Public Service Commission

SPEECH BY PRESIDENT S R NATHAN AT THE 2005 PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDS CEREMONY ON FRIDAY 12TH AUGUST 2005 7.30 PM AT THE ISTANA STATE ROOM

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education

Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen

As we celebrate Singapore’s 40th year of independence, we can take pride in what we have achieved. Our relentless pursuit of excellence has generated continued progress and prosperity, and enhanced our resilience as a young nation. We can take comfort from the fact that we have moved from a third-world country to first- world status in these 40 years. In the years ahead we will face new challenges which we must confront and overcome.

2. What we have achieved would not have been possible without outstanding leaders at the national level and in the public service - men and women of honour and distinction, who have been selfless in the service of Singapore. Without them, our country would not have been able to achieve our current level of development. As we look ahead we must expect to face future obstacles in building on our prosperity. I believe that with strong and capable leadership, coupled with dedication and confidence from all Singaporeans, we will be able to overcome any impediment we face and progress to the next stage of our development.

3. It is therefore important for us to ensure that Singapore continues to identify and groom our best and brightest to assume leadership positions in the public service. The Public Service Commission scholarship has been a key tool in achieving this.

President’s Scholarships

4. The President’s Scholarship is the premier award for which our best students aspire to achieve. It has a long and illustrious history which dates back to when Singapore was still a British colony. It is the nation’s most prestigious scholarship award for our very best and brightest young men and women in each year’s cohort. It grooms them to fully develop their potential and take on future leadership positions to serve our nation.

5. President’s Scholars have always been selected on the strict basis of merit. Stringent selection criteria have to be fulfilled before any student can be considered for the award. Besides academic excellence and outstanding participation in co-curricular activities, a President’s Scholar has to possess leadership qualities and an impeccable character that is able to command the respect of his or her peers. He or she must also possess the passion and the commitment to serve the nation. Through such stringent criteria, apart from scholastic achievements, we ensure that individuals selected match up and meet the prestige and honour of this Scholarship.

2005 President’s Scholars

6. This year, the President’s Scholarship is conferred on three outstanding individuals. They are Miss Audry Lee Shan Yin, Miss Lim Ming Jing and Mr Mikail Kalimuddin. Miss Lee will be studying Medicine at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, while Miss Lim and Mr Kalimuddin will be proceeding to the United States. Miss Lim, who has been concurrently awarded an Overseas Merit Scholarship, will be reading Economics at the University of Pennsylvania while Mr Kalimuddin will pursue a degree in Economics and Political Science at Brown University. Mr Kalimuddin is also a Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship holder.

Honour and Responsibility

7. I hardly need to remind the three recipients of this year’s Presidents Scholarship that honour and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. In accepting the awards, you are also declaring your acceptance of the obligations that come along with it. From the moment you are awarded the Scholarship, your progress and your achievements will be followed closely and you will be looked upon as role models. You must set the standard for others to emulate and aim to excel in all your undertaking, be it in your studies or subsequently in your careers. You should also be a proud ambassador of our country wherever you go.

8. It augers well for Singapore to have young men and women with such outstanding all-round attainment and unequivocal success. As a small nation with no natural resources, we must spare no effort in developing each and every individual to his or her full potential. But to succeed as a nation, Singaporeans must go beyond striving for individual excellence. The more successful and able Singaporeans have a duty to help the less able and the less fortunate. This will further strengthen the bond among Singaporeans and foster a more cohesive and compassionate society. As a President’s Scholar, you are expected to be an active member of your community as well as possessing a strong desire to serve Singapore and contribute actively to our country’s development.

9. I am confident that Miss Lee, Miss Lim and Mr Kalimuddin will live up to the high standards expected of them, and do Singapore proud. It leaves me now to congratulate you, as well as your families, principals, teachers and friends. This award is also a testament to their effort and dedication. I wish you every success in your studies and your career in the public service.