Dear residents of Bishan East,
Seasons' greetings to all of you. We hope you had a wonderful year end break and had spent quality time catching with your family and friends. We have attached a short video clip by DPM Wong Kan Seng who sends his New Year Greetings for the new year in 2010. Below are the text and video.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
"Residents of Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. My greetings to all of you. At the beginning of this year, our economic outlook was very gloomy. But we were quick to arrest the situation by coming up with a package of stimulus measures.
Now, there are some green shoots and we can look forward to a better year. What is important for us of course, is to stay united, be optimistic and be resilient. And we must also get together and help one another. In this way, then we can build a better home for all of us. Finally, may I, on behalf of all my parliamentary colleagues, Dr.Ng Eng Hen, Mr Zainudin, Ms Josephine Teo and Mr Hri Kumar, wish all of you a happy 2010."
28 December, 2009
13 December, 2009
Mass Birthday cum Karaoke Gathering @ Linkhall @ Blk 63 @ 6.30 pm
The Toa Payoh Central Zone ‘1’ Residents’ Committee (RC) organised a Mass Birthday cum Karaoke Gathering for about 200 residents on 12 December 2009 at the Linkhall at Blk 63 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh. The objective was to bring residents together for a night of enjoyment to celebrate the end of the year 2009. The event was privileged to be graced by Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. Mr Wong, together with some December birthday babies, sang the birthday song and cut a birthday cake. DPM Wong also obliged spontaneously to the impromptu request to sing the Hokkien song "爱拼才会赢". The residents enjoyed as DPM Wong sang and clapped and sang along too. The residents also had a great time playing bingo games.
Here are some photos taken from the event.
Senior Citizens’ Nite 2009 at the Amphitheatre in front of the Toa Payoh Community Library
The Toa Payoh Central Community Club Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee, together with the Toa Payoh Central Zone ‘2’ Residents’ Committee and Toa Payoh Central Constituency Sports Club, jointly organised the Senior Citizens’ Nite on the same evening, at the Amphitheatre in front of the Toa Payoh Community Library. The event brought residents together to commemorate the Senior Citizens’ Week as well as to pay tribute to the contributions of our senior citizens. Guest-of-Honour Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, graced the event together with over 500 residents.
The guests and participants enjoyed a sumptuous dinner whilst being entertained by an array of exciting stage performances. During the event, Mr Wong Kan Seng also went table-to-table toasting with the residents. To make the evening more special, DPM Wong sang a song to the delight of the residents.
Here are some photos taken from the dinner.
Senior Citizens’ Week Celebration 2009 at the Concourse of Blk 156A Lorong 2 Toa Payoh
Following the two events above, DPM Wong attended the Senior Citizens' Week celebration organised by the Toa Payoh Central Zone ‘5’ Residents’ Committee at the Concourse of Blk 156A Lorong 2 Toa Payoh.
Eight residents (six senior citizens and two young children) volunteered to perform on stage during the event. It was a night filled with laughter and fun as the grassroots leaders from the Toa Payoh Central Zone ‘5’ Residents’ Committee organised group games during the event to engage and encourage interactions among the participants. DPM Wong also joined in the merriment by singing a song together with three of the residents to the cheer of the crowd of about 200.
Here are some photos taken from the dinner.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
The Toa Payoh Central Zone ‘1’ Residents’ Committee (RC) organised a Mass Birthday cum Karaoke Gathering for about 200 residents on 12 December 2009 at the Linkhall at Blk 63 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh. The objective was to bring residents together for a night of enjoyment to celebrate the end of the year 2009. The event was privileged to be graced by Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. Mr Wong, together with some December birthday babies, sang the birthday song and cut a birthday cake. DPM Wong also obliged spontaneously to the impromptu request to sing the Hokkien song "爱拼才会赢". The residents enjoyed as DPM Wong sang and clapped and sang along too. The residents also had a great time playing bingo games.
Here are some photos taken from the event.
Senior Citizens’ Nite 2009 at the Amphitheatre in front of the Toa Payoh Community Library
The Toa Payoh Central Community Club Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee, together with the Toa Payoh Central Zone ‘2’ Residents’ Committee and Toa Payoh Central Constituency Sports Club, jointly organised the Senior Citizens’ Nite on the same evening, at the Amphitheatre in front of the Toa Payoh Community Library. The event brought residents together to commemorate the Senior Citizens’ Week as well as to pay tribute to the contributions of our senior citizens. Guest-of-Honour Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, graced the event together with over 500 residents.
The guests and participants enjoyed a sumptuous dinner whilst being entertained by an array of exciting stage performances. During the event, Mr Wong Kan Seng also went table-to-table toasting with the residents. To make the evening more special, DPM Wong sang a song to the delight of the residents.
Here are some photos taken from the dinner.
Senior Citizens’ Week Celebration 2009 at the Concourse of Blk 156A Lorong 2 Toa Payoh
Following the two events above, DPM Wong attended the Senior Citizens' Week celebration organised by the Toa Payoh Central Zone ‘5’ Residents’ Committee at the Concourse of Blk 156A Lorong 2 Toa Payoh.
Eight residents (six senior citizens and two young children) volunteered to perform on stage during the event. It was a night filled with laughter and fun as the grassroots leaders from the Toa Payoh Central Zone ‘5’ Residents’ Committee organised group games during the event to engage and encourage interactions among the participants. DPM Wong also joined in the merriment by singing a song together with three of the residents to the cheer of the crowd of about 200.
Here are some photos taken from the dinner.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
06 December, 2009
Bishan Active Agers' Walk 2009
Bishan Active Agers Walk 2009 was held on Sunday, 6 December 2009.
On Sunday morning, about 400 residents, all dressed in their red Active Agers Walk t-shirt, took part in the 2 km walk in the Bishan East estate. This walk is an annual event to celebrate the Active Agers Festival, which aims to widen the seniors’ social circle and encourage them to remain active in their golden years.
The walk was flagged off by Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Wong Kan Seng, after a warm-up exercise session led by the Bishan Community Club Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee Qigong and Morning Walk interest groups. After the walk, residents were invited to breakfast while some joined in the exercise demonstration by the Mutiara group, followed by line dancing.
Here are some photos and video clips of the event:
The gentleman below is incredible. Despite the need of a walking stick, he was game enough to join in the line dance. He may look old but he has a heart of youth!
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
On Sunday morning, about 400 residents, all dressed in their red Active Agers Walk t-shirt, took part in the 2 km walk in the Bishan East estate. This walk is an annual event to celebrate the Active Agers Festival, which aims to widen the seniors’ social circle and encourage them to remain active in their golden years.
The walk was flagged off by Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Wong Kan Seng, after a warm-up exercise session led by the Bishan Community Club Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee Qigong and Morning Walk interest groups. After the walk, residents were invited to breakfast while some joined in the exercise demonstration by the Mutiara group, followed by line dancing.
Here are some photos and video clips of the event:
The gentleman below is incredible. Despite the need of a walking stick, he was game enough to join in the line dance. He may look old but he has a heart of youth!
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
05 December, 2009
Block Parties on 5 Dec 09
Three Bishan East RCs held block parties for residents on Saturday, 5 December 2009.
Christmas came early to the residents who attended the Block Party at block 170. About 150 residents comprising three generations – children, parents and grandparents of different races came to bask in the festive mood. The residents were treated to magic show and balloon sculpturing which has always been very popular with the young.
The party was graced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. During the event, DPM Wong was invited to give away CDC/CCC Art Institution (AI) and University Bursary to ten deserving student. This bursary is an encouragement to the students who come from less well-off families for their hard work and effort put in their studies.
“Christmas At Your Block” at Block 170
This was followed by the block party at block 167 organised by the Bishan East Zone 6 Residents’ Committee. Close to 100 residents turned up to view the NEA exhibition on energy saving tips. Residents learn on how to cut down on their utility bills, while the children were treated to a magic. Residents were invited to participate in a game of BINGO while eager children and their parents participated in a short quiz given by Doreen Teo, our representative from the National Environment Agency. During the block party, DPM Wong was invited to give away the Good Neighbour Award to Ms Tan Tong Khoon and Mr Abdul Razak. The Good Neighbour Award aims to recognise residents who have shown acts of kindness, neighbourliness and have contributed in promoting graciousness, harmony and cohesion in the community. Congratulations again to the award winners.
"Residents' Block Party" at Block 167
The last event for the night was the "Christmas Block Party" organised by Bishan East Zone 5 Residents' Committee at block 141. The party attracted a crowd of about 150 residents. There were 8 families who took part in the on-the-spot T-shirt design competition. At the same time, residents and their young children were entertained by a interesting magic show, as well as a story told by Santarina and her puppet. Many eager children queued up for their balloon sculptures and for face-painting done by the Santarinas. Families also took this special opportunity to interact with DPM Wong and to have their photos taken together with him.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
Christmas came early to the residents who attended the Block Party at block 170. About 150 residents comprising three generations – children, parents and grandparents of different races came to bask in the festive mood. The residents were treated to magic show and balloon sculpturing which has always been very popular with the young.
The party was graced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. During the event, DPM Wong was invited to give away CDC/CCC Art Institution (AI) and University Bursary to ten deserving student. This bursary is an encouragement to the students who come from less well-off families for their hard work and effort put in their studies.
“Christmas At Your Block” at Block 170
This was followed by the block party at block 167 organised by the Bishan East Zone 6 Residents’ Committee. Close to 100 residents turned up to view the NEA exhibition on energy saving tips. Residents learn on how to cut down on their utility bills, while the children were treated to a magic. Residents were invited to participate in a game of BINGO while eager children and their parents participated in a short quiz given by Doreen Teo, our representative from the National Environment Agency. During the block party, DPM Wong was invited to give away the Good Neighbour Award to Ms Tan Tong Khoon and Mr Abdul Razak. The Good Neighbour Award aims to recognise residents who have shown acts of kindness, neighbourliness and have contributed in promoting graciousness, harmony and cohesion in the community. Congratulations again to the award winners.
"Residents' Block Party" at Block 167
The last event for the night was the "Christmas Block Party" organised by Bishan East Zone 5 Residents' Committee at block 141. The party attracted a crowd of about 150 residents. There were 8 families who took part in the on-the-spot T-shirt design competition. At the same time, residents and their young children were entertained by a interesting magic show, as well as a story told by Santarina and her puppet. Many eager children queued up for their balloon sculptures and for face-painting done by the Santarinas. Families also took this special opportunity to interact with DPM Wong and to have their photos taken together with him.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
03 December, 2009
RC Zone 5 Block Visit@144 on 3 December 2009
DPM Wong Kan Seng visited a total of 96 units at Block 144 Thursday evening, 3 December 2009. He was accompanied by grassroots leaders and officers representing the agencies such as the HDB, Police, Town Council and the LTA.
DPM Wong was warmly invited into several homes of residents. It was a pleasant surprise to note that several households have been staying in the block for more than two decades. During the visit, many residents complemented about the good sense of neighbourliness and plentiful amenities around the estate which provided much convenience for the residents. Residents also offered several feedbacks about health, transport, housing and education issues.
Below are the photos taken during the block visit for your viewing pleasure!
.. The Bishan East Blog Team ..
DPM Wong was warmly invited into several homes of residents. It was a pleasant surprise to note that several households have been staying in the block for more than two decades. During the visit, many residents complemented about the good sense of neighbourliness and plentiful amenities around the estate which provided much convenience for the residents. Residents also offered several feedbacks about health, transport, housing and education issues.
Below are the photos taken during the block visit for your viewing pleasure!
.. The Bishan East Blog Team ..
