Press Release on the Community Engagement Task Force set up by SCCCI and SFCCA
7 March 2006
Community Engagement Task Force
The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) and the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) support the view that there is a need for the community to adopt a pro-active approach to strengthen multi-racial and multi-religious understanding among Singaporeans. Singaporeans must move beyond mutual tolerance to mutual respect and appreciation of one another’s religious beliefs and cultural heritage.
To kick-start this pro-active approach, the SCCCI and SFCCA, the two leading organizations of the Chinese community, have set up a Community Engagement Task Force comprising representatives from the two organizations. The Task Force will be responsible for developing and implementing new initiatives to engage the other communities.
As a start, the Task Force intends to hold bi-monthly get-togethers with leaders of the Malay community to exchange updates on developments of our respective communities.
The Task Force also plans to organise a talk for the SCCCI and SFCCA members on the Government’s Community Engagement Programme on 25 March so that their members will have a better understanding of this initiative.
In support of the Government’s Community Engagement Programme, the Task Force will be looking at ways to encourage Chinese companies to employ non-Chinese Singaporeans as well as to study the feasibility of providing basic Mandarin courses for the other communities.
The Task Force will also focus on ways to help the minority communities have a better understanding of Chinese culture and Chinese customs and vice versa, organise activities to enable Singapore Chinese to appreciate Malay and Indian customs, religions and culture. Mr Wee Cho Yaw, who is President of the SFCCA and Honorary President of the SCCCI, has this to say of the Task Force, “The post-Separation generation Singaporeans tend to take multi-racial harmony for granted. I think most of us adopt a live and let live policy.
“But deep religious divisions have now surfaced in many parts of the world, and we need to strengthen the community bonds of the different races in Singapore. To be effective, this bonding must start with the community.”
Mr Chua Thian Poh, President of the SCCCI, said, “As the majority community, our responsibility is all that much greater. I am confident that the Chinese community will respond positively to the Community Engagement Programme. Many Chinese enterprises are willing to offer training and job opportunities to the minority groups.
“We believe that racial harmony and social cohesion is a prerequisite to our economic development.”
Please find the list of the Task Force members below.
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Please do not hesitate to contact the following should you have any enquiries: -
Lim Sah Soon
Secretary General
Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Tel: 6337 8381
Lim Boon Tan
Executive Director
Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations Tel: 6354 4078
Community Engagement Task Force
Co-Chairmen
Mr Lim Fang Hua, Secretary General, SFCCA Mr George Huang, Chairman, SCCCI Membership & External Affairs Committee
Members
Mr Tay Khiam Back, Chairman, SCCCI Community Relations Committee
Mr Lee Peng Shu, Deputy Secretary General, SFCCA
Mr Hee Theng Fong, Vice-Chairman, SCCCI Education Committee
Mr Leong Mun Sum, Vice-Chairman, SCCCI Cultural Committee
Dr Leo Suryadinata, Director, Chinese Heritage Centre
Dr Soon Kong Ann, Vice Chairman, SCCCI Community Relations Committee
Mr Tan Tock Han, Council Member, SFCCA
Mr Teo Han Wue, SFCCA Working Committee
Miss Pang Cheng Lian, SFCCA Working Committee Mr Lim Sah Soon, SCCCI Secretary-General
