SILVER JUBILEE HOME CHINESE NEW YEAR OPEN HOUSE

SPEECH BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW

THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

SILVER JUBILEE HOME

CHINESE NEW YEAR OPEN HOUSE

30 JANUARY 2023

Tan Sri Dato' Seri Tan Kok Ping

Executive Advisor & Trustee of Silver Jubilee Home

Dato’ Loh Yeow Boo

Chairman of Silver Jubilee Home

Mr. Bernard Kok

Legal Advisor of the Board of Trustees, Silver Jubilee Home

General Committee Members of Silver Jubilee Home

Distinguished guests,

Members of the media,

Ladies and gentlemen,

A very good evening and Gong Xi Fa Cai to each and every one of you.

I am certainly delighted to be here this evening, especially for two main reasons. One of them is that this is the annual event hosted by one of Penang's oldest and most distinguished institutions, dedicated to the aid of the elderly and the needy. It always gives me a warm feeling to think of the noble purpose for which the Silver Jubilee Home (SJH) was founded.

The second reason is that we are all witnessing the gradual recession of the dreaded pandemic which has afflicted the entire world for more than three years in a stretch. I am confident that you will all join me in bidding that unwanted guest goodbye; may it stay far away and may we always keep it at bay!

Yet, there is something to be gained from going through that trying time. It is in discovering that within each of us is a hidden warrior, a warrior who can endure and fight when its own survival and that of its loved ones is at stake. As it is often said, it is only when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

And one of those really tough ones, has to be the Penang Silver Jubilee Home, in having come through the trial unscathed and ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead. It may not be easy for them, and they will have to put in a lot of sweat, but for someone who has been around since 1935, I would surely place my bet on them.

I must mention that, during the difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic, the SJH did an outstanding job of protecting the well-being of their 136 residents. For instance, they organised various activities such as bingo games, karaoke, sewing, farm gardening, open air exercise, and had hired more physiotherapists to assist the residents in being more active rather than idle.

They also encouraged residents who are interested to help with light work in the recycle centre, as well as to mow and maintain the grass at their block with the extra grass cutting machines purchased for the residents' use.

Moving ahead, I am pleased that SJH will return to the norm by allowing Mr. Jack Ko, their regular exercise instructor, to visit once or twice a week for morning exercises with their residents, in addition to having external health care talk in place and being open for people to come and teach their residents chi kong, handy work, painting and cooking.

Such initiatives are very much in keeping with the state’s Penang2030 vision, which aims to uplift vulnerable communities and reduce inequalities, as well as, to boost participation of youth, women and seniors in community life. As a result, I fervently hope that SJH will continue to thrive and serve as an example for others to follow suit, in order to assist the Penang State Government achieve its goal of making Penang "A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation".

Having said that, let me thank SJH for their commendable efforts over the years, and I once again, wish everyone here a very Happy Chinese New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai with lots of bunny luck!

Thank you.