An inclusive society is achievable in next decade: DPM Tharman

By Sara Grosse, Channel NewsAsia, 14 Apr 2012

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said an inclusive society is achievable in the next 10 years.

He was speaking to youths at the MENDAKI Youth Symposium on Saturday to mark the Malay/Muslim self-help group's 30th anniversary celebrations.

Mr Tharman said the government is putting in place various policies and investing in training to raise productivity levels, to ensure that all Singaporeans, and not just those at the top, benefit from economic growth.

But he stressed that this is not just an economic strategy, but a social strategy as well.

He explained that if Singapore does not have a competitive and dynamic economy where everyone can do well and move up socially, it's very hard to achieve social cohesion.

Mr Tharman also urged youths at the symposium to volunteer and help the less fortunate.

This, he said, can go a long way in helping the less fortunate in the community level up.

Mr Tharman said: "When someone else spends time and effort to help when they needn't do it, the person receiving the help often changes and wants to do well and wants to live up to expectations. Small little acts on the ground, when you add it all up, feeds on itself. It becomes a culture of helping and a culture of responding to help which is extremely important. It's not all about government schemes, or about redistribution... it's also about culture."

The symposium also aims to address issues that may contribute to the Malay/Muslim community's outlook in the 21st century.

Themed "Garnering Generational Dividend", the symposium also featured presentations by three speakers to promote a culture of "Pass It On" by sharing ideas.

Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said: "We have started Community Leaders' Forum (CLF) Labs, and we have created a lot of opportunities within MENDAKI but I think we should also look at opportunities at the national level to really help the community to leapfrog in whatever way that you can. In this case, it's about building the next generation of young people who are not trapped in the old problems, but who can look forward to the kind of opportunities that Singapore would create for Singaporeans."

MENDAKI will hold a festival in June to share learning opportunities with the community.