Safra to have 7th clubhouse in northwest of S’pore

SINGAPORE — A new Safra clubhouse, the seventh, would be built in the northwestern part of Singapore, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said at the official opening of the sixth Safra club in Punggol on Thursday (Nov 24).

And as Singapore marks 50 years of National Service and the 45th anniversary of Safra National Service Association next year, there are plans to have Safra Tampines club undergo upgrading works as well.

The new Safra Punggol, located near Sam Kee LRT station, cost S$64.4 million and has facilities catering to young families such as an indoor water playground, party rooms and a bicycle rental kiosk. When its new facility for water activities opens by March next year, patrons will be able to rent kayaks and paddle along Punggol Waterway.

The club has energy- and water-efficient features and already had its soft launch this April. Each month, it sees more than 150,000 visitors.

In his speech, Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, added that Safra could help strengthen the psychological and social defence of Singaporeans, even as the Singapore Armed Forces, the Home Team and other national security agencies take care of military and civil defence.

Safra clubhouses, Safra Radio and the NS Resort and Country Club would work with the Singapore Armed Forces to raise capacity to host more than 700 cohesion events next year, he said. The events will benefit more than 80,000 NSmen. At the moment, Safra clubs host more than 500 SAF-unit cohesion events yearly for more than 60,000 NSmen.

Joining Mr Teo at Safra Punggol’s opening on Thursday were Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Second Minister for Defence Ong Ye Kung, Senior Minister of State for Defence Mohamad Maliki Osman and about 500 other guests.