<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Integration needed within Indian community: Vivian
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Shuli Sudderuddin
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Given the relatively higher rate of Indian immigration from diverse backgrounds, the Indian community has its work cut out in terms of integration in Singapore.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, pointed to this 'special challenge' yesterday.
He was speaking at a dialogue held by the Indian Integration Committee (IIC), a sub-committee of the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda).
The dialogue, involving both local Indians and new citizens and permanent residents of Indian origin, was the fifth in a series to gather feedback and recommendations that may help integrate new citizens.
First, the minister said in his comments on the dialogue, Indians 'are a very small community'.
He added: 'Second, we are a very heterogeneous community.
'Languages are different. Religions are different. Even the festivals that we celebrate are different.'
This relatively higher immigration rate among the Indian community, compared to other communities, involves people with different backgrounds, professions and educational qualifications.
Echoing the minister, Mr Predeep Menon, a member of Sinda's executive committee, said in a press conference following the dialogue session: 'Previously, Indian expats were expected to live in condominiums. Now, there are more heartland expats arriving.
'They are not paid expat terms and live in the heartlands. They may face issues and need help integrating.'
Dr Balakrishnan added that the issue of integration within the Indian community is a valid concern.
'We are an immigrant society. Immigration and open doors actually are non-negotiable,' he said.
At the same time, it is important for Singapore to put Singaporeans first and maintain its key values of fairness, justice and meritocracy.
'If you work hard, you succeed, you get ahead. And it's not that you'll get held back because of who you are, or what religion you belong to, or what race, or where you came from.
'So there is the need...to come back to these values of treating people fairly, justly, of trying to get beyond labels, and of making sure that everybody has equal opportunities.'
This is where Sinda comes in.
Its IIC, which first met in November last year, identifies strategies and effective approaches to engage new citizens and PRs of Indian origin.
Recommendations based on the the five dialogues will be presented to Sinda's executive committee by the end of next month. If these get the nod, steps will be taken to implement them.
Dr Balakrishnan cautioned against focusing only on community organisations.
He said: 'I think there is a danger that if we only focus on community organisations... all we will succeed in doing is creating a little India in Singapore.'
He added: 'We would have failed if all we've done is create self-confident, connected, happy communities of Indians in Singapore. That's not enough.'
The bigger target is to make sure Singapore remains a place 'where Indians can feel at home, where talented Indians will be attracted to'. It is also 'where our children can grow up without being discriminated, where our children will have opportunities and where we can live in peace with the other communities', he said.
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Shuli Sudderuddin
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Given the relatively higher rate of Indian immigration from diverse backgrounds, the Indian community has its work cut out in terms of integration in Singapore.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, pointed to this 'special challenge' yesterday.
He was speaking at a dialogue held by the Indian Integration Committee (IIC), a sub-committee of the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda).
The dialogue, involving both local Indians and new citizens and permanent residents of Indian origin, was the fifth in a series to gather feedback and recommendations that may help integrate new citizens.
First, the minister said in his comments on the dialogue, Indians 'are a very small community'.
He added: 'Second, we are a very heterogeneous community.
'Languages are different. Religions are different. Even the festivals that we celebrate are different.'
This relatively higher immigration rate among the Indian community, compared to other communities, involves people with different backgrounds, professions and educational qualifications.
Echoing the minister, Mr Predeep Menon, a member of Sinda's executive committee, said in a press conference following the dialogue session: 'Previously, Indian expats were expected to live in condominiums. Now, there are more heartland expats arriving.
'They are not paid expat terms and live in the heartlands. They may face issues and need help integrating.'
Dr Balakrishnan added that the issue of integration within the Indian community is a valid concern.
'We are an immigrant society. Immigration and open doors actually are non-negotiable,' he said.
At the same time, it is important for Singapore to put Singaporeans first and maintain its key values of fairness, justice and meritocracy.
'If you work hard, you succeed, you get ahead. And it's not that you'll get held back because of who you are, or what religion you belong to, or what race, or where you came from.
'So there is the need...to come back to these values of treating people fairly, justly, of trying to get beyond labels, and of making sure that everybody has equal opportunities.'
This is where Sinda comes in.
Its IIC, which first met in November last year, identifies strategies and effective approaches to engage new citizens and PRs of Indian origin.
Recommendations based on the the five dialogues will be presented to Sinda's executive committee by the end of next month. If these get the nod, steps will be taken to implement them.
Dr Balakrishnan cautioned against focusing only on community organisations.
He said: 'I think there is a danger that if we only focus on community organisations... all we will succeed in doing is creating a little India in Singapore.'
He added: 'We would have failed if all we've done is create self-confident, connected, happy communities of Indians in Singapore. That's not enough.'
The bigger target is to make sure Singapore remains a place 'where Indians can feel at home, where talented Indians will be attracted to'. It is also 'where our children can grow up without being discriminated, where our children will have opportunities and where we can live in peace with the other communities', he said.
