Dr and Mrs Howe Tet Sen,
Mr Fock Siew Wah, Group Chairman, PSA International,
Chairman and Members of the Howe Yoon Chong PSA Endowment Fund Management Committee,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon.

I am very pleased to be here today for the Howe Yoon Chong PSA Scholarship Award Ceremony which is now into its fifth year.

The idea for the scholarships which we are presenting today was seeded about six years ago when PSA Group Chairman Fock Siew Wah suggested the setting up of an endowment fund. This endowment fund would provide bond-free scholarships for students with at least B-average results from lower income families to upgrade themselves through education or training in various technical skills. The fund was named in honour of the late Mr Howe Yoon Chong, who was Chairman of the then Port of Singapore Authority from 1970 to 1979.

Howe Yoon Chong was an outstanding Singaporean, well-known for his ideas that he brought to his work and his tenacity in making projects succeed. I pause here just to emphasise a point about the character of a man of our first generation of leaders. A man of ideas, willing to try, daring to try, with the tenacity to succeed. I hope that these will be characteristics that our younger generation will emulate.

Mr Howe was always forward-looking and resourceful, and armed with ideas that were often ahead of his time. He stuck his neck out for unconventional views and ways of resolving the issues of the day. Once Mr Howe was convinced that a particular solution would solve the problem, he would persevere in his efforts to sell the solution to others and persuade them to come to his point of view even in the face of strong opposition.

And I pause here for us to reflect what Singaporeans today complain about. That they have ideas and these ideas don’t seem to be taken up by government. You would like to think that it was easier in Howe Yoon Chong’s days but I can assure you it was not easy. If you had an idea, you had to be able to convince others of your idea. So the experiences of Singaporeans today with… that those who are passionate, if you would follow the example of Mr Howe, then your ideas will see the light of day.

Mr Howe’s tenacity, energy and willpower plus his persuasive ways meant that his ideas were often implemented and they proved that his judgment of the matter at hand was sound and right.

In almost 30 years of public service, Mr Howe made many outstanding contributions in a number of areas, including housing, health, defence and infrastructure. Three familiar icons in Singapore today stand testimony to his foresight and perseverance.

During the energy crises in the early seventies, when the world economy was badly affected by skyrocketing oil prices, Mr Howe backed the building of Raffles City at the heart of downtown Singapore. This was a sign of his practical wisdom as he believed strongly that the Singapore economy would experience an upturn and make Raffles City a success.

History will repeat itself as it has in Marina Financial Services Centre which was also built at a time when the world economy was down and people were saying that there is going to be a glut in office space and we shouldn’t embark on such a project. But today, those who were brave enough and bold enough to undertake the project are reaping the gains of their foresight as Mr Howe did see Raffles City succeed. I am pausing here because for our young people today, life goes in cycles and history repeats itself. And you have to gain the insight into events to decide what is the right thing to do.

Mr Howe Yoon Chong also played a pivotal role in the development of Changi Airport. Back in 1975, Mr Howe had the foresight to push for a new airport to be built at Changi rather than to follow expert opinion to expand the existing airport at Paya Lebar with a second runway. The land at Changi was reclaimed from the sea, an international terminal built from scratch, and the new airport began operations on schedule in July 1981.

Again, the younger generation of Singaporeans will face this kind of decisions to be made, whether to make that move, because it’s a lot of money, and if that move proves wrong, you lose a lot of money. But Mr Howe was certain that it was right and he pushed for it and he convinced then-Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. And from personal experience, if anybody wants to convince Mr Lee Kuan Yew, you’ve got to be very strong in your convictions and sure of yourself.

Mr Howe was also instrumental in giving our Port of Singapore the head start to build and operate container handling facilities. Going against the advice of port experts, he borrowed money from the World Bank, and led the construction of Singapore’s first container terminal which was opened in June 1972. Our Port has since become one of the busiest in terms of container handling. And if Mr Howe had not pushed for that… implemented that, and somebody else in our region had done so, then today, the leading port in Southeast Asia would go to that country and not Singapore.

Despite his many accomplishments – in the civil service, in politics and in the corporate sector – Mr Howe remained a humble and frugal person. He was always generous with his time and compassionate towards the needy. Coming from a family with modest means, I am sure Mr Howe would have appreciated the help which the Howe Yoon Chong PSA Scholarships seek to provide today.

The earlier batches of Howe Yoon Chong PSA scholars have lived up to our expectations. Most of them have done very well in their studies. What is even more encouraging is that, in spite of their difficult financial situations and challenging backgrounds, our scholars continue to find time to help those in need in society.

It is our hope that these scholars will remain humble as they grow to become leaders in whatever fields they choose to focus on, and may they continue to help make a difference for their fellow Singaporeans now and in the future.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks and deep appreciation to the seven interview panelists who put in time and effort to interview the more than 70 candidates for this year’s scholarships. Without their tireless dedication in sieving out the needs and merits of each applicant, we would not be having this ceremony today.

I would also like to express our thanks to the Howe Yoon Chong PSA Endowment Fund Management Committee who have been steering the direction of the fund since it was launched in 2008. They are Chairman Ong Boon Hwee, and three Committee Members: Caroline Lim, Low Sek Fun and Melvin Yong.

Let me close by congratulating the fifth batch of 16 recipients of the Howe Yoon Chong PSA Scholarship. I hope that, in receiving this scholarship, you will learn to know more about the man and, as I earlier said, to learn about what made him and what drove him and how he served Singapore. There are ups and downs in life, but you have shown us that you can ride these waves. I wish each of you every success in your life journey ahead.

Thank you.