SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) team for Sembawang GRC has pledged to stay true to the character of the constituency if elected, while their opponents, the National Solidarity Party (NSP), promised to be a voice for residents on concerns they have raised.

The two parties were delivering their constituency political broadcasts aired on Tuesday (Jul 7), with the PAP speaking first as the incumbents in the five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

PAP: AN APPROACH THAT HAS DELIVERED

From the PAP, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung began by recalling former Sembawang representative and Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan’s work in the GRC. The “most significant initiative” of Mr Khaw was to persuade the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to build “so many more” new flats in the constituency.

“Why did he do that? Because residents (gave) feedback to him, and these are residents who used to live in the kampungs there but resettled into the HDB flats,” said Mr Ong.

“They said, we’re growing older, our children are growing up, getting married, and they’re moving out of our homes, but all the BTOs (Build-to-Order flats) are in the northeast, meaning Punggol, I think. They asked, why don’t we have more BTO flats in Sembawang? So Mr Khaw pushed for it.”

READ: GE2020: PAP team led by Ong Ye Kung to face NSP in Sembawang GRC

Integrated development Kampung Admiralty, was another project arising from residents’ feedback, Mr Ong cited, adding that many seniors told Mr Khaw they wanted to live close to amenities, lead a healthy lifestyle and have neighbours who can take care of one another.

“What residents wanted was put into action and crystallised in a very meaningful, concrete way that benefited them.”

The GRC’s elected representatives “need to take this approach” and must understand Sembawang’s “character and DNA”, Mr Ong said. “Be in touch with the roots and the history of the place and the people.”

Representatives must also be prepared to innovate, he said. “Be prepared to develop those one-of-its-kind projects in the area. If we don’t succeed, we learn, and we improve. If we succeed, share the idea with the rest of Singapore, like (with) Kampung Admiralty.”

The work of consulting residents goes beyond compiling requests and feedback forms, added Mr Ong. “It means really listening to them and understanding (their) aspirations and … delivering what they really want.

“If we can do that, then we can preserve the character of Sembawang and build it up further.”

PAP: SEMBAWANG, A SPECIAL PLACE IN SINGAPORE

The PAP team for Sembawang “has internalised this approach”, said Mr Ong, adding that this was demonstrated when they redeveloped Sembawang Hot Spring Park.

“Today when I visit the park, I can see it’s a charming, rustic place. Singaporeans from all over the island come here to enjoy the hot spring park. It’s like a nice little local tourist attraction.”

In every project the team will undertake, including the Bukit Canberra community hub, the Woodlands integrated healthcare campus, new park connectors, BTO projects and the Woodlands waterfront, they will have to “give it tender loving care”.

“Make sure the project embodies the characteristics of Sembawang GRC: Character, innovation, consultation. This is our promise to the residents of Sembawang GRC,” said Mr Ong

“We’ll make this a special place in Singapore — more facilities, more convenient, yet green, rustic, historical and a unique place in Singapore.”

His team-mates, Mr Vikram Nair, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Ms Poh Li San spoke mostly in Tamil, Malay and Mandarin respectively, while Dr Lim Wee Kiak, who spoke in English, shared their plans for Bukit Canberra, Sembawang’s community hub.

READ: GE2020: From RSAF search and rescue pilot, to PAP candidate ready to ‘serve from the heart’

Dr Lim said the blueprint for the development was made in consultation with residents.

“This will be a green and sustainable development, with our very own Sembawang hawker centre, Sembawang swimming pool, indoor sports hall, gym and the state-of-the-art Sembawang polyclinic together with childcare and eldercare facilities — all this in a luscious greenery setting, among fruit trees and organic farming gardens,” he said.

The new Woodlands integrated healthcare campus will have 2,200 beds and is now under construction, he said. It is set to be “one of the largest” medical facilities in Singapore.

The team also plans to build cycling and pedestrian paths linking Woodlands Regional Centre to the Woodlands waterfront, he continued. “All these new exciting developments will make Sembawang more happening, and special.”

NSP: RAISING JOB SECURITY AND FINANCIAL ISSUES

From the NSP, Mr Sathin Ravindran said he grew up in the Sembawang GRC area, and that he has heard concerns raised by constituents, which he wants to address in Parliament and in the constituency.

“There’ve been many social issues — such as unemployment, workforce discrimination, youths giving up their education prematurely — and all these are due to the increasing cost of living and the increase in workforce competition,” he said.

