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SINGAPORE: Singapore stars came out to shine for a good cause on Sunday night at the President’s Star Charity show, and as several celebrities learned, doing good isn’t always easy.
Kym Ng and Fiona Xie performed a medley of golden Chinese oldies dressed in ornate qipaos and beehive hairdos as part of the night’s “Singapore Cabaret” theme.
“It’s very stressful singing live, and especially difficult remembering the steps,” Kym told TODAY.
Fiona agreed: “Singing was nerve-wracking because I had to step out of my comfort zone, and I’m actually very shy." However, she did learn lessons from the under-privileged people she worked with on the show.
“You think you’re helping them, but really they’re helping us to see our petty problems in perspective. They have overcome so much,” said the actress.
Other highlights at the MediaCorp TV Theatre included Tay Ping Hui, Gurmit Singh and Daren Tan crooning a FrankSinatra medley; Taufik Batisah putting on the ritz with young tap dancers from JazzKids; a Bollywood number by Jas Arora and students from the Global Indian International School; a P Ramlee medley by Rahimah Rahim and Hady Mirza; and performances by ’60s singing legends Veronica Young and Anneke Gronloh.
President S R Nathan himself also got into the act with a Chinese calligraphy-writing performance to the strains of the T’ang Quartet. He wrote a Chinese phrase meaning “support the poor and help the needy”.
The aim of this year’s President’s Challenge is to raise S$8 million. As of 3pm on Monday, the President’s Star Charity had raised S$5.06 million through phone donations, lower than the S$5.4 million raised last year. But, as participant Gurmit Singh shared, “every little bit counts.”
The President’s Star Charity is part of the President’s Challenge, an annual series of activities to increase community awareness of the plight of the less fortunate, as well as to raise funds for social services. President Nathaninitiated the first President’s Challenge in 2000.
Donation hotlines are open till Oct 18, midnight. Call 1900 112 8821/8822/8823 to donate S$5, S$10 and S$100, respectively. - TODAY/ar
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