SINGAPORE: Some 3,600 people became citizens of Singapore
on Saturday at citizenship ceremonies held islandwide.
The ceremonies took place at Group Representative
Constituencies (GRCs), while the National Citizenship Ceremony was
held in the Supreme Court Auditorium.
Ministers and Members of Parliament officiating at the
ceremonies have called on both new and existing citizens to get to
know one another better.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Mr Lim Swee Say, also
urged them to learn more than one language.
Many of the new citizens, who are of different ages and come from
various countries, said they want to become Singapore citizens
because the country is safe and secure, and they will not face
discrimination.
Arevalo Sheila Marie Paloma, one the new citizens, said: "I feel
very welcomed. My children have Chinese, Indian, Filipino friends
and they get along well with them."
The status of being a citizen also comes with responsibilities to
the country, like National Service.
Muthappan Krishnan, another new citizen, said: "I did chat (about
National Service) with quite a few friends and what they said, I
recall, is that it is a transition phase from boyhood to manhood,
so I thought it's a good method to go through the process and I am
happy about it."
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean emphasised that building a
strong and closely knit community is a greater challenge during
these difficult economic times.
"A number of us would have come from countries which are much more
mono-ethnic and mono-religious, where most of the people are of one
race or one religion. In some cases, you have come from countries
where there may be tensions or conflicts amongst people of
different races and religions.
"But when we come here to Singapore, we must commit ourselves to
putting those things aside and commit ourselves to learning to live
in peace and harmony, and understanding with our neighbours and
fellow Singaporeans," he said.
A key theme during this year's National Day celebrations is the
importance of integration between old and new citizens. New
citizens are encouraged to be active citizens by joining various
community activities in their constituencies.
The National Citizenship Ceremony is held in August to coincide
with the National Day celebrations.
- CNA/so