Singapore — The Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards (GCTEA) recognised the achievements and promises of 13 exceptional persons with disabilities today (Dec 3) at the awards ceremony held at the Istana with Guest of Honour President Halimah Yacob.

The ceremony was also attended by Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong and Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State for Social and Family Development, and Education.

An initiative of the Mediacorp Enable Fund (MEF), a community fund administered by SG Enable, with Mediacorp as the official media partner, the Awards are supported by Tote Board as the Founding Sponsor and UBS Singapore as the Principal Sponsor.

List of Awardees 2021

The GCTEA comprises two categories:

• The GCTEA (UBS Achievement) to celebrate persons with disabilities who have made significant achievements in their own fields and serve as an inspiration to others; and

• The GCTEA (UBS Promise) to encourage persons with disabilities who have shown promise to pursue greater heights in their areas of talent and the willingness to serve the community.

GCTEA (UBS Achievement) – Celebrating persons with extraordinary achievements

In recognition of their noteworthy accomplishments in their respective fields, three inspiring individuals were awarded the GCTEA (UBS Achievement). They are (in alphabetical order, according to surname):

• Mr Richard Kuppusamy, 44

Born with congenital Spina Bifida resulting in paraplegia, Richard is an accomplished architect, President of the Disabled People’s Association and a passionate disability advocate who has worked on award-winning landmark projects to enhance accessibility for the disabled community.

• Dr Dawn-joy Leong, 56

Dawn-joy is a researcher, multi-artist, board member of the Disabled People’s Association and one of the founding directors of K9 Assistance (Ltd).  Diagnosed as autistic at age 42, she is a disability advocate and mentors for aspiring artists and researchers, who has published, performed and exhibited her transdisciplinary work internationally.

• Mr Lim Chin Heng, 71

Born with profound hearing loss, Chin Heng dedicated his life to teaching for more than 45 years and is a pioneer in the field of education for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Singapore. In this, he was instrumental in introducing various teaching approaches and sign languages used in Singapore.

The above Awardees will each receive S$10,000. Handicaps Welfare Association, Very Special Arts Singapore and Singapore Association for the Deaf, which nominated Richard, Dawn-joy and Chin Heng respectively, will also receive S$5,000 each in recognition of the contributing role of nominating organisations in the success journeys of persons with disabilities.

GCTEA (UBS Promise) – Motivating talented individuals with a bright potential

These 10 promising individuals were presented with the GCTEA (UBS Promise) in recognition of their bright potential and commitment to serve the community, and they will each receive S$5,000. They are (in alphabetical order, according to surname):

• Mr Allan Cai Chenxi, 23

A disability inclusion advocate born with Down syndrome.

• Mr Chong Qi Ping Kishon, 29

A Customer Experience Inclusivity Officer with an acquired disability due to a stroke.

• Ms Rosalind Foo Yen Ping, 43

An aspiring counsellor for the disadvantaged who was born deaf.

• Ms Joan Hung Hui Xin, 25

A National Goalball player with visual impairment.

• Mr Muhammad Arshad Fawwaz, 24

The founder of ‘Inclusivity 4 All’ online concert series diagnosed with autism and ADHD.

• Mr Noah Tan Kai, 20

A visual artist and Special Olympics Singapore bowling athlete diagnosed with autism.

• Mr Tan Whee Boon, 56

A disability inclusion advocate and National Wheelchair Rugby player with an acquired disability.

• Mr Steve Tee Wee Leong, 40

A Paralympian Tandem Cyclist and public speaker with Retinitis Pigmentosa, an incurable eye condition.

• Mr Elliot Teng Z-Kai, 21

An aspiring lawyer for the disadvantaged diagnosed with bilateral severe-to-profound hearing loss.

• Mr Wong Chee Foong Winston, 33

A disability inclusion advocate with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

Launched in 2019 by ESM Goh Chok Tong, Patron of the MEF, the Awards has honoured a total of 42 Awardees for their outstanding accomplishments and potential over its three editions (2019 & 2020). The Awards have established a platform, not just for honouring these individuals for their contribution to the communities they serve, but to also drive greater inclusivity across Singapore.

President Halimah Yacob said, “Today’s recipients have shown us that there are no boundaries to what persons with disabilities can achieve. As a society, we can do more to support persons with disabilities in their integration into the wider community by removing prejudices and assumptions of their limitations.”

ESM Goh Chok Tong said, “Beyond celebrating these outstanding individuals for who they are, we want to share their journey and their stories with all Singaporeans. We want to show what our persons with disabilities can achieve, when given the opportunity to prove themselves. We want a society where persons with disabilities are fully integrated in the community and in the workplace.”

Edmund Koh, President of Asia Pacific, UBS, added, “This is UBS Singapore’s third year sponsoring the UBS Achievement and Promise awards… Each and every one of the finalists are incredibly inspiring and extremely deserving of this award. A common denominator amongst all of them is their determination to overcome their difficulties and still care for their community…

This quality is even more important during this time of the pandemic where they inspire us to continue to be resilient, courageous and stand united to help each other.”

For more information about the Awards, visit www.mef.sg

/TISG