SINGAPORE: The committee spearheading a national conversation about Singapore's
future has been unveiled.
It comprises a mix of cabinet
ministers, academics and ordinary Singaporeans like students and a taxi driver.
Headed by Education Minister Heng
Swee Keat, the 26-member team includes Chia Yong Yong, president of the
Singapore Society for the Disabled; Ismail Hussein, head of the Islamic Banking
Unit of Maybank Singapore and cabbie Patrick Teo.
Mr Teo said: "I'm concerned
about COEs (Certificates of Entitlement for vehicles). If the COEs keep going
up, to S$200,000, how do you imagine taxi drivers will survive?"
Banker and father of three,
Ismail Hussein, said: "(Like most Singaporeans), I do have a concern about
the rising food cost, housing and transportation costs. But I'm particularly
concerned about my children and the future generation of Singapore.
"I have three children and I
hope through this initiative, we will be able to know about the aspirations and
hopes for the younger generation -- what's their motivation, what makes them
tick and hopefully we have a Singapore where they are happy to live in, in the
future."
The oldest member is 61-year-old
actress Lim Ru Ping. She said: "Maybe, I can reach out to senior citizens,
who don't go online, don't know how to read, and don't write.
"Through my job, because I
am hosting... through this channel, I can hear them, about what they need, and
to help out."
Accountancy student and
entrepreneur Stanley Chia is one of the youngest members, at 25. He said:
"Youths -- I'm really interested to see how this conversation can bring
out their concerns about the society and how they can contribute."
The youngest member is
19-year-old polytechnic student Teng Zi Ying.
Government representatives
include Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports Halimah
Yacob, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Education Sim Ann and Member
of Parliament Indranee Rajah.
Education Minister Heng said the
committee members have been drawn from all walks of life to reflect the
diversity of society.
He said: "This is not a
partisan exercise and even committee of 20-odd people cannot represent the
whole of Singapore. Members are not chosen on the basis of functional
representation."
Mr Heng said the committee's role
is to "catalyse the conversation" and reach out to all Singaporeans,
even those who are usually silent.
He added that the committee would
make use of three main platforms to reach out to Singaporeans.
First, is the online interaction
through its Facebook page and the committee's website, which was also launched
on Saturday.
Next, will be the citizens'
dialogue where about 30 dialogue sessions are being planned. Each session will
involve 50 to 150 people.
Participants will also be further
grouped into 8 to 10 people per group session with a facilitator to allow for a
richer and deeper discussion.
These sessions will also be held
in different languages and dialects so that no one will feel intimidated.
When asked how inclusive the
dialogues will be, Mr Heng replied: "Well, I think every Singaporean is
welcome to provide their views, including members of the opposition, and ...
the committee will be happy to receive their feedback and ideas."
The dialogue exercise is expected
to take at least one year. But the committee said timing will remain flexible,
and the process will be extended if necessary.
MP for Tanjong Pagar, Indranee
Rajah, commenting on why this exercise is so important, said: "In 50
years, we've managed to do the most improbable, unlikely thing.
"We've taken this group of
people from different races, very different cultures and made something of
ourselves, such that small as we are -- you can't even find us on the map --
this tiny little thing, and we've been called a little red dot which was meant
disparagingly, but we have taken on as a badge of honour as a mark of pride.
"That's who we are -- this
red dot. And we want to make sure in 20 years time, this red dot is going to be
there -- big, bright and shining, still red, hopefully with plenty of stars
around it, and you've got to have choices to get there.
"We want many things. When
you listen to feedback, we hear 'I want this, this, this, this'. Then we have
to ask, how do we achieve that?"
She added: "So this
conversation is about 'how are we going to achieve our future with confidence,
yet without arrogance?'. How are we going to paint a picture for ourselves
that's visionary yet realistic? How do we make of ourselves as one people and
invite others in? How do we be nationalistic without being xenophobic?"
The third outreach programme is a
national survey which is targeted at 3,000 to 4,000 Singaporeans.
Mr Heng said the survey hopes to
find out issues that matter most to Singaporeans and is planned for November or
December this year.
The national conversation is
aimed at getting Singaporeans to think about what sort of home they want in 20 years’
time as the nation grapples with challenges of globalisation and a declining
birth rate.
Mr Heng said what is important is
to forge a deeper understanding of the sort of values Singaporeans hold, their
key concerns, and for citizens to agree on some areas that will form the basis
of future policies.
He said: "I hope to see this
as a sincere, authentic and respectful conversation. Our conversation should be
grounded on reasons and facts and we must respect each other's views.
"Now when we have a
conversation involving thousands of Singaporeans, there will be many different
viewpoints. Some of these viewpoints will differ from each other and it will
not be possible for every view to prevail and every suggestion to be taken up.
So we need the spirit of give and take.
"What is important is that
we must listen with an open mind and we must listen with our hearts so that we
can have a deeper understanding of our concerns and hopes, and make wise
choices together as a people so that we can create a better future
together."
To participate in the dialogue
sessions, you can email voices@oursgconversation.sg.
Imelda Saad, S Ramesh
- CNA/al
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