PM Lee Hsien Loong at the CDAC 20th Anniversary Celebrations

Mr Wee Cho Yaw, Chairman, CDAC Board of Trustees
Mr Lim Swee Say, Chairman, CDAC Board of Directors
Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

I am happy to celebrate CDAC’s 20th anniversary with you tonight.

CDAC was founded in 1992 to help less fortunate Chinese families and academically-weaker students. It ensured that as Singapore progressed, all members of Chinese community benefitted. It provided a platform for the Chinese community to help its less fortunate members.

CDAC expressed our commitment to leave no one behind. It tapped on Singaporeans’ desire to contribute back to their own communities. It was the same for all the other self-help groups – Mendaki first, then SINDA, CDAC, the Eurasian Association. In fact, CDAC was one of the last to be formed. All the groups have been successful, because they understand the unique circumstances and concerns of their respective communities. They can address issues candidly, without raising racial or religious sensitivities. And they can rally members of community to help one another, whether as volunteers or donors.

The CDAC started from modest beginnings. The first office was borrowed from the SCCCI – Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and the first staff were borrowed from PA. Officers had to do everything themselves – answer phones, take notes, distribute flyers, sometimes carrying their newborn daughter in one hand and writing a report with the other, which was Sam Tan’s duty!

Over 20 years, the CDAC has helped many, many people. Its Skills Development Programme has helped 75,000 workers to upgrade their skills and earn more. Its Tuition Programme has offered more than 400,000 places to needy students.

So I would like to thank the CDAC Board members, staff and volunteers, and especially the past and present Executive Directors for building it up – Mr Chan Soo Sen, Mr Sam Tan, Mr Goh Chim Khim the current Executive Director. All of you who have participated in this effort are the listening ears and helping hands for the Chinese community, and the heart and soul of the CDAC.

Special thanks go to Mr Wee Cho Yaw, who was the Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees. As then-President of the SFCCA, he was the prime mover behind the CDAC. He led the Fund Raising Committee and donated generously to the Endowment Fund, helping to raise more than $10 million. He helped introduce many CDAC programmes, like the CDAC-SFCCA Hardship Assistance Fund, the Bursary Schemes and many others. He will retire from the Board of Trustees at the next AGM and he will be sorely missed. So I would like to thank Mr Wee once again for his many significant contributions.

LEAVING NO SINGAPOREAN BEHIND

Singapore has made much progress over the last 20 years – higher incomes, better lives, more robust economy, a more gracious city – because we worked together and shared the fruits of growth. Of course, we still have challenges to overcome and we work hard at them. And we are as committed as ever to make progress together, particularly progress on helping our low-income groups.

The Government is doing its utmost for low-income families, whether through GST Vouchers, through Workfare, Special Employment Credit, Inclusive Growth Programme; many different initiatives, quite a lot of money, and most importantly, tremendous determination and effort being put in. Our objective is to preserve social mobility for all Singaporeans, so that children can aspire to do better than their parents; and especially to do this through education, by making sure every school is a good school and every child receives a good education.

We will always look after the less fortunate, and we will never leave anyone behind. That’s one thing which I will promise Singaporeans.

BUILDING A GRACIOUS AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY

But community efforts are also important, apart from Government efforts. How we fare as a nation depends on how Singaporeans respond to our challenges, individually and as a community. There are many positive examples of VWOs, philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, voluntarism.

The self-help groups continue to play very important roles, especially helping families and improving social mobility. The CDAC is already moving in this new direction. It used to restrict help only to “double poor” students – poor family, but also poor school results – but not anymore. Now, the CDAC helps students from low-income households regardless of their results. Those not doing well, help them to improve and pass; those doing well, help them to excel and achieve their potential. Let nothing hold them back. The CDAC will do more, especially to help low-income families and children from low-income families to move up, to keep our social mobility high. We are extending education programmes to students from JCs, ITEs, polytechnics, Arts Schools and students not in the mainstream education system. We will focus on developing character and not just academic performance of students from lower-income households. We will equip workers with more advanced skills and parents with the knowledge on financial management and healthy living, and help people to do not only better in school, but also to be more successful in life.

But besides the Government and the community, individuals also need to make the effort to help themselves. If you need help, ask for help – there is always a helping hand stretched out to you. Take advantage of the programmes to upgrade yourself. And when you get back on your feet, help others to get back on their feet. For example, two people featured in the video just now – Mr Bryan Ong and Mdm Teo Lung Hiang. Bryan joined CDAC Redhill Student Service Centre, now called CDAC@Redhill, back in 1999 – prepared for exams, learnt computer skills. Now, he is a 3rd year business student at NUS under SPRING Singapore's Executive Development Scholarship. He is an active CDAC volunteer, he has written a motivational book for young people, and was recently appointed a Central Singapore CDC Youth Ambassador. I met him just now, and I think we should say thank you to Bryan. Mdm Teo Lung Hiang, the hairdresser you saw in the video just now, took up the CDAC Skills Training Award and obtained NITEC in Hairstyling in 2003. She is now a hairstylist. She provides free haircuts to the elderly at Thye Hua Kwan Moral Neighbourhood Link and students from low-income families at CDAC. So Mdm Teo, thank you very much also. I hope that the two of them will inspire more Singaporeans to help the less fortunate amongst us.

I strongly encourage all Singaporeans to step forward, in big ways or small. Make a donation; volunteer your time; work with the Government or VWOs, or start one, start a VWO or social enterprise.

Together, we can build a more gracious and inclusive society where you feel a sense of belonging, of purpose, and of achievement, because you have helped to make it.

CONCLUSION

I congratulate CDAC again on its 20th birthday. We wish you all the best in serving the Chinese community. Let us work together to build this a better and more harmonious Singapore!

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