Complex sentence: In 2004, Neo was the first local film-maker to receive a National Day Award, and on 21 October 2005, he and Dick Lee became the first pop culture artists to receive the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's highest arts award.
Split into simpler sentences: In 2004, Neo was the first local film-maker to receive a National Day Award. On 21 October 2005, he and Dick Lee became the first pop culture artists to receive the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's highest arts award.