Building A Greener South West District

Building A Greener South West District

Mr Tiew Chew Meng, BBM, always felt like something was missing. “It hit me that life is not just about thinking for yourself; it is also about finding opportunities to give back and help those around you,” shares the 54-year old father of two sons, who chanced upon the work of South West CDC in 2009.

“My previous organisation was looking for ways to contribute to the community, and we partnered South West CDC to distribute environmentally-friendly lightbulbs to needy residents.” Beyond providing lightbulbs, Mr Tiew and his team went to residents’ homes to help install them. “More than just providing financial support, it was also a way of meeting the people we are helping and hearing their life stories.”

This experience deeply impacted Mr Tiew and motivated him to take on an active role at the South West CDC. “Professionally, I was in the lighting industry back then, although I have since moved to the semiconductor sector. The South West CDC saw that my career aligned nicely with its sustainability efforts and invited me to join the Environmental Functional Committee,” explains Mr Tiew, who now serves as the chairman of that committee.

Through his team’s efforts, the South West CDC has rolled out various sustainability initiatives. “When I started out, most people thought about sustainability in terms of energy saving and efficiency. That has evolved over the years, and I am glad that our programmes have kept up with the critical issues, such as carbon footprint and zero waste.”

For his efforts to build a more sustainable and eco-friendly district, Mr Tiew received the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (The Public Service Star) at this year’s National Day Awards. “I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive this award and would like to thank the team and residents for their hard work and dedication in building a greener and sustainable South West District that we call home.”

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