He is also concerned about job security for middle-aged workers, support for single parents and job opportunities for young Singaporeans. “More help could’ve been given to the families with financial difficulties, so that the children can focus on studies, instead of trying to make ends meet at home,” he said.

“Are all Singaporeans able to enjoy a world-class education system? Is our education system preparing children to face challenges ahead?”

READ: GE2020: NSP’s Spencer Ng questions how many ‘quality’ new jobs created

He said he wanted to be an advocate for Sembawang constituents and for Singaporeans, as he understands them and has experienced similar difficulties.

“The majority of PAP candidates seem to be living the good life, but do they know the daily difficulties and financial issues many of us ordinary Singaporeans are facing?” he questioned.

He called for more grants for tertiary education and above, so that all Singaporeans are given the chance to further their studies.

“Dear residents, what has the PAP promised you in the last five years? What has your MP promised you?” he questioned. “Have you seen the changes made? Were your issues and concerns resolved? Are you doing better than five years ago?”

Adding that the NSP wants “a more proactive than a reactive” government, he said the Government must be “more constantly pushed and questioned”.

“We need to have more transparency, accountability, checks and balances,” he concluded, asking constituents to “do the right thing” and vote for the NSP.

The NSP’s Mr Yadzeth Hairis spoke in Malay, while Mr Spencer Ng spoke in English. The latter thanked residents for their support since 2015, and said that while the NSP respected the electorate’s decision previously, the party hopes voters will now “reconsider”.

He touched on several main issues: Protecting local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs), affordable housing, no further Goods and Services Tax (GST) hikes and Central Provident Fund (CPF) withdrawals.

Calling for a “level playing field” for local PMETs, he said he would like to revisit the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with India. “If the agreement is found to cause unfair competition for our local PMETs … we’ll push to abolish that particular agreement.”

For affordable housing “for future generations of Singaporeans”, the NSP is looking at cost subsidies “as part of the mechanism to reduce the prices”.

The party will also study “increasing the liveable space of an HDB flat”, he said. “There’s so much room for improvement with the current ones. What happened to our HDB executive maisonette?”

As for GST, the party is also “looking at zero GST for basic necessities, such as rice, cooking oil and baby formula”.

He called on the Government to “stop the increments in the withdrawal age” for CPF members, adding that the NSP wants the withdrawal age criteria to be reduced progressively to honour the “legal right to withdraw” CPF at age 55.

“Make the withdrawal at the stated age by default, with the opt-out option if members wish to maintain a CPF account. This can be supplemented with wealth management advisories to ensure our retirees can have a fulfilling retirement,” he added.

NSP: OUTLINING PLANS FOR SEMBAWANG

At the constituency level, the NSP team will implement a “Sembawang master development plan” if elected, said Mr Ng.

This plan includes constructing more barrier-free facilities for people with disabilities, and building elderly-friendly facilities in housing and common spaces, he cited.

For example, this could mean more raised tiles for the visually challenged, and providing emergency tokens to elderly constituents for them to request assistance with apps like MyResponder.

He said the team also plans to install progressive solar cells to power common facilities to lessen residents’ conservancy charges, and improve sheltered walkways and lifts.

Besides the usual Meet-the-People Session, the NSP team will set up mobile sessions so that residents need not travel much, he added. “We’re also looking at online and virtual sessions.”

The team will also call for tenders for service providers and contracts that can be staffed by Sembawang residents as a priority, matched to the “job scope and aspiration” of the resident, he said.

The NSP team also plan to set aside their MP allowance as “seed funding” in collaboration with local enterprises for “constituency growth”, including funds for basic necessities and schooling needs for less privileged constituents.

“We want to set up a cooperative and links for small, micro and home-based businesses in Sembawang. This is to encourage residents to patronise their products and services,” he added. The team also plans to consolidate the constituency’s social service organisations, charities and similar organisations in a one-stop service centre.

“These are just some of the long list of exciting developments we have in store for our Sembawang GRC residents,” Mr Ng said in closing.

“So for a better tomorrow, let’s do the next right thing. Help us build the true kampung spirit in Sembawang. Make the NSP your voice.”

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SINGAPORE: To build an inclusive society for those with disabilities, Workers’ Party (WP) candidate Muhammad Azhar Abdul Latip believes that change can begin with the “little things” in everyday life.

