Singapore - Community Development Councils (CDCs) will face greater challenges in maintaining social cohesion as Singapore becomes increasingly cosmopolitan.
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said this at the CDCs‘ 10th anniversary dinner on Friday.
CDCs have brought different groups of people together.
But Senior Minister Goh warned that as Singapore undergoes further changes, new challenges to community cohesion will become more prominent.
This includes the erosion of trust between new and old immigrants as society becomes more diverse.
Mr Goh said, "In Marine Parade, I hold a reception every year to welcome new residents. I observed that the new residents did not mix easily with Singaporeans. Singaporeans also tended to leave them alone.
"If we do not make an effort to integrate the new immigrants, there would be more ‘hunkering down‘ and a decline in social cohesion as more new citizens and PRs move into our housing estates."
Senior Minister Goh said that going forward, the CDCs should encourage more interaction between and within different groups in society - people of different races, religion and income, for example.
CDCs should also make an extra effort to welcome new citizens and foreigners into the community.
Mr Goh also urged CDCs to help bridge the gap between the different income and age groups.
However, he acknowledged that the CDCs have come a long way since they were formed a decade ago.
This journey and the stories of the people who have helped shaped the CDCs, are captured in a commemorative book, which was launched at the dinner.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com (17 November 2007)
