The Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards honours 13 Awardees as it continues to champion inclusivity
03 Dec 2024
Singapore, 3 December 2024 – The Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards (GCTEA) honoured the achievements of 13 remarkable persons with disabilities today at the awards ceremony held at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore. Graced by Guest of Honour President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the ceremony was also attended by Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Mr Goh Chok Tong, Patron of the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund (GCTEF) and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Social and Family Development, and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth Mr Eric Chua.
Launched in 2019, the Awards is a key initiative of the GCTEF, a community fund administered by SG Enable and supported by Mediacorp, that provides persons with disabilities the opportunities to actively contribute to society and lead socially integrated lives through 3As: providing financial Aid, supporting Aspirations and conferring Awards. In championing inclusivity, the Awards serve as a platform to celebrate the achievements, promise and contributions of outstanding individuals.
- The GCTEA (Achievement) celebrates persons with disabilities who have made significant achievements in their own fields and served as an inspiration to others; and
- The GCTEA (Promise) encourages persons with disabilities who have shown promise to pursue greater heights in their areas of talent and willingness to serve the community.
List of GCTEA 2024 Awardees
GCTEA (Achievement) – Celebrating individuals with extraordinary accomplishmentsIn recognition of their noteworthy achievements in their respective fields, three inspiring individuals were awarded the GCTEA (Achievement) and $10,000. They are (in alphabetical order, according to surname):
1. Cassandra Chiu
Cassandra, 45 years old, is the Executive Director of K9Assistance and President of the Disabled People’s Association (DPA). She is a strong advocate for disability empowerment and has spoken at key international events where she showcased Singapore’s progress in disability inclusion on the global stage. She was also the first Southeast Asian woman with visual impairments to be recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease at the age of eight and experienced progressive vision loss which led to blindness. Cassandra was nominated by the DPA.
2. Pek Kian Aik (Alan)
Alan, 60 years old, is Vice President of HWA and a key member of dbEnable, Deutsche Bank’s staff network, where he spearheaded change to create a more inclusive workplace culture for employees with disabilities. At HWA, Alan led upgrading works for its IT infrastructure, which allowed the organisation to continue delivering rehabilitation, home care, transport and social services to beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was born with cerebral palsy, which impairs his mobility, balance, posture and speech. Alan was nominated by Deutsche Bank.
Andrew is a Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) Specialist with Equal Dreams and leads curriculum development as well as creates holistic programmes, which bridge cultural and linguistic gaps between the Deaf and hearing communities. Seen as a prominent role model, Andrew achieved a key milestone for the Deaf community in 2008 when he coined the term “Singapore Sign Language (SgSL)”, which was later cemented as the official name for the local sign language. He was born deaf. Andrew was nominated by Equal Dreams.
DPA, as an Institution of Public Character, will also receive $5,000 in recognition of its contributing role as the nominating organisation in Cassandra’s success journey.
GCTEA (Promise) – Motivating talented individuals with bright potential
These 10 promising individuals were presented with the GCTEA (Promise) and $5,000, in recognition of their potential and commitment to serve the community. They are (in alphabetical order, according to surname):
1. Amal Husnah Jamaludin
Husnah, 34 years old, is an Inclusion Ambassador with DPA, who has contributed to over 50 disability awareness and inclusion talks, forums and consultations. She was diagnosed as autistic at 23. Husnah was nominated by Mr Shalom Lim Ern Rong.
2. James Ethan Ang Kai Meng
James, 23 years old, is a Team Singapore Para Athletics Athlete who has won silver medals for the nation in the Men’s T13 200m and 400m sprints at the ASEAN Para Games in 2023. He was diagnosed with visual impairment at the age of nine. When past a close distance, James can only mainly see rough shapes and structures, and has having trouble identifying details. James was nominated by the Singapore Management University.
3. D G Carole Ann
Carole, 47 years old, is a fervent advocate for disability awareness and has contributed to multiple campaigns that champion inclusive fashion and shed light on social barriers faced by persons with disabilities. She is a quadruple amputee who was diagnosed with gangrene following septic shock caused by a burst ovarian cyst. Carole was nominated by the Singapore Fashion Council.
