A WORD FROM THE MP
August 2008

Volunteer Your Time and Build Our Community

Dear Friends,

I encourage you to volunteer your time and ideas to make Kampong Glam an even better place to live in.

I am grateful to the energetic volunteers who worked tirelessly on our Kampong Glam website (www.kampongglam.org.sg) and launched it within 6 weeks! Big thanks too to the numerous residents and grassroots leaders who actively organized and participated in the Prime Minister’s first official visit to Kampong Glam in early July.

My grassroots and I were on a weekly house visit in Little India and had a memorable experience. We were working hard on reducing the problems caused by the excessive congregation of foreign workers. There were a few residents who were angry but were not interested in the solutions proposed. There were however many who gave very good suggestions and some even offered their time and money. I am very grateful to them.

I recently chaired a youth forum discussing the ‘brain drain’ concern highlighted by several leaders. Research has shown that Singaporeans with a stronger sense of national rootedness before they go abroad, tend to return or continue to be good ambassadors of Singapore whilst overseas.

Why do some people feel more rooted to Singapore and some do not bother? Is one’s sense of belonging cultivated by the authorities or the people themselves? I think it is a combination of both.

I believe that whilst Government must develop policies to respond to the needs of its people and heighten their sense of belonging, we ourselves must play a part too.

Step out and make a difference. Volunteer your time and ideas and help make Singapore a better home for all. 

Best regards,

Denise Phua Lay Peng
Advisor to Jalan Besar GRC (Kampong Glam) Grassroots Organisations
Member of Parliament, Singapore