Gho Sze Kee, MP for Mountbatten SMC, emphasised that sustainability is not just about protecting the environment, but also about caring for one another as a community. She initiated a sustainability movement unit to minimise waste, promote reuse, and foster stronger community bonds.
Ms Gho told Petir that the sustainability movement unit within the PAP Mountbatten division, was established earlier this year in response to residents’ concerns regarding rising living costs and waste, especially affecting seniors and families in rental flats.
She noted that Mountbatten has a meaningful number of residents living in rental flats, where every dollar saved matters.
“The unit’s objective is not only to promote green practices, but also to nurture a culture of care, sharing, and mutual support,” she said.
“The unit’s objective is not only to promote green practices, but also to nurture a culture of care, sharing, and mutual support,” she said.
“Sustainability is about making daily life more manageable while bringing people together. When neighbours share resources and look out for one another, they naturally strengthen community bonds,” Ms Gho said.
“More importantly, it ensures that every resident, regardless of background, feels included, valued, and part of the community.”
Her team’s first project was setting up a community library at the void deck of Block 92A Jalan Satu, within Dakota Breeze, in March. The library holds gently used children’s books donated by residents in its collection. They are available for borrowing free of charge.
“We want to kill two birds with one stone. Beyond giving books a second life, it encourages children to read more and spend less time on screens. It is a small but meaningful way to support families,” Ms Gho said.
More sustainability projects directly benefitting residents are in the pipeline
The team is ramping up its sustainability efforts. In early August, they launched a foodshare@Mountbatten community fridge at Jalan Satu, stocked with food items which are close to their use-by dates, to reduce food waste.
In her Facebook post, Ms Gho said the aim is to make good, wholesome surplus food available to the community rather than have it go to waste.
“Currently, the fridge contains only sponsored food. As we develop this initiative, I hope to expand our food sources to include produce from neighbourhood community gardens and other suitable surplus food,” she said. “Though this is a small start, I hope this initiative will help cultivate a more sustainable outlook towards food in our community.”
Early June, Ms Gho, together with her residents, picked litter in the neighbourhood to maintain the cleanliness of the estate.
The team is also working on other ground-up initiatives, which include a donation drive for gently loved clothes to help migrant workers and collecting pre-loved sporting equipment and electronic devices.
The team also intends to conduct more sustainability education sessions for families and youth.
“These are practical, tangible efforts that residents can benefit from directly,” she said.
Ms Gho hopes the sustainability movement can become part of daily life in Mountbatten.
“The goal is to build a community where residents naturally look out for one another, where sustainable habits are part of daily living, and where everyone takes shared responsibility for the environment and for each other,” she said.
“Ultimately, success is not about the number of programmes we run. It is about whether residents feel a stronger sense of belonging, resilience, and connection with one another.”
