THREE social workers received the highest honour in their profession from the President on Monday.

They are Mr Mohd Ali Mahmood, the 42-year-old executive director of PPIS Jurong FSC Group, who spearheaded several initiatives, such as a marriage preparation course for young Malay couples unprepared for marriage.

Another winner of the Outstanding social worker award is Mrs Seah Kheng Yeow, 46, from the Centre for Promoting Alternatives to Violence, who spent over two decades counselling the abused and others who are down and out.

Mr Chua Wei Bin, a social worker of about five years and centre head of the Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre Cheng San branch , received the promising social worker award which recognises outstanding workers who are fairly new in the field.

Mr Chua came up with the idea of a 'mobile' senior activity centre to give lonely senior citizens living alone an activity to look forward to; at the same time, Mr Chua and his staff could use the chance to spot the elderly who may need help.