For the first time ever in Singapore, the four major Chinese community organisations namely Singapore Federation of Chinese Clans Association (SFCCA), Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCCI) and Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), and Business China, joint forces to engage the community in the inaugural “Chinese Community Sharing Forum”.
Held at SFCCA on 19 May 2013, some 380 community leaders, citizens and new immigrants attended the Forum to understand more about the different functions of each organisation and in the process, find out more about activities or events they can participate in. On that day, each of the organisations also set up booths to further explain themselves and engage the attendees to participate in upcoming activities.
Representing each of the four major Chinese community organisations to speak at the Forum were Mr Perng Peck Seng, Deputy Secretary-General of SFCCA; Mdm Cui Dong Hong, Deputy Director of SCCCI; Mr Pok Cheng Chong, Deputy Executive Director of CDAC and Ms Josephine Gan, Director of Business China Corporate Communications and Go East. Each of the speakers brought the audience through the history of each organisation and highlighted past and upcoming key events.
Following the sharing session was a question and answer session by the heads of each Chinese community organisation namely Ms Low Yen Ling, CEO of Business China; Mr Patrick Lee, Secretary-General of SFCCA; Mr Thomas Chua, Chairman of SCCCI; and Mr Goh Chim Khim, Executive Director of CDAC. The session was moderated by Mr Zhou Zhao Cheng, Editor of Zaobao.com cum Crossroads.
Some concerns raised by the 380 strong audience included how the four organisations ensure the upkeep of traditional Chinese values such as 饮水思源 (being grateful for what one has) in Singapore youths, and bilingualism and biculturalism in Singapore.
This inaugural sharing forum is a proactive outreach effort to further engage the community. It showcased the energy and vibrancy of the Chinese community and the various available platforms for citizens to connect and contribute to the growth of the community.