Media Release | 26 Oct 2008

SEVEN MPs JOIN 10,000 RUNNERS AT GREAT EASTERN WOMEN 10K FOR CANCER CAUSE

- Biggest and fastest all-women run in Singapore and Asia -
- World-class elite athletes to challenge record of fastest in women 10k in Asia -

Singapore, 26 October 2008 : More than 10,000 women participants including seven women Members of Parliament (MPs), cancer survivors and elite athletes will charge through the scenic Marina Bay city area this morning as part of the Great Eastern Women 10K 2008 race route. Into its third year, this biggest all-women race in Singapore and Asia is part of the Marina Bay Urban Challenge. It is also a race with a purpose as it champions the Women Against Cancer initiative which aims to raise $100,000.

The race comprises a 10km competitive run and a 5km Fun Run starting at Esplanade Drive and ending at The Padang. Participants will be running against the backdrop of our signature city skyline, and passing through iconic developments such as the Singapore Flyer and the Esplanade.

Tan Beng Lee, Director and Group CEO of Great Eastern, said: "The Great Eastern Women 10K is one of the key events in our centennial celebrations this year. We are very pleased with the overwhelming response. We are also proud that the race is fast gaining popularity with both world-class professional athletes and our local runners."

Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, CEO, URA, said: "As part of the Marina Bay Urban Challenge, the Great Eastern Women 10K race takes runners pulsating through the heart of our city. We are pleased to be hosting sporting events like this to add on an energetic edge to the already vibrant Marina Bay, while allowing people to soak in the great views of Singapore's downtown."

Top Prizes and Elite Athletes
Prizes worth more than $15,000 are up for grabs in the competitive 10km race which has attracted both foreign and Singapore-based elite runners. This year's top prize comprises $5,000 cash, a Tiffany & Co Loving Cup trophy and $1,000 adidas vouchers - arguably the most attractive top prize offered in any Women 10K race within the region. Top contenders for this year's race include Kenyan runners Anitha Jepchumba Kiptum and Fridah Chepkite Lodepa, Tanzania's Janeth John Yuda, Australia's Suzy Walsham, who was last year's first runner-up and Singapore's very own Vivian Tang. Kiptum and Lodepa, with their personal best timings of 32 min 12 sec and 32 min respectively, are aiming to beat the record of 33 min 46 sec - the fastest record in Asia for the category - achieved in the Great Eastern Women 10K race last year by another Kenyan runner.

Suzy Walsham, a former Commonwealth Games athlete, said: "The Great Eastern Women 10K is one of my most challenging, if not the most challenging race in Singapore, as the competition gets stronger each year with the quality pool of international athletes. The keen competition really keeps me on my toes literally but I will be giving it my best."

Women Against Cancer
This year, the Great Eastern Women 10K is proud to support Singapore's first-ever Women Against Cancer initiative spearheaded by Great Eastern and ESG. The Women Against Cancer fund targets to raise $100,000 this year which will go toward Breast Cancer Foundation and Cervical Cancer Prevention Fund to provide education to women and aid to needy victims.

Terence Khoo, Managing Director of ESG, co-organiser of the drive and overall organiser of the race said, "The Great Eastern Women 10K is not all about the runners, spectators and sponsors -- it also stands for a cancer cause. Women Against Cancer is a great opportunity for all of us to give back to society."

Ten women MPs, seven of whom are running in the 10km and 5km categories, are leading the cause for cancer. The seven runners will also demonstrate their commitment by pledging their support at the event today. Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of National Development & Ministry of Education, MP for Jurong GRC; Dr Fatimah Lateef, MP for Marine Parade GRC and Jessica Tan, MP for East Coast GRC are participating in the 10km Run, while Lim Hwee Hua, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Finance & Ministry of Transport, MP for Aljunied GRC; Ellen Lee, MP for Sembawang GRC, Josephine Teo, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Jessie Phua, NMP, are participating in the 5km Fun Run.

"We are fellow women standing out against cancer; it is a cause which we are all deeply committed to. Hopefully, more people will utilise this platform to come forward and pledge their support," said Jessie Phua, Nominated Member of Parliament.

The other three MPs who could not attend the event are Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC; Dr Amy Khor, Mayor, South West District, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources & Deputy Government Whip and Indranee Rajah, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC.

The Great Eastern Women 10K 2008 takes place at The Padang on 26 October from 7.30am onwards. For more information, visit www.women10k.com

About Great Eastern
Founded on 26 August 1908, Great Eastern Holdings is today the largest insurance group in Singapore and Malaysia, with S$45 billion in assets and 3 million policyholders. With two successful distribution channels - the tied agency force and bancassurance - it is the market leader in both Singapore and Malaysia. The Company also operates in China, Indonesia, Brunei and Vietnam. It is a subsidiary of OCBC Bank, Singapore's longest established local bank which has assets of S$181 billion and a network of over 460 branches and representative offices in 15 countries and territories.

About Enterprise Sports Group (ESG)
ESG is a regional sports marketing, consultancy and event management company. Their core experience is in the development of effective integrated sports marketing platforms for major brands locally and across the region. ESG also provides cost effective solutions for sports associations through the restructuring, representation and implementation of their sporting events.

About Marina Bay Urban Challenge (MBUC)
The Marina Bay Urban Challenge is an annual series of sporting events at Marina Bay, set against the stunning backdrop of Singapore's city skyline. This year, the challenge comprises Singapore's first-ever Cold Storage Kids' Run and SAAB City Duathlon, targeted at runners and cyclists in June, and the Great Eastern Women 10K run in October. The Marina Bay Urban Challenge aims to engage various groups of people of all age groups and abilities. It will inject buzz to the city, making Marina Bay the definitive venue for exciting sporting and lifestyle events that people can both watch and be a part of.

About Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Marina Bay Development Agency
Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore's national land use planning authority, is the Development Agency for Marina Bay. It spearheads Singapore's future development efforts at Marina Bay, taking a holistic approach to master plan and implement key infrastructure. As the place manager for Marina Bay, it also promotes investment opportunities and programmes exciting activities within Marina Bay, in collaboration with other government agencies and private stakeholders.

About Breast Cancer Foundation
Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF) is a non-profit charity organisation, established in October 1997. BCF hopes that by raising awareness of breast cancer and encouraging women to screen themselves regularly, breast cancer will be detected earlier and the chances of surviving the disease will be greatly enhanced.

About Cervical Cancer Fund
The Cervical Cancer Prevention Fund (CCPF) has been newly set up by the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) and Obstetrical and Gynecological Society of Singapore (OGSS) to reduce the disease burden of cervical cancer, one of the most preventable cancers in the world today.

The CCPF seeks to help reduce the burden of cervical cancer patients in Singapore through educating women and also helping in the needy cases of women who suffer from the disease.