22 November, 2009
Toa Payoh East Sports Fiesta at Upper Deck of Blk 3A Multi-Storey Carpark, Lorong 8 Toa Payoh
On the Sunday morning of 22 November, DPM Wong Kan Seng and three Members of Parliament (MPs) for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mayor of Central Singapore District, Mr Hri Kumar Nair and Mrs Josephine Teo joined about 200 residents in a series of sporting activities during the Toa Payoh East Sports Fiesta, which was organised by the Toa Payoh East Grassroots Organisations (GROs). Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, Adviser to Potong Pasir GROs was also invited to join the event.
The event started with a 15-minute workout, followed by the launch of the Toa Payoh Trail by DPM Wong. The Toa Payoh Trail project is a collaboration between First Toa Payoh Secondary School and Toa Payoh East GROs. The objective is to create greater awareness of the history and heritage of Toa Payoh Estate amongst it residents and the school students.
After flagging off the brisk walk, DPM Wong, Mayor Zainudin, Mr Nair and Mrs Teo were invited by Mr Sitoh to cross over to the Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Hawker Centre to have breakfast. Many residents who were there either for breakfast or Sunday marketing were pleasantly surprised by DPM Wong’s presence. Several came forward to shake hands with him and the other MPs as well as Mr Sitoh.
After breakfast, DPM Wong and the MPs went back to the event site to join the residents in other sporting activities which included gateball, mini golf, kicking chatek, rope skipping, etc. DPM and the MPs also penned on the Wishing Spheres their wishes for Singapore in 2010. These spheres will be released into the Marina Bay during the nation’s New Year Countdown Celebration on 31 December 2009.
As part of “Mayor’s Green Challenge” in support of the Central Singapore Environmental Sustainability Plan (ESP), DPM and the MPs were given a recyclable item each to drop it into the various containers as a symbolic presentation of the Launch of Project Earth @ Toa Payoh East. With this launch the programme hopes to encourage more of such recycling projects to be initiated in Toa Payoh East.
Here are some photos of the event.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
The event started with a 15-minute workout, followed by the launch of the Toa Payoh Trail by DPM Wong. The Toa Payoh Trail project is a collaboration between First Toa Payoh Secondary School and Toa Payoh East GROs. The objective is to create greater awareness of the history and heritage of Toa Payoh Estate amongst it residents and the school students.
After flagging off the brisk walk, DPM Wong, Mayor Zainudin, Mr Nair and Mrs Teo were invited by Mr Sitoh to cross over to the Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Hawker Centre to have breakfast. Many residents who were there either for breakfast or Sunday marketing were pleasantly surprised by DPM Wong’s presence. Several came forward to shake hands with him and the other MPs as well as Mr Sitoh.
After breakfast, DPM Wong and the MPs went back to the event site to join the residents in other sporting activities which included gateball, mini golf, kicking chatek, rope skipping, etc. DPM and the MPs also penned on the Wishing Spheres their wishes for Singapore in 2010. These spheres will be released into the Marina Bay during the nation’s New Year Countdown Celebration on 31 December 2009.
As part of “Mayor’s Green Challenge” in support of the Central Singapore Environmental Sustainability Plan (ESP), DPM and the MPs were given a recyclable item each to drop it into the various containers as a symbolic presentation of the Launch of Project Earth @ Toa Payoh East. With this launch the programme hopes to encourage more of such recycling projects to be initiated in Toa Payoh East.
Here are some photos of the event.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
20 November, 2009
Bishan East Zone 4 RC House Visit@ Blocks 168 and 169 on 19 November 2009
DPM Wong Kan Seng visited a total of 92 units at Block 168 and 169 on the evening of 19 November 2009. He was accompanied by the RC Chairman Mr Tan Kee Khoon and his fellow RC members. Officers representing various agencies such as the HDB, Town Council, Police, LTA and NEA joined in the block visit to obtain feedback on issues relating to the living environment, lift upgrading programme, safety and security, and conservancy.
DPM Wong was warmly welcomed and invited by many residents to visit their homes. During the visit, many residents shared their heartfelt appreciation for the good living environment and the Lift Upgrading Program which provided much convenience for the residents. Several families which were not at home during the visit due to other committment even left notes on their doorstep to welcome DPM Wong and thank him for taking the time off his busy schedule to visit them.
Here are the photos taken during the block visit.
.. The Bishan East Blog Team ..
DPM Wong was warmly welcomed and invited by many residents to visit their homes. During the visit, many residents shared their heartfelt appreciation for the good living environment and the Lift Upgrading Program which provided much convenience for the residents. Several families which were not at home during the visit due to other committment even left notes on their doorstep to welcome DPM Wong and thank him for taking the time off his busy schedule to visit them.
Here are the photos taken during the block visit.
.. The Bishan East Blog Team ..
15 November, 2009
Block Parties at Bishan East on Sunday, 15 November 2009
Three Bishan East RCs organised block parties for residents on the morning of Sunday, 15 November 2009. Here are short write-ups and pictures taken during the three block parties this morning.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
Zone 3 Block Party at Blk 195
The Bishan East Zone 3 Block Party was held in conjunction with Deepavali Celebration.
About 150 residents were shown how the traditional Kolam was created. Kolam is a form of sand painting that is drawn using rice powder by female members of the family in front of their home. It is widely practised by Hindus in South India. A Kolam is a sort of painted prayer — a line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. Residents were also entertained by the performances put up by the Indian band and dancers.
Six nursery students from the Bishan East Dowell Playgroup, all dressed up as bumble bees, put up a cute performance for all the residents. The nursery students also received their graduation certificates from DPM Wong.
Here are some photos of the event:
Zone 1 RC Block Party at Blk 110
About 120 residents woked up on an early Sunday morning and participated in mass singing while young children were engrossed in learning how to make Korean clay art pieces.
Following this, the residents enjoyed a hearty breakfast while watching a magic show performance. The event was an opportunity for residents to enjoy the company of their family and neighbours.
During the event, DPM Wong gave out graduation certificates to six nursery students from Strawberry Playgroup.
Here are some photos of the event:
Zone 2 RC Block Party at Blk 130
Nearly 100 residents participated in the morning exercise as part of keeping a healthy lifestyle. While the elderly residents watched a Tai Chi demonstration, young children tried out the in-line skating and gamely took some tumbles in their brave attempts.
Residents were happy and excited about their up-close-and-personal meetings with DPM Wong during the event.
Here are some photos of the event:
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
Zone 3 Block Party at Blk 195
The Bishan East Zone 3 Block Party was held in conjunction with Deepavali Celebration.
About 150 residents were shown how the traditional Kolam was created. Kolam is a form of sand painting that is drawn using rice powder by female members of the family in front of their home. It is widely practised by Hindus in South India. A Kolam is a sort of painted prayer — a line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. Residents were also entertained by the performances put up by the Indian band and dancers.
Six nursery students from the Bishan East Dowell Playgroup, all dressed up as bumble bees, put up a cute performance for all the residents. The nursery students also received their graduation certificates from DPM Wong.
Here are some photos of the event:
Zone 1 RC Block Party at Blk 110
About 120 residents woked up on an early Sunday morning and participated in mass singing while young children were engrossed in learning how to make Korean clay art pieces.
Following this, the residents enjoyed a hearty breakfast while watching a magic show performance. The event was an opportunity for residents to enjoy the company of their family and neighbours.
During the event, DPM Wong gave out graduation certificates to six nursery students from Strawberry Playgroup.
Here are some photos of the event:
Zone 2 RC Block Party at Blk 130
Nearly 100 residents participated in the morning exercise as part of keeping a healthy lifestyle. While the elderly residents watched a Tai Chi demonstration, young children tried out the in-line skating and gamely took some tumbles in their brave attempts.
Residents were happy and excited about their up-close-and-personal meetings with DPM Wong during the event.
Here are some photos of the event:
14 November, 2009
Hampton Pre-School Open House
Close to 150 families dropped by Hampton Pre-School at Block 178 on Saturday, 14 November 2009. The open house was from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Our visitors were given a tour around the centre by the friendly teachers and centre director who were ever ready to answer their queries and concerns. Not surprisingly, many resident were so impressed by the newly renovated facilities and the interesting curriculum offered that many signed up and made payment on the spot to secure a placement for their child in 2010. There was a handful of parents who even enquired whether they could book in advance for their child who are only old enough to be enrolled by 2011!
The brand new childcare service is brought to Bishan East by the Bishan East PAP Community Foundation. Here are some pictures videos taken during the open house.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
The brand new childcare service is brought to Bishan East by the Bishan East PAP Community Foundation. Here are some pictures videos taken during the open house.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
09 November, 2009
Fellowship over golf
The Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Citizens’ Consultative Committees jointly organised the annual GRC Golf Fellowship on 8 November 2009 at the Raffles Country Club. The Golf Fellowship brings residents, grassroots leaders and the MPs together for a day of interaction whilst pitting their golfing skills against one another in friendly competition.
136 residents and grassroots leaders of Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC participated in the event. Joining them were Guest-of-Honour, Mr Wong Kan Seng, DPM and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, and Mayor Zainudin Nordin of the Central Singapore District and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
Many of the golfers were enthusiastically aiming to win the “Hole-in-One’ prize of a BMW car kindly sponsored by Performance Motors. But none was lucky enough. After a day of golf, the golfers were invited to a sumptuous dinner at the Shanshui Palace at the Club, and it was a night filled with laughter and fun, with the golfers sharing their experiences at the golf course. The Thomson CC Jazz Band provided entertainment for the dinner. The other two MPs for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, Mr Hri Kumar Nair and Mrs Josephine Teo, also joined in the dinner.
Here are some photos of the event:
The Bishan East Blog Team
136 residents and grassroots leaders of Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC participated in the event. Joining them were Guest-of-Honour, Mr Wong Kan Seng, DPM and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, and Mayor Zainudin Nordin of the Central Singapore District and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
Many of the golfers were enthusiastically aiming to win the “Hole-in-One’ prize of a BMW car kindly sponsored by Performance Motors. But none was lucky enough. After a day of golf, the golfers were invited to a sumptuous dinner at the Shanshui Palace at the Club, and it was a night filled with laughter and fun, with the golfers sharing their experiences at the golf course. The Thomson CC Jazz Band provided entertainment for the dinner. The other two MPs for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, Mr Hri Kumar Nair and Mrs Josephine Teo, also joined in the dinner.
Here are some photos of the event:
The Bishan East Blog Team
28 October, 2009
Making our community more caring and neighbourly - Every effort counts
The frontpage Newpaper story on 26 Oct 2009 “Long Wait for Help” caught my eye.
This newspaper story was about how Miss Audrey Siew, a 30-year-old teacher was injured when she was cycling in Pasir Ris to deliver food items and herbal health boosters to needy residents in her community, something that she has done for the past five years. According to the newspaper report, she also helped old folks move house or lend her listening ears.
I was touched the story and it set me thinking about our own Bishan East community.
We have residents like Ms Siew who are dedicated to building our Bishan East community into one where our residents care for one another. For example, in the current economic downturn, our community leaders raised funds to help needy residents through bursaries for the school-going children and other assistance schemes. They also organised activities to bring residents closer together. And our residents go about helping others in quiet and sometimes anonymous ways, such as the unnamed passer-by reported in Shinmin Daily News on 4 Oct 2009 who had help stopped vehicular traffic from knocking down one of our residents.
Over the last few years, we have seen significant physical improvements to our living environment. Many of our precincts have completed or are under-going lift upgrading and estate renewal. The Bishan Harmony Park opened in our neighbourhood recently. Last week, I announced the opening of a PCF childcare centre managed by EtonHouse.
These improvements will enhance our living environment. But it is not just having a beautiful, clean and safe environment that is important, what is equally if not more important is to have good and caring neighbours who look out for one another. We can all do our part to make our community a better, friendlier place. We can do it in simple ways such as smiling to our neighbours, keeping our community clean and participating in activities to get to know our neighbours better. Every effort counts.
