Address by Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and MP for Cheng San GRC, at the SPD-Soka Day Activity Centre's "Sports Day 1998" on Friday, 13 November 1998, 10am.

Singapore Government Press Release

Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts,

36th Storey, PSA Building, 460 Alexandra Road, Singapore 119963.

Tel: 3757794/5

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ADDRESS BY MR ZAINUL ABIDIN RASHEED,

SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND MP FOR CHENG SAN GRC, AT THE SPD-SOKA DAY ACTIVITY CENTRE'S "SPORTS DAY 1998" HELD ON FRIDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 1998 AT 10.00 AM AT THE NANYANG POLYTECHNIC SPORTS COMPLEX,180 ANG MO KIO AVENUE 8, SINGAPORE 569830

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Good morning, Ladies & Gentlemen.

I am very pleased to be here this morning to officiate at the SPD-SOKA Day Activity Centre's Sports Day.

Sports and recreation are important activities for the development of character. These activities also provide opportunities for participants to unwind as well as to reduce stress that they find in our fast-passed society. For the disabled, therapeutic elements are present when they participate in sporting and recreational activities. It does not matter that they do not win medals in their participation. The will to take that extra and hard step to finish the race is the medal that crowns their determination to achieve.

I understand that today's event involves almost 200 disabled participants and 100 volunteers and staff from 7 day activity centres. This augurs well as it provides the opportunity for disabled people, their families, care-givers, volunteers and staff to get together and interact with each other. The event is a useful platform for all of you to demonstrate the effectiveness of teamwork and the intrinsic value of using your quality time to work for the well-being of the disabled.

I congratulate the Society for the Physically Disabled and its SPD-SOKA Day Activity Centre for organising this event. By inviting other day activity centres to participate in your Sports Day and involving so many volunteers, you have not only contributed immensely to the spirit of cooperation amongst service providers, but also set an example on ways to save costs, in view of the current economic downturn.

Let me also add that the economic downturn does not have to mean cutting down such activities, such fun and the spirit of cooperation. While the crisis may bring about more 'cut cost' measures to make our economy competitive, let us also compete to ensure that we continue with laudable activities and programmes such as yours today. Let the spirit of healthy competition, fun and healthy living flourish. Keep up the good work.

Allow me to end on this note of high spirit of Mr David Lim who scaled the heights of Mt Everest but ended up with a virus that has made him disabled for now. His will to overcome this personal challenge, is indeed exemplary. No mountain of a challenge should be too high to climb. We need more of that spirit of David, for challenge is part of life, especially in this times of economic and political uncertainties. We can overcome any challenge, if there is that will to do it.

I wish all of you an enjoyable day.

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