Lawyer and actress win youth award

(Straits Times 14/10/2000)

WHAT do environmentalist Darren Shiau and Cantonese opera actress See Toh Hoi Siang have in common?

Well, the Outstanding Young Person Award, for a start.

The Award is held once every two years and is organised by the Orchid Jayceettes Of Singapore, the women Chapter of Junior Chamber Singapore. It recognises outstanding young Singaporeans between the ages of 21 and 40 and focuses on the achievements of those who are good role models. The awardees will go on to vie for the world title to be held in November next year at Barcelona in Spain.

Mr Shiau, 29, a new-economy multi-tasking lawyer-poet-novelist-environmentalist, feels it is an honour to receive the award, "especially since I realise Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had won the same award in 1975". Chosen by The Straits Times as one of the '50 Faces To Watch' in 1993, Mr Shiau, an active environmentalist, says: "I am particularly pleased that environmental work is recognised here and worldwide." He is the youngest member on both the Singapore Environmental Council Community Co-ordination Committee and the Singapore Green Plan Review Committee.

Ms See Too Hoi Siang is a full-time professional actress with the Chinese Theatre Circle. She started learning Cantonese opera while in school 25 years ago. The 39-year-old chose to pursue a career in the artform because she "needs to fulfil her passion", she says. She was the lead opera actress in CTC's Madam White Snake, which was presented partly in English in 1999 and helped raise $300,000 for the Dover Park Hospice.