For example, making sure that walkways, lifts and supermarket aisles are wide enough for people in wheelchairs to traverse with ease.

The 34-year-old speaks from personal experience. An amputee who lost his left leg in a road traffic accident nearly six years ago, he had to use a wheelchair before he was eventually fitted with a prosthetic limb.

“For me, it was an issue when you go on walkways, (and) when you go into supermarkets, you notice there’s insufficient space,” he said, adding that one could not manoeuvre a wheelchair between tables at the hawker centres either.

Lift doors in many places can also be too narrow. “For someone like me who’s big sized and using a wheelchair, it can be a challenge to make sure that you don’t hit the side of the doors.”

“So it is those little things that you need to be looking out for,” he said. “Of course, you need to have major policy changes as well, but it starts off with something very small and very simple.”

Mr Azhar, a political science graduate from the National University of Singapore, is part of the five-man opposition team contesting Marine Parade GRC. He is a first-time candidate.

READ: GE2020: WP and PAP to go head to head in Marine Parade GRC

At the party’s candidate introduction session on Jun 25, Mr Azhar said that since having a disability, he has come to realise that Singapore is still far from being an inclusive society, and that discussions tend to be “lip service”.

His experience – and not just with everyday inconveniences, but also with his career in the marine insurance industry coming to a halt after the accident – told him that more needs to be done.

If elected to Parliament, Mr Azhar said he wants to make sure that people with disabilities receive the assistance they need and equal opportunities for employment.

THE ACCIDENT THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE

It was 7.35pm on Nov 3, 2014, when Mr Azhar met with the accident that would change his life.

He had just ended work and was waiting to cross the junction of Upper Cross Street and Cecil Street when he heard someone shouting. He turned towards the sound and saw a “bright light” hurtling towards him.

“The next thing I knew, I was on the floor.”

He recalled trying to get back up, but felt numbness in his left leg. He looked down and saw his ankle “dangling” with “a lot of blood”. Passers-by had started to rush towards him, with one urging him to lie down.

“After a few minutes, the pain started coming in. I was in terrible pain. I remember shouting at the top of my lungs,” he said.

He later learned that he had been hit by a motorcyclist who had lost control of his bike after colliding with a taxi.

Mr Azhar spent the next month in the hospital as doctors tried to save his damaged limb. The bad news came when he developed a high fever, and doctors suspected that sepsis – a potentially life-threatening condition due to the body’s immune system going into overdrive to fight an infection – was the reason.

“The doctor said: ‘I give you two options, either you die from an infected leg, or you undergo an amputation’ … It was a difficult decision to make definitely, but I told myself if I don’t pick up that option, I could lose my life.”

He had surgery for the amputation on Dec 12 that year. “Since then, I have been living life as a disabled person,” he said.

A FRUSTRATING FIGHT TO GET BACK ON TRACK

Mr Azhar was discharged a month later. He started his rehabilitation therapy at a community hospital and was told that he would probably need six months to get back on his feet.

But he surprised everyone, including himself, when he managed to walk unassisted with his prosthesis in just two weeks.

He credited the nurses at the community hospital for their care, “in particular the nurse who was assigned to care for me,” he said. “She was very helpful and played a crucial part in my recovery.”

Another push factor was his desire to get his life back on track. “I told myself, I want to recover as fast as I can because I want to go back to work. That gave me the motivation (and) determination to just push on and do as much as I can.”

But re-starting his career was less smooth sailing.

He had lost his job while he was in hospital, as his then-employer felt that the projected six-month recovery period was “too long” for his role to be left vacant. Mr Azhar had been a marine insurance broker and was the only one overseeing his company’s regional work.

When he made a faster-than-expected recovery, the company – which Mr Azhar would only describe as a multinational firm – said they would consider re-employing him. But that offer came belatedly after six months, and with caveats in his contract, he noted.

“They wanted to include some clause in my employment contract that specifically addresses my disability, things like if I sustain any injury during the course of work and that is due to my disability, then the company wouldn’t be held responsible.

“When you read through the employment contract, you feel a bit like, ‘Why are they doing this? Why are they being so calculative in a sense?’ But I said it’s all right, at least they are nice enough to take me in despite my disability.”

But one and a half months later, the company let him go again.

“I asked what happened … and they said because ‘you are not the same person as you were before’.”

