Your Excellency, Union Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas,
Your Excellency, Secretary General of the Omani MFA
Sayyid Badr Bin Hamad Bin Hamoud Al Busaidi,
Your Excellency, Mayor of Kochi Prof Mercy Williams,
Captain Saleh Al Jabri,
Distinguished Ministers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Namaste.
On behalf of the Singapore delegation, let me begin by extending my heartfelt appreciation to His Excellency K V Thomas and the Indian Government for the hospitality that has been extended to us on this joyous occasion. We are deeply honoured to be part of the festivities this evening to celebrate the arrival of the Jewel of Muscat to the fair shores of Kochi, her first port-of-call. This marks yet another important milestone in the Jewel of Muscat project.
Barely a month ago, I had the privilege of joining His Excellency Sayyid Badr in bidding an emotional farewell to the Jewel of Muscat as she commenced her epic voyage to Singapore from Oman. I read with fascination Captain Saleh Al Jabri's daily travel logs describing the seafaring adventures of the ship and her hardy crew who braved the rough seas, navigated using the stars, and sailed with the dolphins to bring us this marvellous icon of Omani craftsmanship here to Kochi today. To each and every crew member of the Jewel of Muscat, your adventurous spirit and your ingenuity honours the great Omani sailors of the past. Your historic voyage from Oman to Singapore inspires our future generations. Your efforts are a celebration of heritage, culture and passion. Foreign Minister George Yeo and I have been posting our thoughts on our blogs and Facebook profiles to share with our online community the great news of the Jewel of Muscat's journey to Singapore.
The Jewel of Muscat is a living symbol of the growing friendship between Singapore and Oman, and a powerful expression of our desire to strengthen the ties between our countries. It also reminds us of the traditional linkages between Southeast Asia and the Middle East that have stood the test of time. It is a great honour for Singapore to receive the Jewel of Muscat as a gift from His Majesty Sultan
Qaboos Bin Said Al Said.
I am touched by the wonderful celebrations arranged by the Indian Government to commemorate the Jewel of Muscat's arrival in Kochi. The Indian Navy has also kept a watchful eye on the Jewel of Muscat to keep it and its crew safe. I am delighted that India is sharing in this adventure initiated by Singapore and Oman, and would enjoy the company of the Jewel of Muscat during her stay in Kochi. I encourage the crew to take a well-deserved rest before setting off on the next leg of the voyage in April.
The journey ahead would not be without risks. The Jewel of Muscat will need to brave the powerful winds of the Bay of Bengal and the 21st century merchant shipping of the Strait of Malacca. However, I am confident that the astute leadership of Captain Saleh and the perseverance of the crew will see through the honourable task of bringing the Jewel of Muscat to Singapore.
Once again, on behalf of the people of Singapore, I wish to express once again our deepest gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for the Jewel of Muscat, and to His Excellency K V Thomas for India's part in this warm hearted celebration of the Jewel of Muscat. We look forward to our turn to receive the Jewel of Muscat in Singapore, Inshallah, in July.
I pray for fair winds and clement weather for the rest of your journey.
Nan-ni.
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MEDIA COMMENTS BY SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS ZAINUL ABIDIN RASHEED FOR THE JEWEL OF MUSCAT WELCOME CEREMONY, 17 MARCH 2010
• I had the great pleasure of meeting Captain Saleh Al Jabri and the crew of the Jewel of Muscat today in Kochi.
• It is an honour and privilege for Singapore to be, together with Oman, a part of the Jewel of Muscat epic project.
• Having met Captain Saleh and his crew on board the Jewel of Muscat, I can for myself feel what this project means. It is a celebration of heritage and culture, of courage and passion, and of the spirit of adventure. Captain Saleh and his crew will be an inspiration for generations of Singaporeans and Omanis, and indeed for all countries around the Indian Ocean.
• As she continues her historic voyage to Singapore, the Jewel of Muscat will face many more challenges. Her crew will be tested by the wind and by the very Spartan conditions onboard. I have every confidence that she will overcome these challenges, and I look forward to welcoming her in Singapore.
• When I visited the Jewel of Muscat this afternoon, I saw for myself the very Spartan living conditions that the crew have had to endure on their voyage from Muscat to Kochi. The voyage to Singapore will be difficult. Nonetheless, I have no doubt that the Jewel of Muscat and her crew will succeed in this endeavour.
MEDIA COMMENTS BY FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER JEFF KHOO FOR THE JEWEL OF MUSCAT WELCOME CEREMONY, 17 MARCH 2010
• Sailing on the Jewel of Muscat has been a tremendous experience. I have learnt, and have had to learn, a great deal on the voyage from Muscat to Kochi. The ship gave the crew plenty of challenges - we had to learn how to sail her, how to handle her massive spars and sails with no more than block and tackle, how to maintain her roles and planks, how to live under very Spartan conditions.
• I am deeply grateful to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for having given me the opportunity to participate in this unique voyage.
• The history of pre-modern trade in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea is a fascinating study, and one in which Singapore has its rightful place. Now that I am back ashore, there are many good books that I am looking forward to read.
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