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Self-help groups should draw all races, says PM
"I have attended
many functions organised by Malay organisations in the past
few months. If I attended your fuction, followed by more ethnic-based
functions, say, by the Chinese and Eurasian communities, I may
send the wrong mssage that the Government now favours a segregated,
race-based approach to politics."
- PM Goh, saying integration of the different ethnic groups
remained the national goal |
Ethnic groups can run programmes for participants of all races, and
help build a more cohesive multi-racial society
By Ahmad Osman
ETHNIC self-help groups
can make a difference in bringing Singaporeans together by organising
more joint programmes for people of all races.
While each group would continue to serve its own community, Prime
Minister Goh Chok Tong urged them yesterday to involve Singaporeans
of other races too.
Attending a function organised by Sinda, the Indian self-help group,
he said that he was both happy and 'a little apprehensive' to be there.
His worry was that by attending functions organised by each ethnic
group, he might send the wrong message that the Government now favoured
a race-based approach to politics.
'Hence, I want to reiterate that our national objective remains the
integration of the different ethnic communities,' he said.
'This means widening the common area. It means finding more occasions
for Singaporeans of all races to gather and socialise, as opposed
to organising activities and events along ethnic lines.'
Speaking at a tea party to honour Sinda volunteers, he praised the
group for drawing many non-Indian volunteers - one in 10 of its volunteers
is non-Indian.
'I am very pleased that Sinda has gone outside its own community to
tap a wider pool of volunteers. This not only increases your resources
but, very importantly, helps to build a more cohesive multi-racial
society.
'For the same reason, I would like to see our various self-help groups
run more joint programmes among themselves. These joint programmes
will have students and participants of all races.'
He said that his call for more joint activities was not a departure
from the government policy encouraging each community to have its
own self-help groups.
Nor was it a policy change to do away with ethnic-based self-help
groups, he said.
Creating a cohesive multi-racial society would take time and, in the
meantime, the reality was that many Singaporeans were more comfortable
turning to members of their own community for help.
The self-help groups are a success and have made much headway in uplifting
their communities.
'I doubt we would have been as effective in drawing volunteers, and
reaching out to so many students and workers had we used a different
approach,' he said.
'But even as we pursue an ethnic-based self-help policy, we must always
remember that ours is a multi-racial society.'
Praising Sinda, he cited two reasons for its success: It focused on
key issues and did not chase peripheral matters or stray into the
sensitive areas of religion and politics.
It also had good leaders, who worked with their community and other
grassroots bodies to launch innovative programmes. |
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