SM Lee Hsien Loong at the Malay/Muslim Community Organisations' Appreciation Dinner

For the English translation of the Malay speech, please scroll down or click here.

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Minister Masagos Zulkifli, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs;
Past and current leaders of Malay/Muslim Organisations, Mosques and Community Partners;
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen;

A very good evening

I thank MENDAKI and our Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMOs) for organising this appreciation dinner

I am very glad to be here tonight, amongst old friends and familiar faces.

Let me proceed, as usual, in the national language

Saudara-saudari sekalian,

Saya sangat berbesar hati dapat menghadiri jamuan penghargaan, malam ini. Terima kasih kerana menyiapkan video dengan kata-kata hangat daripada mereka yang ditemu bual termasuk Menteri Masagos. Juga Cikgu Hawazi yang banyak membantu memperhalusi ucapan Bahasa Melayu saya bagi Rapat Umum Hari Kebangsaan tahun demi tahun. Terima kasih juga kepada Dr Iskandar Jalil, untuk arca anda yang cantik sekali.

Baru-baru ini, saya membaca semula buku kompilasi mesej penghargaan dan ucapan tahniah dari masyarakat Melayu/Islam. Ia dihadiahkan kepada saya, 20 tahun lalu, ketika saya baru menjadi Perdana Menteri. Mesej-mesej tersebut sangat menyentuh hati dan mengimbau kembali kerjasama saya dengan para pemimpin masyarakat Melayu/Islam di Singapura termasuk di kalangan anda yang hadir malam ini. Salah satu mesej datang daripada seorang pegawai muda. Beliau menulis, “Majulah Singapura dengan daya ekonomi yang lebih bertenaga, perpaduan sosial yang kukuh, serta lebih prihatin terhadap golongan warga emas dan memberi komitmen kepada aspirasi generasi muda kita.”

Dalam sekelip mata, 2 dekad sudahpun berlalu. Sepanjang 2 dekad ini, masyarakat Melayu/Islam terus bekerjasama dengan Pemerintah untuk menjadikan harapan tersebut, satu kenyataan. Pegawai Muis yang menulis kepada saya 20 tahun lalu itu, ialah Ustaz Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, kini Mufti Singapura. Saya yakin Mufti pasti setuju bahawa kemajuan yang baik sudah dicapai dalam segala bidang yang beliau sebutkan.

Malam ini, saya ingin menyentuh tentang tiga ciri masyarakat Melayu/Islam yang boleh kita banggakan.

Kemajuan Masyarakat Melayu/Islam

Pertama, masyarakat Melayu/Islam boleh berbangga dengan kemajuan cemerlang dalam usaha anda untuk membentuk sebuah Masyarakat Gemilang.

Misalnya, lebih ramai pekerja Melayu kini menceburi sektor-sektor yang sedang berkembang. Kalau kita bandingkan dari tahun 2000 hingga 2020, pekerja Melayu yang memegang jawatan PMET meningkat dari 23.4 peratus kepada 39.0 peratus. Di bidang pendidikan pula, peratusan graduan universiti dalam kalangan orang dewasa Melayu¹, meningkat lima kali ganda, daripada 2.1 peratus kepada 10.8 peratus. Nisbah belia Melayu²  yang lulus di peringkat pos-menengah atau lebih tinggi, juga meningkat lebih dua kali ganda, dari sekitar 30 peratus kepada 80 peratus. Muis, dengan sokongan anda, juga berjaya meningkatkan kualiti pendidikan madrasah melalui Skim Madrasah Bersama (JMS).

Semua ini hasil usaha gigih badan-badan Melayu/Islam termasuk AMP, PPIS, 4PM, Muhammadiyah dan lain-lain. Usaha mereka saling melengkapi inisiatif agensi M3 (M Kuasa Tiga), iaitu MENDAKI, MESRA, dan Muis serta Pemerintah. Saya gembira para wakil badan-badan ini, hadir pada malam ini. Atas kerja keras anda semua, terima kasih!

Memelihara keharmonian kaum dan agama

Kedua, masyarakat Melayu/Islam telah memainkan peranan penting dalam mengekalkan keharmonian kaum dan agama. Singapura adalah negara sekular, tetapi kita juga berbangga dengan identiti kita sebagai negara berbilang kumpulan etnik dan agama. Konteks unik ini membentuk cara penganut setiap agama mengamalkan kepercayaan masing-masing.

Masyarakat Melayu/Islam telah lama memahami peri pentingnya keharmonian antara kaum dan agama, serta memainkan peranan anda untuk memelihara dan memperkukuhkannya. Dengan kesederhanaan, bertolak ansur, dan membina jambatan dengan kumpulan-kumpulan lain, masyarakat Melayu/Islam berjaya mengamalkan tuntutan agama anda dengan yakin dan harmoni di samping masyarakat lain.

