Mr Lim Yong Wah,

Chairman of the Board of Governors, Singapore Polytechnic,

Mr Jeffrey Lee,

President of the Singapore Polytechnic Graduates’ Guild,

Distinguished guests, alumni and friends.

Good evening. I am especially pleased to be with you for this evening’s dinner, for good reason. This is the first time a dinner on this scale has been organised jointly by SP and the SPGG. I am most heartened to see both the young -- and those who profess to be still young at heart -- returning to show their support for the alma mater. On occasions like this, the Chinese are fond of quoting their favourite aphorism "Yin shui si yuan" which means "Those who drink of the water, never forget the source." Tonight, both the drinkers and the source have come together.

This evening’s get-together provides an excellent opportunity for you to meet up with good old friends who may not look the same since your SP days. You reminisce the past, renew ties and inquire about one another. It is also the time and place to update yourselves on developments at SP.

SP turns 45 this year. I am happy to note that it still throbs with the same pioneering spirit that gave shape to polytechnic education as we know it today. Staff and students of SP continue to break new grounds in creative ventures and competitions. The polytechnic continues to offer innovative programmes to help Singapore stay ahead of the competition. No one bears better testimony to SP’s contribution to national development than the 100,000 SP graduates in our workforce.

SP’s graduates are well-sought after by employers. The "SP" label has become a hallmark of quality, because you the alumni are the polytechnic’s standard bearers. You have set high standards and established good track records in the work place. As they say, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." Your success in the workforce is also one reason why SP continues to attract good students.

But achievements of the past do not guarantee the success of the future. SP together with the other three polytechnics has the awesome responsibility of preparing 40% of each cohort of students entering our education system to meet the new challenges of the knowledge-based economy. SP needs you the alumni to inspire present and future students to help it stay relevant, and to ensure its continued success and development.

As the oldest polytechnic with the largest graduate population, SP can tap on the skills, talents, experiences, resources and wealth of its alumni to stay relevant and ahead of the pack.

An alumni body of 100,000 presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Just to reach out to everyone will be a tremendous task itself. However, the rewards await you, if you could harness the talents and resources of such a strong alumni, imbued with the SP spirit.

To help realise this goal, SP has a number of strategies in place. For example, the Singapore Polytechnic Alumni Network, or SPAN groups help graduates to stay connected with the respective academic departments. The Singapore Polytechnic Entrepreneurs’ Club (SPEC) is an alumni network which aims to inspire and promote technopreneural endeavours amongst the students. And of course there is the SP Graduates’ Guild or SPGG.

SPGG currently serves as a informal forum for some 3,000 members. I am pleased to learn that the construction of a new clubhouse is well underway. The clubhouse, located next to the SP campus will provide first-rate facilities for rest and recreation, bowling, dining, meetings and other enrichment activities. By October 2000, the clubhouse will be ready to open its doors to its members.

The new SPGG club house, located virtually in the SP grounds, is more than just a club house. It is also a symbol of the close relationship between SP and her alumni. SP continues to give her unstinting support for SPGG’s club house, without which the project would not have been possible. The "source of the water" continues to flow.

As an alumnus of SP, you should stay in close touch with your alma mater. I would urge you to maintain the link. More than anything else, I would encourage you as "drinker" of that water to go upstream to the source and contribute to the continued development of the institute that has served you well during the formative years of your life. You can contribute your talent or experience through any of the alumni network and activities organised by SP. Alternatively, you can also make your contribution by joining the SPGG membership or leadership. SPGG will provide the recreational, social as well as the professional context, depending on your own inclination.

Finally, I would like to commend you for organising the SP-SPGG dinner tonight. I wish the SPGG and other alumni groups success in all their endeavours.

Thank you.

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