SINGAPORE - This year's President's Star Charity show has raised $10,423,381 as at Sunday (Oct 4) night, said its organiser Mediacorp.

The sum is close to the record $10,471,294 raised at last year's show.

The charity concert is an annual fund-raiser by Mediacorp under the President's Challenge, which was started in 2000 by the late President SR Nathan to support the social service sector.

This year's President's Star Charity show - the first show took place in 1994 - was televised live on Sunday. It was held without a live audience for the first time, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Themed Believe You Can, the show was hosted by Diana Ser and Fauzie Laily.

It included performances by Brit Awards 2020 Best New Artist recipient Lewis Capaldi and Indonesian singer Rossa.

The show also featured the debut performance of Believe, the theme song written to mark two decades of the President's Challenge.

The song was penned by Singaporean singer-songwriters Jarrell Huang and JJ Neo.

Other highlights of the show included a tile-painting segment by the guest of honour, President Halimah Yacob, alongside Mediacorp artistes and Mr Saifudeen Abdul Salim, a 23-year-old aspiring motivational speaker who has muscular dystrophy.

Madam Halimah said: "For this year's President's Challenge, the focus is on empowering people with disabilities so that they can also contribute to society.

"If you look at the example of Saifudeen... I'm really very proud of him because he has a very positive outlook. He is a graphic designer and a successful one."

Urging Singaporeans to support the President's Challenge cause, Madam Halimah said: "Please open your hearts - that's the most important thing - and open your support to pave the way for the society to be supportive, and inclusive of each other."

She added that next year's President's Challenge theme will focus on building an inclusive digital society.

"Technology has become a connector; it is a mechanism to engage people, and we must make sure that a digital divide does not take place in Singapore," she said.

"We will support programmes and initiatives that will help our vulnerable communities to access digital tools, connectivity and skills."

Members of the public can continue donating to the President's Star Charity 2020 until 11.59pm next Sunday (Oct 11).

They can do so either via a PayNow QR code here or through the PayNow Unique Entity Number T08GB0034KDB1, withPSC2020as the bill reference.

All proceeds will aid the 72 agencies backed by the President's Challenge, such as Beautiful Mind Charity, an agency dedicated to serving those with disabilities, and the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore.