The Singapore prize is a biennial award given to authors for outstanding published works in Chinese, English or Malay. The winner receives a cash prize of $3,000 and an engraved trophy. It is the second highest literary award in Singapore after the Epigram Books Fiction Prize. In addition, the shortlisted entries will be featured in a book series by Ang Mo Kio Publications.
The prize was introduced in 2014 in support of the SG50 programme to celebrate Singapore’s 50th anniversary. It is the first prize here to be dedicated to the nation’s history and is administered by NUS’ Department of History.
A four-member jury, led by chairman of the NUS East Asian Institute Wang Gungwu, picked Prof Miksic’s work out of five shortlisted submissions. His work, titled “Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300-1800”, was chosen for its broad coverage and detailed research. He said the idea for the prize originated from an opinion column he wrote in April 2014. It called on Singapore philanthropists to donate cash towards a cash prize for the best historical work written about the country.
Kishore Mahbubani, senior advisor (university and global relations) at NUS, said the prize will look into expanding the types of works that can qualify in future. Citing the movie 12 Years a Slave, he noted that history can be told in different formats that may be more effective and accessible to the general public. He added that the aim of the prize is to ensure that people develop a better understanding of Singapore’s history.
At the awards ceremony held at a theater in state-owned Media Corp, Prince William wore an old dark green blazer he had worn for more than a decade and walked a “green carpet”. Other presenters such as actor Yen donned a suit from her collection, while South African actress Mbatha opted for a dress by Stella McCartney, who is known for her eco-friendly clothing. Several attendees, including Singapore ministers and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, also wore recycled outfits.
The organisers, Singapore Pools, have implemented several measures to make the game more sustainable. In 2018, they stopped printing pre-printed tickets and switched to a system that allows players to buy tickets at any of the Singapore Pools outlets nationwide. The system also allows customers to check their ticket status online. Besides this, Singapore Pools have introduced new features like the Online Ticket Purchase feature and the Online Winnings Calculator. The latter helps customers determine their winnings quickly and accurately. In addition, there is a one-in-eleven chance of winning a prize in a Singapore Pools draw. You can use the Online Winnings Calculator to see how much you can win if you are lucky enough to match all six numbers. You can also play the TOTO online lottery at any of the Singapore Pools’ channels, including the e-games website and mobile app. In addition, the TOTO website offers information about the lottery’s regulations and a FAQ section.