He found a one-year contract position with another insurer after that, but his frustration hit a peak in 2017 when he was terminated about three months into another job.

“There was just too much change,” he said. “I just wanted normalcy. I just wanted continuity.”

He eventually found this normalcy in the form of work as a private-hire car driver in 2017.

“Life has not always been easy for me. Like you, I have faced setbacks and tough times,” Mr Azhar wrote in a Jun 29 Facebook post that included a short video about himself.

“But with perseverance, I am still pulling through,” he said, adding that he is now ready to serve the community and wants to be a Member of Parliament “who understands what it feels like to be a true heartlander”.

WHY THE WORKERS’ PARTY

It would come as no surprise that Mr Azhar wants to speak out for the disabled community on issues like jobs, and he feels that being a part of the WP would be the way to do so.

He started volunteering with the party a year ago, helping with food distribution and community outreach programmes in Aljunied GRC.

Asked why he joined the WP, he said part of the reason was his “soft spot for the underdogs”. “I see the Workers’ Party as the underdog political party in Singapore,” he said.

He also believes in the importance of having another political party to provide a degree of check-and-balance on the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), and the WP has over the years proven itself to be a “very credible opposition”, he said.

READ: GE2020: Votes for the Workers’ Party will count in 3 ways, says Pritam Singh 

“I also feel that over the years, the Workers’ Party has been a very strong advocate of being the alternative voice in Parliament. They are speaking up for groups of people you don’t normally find the PAP voicing out for. 

“After all the experiences that I’ve gone through, when I know that this is how the WP is like, it resonates with me,” he said.

Party chief Pritam Singh has said several times on the campaign trail this year that the WP wants to field not just strong candidates, but also a diverse slate of individuals that can represent the multiple facets of the Singapore society in Parliament.

Even though he is likely the party’s first representative for the disabled community, Mr Azhar said he does not want to see his candidacy “as something extra special”.

“It’s just the little things that I try to do to challenge myself on a daily basis,” he said.

“And I hope that other disabled people can also come forward, despite their challenges, and try to achieve whatever they want to achieve in life.”

Aside from Mr Azhar, the WP team contesting Marine Parade GRC includes Mr Yee Jenn Jong, Mr Ron Tan, Mr Fadli Fawzi and Mr Nathaniel Koh. They are going up against a PAP team led by Mr Tan Chuan-Jin.

As a first-time candidate, Mr Azhar said there are many things he wants to learn.

And he is doing so by eagerly walking the ground – starting as early as 7am to visit wet markets and hawker centres, followed by house visits and more outreach programmes that could end as late as 10pm.

Being constantly on his feet for such long hours has been “very tiring”, he told CNA, although it is impossible to tell from his steady strides during walkabouts.

“I am pleasantly surprised that my leg is able to withstand the amount of walking and the amount of ground work that I’ve been doing for the past couple of days,” he said, adding that he also began working out to build up his fitness several months ago.

The “overwhelming support” from residents is another reason spurring him on.

“When I walk around Marine Parade in this uniform and the badge, people recognise which party I’m from … People come up to you and shake hands with you.

“Right now for me, the focus is just to make sure that I do my very best in this campaign – to campaign as hard as I can, to walk the ground as much as I can, and leave it to (the) voters come Friday,” he said.

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SINGAPORE: If elected as a Member of Parliament, new People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate Poh Li San plans to respond to public scrutiny with her actions.

“Serve from your heart – people can tell you’re sincere,” she said, on how she would handle being in the public eye. 

Speaking to CNA on Monday (Jul 6) during what would have been her dinner break before heading off for more door-to-door visits in Sembawang GRC, she added: “No one is perfect, so don’t take yourself too seriously. If people want to criticise, then let them be, I can’t please everyone. 

“More importantly, I must make sure my residents are taken care of.”

If elected, Ms Poh will take over former Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan’s seat in the five-member Sembawang GRC. She is contesting alongside Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung, Vikram Nair, Lim Wee Kiak, and fellow new face Mariam Jaafar. 

READ: GE2020: PAP team led by Ong Ye Kung to face NSP in Sembawang GRC

When the 45-year-old former search and rescue helicopter pilot with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) began volunteering with Mr Ong in his Gambas ward in 2018, one incident proved to be eye-opening. 

Ms Poh encountered a family whose flat had been completely destroyed by a fire sparked by a personal mobility device battery that exploded. 

