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Second Minister for Defence Commemorates 35 Years of Innovation and Officiates Opening of SGDefence Exhibition
4 November 2016
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Second Minister for Defence Mr Ong Ye Kung officiated at the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) PRIDE (PRoductivity and Innovation in Daily Efforts) Day 2016 awards presentation ceremony held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre this morning. A total of 184 awards were presented to individuals, groups and units from MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in recognition of their outstanding and innovative projects. Through their innovations and work improvement ideas, savings exceeding $164 million were achieved in the last financial year.
Speaking at the awards presentation ceremony, Mr Ong noted that this year marked the 35th anniversary of the PRIDE movement and commended the progress of the PRIDE movement over the years. He said, "I am pleased to see that after so many years, the PRIDE spirit remains vibrant and dynamic, and our people continue to strive to do better…Over the past year, we saw many promising innovations, with potential for broad and widespread applications." Mr Ong also highlighted the importance of ensuring that MINDEF and SAF personnel continue to find ways to improve and innovate at their daily work. He said that, "All the best technologies and fighting capabilities will come to naught if we do not have the people, the spirit, the right skills, the right attitudes, and if we do not meaningfully nurture and tap on the full potential of our people. I urge everyone here: We are at the next bound of our transformation journey. All of you can play a part to continue to uphold and strengthen our culture of innovation that has been built over the last 35 years."
To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the PRIDE movement, PRIDE pioneer and then-Permanent Secretary (Defence) Mr Lim Siong Guan also gave a plenary speech on the intent of the PRIDE movement and the crucial role that innovation will play in Singapore's future.
The MINDEF PRIDE movement, established in 1981, promotes a culture of organisational excellence, innovation and productivity across MINDEF and the SAF. MINDEF PRIDE Day is held annually to recognise the outstanding efforts and contributions by participants of the MINDEF PRIDE movement. This year's theme, "Smart Defence: Innovation, Science and Technology", reflects the continued emphasis on inspiring a strong culture of innovation, and on harnessing science and technology to push the operational boundaries and capabilities of MINDEF and the SAF.
Following the awards presentation ceremony, Mr Ong also officiated at the opening of the SGDefence Exhibition, a key highlight of the Defence Technology Community (DTC)'s 50th anniversary celebrations, and toured the exhibits.
The public is invited to visit the SGDefence Exhibition, which is held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre Hall A from 4 to 8 November 2016, 11am to 8pm. The exhibition features indigenous technology solutions from the DTC, projects of the MINDEF PRIDE Day 2016 and Smart Defence initiatives.
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Plenary by Mr Lim Siong Guan at the MINDEF PRIDE Day Awards Ceremony