The Chiam See Tong Sports Fund, which supports disadvantaged athletes, raised more than S$170,000 last Thursday, with about S$10,000 coming from the auction at the gala dinner.
The 400 guests at the dinner, including Guest-Of-Honour, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Mr Edwin Tong, Senior Minister of State for Law and Health, stood up to applaud and welcome him.
"Sports can also help build character, discipline and resilience. The Chiam See Tong Sports Fund is doing precisely that by helping children and youths from disadvantaged backgrounds reach their sporting dreams."
--- ESM Goh Chok Tong ---
Athletes that were present at the event included National Trap Shooter and five-time South-East Asian Games Gold Medallist Choo Choon Seng, Former Captain of the Singapore Hockey Team Melanie Martens, modern pentathlon athlete Kok Kiat Xuan and last year’s Asian Games Silver Medallist in Jujitsu Constance Lien.
“Today we might not be at the very top but we are producing globally competitive athletes in sports such as swimming, sailing, table tennis, bowling and silat.”
--- ESM Goh Chok Tong ---
Items for bidding include this set of No. 10 soccer jerseys from Argentina and Brazil...
Auction in process...
Since its launch in March 2017, the fund has supported more than 30 young athletes. They include sailor Olivia Chen, modern pentathlete Koh Kiat Xuan and powerlifters Matthew and Matthias Yap. The Yap brothers have continued on to represent Singapore in numerous international powerlifting competitions.
About The Chiam See Tong Sports Fund
After serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Potong Pasir for 27 years, former six-term MP Mr Chiam See Tong started the Chiam See Tong Sports Fund on 9 March 2017. He now serves as the Patron-in-chief of the Chiam See Tong Sports Fund, together with his wife, Mrs Lina Chiam, who served one term as a Non-Constituency MP from 2011 to 2015.
The Fund was officially launched in the Chamber of the Old Parliament House, a venue where Mr Chiam first took his oath as a Member of Parliament in January 1985 after winning the Potong Pasir seat at the 1984 General Elections.
"Our sports level as far as the international standard is concerned, is at the kampung level. I think we have to do something to build up one or two sports champions and that will give inspiration to other sportsmen.”
--- Chiam See Tong, Budget Debate, 1989 ---
(On his inspiration behind his support for sports)
The Fund aims to help children and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds reach their sporting dreams with the following objectives:
- To help build the character of children and youths from under-resourced families through their participation in sports.
- To advocate on behalf of the value of sports for under-resourced children and youths in the community.
- To build key athlete, corporate, and community relationships that increase sport opportunities for under-resourced children and youths.
- To develop programmes and services to supplement and complement national initiatives for children and youth sports development in Singapore.
“Our emphasis has to be plugging gaps in the arena of sports which will reduce or eradicate the instances and probability of inequality in sports.”
--- Jose Raymond, Chairman, Organising Committee, Gala Dinner ---
The Board of the Fund is chaired by former national swimmer and one-time world’s fastest over the 50m freestyle Mr Ang Peng Siong and co-chaired by Mr Edmond Pereira, lawyer and President of Flash Athletic Club.