Two young children escaped death when they were rescued by civil defence officers, and the family was housed in a rental flat for about two weeks while the Town Council helped with renovations. 

However, the fire also triggered a dispute with the family’s neighbours upstairs, whose flat had been damaged. Ms Poh stepped in to mediate, and a legal claim was eventually avoided and the families made up. 

This took many phone calls and long hours of talking to both sides. But Ms Poh felt happy to have helped avert a bad dispute that would have affected both families for as long as they lived there, she told CNA. 

“Imagine, they had just moved in about one year ago, and for the rest of their stay there, if you enter the lift and you see each other as enemies – I think that would be really terrible,” she said with a light smile. 

“So I am glad that I am able to do something. And that experience also taught me how important it is actually for the community to stay close and united, and for us as grassroots leaders, as volunteers, to assist our residents when they have difficulties.”

BALANCING HER JOB AND GRASSROOTS WORK

Ms Poh’s first volunteer experience was almost 15 years ago, as a counsellor with the Southwest Community Development Council (CDC) for about three years. But her job with the RSAF meant she often travelled and trained overseas, she said, so she could not continue volunteering.

In 2017, she was invited to tea sessions with the PAP after being scouted as a potential candidate. She went on to volunteer on the ground, starting with meet-the-people sessions which she described as a “humbling” experience. 

“People have difficult issues that they cannot solve on their own,” she said. “I felt like, wow, somebody you don’t know is prepared to sit there and air their challenges in life. And (for) some, you can tell, it’s really a struggle. 

“So I felt like, I think I can do something, I can contribute more.”

As the vice-president of Changi Airport Group, Ms Poh is also involved in planning for the upcoming Terminal 5. Balancing her day job and her volunteer work has been “quite hectic”, she said. 

“That’s why I think my hair greyed a lot in the last few years,” she added with a smile, pointing at her roots. “Time is always a premium, time is tight and my work has quite a bit of travelling.” 

To save time, she opted for long haul red-eye flights and made “personal adjustments” to her own free time. This has allowed her to spend most weekends and four to six weeknights a week at the Sembawang PAP branch. 

“I wanted to plunge in as deeply, as much as possible, to let myself have a chance to experience the life of an MP,” she said of the past two years. 

Her thinking behind this was: “If I can’t even do it as a volunteer – and I’m just joining Minister Khaw for all the activities, I’m not even doing the work behind the scenes – and if I cannot take it, then I think I’d better not do this.” 

READ: GE2020: PAP unveils seven more new faces, including Changi Airport, LinkedIn executives

Ms Poh said she has maintained a “very good balance” between her job at CAG and at the grassroots, and credited her teams at work and at the Sembawang PAP branch for supporting her. 

But juggling the two roles “can be very consuming”, and she knows that it’s “not fair to either party” if “both sides are half baked”. 

Ms Poh has considered becoming a full-time MP if elected, and may do so if it reaches a point where she “cannot cope”. 

“Or I feel that to do my job as an MP well, because this has an impact on many, many families and many lives, then that might be a trade-off I have to make at some point in time,” she said, adding that the priority now is still to win her seat first. 

MORE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS FOR WOMEN AT WORK

If she is elected as an MP, flexible work arrangements and opportunities for more women to take on leadership positions at work are some of the issues Ms Poh wants to raise. 

Observing that it is “very, very tough” for women who work and take care of children, she said that “the best thing we can do … is to give them additional help”, even as she noted the many improvements “in the last 10 to 15 years”.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that working from home “can be done”, said Ms Poh, and this would give women room to manage their time better. “At the end of the day, it’s the output, the quality of what you do.” 

“The other area is having opportunities for more women to take up leadership positions, because then they are more likely to shape policies – HR policies or work policies – within different organisations to be more pro-family,” Ms Poh said.

“So that takes time. But we are a very small country, we have only a few million people – and if we want to really harness the potential and abilities of our people, we need to have many different types of support structures, both at home and at work.” 

STAYING COOL IN STRESSFUL MOMENTS

As she posed for photos outside the branch office, a helicopter flew overhead and Ms Poh easily identified it as a Super Puma – the type of craft she used to fly for search and rescue missions out of Sembawang Air Base. 

With a tinge of nostalgia, she admitted that she missed flying and that it was nice to be near the air base, even though she last donned a pilot’s uniform more than 10 years ago. 

