It will be interesting to hear what MCYS' CCS has to say about this suggestion. 
PE: Dr Tan Cheng Bock suggests merging Mendaki, Sinda, CDAC
By Hoe Yeen Nie
SINGAPORE: Presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock has suggested that policies behind community-based groups like Mendaki, Sinda and CDAC be "relooked".
Dr Tan said the community groups should be merged as a way to integrate society, and that if elected, he would use the power of influence to encourage such change.
Dr Tan was speaking to reporters during a walkabout at Raffles Place on Wednesday afternoon.
Kicking off his campaign, Dr Tan said the president is a symbol of Singapore.
His hope, he said, is to forge unity amid political diversity.
If elected, Dr Tan made clear he didn't want to interfere in politics, but suggested that community-based groups be merged to foster a multi-racial society.
"I don't think I like to see them working within their component groups," Dr Tan said.
"Because a poor Singaporean and a poor Malay Singaporean is the same Singaporean. We should look at it at a national level now, no more at the racial level.
"I think I shall use one of the inherent powers of the president, which is actually to encourage (such change)."
The Singapore Spirit, Dr Tan said, is one where everyone is "colour blind".
He said Singaporeans have taken multi-racialism for granted, and with new citizens settling in, it was all the more important that society worked together.
On Wednesday, Dr Tan and his team took to the streets, campaigning - as he calls it - the "old fashioned way".
There will be an online campaign too.
But this is a well-tested formula for the former Member of Parliament (MP), who's fought and won six General Elections.
And just like in the past, his family was beside him.
Dr Tan's son Joshua said: "In the past when my dad ran at Ayer Rajah, I would follow him on the truck.
"We would go on the truck with the loud hailers, and wave at the people. But the main thing was door-to-door campaigning. We would go to the flats, I would walk up and down the flats with him, he really wants to make sure he meets everyone."
With only nine days of campaigning, there isn't much time to reach out to more than two million voters.
So instead of door-to-door visits, Dr Tan and his team will be campaigning in public areas to catch the biggest crowd.
But "you can't always do the same tricks", Dr Tan said.
And so, there will be an online campaign too, led by the younger members of his campaign team, some of whom are not even of voting age.
Dr Tan said: "If young Singaporeans, even before they're of voting age, they're prepared to come out and be counted now, it's good for Singapore.
"It means the political scene will change, the people will be well-informed."
More than 1,000 posters and 200 banners have been printed, and volunteers are keen on securing the most visible spots.
Over the next few days, they will be put up outside the main MRT stations.
Dr Tan ended his packed day on Wednesday evening by dropping in on a Seventh Month celebration organised by the Taxi Drivers' Association.
-CNA/wk
PE: Dr Tan Cheng Bock suggests merging Mendaki, Sinda, CDAC
By Hoe Yeen Nie
SINGAPORE: Presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock has suggested that policies behind community-based groups like Mendaki, Sinda and CDAC be "relooked".
Dr Tan said the community groups should be merged as a way to integrate society, and that if elected, he would use the power of influence to encourage such change.
Dr Tan was speaking to reporters during a walkabout at Raffles Place on Wednesday afternoon.
Kicking off his campaign, Dr Tan said the president is a symbol of Singapore.
His hope, he said, is to forge unity amid political diversity.
If elected, Dr Tan made clear he didn't want to interfere in politics, but suggested that community-based groups be merged to foster a multi-racial society.
"I don't think I like to see them working within their component groups," Dr Tan said.
"Because a poor Singaporean and a poor Malay Singaporean is the same Singaporean. We should look at it at a national level now, no more at the racial level.
"I think I shall use one of the inherent powers of the president, which is actually to encourage (such change)."
The Singapore Spirit, Dr Tan said, is one where everyone is "colour blind".
He said Singaporeans have taken multi-racialism for granted, and with new citizens settling in, it was all the more important that society worked together.
On Wednesday, Dr Tan and his team took to the streets, campaigning - as he calls it - the "old fashioned way".
There will be an online campaign too.
But this is a well-tested formula for the former Member of Parliament (MP), who's fought and won six General Elections.
And just like in the past, his family was beside him.
Dr Tan's son Joshua said: "In the past when my dad ran at Ayer Rajah, I would follow him on the truck.
"We would go on the truck with the loud hailers, and wave at the people. But the main thing was door-to-door campaigning. We would go to the flats, I would walk up and down the flats with him, he really wants to make sure he meets everyone."
With only nine days of campaigning, there isn't much time to reach out to more than two million voters.
So instead of door-to-door visits, Dr Tan and his team will be campaigning in public areas to catch the biggest crowd.
But "you can't always do the same tricks", Dr Tan said.
And so, there will be an online campaign too, led by the younger members of his campaign team, some of whom are not even of voting age.
Dr Tan said: "If young Singaporeans, even before they're of voting age, they're prepared to come out and be counted now, it's good for Singapore.
"It means the political scene will change, the people will be well-informed."
More than 1,000 posters and 200 banners have been printed, and volunteers are keen on securing the most visible spots.
Over the next few days, they will be put up outside the main MRT stations.
Dr Tan ended his packed day on Wednesday evening by dropping in on a Seventh Month celebration organised by the Taxi Drivers' Association.
-CNA/wk
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