MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

MR YEO CHEOW TONG Minister for Community Development

MCD will foster maximum community participation to build a cohesive, compassionate and robust society. We will create more opportunities for people to take part in community and voluntary work. We will work with community and welfare organizations, to help them increase community services.

Enhancing Social Cohesion

2. Together with civic, ethnic, voluntary and community organizations, we will strengthen community cohesion and national unity. We will encourage more informed discussion and greater public participation in policy-making.

3. Together with the National Community Organizations Council, we will develop programmes to strengthen community groups and help them reach out more effectively to residents.

4. The Feedback Unit will reach out to more segments of the population.

A more Compassionate Society

5. We will devote more attention to the needs of the lower-income groups, and extend them more assistance, through the many helping hands of community and civic organizations. We will work closely with civic and voluntary organizations to help such families upgrade themselves and become self-reliant.

6. We will give grants on a cost-sharing basis to voluntary welfare organisations, to provide welfare facilities and services to the aged, the disabled and low-income families.

Helping the Family

7. We will counsel families who need help and provide them with information and referral services. Family service centres will provide counselling, family life education and social support services to families. If the pilot centres are successful, more will be set up.

8. We will encourage more organisations to set up child care centres, and step up training of child care personnel.

Helping Senior Citizens

9. Elderly Singaporeans aged 60 years and above will increase from the present 9% of the population to 11% in 2000, and to 26% in 2030. Senior citizens should continue to be an active and valued part of the community. We will encourage more Senior Citizens' Activity Centres, Senior Citizens' Clubs and other family-oriented programmes to be set up to help senior citizens remain active in the community.

10. We will work with community and voluntary welfare organizations to provide community-based day-care, respite and residential care facilities for the frail aged. Over the next five years, 11 new homes will be built, increasing the number of residential places by 50%. A Fit and Robust Society

11. We will encourage every Singaporean to be active in at least one sport to help keep "fit for life".

12. We will create a stimulating and conducive environment to promote both sports excellence and mass participation. We will have more programmes for the young, the aged and families.

13. We will spend $24 million to redevelop the Outward Bound School (OBS). When the project is completed in 1994, our youth will have a modern adventure centre to develop ruggedness.

Malay/Muslim Matters

14. The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) will work closely with community and other Malay/Muslim organisations to strengthen the religious values of Muslims in Singapore. The Government will, together with Yayasan Mendaki and other interested groups, work to improve the educational, economic and socio-cultural status of the Malay/Muslim community.