Speech by Minister Desmond Lee at the Launch of HDB Community Week 2021
Jul 24, 2021
A very good morning to CEO of HDB Mr Tan Meng Dui, to colleagues, to friends and to partners. I am very glad to join you for this year’s launch of HDB Community Week.
We couldn’t hold the Community Week last year because of COVID-19. But as the video shown earlier attested to, many people stepped forward in our heartlands, in our communities, all over Singapore, on their own, with their neighbours, with the community, with organisations. They stepped forward and made a difference, to help those impacted by COVID-19. So I’m glad that we are bringing it back this year, virtually. Because strong communities are very important for our social well-being, especially during challenging times like this pandemic. And our HDB heartlands are where some of our strongest community bonds are forged.
During this Community Week, we want to give thanks and to appreciate the many people who have made a difference in our communities in the last one and a half years.
Impact of COVID-19
COVID-19 has been a very difficult time for all of us. Just two days ago, we had to return to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) again, for the second time this year. The latest tightening of restrictions was needed to protect Singaporeans from the recent clusters of cases, but I know that it may still feel frustrating for many of us. So I thank you all for your patience and understanding, as we continue to make our way out of this pandemic together.
Indeed, COVID-19 has brought us all sorts of stresses and strains – for individuals, families, and communities. Some may have lost their jobs or suffered a drop in income, and may worry about how they will support their families. Others may feel more isolated, as restrictions on social activities make it harder to spend time with family and friends.
In our HDB heartlands where the majority of people live, stresses may arise because we all spend more time at home, as work-from-home remains a norm, and dining outside continues to be restricted from time to time. Your neighbour may need to carry out renovations, while you are taking important work meetings at home. Or your family may be affected by second-hand smoke, in your HDB block or precinct.
We understand that these situations can be challenging. Where we can, our Government agencies do our best to provide support.
For example, to address the impact of second-hand smoke, our Town Councils, HDB, and NEA work together to advise those who smoke to exercise more consideration for their neighbours. Those who smoke in common areas like corridors and stairways can also be penalised.
As for noise issues due to renovations, HDB requires flat owners and contractors to notify surrounding neighbours of upcoming works. In partnership with HDB, the Municipal Services Office, or MSO, has gone further to enhance the OneService App, and it now proactively alerts HDB residents of upcoming renovations in their block ahead of time. Those who need alternative work or study spaces can approach HDB. In some cases, they may also apply to return to their office to work.
But ultimately, good neighbourliness and strong communities are still the most critical ingredients to help residents overcome disagreements and find common ground. As we continue to adapt to living in this pandemic, let’s communicate more with our neighbours, the people next to us, build trust, and exercise some give-and-take. So that we can look for more win-win solutions together, and maintain a pleasant and harmonious living environment for everyone.
Community Support for Vulnerable Households
Strong community bonds are especially important in supporting our vulnerable households, who have been hit hardest by COVID-19. Low-income families, for instance, whose livelihoods have been affected. As well as our seniors, particularly those who live alone, who face the highest risk of social isolation.
Throughout this pandemic, community groups and Government agencies have worked closely in partnership, to reach out to these vulnerable households and to offer support.
For example, since 2018, we have established the SG Cares Community Networks, which bring together Government agencies, social service organisations, community stakeholders, and volunteer groups within each HDB town, to discuss social needs and to address them together. Last year, with the onset of COVID-19, the Networks galvanised, reached out proactively to some 50,000 lower-income households in rental housing, to find out how they were doing and provide assistance where needed.
For our seniors, we check in on them regularly, with the help of the Silver Generation Ambassadors from our Silver Generation Office. Last year, our Ambassadors reached out to about 20,000 seniors during the Circuit Breaker period, to make sure they did not feel too isolated, and help them with groceries, meals and other errands. Now, we are stepping up our efforts to get our seniors vaccinated quickly.
And there are many other community initiatives that have welled up all over Singapore, as Singaporeans have stepped up to the challenge, to support those in need.
HDB Community Week
So as we celebrate HDB Community Week, I hope that all of us can continue to play our part to strengthen our communities, especially at this time, and lend our support to those around us.
In our HDB heartlands, there are many ways to get involved, and help to shape the home that you would like to live in.
Today, we want to honour and celebrate our many HDB residents who have done precisely that.
Lively Places Challenge
For example, under HDB’s Lively Places Challenge, 650 residents initiated 60 projects across eight HDB towns, seeking out unmet needs in their neighbourhoods, and mobilising many helping hands across the community to address these needs.
