Transcript of Speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the opening of the new Ci Yuan CC

大家早上好。我今天不应该做长篇大论的演讲， 因为过去四个星期，我们做了很多演讲， 大家也听了很多演讲，所以今天不需要说很多话。 不过，我只要说我今天很高兴在这里，和大家在一起，出席这个茨园民众俱乐部的开幕典礼。

这个民众俱乐部已经办了好几年了。 杨木光前议员，他过来宏茂桥（集选区）之后就告诉我们这里有一片空地，我们因该建一栋堂皇、壮观的联络所。我说，我们应该去做 – 筹款、计划、招标、建筑 – 现在终于落成了。这个是“前人种树，后人乘凉”的很好的表现。 木光议员替我们做了很多事，使这个联络所今天终于竣工了、开幕了。 居民都可以运用它的设施了。 当然，杰乐议员接过来这个新的联络所，也不会坐享其成。 我相信他会不断地百尺竿头、更进一步把联络所办得更好。要办得更好，最重要一个因素，就是需要居民的参与，需要大家积极地在这里组织活动、参加活动，帮助居民凝聚在一起，帮助居民联络感情，多多交流，多多打成一片。 这个是应该不断做的工作。  我今天走马看花，走了一圈，看大家做月饼、种 air plants, 不用泥土，不用浇水的一种独特的植物，看到各种各样的活动，有传统的福建大戏，也有现代的年轻人的舞蹈，有 hip hop，种类繁多，并且非常精彩。

我相信我以后有很多机会回来，参加这里的活动，看看大家的表演，同时可能跟大家一起唱唱歌。 重要的是把这个设施尽量运用它，发挥它的作用，使茨园，使整个宏茂桥 – 后港，使整个宏茂桥集选区，能够变得更温馨、更美好。 居民的生活可以更愉快、更丰富、更有意义。  谢谢各位。

Thank you very much for being with us this morning, for this opening ceremony for the new Ci Yuan CC. It is a very handsome new CC, I am very happy to see it. I was here a few weeks ago to see the hawker centre downstairs where there is all sorts of interesting food. I have not tried the lor bak yet but there will be other things to try as well. Upstairs, there are many activities in this new centre. It fits in with the needs of the residents – you have this theatre, you have activity rooms and you have the activities. I think all the efforts which went into raising the funds, planning the building, bringing the shops and activities downstairs and upstairs in the CC here. All these is so that we can involve the residents and the residents can take part, enjoy and also participate in what is going on here.  Organise more things and make this warmer, more closely-cooperating community which works together with one another, knows one another. As PA (People’s Association) says, work P-to-P, people with people together, work P-to-G – with the Government, and the Government to the people, in all directions.  If we can do that with this CC, then I think the money and the effort is well-spent, and we will have a happy Ang Mo Kio-Hougang, and we will have a happy Ang Mo Kio GRC.

I would like to thank all those who have been involved – the fund-raisers, the planners, the people who organised this event today. I thank Guat Kwang for getting the project done and taking it all the way to completion, and today 我们可以说杨木光“小小羊儿回到这里的家了”. He is back here with us and we will take it forward with Darryl David and we will work together and make this a good place for us all. Thank you very much.

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