Usaha-usaha ini terbukti genting ketika menangani isu-isu sukar bersama. Contohnya, penutupan masjid semasa pandemik, pemakaian tudung untuk jururawat, atau pemansuhan Seksyen 377A – semua ini merupakan isu-isu tempatan yang rumit dan sensitif. Ada juga isu-isu luar negara yang mencetuskan kebimbangan dan menjejas kita di Singapura. Terbaru, konflik Israel-Hamas. Masyarakat Melayu/Islam terutamanya, sangat terkesan dengan nasib mangsa-mangsa konflik tersebut, seperti umat Islam di seluruh dunia.

Namun, masyarakat Melayu/Islam berjaya menangani isu-isu ini dengan penuh kematangan. Anda mempertahankan nilai dan pandangan anda, dan pada masa yang sama, mengiktiraf dan menghormati pihak lain yang mempunyai pendapat lain. Bagi pihak Pemerintah, kami mendekati pelbagai kumpulan masyarakat supaya kami benar-benar faham pandangan mereka dalam perkara-perkara yang sensitif. Pendekatan ini membolehkan kita maju bersama sebagai sebuah negara dan menghuraikan masalah bersama secara berhati-hati dan bertimbang rasa.

Begitulah juga pendekatan kita apabila berdepan dengan ancaman keganasan, terutamanya daripada Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) sejak sekitar tahun 2000. Saya amat berterima kasih kepada sekumpulan asatizah yang berani tampil untuk mengecam dan menangkis fahaman tafsiran ajaran Islam yang radikal. Asatizah perintis ini, kemudian mengasaskan Kumpulan Pemulihan Keagamaan (RRG), yang juga membimbing dan memulihkan para anggota JI dengan bersungguh-sungguh.

RRG memainkan peranan penting demi mengelakkan masyarakat Melayu/Islam daripada terpesong, dan rasa curiga serta syak wasangka berleluasa dan memecah belahkan kita. Julai lalu, JI mengumumkan pembubaran mereka. Namun ancaman daripada pengganas ekstremis Islam masih wujud. Oleh itu, RRG akan terus memainkan peranan penting dalam menjaga keselamatan Singapura.

Kepimpinan

Ini membawa saya kepada perkara ketiga, mengenai kepimpinan.

Kejayaan RRG, sebahagian besarnya adalah hasil kepimpinan teguh para pemimpin seperti Ustaz Hasbi Hassan dan almarhum Ustaz Ali Haji Mohamed. Mereka mengasaskan RRG secara bersama, pada tahun 2003, untuk memerangi fahaman Islam yang melampau. Mereka telah membuat sumbangan yang sangat besar kepada negara.

Kita sangat beruntung kerana memiliki barisan asatizah yang berwibawa, dihormati dan progresif. Mereka telah membentuk masyarakat Islam Singapura yang sederhana, inklusif serta berpandangan jauh. Para imam dan asatizah telah menyediakan bimbingan agama yang bijaksana bersandarkan nilai-nilai dan konteks kita di sini. Mereka sanggup bekerjasama dengan Pemerintah untuk memupuk keamanan dan keharmonian antara agama yang kita nikmati.

Dalam bidang lain juga, para pemimpin masyarakat Melayu/Islam memainkan peranan sebagai pemangkin, dan menjadi peran contoh semangat gotong royong. Para pemimpin, karyawan, dan belia yang berjaya, tampil menyumbang masa, bakat, dan tenaga membantu golongan yang memerlukan, mencapai aspirasi masing-masing. Usaha-usaha inilah yang berjaya memperkasa para individu, keluarga, dan akhirnya seluruh masyarakat Melayu/Islam.

Malah sekumpulan daripada para pemimpin ini, kemudian menggalas tanggungjawab politik. Sepanjang tempoh saya sebagai Perdana Menteri, saya bernasib baik kerana mendapat sokongan padu daripada para pemimpin Melayu/Islam dalam kumpulan saya yang berkebolehan dan penuh berdedikasi. Mereka mempunyai tugas yang sukar – membantu masyarakat Melayu/Islam maju bersama negara, dan pada masa yang sama, mewakili semua pengundi mereka tidak kira kaum atau agama. Para Menteri dan Anggota Parlimen Melayu/Islam pasukan saya menunjukkan keberanian dan keyakinan, iltizam serta daya tahan yang sangat mendalam. Inilah yang telah membolehkan model berbilang kaum dan meritokrasi Singapura berjaya, di tengah-tengah rantau dengan majoriti penduduk Melayu beragama Islam.

