By: Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports
18 September 2004, 2.00 PM
The President of Pertapis, Mr Kamal Ahmad, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am very happy to join you this afternoon to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of PERTAPIS T.P.I. Jurong East.
I would like to thank PERTAPIS for inviting me to join you in this memorable occasion.
PERTAPIS is one of the well-known Malay/Muslim establishments in Singapore that has been providing social and educational programmes to the Malay/Muslim community.
I was told that it now manages 4 homes, for children, young women, recovering addicts and old folks, a welfare trust fund and several educational centres island wide.
Jurong East T.P.I. is one of these educational centres and has now reached its 20th year of existence.
I am glad to know that TPI Jurong East has been organizing various community projects for the benefits of children, senior citizens and the destitute jointly with the grassroots bodies and the wider community.
I was also told that the centre conducts moral educational classes and provides avenue for children of tender years to acquaint themselves with civic and moral education as a Muslim.
What I greatly admire is the organization's effort to help the community especially the poor and needy particularly young girls and children from broken homes.
PERTAPIS has always been a relevant welfare body but even more so that it is now. New and challenging social issues have emerged. We are now faced with different sets of problems such as retrenchment, small families, aging population, mental health and youth delinquency.
Being in a multi-ethnic and religious society, establishment like PERTAPIS has to play an active role in social and educational development to meet the changing needs of the society, in particular the Malay/Muslim community.
I know PERTAPIS will be able to adjust the challenging needs of the society and achieve greater heights in its social and educational services.
Finally, I wish PERTAPIS every success in its effort to be of service to the community.
Together, we can create an impact in the lives of those who need help.
I also would like to thank PERTAPIS for organizing this event.
Thank you.