The search is on to find this year's Singaporean of the Year.

In its sixth edition now, The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year, presented by UBS, is an annual award given to a Singaporean individual or group that has made a positive and sustainable impact in society.

Said Mr Warren Fernandez, editor-in-chief of Singapore Press Holdings' English/Malay/Tamil Media Group and editor of The Straits Times: "This has been an especially difficult year for everyone. But through it all, there have also been many moments when the community came together in the face of a crisis.

"So our search for nominees will aim to showcase the efforts of individuals and groups in Singapore that stepped up in the face of challenges and adversities to try to do their part to make things better for others."

The award has been given in previous years to those whose achievements put Singapore on the world stage, such as the 2016 recipient - swimmer Joseph Schooling, who won the country's first Olympic gold medal, and his parents.

It has also been awarded to recipients who improved the lives of others in the community, or displayed resilience in the face of adversity.

For example, the 2018 award went to Ms Siti Noor Mastura, who co-founded non-profit organisation Interfaith Youth Circle, which promotes better understanding of the role that faith groups can play in an increasingly complex and divided world.

President Halimah Yacob, who is the patron of the award, said last year that the award was a "call for action to Singaporeans to create a positive impact to the community".

The 2019 recipient was Associate Professor Angie Chew, who started Brahm Centre in 2012 to provide free health education, as well as other services such as befriending, counselling and dementia screening for seniors who are frail and lonely.

From now until Dec 15, the public can nominate candidates for the award via this website.

Nominees must be Singapore citizens who made the news this year.

Shortlisted candidates will be unveiled in batches over the coming weeks till December, after which there will be two weeks of public voting. The outcome of the vote will be used as a reference by the judges in making the final decision.

A panel of judges comprising Straits Times editors, UBS representatives and individuals who have made their mark in various fields will help recommend and select deserving candidates, and pick the Singaporean of the Year.

The award will be given out in February next year. The recipient will get a trophy and $20,000, presented by UBS which has supported the award right from its beginnings.

Mr Edmund Koh, president of UBS Asia-Pacific of UBS Group and UBS, noted the award's significance this year. "This year's The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year Award 2020, presented by UBS, is extraordinarily special given the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic and the many challenges it has thrown up.

"It is especially during such trying times that we see the extraordinary strength and courage in the people around us who have displayed remarkable altruism and care for others as they seek to build resilience in the community," he added.

The top award recipient will also receive a pair of business class tickets sponsored by Singapore Airlines (SIA) to anywhere that SIA or its subsidiary airline SilkAir flies to.

SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong said: "It is important, especially during these difficult times, to come together to celebrate our people and the triumph of the human spirit. This will help us emerge as an even stronger and more resilient nation as we overcome our current challenges."

Millennium Hotels and Resorts will be gifting the recipient a five-night stay in any of its global properties. Millennium Hotels and Resorts is the global brand of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (M & C), a global hotel company which owns, manages and operates over 145 hotels across some 80 locations worldwide.

Mr Kwek Leng Beng, executive chairman of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, said: "During this difficult time when many people have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, it is even more important for us to show our support for the selfless Singaporeans who have stepped forward to give back to the community."

If there is more than one individual receiving the top award, M&C will sponsor up to three sets of accommodation and SIA will sponsor up to three pairs of business class tickets.

The panel of judges is chaired by Mr Fernandez and co-chaired by Mr Koh, whose support helped get the award off the ground.

Another panellist is Mr August Hatecke, UBS' country head of Singapore and co-head of wealth management in Asia-Pacific.