Mayor Zai's Blog

Excerpts: Opening of the Singapore 2010 CAN!

Be a Part of Singapore 2010

Singapore bid for the Youth Olympic Games so that we can provide opportunities for Singaporeans, particularly the youth, to be more active in sports and to be a part of this inaugural international event.  During the bid phase, Singaporeans had come together to organise events to show our support for the bid.  Now, we have been given the opportunity to play our part to help create this historic event and leave a legacy for Singapore and youth around the world. 

Create Action Now! (CAN!) for Singapore 2010 is what today’s event is about.  CAN! invites the community and the youth to realise their ideas and initiate activities to celebrate the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. That is to say, Singapore 2010 is more than the 12 days of competition in August 2010.  Our journey started the moment that we put in our bid in 2007.  It has been two years since and along this journey, I am glad to say that many have come forward to initiate and organise events as part of Singapore 2010.

Communities Can Create Action Now!

For example, earlier this year, a group of youths from the four local universities came together to organise the first Singapore 2010 CAN! event in conjunction with the launch of the Singapore 2010 logo.

Today’s CAN! DISCOVER event is another example of a community initiative in celebration of Singapore 2010.  The Harvest Care Centre’s We Are Different or W.A.D! Club, together with Hi-5 Youth, a youth initiative of the Central Singapore Community Development Council and *scape have come together to organise this event to promote cultural understanding and international friendship.

I am very happy that the international communities in Singapore from America, Belgium, Brazil, Finland, India, Korea, Mongolia and Switzerland are also taking part in the today’s festival.  They have set up booths to feature and share their food, fashion, customs, arts and culture.  I look forward to more of such partnerships with the international communities in the lead up to the Games as well as during Games time.

Getting Started: Singapore 2010 – Young ChangeMakers Grant

To encourage more community-initiated events in celebration of Singapore 2010, I am happy to announce the launch of the Singapore 2010 – Young ChangeMakers Grant, a joint initiative between the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) and the National Youth Council (NYC).  Some $300,000 will be set aside for 75 youth projects in celebration of Singapore 2010 from now till Games time. 

I am also happy to announce the launch of the “Celebrate Singapore 2010 Event Starter Kit”, produced by SYOGOC, for those of you who would like to organise activities for Singapore 2010 but are not sure how to get started. This event guide provides several suggestions and points out available resources from the community that youth can tap on.

WhyOhGee – Connecting Youth Online

Other than events, youth and the community can also connect to the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games online. The Organising Committee has revamped the Singapore 2010 website and along with it, launched a new microsite (www.whyohgee.sg) especially for the youth.   Some 80 youths came together to name the youth microsite “WhyOhGee”.  It is a site where young people can learn and share about Olympism, the 26 sports at the YOG and the diverse cultures of the world.  There is also a section on issues such as the environment and world issues.  The site promises fun and interesting content, including a Youth Guru to show the lighter side of the Youth Olympic Games.  There are also plans to introduce more features that will encourage user-generated content. Do check out this new website.

Learning about Excellence, Friendship & Respect

In connecting the communities, the Youth Olympic Games also give us the opportunity to learn and understand about the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.  With the introduction of the Olympic Education Programme and the Friends@YOG twinning programme in Dec last year, students in Singapore have been learning more about the Olympic values both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Woodlands Ring Secondary School, for example, organised a week of holistic learning experience to give students the opportunity to appreciate and demonstrate the Olympic values through activities such as learning an Olympic sport, and visiting the Youth Olympic Games Learning Centre.

At the visit to the YOG Learning Centre, one of the Woodlands Ring Secondary School students, 13-year-old Emily Tan Yih Wei was inspired by the story of Karoly Takacs.  A right-handed shooter whose right hand was shattered when handling a defective grenade in the army, Karoly Takacs was determined to excel in his sport nonetheless.  He started training with his left arm and went on to win an Olympic gold medal.  “His story really motivated me to strive for excellence in whatever I do,” said Yih Wei.

I am sure that the Youth Olympic Games will also inspire young people embrace, embody and express the Olympic Values.    

In closing, I would like to congratulate the organisers of CAN! DISCOVER for an excellent job today, and I wish everyone here a fun-filled afternoon.

