Singapore's first Merlion photo competition a hit

More than 2,180 submissions were received from Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Europe and Singapore in the first ever Merlion international photography competition.

"Merlion on the Bay", a two-month long worldwide search for the best photo of Singapore's tourism icon, closed on November 15. 

The competition was organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), The Fullerton Singapore and The Photographic Society of Singapore (PSS) in conjunction with the inauguration of the new Merlion Park on September 15. 

Singaporeans and overseas visitors were invited to photograph the Merlion in its restored beauty and grandeur at its new home, overlooking the Marina Bay and adjacent to One Fullerton.

A record prize money totalling SGD33,000 has been won by 13 winners. The top prize of SGD15,000, which is the highest-ever for a local photography competition, went to Mr Lee Tiah Kee.

The panel of judges comprised three representatives from the PSS, STB, The Fullerton Singapore, and two independent judges.

Mr David Tay, PSS's President, who led the judging session, said, "We took a long time to select the winning entries. It was not an easy task for the judges as the standard of the entries is highly commendable, both technically and creatively. The theme also posed a great challenge to the photographers as they had to select angles and interpretations that best capture the splendour of the Merlion at its new location."

The winners received their prizes from Mr Yatiman Yusof, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts, at the award ceremony held on 18 December 2002 at The Fullerton Singapore.

The winning works, which capture an important milestone of Singapore's history, will be showcased at a photography exhibition sponsored by The Fullerton Singapore.

The exhibition opened on December 18, 2002 and will end on January 18, 2003. It is located at the exhibition hall leading to the hotel ballroom, between The Fullerton Singapore and One Fullerton. The exhibition is open to the public from 9am to 9pm.

Winning Photo by Lee Tiah Khee (click image for larger version)

Mr Ivan Lee, Chief Executive Officer of The Fullerton Singapore said, "The Merlion is a renowned tourism icon much photographed and embraced by both tourists and Singaporeans. The competition gives a picture-perfect opportunity to capture the beauty and grandeur of the Merlion at its new home, taken from different angles by the waterfront, with The Fullerton Singapore and the city skyline as its backdrop. It has attracted increased number of visitors to the park, making the Merlion Park one of Singapore's most popular destinations."