SINGAPORE MARCH 11 2009

The Government announced today that it will be funding the bulk of the costs involved in operating the Malay Heritage Centre, the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and the upcoming Indian Heritage Centre.

While the day to day running of these three Community Heritage Institutions (CHIs) will now be done by the National Heritage Board (NHB), overall management will still remain in the hands of the respective ethnic communities through their boards of directors.

Speaking at a ceremony held at the Asian Civilisations Museum to mark the signing of Memorandums of Understanding between NHB and the three CHIs, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA), Radm (NS) Lui Tuck Yew said: “Today’s MOUs underscore our commitment to further invest in our multicultural heritage with a new framework of support.

“At last month’s Committee of Supply debate, we announced that MICA and Tote Board will enhance funding for the development and recurrent costs of selected CHIs. The development funding will be raised to 95 per cent, and the recurrent funding will be raised to 99 per cent, with the remaining costs to be funded by the community. The projected development cost funded by the government for the three CHIs is S$29 million. The communities will further raise the remaining five per cent, or about S$1 million, to help fund the centres. Through this new funding arrangement, the costs of developing and operating the CHIs will be co-shared by the government and the various communities.”

He stressed that these community heritage institutions can also be a focal point for community integration showcasing our rich cultural and social heritage while providing Singaporeans with a deeper understanding of our multicultural roots.

Said SMS Lui: “For the visitor who wants to know more about a specific culture within the context of Singapore’s history, the CHIs tell the stories of the various communities in Singapore. These stories deserve the attention of all Singaporeans. The CHIs play an important role in documenting the history of the various communities in Singapore. They help add a new dimension to the understanding and appreciation of our collective heritage. Furthermore, these institutions exemplify Singapore’s cultural and racial harmony, providing platforms for the communities to exchange ideas, thoughts and feelings.”

Speaking on behalf of NHB, its chairman Professor Tommy Koh said the Board will manage the three institutions with competence and professionalism. “The exhibitions which we will curate will be of the same high standard as this museum and other NHB museums.”

The additional funding was welcomed by all the CHIs. Senior Minister of State Zainul Abidin Rasheed, chairman of the Malay Heritage Foundation who spoke to reporters after the ceremony said: “While the Government will provide the bulk of funding for our operations, we will still continue to raise funds for our own initiatives such as for endowments and scholarships. Apart from the museum, we will also like to focus on some intellectual programmes such as discussions and workshops. It will help to bring more life to the Malay Heritage Centre.”

A news report presented by the yesterday.sg (YSG) team

Click here to read the press release.