SPEECH BY MR HAWAZI DAIPI, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, AT THE PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY FOR THE SINGAPORE NATIONAL STAMP EXHIBITION (SINGPEX) 2004 ON THURSDAY, 5 AUGUST 2004, AT 6:30 PM, AT THE SINGAPORE PHILATELIC MUSEUM

Mr Tay Peng Hian
President, Association of Singapore Philatelists

Principals, Teachers, Parents and Students

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Evening

Introduction
1.      Since I was young I have always been fascinated by stamps, both local and foreign.  I am not an avid stamp collector but I do keep some first-day covers and miniature sheets.  Little did I expect that a day will come when I will be invited to officiate at a prize-giving ceremony for a National stamp competition!

2.      It is indeed an honour for me to be here this evening to share the joy of the winners of the SINGPEX 2004 competition and to be able to admire all the creative and interesting entries. 

Value of Stamps
3.      I am fascinated by stamps because I found these little pieces of paper attractive.  There were many things that caught my eye – the colours, the shapes, the printing quality, the country of origin, and of course, the stamp designs.

4.      To all the students and teachers present this evening, I am sure that you see in stamps more than just beauty or monetary value but also a treasure trove of knowledge.  I share this attraction, too.  Stamps are like encyclopedias.  Through them, you can gain insights into technology, science, mathematics, history, geography, nature, cultures and traditions and almost every other field known to men.

5.      Stamps tell of discoveries in medicine, healthcare, science and technology and other fields that have improved our lives.  Stamps honour famous inventors, discoverers, composers, conquerors, artists and heroes.  Stamps bring us closer to the flora and fauna of the whole world.  And stamps open our eyes to the richness of the world’s different cultures and traditions.  Like the Internet, with stamps, we can literally go around the world, and back and forth in time, without ever leaving the comfort of our homes or classrooms.

6.      In four days’ time, on 9th of August, our 39th National Day, Singapore Post will issue a set of stamps that depict four historical buildings in Singapore – the Istana, City Hall, the Supreme Court, and the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.  The preservation efforts of these buildings serve as a crucial representation of our past and, thus, this is an excellent illustration of both architecture and history on stamps.

7.      On 28th of August, when Singapore hosts the World Stamp Championship 2004, Singapore Post will release yet another set of stamps, this time commemorating an important part of Singapore’s development – the 150th anniversary of the use of stamps in Singapore.  For 150 years, stamps have made it easier for people in Singapore to communicate with each other within Singapore and across the world.  The designs of the new stamps will depict images of stamps which had been issued ever since stamps were first used in Singapore. 

8.      I now come to one final attraction of stamps – its interactive-ness.  For the SINGPEX competition, under the group category, students had to form groups to develop their entries.  You must have had many fun-filled hours together in your teams as you brain-stormed, researched and prepared your exhibits.  I am sure that your teachers and parents must have also had an enriching experience working with you on these projects.  

9.      So, stamps are more than just little pieces of paper.  Stamps bring us joy and value in more ways than one.  Although the hobby has been around ever since the first stamp was put in use about 160 years ago, in 1840 to be exact, it continues to thrive where many other hobbies have faded along the way.

Commendable Entries
10.     I understand from the organisers that this year’s competition has attracted more schools.  I am heartened to learn from the judges that the standard of the entries this year is much higher than that in previous years.  The judges enjoyed the highly creative topics that were submitted.  In particular, the following exhibits exceeded their expectations: - “Walking with Mother Nature” from Parry Primary, “Magnificent Elephants” from Anglican High School, “Flying Away” from Raffles Institution and from Raffles Junior College, we have “Whose Smile Is It Anyway?”, “A Rendezvous with Halley’s Comet” and “The Art of Making Music”. 

11.     This year’s good response augurs well not only for future SINGPEX shows but for stamp-collecting in general.  It is even more encouraging to see young Singaporeans being able to express their creativity in novel ways such as through philately.

Conclusion
12.     On this note I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to all the prize winners of the SINGPEX 2004 competition today.  Your hard work has certainly paid off.  I would also like to commend the organisers of SINGPEX 2004 – the Singapore Philatelic Museum and the Association of Singapore Philatelists; the main sponsor, Singapore Post and members of the various stamps clubs that have helped in one way or another.  Most of all, I would like to thank each and every one of you, the participants, who by coming forward have made SINGPEX 2004 a resounding success!

Thank You.