On Thursday, 25 July 2013, my neighbours and I received an invite from HDB in our email in-boxes. The invite read:
"Congratulations on the purchase of your new home at Casa Clementi! We hope that you have settled into your new home and gotten to know some of your neighbours.
To welcome your family and yourself to the neighbourhood, we warmly invite you to a fun-filled Welcome Party on 27 July 2013 (Sat) from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm. A range of exciting activities such as stage performances and interactive games are in store for you. We have also prepared a reception for your family, neighbours and you to enjoy. Participate in the 'Friends Next Door' Photo Contest and stand a chance to win a prize. Come be a part of the unveiling of your precinct’s very own mural art walls as well!
More details can be found in the flyer that will be distributed to your Casa Clementi letterboxes.
Please click on the link below to find out more about the Welcome Party:
http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10333p.nsf/w/CORWPCasaClementi?OpenDocument
*Please remember to bring along your NRIC and the invite card to register and collect your souvenir (1 per household) during the Welcome Party on 27 July 2013. Look out for the invite card in your letterboxes."
While it is nice to hold a welcome party, the objective to mingle with our fellow multi-racial neighbours are lost on us. The event, starts at 4pm, during which Muslims cannot eat or drink and ends right before the time to break fast.
In a closed Facebook group of the estate, a Muslim neighbour graciously said to fellow residents "To my non-Muslim neighbours, please take our share of the free foodies. Don't know why it's held on our fasting month. But we will drop by if we are free. See you around." Some other non-Muslim neighbours also agreed that the timing was odd.
A Chinese neighbour even said, "If hold after fasting month, can celebrate Singapore birthday at same time." To which a Muslim resident said, "And we can even bring down our kuih for sharing".
It is heartening to read how considerate and generous my fellow neighbours are. But what is utterly disappointing is that the HDB and the RC had organised this event without much thought at all.
How do we encourage a close-knitted community when such an event, organised by HDB and the RC that aims to bring multiracial residents together fails to note such an important factor?
Part of Multi-racial Society