Compassion should start in our own backyard: Chuan-Jin

SINGAPORE — While Singaporeans may seek to help the needy in other countries, they should not forget the underprivileged in their own backyards, said newly-appointed Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin.

Mr Tan, who took over the portfolio last month, reminded some 200 students at Ngee Ann Polytechnic today (May 25) that there are many members of Singapore’s society who are struggling.

“In our own neighbourhood, there are those who need help, and there are things we can do, even at the very simple level. We don’t need to go to another country to repair villages and help the poor,” he said.

He made these remarks during a 50-minute forum, which was part of a seminar themed “What will you give up for a better society?”, organised by Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Aimed at encouraging students to build a better society, it features speakers from social enterprises and organisations.

In his opening remarks, Mr Tan said that the Government cannot mandate a compassionate and caring society, but these are values essential for building a great nation.

“It is not just about economic success. Deep down, building a great nation is about having the right values. This defines who we are, it is about our soul. These are things you cannot mandate. If a nation doesn’t care, but is just being driven by individual ambition and materialism, I’m not sure if the basis of that nation will last very long,” he said.

In response to a question from the floor about what Mr Tan, in his new capacity, plans to do to help families who are struggling financially, the minister said that he would direct efforts more “upstream”, and in doing so, try to prevent social problems before they can occur.

The reasons families end up in difficult financial situations are varied, ranging from divorce, incarceration, drug addiction and overspending, and there is no “one size fits all” solution.

One example of dealing with the problem “upstream” would be to reach out to young children from broken families and support them as they grow, to give them a fighting chance to take a different path as an adult.

Asked whether the casinos at the Integrated Resorts (IRs) have brought more social ills into the Republic, Mr Tan said the decision to introduce IRs here was a necessary “judgement call” on the part of the Government to serve as an economic anchor in the region.

“Even without the IRs, people will find a way to gamble if they want to gamble — like going on online gambling sites, or going to neighbouring countries,” he said. The key is to manage the numbers, he said, citing the entry levy for Singaporeans and permanent residents as one measure.

Responding to a question on whether Singapore’s economic growth has compromised society’s ability to be compassionate, Mr Tan said that economic progress does not preclude being compassionate.

“As a country, we can’t choose to slow down, because this will affect our economy and we will be left behind as our neighbours move forward. But caring for one another is a choice — whether we are prepared to sacrifice the time to reach out to someone,” the minister said.

After the session, Mr Tan also joined participants in signing pledges to contribute towards a better society. In his pledge, the minister wrote: “I will do what I can to help those who need help and build a more caring society.”

The seminar ends on Friday.