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Book launched in honour of the late minister E.W. Barker

To commemorate former minister E.W. Barker's legacy, his family and the Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS) Academic Group yesterday launched a book that chronicles significant milestones in his life.

The E.W. Barker Commemorative Book shows the impact of his dedication to sport in Singapore and of the E.W. Barker professorship and scholarship.

Associate Professor Koh Koon Teck, head of the PESS, which is part of the National Institute of Education (NIE), said: "We hope this book will inspire readers to see how one person's dedication can have a lasting legacy and impact on sports development and advancement in Singapore."

The late Mr Barker was Singapore's first law minister in 1964 and the longest-serving president of the Singapore National Olympic Council (1970 to 1990) among other portfolios. He was also an avid sportsman, and took part in many sports including hockey, cricket, football, rugby, tennis and athletics.

A year after his death at the age of 80 in 2001, the E.W. Barker Professorship and Scholarship Fund was established.

At a ceremony to celebrate the launch of the book at the Nanyang Technological University, guest of honour Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, paid tribute to Mr Barker. He called the book a fitting tribute to a man who had always put his nation before self and who firmly believed in the power of sports to shape a brighter future for his nation.

The book is not for sale but will be available in most libraries and universities. An online version will also be available on the NIE website.

The 2019, 2020 and 2021 E.W. Barker Scholarship Award recipients also received their awards yesterday. The presentation was not held in the past two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the recipients was taekwondo exponent Ckrystal Chin, who hopes to represent Singapore at the SEA Games. - LAURA CHIA

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