One of them is our Toa Payoh resident, Mr Xavier Toh, who, with other like-minded individuals, wanted to bring residents of all ages together. After conducting a survey of residents, they designed a four-in-one community incubator at their void deck, which they called ‘Kampong Kakis’. The space hosts many interesting features: An art gallery that showcases the works of pre-schoolers in their neighbourhood; a dedicated space for social gatherings; an indoor hydroponics system that has harvested some 220 kilograms of vegetables since operations started in December 2020; and a food vending machine that dispenses items such as rice and biscuits for less privileged families in their community. Well done to the team for this exciting initiative, and for packing so much goodness into that space.
For the 2020 Lively Places Challenge, over 31,000 residents across Singapore benefitted from 14 winning projects. We will announce the winners in a short while, but I would like to congratulate them in advance.
We see great potential for these ground-up projects to take flight all over our island.
Therefore, I am happy to announce that HDB will set aside another $1.5 million to support such efforts across all our HDB towns.
Friends of the Heartlands
Another group of people who embody the HDB community spirit is our Friends of the Heartlands. This network has drawn close to 12,000 volunteers since we launched it in 2017. They have helped to rally communities to be gracious to one another, and to build consensus on neighbourhood improvement works.
Today, we would like to recognise the efforts of some 700 partners who will receive a Certificate of Appreciation and the Friends of the Heartlands Award. They comprise both organisations and individuals who have contributed significantly towards community-building in the heartlands.
Among them, we have students from Singapore Polytechnic, who conducted virtual workshops for residents in Punggol and Tampines, to raise awareness on the importance of personal hygiene and encourage eco-living in the heartlands. They guided residents on making hand sanitiser holders and mask embroidery, which were then distributed to seniors and other residents in the local community. A very big thank you to the team for your hard work!
Then there is Mdm Tan Ha Eng, one of our Gold Award winners today. Mdm Tan is 73 years old, and has been a volunteer with us since 2014. Most recently, she led students and seniors on tours which showcase the green innovations and eco-features that are unique to Punggol. Mdm Tan said that she hopes to continue sharing these special features with fellow Singaporeans, and make new friends along the way. By sharing their time, wisdom and experience with their communities, seniors like Mdm Tan can inspire both their peers and younger generations, while staying active and healthy at the same time. Thank you Mdm Tan for your contributions and for your efforts.
HDB Community Art Project
As a symbol of all these community efforts, and how they come together to shape life in our heartlands, we also embarked on a Community Art Project last year.
More than 3,000 people contributed their artworks. Along with our partner SG Enable, and our friends from TOUCH, MINDS, Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, the Down Syndrome Association and Metta Welfare Association. I would like to thank all of you for your enthusiastic participation.
Thank you as well to master artist Mr. Sun Yu-li, for curating the individual artworks into one holistic vision.
You can check out the digital art installation, and a montage on how the masterpiece came together, on HDB’s website. There, you will also find stories of all the other Lively Places Challenge winners and outstanding Friends of the Heartlands volunteers.
Conclusion
All of us have a part to play in ensuring that our HDB heartlands remain inclusive and diverse communities, where we can forge strong bonds with one another, regardless of our different backgrounds and abilities.
As we celebrate the efforts of our residents and volunteers throughout HDB’s Community Week, I hope that their stories will inspire new ideas, and motivate all of us to do even more to build thriving communities in our HDB heartlands.
Beyond the initiatives that I mentioned earlier, there are many other ways for you to contribute to your community.
You can volunteer with Community Link, or ComLink, which supports families with children living in rental housing. We are rolling out ComLink to all 14,000 such families nationwide over the next 3 years. ComLink will put families at the centre, and bring together Government agencies and community groups in a coordinated way, to support these families in addressing their complex and interlocking challenges. We need many volunteers to befriend these families and journey with them, as they take concrete steps to improve their circumstances.
Or you can volunteer with our PEERS Network, which stands for Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers. They regularly reach out to and befriend rough sleepers, to understand and lighten their burdens, and help them find refuge in shelters, as they work to resolving their issues and finding their home again.
Or you can take part in one of our Alliances for Action, or AfAs, which are citizen-led groups, supported by the Government, that grapple with a range of different social issues – from taking care of youth mental wellness, to helping to uplift wages and support the well-being of our lower-wage workers.
All these efforts are part of our Singapore Together movement, which aims to unite Singaporeans, not just to discuss our hopes and fears, but also to take real action so that we can continue to tackle complex social challenges, support each other, especially our most vulnerable, and build a more caring, just, and equal society together.
And as part of HDB Community Week, this is an important call to action for us in our heartlands all across Singapore to join hands, take action, roll up our sleeves and combine our efforts to make a difference. I look forward to your continued contributions. Thank you and have a good HDB Community Week.