Speech by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law, at Spring Reception 2023, on 24 January 2023
Happy Lunar New Year to everyone.
a) This festive period allows us to come together to celebrate, and catch up with one another.
i) We gather for reunion meals and delicious snacks.
ii) We make house visits to pay respects to our elders, and receive their blessings for the new year in turn.
b) These traditions are all part of our intangible cultural heritage, and represent values that are important to us as Singaporean Chinese.
iii) And we work with our communities to foster closeness and a culture of care and consideration for each other, enhancing the resilience of our society.
On this note, let me speak about SFCCA [Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations] and SCCC [Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre]. They both play a very important role in this endeavour.
a) SFCCA is essential in galvanising support from the community, to lead ground-up efforts to maintain the mutual harmony and respect of our society.
b) SCCC, in celebrating our unique Singapore Chinese culture, showcases our openness and multiculturalism, enriching our common and shared heritage.
As we gather to celebrate the Lunar New Year, let me convey my best wishes to SFCCA and SCCC;
a) In particular, to Mr Ng Siew Quan (Chairman, SCCC), for having taken on this challenge of leading SCCC.
b) I would like to take the opportunity to also thank Mr Chua Thian Poh (ex-Chairman, SCCC) and his team, for having built up and led SCCC so successfully these last few years, giving us a very strong foundation.
c) With its new research unit, SCCC will further sharpen its thought leadership on our Singapore Chinese culture.
d) And SFCCA will continue working with the community and come up with further initiatives to give back to society, in order to foster a more inclusive Singapore.
e) We look forward to their continued contributions, and hope that the broader Chinese Singaporean community will continue to support their efforts, just as all of you are doing today.
f) With everyone’s support, I am confident that we will continue to progress in leaps and bounds in the Year of the Rabbit, and bring Singapore to greater heights.