Dr Maliki (far left) and Mr Samuel Lim (2nd from left) in conversation with the East Zone volunteers. (Photo by Lim Chee Wah)
Since January 2010, Tzu Chi Singapore's East 2 Zone has been running a recycling point at Block 71 Bedok South Road. This is the third recycling point in the zone after the first two at Bedok North and Chai Chee.
Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Defence & Ministry of National Development and Mayor of South East CDC visited the recycling point during the Tzu Chi monthly recycling day on 13 November 2011.
Dr Maliki was already aware of Tzu Chi back when he was the Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC. Coincidentally, South East CDC, which is presently under Dr Maliki’s jurisdiction, happens to overlap mostly with Tzu Chi's East 2 Zone area.
Siglap Lucky Valley Residents' Committee (RC) Chairman Mr Samuel Lim, Treasurer Ms Rachelle Boon, Tzu Chi East Zone Leader Brother Khoo Jyh Hao, East 2 Zone Leader Sister Lim Chwee Lian, Sister Lisa Chong, Charity Mission Leader Sister Goh Eng Eng and Brother Ooi Hooi Cheng hosted Dr Maliki’s visit that day and had a discussion with the Mayor on future cooperation between Tzu Chi and the community.
The volunteers first briefed Dr Maliki about the workflow at the recycling point and the involvement of the neighbourhood residents. Besides giving the Mayor a brief run through of Tzu Chi’s four missions and eight footprints, the Singapore branch's islandwide recycling points and free medical services in Redhill and Jurong East, an overview of East 2 Zone’s volunteer activities was also explained. They included the scope of charity cases under Tzu Chi Singapore's care as well as the "Seeds of Hope" Bursary Programme which covers the district’s primary and secondary schools, children’s and youth homes, and the Institute of Technical Education.
Dr Maliki praised the Foundation's bursary disbursement effort and expressed thanks for the cases assisted by the programme. He also expressed interest to explore other areas which through cooperation with Tzu Chi can provide further assistance.
In the area of environmental protection, Dr Maliki hopes to increase the public’s awareness and encourage residents to start incorporating the concept of recycling and environmental protection into their everyday routine as it is only through an eventual change in lifestyle and habits that we can help sustain Mother Earth.
Dr Maliki's background as a trained social worker has been his motivating force to improve the lives of the less fortunate. As a mayor, he encourages the RC volunteers to conduct regular house visits to collect household information in order to have a deeper understanding of the residents’ situation. He emphasized the need for more attention to residents from the lower income group and displaced families as well as to address the issues of the elderly such as their sickness, inconvenience and immobility, especially those who lived alone. He believes that it is through in-depth understanding of the community’s needs that effective assistance can be provided.
Dr Maliki added that his Community Development Council is already working with a local charitable organization to provide Traditional Chinese Medicine mobile service to the elderly in the district. There are also plans to set up a watch group and have carpool arrangements to ensure the seniors receive timely consultation. Through cooperation with schools, he hopes to have elderly care initiatives to inculcate the value of care for the elderly in school children.
The Mayor and the volunteers were so engrossed in their discussion that the half-an-hour visit extended to an hour eventually.
The RC representatives also mentioned about their monthly block party where they meet and mingle with their residents. They proposed to invite Tzu Chi volunteers to share the concept of recycling with their residents and through the session increase the level of environmental awareness in their monthly block party from January 2012.
East 2 Zone Leader Sister Lim Chwee Lian explaining the “Seeds of Hope" Bursary Programme to Dr Maliki and indicated that part of the funding of the Programme is from recycling proceeds. (Photo by Lim Chee Wah)
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