A DAY after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke of helping new citizens adjust to life here, a Government-led panel has released recommendations to promote integration between immigrants and citizens in the community, schools and workplace.

A key plank is a $10 million fund that organisations can tap over the next three years for projects - cultural gatherings, seminars, social outings and the like - to help immigrants and Singaporeans mingle and get to know each other.

The Community Integration Fund, which will cover up to 80 per cent of a project's cost, will be a boon to groups keen on holding events but which lack the resources to do so.

Other measures announced include getting newcomers to attend basic English courses to improve their command of the language in order to better communicate with Singaporeans.

A third major recommendation is for an updated orientation programme for new citizens to learn about key historical landmarks and institutions, and to be introduced to grassroots communities here.

Some aspects of this new Naturalisation and Integration Journey could be made mandatory for permanent residents (PRs) before they are given citizenship - but no details have been released yet.

These moves by the National Integration Council come five months after it was set up in the wake of increasing numbers of foreigners coming here to work or study. Some Singaporeans found the influx worrying and were concerned about competition for jobs and school places, and the impact that foreigners were having on the social fabric of society.

The council, chaired by Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, included five other ministers and 75 members from the public and private sectors.

At a press conference yesterday, flanked by 11 council members, Dr Balakrishnan outlined integration ideas and urged Singaporeans to adopt 'an open heart and mind, and an attitude of helping and accepting each other'.

The varied approaches include programmes to get Singaporean and foreign students to take each other home for meals or to eat out together; seminars to exchange ideas on integration; and paying tribute to new citizens who have done volunteer work here.

But Dr Balakrishnan made clear that the Government could only do so much.

'Our next phase is to get community support and participation. That is where the reality check comes in,' he said, when asked whether people would find such Government-led integration efforts contrived. 'I've got no illusions. It is not something that can be solved in one day, one week. It's a long-term initiative.'

Noting that integration was a two-way process, he suggested that Singaporeans look at new citizens 'as those who have married into the family'.

'With in-laws, there will be a bit of friction or rough edges to be worn off. But there is commitment to live in the same household...We must learn to live and let live.'

The Council has not set targets or decided how to measure the success of integration efforts.

'There is no easy index,' he said, but added that regular surveys would be conducted to track views.

His ministry's permanent secretary, Mr Niam Chiang Meng, a council member, said one possible measure may be the number of foreigners who become PRs and later, citizens. If more did so, it would indicate Singapore was hospitable and that integration measures were working.

Last year, 79,167 foreigners became PRs and 20,513 took up citizenship - more than the 63,627 PRs and 17,334 new citizens in 2007.

Integration efforts will also be extended to the large pool of transient workers, said Manpower Ministry permanent secretary and council member Leo Yip.

There are plans to step up efforts to help new foreign workers understand Singapore's culture and habits, and equip them with basic English.

It is not known if such English language courses will be compulsory for all workers or just those in the service industry, or if the courses will be subsidised by the Government.

-end of ST article