Joining Hands For A Good Cause

In a multi-racial society like Singapore , racial harmony is the result of conscious and concerted efforts by everyone. By fostering friendships among the different races and religions, we hope to build a united and resilient nation that is able to withstand any external threats. Queenstown Grassroots Organisations(GROs) recognised the importance of building this network in the community through inter-religious collaborations.

About the Project

On 19 August 2007 , a loud explosion was heard near Mujahidin Mosque and fire spread rapidly. A number of pedestrian were injured. Immediately, staff from the mosque rushed to put out the fire. They were accompanied by staff from the nearby Sri Muneeswaran Temple and Church of the Blessed Sacrament who helped to evacuate the victims.

Organised by Queenstown Queens Way Zone RC and Queenstown Meiling RC, the above scenario was part of an emergency exercise held during the Emergency Preparedness(EP) Day on 19 August 2008 . Four religious organisations participated in the exercise.

Project's Impact

Representatives of the religious organisations said in an interview with Lianhe

Zaobao published on 20 August 2007 :

Through inter-religious cooperation, we can connect and bond the different races and religious groups.

Mr Muhd Khairul Jameel, Chairman of Mujahidin Mosque

Through such activity, we make friends with the representatives from other religious organisations and also acquire knowledge on what to do and how to evacuate when an emergency strikes us.

Safe Escape!

Isn't it comforting to know that the people around you adhere to Fire Safety Dos and Don'ts and were trained in fire fighting and first aid? Residents of Kampong Glam constituency can rest assured that they will not be obstructed by goods which are stacked up along the common corridor when they have to run for their lives.

About the Project

Kampong Glam is one of the constituencies with the highest number of shop houses. Residents were concerned about the hazards posed by the shop houses in the estate as there were some cases of fire incidents. This prompted the Grassroots Organisations(GROs) to educate shop owners on fire safety and to train them on fire fighting and first aid.

Last year, the Kampong Glam CDEC conducted an Emergency Preparedness(EP) Day with a scenario of a shop house on fire, followed by an evacuation exercise. The GROs also worked with the Singapore Civil Defence Force to design a brochure on fire safety and outdoor display guidelines for the shopkeepers.

Project's Impact

The shop owners are very cooperative and now they know how to fire fight and evacuate safely in case of emergency.

Mr Tay Kerk Khong, PBM, Chairman of Kampong Glam CDEC

_____________________________

Watch Your Moves

More eyes are on the neighbourhood. Chong Pang I-watch patrols the estate weekly.

About the Project

During house to house visits, a few residents who had recently moved into the estate shared their woes with the Adviser and his entourage. They were harassed by unlicensed money lenders though they had not borrowed money from them.

On 1 September 2007 , Chong Pang Grassroots Organisations(GROs) decided to form an “Interactive” Watch, or I-watch in short. The 15-members team, comprising grassroots leaders and residents, went around the neighbourhood once every week to look out for suspicious characters. When they came across graffiti on the walls, they alerted the Town Council to repaint the walls. I-watch members also visited the affected units to show their concern.

Project's Impact

Residents feel comfortable when we share with them our action plan and they are more confident when they know that we are there to help. Most importantly, we can exchange views with the residents and help to ease their unpleasant experience.

_____________________________


Zhenghua LRT Patrol Team on the Go

The threat of terror remains real. There has been a continuous spate of attacks on transport system and other public facilities worldwide and Singapore was not spared from the threat. We should continue to remind ourselves that trans-national terrorism is an ever-present danger.

About the Project

Concerned about the rising threat of terrorism, Zhenghua CDEC conducted an internal vulnerability study of their constituency. They felt that an attack on the transport system, such as the LRT, would have the most disruptive and debilitating consequence.

With support from SMRT, the Zhenghua CDEC set up a LRT patrol team to patrol the LRT stations within the constituency. Comprising 20 members, the patrol team look out for suspicious objects and character when they patrol the stations.

Project's Impact

With the combined effort of Zhenghua CDEC and residents, we hope to make Singapore a safer and more secured place to live in. “

Mr Howard Lim, Vice Chairman of Zhenghua CDEC