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Less privileged children get driven around in luxury cars

SINGAPORE — Underprivileged children and youth whose parents were or are in prison were taken for a spin in sports and luxury cars yesterday morning, as part of a community event organised by the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society (ISCOS), which helps ex-offenders and their families.

SINGAPORE — Underprivileged children and youth whose parents were or are in prison were taken for a spin in sports and luxury cars yesterday morning, as part of a community event organised by the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society (ISCOS), which helps ex-offenders and their families.

Organised in collaboration with the Singapore Motor Sports Association and Valencia Club de Futbol, the event saw 42 beneficiaries, aged between nine and 16 years old, being driven around in Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche and Nissan sports cars, among others.

The children and youth are part of the Yellow Ribbon Fund-ISCOS Fairy Godparent Programme, which helps them in education and family support by providing tuition bursaries and mentoring programmes to break the cycle of inter-generational offending

Flagged off at the Big Splash at East Coast Park, the 40-car convoy drove past Suntec City, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, before stopping at the Singapore Flyer at the end of the 30-minute drive.

Leading the convoy was president of the GTR Owner’s Club Albert Tey in his Nissan GT-R R35. “We wanted to make them feel comfortable, show that someone still cares for them,” said Mr Tey, 61, who drove a seven-year-old boy.

Another driver, former racer Rachel Toh, 51, drove a 12-year-old boy in her white Porsche GT3. While the boy did not talk much, Ms Toh found out that he had not been to many of the places they drove past.

One of the beneficiaries was 12-year-old Shakir, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. “It was quite exciting, when the car went faster, the feeling was very exhilarating,” said Shakir, who welcomed the break from studying for his Primary School Leaving Examination. He is inspired to buy his own car some day.

His father, Mr Alam Shah, 44, is a hawker assistant. “I’m happy he (got a chance to do this), and he can have some time to relax before the exams.”

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