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Speech by
Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Minister for Community Development and Sports, at 'One Heartbeat' -
Joint Initiative by Self-Help Groups under the aegis of Central Singapore Joint Social
Service Centre (JSSC), at JSSC, 6:30 pm,
on 18 Feb 2001.
Associate Prof Yaacob Ibrahim
Chairman of the Central Singapore Community Development Council and Chairman of this Seminar
Mr Leong Horn Kee
Chairman of the JSCC Management Committee
CEOs of Self-Help Groups
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am happy to join you today at this event that is jointly organised by all the Self-Help Groups and the Central Singapore Joint Social Service Centre (JSSC).
Today’s forum is a departure from the usual forums that are normally organised on S21. While such forums are useful and play a vital role in consensus building, we also need to create opportunities for people to understand and experience what S21 is all about. I would therefore like to urge organisations that are planning to organise similar forums to also include meaningful activities that demonstrate the spirit of S21.
‘One Heartbeat’ is a visible expression of the S21 idea, an event which allows people to experience the spirit of S21. It is about people with different ethnicities, beliefs and traditions coming together, live, work and play together and identify with one another - different hearts throbbing as one, for the survival and progress of this country. It is about interaction and accepting and appreciating each other, until our differences disappear from our consciousness and we take the other person as another human being just like we are.
We have decided on integration as our approach to deal with our heterogeneity. This approach allows each group to retain its cultural, ethnic and religious identity while, at the same time, ensure that we are one cohesive community with a shared destiny.
This means that we have to mix and mingle with one another and reach out to others regardless of their race, religion or cultural practices. Only with this process can we begin to understand and appreciate each other. This is critical to the stability and survival of Singapore.
While we have enjoyed harmonious relations among the ethnic groups, we cannot take this happy state for granted. Ethnic and religious strife can easily plunge a nation into chaos. We have seen many examples of this recently, some very close to home.
While there are ample opportunities in our daily lives for Singaporeans to mingle and learn from each other, we should also create opportunities for all Singaporeans to interact and appreciate each other even better. Today’s event is an excellent example of how the SHGs can help to build a stronger Singaporean identity. The various SHGs organise many such events regularly each year. To facilitate their co-operation and working together, the SHGs have come together with the Central Singapore CDC to form the JSSC.
Some concerned Singaporeans argue that the SHGs only serve to sharpen the racial divide. I understand these concerns. But SHGs can help in building a cohesive multi-racial society in the spirit of S21 in three ways. First, through their intuitive understanding of their respective communities and networking they are able to reach out and help Singaporeans in their community who, for one reason or another, are lagging behind. Once identified the SHGs tap on the wider Singaporean network, like CDCs, Family Service Centres and other Voluntary Welfare Organisations to provide appropriate assistance to those who need help.
Second, SHGs provide an opportunity for all Singaporeans to help the less fortunate among us, as volunteers, donors and tutors.
Third, by involving and tapping on the wider Singaporean community, the SHGs provide an opportunity for all of us not only to understand the challenges and issues confronting each community but also contribute as Singaporeans to help solve or confront these challenges together.
What is important is that the leadership of the SHGs must avoid turning their organisations into exclusive enclaves catering to only parochial interests. We must therefore choose our leaders carefully.
I am indeed encouraged by the response to this event and I would like to compliment the SHGs on taking this initiative. Given your spirit and commitment, I am confident that SHGs will continue to be relevant in multi-racial, multi-religious Singapore.
I hope your example will encourage other community groups to organise programmes of this nature. It is only by working together that we will be able to strengthen the bonds that hold us together as a larger Singaporean community.
Thank you.
Associate Prof Yaacob Ibrahim
Chairman of the Central Singapore Community Development Council and Chairman of this Seminar
Mr Leong Horn Kee
Chairman of the JSCC Management Committee
CEOs of Self-Help Groups
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am happy to join you today at this event that is jointly organised by all the Self-Help Groups and the Central Singapore Joint Social Service Centre (JSSC).
Today’s forum is a departure from the usual forums that are normally organised on S21. While such forums are useful and play a vital role in consensus building, we also need to create opportunities for people to understand and experience what S21 is all about. I would therefore like to urge organisations that are planning to organise similar forums to also include meaningful activities that demonstrate the spirit of S21.
‘One Heartbeat’ is a visible expression of the S21 idea, an event which allows people to experience the spirit of S21. It is about people with different ethnicities, beliefs and traditions coming together, live, work and play together and identify with one another - different hearts throbbing as one, for the survival and progress of this country. It is about interaction and accepting and appreciating each other, until our differences disappear from our consciousness and we take the other person as another human being just like we are.
We have decided on integration as our approach to deal with our heterogeneity. This approach allows each group to retain its cultural, ethnic and religious identity while, at the same time, ensure that we are one cohesive community with a shared destiny.
This means that we have to mix and mingle with one another and reach out to others regardless of their race, religion or cultural practices. Only with this process can we begin to understand and appreciate each other. This is critical to the stability and survival of Singapore.
While we have enjoyed harmonious relations among the ethnic groups, we cannot take this happy state for granted. Ethnic and religious strife can easily plunge a nation into chaos. We have seen many examples of this recently, some very close to home.
While there are ample opportunities in our daily lives for Singaporeans to mingle and learn from each other, we should also create opportunities for all Singaporeans to interact and appreciate each other even better. Today’s event is an excellent example of how the SHGs can help to build a stronger Singaporean identity. The various SHGs organise many such events regularly each year. To facilitate their co-operation and working together, the SHGs have come together with the Central Singapore CDC to form the JSSC.
Some concerned Singaporeans argue that the SHGs only serve to sharpen the racial divide. I understand these concerns. But SHGs can help in building a cohesive multi-racial society in the spirit of S21 in three ways. First, through their intuitive understanding of their respective communities and networking they are able to reach out and help Singaporeans in their community who, for one reason or another, are lagging behind. Once identified the SHGs tap on the wider Singaporean network, like CDCs, Family Service Centres and other Voluntary Welfare Organisations to provide appropriate assistance to those who need help.
Second, SHGs provide an opportunity for all Singaporeans to help the less fortunate among us, as volunteers, donors and tutors.
Third, by involving and tapping on the wider Singaporean community, the SHGs provide an opportunity for all of us not only to understand the challenges and issues confronting each community but also contribute as Singaporeans to help solve or confront these challenges together.
What is important is that the leadership of the SHGs must avoid turning their organisations into exclusive enclaves catering to only parochial interests. We must therefore choose our leaders carefully.
I am indeed encouraged by the response to this event and I would like to compliment the SHGs on taking this initiative. Given your spirit and commitment, I am confident that SHGs will continue to be relevant in multi-racial, multi-religious Singapore.
I hope your example will encourage other community groups to organise programmes of this nature. It is only by working together that we will be able to strengthen the bonds that hold us together as a larger Singaporean community.
Thank you.
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