Mr Primus Cheng, Prima Group Chairman and CEO
Comrade Abdul Subhan, President, FDAWU
Comrade Tan Hock Soon, General Secretary,
Comrade Tan Cheng Yen, Deputy GS
Sister Toh Hwee Tin, DES
Ladies and Gentlemen
1. The last time I joined you for your National Day Celebrations was in year 2000, seven years ago. I was shown how to make fine and tasty cakes with Prima Flour. I must thank you for inviting me once again to join you for the celebrations. Many of you must have enjoyed the National Day celebrations one way or another. Thus, I would like to ask all of you one question:
Which building in Singapore has the most stories and has something to do with this year’s National Day? I asked this questions in the last few days and many told me it is the Raffles Westin Hotel (Singaporeans booked rooms there to watch the parade); some mentioned OUB, some said OUB. ( fire work from its roof top ). These are all very good answers but not the correct answer. Thus, some asked me for the clue.
2. The correct answer is that the National Library Building has the most stories. Why? It has so many story books and thus it is the building which has the most stories. It has something to do with this year’s National Day because Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered his National Day message from the National Library Building.
3. PM told all Singaporeans from the top floor of the new NLB that there are many things for Singaporeans to cheer about.
4. Singapore’s sportsmen are winning medals, students are excelling in international events and the country is gearing up for new and exciting projects like the Formula One Grand Prix and the integrated resort.
5. Thus, I thought I should learn from the PM and today I shall tell you a story from the second floor of Prima building about Prima, a story about your contribution towards Singapore’s globalization.
6. The story began from my family. My wife used to send parcels to my son who studied in Cambridge. One day, I saw her putting books into the parcel and out of curiosity, I pulled out one book and had a look. To my surprise, it was not a book but a package of Prima Taste. I had a closer look and it reads: Best Singapore Favourites, Laksa. But, it really looked like a book.
7. Later I checked with my son who received this food package and he told me that whenever his Singaporean friends met in his hostel, they would enjoy the Laksa and the Hainan Chicken rice. As the Prima Laksa has no cockles, they bought the mussels to substitute it. They also bought the Tao Pok (bean sprouts ) to add to it . The Laksa is so natural as it comes without any additives.
8. What prevents Singaporeans from going abroad is that they miss their family members and the local food. For Singaporeans, local food means the Laksa, the chicken rice the Nasi Lemak.
9. How to resolve these issues? We know that nowadays, you can call home with your hand phone from every nook and corner and you can even see your love ones through Web Cam when you talk to them. Local food or Jia Xiang Cai ? Prima has provided the answer by coming out with a series of Best Singapore Favourites, and all of you here play a role in achieve this.
10. You are able to do it because all these years, the management and the unions have been working closely and always think of the win-win approach in respect of labour related issues and same same but different strategy towards product development.
11. Throughout the years, both management of Prima and union have maintained excellent and harmonious relations. This is not something which happened overnight but through years of mutual trust and co-operation. Union and management are currently in discussions to explore the feasibility of implementing the portable medical scheme for the employees. Rising medical cost is a concern to many employers as well as workers. The portable medical scheme would enable company to manage costs. For workers, it means that they can have continued medical insurance coverage even after employment. This is another positive step taken with the existing re-employment company offers for employee after 62.
12. Our work is an on-going process, as we continually seek to improve the working environment of our workers. I have strong faith that both company and the union will continue to do so.
13. Besides, the Long service award shows that the company treasure experienced staff. This is also in line with our effort to encourage Singaporeans to work longer if they are fit and perform well. They may not do the same job and get the same pay but they will be paid according to the value of their jobs.
14. I am confident that next time I am invited here again, there will be more exciting stories to tell. We can tell the success story from the top of this building that Prima has topped in many areas, in area of Portable medical benefits, in term of employing more older workers and in term of producing more variety of local food .
Thank you.