If you know of anyone whom you felt has made a difference to our community, drop us an email or leave a comment on the blog.
And please join me wishing Miss Audrey Siew a speedy recovery.
With best wishes to all our residents
WONG KAN SENG
 |
| From Press cuttings |
This newspaper story was about how Miss Audrey Siew, a 30-year-old teacher was injured when she was cycling in Pasir Ris to deliver food items and herbal health boosters to needy residents in her community, something that she has done for the past five years. According to the newspaper report, she also helped old folks move house or lend her listening ears.
I was touched the story and it set me thinking about our own Bishan East community.
We have residents like Ms Siew who are dedicated to building our Bishan East community into one where our residents care for one another. For example, in the current economic downturn, our community leaders raised funds to help needy residents through bursaries for the school-going children and other assistance schemes. They also organised activities to bring residents closer together. And our residents go about helping others in quiet and sometimes anonymous ways, such as the unnamed passer-by reported in Shinmin Daily News on 4 Oct 2009 who had help stopped vehicular traffic from knocking down one of our residents.
 |
| From Press cuttings |
Over the last few years, we have seen significant physical improvements to our living environment. Many of our precincts have completed or are under-going lift upgrading and estate renewal. The Bishan Harmony Park opened in our neighbourhood recently. Last week, I announced the opening of a PCF childcare centre managed by EtonHouse.
These improvements will enhance our living environment. But it is not just having a beautiful, clean and safe environment that is important, what is equally if not more important is to have good and caring neighbours who look out for one another. We can all do our part to make our community a better, friendlier place. We can do it in simple ways such as smiling to our neighbours, keeping our community clean and participating in activities to get to know our neighbours better. Every effort counts.
If you know of anyone whom you felt has made a difference to our community, drop us an email or leave a comment on the blog.
And please join me wishing Miss Audrey Siew a speedy recovery.
With best wishes to all our residents
WONG KAN SENG
27 October, 2009
New EtonHouse-managed PCF childcare centre opens in Bishan East next year
Our residents can look forward to a new childcare centre that opens at Blk 178, Bishan East St 13 next year.
Called Hampton Pre-School, the PCF childcare centre will be managed by EtonHouse. The centre is the first PCF childcare centre managed by a private education provider.
Hampton Pre-School has the capacity for over 100 children aged between 18 months and six years old. It will be open from 7am to 7pm on weekdays to cater to the needs of working parents.
The idea of setting up of a PCF childcare centre in collaboration with a private education provider was initiated last year by our Member of Parliament Mr Wong Kan Seng last year, who is Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister.
With more new residents and younger families moving into our community, the demand of quality pre-school and childcare services is expected to increase. PCF currently runs two kindergartens centres in Bishan East and Hampton Pre-School will provide the residents a wider choice.
The opening of Hampton Pre-School was announced by DPM Wong at the graduation concert of the Bishan East PCF Education Centres on 23 October 2009.
Here are some pictures of the concert:
Called Hampton Pre-School, the PCF childcare centre will be managed by EtonHouse. The centre is the first PCF childcare centre managed by a private education provider.
Hampton Pre-School has the capacity for over 100 children aged between 18 months and six years old. It will be open from 7am to 7pm on weekdays to cater to the needs of working parents.
The idea of setting up of a PCF childcare centre in collaboration with a private education provider was initiated last year by our Member of Parliament Mr Wong Kan Seng last year, who is Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister.
With more new residents and younger families moving into our community, the demand of quality pre-school and childcare services is expected to increase. PCF currently runs two kindergartens centres in Bishan East and Hampton Pre-School will provide the residents a wider choice.
The opening of Hampton Pre-School was announced by DPM Wong at the graduation concert of the Bishan East PCF Education Centres on 23 October 2009.
Here are some pictures of the concert:
25 October, 2009
Bishan East Grassroots Leaders' Retreat@Orchid Country Club
Bishan East grassroots leaders met up at the annual grassroots leaders' retreat this year at the Orchid Country Club on 24 and 25 October 2009. Over the weekend, our grassroots volunteers created a stronger bond through the team-building games and the various fun-filled activities organised by Organising Chairman Mr Dixon Tan and his team.
On the second day, the grassroots leaders were given a short presentation on the new vision of the People's Association, afterwhich they were broken up into teams to brainstorm on new ideas for the workplan ahead.
Here are some photos taken from the retreat.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
On the second day, the grassroots leaders were given a short presentation on the new vision of the People's Association, afterwhich they were broken up into teams to brainstorm on new ideas for the workplan ahead.
Here are some photos taken from the retreat.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
CLAP @ Bishan-Toa Payoh North in conjunction with Bishan Heights RC’s 10th Anniversary Celebration
CLAP! or Community Life Arts Programme is a cultural event organised by the Central Singapore Community Development Council with the aim to bring performing arts closer to the heartlands in the Central Singapore District. The programme also acts as a platform for budding individuals and arts groups to showcase their talents.
CLAP! @ Bishan-Toa Payoh North was first introduced in April 2008 with performances from local talents, which included students from various schools in the division and the Bishan North Community Club performance groups.
On the evening of 24 October 2009, about 200 Bishan North residents warmly welcomed the Guest-of-Honour, Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC for this event. The residents were serenaded by the medley of songs performed by the talented MAEC Malay Combo Band who hails from Bishan North CC.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Bishan Heights RC, DPM Wong joined the grassroots volunteers and residents who celebrate their birthday in October, in singing a birthday song and the cutting of a birthday cake.
Here are some photos taken during the event.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
CLAP! @ Bishan-Toa Payoh North was first introduced in April 2008 with performances from local talents, which included students from various schools in the division and the Bishan North Community Club performance groups.
On the evening of 24 October 2009, about 200 Bishan North residents warmly welcomed the Guest-of-Honour, Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC for this event. The residents were serenaded by the medley of songs performed by the talented MAEC Malay Combo Band who hails from Bishan North CC.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Bishan Heights RC, DPM Wong joined the grassroots volunteers and residents who celebrate their birthday in October, in singing a birthday song and the cutting of a birthday cake.
Here are some photos taken during the event.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
Residents’ Get-together@Blk 229, Bishan Street 23
On Saturday evening, 24 October 2009, Bishan North residents organised a get-together. Parents, friends and children in the neighbourhood were treated to stage games and a sumptuous buffet as they mingled with each other at the void deck of Blk 229, Bishan Street 23. To entertain our folks, our Malay residents also put up a special Silat demonstration for the residents, in addition to the magic show which added to the evening’s fun-filled atmosphere.
The event was graced by the Guest-of-Honour, Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
Here are some photos taken during the event.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
The event was graced by the Guest-of-Honour, Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
Here are some photos taken during the event.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
19 October, 2009
MINISTERIAL COMMUNITY VISIT 11 OCTOBER 2009
On 11 October 2009, Bishan-Toa Payoh North hosted a visit for Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport. The MPs for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, led by DPM Wong Kan Seng, Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen, Mayor Zainudin Nordin and Ms Josephine Teo, accompanied by Mr Sam Tan, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC and Mr Ang Mong Seng, MP for Hong Kah GRC, warmly welcomed Mrs Lim for the visit at Bishan Active.
The visit coincided with the Community Sports Day event and the MPs had the opportunity to join in the fun by taking part in a shopping trolley race. Here are some candid shots of DPM Wong racing down the tarmac!
Following the sports event, Mrs Lim visited the Bishan North Shopping Mall and ended the day with a dialogue session with residents in the Bishan North Community Centre.
The visit coincided with the Community Sports Day event and the MPs had the opportunity to join in the fun by taking part in a shopping trolley race. Here are some candid shots of DPM Wong racing down the tarmac!
Following the sports event, Mrs Lim visited the Bishan North Shopping Mall and ended the day with a dialogue session with residents in the Bishan North Community Centre.
05 October, 2009
Bishan East Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration 2009
On Saturday, 3 October 2009, Bishan East grassroots leaders organised the annual Mid-Autumn Fesitval Celebration. The event was graced by the Guest-of-Honour, DPM Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
Despite the light drizzle, hundreds of residents streamed in to join in the festivities. Residents had the opportunity to taste delicious snacks, as well as savour mooncakes washed down with a cup of traditional Chinese tea. For the first time in Bishan, residents had the rare opportunity to view the magnificient aerial displays of remote-controlled kites which lighted the night skies with their delightful spots of colours. Audiences were also entertained by martial art demonstrations and the ever-intriguing art of face-changing.
Here are some photos taken during the event.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
Despite the light drizzle, hundreds of residents streamed in to join in the festivities. Residents had the opportunity to taste delicious snacks, as well as savour mooncakes washed down with a cup of traditional Chinese tea. For the first time in Bishan, residents had the rare opportunity to view the magnificient aerial displays of remote-controlled kites which lighted the night skies with their delightful spots of colours. Audiences were also entertained by martial art demonstrations and the ever-intriguing art of face-changing.
Here are some photos taken during the event.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
03 October, 2009
RC Zone 2 Block Visit@119 and 120 on 1 October 2009
DPM Wong Kan Seng visited a total of 87 units at Block 119 and 120 on the evening of 1 October 2009. He was hosted by the RC Chairperson Mr Chia Pen Chuen and his fellow RC members. Officers representing the agencies such as the HDB, Police, Town Council and the LTA joined in the block visit to obtain feedback on issues such as living environment and conservancy.
DPM Wong was warmly invited into several homes of residents. During the visit, many residents shared their heartfelt appreciation on the Lift Upgrading Program which provided much convenience for the residents.
Here are the photos taken during the block visit.
.. The Bishan East Blog Team ..
DPM Wong was warmly invited into several homes of residents. During the visit, many residents shared their heartfelt appreciation on the Lift Upgrading Program which provided much convenience for the residents.
Here are the photos taken during the block visit.
.. The Bishan East Blog Team ..
09 September, 2009
Block parties at Bishan East
The six Bishan East RCs held block parties for residents on 5 and 6 Sep 2009.
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Zone 5 Block Party at Blk 149
The residents were treated to violin performances, face-painting, Korean clay workshop and a taekwondo demonstration. 12 ITE students received bursaries and an ITE student received a scholarship presented by the CDC and CCC.
Zone 6 Block Party at Blk 158
A guest speaker from the Health Promotion Board spoke to the residents on stress management followed by a quiz. Children were treated to a magic show and balloons.
Zone 4 Pot Luck Party at Blk 178
The residents tucked into a sumptuous spread of home cooked food as they mingled with one another and took turns to sing karaoke.
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Zone 2 Block Party at Blk 127
The residents participated in morning exercises and the children took part in a colouring competition. A calligraphy demonstration was put up. The overcast skies did not dampen the enthusiasm of the residents.
Zone 1 Block Party at Blk 107
46 polytechnic students received bursaries and scholarships from the CDC and CCC at the gathering. The residents took part in a mass exercise before tucking in their breakfast.
Zone 3 Block Party at Blk 184
The highlight of the party was the rollerblade performance. Residents and children were taught the proper techniques of rollerblading where they clearly enjoyed.
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Zone 5 Block Party at Blk 149
The residents were treated to violin performances, face-painting, Korean clay workshop and a taekwondo demonstration. 12 ITE students received bursaries and an ITE student received a scholarship presented by the CDC and CCC.
Zone 6 Block Party at Blk 158
A guest speaker from the Health Promotion Board spoke to the residents on stress management followed by a quiz. Children were treated to a magic show and balloons.
Zone 4 Pot Luck Party at Blk 178
The residents tucked into a sumptuous spread of home cooked food as they mingled with one another and took turns to sing karaoke.
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Zone 2 Block Party at Blk 127
The residents participated in morning exercises and the children took part in a colouring competition. A calligraphy demonstration was put up. The overcast skies did not dampen the enthusiasm of the residents.
