- by Akilan Shanmugaratnam and Bradley Soh, Youth Reporters from Hwa Chong Institution
4th April 2008, Bukit Batok Community Club - The PA’s Grassroots Community Engagement Programme (CEP) South West District Workshop aims were to share the best CEP initiatives and practices adopted by the South West District constituencies and to present the CEP Ready Certifications to constituencies who had worked hard to earn them. Held under a sheltered foyer, the pre-event dinner created a cordial atmosphere that witnessed much laughter and camaraderie. Within the geniality and mingling, everyone manifestly embodied the theme of the gathering – “Building our networks of trust”.
The Community Engagement Programme (CEP) is a long-term effort to preserve our communal harmony in the event of a crisis. The CEP has frequently provided such opportunities for interaction, allowing people from all walks of life to communicate on a common platform. Despite Singapore’s fortune and peace over the past decades, we should be aware that our communal harmony is not to be taken for granted. In light of this, the CEP works through five community clusters that include religious, educational, arts, business, and grassroots institutions and organisations.
Presentations of the CEP Ready Certificates
The Guest-of-Honour for the night was Mr Lim Boon Heng, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office. Minister Lim, together with the other honourable speakers, boldly addressed pertinent communal issues, seeking to nip these problems in the bud. All matters were discussed with frank honesty, and the speakers made constructive attempts at resolution, rather than sweeping unresolved matters under the rug.
Mdm Halimah Yaccob and Mr Arthur Fong sharing their constituencies’ CEP initiatives
Pressing communal issues identified included Dengue, Crime, and Terrorism, which have grave relevance to all residing on our island state. Those present gave their valuable input. Most noteworthy was Mdm Halimah Yacob, Member of Parliament, who presented an integrated model for keeping people connected. The model centred on the areas of Protection, Collaboration, and Feedback, such that our community can work as a cohesive unit to avoid crises.
The panellists in the Q&A session
By the end of the night, the audience emerged from the fruitful discussion having formed new relationships, and with a greater understanding of people of different races and religions. Better inter-communal bonds had been forged, and the Community Leaders who organised the workshop had led a strong example on how the CEP perspective could be grafted into existing community activities.
