An annual Hari Raya bazaar will be held at Wisma Geylang Serai from next year, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli revealed on Sunday (Jul 30).
Mr Masagos said one of the signature events that the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (MESRA) will organise is the annual bazaar at the new civic centre. The minister, who is an adviser to MESRA, was speaking at 40th anniversary of PA’s Malay Activity Executive Committees (MAEC) on Sunday.
He said Wisma Geylang Serai will be a new building that the Malay-Muslim community can be proud of. It will also be an opportunity for the new building to become a reflection of the rich Malay heritage, culture and identity. “I was happy to see this come through from the architectural designs of the building.”
The People’s Association has agreed for MESRA to manage the programming of Wisma Geylang Serai with other stakeholders, and Dr Maliki Osman will lead this, Mr Masagos said.
It will collaborate with the National Art Council, National Heritage Board and Geylang Serai community club to run events, courses and programmes with a focus on outreach and engagement that will make the new civic centre a distinct heritage space, the minister added.
Dr Maliki, the Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs as well as Mayor of the South East Community Development Council, said in a separate press briefing on Sunday that he envisioned the new space to be “a kind of Singapore Botanic Gardens for the Malay community” and bringing in people to experience the life, culture and heritage.
“We want it to be the hub of the Malay community,” he said.
Wisma Geylang Serai will house a community club and other social and community-related facilities, and will be operational in 2018. A pedestrian network will also be built to enhance accessibility and connectivity to other developments in the area, including Geylang Serai market, Joo Chiat Complex and Paya Lebar MRT station.
Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com
