1. Good evening Prof Soo, board directors, ladies and gentlemen, as well as artists Roy Wang, Randy Chan and Suriani Suratnam. Thank you for inviting me to Temenggong.
2. In Singapore, the Government believes in developing our people to their fullest potential. For many years, we have been trying hard to grow our own timbre and develop our own local pool of artists.
3. In school, the Art curriculum develops and sparks our students' interest in the arts. Those who have an interest and passion in the arts can also join related co-curricular activities such as the art club. There are post-secondary education pathways and courses available for students who wish to pursue deeper knowledge and skills in the arts. We are proud to have the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, as well as the recently established University of Arts Singapore, which admitted its first batch of students last month.
4. Singapore is a young country, but I think we have set ourselves on a good direction. More can be done to grow our talent pool. A place like Temenggong will help to spark more interest and curiosity about the arts, and I hope more of our students will be able to visit this place.
5. The arts nourishes the spirit and the soul of the human being. It brings Singaporeans together, and helps us to look and understand our own cultures and beyond. As a global city, it is important that we have a sense of curiosity and interest in others' cultures.
6. I am thankful to the artists for helping to build Singapore's identity, and I believe that it is our responsibility to continue creating opportunities for artists to grow and encourage a greater appreciation of the arts, culture and heritage in Singapore.
7. It is a pleasure to be here today and I hope you enjoy the exhibition as much as I know I will. Thank you.