Excerpts from e-Townhall webchat on May Day Rally, 7 May 2009

27 participants comprising students, professionals, overseas Singaporeans and businessmen took part in the e-Townhall webchat with Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong and Dr Amy Khor, Chairman, REACH on the May Day Rally. The participants engaged the chairpersons in a discussion on topics such as employment for seniors, assistance for the unemployed, engagement of overseas Singaporeans, union relations, retraining, attractiveness of Singapore, as well as the three potential divides raised in PM’s May Day Rally speech.

Employment for seniors

It was pointed out that seniors faced great difficulty in finding jobs and often ended up as lowly-paid workers such as cleaners, security guards or chambermaids and were often subject to unfair working terms. It was hoped that the Government would take the lead in employing more seniors, and provide incentives for firms to employ senior workers and that the dissemination of information on schemes available to the   seniors could be improved so that they would know where to seek help.

Assistance for the unemployed

The netters felt that the Government should provide the retrenched with more assistance than fresh graduates and PMETs. It was hoped that unemployment insurance would be introduced to help the retrenched seek new opportunities and re-skill themselves. It was also suggested that Workfare be extended to the unemployed and that the Government consider allowing the unemployed to borrow from their own CPF savings to tide them through, in the short term. 

Skills upgrading

A couple of participants felt that skills upgrading alone was not enough to help workers and would not be of much help to those who are now unemployed. A participant also raised that basic retraining was only a short-term measure and wondered about the long-term measures that would help to make Singaporean workers competitive.

Labour relations

Several contributors wondered if the peaceful labour relations   in Singapore were too contrived due to the ban on strikes. Nevertheless, they recognised the importance of peaceful labour relations to the economy. An overseas Singaporean suggested that the employers, employees and Government work together to create the conditions that bring about peaceful relations. It was also hoped that the unions would reach out to the non-unionised workers as well.

Engagement of Overseas Singaporeans

Some participants observed Overseas Singaporeans felt disengaged and were reluctant to return to Singapore. An overseas Singaporean felt that the Government could allow Overseas Singaporeans to play a bigger role in shaping the nation, by allowing them to vote, for instance.  

Attractiveness of Singapore

The participants also discussed the factors that made Singapore attractive to investors such as stability, tax system, and landscaping. It was felt that the ERP could be reviewed to reduce business costs to boost our competitiveness.

Foreign Workers

Generally the participants felt that Singapore could do with less foreign workers. It was also suggested that tougher penalties be imposed on employers who abuse the foreign worker policy. 

Potential divides

The participants noted the widening income gap between the rich and the poor, despite efforts to help them. It was suggested that a community-based approach be adopted to help those lagging behind so that the needy do not have to turn to the Government for assistance all the time.  It was also hoped that more information would be made available to the needy on where they could seek help.

Speech at Pierce Secondary School's Speech Day

1.           I am pleased to be here at Peirce Secondary School’s 15th Speech and Prize Giving Day. It is indeed heartening to see so many parents and students here this afternoon as we celebrate this important and happy occasion.

2.           Peirce Secondary School has come a long way since it first started in 1994. The upgrading exercise of your premises to include an Indoor Sports Hall and other facilities has since been completed and you have now returned home.  It is really heartening to hear that the school has shared the bigger space and modern facilities with many organizations such as the Singapore Scouts Association, your Parent Support Group, the Peircean Alumni; even the nearby private residents have used Peirce’s facilities to conduct their programmes and activities.  I have also noted that it is not uncommon that former students come back to help out in the CCAs almost every week. I am glad to see that the school continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Peirce students past and present.

3.           This goes to show that it is not the building that makes the school. It is the relationships forged within the school, and the memories you hold dear that have a special meaning for you many years down the road. While up-to-date facilities provide a conducive environment for our students’ learning, what matters most are the people who make up the school community. I am happy to see that Peirce has provided opportunities for members to deepen links with one another through various programmes committed to the holistic education of our students.

PEOPLE • PASSION • PURPOSE

4.         I note that the theme for this year’s Speech Day is “PEOPLE • PASSION • PURPOSE”. The theme aptly sums up Peirce’s commitment to provide opportunities to make a purposeful difference not just in the lives of its students, but also in the lives of others outside of the school community with passion and commitment. As such, Peirce has constantly embarked on initiatives and programmes that go beyond academic achievements. These programmes encourage students to care for the environment and reach out to the community.

