|
|
speaking up for nature in singapore
|
| call
on youths of singapore to speak up PM's call on youths | list of all articles speak up for nature: why bother? | what others have spoken | feedback channels The Straits Times, 4 Sep 04 Forum ponders how to fire up the young by CHEW SENG KIM FIRING up today's youth and tapping their energy to contribute to society is a key challenge for governments today, Singapore minister Vivian Balakrishnan said at a leadership forum here yesterday. Young leaders led the fight decades ago as Singapore won independence and took critical decisions that gave the city-state its modern, cosmopolitan thrust. But that has led to a 'happy state where, in a sense, the youth don't have a huge cause of epic proportions to fight for', said Dr Balakrishnan, who is Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Senior Minister of State (Trade and Industry). This was 'dangerous', he said, since they could just focus on very narrow issues, 'which in a capitalist system will simply mean aggrandising wealth for themselves'. Asian personalities from different spheres are participating in the two-day Young Leaders forum hosted by the Asia News Network (ANN) - of which The Straits Times is a founding member - and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The ANN is a group of 14 leading newspapers in the region with a combined readership of about 50 million. Its members include the China Daily, Yomiuri Shimbun of Japan, The Statesman of India, The Star and Sin Chew Daily of Malaysia, The Nation of Thailand and the Jakarta Post of Indonesia. Dr Balakrishnan said the challenge is to explain to young people 'why we are the way we are now because of our path and what this trajectory will mean for the future'. In Singapore's case, he said, the Government's efforts to teach English in an education system that is universally recognised and helping people build assets - indirectly through subsidised housing - has created a mobile, young force with 'wings to fly'. The young should be reminded of their obligations but, he said, appealing to the current generation will not be easy. Giving youth a house, water, etc 'does not turn them on'. 'We need to find a way to tell our young there are even more opportunities... they can use this place as a launch pad, to bring up family, to park their assets, to invest in. 'A new political contract needs to be established between the people and the political system,' he said. Other speakers at the forum included former Malaysian deputy prime minister and chairman of Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad, Tan Sri Musa Hitam, and Professor Ang Peng Hwa, dean of the Nanyang Technological University school of communication and information. |
||
website©ria tan 2003 www.wildsingapore.com |