Zone 1 Block Party at Blk 107
46 polytechnic students received bursaries and scholarships from the CDC and CCC at the gathering. The residents took part in a mass exercise before tucking in their breakfast.
Zone 3 Block Party at Blk 184
The highlight of the party was the rollerblade performance. Residents and children were taught the proper techniques of rollerblading where they clearly enjoyed.
05 September, 2009
Breaking fast at Jamiyah
DPM and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng broke fast with more than 100 guests at the Jamiyah Nursing Home on 3 September 2009.
Jamiyah invited guests which included Malay Muslim leaders, representatives of the various faiths, community leaders and diplomats to the iftar at the Jamiyah Nursing Home in a celebration of the month of Ramadan.
DPM Wong also visited the residents in the Nursing Home together with staff and volunteers of the Home. The Jamiyah Nursing Home provides nursing care to residents from all races and backgrounds.
Speaking to reporters at the event, DPM Wong said, ”Jamiyah is doing very good work and as you can see in the nursing home that they have set up, that it is not just catering to the residents who live in this area but also to residents from all over Singapore.
“Indeed, in our society we have organisations like Jamiyah that do such good work for our needy people.
“As for my iftar here today, I’m very happy to be joining the iftar with Jamiyah as well as a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic group of Singaporeans.
“And that is the kind of society we have – multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural – and it’s good that we join together once in a while to understand the cultures we have and to also celebrate the different festivals together.
“Iftar is a very important occasion for all Muslims, and I wish them all the very best during the month of Ramadan.”
Jamiyah invited guests which included Malay Muslim leaders, representatives of the various faiths, community leaders and diplomats to the iftar at the Jamiyah Nursing Home in a celebration of the month of Ramadan.
DPM Wong also visited the residents in the Nursing Home together with staff and volunteers of the Home. The Jamiyah Nursing Home provides nursing care to residents from all races and backgrounds.
Speaking to reporters at the event, DPM Wong said, ”Jamiyah is doing very good work and as you can see in the nursing home that they have set up, that it is not just catering to the residents who live in this area but also to residents from all over Singapore.
“Indeed, in our society we have organisations like Jamiyah that do such good work for our needy people.
“As for my iftar here today, I’m very happy to be joining the iftar with Jamiyah as well as a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic group of Singaporeans.
“And that is the kind of society we have – multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural – and it’s good that we join together once in a while to understand the cultures we have and to also celebrate the different festivals together.
“Iftar is a very important occasion for all Muslims, and I wish them all the very best during the month of Ramadan.”
14 August, 2009
RC Zone 6 Block Visit@155 on 13 August 2009
On the evening of 13 August 2009, DPM Wong Kan Seng paid a visit to Block 155. He was hosted by the RC Chairperson Miss Lee Ker Hwa and officers representing the agencies such as HDB, Police, Town Council and the LTA, as well as grassroot leaders.
DPM Wong visited more than 100 households and was warmly invited into several homes of residents. During the visit, residents gave many feedbacks regarding their environment. Many offered their views on the impending Neighbourhood Renewal Program. Do email us at bepap@singnet.com.sg if you have any good proposals or suggestions for this program.
Residents are also grateful for the Lift Upgrading Program which provided much convenience for the elderly residents. Through the block visit, it was also brought to our attention that there are cases whereby contractors posed as HDB contractors trying to defraud residents to sign agreements to change their front grille. Do be on your guard on such incidents. You may contact the HDB Bishan Branch at 1800-2255432 or drop the branch office at the following address if you have any queries.
Blk 512 Bishan St 13 #02-524 Singapore 570512
Here are the photos taken during the block visit.
.. The Bishan East Blog Team ..
DPM Wong visited more than 100 households and was warmly invited into several homes of residents. During the visit, residents gave many feedbacks regarding their environment. Many offered their views on the impending Neighbourhood Renewal Program. Do email us at bepap@singnet.com.sg if you have any good proposals or suggestions for this program.
Residents are also grateful for the Lift Upgrading Program which provided much convenience for the elderly residents. Through the block visit, it was also brought to our attention that there are cases whereby contractors posed as HDB contractors trying to defraud residents to sign agreements to change their front grille. Do be on your guard on such incidents. You may contact the HDB Bishan Branch at 1800-2255432 or drop the branch office at the following address if you have any queries.
Blk 512 Bishan St 13 #02-524 Singapore 570512
Here are the photos taken during the block visit.
.. The Bishan East Blog Team ..
09 August, 2009
BISHAN EAST NATIONAL DAY 2009 OBSERVANCE CEREMONY
Dear Residents and Friends,
Bishan East celebrates the nation's 44th birthday today. Many residents would have received an email and SMS message from our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, DPM Wong Kan Seng, wishing one and all a Happy National Day. DPM Wong has the following message for our residents.
NATIONAL DAY MESSAGE
"Dear Residents
As we celebrate the 44th National Day, let us count our blessings.
Our country is peaceful, and our people live in harmony. No doubt, the economy is not doing well for now.
The Government recognized this early. Swift actions were early this year. The Resilience Package costing $20.5 billion was introduced to help workers stay in their jobs, and businesses continue to survive.
Now the dark clouds are slowly beginning to lift. Singaporeans have overcome many crises together with the Government. I am confident that we will be able to overcome this one too. Let us stay united and prepare ourselves for the challenges ahead.
Wishing all Bishan-Toa Payoh residents a happy National Day."
With warm regards,
Wong Kan Seng
A National Day Observance Ceremony was held at the Bishan Community Club this morning. The event opened with an early walk-athon. Residents enjoyed the carnival through their participation in the various games and exercises plus martial art display and singing. The Guest-of-Honour, DPM Wong also gave away awards to grass root leaders for their dedicated and long years of service. We would like to congratulate two special grassroot leaders, Mr. Mohamed Farook Abdul Wahab (Vice-Chairman, Bishan East, Zone 4 RC) and Mr. Sunny Wong Yoke Seng (Vice-Chairman, Bishan East C2E), on being conferred the Public Service Medal by our President, His Excellency, Mr SR Nathan.
We hope you would enjoy the photos presented below.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
Bishan East celebrates the nation's 44th birthday today. Many residents would have received an email and SMS message from our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, DPM Wong Kan Seng, wishing one and all a Happy National Day. DPM Wong has the following message for our residents.
NATIONAL DAY MESSAGE
"Dear Residents
As we celebrate the 44th National Day, let us count our blessings.
Our country is peaceful, and our people live in harmony. No doubt, the economy is not doing well for now.
The Government recognized this early. Swift actions were early this year. The Resilience Package costing $20.5 billion was introduced to help workers stay in their jobs, and businesses continue to survive.
Now the dark clouds are slowly beginning to lift. Singaporeans have overcome many crises together with the Government. I am confident that we will be able to overcome this one too. Let us stay united and prepare ourselves for the challenges ahead.
Wishing all Bishan-Toa Payoh residents a happy National Day."
With warm regards,
Wong Kan Seng
A National Day Observance Ceremony was held at the Bishan Community Club this morning. The event opened with an early walk-athon. Residents enjoyed the carnival through their participation in the various games and exercises plus martial art display and singing. The Guest-of-Honour, DPM Wong also gave away awards to grass root leaders for their dedicated and long years of service. We would like to congratulate two special grassroot leaders, Mr. Mohamed Farook Abdul Wahab (Vice-Chairman, Bishan East, Zone 4 RC) and Mr. Sunny Wong Yoke Seng (Vice-Chairman, Bishan East C2E), on being conferred the Public Service Medal by our President, His Excellency, Mr SR Nathan.
We hope you would enjoy the photos presented below.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
02 August, 2009
Our constituency held its 44th National Day Dinner on Saturday evening, 1 August 2009 at the open field next to Block 156, Bishan St 11. Speaking to more than 1,800 guests who attended the dinner, our Member of Parliament Mr Wong Kan Seng, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, spoke about the importance of safeguarding Singapore's success by preserving racial and religious harmony.
He cited the recent violence and protests in Xinjiang (China), Punjab (India) and Australia as reminders that we cannot take racial and religious harmony in Singapore for granted. He also shared an example of a scuffle between a Chinese family and a Malay family arising from the misunderstanding over the burning of incence during a wake. The incident was resolved through the actions of the MP, grassroots leaders and members of the the Inter-racial Confidence Circles (IRCCs).
Turning to more Singaporeans drawn to religion and religious practices, DPM Wong said that while there is nothing wrong to be religious, we have to be acutely mindful of the impact on the people around us in our multi-racial and multi-religious society.
The key point of his speech is that social harmony in Singapore depends on people of different races and religion living and working harmoniously together in the common spaces that we have built over the decades. He stressed that this social harmony is a valuable capital which we must preserve to safeguard Singapore’s future success.
Before we go on to the full text of his speech, here are the photos taken at the Bishan East National Day Dinner.
SPEECH BY MR WONG KAN SENG, DPM AND MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS, AND MP FOR BISHAN-TOA PAYOH GRC AT THE 44TH BISHAN EAST NATIONAL DAY DINNER ON 1 AUGUST 2009
Safeguarding Singapore’s Success
Singapore has done well since our Independence 44 years ago. Our living standard is high. We enjoy good quality public housing, education, transport and healthcare. We raise our families and pursue our careers in an environment that is stable, safe and secure.
Many factors account for Singapore’s success. Some of these are not easily “seen” or “measured”. But we will feel the impact when things go wrong. Knowing what they are will help us preserve them, so as to safeguard and ensure Singapore’s continued success.
Factors behind Singapore’s success
The most fundamental factor of our success is strong government leadership. We implement policies to achieve long term growth.
Singaporeans play a vital part in Singapore’s success too. They trust and support the government, and work hard with discipline to forgo short term gratification for long term gains. Every Singaporean actively contributes to and has a stake in Singapore’s success.
Our strong defence capability and successful efforts in diplomacy are key factors as well.
Other than strong government, supportive people, defence and diplomacy, one other factor of our success that I am going to talk more about today is the importance of racial and religious harmony which contributes to our stability. This is something that is closest to us. It relates directly to the safety of our families, and the stability of our society.
Preserving safety and stability
Singapore is stable and peaceful today even though we are a diverse, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. This is a far cry from 1965 when we became independent or 1959 when we attained self-government. Singapore can remain peaceful and stable only if we stay ahead of threats, whether be it crime, drugs or terrorism. And one of the threats to our stability is racial, religious and social disharmony that we have zealously guard against. Three recent incidents outside Singapore clearly illustrate why.
The first is the inter-ethnic violence in Xinjiang last month. What began as a factory brawl in Guangdong led to hundreds of people dead and many more injured when riots turned violent in Xinjiang. What happened in Xinjiang illustrates how racial bloodshed can be ignited with little provocation.
The second incident happened in May. It was reported that a Sikh preacher was shot dead and several worshippers were wounded at a Sikh temple in Vienna, Austria. The perpetrators were reportedly fundamentalist Sikhs of a higher caste from another temple. Barely hours later, followers of the preacher clashed with other Sikhs in Punjab and riots broke out.
The third incident happened in Australia. A series of racially motivated attacks against Indian students in May and June and the perceived poor response by the police sparked widespread protests. Rallies were held in both Melbourne and Sydney. Mutual suspicions between the Indian immigrants and white Australians remain.
All these incidents are a grim reminder that we cannot take racial and religious harmony for granted. Racial and religious harmony is not something that naturally happens. It has to be nurtured over time. What happened in these countries showed that we need to consistently pay attention to the different groups in our society and to have a sharp sensing of the ground to know whether race and/or religious tensions are brewing. If we are not sensitive to such tensions, misunderstanding and distrust will happen, escalating into riots and chaos when there is provocation.
