The New Charis Mission 10th Charity Golf 2026 - Speech by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs

1. I want to say a good evening to Pastor, Founder and Executive Director of The New Charis Mission (TNCM), Mr Don Wong. Thank you very much for having me back here again. Always a pleasure to be with TNCM and to be working with your team and supporting your efforts to serve our community and our society. To all the Board Members, Golfers, Donors, Volunteers, and Distinguished Guests, a very good evening to all of you.

2. This year’s golf tournament is the 10th edition of the golf tournament, and it coincides with also the 10th edition of the Unlabelled Run that took place a couple of months ago. This year is also TNCM’s 20th anniversary. So tonight you are not just celebrating the golf results, but we are also celebrating TNCM.

3. I thought I would take a few moments of my time and your time to talk a little bit about TNCM and the work that they have been doing. These milestones speak volumes about the enduring spirit of this organisation and the generosity of its partners and its many supporters and volunteers.

4. It is also testament to two decades of very consistent, transformative work that has touched countless lives and has helped us to rebuild society and allowed many to see a second chance in society again.

5. TNCM was founded by Pastor Don in 2006, and its journey began really as a humble halfway house for ex-offenders and ex-drug abusers. Today, it stands as a champion of the Unlabelled Movement. Why unlabelled? Because many of us, myself included, we sometimes form an immediate impression of someone, and we put a label on someone – you are “this” or you are “that”. And those labels, sometimes, they stick. The Unlabelled Movement, one that allows you to strip away the veneer of the labels that people put on you, whether you are an ex-abuser or an ex-offender.

6. The “We-First” society that our Prime Minister talked about, I think the work that you do at TNCM resonates very much with that. Because we will not be able to remove these labels by the work of one or two persons alone, but it takes all of us as a community to decide that we want to do this – one which looks out for one another in a community, one where we build strength through collective care, and one where we really ensure that no one is left behind. Nowadays it is easy to say that no one should be left behind, but what do we do about it is the harder question. And at TNCM, they judge based on how far they lift the bottom, and not just how far the top reaches – and that is a very important philosophy.

7. So this evening, every swing of the club that you all did just now, every dollar pledged, every hour volunteered, these are not just gestures of support, but really investments in second chances – and we as a community thank all of you for doing that. The theme of the golf tournament is “Tee Off, Label Off”, and it is more than just a catchy, nice slogan. It is really a call to action for all of us that as a society we should dismantle stereotypes and look beyond the label.

TNCM Initiatives

8. In the next few minutes that I have before your dinner, I think it would be quite remiss not to tell you a bit about the work of TNCM, so bear with me because I think this is important. Every dollar that we pledge, every donation we make, every support we give to TNCM goes into these causes, and I wanted to just share them with you. There are three very important areas in which I think the work is very meaningful and makes an impact on society today and also leaves a legacy for future generations.

9. The first is family restoration. We all know from research and from our own experience that strong family ties and good bonds are critical to the success of reintegration. But incarceration often strains, and sometimes, even breaks those ties. TNCM’s Prosocial Lifestyle Programme for inmates helps them to rebuild relationships with their loved ones before release – when you come out, back to society, there are people who care for you, people you care for. It makes a big difference to be able to stay out – not just for longer but forever. And the support that TNCM gives goes beyond just providing emotional support. It is setting the inmates up for success in their own journey in rehabilitation and reintegration, and building up the various support structures that are so important in supporting the ex-offenders from the time they are released.

10. Second important piece of work is employment pathways. We know that family is important but having a sense of purpose and vision, feeling valued that you can give value to society, is equally important. And that is why social enterprises like New Charis Enterprise and Charis Cuisines, it is not just about jobs but about giving back dignity. They help beneficiaries with skills in various industries – logistics, facilities management, and sometimes even in culinary arts.

11. The third important workstream of TNCM is giving back. Initiatives like Project Heart of Love and Better Homes @ Central, all of these are projects where TNCM empowers ex-offenders to serve others – for example, refurbishing homes for the elderly, supporting low-income families, and partnering with Central Singapore CDC to help former rough sleepers transition into safe housing. All of these are examples of giving back to society, making sure that we pay it forward, and that Singapore is not built on the success only of people today, but that we cater for the success of people tomorrow. And in giving, these ex-offenders find purpose through the impact and encouragement that they themselves bring to others in need. And you can imagine this is a very powerful message – that you have benefitted and now in turn, you pay it forward to benefit those that come after you.

12. And so, I would like to thank TNCM, Pastor Don, and the team.

13. But no story is complete unless you sort of tell it through the eyes of someone who has gone through this process. And so, this evening I would like to talk about one individual - Mr Andrew Ho. I met him earlier today. Andrew has kindly agreed that we can share his story.

14. At a young age, Andrew found himself entangled with the criminal justice system. But upon his release from the Reformative Training Centre, he joined TNCM’s Residential Rehabilitation Programme. He received counselling, he received support, mentorship, guidance, and most importantly, he found an opportunity and a location to be able to redefine himself. Not let his past judge his present.

15. Through community projects to serve the elderly as well as mentor inmates, Andrew began to see himself not as a label, but as a person with purpose, capable of change and capable of making change, and then capable of changing others as well. Today, Andrew is the Vice-Chairman of the Unlabelled Run, a mentor to others walking the same path, and he knows the path really well, and that puts him in a very special position to mentor others. And he is also a living testament to the power of second chances.

16. In recognition of his contributions to the community, TNCM has also supported Andrew’s further studies. So it is a win-win. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Counselling at Flinders University, delivered in partnership with the Executive Counselling and Training Academy in Singapore. Andrew, I am happy to say, will graduate in November this year.

17. Andrew’s story is special but not unique, not the only one. And I think the opportunities that TNCM has given to people like Andrew is the reason why we are here gathered tonight.

Call for Continued Support for TNCM

18. It is a reminder that transforming lives is not just a journey for one individual but requires all of us, many helping hands and the whole of our community – from government to TNCM, donors, sponsors, partners, volunteers – it requires patience and compassion because not every case will succeed in the same way. And not every successful path is linear and there will always be regression to a greater or lesser extent. But perseverance, passion, dedication, and the willingness to see potential where others might just see past mistakes is really important.

19. We often only see the people in front of or on the stage, but there are many volunteers who are unspoken, unheard, unseen, and often in the background. I want this evening to reach out to all of you and say thank you very much for all your efforts. These efforts might be unseen, but they are never unappreciated. The work that you do is critical not just to events like this but on a daily basis – everyday, when we are not seeing you, when we are not hearing from you. I want you to know that whether you are seen or heard, the work that you do still remains the same. And I want to dedicate this evening to all of you – the volunteers and supporters of the work of TNCM.

20. Thank you very much to all of you.