10 December 2003

SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, ACTING MINSTER FOR EDUCATION, AT THE DISABLED PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION FUND RAISING DINNER ON WEDNESDAY, 10 DECEMBER 2003, AT 8 PM AT THE MERITUS MANDARIN SINGAPORE

Thank you for inviting me to tonight's Fund Raising Dinner for the Disabled People's Association (DPA).

2 Our aspirations as a society must include a special place for people with disabilities. It must be in our collective aspirations to want people with disabilities to live full lives, integrated to the maximum extent possible in the workplace and in the community. This should be the concern of everyone - the family, the community and the Government. It cannot be the responsibility for any one of these alone.

3 This is why we have a "many helping hands" approach, involving all these partners, working hand in hand, complementing each other in their efforts to help people with disabilities. It is an approach which encourages an active citizenry and bolsters the spirit of volunteerism in Singaporeans. It is as relevant today, and indeed is more relevant today, than it has ever been.

4 A deep and pervasive sense of civic purpose and compassion is fundamental to Singapore's next stage of development of a society. We are moving from being an industrial economy, distinguishing itself by competence and efficiency, to being a global city in Asia, a hub for ideas, talent and enterprise. But we will not get there without paying greater attention to the softer, less tangible elements of social development.

5 The best cities, those which attract people from all over the world, have a warm buzz about them, a buzz of civic consciousness that somehow feeds on itself. It's not something you see on the billboards, or read of in the news, but you know it is there and you can feel it, at the street crossings, in the metros or buses, at the workplace and restaurants, even in the performing arts.

6 Singapore is not, and cannot, be only about information networks and economic efficiency, or about meritocracy and individual advancement. If that is all we are about, Singapore will lack the soul that makes great cities stand out. It will lose its place as home to its citizens - a home for the heart. It will also lose its special place as a home for people from the world around it.

7 Economic advancement in our next phase of development as a nation will therefore have to go hand in hand with the evolution of a more civic-conscious, tightly bound society. A society, where every talent, every job, every skill and every citizen is valued. Where all individuals are able to participate fully in society, and to contribute, each in his own way, to the good of their fellow citizens. More than in the past, our success as a nation will rest on how we weave our social fabric - whether we respect the different threads that make up Singapore and how we bind ourselves together through everyday actions that reflect a natural, unforced sense of obligation that we have to each other as citizens.

8 Volunteer organisations and community groups like DPA play a very important role in realising this vision. DPA has grown from strength to strength. It has taken the lead to help people with disabilities, drawing on the enthusiasm and tireless energy of its members and volunteers. Like other volunteer organisations, it is also looking for new and innovative ways to partner its stakeholders and supporters, so that their efforts to help the community will be sustainable and lasting.

9 We need more Singaporeans to step forward and play a part in helping those who are in need. The comprehensive provision of services and programmes that we need to help those with disabilities will only succeed if willing Singaporeans volunteer their time and energy, and come together to encourage people who need just a little more help to keep up. We also need to raise the average person's awareness of simple, but easily overlooked steps that we can take to help those who are disabled feel more at ease in society.

10 We naturally think first of all about the provision of physical facilities and this is important. It has been the subject of much discussion and improvement, for example in our housing estates, schools, MRT stations and other public places. Some of our associations for people with disabilities, including the affiliated members of the DPA, contributed actively to the discussions leading to the Code on Barrier Free Accessibility in Buildings, which encourages developers and architects to design buildings that consciously cater to the needs of people with disabilities. Within two years, all MRT stations will be equipped with lifts.

11 MOE will continue to support the work of Voluntary Welfare Organisations so that, together, we can succeed in our efforts to help every student reach his full potential. The special schools for students with learning or physical disabilities are an important part of this collective effort. They are provided with substantial government funding for both development and recurrent expenditure, in a cost-sharing formula which includes the community at large making a contribution. (MOE funds 90% of development expenditure. For recurrent expenditure, MOE funds the normal cost of primary school education plus 50% of any additional cost up to 2.5 times the normal cost of primary school education.)

12 Children with disabilities who are able to follow the regular school curriculum are provided places in mainstream schools. Over the last 5 years, MOE has increased its provision of facilities and resources for pupils with sensory impairments and physical disabilities. At least one school in each cluster of schools is fitted with full facilities for the physically disabled. Already, 28 primary and 24 secondary schools have these facilities, and more are being fitted out for the purpose. These schools are geographically spread out so that pupils with physical disabilities are able to access them easily.

13 But besides the facilities that are essential to integrate people with disabilities, assumptions and mindsets must also change. I am happy to see that DPA has undertaken useful initiatives this year in this area. It conducted a seminar for the public on making websites more accessible for people with disabilities, and also produced a Dictionary of Disability Terminology. Both initiatives are geared towards educating society at large about the consideration and care we ought to show towards those with disabilities, as fellow citizens.

14 To ensure the successful integration of people with disabilities in our society, more Singaporeans will need to reach out to people who are disabled, recognise their potential talents and contributions, and help them to develop those contributions to the fullest measure. And employers must welcome, not fear people with disabilities. They must recognise that those with disabilities are often the most determined to do the job well, and achieve economic self-reliance.

15 Our people with disabilities in Singapore are in fact very much a determined, self-reliant lot. They want to give something, not just take something. By demonstrating fortitude, determination and resourcefulness in transcending their physical limitations and overcoming adversity, they are an example to all Singaporeans.

16 There are many examples of individuals with disabilities who inspire the rest of us with their own contributions to the community. We all know some such individuals who have crossed our lives, or who are still part of our lives. Let me mention someone whom I am closely familiar with. Mr S Thirunavukaraju is one of my regular volunteers at my weekly 'Meet The People' sessions in Taman Jurong. Thiru, who is 32, has Spina Bifida. I marvel at how he carries on his life, not just like any other normal person but going well beyond what normal people do. Thiru is MD of a logistics company and financial controller of a construction firm. He has been actively involved in wheelchair sports, and competed as part of the Singapore contingent at the 1st ASEAN Wheelchair Basketball Competition this year. He has done voluntary work with SINDA and the Spastics School, teaching children. He provides feedback on government policies regularly. And in his weekly interactions with residents at my MPS in Taman Jurong, he has gained the reputation of a compassionate listener who often gives tough advice. Thiru is a real asset to the community. I am sure there are others like him in his generation, just like there are outstanding examples here this evening in the older generation, who have shone a light for all Singaporeans to follow.

17 At the end of the day, it is about working together and inspiring each other. I would like to commend the student volunteers from the polytechnics and universities who have taken up opportunities through the NYAA Council to work with self-help and community groups, including those who help people with disabilities. I would also like to thank the NYAA Council for their support, and I am happy to present the Friend of DPA Award to the Council afterwards.

18 In closing, I would like to commend the organising committee, members and volunteers of DPA for their hard work throughout the year and for tonight's dinner. I would also like to thank all well-wishers who have come forward to support DPA's activities and programmes. You are all part of a better Singapore.