Can such violence happen in Singapore? It will be a grave mistake to think that it cannot. If we allow racial and religious differences to simmer and accentuate, soon the fissures will become fractures and all we need is a spark to ignite the fire.
Let me share some examples. A Chinese family held a wake at the void deck of a HDB flat. During the wake, there was a misunderstanding between the Chinese family and a Malay family. The Malay family objected to the burning of incense at the grass patch in front of the block. A scuffle broke out and Police was called to intervene.
Grassroots leaders including members of the Inter-Racial Confidence Circle (IRCC) visited the families to talk to them. Both families realised that there was a misunderstanding. The MP subsequently met both families. The parties apologised to each other and the matter was settled amicably. The friction that could have potentially escalated into tensions was swiftly stemmed when grassroots leaders acted and cooler heads prevailed. This is how we deal with such matters the Singapore way.
The Internet has also become a potential source of tension. In 2005, three youths were convicted in court for making inflammatory racist remarks about Muslims and Malays online. In 2006, a 21-year-old was warned by the Police for publishing offensive cartoons of religious nature on his blog. Recently, this year, a Christian couple was sentenced to eight weeks jail under the Sedition Act for distributing anti-Muslim and anti-Catholic publications.
The examples I have cited clearly show why we must continue to take racial and religious harmony seriously.
Preserving social harmony by building our common space
More Singaporeans are reportedly turning to religion. We are carried by the world trend. There is nothing wrong to be religious. But even as we turn towards religion to guide us, we have to be acutely mindful of the impact on the people around us in our multi-racial and multi-religious society.
My ministry received a letter from a member of public last month. The writer received religious literature in his letterbox which he felt was critical of non-believers. And he wrote, “Religious beliefs are deeply personal. Their potential for incendiary contention is well known and they should be best confined to the private sphere.” His reaction was not difficult to understand.
As we seek out religion, we must not do so in a way that leads to closed minds and exclusive groups. Singapore is a dense urban city with people of different races and religions living in close proximity. Our diversity can be both a source of our strength as well as our Achilles heel. The practice of religion should not lead to exclusivity where we only interact with people of the same faith or worse, criticise and exclude people of other faiths. We must not let increased religiosity or religious practices among our people to create fault lines that will disrupt our social stability, especially when race and religion are closely intertwined in Singapore.
The government has managed race and religion matters in our society in a pragmatic and sensible manner. The single most important principle in our approach is to build common spaces in our schools, communities, workplaces and national service. These common spaces must necessarily remain secular.
Our social harmony depends on people of different races and religion living and working harmoniously together in the common spaces that we have built over the decades. This social harmony is a valuable capital on which we can safeguard Singapore’s future success.
Conclusion
As we celebrate Singapore’s 44th birthday today, let us remember that Singapore can keep growing if we are committed to its long term future. Let us remember the reasons behind Singapore’s success and do our part to preserve Singapore’s future and actively contribute to Singapore’s peace, security and communal harmony.
Finally, let me thank the Bishan East grassroots leaders for organising tonight’s dinner. I wish all of you a Happy National Day and an enjoyable evening.
* * * *
He cited the recent violence and protests in Xinjiang (China), Punjab (India) and Australia as reminders that we cannot take racial and religious harmony in Singapore for granted. He also shared an example of a scuffle between a Chinese family and a Malay family arising from the misunderstanding over the burning of incence during a wake. The incident was resolved through the actions of the MP, grassroots leaders and members of the the Inter-racial Confidence Circles (IRCCs).
Turning to more Singaporeans drawn to religion and religious practices, DPM Wong said that while there is nothing wrong to be religious, we have to be acutely mindful of the impact on the people around us in our multi-racial and multi-religious society.
The key point of his speech is that social harmony in Singapore depends on people of different races and religion living and working harmoniously together in the common spaces that we have built over the decades. He stressed that this social harmony is a valuable capital which we must preserve to safeguard Singapore’s future success.
Before we go on to the full text of his speech, here are the photos taken at the Bishan East National Day Dinner.
SPEECH BY MR WONG KAN SENG, DPM AND MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS, AND MP FOR BISHAN-TOA PAYOH GRC AT THE 44TH BISHAN EAST NATIONAL DAY DINNER ON 1 AUGUST 2009
Safeguarding Singapore’s Success
Singapore has done well since our Independence 44 years ago. Our living standard is high. We enjoy good quality public housing, education, transport and healthcare. We raise our families and pursue our careers in an environment that is stable, safe and secure.
Many factors account for Singapore’s success. Some of these are not easily “seen” or “measured”. But we will feel the impact when things go wrong. Knowing what they are will help us preserve them, so as to safeguard and ensure Singapore’s continued success.
Factors behind Singapore’s success
The most fundamental factor of our success is strong government leadership. We implement policies to achieve long term growth.
Singaporeans play a vital part in Singapore’s success too. They trust and support the government, and work hard with discipline to forgo short term gratification for long term gains. Every Singaporean actively contributes to and has a stake in Singapore’s success.
Our strong defence capability and successful efforts in diplomacy are key factors as well.
Other than strong government, supportive people, defence and diplomacy, one other factor of our success that I am going to talk more about today is the importance of racial and religious harmony which contributes to our stability. This is something that is closest to us. It relates directly to the safety of our families, and the stability of our society.
Preserving safety and stability
Singapore is stable and peaceful today even though we are a diverse, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. This is a far cry from 1965 when we became independent or 1959 when we attained self-government. Singapore can remain peaceful and stable only if we stay ahead of threats, whether be it crime, drugs or terrorism. And one of the threats to our stability is racial, religious and social disharmony that we have zealously guard against. Three recent incidents outside Singapore clearly illustrate why.
The first is the inter-ethnic violence in Xinjiang last month. What began as a factory brawl in Guangdong led to hundreds of people dead and many more injured when riots turned violent in Xinjiang. What happened in Xinjiang illustrates how racial bloodshed can be ignited with little provocation.
The second incident happened in May. It was reported that a Sikh preacher was shot dead and several worshippers were wounded at a Sikh temple in Vienna, Austria. The perpetrators were reportedly fundamentalist Sikhs of a higher caste from another temple. Barely hours later, followers of the preacher clashed with other Sikhs in Punjab and riots broke out.
The third incident happened in Australia. A series of racially motivated attacks against Indian students in May and June and the perceived poor response by the police sparked widespread protests. Rallies were held in both Melbourne and Sydney. Mutual suspicions between the Indian immigrants and white Australians remain.
All these incidents are a grim reminder that we cannot take racial and religious harmony for granted. Racial and religious harmony is not something that naturally happens. It has to be nurtured over time. What happened in these countries showed that we need to consistently pay attention to the different groups in our society and to have a sharp sensing of the ground to know whether race and/or religious tensions are brewing. If we are not sensitive to such tensions, misunderstanding and distrust will happen, escalating into riots and chaos when there is provocation.
Can such violence happen in Singapore? It will be a grave mistake to think that it cannot. If we allow racial and religious differences to simmer and accentuate, soon the fissures will become fractures and all we need is a spark to ignite the fire.
Let me share some examples. A Chinese family held a wake at the void deck of a HDB flat. During the wake, there was a misunderstanding between the Chinese family and a Malay family. The Malay family objected to the burning of incense at the grass patch in front of the block. A scuffle broke out and Police was called to intervene.
Grassroots leaders including members of the Inter-Racial Confidence Circle (IRCC) visited the families to talk to them. Both families realised that there was a misunderstanding. The MP subsequently met both families. The parties apologised to each other and the matter was settled amicably. The friction that could have potentially escalated into tensions was swiftly stemmed when grassroots leaders acted and cooler heads prevailed. This is how we deal with such matters the Singapore way.
The Internet has also become a potential source of tension. In 2005, three youths were convicted in court for making inflammatory racist remarks about Muslims and Malays online. In 2006, a 21-year-old was warned by the Police for publishing offensive cartoons of religious nature on his blog. Recently, this year, a Christian couple was sentenced to eight weeks jail under the Sedition Act for distributing anti-Muslim and anti-Catholic publications.
The examples I have cited clearly show why we must continue to take racial and religious harmony seriously.
Preserving social harmony by building our common space
More Singaporeans are reportedly turning to religion. We are carried by the world trend. There is nothing wrong to be religious. But even as we turn towards religion to guide us, we have to be acutely mindful of the impact on the people around us in our multi-racial and multi-religious society.
My ministry received a letter from a member of public last month. The writer received religious literature in his letterbox which he felt was critical of non-believers. And he wrote, “Religious beliefs are deeply personal. Their potential for incendiary contention is well known and they should be best confined to the private sphere.” His reaction was not difficult to understand.
As we seek out religion, we must not do so in a way that leads to closed minds and exclusive groups. Singapore is a dense urban city with people of different races and religions living in close proximity. Our diversity can be both a source of our strength as well as our Achilles heel. The practice of religion should not lead to exclusivity where we only interact with people of the same faith or worse, criticise and exclude people of other faiths. We must not let increased religiosity or religious practices among our people to create fault lines that will disrupt our social stability, especially when race and religion are closely intertwined in Singapore.
The government has managed race and religion matters in our society in a pragmatic and sensible manner. The single most important principle in our approach is to build common spaces in our schools, communities, workplaces and national service. These common spaces must necessarily remain secular.
Our social harmony depends on people of different races and religion living and working harmoniously together in the common spaces that we have built over the decades. This social harmony is a valuable capital on which we can safeguard Singapore’s future success.
Conclusion
As we celebrate Singapore’s 44th birthday today, let us remember that Singapore can keep growing if we are committed to its long term future. Let us remember the reasons behind Singapore’s success and do our part to preserve Singapore’s future and actively contribute to Singapore’s peace, security and communal harmony.
Finally, let me thank the Bishan East grassroots leaders for organising tonight’s dinner. I wish all of you a Happy National Day and an enjoyable evening.
* * * *
30 July, 2009
RC Zone 5 Block Visit cum Floor Party@141 on 30 July 09
Dear Residents and Friends,
DPM Wong Kan Seng, our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, visited 96 households at Block 141 in Bishan East RC Zone 5 on the Thursday evening of 30 July 2009. DPM Wong was accompanied by the Zone 5 RC Chairman Mr Stuyvesant Lim, his fellow grassroots leaders and officers representing agencies such as the HDB, Town Council, Police and the LTA. Despite the warm night, residents awaited eagerly and patiently at their doorstep for the visit by DPＭ Wong. Residents gave the feedback that they are happy with the amenities and especially the Lift Upgrading Programme, which provided them with added convenience.
DPM Wong also joined in not one, not two but six floor parties whereby neighbours and residents enjoyed the food and drinks among good companionship. The next block visit will be on 13 August at Block 155 of Bishan East RC Zone 6. Do look out for us!
Here are some photos taken during the block visit and the floor party.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
DPM Wong Kan Seng, our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, visited 96 households at Block 141 in Bishan East RC Zone 5 on the Thursday evening of 30 July 2009. DPM Wong was accompanied by the Zone 5 RC Chairman Mr Stuyvesant Lim, his fellow grassroots leaders and officers representing agencies such as the HDB, Town Council, Police and the LTA. Despite the warm night, residents awaited eagerly and patiently at their doorstep for the visit by DPＭ Wong. Residents gave the feedback that they are happy with the amenities and especially the Lift Upgrading Programme, which provided them with added convenience.
DPM Wong also joined in not one, not two but six floor parties whereby neighbours and residents enjoyed the food and drinks among good companionship. The next block visit will be on 13 August at Block 155 of Bishan East RC Zone 6. Do look out for us!
Here are some photos taken during the block visit and the floor party.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
29 July, 2009
BISHAN EAST EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DAY 2009
Bishan East News Flash!