4. Nicholas Hee
Nicholas, 20 years old, is a Para Swimmer who has amassed more than 35 medals from countless local and two international swim meets. He was diagnosed with autism at two and continues to explore verbal and non-verbal methods to communicate with others. Nicholas was nominated by Ms Tan Ching Ting Denise.
Yu Xiang, 30 years old, is a dynamic advocate for inclusivity and is also known by his stage name Sky Shen. Passionate about connecting mainstream and marginalised communities, Yu Xiang leverages multiple mediums including writing, hosting, performing and livestreaming to raise awareness about disability inclusion. In 2024, he composed a theme song March On, in support of the Singapore Paralympic Team. He was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of five. Yu Xiang was nominated by ART:DIS.
6. Tan Chern Maximillian
Max, 37 years old, is a Paralympian and Team Singapore Equestrian who has represented the nation at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. He also represented the para-sports community at the 2023 International Paralympic Committee Athletes Forum in Incheon, Seoul. Max is also collaborating with SG Enable to launch mentoring programmes, job-shadowing opportunities and upskilling initiatives to widen employment prospects for persons with disabilities. He was born with cerebral palsy and had initially taken up horse riding as a form of physiotherapy. Max was nominated by Ms Ong Yan Fen.
7. Tan Eng Kiong Benson
Benson, 33 years old, is a Team Singapore Para Swimmer who has won seven gold, five silver and one bronze medals for the nation at the ASEAN Para Games in 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2017. He also represented Singapore in cup stacking at the Sport Stacking Championship in South Korea in 2023 and was one of the musical performers featured at the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony. He was diagnosed with intellectual impairment when he was six. Benson was nominated by MINDS.
Kok Peng, 40 years old, is the Co-Founder of the Motor Neurone Disease Association Singapore, which supports patients with motor neurone diseases (MND) and their caregivers. An advocate for the benefits of assistive technology for MND patients, Kok Peng has also authored articles for the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication in which he provided tips on the use of assistive technology. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare form of MND. Kok Peng was nominated by Ms Yong Xing Tong.
9. Tan Yee Ting, Jeralyn
Jeralyn, 35 years old, is a Team Singapore Boccia Athlete who has recorded numerous victories in local and international competitions including the ASEAN Para Games and the World Boccia Cup. Together with the Singapore Disability Sports Council, Jeralyn also runs WeHeartBoccia workshops to teach and promote the sport. She was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia, the most severe form of cerebral palsy. Jeralyn was nominated by the Singapore Disability Sports Council.
10. Seah Guan Yi
Guan Yi, 27 years old, is an alumnus of Pathlight School and recently graduated from the Singapore University of Social Sciences with a Bachelor’s Degree with Distinction in Social Work and Political Science with Distinction. Guan Yi aspires to be a research analyst who contributes to academia and policies in the disability sector such as the Enabling Masterplan 2030. As an Inclusion Champion with SG Enable, Guan Yi also advocates for a more inclusive Singapore through various community outreach and public speaking events, during which he shares his lived experiences in special education and transition to mainstream curriculums. He was nominated by Autism Resource Centre (Singapore).
Michael Ngu, Chairman of the GCTEA Evaluation Panel, Board Member of SG Enable and a GCTEA 2019 Achievement Awardee himself, said: “We are inspired and encouraged by the exceptional nominations we continue to receive. Each Awardee honoured today has exemplified remarkable efforts and achievements in championing inclusivity. We are heartened to recognise the 13 Awardees in our sixth edition and look forward to the continuing the momentum in the years to come.”
Ku Geok Boon, CEO of SG Enable, said: “The Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards celebrate not just the exceptional achievements and potential of our Awardees, but also the spirit of inclusion they embody. Their stories remind us of the importance of empowering every individual to contribute meaningfully to society. As we honour their journeys, we invite everyone to join us in building a more inclusive and caring Singapore where every person’s abilities are valued.”
Tham Loke Kheng, CEO of Mediacorp, said: “We are privileged to join in the celebration of the Awardees today to recognise their outstanding accomplishments in their respective fields. Their unwavering dedication and resilience serve as an inspiration to us all, and we hope that everyone will join us in applauding their achievements.”
For more information about the Awards, and to support persons with disabilities through the GCTEF, please visit GCTEnableFund.sg.
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