Speech by President Halimah Yacob at the 8th Singapore Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Ms Junie Foo, President of the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO)

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning. Welcome to the Istana for the 8th Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame (SWHF) induction ceremony.

Today is International Women’s Day. I am delighted to join the celebration of women’s achievements far and wide with our own Singapore women, especially with our outstanding inductees today. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) and the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame (SWHF) for organising today’s event.

Over the years, SCWO has done well in uniting both men and women toward the ideals of creating Equal Space, Equal Voice, and Equal Worth for women in Singapore. The Hall of Fame is an important platform for recognising the many contributions that women have made to Singapore, and their great progress over the years. These accomplished women are good role-models for young girls to look up to.

This morning, we are gathered here to celebrate the achievements of seven remarkable women, who have contributed significantly to nation building and the progress of women in Singapore. They are the eighth batch of inductees, and they will join the ranks of the 167 women already in the Hall of Fame.

In the 1950s and 1960s, everyone in the Malay community knew of Nona Asiah. She began singing as a young girl during the Japanese Occupation when she joined her mother’s opera troupe to perform for the Japanese troops. Asiah’s professional career took off after the end of the Second World War when she was hired by Radio Malaya as a singer, narrator, and host at the tender age of 16. Initially she worked on radio programmes for children. Subsequently she helmed a weekly programme where she sang Malay and Indonesian songs requested by listeners. She retired from performing in the 1970s and became a nurturer of young talent, teaching children to sing, perform, and entertain with confidence. She mentored many who would become leading names in the Malay entertainment industry.

The other six women we are inducting today are also all remarkable women who have contributed greatly to their fields. Koh Soo Boon, Kee Bee Khim, Ding Jeak Ling, Sudha Nair, Leo Yee-Sin, and Lily Kong, each of them a pathfinder who has opened the way for others.

Soo Boon is the first Singaporean woman to break into Silicon Valley, a global tech hub that women have faced challenges to enter and succeed.

Bee Khim, Singapore’s “golfing queen”, reigned over the fairways for many years and inspired many young women to take up golf.

Jeak Ling succeeded in the genetic engineering of the key bacterial detection enzyme known as Factor C. This discovery not only benefited the biomedical industry, but also helped to save a highly threatened species – horseshoe crabs.

Sudha saw the need for a one-stop centre for survivors of family violence, and set up PAVE, the first family violence specialist centre.

Yee-Sin started the first HIV centre in Singapore, and has been at the forefront of our battle with all other infectious diseases.

Lily is not only the first woman to head a Singapore university; but also ranked among the top one percent of scientists around the world in her discipline – Geography.

I am delighted that we are inducting these seven remarkable women to the Hall of Fame. They are shining examples of what women are capable of.

We have indeed come a long way in terms of progressing as a nation, and have made huge strides in enabling women to realise their potential. Though there is much to celebrate, we must not lose sight of our collective goal to build a fairer and more inclusive society where Singaporeans have equal opportunities to achieve their fullest potential.

To chart the way forward, the Government, together with key partners such as SCWO, organised 160 Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development, engaging nearly 6,000 participants across Singapore. Feedback and ideas from the Conversations have contributed to the White Paper which will be presented in Parliament soon. 2021 was also designated as the Year of Celebrating SG Women, when we celebrated the achievements of Singapore women.

Beyond this, a whole-of-society effort and inculcating values of respect and partnership between men and women are key to pave the way forward. Every Singaporean has a part to play - to be mindful and cognisant of what we say and do, and to not inadvertently perpetuate gender stereotypes and biases, especially to our young. There are fewer women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as compared to men - which points to the fact that we need to bring to our children the stories of remarkable women of Singapore, such as Ding Jeak Ling, who have made incredible contributions in STEM. There are many more inspiring stories of women who have paved the way for the next generation of women leaders, in fields ranging from the arts to science. Both boys and girls can learn from the core values and traits exhibited by these women.

To pay tribute to our remarkable women, SCWO has put together an exhibition “The Lives of Women”, which you can catch at the National Museum. This is a commendable effort to bring more awareness and inspiration to our women and girls, and of course, to our men and boys as well. We hope the exhibition will encourage people to continue to think and talk about these various issues affecting both men and women, and especially to think about what they can do as individuals to help shift mindsets.

Once again, I would like to congratulate Asiah, Soo Boon, Bee Khim, Jeak Ling, Sudha, Yee-Sin and Lily, who are inducted to the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame. We have among us today some past inductees. Thank you for your continued support. This community of past and present inductees is a pillar of strength and inspiration to our society. Let us continue to recognise and celebrate the women among us. Your passion, relentless endeavor, and perseverance in pushing the boundaries and breaking new barriers will continue to inspire Singaporeans for many generations to come.

Please join me to give the 2022 inductees a big round of applause.

Thank you.