A tribute

THE successes of the Chinese business community are intertwined with our nation's growth and development. Most of the pioneers of the community were immigrants or children of immigrants who came to Singapore in search of opportunities in the earlier years of Singapore's history. They lived through the difficult political changes from the fifties to the sixties when Singapore transited from colonial government to internal self-government, to merger with Malaysia. When Singapore became independent in 1965, many Chinese merchants stayed on and made Singapore their home in spite of the uncertainty over the country's future.

They collaborated as a community, worked with the Government to build an environment supportive of industry and commerce and contributed to our social development through cultural and educational activities. Those who were successful took the lead in giving back to society through charitable works.

Our pioneer Chinese business leaders showed resilience in overcoming the challenges in the early years of Singapore's independence and built their businesses over the years on the values of excellence, fortitude and hard work. Many of them exemplify the values of thrift, humility and service to society.