Speech by Mr Murali Pillai, Minister of State, Ministry of Law & Ministry of Transport, at the Tan Kah Kee Foundation Scholarship Award Ceremony 2024, ITE College Central

Mr Lawrence Tan Chairman, Tan Kah Kee Foundation

Associate Professor Eugene Tan Chairman, Tan Kah Kee Foundation Scholarship Committee

Ms Low Khah Gek Chief Executive Officer, ITE

Distinguished guests, donors, family and friends of the scholarship recipients, recipients, ladies and gentlemen

Introduction

1.              A very good evening to all of you.

2.              Before I start on my speech, I thought I should make a few prefatory remarks. Firstly, in response to Professor Eugene Tan’s comments about me, he has been very kind to limit his observations to the fact that I welcomed him when he joined Raffles Hall and my purported prowess in the hockey pitch.  So thank you for your kindness, Eugene, in leaving out the rest as I would not be electable otherwise! Second, and on a more serious note, I found the video on the life of the late Mr Tan Kah Kee extremely instructive.

3.              I recall a friend of mine sharing with me a Chinese idiom. As you know, it is all very pithy, four characters. One of the idioms conveyed this message, which is that ‘if you want to know about the greatness of a man, don’t hear of him while he’s alive, hear of him when he’s passed on’. The late Mr Tan passed away in 1961. The fact that we remember him fondly, attests to the fact that he is a giant, not just during his lifetime, but well beyond too.

4.              The video was instructive also for the fact that while he was alive, he inspired others to follow his footsteps – people like his son-in-law, the late Mr Lee Kong Chian, and Mr Tan Lark Sye. That’s amazing. But even after he passed on, I am glad to note that the Tan Kah Kee Foundation also inspired others to follow the example, like the Ng Teng Yeng Scholarship, Tan Ean Kiam Foundation, Li Siong Tay Foundation, and Madam Doreen Liu Scholarship as well. So you can see them all coming together to follow the example of the Tan Kah Kee Foundation. That is the pervasive impact of the late Mr Tan Kah Kee and the foundation that is set up in his name.

5.              2024 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of the late Mr Tan Kah Kee.

6.              We have much to learn from Mr Tan Kah Kee, who was a visionary of his time. He lived in a time when Singapore was going through turbulent times. Yet, he lived a frugal life and shared his hard-earned wealth with the less fortunate.

7.              Mr Tan Kah Kee once said that a country’s wealth is her people, and education is the cornerstone for developing her people. He then went on to establish several schools in Singapore. He founded three primary schools, you saw that in the video: Tao Nan, Ai Tong and Chongfu, and two high schools: The Chinese High and Nan Chiau High. I am a beneficiary of him setting up Chinese High, because 40 years ago I was a student at Hwa Chong Junior College. More than that, I was a beneficiary because I stayed in Hwa Chong College itself, not the hostel, but the College itself, because they had a programme for children from humble backgrounds, and we can stay there, because it then means less transport money used. It was one of those things in the past.

8.              He also donated large sums of money to two English-medium institutions: Anglo-Chinese School and Raffles College. His legacy lives on and the schools continue to be well-regarded today.

9.              I am heartened that the Tan Kah Kee Foundation continues to emphasise the importance of education as a means to uplift the community. Since 1983, it has awarded over $5 million worth of scholarships to more than 400 students through the Tan Kah Kee Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships – I am glad to note that Professor Eugene Tan is also a beneficiary of that scholarship – and administered scholarships sponsored by other donors too.

10.           I would like to congratulate the 32 scholarship recipients who will be receiving your scholarships later. Each of you are here today because of your personal journey and achievements.

Lifelong Learning

11.           Just as Mr Tan Kah Kee faced turbulent times in the early years of Singapore, we, too, face challenges in a rapidly changing world. The knowledge and skills required for tomorrow will be different from what you have learnt in school. How then can we navigate this increasingly complex world? First, we should stay relevant. Second, never stop learning.

