MOE Speech - SPEECH BY MR HAWAZI DAIPI, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE ECO-FRIENDLY CAR EXHIBITION

SPEECH BY MR HAWAZI DAIPI, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE ECO-FRIENDLY CAR EXHIBITION ON THURSDAY, 28 AUGUST 2003, AT 10.00 AM AT THE SINGAPORE SCIENCE CENTRE

Good morning

Dr Chew Tuan Chiong, Director & Chief Executive, Singapore Science Centre

Mr Kenichi Yamaguchi, Vice-President of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific,

Distinguished guests

Teachers and students

I am very pleased to be here today to officiate at the launch of 'The Eco-Friendly Car' Exhibition.

2. The Science Centre has done an excellent job at popularising science and technology to the student population and the general public. By showcasing exhibitions like these that are contemporary and pertinent to educational or technological developments, it has filled the niche as a promoter of scientific knowledge and passion. I would like to commend the Science Centre for collaborating with Toyota Motor Asia Pacific in making 'The Eco-Friendly Car' Exhibition a reality.

3. Science and Technology are two fields that are interesting and intriguing subjects because discoveries made in these fields have broad and direct application to the world and our lives. Science and Technology have helped us to understand this world a little better, and have greatly changed the way we live our lives. When the very first self-propelled road vehicle - a military tractor invented by a French engineer and mechanic, took the roads in 1769, it ran on a steam engine, and could only travel at a speed of approximately four kilometres per hour. Today, the hybrid car, which is featured in this exhibition, cruises at least twenty times faster, and has a far more complex and advanced engine system that uses various power sources such as electric energy, gasoline energy, diesel energy and other alternative energy.

4. Inventions like these, like many of the others that we see today, rarely materialised out of sheer chance. Rather, it was the spirit of pondering on the why and wherefore of nature, in the pursuit of making the good better, that the inventor would see the beginnings of a solution to a problem. And as he worked on the solution, it would entail much hard work, determination and perseverance because he would have encountered several failed attempts. Countless observations, inquiries, investigations, experiments and deductions later, the inventor would finally begin to arrive at a workable solution.

5. This is the sort of never-say-die spirit that we want to inculcate in our young as it will increasingly matter in the knowledge-based economy. In such an economy, where new ideas sprout so often and where new technology is constantly defined, it is important to promote greater awareness and gain a better understanding of the advances of science and technology. In this way, we create an environment where learning can be extended beyond the sphere of formal education; where, like scientists, our students are incurably curious people who constantly seek answers to questions they have.

6. Furthermore, we want our young to understand science as a fun and exciting subject. I understand that today's exhibits have been carefully selected and created to put scientific principles across in an engaging and entertaining way. They span across various scientific disciplines and emphasize hands-on exploratory learning. Such participatory and visually-captivating exhibits will stimulate our young minds, and, will serve as an excellent study tool for our youths.

7. I wish to congratulate the members and management of the Science Centre and Toyota Motor Asia Pacific for organising such an interesting and informative exhibition this year. I am sure this exhibition will be an eye-opener for many, and, I hope it will inspire and motivate both our youths and the general public to be bold in the field of scientific exploration.

8. It is now my pleasure to officially launch 'The Eco-Friendly Car' Exhibition.