SINGAPORE : Finance Minister and People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for Jurong Group Representation Constituency (GRC), Tharman Shanmugratnam, has emphasised that self-help groups like SINDA will only achieve a "win-win" solution when they work closely with the government and community.
He also stressed that it is naive to think that a system which rests on race-blind national initiatives can achieve the same level of improvement for the different communities.
Mr Tharman was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his campaign in Jurong GRC on Thursday.
Mr
Tharman, who is also the chairman of the SINDA Board of Trustees, said:
"If it is purely race-based self-help groups, it will end up being a
little divisive. If it is purely a government, you miss out on a touch
that is necessary, the human touch and the emotional connection to
motivate people, especially those in the disadvantaged situation. That
is the reality.
"Working in partnership with the government and
working in partnership with the community and now increasingly working
in partnership with Narpani, and the grassroots organisations, we have
learnt a lot as to what works and what does not work. But one thing is
very clear - being Indian helps, being Indian is a tremendous advantage
when you approach an Indian family, when you want to motivate the kids,
because they see in you something that is possible.
"We get our
successful young people, those who are doing well in ITE, those who are
doing well in JC, we get them to join us and be the motivators. And it
would be different if they were not Indians.
"Likewise in the
Malay community, it would be different if we did not have Malay
volunteers there, showing the way as role models, and that is the human
reality all around the world, and to deny it is naive, and suggests that
you are out of touch. I want to say this not because of politics, I
want to say this to make sure it succeeds."
- CNA/ms