12.           These traits are exemplified in the stories of two of the scholarship recipients here today, whom I had the pleasure of meeting just before this event, Mr Zhu Yongming and Ms Siti Nur Syiqa Bte Abdul Samad Mohamad.

13.           After spending 13 years as a regular in the Republic of Singapore Air Force, Yongming switched to the security sector in 2014. Yongming, who is a father of four, decided to upgrade his skills because of an increased demand for manpower in IT security. While working, he also picked up several professional certificates in security management. In 2019, he enrolled in the Nitec in Security Technology course at ITE College West. While juggling full-time studies, Yongming worked part-time as a security officer to provide for his young children. Yongming is currently pursuing a Work-Study Diploma in Security Systems Engineering at ITE College West, and is also working at M & G Technology Pte Ltd. He hopes this will secure a better future for him and his family. Well done, Yongming!

14.           Another recipient of the Lifelong Learning Scholarship is Ms Siti Nur Syiqa Bte Abdul Samad Mohamad. Syiqa moved from Indonesia to Singapore to pursue her secondary education when she was 12. Faced with the challenge of adapting to a new environment, Syiqa found comfort in cooking. In fact, she said that the one who inspired her is none other than her mother. Syiqa enrolled in the Nitec in Asian Culinary Arts and excelled. She also participated as a chef assistant in prestigious events, such as the 2022 Michelin Star Revelation and Gala Dinner to broaden her culinary exposure. Besides her culinary pursuits, Syiqa devotes her time to serve communities, here as well as abroad. For example, she supported the reconstruction works at a local school in Thailand. She is currently honing her culinary skills in the Technical Diploma in Culinary Arts with the Restaurant Management course, and she plans to pursue a related Masters programme at the Institute Lyfe in France after completing her diploma. Congratulations, Syiqa!

15.           Indeed, the stories of Yongming and Syiqa inspire us to seize opportunities, turn adversities into opportunities, learn new skills and stay relevant.

16.           Mr Tan Kah Kee once said, “I must have economic foundations before I can contribute to society”. Once you are economically stable, I encourage you to pay it forward and find ways to contribute to society in your spheres of influence. You are role models for the younger generation of students who look up to you.

17.           The Chinese idiom 饮水思源means that ‘when you drink water, remember the source’. This idiom reminds us to remember our roots and benefactors. Each of you are here because of the support of your families, your teachers, your friends. The award you receive today also belongs to them, and I hope you take the time to embrace and thank them too.

Redefining Success

18.           Tonight’s ceremony is a testament of our society’s commitment to broaden the definitions of success. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that he hopes to see a Singapore where “we can all strive to be the best possible versions of ourselves”, and “one where our success is defined by how we help each other to do well collectively”.

19.           This call to redefine success was also a key pillar in the Forward SG exercise, which was launched to engage Singaporeans on how we should refresh our social compact. Simply put, social compact is the glue that holds our society together. Each of us, you and me, have a part to play.

20.           The Government’s vision is to embrace learning beyond grades, and to provide more opportunities to all Singaporeans to chart our own path, and to pursue our diverse aspirations and our own definitions of success.

21.           To achieve this, we already have established diverse pathways to develop every student to their full potential. SkillsFuture will also be a key pillar of our social compact, so that Singaporeans can re-skill and upskill. As announced at this year’s Budget, the Government introduced the ITE Progression Award to support ITE graduates to upskill to a diploma earlier in their careers, and to secure more progression prospects in their chosen professions. ITE graduates aged 30 and below who choose to pursue a diploma will be eligible for two government top-ups of $5,000 to the Post-Secondary Education Account upon enrolment in the diploma, and another $10,000 to the CPF Ordinary Account upon completion of the diploma.

Conclusion

22.           In closing, I would like to thank the Tan Kah Kee Foundation for their generosity over the years. The Foundation has exemplified the role of the community in our social compact.

23.           As you pursue your own unique journey, I hope you will bear these wise words of Mr Tan Kah Kee in mind – to treat people with sincerity, and to do things with perseverance. I wish you every success ahead and my heartiest congratulations to all 32 scholarship recipients as well as your families.

24.           Thank you very much.