Historic chapter in university's history

Wednesday, 3 May 2006

A commemorative book has been launched documenting the history and achievements of many high profile Singaporean identities who have studied at the University of Adelaide.

The book records the collective accomplishments of the Singaporean alumni from the University of Adelaide, covering a 60-year period.

It includes excerpts from Singapore's first elected President, the late Mr Ong Teng Cheong, the former Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan, and the Second Minister for Finance and Foreign Affairs, Mr Raymond Lim.

The Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, the Honourable John von Doussa QC, launched The Southern Light - Enlightening and Enriching at an alumni dinner in Singapore late last month.

The commemorative book, produced by the Adelaide University Alumni Association (Singapore), is the first publication of its kind published by an Australian university alumni chapter.

Congratulating the University on the book, the Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Miles Kupa, said: "The commemorative book contains the personal reflections of a number of prominent Singaporeans who studied at the University of Adelaide. I am heartened to acknowledge that a number of people featured in the book now hold senior positions in Singapore's public and private sectors and have made significant contributions to Singapore."

These include the late Mr Ong Teng Cheong, who graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Architecture from the University of Adelaide in 1962. He was the first elected President of the Republic of Singapore, serving his term from 1993-1999.

When Mr Ong Teng Cheong was Minister for Transport he developed the Singapore Mass Rapid Transport System together with the late Mr Lim Leong Geok, another University of Adelaide alumnus who graduated in engineering.

During the course of the MRT project, the team members comprised mainly University of Adelaide engineering graduates and their contribution to Singapore's transport system is outlined in a chapter in the book.

More than 50 graduates have contributed articles to the commemorative book, amongst them Dr Tony Tan, Mr Raymond Lim, Mr S. Iswaran (Deputy Speaker of Parliament), Mrs Lim Siok Peng (former Private Secretary to the later former President, Mr Ong Teng Cheong) and Dr Cheong Choong Kong (Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation Chairman).

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