On the Sunday morning of 26 July 2009, a massive bomb was set off by terrorists in Bishan East estate. The authority is still unable to ascertain the total number of casualties and victims at the onset of the blast. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) was mobilised to evacuate and perform first aid treatment for the bomb blast victim while awaiting the arrival of the SCDF and other government agencies.
But don't worry. This is all but a drill to commemorate the Bishan East Emergency Preparedness Day 2009. From the proficiency of CERT volunteers and the efficiency of the SCDF, Singaporean and Bishan East residents are assured that the various government agencies and the community are well-prepared to manage and handle such unforeseeable yet real possibilities of terror threats in Singapore. The Guest of Honour for the event was DPM Wong Kan Seng who was accompanied by the CCC Chairman Mr. Chua Thian Poh and the Organising Chairperson Jacqueline.
During the Emergency Prepareness Day, residents were given a first hand demonstration through a bomb blast drill where CERT Team members demonstrated their incident management and first-aid skills. Children were also offered free rides on the state-of-the-art Red Rhinos rapid response vehicle. The crowd was also invited to view the performance by the SCDF search dogs.
Here are the photos taken during the event. We hope you will enjoy viewing them.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
On the Sunday morning of 26 July 2009, a massive bomb was set off by terrorists in Bishan East estate. The authority is still unable to ascertain the total number of casualties and victims at the onset of the blast. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) was mobilised to evacuate and perform first aid treatment for the bomb blast victim while awaiting the arrival of the SCDF and other government agencies.
But don't worry. This is all but a drill to commemorate the Bishan East Emergency Preparedness Day 2009. From the proficiency of CERT volunteers and the efficiency of the SCDF, Singaporean and Bishan East residents are assured that the various government agencies and the community are well-prepared to manage and handle such unforeseeable yet real possibilities of terror threats in Singapore. The Guest of Honour for the event was DPM Wong Kan Seng who was accompanied by the CCC Chairman Mr. Chua Thian Poh and the Organising Chairperson Jacqueline.
During the Emergency Prepareness Day, residents were given a first hand demonstration through a bomb blast drill where CERT Team members demonstrated their incident management and first-aid skills. Children were also offered free rides on the state-of-the-art Red Rhinos rapid response vehicle. The crowd was also invited to view the performance by the SCDF search dogs.
Here are the photos taken during the event. We hope you will enjoy viewing them.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
22 July, 2009
Bishan East residents celebrate racial harmony
Bishan East residents joined in a celebration on racial harmony on Sunday 4 July. The event was held at the Bishan Community Club to mark the importance of racial harmony at the community. Various activities were held to showcase and introduce to the residents the many cultures in Singapore. The pictures showed that the participants enjoyed themselves while deepening their understanding of the importance of racial harmony.
Visit to Block 182 on 18 June 2009
DPM Wong Kan Seng and grassroots leaders visited the residents of Block 182 on 18 June 2009. During the visit, DPM Wong and the grassroots leaders were warmly welcomed by the residents and they chatted about the issues that concerned the residents.
These are the photos taken during the block visit:
These are the photos taken during the block visit:
14 July, 2009
RC Zone 4 Block Visit cum Floor Party@170 on 9 July 09
Dear Residents and Friends,
On the Thursday evening of 9 July 2009, DPM Wong Kan Seng, our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, visited 84 households at Block 170 in Bishan East RC Zone 4. DPM Wong was accompanied by the Zone 4 RC Chairman Mr Tan Kee Khoon, his fellow grassroots leaders and officers representing agencies such as the HDB, Town Council, Police and the LTA. DPM Wong was invited into many residents' homes and was offered many valuable feedbacks from the residents.
DPM Wong also joined in the floor party whereby neighbours and residents prepared food and held a potluck party. Many residents took this opportunity to have photos taken with DPM Wong as well as to interact with their MP. The next block visit would be on 30 July at Block 141 of Bishan East RC Zone 5. Do look out for us!
Here are some photos taken during the block visit and the floor party.
..Bishan East Blog Team..
On the Thursday evening of 9 July 2009, DPM Wong Kan Seng, our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, visited 84 households at Block 170 in Bishan East RC Zone 4. DPM Wong was accompanied by the Zone 4 RC Chairman Mr Tan Kee Khoon, his fellow grassroots leaders and officers representing agencies such as the HDB, Town Council, Police and the LTA. DPM Wong was invited into many residents' homes and was offered many valuable feedbacks from the residents.
DPM Wong also joined in the floor party whereby neighbours and residents prepared food and held a potluck party. Many residents took this opportunity to have photos taken with DPM Wong as well as to interact with their MP. The next block visit would be on 30 July at Block 141 of Bishan East RC Zone 5. Do look out for us!
Here are some photos taken during the block visit and the floor party.
..Bishan East Blog Team..
22 June, 2009
Influenza A (H1N1-2009) Pandemic – What can we do about it?
Flu pandemic has hit us
So far, 94 countries in the world have confirmed more than 44,000 cases of H1N1 infection. The WHO has declared the flu a pandemic and many countries have sustained community infection.
Residents who are older than 50 would have experienced three pandemics in their lives, including the latest H1N1 pandemic. The last two were in 1957 and 1968. More than a million people died world wide. These two pandemics may have caused up to 1000 deaths in Singapore.
As of 21 June, 142 persons have been infected by the H1N1 virus. Among them are several persons who have not travelled to affected countries or come into known contact with confirmed H1N1 patients. In other words, the virus has entered Singapore, and the local cases signal the start of community spread. We should not be surprised. We managed to delay the entry and spread of the H1N1 virus for almost seven weeks before we started to have local cases. This is due to the aggressive containment measures we took in the first phase, including screening for people with fever at the borders. We also spent a lot of resources trying to track down those who were in close contact with confirmed H1N1 cases and quarantined them.
But now, almost 17% of the cases are local cases and from the experience of other countries, there will be many more local community spread cases in the weeks to come. We need to move from the containment strategy to the mitigation strategy so that we can shift more of our resources to treating the infected persons, especially the high-risk ones, and less on contact tracing which has limited effect once community spread occurs. During the mitigation phase, contact tracing will be more focused depending on the advice of the medical experts.
Are we now better prepared for a Pandemic?
Many Singaporeans were hit by SARS in 2003. 238 were diagnosed with the SARS virus and 33 died eventually. About 6,000 people were quarantined. After that bad experience, we started whole-of-government preparations for a flu pandemic. We built on the lessons learnt from the SARS outbreak in 2003.
We set up a national crisis management system to deal with such civil contingencies. I chair a Ministerial Committee comprising Ministers from all key Ministries to coordinate a Whole-of-Government approach to managing the H1N1 outbreak. We are now much better prepared to deal with this pandemic.
What can our residents do?
Now that the H1N1 flu virus has started to spread in the community, we have to be more vigilant. Each of us has an important part to play to slow down the spread of the disease.
We can successfully slow down the spread of H1N1 infections to others if everyone takes adequate precautions. This is what we can do:
• Practise good personal hygiene at all times
• Wash our hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water, especially before touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
• Turn quickly away from anyone near if we are about to cough or sneeze.
• Cover the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid crowded areas or social activities if we are ill.
• See the doctor promptly and wear mask if ill.
• Avoid taking public transport or taxi to minimise exposure.
More information on the H1N1 flu and precautions you can take are found at these government websites:
www.moh.gov.sg
www.crisis.gov.sg/flu
We can minimise the transmission and the number of cases in Singapore if we all play our part and be socially responsible.
In the coming weeks, we may have to postpone some of our large scale community activities as the situation gets worse. We will also buy vaccines when these are tested to be effective in protecting us from the H1N1 virus.
Wishing all of you good health.
WONG KAN SENG
22 June 2009
So far, 94 countries in the world have confirmed more than 44,000 cases of H1N1 infection. The WHO has declared the flu a pandemic and many countries have sustained community infection.
Residents who are older than 50 would have experienced three pandemics in their lives, including the latest H1N1 pandemic. The last two were in 1957 and 1968. More than a million people died world wide. These two pandemics may have caused up to 1000 deaths in Singapore.
As of 21 June, 142 persons have been infected by the H1N1 virus. Among them are several persons who have not travelled to affected countries or come into known contact with confirmed H1N1 patients. In other words, the virus has entered Singapore, and the local cases signal the start of community spread. We should not be surprised. We managed to delay the entry and spread of the H1N1 virus for almost seven weeks before we started to have local cases. This is due to the aggressive containment measures we took in the first phase, including screening for people with fever at the borders. We also spent a lot of resources trying to track down those who were in close contact with confirmed H1N1 cases and quarantined them.
But now, almost 17% of the cases are local cases and from the experience of other countries, there will be many more local community spread cases in the weeks to come. We need to move from the containment strategy to the mitigation strategy so that we can shift more of our resources to treating the infected persons, especially the high-risk ones, and less on contact tracing which has limited effect once community spread occurs. During the mitigation phase, contact tracing will be more focused depending on the advice of the medical experts.
Are we now better prepared for a Pandemic?
Many Singaporeans were hit by SARS in 2003. 238 were diagnosed with the SARS virus and 33 died eventually. About 6,000 people were quarantined. After that bad experience, we started whole-of-government preparations for a flu pandemic. We built on the lessons learnt from the SARS outbreak in 2003.
We set up a national crisis management system to deal with such civil contingencies. I chair a Ministerial Committee comprising Ministers from all key Ministries to coordinate a Whole-of-Government approach to managing the H1N1 outbreak. We are now much better prepared to deal with this pandemic.
What can our residents do?
Now that the H1N1 flu virus has started to spread in the community, we have to be more vigilant. Each of us has an important part to play to slow down the spread of the disease.
We can successfully slow down the spread of H1N1 infections to others if everyone takes adequate precautions. This is what we can do:
• Practise good personal hygiene at all times
• Wash our hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water, especially before touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
• Turn quickly away from anyone near if we are about to cough or sneeze.
• Cover the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid crowded areas or social activities if we are ill.
• See the doctor promptly and wear mask if ill.
• Avoid taking public transport or taxi to minimise exposure.
More information on the H1N1 flu and precautions you can take are found at these government websites:
www.moh.gov.sg
www.crisis.gov.sg/flu
We can minimise the transmission and the number of cases in Singapore if we all play our part and be socially responsible.
In the coming weeks, we may have to postpone some of our large scale community activities as the situation gets worse. We will also buy vaccines when these are tested to be effective in protecting us from the H1N1 virus.
Wishing all of you good health.
WONG KAN SENG
22 June 2009
20 June, 2009
Opening of Bishan Harmony Park
The Bishan Harmony Park at the junction of Braddell Road and Bishan Road was officially opened by DPM and Minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng and his parliamentary colleagues in the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC on Sunday, 14 June 2009.
The MPs who present with DPM Wong were Mayor Zainudin Nordin, Mrs Josephine Teo and Mr Hri Kumar Nair. Minister for Education Dr Ng Eng Hen was unable to attend due to a prior engagement.
Speaking at the official opening of the park, DPM Wong said, “We have named this Bishan Harmony Park because it is what we collectively aspire to build - a vibrant community where all the residents live harmoniously with one another. The park is not just a place for us to relax and enjoy the facilities; it is also a shared communal space for us to foster relationships with our families, friends and neighbours. As the community grows, we can expect to see more new neighbours, both locals and foreigners. This makes it even more important for us to forge neighbourliness within our community.”
DPM Wong added that the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council and grassroots organisations had community bonding in mind when they came up with the concept of the Harmony Park. The park is a modest green lung with space and facilities for residents to take part in a range of activities, thereby further strengthening community bonding.
Facilities in the park
Located along Bishan Road, it is flanked on one side by Block 105 and Braddell Road on the other side. The 25,200 square metre ground offer facilities such as:
a. In-line skating court
b. Skating bowl
c. Garden maze
d. Multi-purpose court
e. Two barbecue pits
f. Three pavilions; and
g. Eight fitness corners
The Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council has also introduced a variety of floral and shrubs to give the park a lush greenery.
