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Western Australian
Singapore Business Council
Western Australian
Singapore Business Council
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34th
Singapore National Day Dinner & Dance 1999
President
Speech By Mrs. Cecilia Wee
At the Hyatt Hotel Terrace Ballroom on the 14th
August 1999
The Honorable Ray Halligan, member of the Legislative Assembly for the North Metropolitan Area, representing Richard Court, the Premier of WA.
Mr. Clive Brown, representing Mr. Geoff Gallop, leader of the Opposition Party, our generous sponsors for this evening's function,
Members of the Western Australian Singapore Business Council, Ladies and Gentlemen; On behalf of the WASBC, let me extend to all of you a warm welcome to this our premier function celebraing Singapore's National Day. Singapore celebrated 34 years of independence on Monday the 9th of August. Just over three decades ago Singapore separated from Malaysia and became independent.
The pundits of that time said that Singapore was doomed to failure, as it had no natural resources; not even the essentials of food and water to survive. But that is now history and the world can see what Singapore has made of itself.
We have no assets, but we have people, and they are our best assets. Like Australia and in particular Western Australia, most of out people were migrants. They made Singapore what is is today. They worked together, saved together and in times of economic downturn they sacrificed together. They did not break rank, and today as reported by the Singapore Prime Minister, Mr. Goh Chok Tong in his National message, among other things said: "The Singapore economy is recovering from the regional financial crisis. Growth in the second quarter was a very strong 6.7%. The growth for the second half of 1999 should continue to recover and is expected to be between 4-5% for the next year.
Let me give you some background to the beginning of the Western Australian Singapore Business Council Incorporated. It derived from Temasek Club, which was formed about 11 years ago by the Singaporeans who had migrated to Perth, to help improve their social life in the new environment and be assimilated into the Australian society. With the passage of time, their needs changed and different requirements had to be addressed. This led to the formation of 'The Western Australian Singapore Business Council' almost two years ago but officially it only started off in December last year, and with it, it's role and scope have expanded to cater to the revised needs and meet the challenges of the new millennium.
As you all know, we are now entering into a new age of Information Technology, the Internet and the world of E-Commerce. Our world today is very much smaller and is becoming borderless and is going to effect our lives in the next decade. In Singapore, the leaders have made it quite clear that it will be entering the new millennium with the emphasis on high technology development, and in April 1999, the Singapore Government announced the launching of a U.S $ 1 billion technology investment fund (TIF) to boost high tech development in Singapore. This fund will encourage Singapore's own investors to progress further and it is also expected to attract foreign venture capital into the technology hub that will improve the economy of the 21st century.
We,
in Western Australia are very fortunate to have beautiful weather all the year
round except for the odd hot days in summer. We are also very lucky in Australia
and in Singapore that the ugly face of racism is suppressed and the people who
have migrated with faith in Australia are able to bring with them their culture,
their skills to share with their new adopted country and its people. From the statistics available, the population of Australia comprises of people from more than 200 countries and with the culture and skills that is brought forth with them. Australia is one of the world's most culturally diverse nations and can be the envy of the world.
Firstly, I must thank our honored guests, Honorable Ray Halligan and Mr. & Mrs. Clive Brown for taking time off from their busy schedules to be present here tonight. Secondly, I must thank our sponsors, Singapore Airlines, BankWest, Friedman Lurie Singh, Jackson McDonald, Joondalup Resort, National Australia Bank, Red Castle Hotel, Contact Singapore, Criterion Hotel, Print Hotline, Singapore Tourism Board and Hyatt Regency Hotel for their support and no doubt you will be equally generous in supporting them in the future. Last but no least, may I thank my committee Joy Ang, Donald Tang, Willie Resiah, Jaswant Singh, Soboran Singh and Narmit Singh for their tireless effort towards this evening's success and Sukhwant Singh for his role as Master Of Ceremonies.
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