Conclusion – hopes for the future

Memandang ke hadapan, saya harap masyarakat Melayu/Islam akan terus maju, mencapai puncak kecemerlangan yang baru, dalam pendidikan dan kerjaya anda. Lebih penting lagi, semoga anda terus memupuk semangat bersatu padu dan kewarganegaraan yang kukuh, membantu satu sama lain melalui masa-masa sukar dan sama-sama meraikan kejayaan kita.

Bak pepatah Melayu, “Bulat air kerana pembetung, bulat manusia kerana muafakat.”

Secara peribadi, saya sangat menghargai peluang istimewa bekerjasama dengan para pemimpin Melayu/Islam khususnya bagi isu-isu sensitif dan penting yang saya sebutkan awal tadi. Saya terlibat dalam banyak sesi perbincangan secara langsung, jujur, dari hati ke hati bersama para pemimpin anda. Kadang kala dalam kumpulan kecil dan tidak formal. Kadang kala dalam kumpulan lebih besar. Seringkali secara tertutup. Semuanya banyak membantu dalam menguruskan isu-isu tersebut dan membina kepercayaan serta keyakinan di kalangan masyarakat, para pemimpin dan Pemerintah.

Saya juga masih ingat dengan jelas, banyak acara dan kegiatan masyarakat yang saya hadiri, tahun demi tahun. Contohnya, Anugerah MENDAKI, persembahan kebudayaan seperti Gentarasa, acara akar umbi Melayu di kawasan undi saya, majlis buka puasa di pelbagai masjid serata Singapura, serta jalan jalan di Bazar Hari Raya Geylang Serai. Inilah cara kita di Singapura – berusaha untuk memperkasa setiap kumpulan masyarakat, dan pada masa yang sama, menyatu padukan semua untuk sama-sama meraikan identiti kita bersama sebagai rakyat Singapura.

Izinkan saya akhiri dengan serangkap pantun:
Masyarakat Melayu berkembang pesat,
Hasil kerjasama kuat dan erat,
Kita bersatu, hasrat sepakat,
Masyarakat Gemilang, visi terpahat

Dengan hati yang tulus ikhlas, saya ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada semua atas sokongan, kepercayaan, dan persahabatan anda. Bersama Perdana Menteri Lawrence Wong dan masyarakat kita yang bersatu padu, saya yakin Singapura akan terus maju jaya ke arah masa depan yang lebih cerah untuk semua.

Terima kasih!

English Translation

I am humbled to be here at this appreciation dinner tonight. Thank you for putting together the video and for the very warm words from those who were interviewed, including Minister Masagos, and Cikgu Hawazi who has helped me through many National Day Rallies. Thank you too to Dr Iskandar Jalil for your beautiful sculpture.

Recently, I re-read a compilation book of tribute messages from the Malay/Muslim community that was given to me 20 years ago, when I had just taken on the role as Prime Minister. The messages were very heartwarming and brought back fond memories of the times I have worked together with Malay/Muslim community leaders in Singapore, many of whom are here tonight. One of the messages was from a young officer. He wrote: “Majulah Singapura, with stronger economic vibrance and social cohesion, more compassion and care for our elders and commitment to the aspirations of our young”.

In the blink of an eye, two decades have passed. Throughout these two decades, the Malay/Muslim community has worked closely with the government to make this vision a reality. That Muis officer who wrote that message to me 20 years ago, is Ustaz Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, who is now Singapore’s Mufti. I am confident that the Mufti would agree that we have made good progress in the areas he mentioned.

Tonight, I would like to speak on three aspects about the Malay/Muslim community that we can be proud of.

Progress of the Malay/Muslim Community

First, the Malay/Muslim community can be proud of its remarkable progress in building a Community of Success.

Many more Malays are employed in growth sectors. If we make a comparison from 2000 to 2020, the proportion of Malays who hold PMET positions has increased from 23.4% to 39.0%. In education, the proportion of university graduates amongst Malay adults¹ has increased fivefold, from 2.1% to 10.8%. The proportion of Malays youths² with post-secondary or higher qualifications more than doubled – from around 30% to around 80%. Muis, supported by the community, has also succeeded in improving the quality of education offered by madrasahs, through the Joint Madrasah Scheme.

All this owes a great deal to the steadfast efforts by Malay/ Muslim organisations such as AMP, PPIS, 4PM, Muhammadiyah and others, complementing the initiatives from the M3 agencies, namely MENDAKI, MESRA, and Muis, and also the Government. I am glad to see activists from these organisations here tonight; thank you for your hard work!

Maintaining our racial and religious harmony

Second, the Malay/Muslim community has played a critical role in maintaining racial and religious harmony. Singapore is a secular state, but we are also proud of our identity as an ethnically and religiously diverse nation. This unique context shapes the way that followers of every religion practise their faith.

