Company bursary honours late founder and NUS alumnus
April 11, 2017
Mr Kwan Wei Yew
Chemicals and Machinery Pte Ltd (C&M), a proud Singaporean importer and distributor of chemicals and machinery solutions, started its modest roots at Hong Kong Street in 1974.
Under the guidance of the Founder, Mr KWAN Fook Ngah (’63), C&M established a great rapport and strong client base with their class-leading service and products, as well as dedication to their customers. After Mr Kwan Fook Ngah’s demise, his wife, Mdm KUM Lai Yoke, took over the reins of the company. Due to poor economic conditions, this was indeed a trying period. Against all odds, C&M has successfully positioned itself as one of the leading players in its industry in Asia Pacific.
C&M has always aspired not only to be at the forefront of their industry but also one that cares about the community. The management strongly believes that it is the company’s responsibility to make a tangible difference to the communities they serve. Having come a long way, the Kwan Fook Ngah & Kum Lai Yoke Bursary was established at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
“Mr Kwan had many fond memories of his time at the University. We hope that our contribution will help students achieve their full potential and aspirations to push the boundaries of science and contribute positively to our society,” explains Mr KWAN Wai Yew, Assistant Sales and Business Development Manager at C&M.
As the founder and an alumnus of the NUS Faculty of Science, the late Mr Kwan was an inspiring individual who taught people around him to work hard and persevere through adversity. Mdm Kum Lai Yoke initiated this Bursary in memory of her late husband to remind everyone that with a can-do attitude, dreams can be achieved, regardless of circumstances.
Both Mr Kwan and his wife came from extremely humble backgrounds with little to no assistance. This bursary stands as a testament to their hard work and great effort that they had to put to build not only successful careers but also, the ability to contribute back to society.
The Kwan Fook Ngah & Kum Lai Yoke Bursary recognises outstanding full-time undergraduate students, in need of financial assistance, at the Faculty of Science, with a preference for students majoring in Chemistry.
“We believe that financial issues should not come in the way of a person who shows the mettle and potential to be successful. Supporting students financially is something that will provide immediate benefit in not only quantitative terms but also psychologically; it frees up the worries of living costs and expenses. Hopefully, that will allow the student to have a clear mind and focus well on their academic endeavour,” shares Mr Kwan Wai Yew.
Through the Bursary, the company hopes to both instil a culture of giving back in the recipients and nurture the next generation of change makers. Mr Kwan Wai Yew explains, “We hope that recipients of the bursary will continue to excel in their academic endeavours but more importantly, understand the importance of contributing back to the society when they find the capacity to do so.”
“We believe that helping to build the next generation of successful Singaporeans is imperative not only to the survival of our industry, but most importantly, the survival of our country.”
The late Mr Kwan Fook Ngah always believed that tough times do not last, but tough people do. C&M hopes that all recipients will have the resilience, tenacity and passion to pursue their dreams and be the future captains of their respective fields.
For information on making a gift to NUS, contact us at 1800-DEVELOP (1800-338-3567) or email askdvo@nus.edu.sg.
