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  The Electric New Paper 30 Jul 07
More than just talk: youths want to contribute more
At session with Minister Yeo, youths say they want want to contribute more
By Elysa Chen

THE Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo, had invited them to air their views, but Singaporean youths seemed keen to do more than just talk.

Mr Choo Zheng Xi, 21, went to the session with the purpose of inviting Mr Yeo to blog on his website, www.theonlinecitizen.com.

At the Coffee Talk with George session at Hougang Mall yesterday, Mr Choo said: 'I want to bring the Government and the opposition together through my site, and give them equal air time.

'I want to break the stereotypes of both the people who work with the Government and those who question the Government.' Mr Yeo said: 'Where we engage depends on who is engaging and how. It must be constructive and no calling names.'

But he said he was 'completely open' to the idea of contributing to Mr Choo's website.

DON'T BE RUDE

'I try not to shy away from any discourse, but if someone is rude or abusive towards me, I'll avoid him,' he said.

When contacted later by The New Paper on Sunday, Mr Choo, a second-year NUS law student, said he was excited about the prospect of the Minister writing on his blog.

He has already thought of a topic for Mr Yeo: A National Day article on nationhood and national identity. Mr Choo said he is working out details before sending a proposal to the Minister.

The session was lively with more than 20 youths peppering the Minister with questions for more than an hour.

Miss Bernise Ang told the Minister she wants young people to get a 'broader involvement in the policy-making level'. The 27-year-old is the founder of Syinc, an organisation that tries to link up Singapore youth organisations and provide a resource base of volunteers.

She asked Mr Yeo how the young would be able to influence policy-making. Miss Ang is all for active citizenry and hopes young people can get more involved. This can be 'from implementation of small-scale projects to planning phases of national plans', she said

So Mr Yeo suggested she could contribute by applying for an internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After the session, however, MissAng said that she had to pass on the offer as she already had a full-time job in the banking industry.

Another participant, Sanjiv Nanwani, however, can contribute through such an internship. He is on a two-month internship at the Ministry of Finance.

The 20-year-old, with a 'great passion for the environment', is currently working on a report studying regulations and standards that can be implemented to make a 'greener Singapore'.

There was a stark difference between the attitudes of these youngsters and those mentioned by MrYeo during the session.

Discussing how some Singaporeans depend too much on the Government, he said: 'Sometimes, when I go down to meet residents, they treat me like a condo manager. 'The light bulb here is faulty, the trees there are too bushy... There's this feeling that the Government should attend to all these problems. 'Don't wait for the Government, solve it yourselves!'

Although this is one area Mr Yeo feels we should improve on, he is pleased with the way young Singaporeans are responding to their challenges, one of which is the rise of China and India.

He urged the youngsters to 'learn new tricks' and to work together to build the Singapore 'Operating System'.

He said: 'It's the operating system that gives us the advantage. Where in India or China can someone turn on the tap, drink and not be sick the next day? It's the result of a system that works.'
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