The Malay/Muslim community has long understood the importance of our racial and religious harmony, and has done its part to preserve and strengthen it. Through moderation, give and take, and building bridges with other groups, the Malay/Muslim community has been able to practise your faith confidently and harmoniously alongside other communities.

These efforts have proved critical when we have had to tackle difficult issues together. For example, the closure of mosques during the pandemic, the wearing of tudungs for nurses, or the repeal of S377A – all were delicate and sensitive domestic issues. There are also external issues which cause concern and impact us here in Singapore – most recently, the Israel-Hamas conflict. Our Malay/Muslim community especially feel deeply for the victims of the conflict, like Muslims around the world.

The Malay/Muslim community has handled these issues with maturity. You upheld your values and viewpoints, while acknowledging and respecting others who hold differing opinions. The Government, on its part, has gone out of its way to engage the various community groups, in order to better understand their sensitivities and viewpoints. This enabled us to solve issues and move forward together as a nation in a careful, considered manner.

This was also our approach when we were faced with the terrorism threat, especially the threat from the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) group since the 2000s. I am grateful to the group of religious scholars (asatizah) who bravely stepped forward to denounce and tackle JI’s radical misinterpretation of Islam. The asatizahs formed the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), which also guided and rehabilitated JI members.

The RRG was crucial in preventing the Malay/Muslim community from being led astray, and mistrust and mutual suspicions from dividing us. In July this year, Jemaah Islamiyah announced their dissolution. However, the threat from Islamist extremist terrorism remains, and RRG will continue to play an important role in maintaining Singapore’s security.

Leadership

This brings me to my third point on leadership.

RRG’s success is in a large part a result of the strong leadership of leaders like Ustaz Hasbi Hassan and the late Ustaz Ali Haji Mohamed, who co-founded the group back in 2003 to combat Islamic extremism. They have done the nation a great service.

We are fortunate to have had strong, respected, and progressive religious leaders, who have shaped an Islamic community in Singapore that is moderate, inclusive, and forward-looking. Our imams and asatizahs have provided wise religious guidance to Muslims, grounded in our values and local context. They worked willingly with the government to foster the inter-religious peace and harmony that we are fortunate to enjoy.

In other fields too, Malay/ Muslim community leaders have played a catalytic role, and exemplified the spirit of gotong royong. Successful entrepreneurs, professionals, and youths have come forward to contribute their time, abilities, and energy to help those in need, assisting them to realise their aspirations. Their efforts have uplifted individuals, families, and ultimately the entire Malay/Muslim community.

Some of these leaders have stepped up to take on political responsibilities. As Prime Minister, I was fortunate to have had the strong support of able and dedicated Malay/Muslim leaders in my team. They had a difficult task – to help the Malay/Muslim community progress with the nation, while representing all their voters regardless of race or religion. The Malay/Muslim Ministers and MPs in my team have shown courage and conviction, staying power and determination. This has enabled Singapore’s model of multiracialism and meritocracy to succeed, in the middle of a majority Malay and Muslim region.

Conclusion – hopes for the future

Looking ahead, my hope is for the Malay/Muslim community to continue to progress together, reaching new peaks of excellence in their education and careers. More importantly, I hope that the community will continue to foster a strong spirit of unity and citizenry, helping one another through difficulties, and celebrating our successes together.

As the Malay saying goes, “The unity of a community is built and strengthened through consensus and working together.”

Personally, I treasure having had the special privilege to work with Malay/Muslim leaders, especially on the sensitive and important issues I mentioned earlier. I had many direct, candid, and heart-to-heart discussions with your leaders, sometimes in small and informal groups, sometimes in larger and more formal dialogues, often behind closed-doors. These helped us greatly in managing the issues, and built mutual trust and confidence between the community, its leaders, and the Government.

I also recall warmly the many community activities that I attended over the years – including MENDAKI scholarship awards, cultural performances like Gentarasa, Malay grassroots events in my constituency, buka puasa at mosques all over Singapore, and jalan jalan at the Hari Raya bazaars at Geylang Serai. This is the way we do things in Singapore – working to build every community, and at the same time bringing all our communities together to celebrate our shared identity as Singaporeans.

Let me end with a pantun:
The Malay Community has advanced rapidly,
Through our close and strong partnership,
We are together; our hearts and aspirations are united,
A vision is etched: a Community of Success

With sincerity, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for your support, trust, and friendship. With Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the helm, and with our society staying united, I am confident that Singapore will continue to progress towards a better and brighter future for all.

Thank you!

¹ Aged 25 and over.

² Malay youths aged 25-34.