Special state award to honour those involved in Covid-19 fight

A special state award, called the Covid-19 Resilience Medal, will be given to those directly involved in the fight against Covid-19 during the pandemic to recognise their sacrifices and public spirit.

This new award from the Government will be for both individuals and teams, PM Lee said yesterday in his National Day Rally speech.

In addition, those who made exceptional contributions will receive existing state awards such as the Commendation Medal, the Public Service Medal and the Public Administration Medal.

There will be a special indication with the name and the insignia to show that the medal was presented for service fighting Covid-19, said PM Lee, who jokingly suggested having two red lines on the ribbon representing the lines in antigen rapid test results.

The recipients will be announced at the end of the year, and award ceremonies will be held next year.

In his speech, PM Lee also mentioned several people who had gone the extra mile to help others.

One of them is retiree Alice Chua, in her early 60s, who volunteered at vaccination centres in East Coast, and took fellow seniors to their appointments.

"Because she spoke Malay, and Chinese dialects, she also bridged language gaps, and could reassure and comfort the seniors during their jabs. Every bit counted in our national vaccination campaign," said PM Lee.

Madam Chua told The Straits Times: "It's an honour, not just for myself but as a representative of all those who volunteered during the Covid-19 pandemic."

Another individual PM Lee singled out is Madam Ruku Pakirisamy, 72, a Yishun resident.

"She noticed many elderly neighbours were afraid to go out during the pandemic, so they were getting listless and moody. To lift their spirits, she cooked and distributed meals for her neighbours. Sometimes curry, sometimes beehoon," added the Prime Minister.

"I never thought the Prime Minister would speak about me. I was so happy," said Madam Ruku, a part-time cleaner.

She said she was inspired by her parents' efforts to foster a community spirit when the family lived in a kampung during her childhood.

PM Lee also spoke about Toa Payoh resident Razali Puasa's kind act.

"The playground near his block is very popular with young kids. But he saw that everyone was afraid of Covid-19. So he decided to wipe down and disinfect the playground," he said.

In his Malay speech, PM Lee also gave credit to the many Malay/ Muslims at the front and centre of Singapore's Covid-19 fight.

One individual he cited is Dr Norhisham Main from Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, who is the president of the Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association.

Despite his heavy load of patients, both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19, Dr Norhisham was regularly on the ground outside of work to explain the Covid-19 situation to the Malay/Muslim community.

He helped to dispel their fears and concerns about the virus and garnered their support for Singapore's safe management measures, PM Lee said.

Dr Norhisham said to ST: "Our past experiences from severe acute respiratory syndrome and our knowledge of pandemics taught us that we are able to overcome Covid-19.

"It's our duty and responsibility to serve our community and get health back on track."

PM Lee added in his speech: "These personal acts of kindness, courage and concern, the Singapore spirit shone brightly. It has made us collectively a better people and a more resilient society."

In Singapore's national response, many also went above and beyond the call of duty.

For example, healthcare workers, through their care and professionalism, ensured that Singaporeans could carry on safely with their daily lives; public officers, especially those on the front lines, carried out many demanding operations, often at short notice; private companies generously provided resources and industry know-how to tackle many problems; and non-governmental organisations and community groups made special effort to take care of those who needed more help.