Allow space for active citizenry to develop on its own

In his commentary “Getting community engagement right” (Oct 21), Mr Chirag Agarwal raised some interesting points about how citizen engagement could provide more effective solutions, help the public better understand the complexities of policymaking and accord the Government greater legitimacy.

Occasionally, however, the Government should also disengage and allow space for active citizenry to develop on its own.

At the College of Alice and Peter Tan, National University of Singapore, there are many self-initiated projects such as tie-ups with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and various communities, like schools.

One of the highlights is the CAPT Symposium, which brings together university students from the region to exchange ideas and perspectives on a range of community engagement topics.

There is also the Soap for Hope initiative, which partners NUS students with schools and NGOs such as HealthServe to recycle soap and distribute reconstituted soap bars to migrant workers in Singapore.

The Government has fretted about how to build a harmonious, gracious society. Such self-directed initiatives could hold the key to solving some of the social and environmental problems Singapore faces.

Additionally, the high degree of autonomy in the planning and execution of these activities gives participants confidence and a sense of accomplishment as a valuable member of the community.

While it is good that the Government is doing more to engage citizens in policymaking, not every issue requires a policy from the top down or even one with bottom-up input.

Sometimes, it is best to leave the community to itself and watch it develop into a proactive player in nation building.