The pressure that came with her former job in the RSAF helped her learn to compartmentalise her time and focus, and to stay “calm and collected” in stressful moments, said Ms Poh. 

She enthusiastically recounted her very first mission – flying out to sea with a more experienced pilot to rescue a casualty on a container ship, and having to keep the helicopter stable above the moving vessel.

After dropping off the casualty at Singapore General Hospital, they flew back to Sembawang Air Base with a tank low on fuel. If the mission had been extended by just half an hour, they wouldn’t have made it back, said Ms Poh. 

“I think the exposure to challenging, complex situations, sometimes near death situations, has helped me stretch my patience, kept me cool. So I tend to stay fairly chill most of the time.” 

When asked how she would react if a resident shouted at her during a meet-the-people session, she was quick to stress that MPs cannot flare up at them. 

“You must remember, they must be under a lot of stress; if not, they wouldn’t come to you. Sometimes (when) they feel frustrated, they cannot get help after repeated tries, and they shout at us for example, you cannot be shouting back at them. 

“We have to just take it and help to comfort them, and cool them down, and give them hope,” she said. “I think giving people hope is very important.”

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SINGAPORE: Anyone facing difficulties with their digital devices will soon be able to get help from new SG Digital community hubs that will be set up across Singapore. 

Located in community centres and public libraries, the 46 one-stop help centres will be opened by end August. 

Five centres have already commenced operations: The community hubs at Heartbeat @ Bedok, Leng Kee Community Centre, MacPherson Community Centre, Our Tampines Hub and West Coast Community Centre. 

“The SG Digital community hub is another milestone in the effort to be deeply embedded in the community,” said Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran, during a visit to the SG Digital Office @ West Coast community hub on Tuesday (Jul 7). 

“(The hubs) become a node in the community, where people know that they can go to get help and advice. Our facilities are a physical reminder and assurance that we are walking the talk.”

PRIORITISING SENIORS AND HAWKERS

Even though the community hubs are open for all, seniors and hawkers are the “immediate priority”, said the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and SG Digital Office (SDO) in a joint media release.

As part of IMDA’s Seniors Go Digital and Hawkers Go Digital programmes, Digital Ambassadors will be stationed in each hub to provide one-to-one assistance on digital skills and knowledge, so seniors and hawkers can “pick up digital skills and progress at their own pace”.

READ: 1,000 digital ambassadors to be recruited to help stallholders, seniors go online

They can also participate in small group classes and learning journeys at each hub.

The services rendered are divided into three broad tiers. The first tier is catered towards teaching seniors basic communication skills, such as how to use WhatsApp and connect to WiFi via Wireless@SGx. 

In the second tier, seniors learn how to use Government digital services, like SingPass Mobile for SafeEntry.

The third tier covers how to use e-payment tools, such as QR codes at markets and hawker centres. 

Meanwhile, hawkers can drop by any hub to learn how to employ e-payment tools to better serve their customers’ needs. 

In order to reach their targeted senior clientele and familiarise them with technology, Mr Iswaran said that the community hubs will roll out classes in various languages and dialects, if necessary. 

OVERCOMING FEAR OF TECHNOLOGY

Another prevalent concern that these community hubs will attempt to address is the slow adoption of technology among the elderly due to the fear of “appearing silly or asking silly questions”, said Mr Iswaran. 

READ: Commentary: COVID-19 has revealed a new disadvantaged group among us – digital outcasts

“(Our seniors) fear that people won’t have the time or patience to help them. I think it’s a legitimate thing, and I think it’s not something that’s just unique to seniors. Everybody has that kind of concern from time to time,” he added. 

“The inhibition arising from a certain fear of embarrassment is real. But that’s where something like the (SG Digital community hubs) can help because seniors know that there are other people like them there. There’s a sense of camaraderie in the learning.”

These community hubs will act as a “digital haven” for seniors, said Mr Iswaran, adding that the people involved in the whole exercise are “going to try their best to help them”. 

Getting assistance at the community hubs is also “not a one-shot deal”. The Digital Ambassadors will be work with seniors “through the months, and through the years, if necessary”, he added. 

“It’s really how you create a nurturing environment, which allows people to ask questions without inhibition, knowing that it will all be taken seriously, given the due attention and importance, and that they will be helped without any judgment,” he said.