The Ngee Ann Kongsi 170th Anniversary and SG50 Celebration Dinner

Event: The Ngee Ann Kongsi 170th Anniversary and SG50 Celebration Dinner

Venue: Chui Huay Lim Club

Guest of Honour

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance

Brief background on Ngee Ann Kongsi

Ngee Ann Kongsi was a self-help organisation founded by the late Mr Seah Eu Chin and a group of Teochew merchants in 1845. It was started to look after the religious and welfare needs of Teochew immigrants in Singapore with the first ofice set up at Yueh Hai Ching Temple at Phillip Street. As the Teochew community grew and flourished, Kongsi started to focus on the needs of the young, particularly in education.

Over the 170 years, the Ngee Ann Kongsi has built up a sterling reputation for its committment to serving its community and participating in development of education in Singapore. This includes the establishment of numerous scholarships and bursaries.

This evening we are gathered here to celebrate the significant milestone of success and achievement for Ngee Ann Kongsi in its mission to support and fund initiatives in developing education over the past 170 years. I would consider myself the fortunate and lucky generation after the baby boomers and have benefited from getting access to education, books, computers and trainings that both my parents and grandparents did not. I am thankful for what I am today because of education.