THEIR spirit of giving, commitment to education and unyielding efforts in the face of setbacks hold important lessons for today's generation, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday in a tribute to two Singapore pioneers - Mr Tan Kah Kee and Mr Lee Kong Chian.

Speaking at an exhibition at the National Library celebrating their life and contributions, he said both men exemplified the Confucian ideal "that those who have benefitted from society must also give back to society".

Not only did these entrepreneurs of the last century build their fortunes on hard work and prudent investments, they also championed education, community and social causes.

"Where Singapore is today is due in no small part to the ingenuity, hard work and 'can-do' spirit of our early pioneers. For many of them, Singapore was their adopted home. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they all made invaluable contributions that laid a firm foundation for modern Singapore," PM Lee said.

Mr Tan, he noted, was fondly referred to as the 'Henry Ford of Malaya', because of the scale of his business achievements.

As for Dr Lee Kong Chian, PM Lee noted that he started as a teacher at the Tao Nan School and Chong Cheng School and as a translator for a Chinese newspaper before becoming a land surveyor - and even worked for one of Mr Tan Kah Kee's companies.

The story of the two pioneers who contributed much to the development of Singapore, also reflects a spirit and determination to venture into new areas.

Recalling that both men had come here from abroad, PM Lee said that Singapore has stayed open to talented individuals "who come to our shores to study, work and live, and eventually to call Singapore their home".

"Tan Kah Kee and Lee Kong Chian had much in common. Both came to Singapore in search of a better living, and both started with precious little, except for their determination and ingenuity. Yet through their hard work and perseverance, they overcame many difficulties and became business tycoons," he said.

"Having prospered, both were moved to give back to society, and in particular both believed in the importance of education to the next generation. And the influence and good work of both pioneers persist till this day, through the Lee Foundation and the Tan Kah Kee Foundation.

"Singaporeans, especially younger Singaporeans, can learn much from the examples of these two pioneers - their determination, their commitment to education, and their philanthropic spirit. We cannot recreate the unsettled circumstances that motivated people like Tan Kah Kee and Lee Kong Chian to set out and create wealth in virgin economies and new industries, and having succeeded to want to uplift their communities.

"But the spirit of these pioneers - a willingness to venture into areas that are new and untested, and a desire to contribute to something much larger than oneself - remains relevant to all of us today, and to future generations of Singaporeans."

The six-month-long exhibition, jointly organised by the National Library and Tan Kah Kee Foundation, shows what made each man an entrepreneur, the two men's strong beliefs and support for education, and the changes of their national and political identities.