By Lin Xinyi

The Singapore Table Tennis Association's first woman president, Lee Bee Wah, is hoping to bring "lady luck" to the Republic's Olympic-bound paddlers.

"Maybe that's what we need this time," joked the Ang Mo Kio GRC MP, who was elected yesterday at the association's biennial general meeting after former president Choo Wee Khiang stepped down.

But the 47-year-old knows it will be a challenge to ensure continuing success.

An engineer by profession, she said: "I may know how to build high-rise buildings, but to build on STTA's success is not going to be an easy task."

To do so would mean delivering more medals from major games.

Lee, a former player and ex-captain of the Nanyang Technological University team, said: "If we win a medal at these Games, we need to continue to win in subsequent Olympics.

"A lot of hope has been placed on table tennis, given the high world rankings of our women paddlers.

"Going forward, we will need to maintain this, at the very least.

"There is also room for improvement for the men's team."

She wants to develop local talent too - through youth programmes and mass-participation strategies.

One of her first tasks will be to initiate a process to select talent for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, which Singapore will stage in 2010.

The mother of two said: "Players from the foreign talent scheme should rest assured that they will get the same support.

"At the same time, we must groom local talent."

Choo agreed that more needs to be done to encourage mass participation.

The former MP from Marine Parade and Jalan Besar GRCs said: "Narrowly missing out on an Olympic medal in 2000 and 2004 left a sore feeling. We were so near yet so far.

"But the one regret is not doing enough in terms of mass participation."

Choo, who was president since 1991 - barring a four-year period when Aljunied GRC MP Yeo Guat Kwang took the helm - will now serve as an adviser to the STTA.

During his tenure, the STTA established itself as one of Singapore's most successful national sports associations.

That was largely due to its foreign talent scheme, which was introduced in 1996.

Singapore National Olympic Council vice-president Ng Ser Miang and Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck praised Choo for his contributions to the association.

Ng said: "He's done a fantastic job building up table tennis in Singapore and taking the women's team to the world No 2 ranking."

Teo added: "We have to recognise Wee Khiang's efforts.

"From a team of regional standards, we now have a world-class team. And some credit must be given to him."

linxinyi@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Straits Times on July 13, 2008