Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at official opening of 4 new centres of AMKFSC Community Services

Mr Cyril Chua, Chairman of AMKFSC Community Services, grassroots leaders, friends, I am very happy to be here at the opening of the latest four centres of AMKFSC Community Services. Let me start with a few words in Mandarin and in Malay to speak to our older residents before I speak in English.

各位居民， 各位朋友，大家早上好！

很高兴今天有机会和大家聚在一起，为宏茂桥家庭与社区服务属下的四所中心主持开幕仪式。 这四所中心专门为家庭、青少年或年长者而设，目的是帮助他们解决生活中所碰到的难题。

宏茂桥家庭与社区服务 (AMKFSC Community Services) 从1978年成立以来，已经将近40 年了。这40年年来，他们一直不断努力，为社区里有需要的居民服务。 他们积极地扩展服务范围。 同时，职员们也力求自我提升，加强技能。

不过，他们能为居民带来更有效的服务，很大的一个因素是他们与社区伙伴和居民们建立了密切的合作关系。 所以居民不只是服务的对象，也是提供服务的志愿者、参与者。我知道有好几位因宏茂桥家庭与社区服务而受益的居民决定当志愿者，回馈社会。 这种守望相助的精神一定要延续下去， 这样，我们才能共创一个更有爱心、更温馨及更包容性的社会。 所以我感谢全体员工、志愿者、赞助商和伙伴们对社区所作出的贡献，希望大家能再接再厉，让居民的生活更美好! 谢谢各位。  

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Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan sekalian

Saya gembira dapat bersama-sama anda pagi ini, untuk melancarkan 4 pusat baru yang ditawarkan Perkhidmatan Masyarakat AMKFSC. Pusat-pusat ini, akan terus memenuhi keperluan para penduduk di kawasan Ang Mo Kio, lebih-lebih lagi keluarga yang kurang mampu. Malah sekarang dengan pusat-pusat baru ini, lebih ramai keluarga boleh dibantu termasuk dari Teck Ghee dan Yio Chu Kang.

Saya berbesar hati kerana selain berjaya membantu penduduk kita memperbaiki hidup mereka, AMKFSC juga berjaya menarik ramai sukarelawan yang aktif berkhidmat. Ini bagus sekali kerana ia dapat memupuk nilai murni untuk saling membantu dan mengeratkan hubungan baik antara rakyat Singapura. Syabas kepada semua dan selamat berpuasa kepada semua.

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Friends, I am very happy to be here for the official opening of the four new centres of the AMKFSC Community Services.

The centres have been working for a while already. Dr Vasoo asked me to come and open them. I said, “Yes, of course I will do that.” I agreed with him quite early last year, and I was hoping to come last year. But some things happened last year, including the Elections. As a result, the opening was delayed until now. But I am very happy to be here and I am very happy that the centres are up and running, and serving our residents already.

The AMKFSC Community Services pioneered this model, of bringing all the different services together, to make a one-stop neighbourhood centre back in 1978, almost 40 years ago. It was suggested by Dr Vasoo, then not quite an MP yet but he has been associated with it, and has brought the institution all this long way, almost 40 years, now 18 different touch points, all over Ang Mo Kio, Sengkang, Punggol area. 

It is a very successful enterprise. So today I am happy that we are opening more branches – one at Block 323, one at Block 643 to meet the demands from Teck Ghee and Yio Chu Kang residents. There are two other centres opening as well. One is the Youth Infinity centre which is now relocated to Block 463, to offer more specialised programmes to help different groups of youths. The other is the Community Network (COMNET) Cluster Support, located at Block 469 to enable social workers, healthcare workers, support staff and volunteers to come together, work closely, and deliver integrated services to support vulnerable senior citizens. 

Besides the staff and the social service workers, the AMKFSC Community Services has also brought in activists and volunteers, who have been beneficiaries of its services, who have benefited from their help and support, and have now come back to help others. Like Mr Neo Kim Toon, who is now 80 years old. He is the main caregiver for his brother who has multiple medical conditions. Yet, he finds time to volunteer with the COMNET Senior Services and prepares activities for seniors. He also actively interacts with other seniors, and identifies those who need help. So even if you are 80 years old, it does not mean that you are old. Another one is a very young person – Muhammad Adam, just 14 years old. He is a member of Club Infinity under AMKFSC Youth Infinity. He befriends youths-at-risk and encourages them to do better, to do well. All these beneficiaries who are volunteers and other volunteers too, will be receiving the “Sparks of the Community” awards later. I would like to say well done and keep it up!

On our part as the Government, we support the activities of these voluntary organisations and the community efforts. Which is why you see Minister Tan Chuan-Jin with me here this morning. He is from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). We have Social Service Offices (SSOs) all over the island, working closely with AMKFSC Community Services and other VWOs to look after residents and to strengthen the support. We have rolled out the new Social Service Net (SSNet), which is a national social sector case management platform and database. We put together all the records of each needy individual, and we share information to improve our coordination of social services across the SSOs, the different Family Service Centres, and all the other organisations who have adopted SSNet. We will need to do more of such improvements to bring our information together, to pool our data and well as our support, so that help for residents is coordinated, comprehensive and effective, and will make a difference to residents.

So today’s theme – “Growing a Caring Community Together” is a very apt one. That is what we are trying to do. That is why I would like to thank all of you who have been working at this. MSF, the management and staff of AMKFSC Community Services, volunteers, donors and partners. Your dedication, hard work, and big-heartedness are what made this enterprise succeed. Congratulations once again on the opening of the four new centres. Your efforts and your continuing efforts will help needy residents to lead better and more meaningful lives. Together, we can bring more hope, more opportunities, a brighter future, a more caring and inclusive community, and make that real in Singapore.

Thank you very much.