PM Lee Hsien Loong at the Opening of Pek Kio CC

Mr Lui Tuck Yew
Minister and Grassroots Adviser to Moulmein GROs

Mr Heng Chee How, Ms Denise Phua, Mr Edwin Tong
MPs for Moulmein-Kallang GRC and Whampoa SMC

Mr Arthur Lee
Chairman of Moulmein CCC

Mr Eric Lim
Chairman of Pek Kio CCMC

Residents and friends, a very good evening to all of you

Happy to have you all here with us this evening to celebrate the opening of the new Pek Kio CC and the 50th anniversary of Pek Kio CC, of the old CC.

Pek Kio is a Hokkien word for “white bridge”, and there used to be a white bridge in this neighbourhood. But I hope Pek Kio CC is not just a physical bridge but will also continue to serve as a bridge for all of us. A bridge, to the past, which reminds us what was here, what our previous generations did here, what our parents built here and what we have inherited and want to make here.

Pek Kio CC has always been a centre for community life - organising popular activities like bodybuilding, sepak takraw, volleyball. If you look at the Pek Kio CC 50th Anniversary book, you will find some of these old pictures down there, showing the groups and the activities they took part in. And they were not just playing sports, or community activities, but fostering the kampong spirit. But the old CC was too small so we had to move from the old CC site in Cambridge Road and to come to this new site and better building. I am happy that in moving, we have been able to preserve the old memories, preserve the old records of what we had done. And we have some exhibition panels to show the old CC and record the history. We have the anniversary book which tells many stories of the residents and of what happened here.

Pek Kio CC is a bridge to the past but we also hope that it will be a bridge to the future. A future where the facilities are available whether they are talking about 200-seat performing theatre, the dance studios, the indoor sports hall or a future where we have new activities for example, cultural performances, dance classes and a future where we can share facilities between the CC and Farrer Park Primary School. This is a pilot project between MOE and the People’s Association (PA) and is one of several new ideas which we have to share facilities; PA to share its facilities with others and the school to share its facilities with the community, and bring the schools and the community closer together.

But most important of all, Pek Kio CC should be a bridge to the community, to build community ties, to encourage residents and students to make full use of the facilities, come together here, enjoy, make friends, bond. And volunteer, organise activities, be your own centre, make things move in Pek Kio and so build a better Singapore together.

Working together like this, I think it is even more important now than it has ever been. We are living at a time now of very rapid change, many things happening in the world, sometimes we ask ourselves, what does it mean for us, in Singapore.

For the young, for the ambitious, for the people with skills or who are able to learn the skills, which I think most of us are, it is an exciting and invigorating time. There are many things which we can do, many opportunities to explore. But there will be some who will find it difficult to adjust, especially the older Singaporeans, perhaps also the lower-income Singaporeans. They will need help to overcome the challenges which we face, whether it is the cost-of-living, whether it is healthcare, whether it is widening income disparities. We need to focus on these people who need help and make sure that when we advance and move into the future, we all go together.

We can pool our resources to help them. The Government - strengthening our social safety nets, nationally, and reviewing policies to help the vulnerable groups more. The Community - rallying together to address social needs and reaching out to take the initiative to do things which the Government is not able to do. And the individual - still self-reliant, still working hard, still taking care of our own families and working together to build a better tomorrow.

So I would like to thank Mr Lui Tuck Yew and all of those involved in the CC project. You have worked hard to raise funds, organise activities and get the residents involved. Congratulations on making this a reality and make full use of it and make Pek Kio a good place to live in for many years to come. Thank you very much.

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吕德耀部长，各位基层领袖，尤其是李敬柱先生和林道鈞先生，大家 晚上好！很高兴和大家在一起出席白桥民众联络所的开幕典礼，同时也是五十周年纪念。这里的居民有了一间新的、更大的、更好的联络所。新的联络所增设了各种各样的设施如大礼堂，舞蹈室等，能够提供多样化的活动让居民有更多的选择。新加坡改变了、提升了，我们的生活素质改变了、提升了。我们的基础设施、我们的社区设备和我们的社区活动的水平都应该陆续地向上提升。

这里是白桥联络所。白桥顾名思义就是希望联络所成为居民之间联络感情的桥梁，也成为白桥区的一个重要的核心设备。白桥联络所的一个特点是联络所跟华苑小学建在一起，可以彼此共用一些重要的设施。一方面节省资源，另一方面让我们的设施得到更充分的应用。这是教育部跟人民协会的新尝试，让俱乐部跟学校共用这些设施。周日白天学校应用这些设施，周日晚上和周末学生不在学校里，设施可以由居民享用。这样可以更有效地促进我们的社区精神。这不只是分享设施的一个目标、一个项目，同时也是双方合作的一个主要的重点。

华苑小学的校长，老师和校友在联络所还没有完成之前就已经积极地主办活动来帮助联络所筹款，体现了互相关怀的邻里精神。所以我应该感谢华苑小学的师生们也感谢各位居民的赞助和支持，让我们这一个计划能够圆满的成功，能够给居民一个更好的服务和设备。

我希望这种甘榜的精神能够通过居民及学生，在联络所里一起活动，交流，传开来，传到社区里使我们整个社区都能够成为一个互相扶持，一起应付新挑战的和谐和融洽的社会。我们要面对新时代，要向前走，必须与时并进和并肩合作。这不只是单靠一个人能够完成的，也不能完全把事情交给政府做。这也需要我们互相合作，基层间，邻里间和社区间，从个人的启发连接起来，组织起来，自动自发地实行新的活动来完成新的成绩来。

所以我今晚要感谢白桥居民慷慨解囊，也要感谢联络所筹委会会员，华苑小学的老师，同学还有校友们及基层领袖。没有你们就没有今天的白桥民众联络所。

我希望大家能踊跃支持白桥联络所的活动，带动白桥精神。所以我今晚就正式宣布白桥联络所开幕了！谢谢各位！

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