PASSION FOR COMMUNITY

Many things in life, I achieved with the help of others. Hence, my deep interest in lifting communities with the support of communities.

As the Mayor of Central Singapore for more than 5 years, I served with many like-minded team mates and partners to support communities and causes. Some of the CDC initiatives that my team and I started include:

• ‘Weekly Nurture’ problem-solving and communications classes for children from low-income households

• ‘My Digital Bootcamps’ for disadvantaged children

• ‘Ready For School’ financial assistance for 3,000 students each year

• ‘Rainy Day Fund’ for residents in emergencies such as fires and wheelchair repairs

• ‘Silver Homes’ and ‘Silver Friends’ series to clean homes and befriend thousands of elderly poor

• Free ‘SkillsFuture Advisory Workshops’ for more than 10,000 residents

• ‘Enough Talk’ programmes to address tough community needs that are not easily resolved – cardboard collectors including Sungei Road vendors with no support ; rough sleepers (‘homeless’) in the central district

• Digital asset revamp on religious harmony with the national IRO (Inter-Religious Organisations)

As the local MP of Kampong Glam of the Jalan Besar GRC for 3 terms,  I am glad to roll out the following initiatives :

• Pushed for and completed several key estate improvements including Home Improvement Programmes, Lift Upgrading Programmes, covered linkways and overhead bridge lift in many precincts

• Led and brought together previously un-coordinated services for our elderly residents. These services included:

  • PeaceConnect Senior Activity Centres

  • King George’s Avenue Senior Activity Centre

  • Hope Centre’s elderly drop-in programme

  • Wesley Senior Activity Centre

  • JoyConnect Rehab Hub

  • Kwong-Wui-Siu Rehab Hub

  • LoveConnect Feed The Hungry food hub (new)

  • Lions’ Befrienders

• Financial and social assistance for the lower-income households:

  • ‘Ádopt A Family’ scheme to support needs of children

  • ‘Milk and Diaper’ scheme for babies and elderly

  • Weekly ‘Tuition With Love’ programme for primary school students

  • Besar grocery distribution project

  • Mini-supermarket set up for pick and take by Comcare applicants

  • Food voucher scheme for PA recipients

  • Annual hongbao distributions with local churches, mosque, temples and merchant associations

  • ‘Loan-a-Wheelchair’ programme

  • Sponsored the formations of Wesley Youth Centre and Hope Centre for youths at risk

• Installed several Signature Programmes to build community cohesion in all 9 RC Zones :

  • Monthly and bi-monthly ‘Breakfast With Love’ exercise-eat-interact sessions

  • Quarterly ‘Walks Around the Island’ bringing residents to interesting less-ventured areas

  • 12 annual decentralised National Day Block Parties with a difference; complete with specially curated local musical

  • Free weekly healthy exercise programmes with HPB across all zones