Minister of State (MTI & MCCY)
Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC
Grassroots Adviser for Tanjong Pagar GRC (Moulmein-Cairnhill Division)
Mr. Tan was elected as a Member of Parliament forTanjong Pagar GRC in 2020 and serves as Grassroots Advisor to the Moulmein-Cairnhill (MOCA) constituency.
Before volunteering at MOCA in 2019, he spent 14years as a community volunteer at Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng (KAKS) constituency, serving seniors, youths and vulnerable families. He also served as Chair of KAKS’ Inter Racial & Religious Confidence Circle.
At MOCA, he has worked with his community volunteers to build initiatives including the nationally acclaimed ground-upsustainability initiative Our Green MOCA, MOCA’s Mental Well-Being Circles, and MOCA’s Harmony Circles. He also oversees infrastructural improvements in MOCA.
At the national level, Mr. Tan is also Minister of State for both the Ministry of Trade & Industry (MTI), and the Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth (MCCY), and serves on the Board of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
Before leaving the private sector to join politics, Mr. Tan worked in finance and tech at companies such as Goldman Sachs, Facebook and LinkedIn. He has also worked in the United Nations and Oxfam, and in New York, Hong Kong, Sydney, and San Francisco. He has also served in the Singapore Armed Forces as an armour officer, and the Ministry of Defence in diplomacy, research and counter-terrorism roles.
Mr. Tan has degrees in Economics from Sydney University and Harvard University, and was an International and Global Affairs Fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Centre of Science and International Affairs.
Remember the Mothership.sg article about a Chinese woman paying respect to her Indian neighbour’s deity?
The corridor looked familiar so we took a second look and realised it was in our MoCa community. The neighbours were the Krishnans and the Ngs, who have lived beside one another for 37 years!
Mr Krishnan’s daughter shared the video because she wanted to show how little acts of compassion continue to happen on a daily basis in our neighbourhoods.
Our Adviser Mr Alvin Tan met up with the families to thank them for showing and reminding us who we truly are as a people, and as a country.
Meet Mrs Chu from our Cambridge Estate. Mrs Chu always has a wide smile whenever we meet at her home or around Pek Kio!
Mrs Chu loves Tai Chi and has green thumbs!
Do you agree that education can contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty?
To Ms Ong, helping vulnerable families starts with empowering them with knowledge and skills, especially educating children in these families, with the aim of levelling the playing field for them. . "It all began with one child. Before I knew it, we started a tuition programme that has been running for six years for the children in the neighbourhood", shares Ms Ong, Chairperson of Moulmein-Cairnhill Community Development & Welfare Committee and an active volunteer for over 20 years.
Ms Ong shares that although the programme requires a high level of commitment from parents, children and volunteers, the cause is worthy. Since its inception, she has witnessed many children who have progressed to higher education. She also applauds the many volunteers who have supported this cause and firmly believes that mentoring is a win-win journey, both the mentors and mentees.
"While we only have 24 hours a day and spend most of these hours working, I always find joy in volunteering. To me, it’s an alternative form of stress buster," says Ms Ong, who recalled a recent rough patch at work. She added that volunteering has become a source of joy, especially when she witnessed how their collective efforts became an assurance to families that they are not left behind. Ms Ong adds, "While we are giving to the community, the community is giving to us too because when we see our passion turns into something good, our lives are more fulfilling too."
The recipient of the PA OurCommUNITYSG prize is our very own Grassroots Leader Ms Marlene Gwee!
She shared how her experiences as a child nurtured her passion to give back to the community.
“When I was a child, there was a place at the void deck of the HDB block near my place at St’s George Road. It was a place where I had built many fun and warm relationships. As I got older, I learnt that this special place was actually the Residents' Committee (RC) Centre.
I was born in a poor and broken family. As young as five years old, I had to cook my own rice to go with soya sauce when my mom was at work and mostly not home till 11pm. Every day after school, I would roam around aimlessly to play. The RC Centre brought happiness to my life; it was where I could draw, colour and sing. Through these activities, I also learnt about perseverance and how to work harder for my goals.
Lantern-making was one of my favourite activities. I practised and practised, and was extremely pleased when I came in 1st place during a lantern-making competition. It was then when I owned my first ever Barbie doll which came with a complete furniture set.
The RC Centre had given me many happy memories. I was able to learn from adults who substituted the ones missing in my childhood. Now I volunteer with Tanglin CC with the hopes to help families and children who are in need of an individual they can trust in and approach for help.”
Lily, a white poodle was wandering around Tanglin CC when Neo, our colleague found her, and pinged our volunteers to ask if anyone had lost a dog.
Our Goldhill NC member Doreen responded and kindly volunteered to bring Lily to the vet across our CC to help trace the owner via microchip.
But Lily was reunited with her mummy Sharon who lives just behind Tanglin CC after she dropped by to ask if anyone had found a dog wandering around!
Thanks Neo and Doreen for your simple but heartwarming act of reuniting Lily with Sharon!
Mr Yousuf Rajid is a humble, dedicated MoCa community leader. He is also a talented artist, poet and national award winning author. But above all, a devoted father and loving husband.
We launched three books he authored, and in character, he is giving the proceeds from the sales to Its Raining Raincoats to support our migrant worker community.
We cannot be more proud of him and our Pek Kio CC IAEC community.
For over five decades, Mdm Hamida Binte Khalid has been volunteering to help keep her community safe and secure. In recognition of her service and contributions, Mdm Hamida was awarded the Pingat Bakti Setia (Long Service Award) in 1980. Read on to find out what keeps the 71-year-old going as a Citizens on Patrol volunteer!
*Image from Singapore Police Force Facebook Page
Congrats to our Cairnhill Community Club Chairperson Peng Peng and Tekka Residents' Committee Chairperson Teck Ming.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication in serving our community. They have led by example, bring new initiatives and ideas, rallied others to serve.
Congrats to our National Day Award Winners who have tirelessly served our MoCa community. Thank you for your hard work and dedication in serving our community.
Dropped by Pek Kio between the end of Parliament and a work event. Caught up with a few familiar faces like Mdm Ye, Uncle A and Mr Dasan.
I enjoy walking about in my ward on my own. I get an even better feel of the ground, have random chats with my residents and see if there are any improvements that might be needed.
Such an honour and inspiration to meet giants during our MoCa house visits.
Dr Tan Eng Liang is a giant of Singapore Sports, founding Chair of Urban Redevelopment Authority, an Olympian, Senior Minister of State, Rhodes Scholar and MP. Yet a humble and thoughtful senior. Thank you Dr Tan and Mrs Kathryn Tan for taking time to speak with me, and sharing your experience serving our nation as a family.
Uncle Bobby is an exemplar. At 76, he continues to volunteer with us at MoCa, while also working at YWCA of Singapore where he is Employee of the Year! So much to learn from you sir! We are proud of you.
National Day Awards 2023 - Mr Steven Koh, BBM & Mr Michael Teo, PBM
Congrats to our National Day Award Winners who have been pillars of support to our MoCa Community. Thank you for your tireless service!