Mayor Zai's Blog

National Parade 2008

Inside Pyongyang

North Korea is something of a mystery to most people. No one really knows much about what goes on in the country apart from what is reported by the media. And the international media has not helped us get a real picture by often associating it with roguish nuclear practices and portraying it as a backward, primitive nation.

Fortunately, I had the privilege of visiting North Korea in March, as part of a Singapore diplomatic delegation. I had several preconceived notions about what I would see and was fully prepared for what I thought the country would be. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find that North Korea was not all I expected it to be.

The thing that struck me most about North Korea was how honest and hard-working the people were. I was also bowled over by the warm reception we received everywhere we went. The general mindset I encountered was similar to that of many Singaporeans- strive hard to make an honest living and succeed. Clearly their efforts have paid off as most of the people I met were comfortably off.

In terms of infrastructure and development, many might also imagine that the country cannot have developed very far. True, internet access was not available in every household, nor were there many expensive cars on the streets or many international brands at stores. However, I found the country to be clean and well maintained on the whole and not lacking in the way of general amenities or facilities.

Some people might bring up the fact that their facilities and progress, while satisfactory, are hardly anything to marvel at. What these people may fail to consider is that North Korea has been rigidly isolationist for decades as part of their policy of self-reliance. For the only country in the world still under communist rule to open up, no matter how slowly, is no small thing. And although their progress might be slow, their willingness to forge new relationships and recent advancements in diplomatic, economic and social fields point to even greater global integration in time.

The situation in North Korea cannot yet be described as ideal, but I am glad to have had this opportunity to look behind the curtain of their problems and see the real North Korea firsthand.

Moulding The Future of Our Nation

                   There are currently 1.3 billion young people living in the developing world today. That is 1,300,000,000 talents that the world can tap on in the coming years, and we are fortunate that the Malay community in Singapore has a good share of these young talents. 43.2% of the Malay community in Singapore is made up of youths aged below 25 years of age.

                   In order to develop and leverage on this asset, we must recognize that youth have to deal with many things at this stage of their lives. Having to cope with physical and emotional changes, search for their own identity and cope with social and family expectations at the same time is challenging even for the most well adjusted youths. This is why they often turn to their peers to reinforce their beliefs and behaviours. Turning to external influences for reaffirmation can be damaging as youth are more vulnerable to social pressures at this stage.

                   It is therefore important that we set in place measures to ensure that these talents are not lost to drugs, juvenile delinquency, anti-social behaviours, undesirable sexual behaviours and gangsterism. I was therefore heartened to be the guest of honour at the launch of NURteensLINE Design Competition, launched as part of the NUR Initiative by the Youth Development Network of the Community Leaders’ Forum.

                    The NUR programme has made commendable efforts to provide services and help to help deal with youth-related issues. The recent launch of NURteensLINE, a hotline manned by trained youth workers, has been warmly received. The line has gotten more than 1000 calls and messages from youth seeking help in 2007. The Design Competition I attended was another plan used to engage youth in ITEs and harness their creativity. What NUR has done through its programmes is not only to provide assistance to youth where it is neede, but also to convey the message that they are important and can contribute. Giving youth this sense of ownership and belonging is a powerful way to keep them on the straight road.

                   It has often been said that our youth are not just our future leaders, they are our future. Whether they succeed or not later in life will determine the fate of our communities, country and our world. The choices they make now are the ones that will ultimately determine whether they will be successful in the future. We should therefore take this opportunity to positively influence them while we can and hope that they continue to make positive and meaningful contributions to society.  

Carnival for Contract & Casual Workers

Over the past decade, we have witnessed widening income gaps due to the increase of globalization. Globalization has, in many countries, resulted in the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer. It is therefore important that Singapore implements measures to ensure that our low-wage workers do not fall too far behind.

Low-wage workers, with lower education and fewer skills, are vulnerable to structural unemployment. To address this issue, the NTUC Unit for Contract and Casual Workers was set up. I attended the Carnival for Contract and Casual Workers they organized on the 13^th of April. The Carnival was enlightening and helped to increase awareness about the Unit amongst the public and those who qualify for their assistance schemes.

The Unit’s focus is mainly to reach out to low-wage contract workers who earn less than $1,500 a month. What the Unit does is to provide them with assistance such as healthcare benefits, rebates and food discounts to ensure that their working status and conditions improve. In addition, the Unit is striving to do more for these low-wage workers by giving them insurance coverage in the instance of death or total disability.

As I have mentioned in one of my previous entries, it is not possible for NTUC or the Unit to address this issue alone.  For that reason, we are encouraging service buyers and providers to adopt responsible outsourcing practices. This effort is supported by the Tripartite Committee which has issued an advisory on this matter.

The journey ahead will not be easy but it is necessary for the benefit of all parties. We have to work together to build a strong framework that low-wage workers can benefit from in the long run.

Be A Changemaker

               Some of the most inspiring people I have met are volunteers who are dedicated to what they do and making a difference. It is very easy to forget, seeing how energetic volunteers are sometimes, that they are members of the community who are taking time out of their busy schedules, away from their work, families and children and extend their help to the less fortunate. And I am glad that we have events such as the Volunteer Achievement Awards to recognise their contributions.

               I am always very happy to see that our volunteers come from all age groups and backgrounds and even more so when they work together to for a common cause. Over time, our community’s needs will continue to grow more diverse and complex and may range from issues such as a greying population and a widening income gap to social isolation. However, I am confident that these gaps and needs can be overcome through the commitment of our volunteers.                                           

               To ensure that we can regenerate our volunteer groups and have a strong enough team to face the challenges of tomorrow, we need to build a strong culture of volunteerism today.  Our young, who are supposed to be more dynamic and energetic, should step forward and offer their assistance.

               As a youth, my pet cause was uplifting the educational attainment of Malay students and I volunteered with organisations such as Yayasan Mendaki and the Association of Muslim Professionals to fulfil this cause. The younger generation today is no different, and we are seeing more coming forward to champion issues and do more for the community. The challenge for us is to encourage this trend and sustain their interest and help them grow their passion. I believe that they can and would be willing to do it if we empower them and let their enthusiasm drive them to the do good for the people and community.