Singapore, 7 February, 2019— Honourable President Halimah Yacob
Distinguished Ministers, Ministers of State, Mayors,
Parliamentary Secretaries, Members of Parliament
Honourable Heads of Diplomatic Missions and government officials
Board members of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
Council members of Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations
Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
A very warm welcome to everyone!
Lunar New Year is a special and joyous time of celebration. I am very happy and honoured to have Mdm President, as well as many members, partners and friends of all races and nationalities gathered here to usher in the New Year with us.
On behalf of Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Chinese New Year! And, a big thank you to all, for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us on the first day of work.
I shall now continue with my speech in Mandarin.
Honourable President Halimah Yacob;
Ministers, Ministers of State, Mayors,
Parliamentary Secretaries, Members of Parliament;
Honourable Heads of Diplomatic Missions and government officials;
Board members of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre;
Council members of Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations;
Representatives from the Cultural & Arts Communities, Ethnic organisations;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Happy Chinese New Year to everyone!
The start of a New Year signifies new beginnings. I am very happy to be here with all our guests on this third day of Chinese New Year. On behalf of Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA), I welcome President Halimah Yacob and all of you with the warmest of wishes of Chinese New Year as we gather to celebrate this happy occasion together!
New Year is an important traditional festival for the Chinese community, symbolising the beginning of a new year, marking yet another new start. Similarly, SFCCA has also set new goals in 2019 – a year-long series of activities themed “Unsung Heros” to commemorate Singapore’s 200 years of founding, aimed at paying homage to the pioneers who had made boundless contributions to our country without expecting any returns, as well as nurturing the giving spirit of young Singaporeans.
It is heartening to see the astounding success that the “New World, New Life” exhibition, the very first activity of this series, had garnered since its launch. Offered as a Learning Journey from January to April 2019, the Exhibition has seen more than 1000 students signing up. We have also actively trained student docents, so that more students can learn about Singapore’s history through this Exhibition.
Also, the “Singapore Biographical Database” launched on 1 February 2019 now documents the historical data of 200 Chinese pioneers, allowing the public to search through this database for information regarding their own roots and to better understand their pioneers’ achievements.
Coming up in March, we will also launch the “Builders of Singapore” Heritage Trails, which will bring the public back to Singapore’s landscape in the 19th and 20th century as they walk through the iconic buildings and cultural landmarks built by Indian labourers and Samsui women. Following this, SFCCA will continue to unveil more events, as we look back in history and commemorate our pioneers.
Last November, SFCCA welcomed a new Council. I am grateful for the solid foundation that Mr Chua Thian Poh and the past Councils had laid down for SFCCA, as well as the continuous success they have led SFCCA to achieve throughout the years. On behalf of the current Council, I offer my deepest appreciation to you for your selfless contributions.
At the same time, we hope each and every one of you can support SFCCA as we continue to introduce more meaningful activities to drive the Chinese community, promote local Chinese culture as well as facilitate societal cohesiveness.
To our member associations, I urge you to ponder upon your future directions as the new year approaches, and to seek new breakthroughs. Clan associations need to adopt a systematic management approach, and actively revamp your internal operations, in order to manage resources to advance your development. SFCCA will offer our greatest support, and forge ahead together with you.
Last but not least, on behalf of SFCCA, I would like to thank Mdm President for gracing this occasion to celebrate Chinese New Year with us, as well as Ministers, Ministers of State, Parliament Secretaries, Heads of Diplomatic Missions as well as all our distinguished guests for your presence as well. We wish you and your loved ones every success in your endeavours and happiness all year round!
Thank you!
