MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

MR ABDULLAH TARMUGI Acting Minister for Community Development

MCD will foster, with maximum community participation, a cohesive, compassionate and robust society. It will support and work closely with civic, community and voluntary welfare organizations to raise the level and variety of community support services.

Enhancing Racial Harmony and Social Cohesion

2. The Peoples' Association (PA) will work with civic, voluntary and community organizations to strengthen community cohesion and national unity. It will strengthen the grassroots movement_s role as a channel of communication between the people and Government.

3. PA will hold the first Triennial Grassroots Conference in early 1994. The Conference will discuss ideas for improving the effectiveness and outreach of grassroots organizations.

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

A More Compassionate Society

5. In partnership with the many helping hands of civic, community, self-help and voluntary welfare organizations, we will continue to provide social services for the needy and the disadvantaged. We will help the voluntary welfare sector improve social services for the aged, the disabled, children in need and low-income families.

6. The Ministry will work together with the National Council of Social Service and voluntary welfare organizations to strengthen and improve the network of community social services.

Strengthening the Family

7. To coincide with the International Year of the Family in 1994, MCD will hold a year-long series of family-oriented activities. These activities will emphasize the importance of strong family relationships. The Committee on the Family under the Advisory Council on the Family and the Aged will, with public inputs, produce a concise document on Singapore's values and beliefs on the family.

8. The Small Families Improvement Scheme starts in January 1994. It will provide housing and education subsidies to intact low income families who want to help themselves by keeping their families small.

9. We will continue to set up child care centres, in line with market demand. We will provide more opportunities for training of child care personnel to support child care centres. Senior Citizens

10. Senior citizens should continue to play active and valued roles in the community. The proportion of elderly persons (aged 60 years and above) will increase from the present 10% of the population to 26% in 2030. We will encourage setting up more Mutual Help Groups, Senior Citizens' Clubs and other family-oriented programmes and activities.

11. PA will help to set up more RC-based Mutual Help Groups (MHGs). There will be 50 MHGs by 1995, compared to 11 now. By 2000, all RC-based Senior Citizens Clubs will have Mutual Help Groups.

12. The Ministry will encourage the elderly to live with their families. For the minority living alone, MCD and HDB have jointly started a pilot project to upgrade their living environment on a block basis. Voluntary welfare organizations will help organize social and recreational programmes for them.

13. Sheltered housing allows the elderly destitute to live independently and yet maintain their links with the community. We will encourage existing community homes for the aged to upgrade to sheltered housing, and where necessary help voluntary groups to build new sheltered housing.

A Fit and Robust Society

14. The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) will step up promotion of Sports for All, in conjunction with the National Healthy Lifestyle campaign. It will emphasize family sports, to promote both fitness and family togetherness. SSC will improve fitness instruction through better training for fitness instructors.

15. SSC will work together with the National Sports Associations, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence, Singapore National Olympic Council and other relevant bodies to implement the Sports Excellence Plan, and raise the standard of competitive sports in Singapore.

Enhancing Youth Participation

16. The National Youth Council (NYC) will extend and enhance its range of programmes and activities. It will foster greater youth participation in these programmes and serve as an important channel for youths to express their views and contribute to the nation.

17. PA will complete redevelopment of the Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) by 1995. The new facilities include multi-dimensional rock-climbing walls, training pools, rope challenge courses and seacraft. These new facilities will enable more youths to develop their sense of adventure and mental and physical ruggedness. PA will also enhance the Overseas Youth Programmes.

MUIS

18. The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) will work closely with the 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.