National Day supplement

Reporter's take on Singapore's community spirit

The Straits Times will run a National Day supplement on Aug 9 profiling Singaporeans who display various shared values of the Singapore Spirit. Here is a sneak peek of one segment focusing on individuals who embody the community spirit.

SINGAPORE - When looking for people to profile for the community spirit segment, I decided to focus on those who have done something good for their neighbours.

Charity, after all, begins at home.

While interviewing the three Singaporeans featured, I was struck not only by their passion for helping those around them, but also their humility and sincerity.

Their contributions may not seem particularly large. Yet where human relationships are concerned, it is precisely the little things that matter.

Madam Jumiah, Madam Veerama, Dr Sin - and thousands of other Singaporeans doing their bit for the community, one good deed at a time - are living testament to the factthat the kampung spirit, in a way, still survives, and thrives.

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