A Family Day was held at the park in conjunction with the official opening.
These are the pictures of the official opening and family day:
The MPs who present with DPM Wong were Mayor Zainudin Nordin, Mrs Josephine Teo and Mr Hri Kumar Nair. Minister for Education Dr Ng Eng Hen was unable to attend due to a prior engagement.
Speaking at the official opening of the park, DPM Wong said, “We have named this Bishan Harmony Park because it is what we collectively aspire to build - a vibrant community where all the residents live harmoniously with one another. The park is not just a place for us to relax and enjoy the facilities; it is also a shared communal space for us to foster relationships with our families, friends and neighbours. As the community grows, we can expect to see more new neighbours, both locals and foreigners. This makes it even more important for us to forge neighbourliness within our community.”
DPM Wong added that the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council and grassroots organisations had community bonding in mind when they came up with the concept of the Harmony Park. The park is a modest green lung with space and facilities for residents to take part in a range of activities, thereby further strengthening community bonding.
Facilities in the park
Located along Bishan Road, it is flanked on one side by Block 105 and Braddell Road on the other side. The 25,200 square metre ground offer facilities such as:
a. In-line skating court
b. Skating bowl
c. Garden maze
d. Multi-purpose court
e. Two barbecue pits
f. Three pavilions; and
g. Eight fitness corners
The Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council has also introduced a variety of floral and shrubs to give the park a lush greenery.
A Family Day was held at the park in conjunction with the official opening.
These are the pictures of the official opening and family day:
14 June, 2009
RC Zone 6 Block Party@163 on 30 May 2009
A Residents’ Pot-Luck Block Party was held at the BBQ pit near to Block 163 on the evening of 30 May 2009. DPM Wong Kan Seng was invited to attend the event and mingle with residents. The quiet and peaceful environment was an excellent setting for residents to share with DPM Wong on their thoughts about the coming Neighbourhood Renewal Programme.
During the party, residents made use of the BBQ facilities to prepare and share the cooked food with their neighbours. Residents were also treated to a sumptuous meal of durian as dessert. Here are some photos taken during the block party.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
During the party, residents made use of the BBQ facilities to prepare and share the cooked food with their neighbours. Residents were also treated to a sumptuous meal of durian as dessert. Here are some photos taken during the block party.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
RC Zone 5 Block Party@141 on 30 May 2009
Dear Residents and Friends,
We are pleased to share with you the photos taken during a block party organised on 30 May 2009 at Block 151. The event was graced by DPM Wong Kan Seng. Participants and our young residents were entertained by games, songs and interesting activities. Children queued up eagerly to collect specially crafted balloons while many were intrigued by the skilful artistes who created portrait sketches and silhouette cuttings on the spot. Many residents took this special opportunity to chat with DPM Wong and also to have their photos taken with our Guest of Honour.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
We are pleased to share with you the photos taken during a block party organised on 30 May 2009 at Block 151. The event was graced by DPM Wong Kan Seng. Participants and our young residents were entertained by games, songs and interesting activities. Children queued up eagerly to collect specially crafted balloons while many were intrigued by the skilful artistes who created portrait sketches and silhouette cuttings on the spot. Many residents took this special opportunity to chat with DPM Wong and also to have their photos taken with our Guest of Honour.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
03 June, 2009
RC Zone 4 Block Party@177 on 30 May 2009
Dear Residents and Friends,
The Bishan East Zone 4 RC organised a "Residents' Satay Nite" on the evening of 30 May 2009. The Guest of Honour was none other than our MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, DPM Wong Kang Seng.
Along with the sumptuous satay buffet dinner, residents were serenaded with an interesting medley of oldies and pop songs while children entertained themselves with "longkang" fishing! Enjoy the photos, compliment of Zone 4 RC.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
The Bishan East Zone 4 RC organised a "Residents' Satay Nite" on the evening of 30 May 2009. The Guest of Honour was none other than our MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, DPM Wong Kang Seng.
Along with the sumptuous satay buffet dinner, residents were serenaded with an interesting medley of oldies and pop songs while children entertained themselves with "longkang" fishing! Enjoy the photos, compliment of Zone 4 RC.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
RC Zone 2 Block Visit cum Floor Party@117 on 28 May 09
Dear Residents and Friends,
On the evening of 28 May 2009, our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, DPM Wong Kan Seng, paid a visit to Block 117 in Bishan East Zone 2 RC. Accompanied by the Zone 2 RC Chairman Mr Chia Pen Chuen and fellow grassroots leaders, DPM visited each household to obtain valuable feedbacks from the residents.
The highlight of the evening was a floor party organised at the 23rd storey of the block. Neighbours and residents chipped in generously to hold a pot-luck party and took the opportunity to mingle and interact. Many residents took this opportunity to have photos taken with DPM Wong.
Here are some photos taken during the block visit and the floor party.
..Bishan East Blog Team..
On the evening of 28 May 2009, our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, DPM Wong Kan Seng, paid a visit to Block 117 in Bishan East Zone 2 RC. Accompanied by the Zone 2 RC Chairman Mr Chia Pen Chuen and fellow grassroots leaders, DPM visited each household to obtain valuable feedbacks from the residents.
The highlight of the evening was a floor party organised at the 23rd storey of the block. Neighbours and residents chipped in generously to hold a pot-luck party and took the opportunity to mingle and interact. Many residents took this opportunity to have photos taken with DPM Wong.
Here are some photos taken during the block visit and the floor party.
..Bishan East Blog Team..
31 May, 2009
Changes to the Political System – What does it mean to you?
Our basics are sound
Parliament sat for one week starting from 25 May 2009. Ministers and Members of Parliament debated what we should do in the coming years so that we can emerge from the global economic crisis stronger. A few key priorities were set – enhancing our economic competitiveness, strengthening social cohesion, upgrading our education system, safeguarding our security, enlarging our external space and creating a first class home. In the last 44 years since Independence, we created a strong foundation to pursue these objectives. We can achieve so much because our politics is sound. We must now strengthen it further.
One factor that sets Singapore apart from many countries is that the political leaders in power consciously plan for succession. This has produced a strong, stable and competent government that implemented policies that worked.
But as the world and our society change, our political system must evolve too, so that it remains relevant to our societal context. It should also enable our leaders to stay in close touch with the expectations of our people.
With this as the backdrop, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has announced three significant changes to the political system in Parliament.
First, there will be fewer six-MP GRCs and more Single Member Constituencies at the next General Elections. The average size of the GRCs will also be smaller. Second, the Constitution will be amended to provide for at least nine opposition MPs – either Elected or Non-Constituency MPs. So, if at the next general election, fewer than nine opposition MPs are elected, then the remainder will come from opposition MPs who are among the losers with the highest votes, subject to a limit of two NCMP from each GRC. This will ensure a wider representation of such Non-Constituency MPs. Third, the Nominated MP Scheme will be made permanent.
The changes will bring more diverse voices to Parliament. There will be at least 18 MPs (nine opposition members and nine NMPs) who are not from the ruling party, about one-fifth of Parliament.
Singaporeans want national issues to be more fully debated, and want to participate in this discussion. These are valid expectations. The changes will improve our political system to enable a wider range of views to be debated in Parliament, including opposition and non-government views.
What do these changes mean to you?
These changes are significant, but it also places the responsibility on the people to make decisions which will affect them and their families. What is the significance of these changes? Let me share my thoughts with you.
First, despite the changes, we should bear in mind the importance of and need for a strong government and committed leaders. These remain the most important factors behind our success. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of having a strong government with capable leaders willing to lead and serve the country. Looking at the world today, it is not difficult to see examples of how weak political leadership can drive a country to disorder and bring hardship to the people.
The quality and commitment of leaders is also felt in our community. Every constituency is served by MPs elected by the voters there. MPs have three responsibilities: look after their constituencies, represent voters in Parliament, and form a government to run the country if their Party has the majority of MPs. MPs have to do their best in these three areas and work hard to serve their residents and so as win their support.
Secondly, whatever the political system we have or how we improve it, it will only work well if the people choose their leaders wisely. There are enough examples in other countries to show how a wrong choice of MPs and government make life quite tough for the people. Indeed if we do not have a competent MP and dedicated volunteers looking after our community, our living environment will deteriorate.
So, the upshot of the political changes is this: Notwithstanding the changes, your role and responsibility as a voter have not changed. Your decision plays a direct role in shaping the community and building Singapore’s future.
WONG KAN SENG
31 May 2009
Our community, Our future
Parliament sat for one week starting from 25 May 2009. Ministers and Members of Parliament debated what we should do in the coming years so that we can emerge from the global economic crisis stronger. A few key priorities were set – enhancing our economic competitiveness, strengthening social cohesion, upgrading our education system, safeguarding our security, enlarging our external space and creating a first class home. In the last 44 years since Independence, we created a strong foundation to pursue these objectives. We can achieve so much because our politics is sound. We must now strengthen it further.
One factor that sets Singapore apart from many countries is that the political leaders in power consciously plan for succession. This has produced a strong, stable and competent government that implemented policies that worked.
But as the world and our society change, our political system must evolve too, so that it remains relevant to our societal context. It should also enable our leaders to stay in close touch with the expectations of our people.
With this as the backdrop, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has announced three significant changes to the political system in Parliament.
First, there will be fewer six-MP GRCs and more Single Member Constituencies at the next General Elections. The average size of the GRCs will also be smaller. Second, the Constitution will be amended to provide for at least nine opposition MPs – either Elected or Non-Constituency MPs. So, if at the next general election, fewer than nine opposition MPs are elected, then the remainder will come from opposition MPs who are among the losers with the highest votes, subject to a limit of two NCMP from each GRC. This will ensure a wider representation of such Non-Constituency MPs. Third, the Nominated MP Scheme will be made permanent.
The changes will bring more diverse voices to Parliament. There will be at least 18 MPs (nine opposition members and nine NMPs) who are not from the ruling party, about one-fifth of Parliament.
Singaporeans want national issues to be more fully debated, and want to participate in this discussion. These are valid expectations. The changes will improve our political system to enable a wider range of views to be debated in Parliament, including opposition and non-government views.
What do these changes mean to you?
These changes are significant, but it also places the responsibility on the people to make decisions which will affect them and their families. What is the significance of these changes? Let me share my thoughts with you.
First, despite the changes, we should bear in mind the importance of and need for a strong government and committed leaders. These remain the most important factors behind our success. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of having a strong government with capable leaders willing to lead and serve the country. Looking at the world today, it is not difficult to see examples of how weak political leadership can drive a country to disorder and bring hardship to the people.
The quality and commitment of leaders is also felt in our community. Every constituency is served by MPs elected by the voters there. MPs have three responsibilities: look after their constituencies, represent voters in Parliament, and form a government to run the country if their Party has the majority of MPs. MPs have to do their best in these three areas and work hard to serve their residents and so as win their support.
Secondly, whatever the political system we have or how we improve it, it will only work well if the people choose their leaders wisely. There are enough examples in other countries to show how a wrong choice of MPs and government make life quite tough for the people. Indeed if we do not have a competent MP and dedicated volunteers looking after our community, our living environment will deteriorate.
So, the upshot of the political changes is this: Notwithstanding the changes, your role and responsibility as a voter have not changed. Your decision plays a direct role in shaping the community and building Singapore’s future.
WONG KAN SENG
31 May 2009
Our community, Our future
21 May, 2009
Toa Payoh Block 127 Market Visit
Dear Residents and friends,
During your market trip last weekend, you may have noticed an unusual bustle at the market at Toa Payoh market block 127. That's because the five Members of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC dropped by at Toa Payoh Block 125, 126 and 128 for a market visit. The MPs were warmly received by the stall-holders and residents who were doing their shopping or having breakfast. Many residents took this unique opportunity to have their photos taken with the MPs. Can you spot your faces in the photos and video clip?
