COMMUNITY In line with the Group’s corporate social responsibility mission, contributions were made to charitable organisations and educational concerns. Some of these included the Singapore President’s Challenge and Shan You Counselling Centre. Staff of the Haw Par Group continued with their annual tradition of community service to bring cheer to the less fortunate. An outing was organised to bring children from Singapore Pertapis Children’s Home to Underwater World Singapore (UWS) in November 2009. UWS, which has been conducting a Swim for Children with Autism programme since October 2003, continued to offer the programme in 2009 as a platform for special needs students to have an encounter with the pink dolphins at the Dolphin Lagoon. In support of education, Underwater World Pattaya (UWP) participated in a Thai government’s School Project — “San Jai Thai Soo Jai Tai”. Initiated by General Prem Tinnasuranon, the project aims to enrich knowledge and provide support for underprivileged Muslim students from Southern Thailand. 240 Muslim students from five border provinces of Southern Thailand visited UWP on 23 March and 23 May 2009 as part of their camp itinerary. In July and December 2009, UWP also awarded scholarships to students from eight different local schools who performed Thai Traditional music at UWP. In October 2009, Chengdu Oceanarium touched the lives of children victims from the Sichuan Earthquake when it hosted the children for the “Living in the Ocean” programme in which they spent a night at the Oceanarium. ENVIRONMENT Tiger and Leopard Conservation The Group continued with its support of the conservation of wildlife and endangered animals through the sponsorship of the Malayan Tiger Exhibit at the Night Safari and the Leopard Exhibit at the Singapore Zoo.

Marine Conservation

The logo and conservation slogan: Blue Mission — Inspire, Educate, Conserve — represents the vision and work that UWS strives to do for the environment. The Young Marine Biologist Award (YMBA), an annual, non-commercial contest for students launched by UWS in Year 2002, was created with the aim to develop interest amongst students in the marine life sciences and to promote marine conservation and environmental awareness.

Recognising the positive impact of mass media in creating public awareness and shaping public opinion on conservation, mobilising many to play a role and to take action at both the local and international level, UWS launched the YMBA 2009 — Journalists for the Environment: Extinction is Forever — to encourage students to be environmental journalists and spread environmental awareness.

Many students submitted well-referenced works through pictures and words, expressing their concern for the loss of biodiversity and its impact on the health of ecosystems.

The judge for this contest was Professor Chou Loke Meng, from the Department of Biological Sciences of the National University of Singapore, and an honorary member of UWS Educational Advisory Panel. Cash prizes and school trophies were presented to the winners by Mr Peter Khoo, Vice President and Head of Editorial Projects Unit of Singapore Press Holdings, on 19 November 2009.

On 24 November 2009, UWS pledged its support for United Nation’s International Year of Biodiversity 2010 with the launch of Singapore’s first Sharks Nursery showcasing 5 species of baby sharks successfully bred at UWS.

UWP has been actively supporting education and marine conservation through its various programmes and has also continuously sought to raise public awareness on marine conservation issues. It is the only commercial oceanarium in Thailand to be granted the privilege by the Sriracha Municipality Government and the International Coastal Management to display sea turtles for rehabilitation and education purposes. As part of UWP’s joint efforts with Sriracha Municipality in turtle conservation, UWP was invited by Sriracha Mayor Chatchai Timkrachang to release sea turtles into the ocean on 27 August 2009 at Koh Lan.

On 28 March 2009 from 8:30pm to 9:30pm, UWS and UWP joined people and corporations around the world to support Earth Hour 2009 and took action against climate change by switching off its lights during that hour. As part of UWS’ and UWP’s continuous commitment to energy conservation, the two oceanariums have steadily replaced all incandescent lights in their facilities with energy saving light–emitting diode (LED) lights over the past year. UWS has also outfitted its aquarium with new water pumps that employ a more efficient water filtration system for the fish round the clock.

In recognition of its efforts to promote marine life education, Chengdu Oceanarium was awarded the status of an “Education Centre” by the Sichuan government in December 2009.