Singapore awards 4 youths highest accolade

Four Singaporeans have been awarded the country's highest accolade, the Singapore Youth Award (SYA), for youths this year.

The SYA honors those who contribute significantly to society and excel in their professions, local media Channel NewsAsia reported on Sunday.

The four outstanding youths received their awards from Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on Sunday.

Their profiles will be exhibited at the heart of the youth precinct, in a bid to inspire other youths, the report said.

Royston Tan, director of Chuan Pictures, was honored with the SYA for Arts & Culture. He is an acclaimed film-maker and director who produced local hits like "15" and "881".

"This is very special because this award is not based on just one film or two projects but it's almost like a lifetime thing that I have done since I first started making films," Tan was quoted as saying.

The Entrepreneurship Award went to Leonard Tan, CEO of PurpleClick Media. His online marketing agency is the first in South East Asia to be accredited by Yahoo! and Google.

He said: "In business, the common things we face are challenges and obstacles and it's so easy to give up today or tomorrow, but the thing is that if you have a positive mindset you probably see things (as) half-glass full than half-glass empty."

Paralympic swimmer, Yip Pin Xiu, got the Sports and Adventure Award.

Receiving the award for Science and Technology is A*STAR scientist Dr Loh Yuin Han - for his research achievements in human embryonic stem cells.

Source: Xinhua