Good morning ladies and gentlemen,

1       Let me start by saying how thrilled I am to be part of this  inspiring event that recognises and applauds the achievements and excellence of modern Singaporean women. Just take a look around this room and you will see just how far women have progressed. 

2       This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the inroads that women are making today, whether in business, the arts or finance. Many are now taking on leadership roles in these fields. One notable example is Ms Chua Sock Koong of telecommunications giant, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. Come April next year, Sock Koong, Singtel�s current Chief Financial Officer, will lead Southeast Asia's largest phone company as their new CEO. Our local songbirds are also winning international music accolades for their vocal prowess. We witnessed Stephanie Sun bagging five awards, including Best Album, at the 6^th Global Chinese Music Awards, while Tanya Chua received due recognition for her powerful vocals as she won Best Female vocalist at the prestigious Taiwan Golden Melody Award. 

3       In Singapore, literacy rates have increased and more are pursuing higher education. In 2005, the literacy rate for resident females aged 15 years and above was 93 per cent. During the same year, the intake levels of females at our polytechnics and universities stood at 49% and 51% respectively.

4    Our female labour force participation rate was 57% in 2005, up from 51% recorded in 1992. The proportion of female corporate managers of total managers rose from 27% in 1999 to 32% in 2004. Women also participate heavily in the traditionally male-dominated IT industry. In 2005, women made up 33% of total IT professionals. Two of IT�s leading multi-national companies have entrusted the running of their local and regional offices to women. Ms Patricia Yim is the Managing Director of IBM Singapore, while Ms Tan Lee Chew is Hewlett Packard�s Vice President and Managing Director for the South East Asia region. In addition to overseeing business across all the South East Asian countries, Lee Chew also heads the Technology Solutions Group for the region.

5            Singapore�s political scene was further livened as more women stepped forward to help carve the nation�s policies and programmes. Following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong�s call for more women to participate in politics, there has been an increase in the number of female Members of Parliament (MPs). The General Elections held earlier this year in May saw an 8% increase in the number of women MPs. 17 of the 85 MPs, or 20 percent of them, are women, of which four serve as political office holders. I am proud to work alongside Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Ms Grace Fu, Minister of State for National Development, and Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Water Resources, Mayor of South West CDC and Chairman of REACH.

6       So, yes, the statistics are all very encouraging and opportunities are opening up for women to achieve their every goal and at the highest levels.

7       As we gather to acknowledge the contributions of these 18 accomplished ladies nominated by The Singapore Women�s Weekly, we also salute women from all walks of life here in Singapore - women who play essential roles in the home, on the job, in their communities, as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, learners, workers, citizens and leaders. 

8     Indeed, I see many women today who have the motivation to work hard, are bold enough to take risks and possess the instinct to seek out good opportunities. Despite the fierce international competition and challenges brought about by globalisation, many women have risen to the occasion and made their mark. Instead of feeling threatened, many seized the opportunity to explore new horizons. 

9       I am happy to highlight that just last month, Dr Aline Wong, Housing and Development Board�s Chairman, received an International Women�s Forum Award for Women Who Make a Difference. She was recognised for her work in helping to make a difference in the lives of Singaporeans, especially in championing issues affecting women, the elderly and the less fortunate.

10     In addition, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) recently gave out three awards to our local women for their achievements and contributions to society. The women honoured were Dr Kanwaljit Soin who was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr Geh Min who was bestowed the Successful Women who Contributed to Society Award and Mrs Ivy-Singh Lim who befittingly received a Stylish Achiever Award. I am sure most of you are familiar with these trailblazers who are an inspiration to us all.

11     Today, this event shows us that we certainly have more trailblazers in our midst. I congratulate all the 18 accomplished nominees here this morning. Your impressive resumes in the areas of Arts and Media, Finance and Commerce, Education and Public Service, Science and Technology, Health, Sports and Wellness, and Design and Style, make you role models for women of all ages and backgrounds. As we celebrate your achievements at this special event, I sincerely hope that more women will be encouraged by your efforts and aspire to scale greater heights. 

12     To all women, as we celebrate our achievements, let us also celebrate our contributions to society, home, workplaces and country. Together we, women, can make the difference. Thank you.