friendship with your host family and your "buddy".
11 On behalf of my Ministry, I would like to thank the Ministry of Education, the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, the National University of Singapore, and the Singapore Management University for helping us implement the Singapore Scholarship programme. I am confident that the scholars are in good hands.
12 Finally, I would like to wish each and every Singapore Scholar the very best for the coming years. The future is yours to chart, and may your stay in Singapore be memorable, challenging and fulfilling. Thank you.
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