Ministry of Culture, Comm & Youth Integration - both locals and newcomers have to play their part
We thank Mr Peh Chwee Hoe and Mr Albert Ng Ya Ken for their letters (Integration efforts must match immigrant numbers; and Share information on immigration with the public, both on Oct 30).

We agree with the two Forum letter writers that the integration of immigrants is crucial for Singapore to remain a cohesive society.

This is why the Government considers every application for permanent residency and citizenship carefully.

Immigrants either share family ties with Singaporeans, or have studied, worked or lived here for some time.

The Government also actively puts in place measures to help immigrants integrate.

The Singapore Citizenship Journey is a mandatory programme to familiarise all new citizens with Singapore's history, norms and values.

As part of this programme, we connect new citizens to People's Association grassroots volunteers and integration champions to help them meet and bond with other residents in their neighbourhood.

The Government also partners the private and people sectors through the National Integration Council (NIC) to support ground-up projects, provide settling-in guides on our norms and culture, and work with the community and companies to grow bonds among Singaporeans.

However, integration is also a shared societal endeavour. It is not something the Government can achieve on its own.

It requires both locals and newcomers to show care and consideration towards each other on an everyday basis.

Newcomers can befriend locals, adapt to our norms and serve the community alongside locals, and locals can be more open and help newcomers integrate in their neighbourhoods and at the workplace.

It is through sustained and collective efforts of our society - people, private sector and the Government - that immigrants in Singapore continue to add to our diversity and strengthen the social fabric of our country, and that we remain an open, inclusive and cohesive nation.

Letchumanan Narayanan
Senior Director
Resilience and Engagement Division
Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/integration-both-locals-and-newcomers-have-to-play-their-part

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