SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) congratulated residents from Bedok Reservoir Road who had been recognized for their acts of kindness.
“Congratulations to Sandy Goh Siew Hua and her fellow resident volunteers at Blk 702 Bedok Reservoir Road senior citizens’ corner for being awarded Singapore’s Friendly Neighborhood Award 2023 by the Singapore Kindness Movement!” wrote Mr Giam, who has been representing Bedok Reservoir–Punggol in Parliament since 2020.
Singapore’s Friendly Neighbourhood Awards, which started in October of last year, aims to “recognise and celebrate the collective strength, kinship, and resilience within neighbourhoods,” as the Housing Development Board (HDB) puts it. Put more simply, it’s a recognition that the kampung spirit is alive and well in Singapore.
This year, there are 12 recipients from all over Singapore out of 234 submissions for the award, 75 per cent of which come from HDB estates. Aside from Bedok Reservoir, the other winners are Blk 2 Holland Avenue, Regency Park Condo, Toa Payoh East Zone 6, Compassvale Helm, Yishun Floral Spring, Villa Verde, Blocks 676A & 676B Woodlands Drive 71, Kampung Circuit Community, Ping An Green, West Terra, and Skyline II @ Bukit Batok.
The entry for Ms Goh reads this way: “Being the ‘voice’ of the people living in the Bedok Reservoir estate, Sandy builds strong relationships with the senior residents and juggles at least 10 WhatsApp Group chats to help and stay connected with the residents. The neighbourhood exemplifies ‘kampung spirit’ with a massive network of help provided by volunteers.”
HDB recognized these “Super residents in Bedok Reservoir,” noting that they offer weekly tuition, free haircutting, food rescue, and distribution to support their neighbours in “myriad ways.” It also noted that they even assisted seniors with vaccination and doctor appointments during the pandemic.
Referring to Ms Goh, it says, “Sandy manages multiple WhatsApp groups to facilitate support and communication with residents in need. She then collaborates with welfare organisations to help these residents find the help they need. The work that she and her large network of volunteers put in has enabled the Bedok Reservoir community to stay a connected and caring neighbourhood.”
Mr Giam also shared a link to an 8world piece that talks about the work Ms Goh does in the Bedok Reservoir community, and more information about this year’s recipients of Singapore’s Friendly Neighbourhood Awards may be seen in the short clip below.
/TISG
Read related: ‘We are neighbours by chance, let’s be friends by choice,’ says Dr William Wan in new rap video