Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) has lent its support to The Straits Times (ST) Singaporean of the Year for the third consecutive year, honouring the positive impact that Singaporeans have made on the community, be it improving the lives of others, putting Singapore on the world stage, or showing resilience in the face of adversity.

This time, the 2020 awards did not recognise just one individual, but all the selfless workers and individuals in healthcare, security, and other frontline roles who stepped forward in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The frontline fighters were represented by five individuals – National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) Executive Director Leo Yee Sin; Professor Ooi Eng Eong, co-developer of Lunar-Cov19, Singapore's sole Sars-CoV-2 vaccine now undergoing human trials; NCID nurse clinician Abdul Wahab; Mr Benson Ng, a COVID-19 swabber under the Health Promotion Board; and Certis’ Integrated Quarantine Order Services Commanding Officer Mr Nigel Quek.

The ceremony was held at the Istana, with the awards presented by President Halimah Yacob, who was guest-of-honour and patron of the award.

As hotel partner, MHR also presented the five winners with a five-night stay at its global properties it owns and manages. The other seven individual and group finalists each received a three-night stay.

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Executive Director Mr Kwek Eik Sheng said, “2020 will be remembered as the year that Singaporeans rallied to fight the pandemic as one. Millennium Hotels and Resorts is proud to be part of The Straits Times' efforts to honour these valiant heroes.”

ST Singaporean of the Year is organised by The Straits Times, an English-language daily broadsheet by Singapore Press Holdings. It was launched in 2015, with finalists determined by public voting and the final decision made by a judging panel that includes ST editors.