Singapore’s Education Minister Ng Chee Meng has applauded the Singapore’s Sikh community for its vibrant culture as it celebrated Baisakhi with foreign workers, especially those from India.
While noting foreign workers’ contribution to Singapore, Minister Chee Meng welcomed the initiative of the Singapore Khalsa Association in organising traditional sports like Kabbadi and a carnival for them.
“Many of them (foreign workers) work in the construction industry and build our beautiful homes. While they are here, let’s show them the generosity and the warm-hearted nature of Singaporeans,” said Chee Meng at the carnival which began yesterday.
Chee Meng also noted the vibrant presence of Singapore Sikhs.
“The size of Sikh community is 15,000 but your presence is disproportionate to your relative size to our population.It shows the vibrancy of your culture, the spirit of the people – all demonstrated very much here (carnival) today,” said the minister.
Jawed Ashraf, India’s High Commissioner to Singapore, joined the community at the carnival, where 27 artists from the Jalandhar-based Apeejay College of Fine Arts are performing.
The artists are on a week-long visit to Singapore under sponsorship from the association, a sporting and cultural centre for the local Sikhs.