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
During your market trip last weekend, you may have noticed an unusual bustle at the market at Toa Payoh market block 127. That's because the five Members of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC dropped by at Toa Payoh Block 125, 126 and 128 for a market visit. The MPs were warmly received by the stall-holders and residents who were doing their shopping or having breakfast. Many residents took this unique opportunity to have their photos taken with the MPs. Can you spot your faces in the photos and video clip?
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
Bishan East Zone 6 Neighbourhood Renewal Programme
Dear Residents and friends,
The Bishan East Community Club Multi-Purpose Hall bustled with excitement and activity on a balmy Thursday evening on 14 May 2009. During the Townhall Meeting, our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, DPM Wong Kan Seng, shared with residents from Bishan East Zone 6 on the sample poll results for the survey conducted on the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP). Not surprisingly, the majority of the residents welcomed the programme. We were also pleasantly surprised that many residents were supporters of the green movement who hoped that minimum number of trees would be removed in the NRP!
During the Townhall meeting, the architect and the Town Council presented many new and exciting features for the proposed Neighbourhood Renewal Programme. One notable proposal is to create an Adventure Park, as well as ground-breaking structures such as a Marina Barrage look-alike exercise platform. Our residents can look forward to many more facilities that could enhance their overall living environment.
Here are some photographs taken during the Townhall meeting. Enjoy!
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
The Bishan East Community Club Multi-Purpose Hall bustled with excitement and activity on a balmy Thursday evening on 14 May 2009. During the Townhall Meeting, our Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, DPM Wong Kan Seng, shared with residents from Bishan East Zone 6 on the sample poll results for the survey conducted on the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP). Not surprisingly, the majority of the residents welcomed the programme. We were also pleasantly surprised that many residents were supporters of the green movement who hoped that minimum number of trees would be removed in the NRP!
During the Townhall meeting, the architect and the Town Council presented many new and exciting features for the proposed Neighbourhood Renewal Programme. One notable proposal is to create an Adventure Park, as well as ground-breaking structures such as a Marina Barrage look-alike exercise platform. Our residents can look forward to many more facilities that could enhance their overall living environment.
Here are some photographs taken during the Townhall meeting. Enjoy!
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
19 May, 2009
Singapore Day 2009
Singapore Day 2009 was held in Londay on 25 April 2009. 12,000 overseas Singaporeans gathered at the Hampton Court Palace in London to soak in the Singapore experience. The Guest-of-Honour was our Member of Parliament Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs.
More information on Singapore Day 2009 can be found here:
http://www.overseassingaporean.sg/cms/index.php/portal/sgday2009
These are some pictures of the event:
(Pictures courtesy of the Overseas Singaporean Unit)
Do you know of any Bishan East resident currently working, studying or living overseas? If you do, can you drop us an email at bepap@singnet.com.sg so that we can invite them to write about their overseas experience?
More information on Singapore Day 2009 can be found here:
http://www.overseassingaporean.sg/cms/index.php/portal/sgday2009
These are some pictures of the event:
(Pictures courtesy of the Overseas Singaporean Unit)
Do you know of any Bishan East resident currently working, studying or living overseas? If you do, can you drop us an email at bepap@singnet.com.sg so that we can invite them to write about their overseas experience?
12 May, 2009
RC Zone 1 Block Visit@107 on 7 May 09
Dear Residents and Friends,
DPM Wong Kan Seng visited Block 107 in Bishan East Zone 1 RC on the evening of 7 May 2009 and was warmly received by you at the doorstep. Many enthusiastic and excited residents took this opportunity to share with DPM Wong your valuable feedback to improve the living environment and a number of other important issues.
During the block visit, we were pleasantly surprised to come across a sizeable number of overseas families who live in your block. They came to Singapore either to work or study. Some came from just across our border Malaysia while some came from as far as China, India and exotic Myanmar!
I know all of you are looking forward to this blog posting and can't wait to find your faces in the photos taken with DPM Wong! We hope you'll find photos that you like in the photo album below. Feel free to download and share them with your loved ones.
..Bishan East Blog Team..
DPM Wong Kan Seng visited Block 107 in Bishan East Zone 1 RC on the evening of 7 May 2009 and was warmly received by you at the doorstep. Many enthusiastic and excited residents took this opportunity to share with DPM Wong your valuable feedback to improve the living environment and a number of other important issues.
During the block visit, we were pleasantly surprised to come across a sizeable number of overseas families who live in your block. They came to Singapore either to work or study. Some came from just across our border Malaysia while some came from as far as China, India and exotic Myanmar!
I know all of you are looking forward to this blog posting and can't wait to find your faces in the photos taken with DPM Wong! We hope you'll find photos that you like in the photo album below. Feel free to download and share them with your loved ones.
..Bishan East Blog Team..
26 April, 2009
Community Emergency Preparedness Programme-Sunday 26 April 2009
Dear Residents and Friends,
If you do not already know by now, there is a Community Emergency and Engagement Committee (C2E) in Bishan East divison. Just a little background. The C2E is a new community Emergency Preparedness (EP) Unit formed in each constituency through the merger of the existing Emergency Preparedness Group (EPG) and Civil Defence Executive Committee (CDEC). The group is made up of dedicated volunteers and residents who would be called upon when peacetime emergencies or wartime emergencies occur.
To equip our community volunteers with the important skills to manage such emergencies, the C2E, supported by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), conducted a one-day introductory course on Sunday, 26 April 2009. Training modules on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), fires safety and casualty evacuation, emergency procedures and unconventional threats were delivered to provide our community leaders with some insight and understanding.
Photos Taken During the Training
During the hands-on sessions, our grass root leaders learn how to perform simple first aid bandaging to stop bleeding and to immobilise fractures. They also practised CPR on dummies and learnt how to manage unconscious casualties.
If you are interested to pick up such useful life-saving skills and play a part within the C2E, please feel free to approach the Bishan East Community Club for more information.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
If you do not already know by now, there is a Community Emergency and Engagement Committee (C2E) in Bishan East divison. Just a little background. The C2E is a new community Emergency Preparedness (EP) Unit formed in each constituency through the merger of the existing Emergency Preparedness Group (EPG) and Civil Defence Executive Committee (CDEC). The group is made up of dedicated volunteers and residents who would be called upon when peacetime emergencies or wartime emergencies occur.
To equip our community volunteers with the important skills to manage such emergencies, the C2E, supported by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), conducted a one-day introductory course on Sunday, 26 April 2009. Training modules on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), fires safety and casualty evacuation, emergency procedures and unconventional threats were delivered to provide our community leaders with some insight and understanding.
Photos Taken During the Training
During the hands-on sessions, our grass root leaders learn how to perform simple first aid bandaging to stop bleeding and to immobilise fractures. They also practised CPR on dummies and learnt how to manage unconscious casualties.
If you are interested to pick up such useful life-saving skills and play a part within the C2E, please feel free to approach the Bishan East Community Club for more information.
..The Bishan East Blog Team..
21 April, 2009
Bishan East Block Parties on 18 and 19 April
The six Residents’ Committees (RCs) in Bishan East organised a series of block parties for residents on 18 and 19 April. More than 400 residents attended these events held over the weekend.
DPM and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, the MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, attended all the block parties and interacted with the residents.
A highlight of the block parties was the lift upgrading announcement for Block 135 to 138 Bishan Street 12.
When the time comes for voting, at least 75% of the eligible residents at blocks 135 to 138 must vote “yes” so that lift upgrading can be carried out.
Lift upgrading is part of a broad plan to renew Bishan East. Apart from the external environment being improved, a total of 90 blocks in Bishan have already voted for lift upgrading. Lift upgrading has been completed in half of them (45 blocks) and the rest are currently under construction.
Lift upgrading brings many benefits to residents. With lift upgrading, the residents will enjoy the convenience of direct lift access to every floor and the elderly will not need to walk up and down flights of stairs. During his house-to-house visits to the blocks which have completed the LUP, residents told Mr Wong that they are very happy with the lift upgrading.
In the coming weeks, the Bishan East Blog team will write about how lift upgrading was extensively carried out in Bishan East in the past few years. We will also share with you the feedback from residents who have had their lifts upgraded.
Other than the block parties, the Bishan Community Club’s Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee (SCEC) also organised two events. On Saturday evening, more than 300 members of the special interest groups of the SCEC gathered for a sumptuous dinner. On Sunday, the SCEC hosted a lunch for 270 residents from five welfare homes, two senior activity centres and two family services centres as part of the Kindness Week 2009.
Until the next blog update, enjoy the photographs that we have taken. Please feel free to download and share them with your family and friends.
Bishan East Blog team
******
Enjoy the Photo!
18 April 09 (Saturday)
Bishan East Zone 3 RC Block Party @ Block 196, Bishan Street 13
Bishan East Zone 5 RC Block Party @ Block 136, Bishan Street 12
Bishan East Zone 1 RC Resident’s Party @ Amphitheatre at Block 507, Bishan Street 11
Bishan Community Club Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee’s “Interest Groups Interactive Bonding Night”
19 April 09 (Sunday)
Bishan East Zone 4 RC Breakfast Party @ Block 181, Bishan Street 13
Bishan East Zone 6 RC Block Party @ Block 156 Bishan Street 13
Bishan East Zone 2 RC Breakfast Party @ Block 134, Bishan Street 12
Bishan Community Club Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee hosted lunch to welfare home residents
DPM and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, the MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, attended all the block parties and interacted with the residents.
A highlight of the block parties was the lift upgrading announcement for Block 135 to 138 Bishan Street 12.
When the time comes for voting, at least 75% of the eligible residents at blocks 135 to 138 must vote “yes” so that lift upgrading can be carried out.
Lift upgrading is part of a broad plan to renew Bishan East. Apart from the external environment being improved, a total of 90 blocks in Bishan have already voted for lift upgrading. Lift upgrading has been completed in half of them (45 blocks) and the rest are currently under construction.
Lift upgrading brings many benefits to residents. With lift upgrading, the residents will enjoy the convenience of direct lift access to every floor and the elderly will not need to walk up and down flights of stairs. During his house-to-house visits to the blocks which have completed the LUP, residents told Mr Wong that they are very happy with the lift upgrading.
In the coming weeks, the Bishan East Blog team will write about how lift upgrading was extensively carried out in Bishan East in the past few years. We will also share with you the feedback from residents who have had their lifts upgraded.
Other than the block parties, the Bishan Community Club’s Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee (SCEC) also organised two events. On Saturday evening, more than 300 members of the special interest groups of the SCEC gathered for a sumptuous dinner. On Sunday, the SCEC hosted a lunch for 270 residents from five welfare homes, two senior activity centres and two family services centres as part of the Kindness Week 2009.
Until the next blog update, enjoy the photographs that we have taken. Please feel free to download and share them with your family and friends.
Bishan East Blog team
******
Enjoy the Photo!
18 April 09 (Saturday)
Bishan East Zone 3 RC Block Party @ Block 196, Bishan Street 13
Bishan East Zone 5 RC Block Party @ Block 136, Bishan Street 12
Bishan East Zone 1 RC Resident’s Party @ Amphitheatre at Block 507, Bishan Street 11
Bishan Community Club Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee’s “Interest Groups Interactive Bonding Night”
19 April 09 (Sunday)
Bishan East Zone 4 RC Breakfast Party @ Block 181, Bishan Street 13
Bishan East Zone 6 RC Block Party @ Block 156 Bishan Street 13
Bishan East Zone 2 RC Breakfast Party @ Block 134, Bishan Street 12
Bishan Community Club Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee hosted lunch to welfare home residents
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