Tan Sri Mohamed Basir,

Mr Wee Ee-Chao,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good evening to all of you.

We are gathered here, by the banks of the Singapore River, to witness the unveiling of "The River Merchants", a sculpture commissioned by Maybank and the Singapore Tourism Board, and created by well-known local sculptor Dr Aw Tee Hong.

The Singapore River will always be a special place for Singaporeans. This is where our migrant forefathers landed, and where the early settlements were. It also came to be the trading place of the East, defining Singapore�s place in the world and setting the stage for its eventual development into one of the busiest ports in the world today.

As a trading hub, Singapore attracted people from all corners of the world, out in search of fortune or simply a better livelihood. A day at the River would see coolies unloading cargo from vessels, merchants on the banks trading their wares, and others carrying the goods away on bullock carts.

Besides being a focal point for commercial activities, the Singapore River was also a meeting point of many cultures. After a hard day�s work, people of different nationalities and backgrounds would gather to chat and relax.

The sculpture that we will see shortly, "The River Merchants", depicts a typical scene of the Singapore River of the past. It shows one of Singapore�s earliest merchants, Mr Alexander Laurie Johnston, interacting with members of the local community.

Mr Johnston lived and built his business at this very spot. The denizens of the River named his house "Tanjung Tangkap" ("Tanjung" meaning promontory, "tangkap" meaning catch). Johnston�s house was nearest to the mouth of the river and he could "catch" the boat captains as their vessels entered the river.

"Tanjung Tangkap" was also a rendezvous for people of all races and backgrounds. Johnston, a generous man, held open house for everyone � hard-swearing captains of ships, courtly young men of the colonial government and members of the local community (Berry, 1982:77).

"Tanjung Tangkap" stood at this very site from 1820 until 1848 when it succumbed to the ravages of the climate and white ants. However, the pioneer European mercantile firm of A.L. Johnston & Co. continued trading until 1892.

It is the life and soul of the river that STB, together with the National Heritage Board and Singapore Land Authority, wish to capture in a series of twenty sculptures aptly entitled the "People of the River".

These life-sized sculptures, to be installed along the banks of the Singapore River, will narrate stories of what life used to be like at the river. The first sculpture, entitled "First Generation", showing boys jumping into the river for a swim, was installed in late 2000 in front of the Fullerton Singapore.

The "People of the River" will also showcase our local sculptors, who will be commissioned to bring history to life. Their masterpieces will liven up the landscape and bring the arts to the river for all to enjoy. It is part of the drive to bring Arts Everywhere, as the National Arts Council puts it.

The STB has found another partner in Maybank. I am glad that Maybank is a strong supporter of the arts. It was awarded the 2002 Arts Supporter Award for its efforts in nurturing excellence for artists with disabilities. This year, Maybank has come forth to support the "People of the River" project. This is commendable and we look forward to more corporations following Maybank�s example.

Maybank�s building itself, stationed at the very site that A.L. Johnston & Co. used to occupy, has been a part of the Singapore River landscape for four decades. Like the Singapore River, the building has also been transformed over the years. From the three-storey Malayan Bank Chambers, it has now become the sleek Maybank Tower, a distinctive feature of our signature city skyline.

Besides the "The People of the River", there are more enhancements to the Singapore River that we can look forward to. The new river taxis introduced four days ago, made possible by raising of the Ord Bridge and dredging of the river bed, allow for a pleasant ride anywhere along the way from Anderson Bridge to Robertson Quay. The Clarke Quay MRT station, which will be operational by year-end, will make Singapore River more accessible and bring further life to the area. The opening of the new Merlion Park in two months� time will be another milestone development.

Singaporeans and visitors can look forward to an exciting calendar of events at the river with favourites such as the Singapore River Buskers� Festival and the Million Dollar Duck Race to entertain the entire family.

All these, together with other developments in areas like Chinatown and the Civic District, and the launch of the Esplanade � Theatres on the Bay in October, are part of our blueprint to quicken the pulse of Singapore�s social and cultural life, for both locals and tourists.

It leaves me now to thank Maybank for their contribution and all the other agencies, public and private, for making this project possible.

Thank you and have an enjoyable evening.