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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Grassroots: MP Fatimah is very good!</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
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</NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">6:42 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 10) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>10446.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Efforts to reach out appreciated
Clan associations, Chinese temple representatives and grassroots leaders yesterday threw their support behind MP Fatimah Lateef for reaching out to her constituents in Geylang Serai by speaking Hokkien and Mandarin.
They also defended her against a comment made by a People's Action Party cadre, as reported in a Straits Times article, that the first-term Malay MP was not able to connect with Chinese temples in her ward.
The March 21 article had looked at the performance of the 24 new PAP MPs.
Master Lee Zhiwang, president of the Taoist Mission (Singapore), told The Sunday Times: 'She tries to use Mandarin in her speeches, and Hokkien when talking to others. This demonstrates that she has the heart to do her job well. It's not easy. She has already taken a big step.'
As a Malay-Muslim MP in a constituency with many - and diverse - religious organisations, her job is to ensure that these groups are in harmony, he said. 'She has done her best and done a very good job.'
Mr Lim Oon Kok, chairman of the Putian Association Singapore, a Chinese clan, noted that in dinner functions organised by his association, she would try using Mandarin to talk to members.
He said in Mandarin: 'Though she is not fluent in Mandarin, we feel she respects us by speaking the language, especially as we are more elderly and Chinese-educated.'
Last night, Dr Fatimah delivered speeches in Mandarin and English at a joint celebration organised by the association, Taoist temple Hin Ann Thian Hiaw Keng, and Lye Chen Recreational Club.
She told The Sunday Times that she picked up Hokkien and Mandarin as a result of her 20 years as a doctor. She works in the Accident & Emergency Department at Singapore General Hospital.
After becoming an MP in 2006, she not only had to give speeches in Mandarin, but also had to strike up conversations with residents during house visits and with stallholders at hawker centres.
Said grassroots leader Ng Siew Ram, who liaises with clan associations and temples: 'Her Mandarin has improved a lot. In the beginning, the tone was a bit wrong, but now it's much better.'
She added that Dr Fatimah does her best to attend all events - she was invited to more than 50 last year - and to follow the customs.
In October last year, she participated in the Jiu Wang Ye (Nine Emperor Gods) procession for returning deities to the sea, dressed in white just like other participants.
Master Lee said the criticism of Dr Fatimah was 'not fair to her, but you can't help it'. 'There are many kinds of people. You can't stop what people want to say. As long as she does what is right and does her best, she shouldn't have to mind what others say.'
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Clan associations, Chinese temple representatives and grassroots leaders yesterday threw their support behind MP Fatimah Lateef for reaching out to her constituents in Geylang Serai by speaking Hokkien and Mandarin.
They also defended her against a comment made by a People's Action Party cadre, as reported in a Straits Times article, that the first-term Malay MP was not able to connect with Chinese temples in her ward.
The March 21 article had looked at the performance of the 24 new PAP MPs.
Master Lee Zhiwang, president of the Taoist Mission (Singapore), told The Sunday Times: 'She tries to use Mandarin in her speeches, and Hokkien when talking to others. This demonstrates that she has the heart to do her job well. It's not easy. She has already taken a big step.'
As a Malay-Muslim MP in a constituency with many - and diverse - religious organisations, her job is to ensure that these groups are in harmony, he said. 'She has done her best and done a very good job.'
Mr Lim Oon Kok, chairman of the Putian Association Singapore, a Chinese clan, noted that in dinner functions organised by his association, she would try using Mandarin to talk to members.
He said in Mandarin: 'Though she is not fluent in Mandarin, we feel she respects us by speaking the language, especially as we are more elderly and Chinese-educated.'
Last night, Dr Fatimah delivered speeches in Mandarin and English at a joint celebration organised by the association, Taoist temple Hin Ann Thian Hiaw Keng, and Lye Chen Recreational Club.
She told The Sunday Times that she picked up Hokkien and Mandarin as a result of her 20 years as a doctor. She works in the Accident & Emergency Department at Singapore General Hospital.
After becoming an MP in 2006, she not only had to give speeches in Mandarin, but also had to strike up conversations with residents during house visits and with stallholders at hawker centres.
Said grassroots leader Ng Siew Ram, who liaises with clan associations and temples: 'Her Mandarin has improved a lot. In the beginning, the tone was a bit wrong, but now it's much better.'
She added that Dr Fatimah does her best to attend all events - she was invited to more than 50 last year - and to follow the customs.
In October last year, she participated in the Jiu Wang Ye (Nine Emperor Gods) procession for returning deities to the sea, dressed in white just like other participants.
Master Lee said the criticism of Dr Fatimah was 'not fair to her, but you can't help it'. 'There are many kinds of people. You can't stop what people want to say. As long as she does what is right and does her best, she shouldn't have to mind what others say.'
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