5.         Community Involvement exposes students to the needs of the less advantaged in society, both at home and abroad. We want our students to develop empathy, and also a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate, and those at the fringes of society. I am heartened to see that Peirce has been providing students with opportunities to effect positive changes in the larger community, and see beyond their own immediate needs.  One such example is the Overseas Service Learning Expedition by your scouts troop to Subic Bay, Philippines from 30 May to 5 Jun 08. The 26 scouts, 2 teachers and 3 parent-volunteers who formed the expedition party, donated two sets of data-loggers and a refurbished computer to benefit the children there.  The Scouts had made a positive impact by making learning of interactive sciences engaging, exciting and empowering for 30 pupils of the school when they conducted lessons for them. Their actions certainly made a huge difference to the lives of the occupants there, not only in terms of material comfort but also in bringing happiness and joy.  I am sure that for the students who went on the overseas CIP trip to Philippines, their experience has broadened their perspectives and made them more aware of the needs of others.

6.          Another aspect that is integral to holistic education is participation in sports and games. To further support a broad-based education, MOE has provided all schools with an indoor sports hall. Inclement weather will no longer be an issue and the school will thus be able to provide more opportunities for its students to participate in sports, games and the performing arts like the Combined Concert Performance - 'Above All Things' on 24^th of May 2009 and the annual Sports & UG Leadership Camp like the one that Peirceans embarked to Thailand during the June holidays.

7.           I would like to congratulate the school at this point for your many achievements in 2008.

7.1        Best performance in the past four years for the GCE ‘N’ Level examination in 2008

7.2        Attaining the Development Award for National Education in 2008

7.3        Showcasing Best Teaching Practices at the National Level such as the 3G Technology in the Humanities Classroom at the MOE ExCEL Fest 2008

Conclusion

8.           The achievements and progress of the school today can only be possible with dedication and efforts of the school’s staff and pupils together with your stakeholders, such as the School Advisory Committee, the Parent Support Group and various community partners. I urge Peirce Secondary to continue to forge ahead, charting its own path towards excellence but holding true to its core values and principles.

9.           I would also like to congratulate all prize winners and award recipients for your excellent academic achievements and contributions. You have done your school and parents proud.

Speech at the RHB Singapore Cup Draw - 15 April 2009

Dearest Friends,

Today, as we stand here in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District, we are all privileged witnesses to one of the special draws in the history of the RHB Singapore Cup competition.  True to their innovative ways, RHB Bank have elected to hold the Draw in public for the first time.  This will allow more RHB Bank customers and the business people and professionals of Raffles Place to experience the excitement of the RHB Singapore Cup.

RHB Bank has been the title sponsor of the Singapore Cup since 2005 and it has been an honour for the Cup to be associated with the bank that has been noted for not just their support of local football, but also their pioneering approach to business service which has seen them become the first full bank to be conferred the prestigious S-Class (Service Class) award by SPRING Singapore as well as numerous other awards for service excellence. Today, they again bring us an innovative way to increase the level of public excitement with the Singapore Cup.

There has always been much romance associated to knockout competitions and so the Draw is integral to a Cup competition which can see any team stake a claim to the Cup. Sometimes, they do it through the hard work of making ‘giant-killings’ and upsets, while sometimes it is purely just thanks to ‘the luck of the Draw’ and that is the beauty of this knockout Cup competition.

Some of you here today will have the honour of drawing the teams for the RHB Singapore Cup and to some extent, determining the fate of some of these teams who will be watching the Draw closely.

The RHB Singapore Cup is the region’s premier club tournament with more than 40% of teams from foreign soil.  Brunei DPMM FC - who are now part of our S.League tournament and performing very well - joined the competition back in 2004 as the Cup’s first invited foreign side.  Over the years, the Thai sides have stood out, with Chonburi and Bangkok University making the final four in two of the last three years.

The four foreign teams in this year’s RHB Singapore Cup are: Thailand’s Bangkok Glass FC and TTM Samut Sakhon FC, Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Crown FC and Indonesia’s Pelita Jaya FC coached by our very own Fandi Ahmad.  I am sure the S.League teams are relishing the opportunity to play against new competition in the RHB Singapore Cup 2009 and fans can expect some pulsating football action.

Singapore football has been on the rise and the S.League, comprising the League as well as the Singapore Cup, is recognized as the Top 10 League in Asia.  This year has seen an increase in attendance, viewership, website traffic and media coverage for S.League and I am confident that with such quality foreign and local teams in this year’s Draw, the 2009 RHB Singapore Cup will be even better and more exciting.

On this note, I wish all the clubs an exciting RHB Singapore Cup campaign!

Singapore Day 2009 in London : \"I LOVE Sg\"