Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured to be invited to officiate at the opening ceremony of this year’s World Book Fair and to present prizes to the winners of the 1999 Inspiring Chinese Teachers’ Award.

2 The 19 Chinese Language teachers who have been selected for this year’s Inspiring Chinese Teachers Award are not only exemplary teachers. They are also role models in encouraging and guiding our students in acquiring the reading habit. I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the teachers who are receiving the award today. Your contribution to the education of our young, and in particular, to the promotion of the use of the Chinese Language is very much appreciated. I encourage you not only to continue with your important and valuable commitment to inspiring our young in their search for knowledge, but also to motivate your fellow colleagues in their vocations as educators.

3 If we were to compare the world of books to a boundless ocean, our schools would be the ships, and our students, their passengers. Our teachers, then, would be the captains and first mates. Our teachers do not just transmit knowledge, they are key to the promotion of reading among our students.

4 I would like to commend the Singapore Press Holdings and the Overseas Union Bank for organising this event which emphasizes the importance of the learning of Mother Tongue, and in this case, the Chinese Language. At the same time, it also highlights the importance of strengthening the morale of Chinese Language teachers and the community’s confidence in the language itself.

5 Since its inception fourteen years ago in 1986, the World Book Fair has expanded in scale. The fair is said to be the largest in Southeast Asia. Publishers and distributors gather here from many parts of Asia. The book fair is also a good opportunity for both local and foreign publishers and distributors to network and transact business here. The annual Book Fair can maximise on the opportunities provided by Singapore’s geographical location and efficient transport and communications services, to develop into a world famous event.

6 Reading is an indispensable ingredient for a person’s career and personal growth. It was said that the ancient Chinese scholars had two aspirations – to read 10,000 scrolls and to travel 10,000 miles. It was not easy to fulfill these two aspirations in the past when publishing and transportation methods were primitive. Today, we do not need to travel 10,000 miles on foot – we can travel around the world in an aeroplane, and many can claim to have fulfilled this aspiration. It is the other aspiration of reading 10,000 scrolls that few can claim to have fulfilled.

7 In the past, Singaporeans were often criticised for their lack of cultural depth. I am happy to note that this is no longer the situation today. The enthusiastic response to the World Book Fair and the ballooning book sales over the years testify to this. Last year, the transaction volume of the 220 exhibitors amounted to $9.5million in 9 days. I have been told that there are 230 exhibitors participating this year. The rewards for the years of toil put in by our local publishers and the Singapore Press Holdings are gradually showing. The 1999 World Book Fair is thus both a season for sowing seeds, as well as a celebration of the harvest.

8 As I hereby declare the 1999 World Book Fair opened, let me also close by wishing the Singapore Press Holdings and all our local and foreign publishers success for this year’s event.