Staff and students of Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to join you on this very special and joyous occasion.
I must say that I am most heartened by the composition of the organising team for this National Day Observance Ceremony. It consists of members from four separate bodies – namely the polytechnic management, the NP Academic Staff Union, the NP Branch of the Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers’ Union, and the NP Students’ Union. This is a wonderful way to display the unity and sense of purpose between management and unions, and between staff and students. In coming together to celebrate our National Day this way, you live up to our pledge to be “one united people”. I congratulate the organising team for a job well done, and extend my National Day greetings to everyone at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
The past three years had been difficult years for us. Time and again, the news reports were dominated by gloomy headlines. We became unsettled, some were even pessimistic, as we learned about the threats of terrorism, the Iraq war, SARS, the economic recession, wage cuts and retrenchments. We wondered when things were going to turn around and get better.
This year, we can celebrate National Day with optimism. Our economy is growing strong once again. The outlook is positive. The employment situation will improve.
As we celebrate our nation’s 39th birthday, and reflect upon our ups and downs since 1965, we will come to the conclusion that we can continue to enjoy peace, stability and a good quality of life so long as we can stay united, work together and look after one another. This is the surest way for us to secure our future.
In the process, we need to extend a helping hand to those who are less fortunate than us, so that no one is left behind or feels left out by society.
In this regard, it is very heart-warming that the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Students’ Union has taken the initiative to help the less fortunate. It will mount a fund-raising project as we celebrate our National Day. With young people like yourselves coming forward to make a difference to the lives of other people, our society will progress and the future of Singapore looks all the brighter. By taking part in such a worthwhile community project, we share and build upon our values and ideals about what we want to be, and help to define the kind of nation we want to live in.
It is also good that the polytechnic is holding a Staff Family Day in conjunction with the National Day celebration. Indeed, strong family units are a cornerstone of a stable society. No matter how busy we are, we need to spend time with our family members and build strong relationships with them. This may sound obvious, but at times we can be so caught up with work and other priorities that we run the risk of neglecting our family members. If our family units become weak, we will suffer individually and as a society. I hope every Ngee Ann Polytechnic staff will respond actively and bring along his or her family members for the Staff Family Day.
The students of Ngee Ann Polytechnic have a good future ahead. Ngee Ann students have achieved excellence in many arenas, winning coveted awards in areas such as creativity and innovation. Graduates from the Polytechnic are known in the job market for their diligence, excellent work attitude, thirst for learning and team spirit. One day, you will join their ranks as fellow graduates. I am confident that you too will be just as positive and diligent, and uphold the good name of the Polytechnic. I wish you the very best and look forward to your contributions in our nation-building efforts.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for inviting me to this celebration. I am confident that we will stay as “one united people”, working together to make a difference to our families and our country. I wish all of you a Happy National Day!
