Nurturing a spirit of citizenry towards community and nation-building

Mr Chairman,

Introduction

1. The SG60 presents an opportunity for reflection – looking back on how far we have come and renewing our commitment to the shared values that underpin our unity and progress.

2. Over the past six decades, our Malay/Muslim community has made significant progress, in tandem with the progress of Singapore. Today, my colleagues and I will speak about how we can move forward together as a Community of Success.

   1. First, in developing Citizenry, we nurture active contributors to community and country;

   2. Second, in growing Competency, we equip the community for the future while building leaders of tomorrow; and

   3. And third, in building Character, we empower our community and religious sector to progress with confidence.

3. Ms Mariam Jaafar asked how M3 has laid foundations for a Community of Success.

4. Last year, we commemorated the fifth anniversary of M3. Much has been done through the M3’s five focus areas where we identify and address issues in the community, provide more integrated and targeted support to those who most need it, and strengthen last-mile delivery. These efforts are bolstered by a growing pool of over 4,000 volunteers across the three M3 agencies – Muis, MENDAKI and PA MESRA.

5. This ethos of active citizenry has been foundational to the work of M3, and in our community and nation building efforts. Let me share three ways we hope to further nurture active citizenry in our community:

   1. First, fostering ownership towards healthy living;

   2. Second, rallying community assets towards the collective good; and

   3. Third, playing our part by contributing to the wider society.

Mr Chairman, I will continue in Malay.

Memupuk tanggungjawab terhadap kehidupan sihat

Tuan Pengerusi,

6. Untuk menjadi warganegara yang aktif dan dapat menyumbang kepada pembangunan masyarakat dan negara, setiap individu harus kekal cergas dan sihat. Dengan ini, kami perlu meningkatkan keprihatinan terhadap kesihatan dan menyediakan persekitaran yang menggalakkan gaya hidup sihat di kalangan masyarakat Melayu/Islam.

7. Dr Wan Rizal bertanya tentang bidang tumpuan kelima M3 (M Kuasa Tiga), atau FA5. Sejak FA5 ditubuhkan dua tahun lalu, M3 telah bekerjasama dengan Lembaga Penggalakan Kesihatan, atau HPB, dan rakan-rakan masyarakat kami, untuk menganjurkan pelbagai inisiatif bagi meningkatkan kesihatan masyarakat Melayu/Islam, termasuk dalam bidang penuaan yang sihat (active ageing) dan kesejahteraan mental.

8. Kami telah memperluaskan inisiatif Saham Kesihatan ke semua sebelas bandar M3 dan melibatkan lebih 800 individu pada 2024, berbanding hanya 500 lebih individu pada 2023.

9. Rangkaian Jaga Kesihatan, Jaga Ummah (JKJU) juga telah berkembang, daripada 100 anggota pada 2023 kepada lebih 160 tahun lalu. Peserta JKJU pun telah bertambah daripada lebih 40,000 peserta pada 2023, kepada hampir 70,000 peserta tahun lalu. Para peserta dapat meraih manfaat program-program JKJU seperti sesi senaman, ceramah kesihatan, dan pengedaran barangan dapur yang lebih sihat.

10. Saya gembira berkongsi dengan Encik Sharael Taha dan Cik Mariam Jaafar, beberapa tren positif mengenai kesihatan yang telah kami lihat dalam masyarakat kita sejak kebelakangan ini. Misalnya, peratusan individu yang melakukan kegiatan jasmani yang mencukupi, telah meningkat daripada 76 peratus pada 2021, kepada 80 peratus pada 2023. Kegiatan jasmani yang dimaksudkan di sini adalah sekurang-kurangnya 150 minit kegiatan jasmani berintensiti sederhana setiap minggu, termasuk rutin harian seperti kerja rumah dan menaiki tangga berbanding menggunakan lif.

11. Ramai juga yang mengambil bahagian dalam program nasional seperti SG Yang Lebih Sihat atau HealthierSG. Pendaftaran di kalangan orang Melayu meningkat daripada 30 peratus pada Mei 2024, kepada 45 peratus pada Februari 2025.

12. Namun, masih banyak lagi yang boleh kita dilakukan, seperti meningkatkan peratusan mereka yang mendaftar dalam program HealthierSG.

13. Kita juga perlu melipat gandakan usaha untuk mencegah penyakit kronik. Kadar kencing manis, tekanan darah tinggi dan kolesterol tinggi dalam masyarakat Melayu/Islam, masih kekal lebih tinggi berbanding purata nasional kita.

14. Pemeriksaan kesihatan dapat membantu dalam pengesanan dan intervensi awal, dan boleh mencegah atau melambatkan timbulnya komplikasi sesetengah penyakit. Pakar perubatan sering mengingatkan bahawa semakin lama kita tunggu untuk menangani masalah, semakin kompleks dan lebih mahal lagi rawatannya kelak.

15. Kadar penyertaan masyarakat Melayu/Islam dalam pemeriksaan penyakit kronik masih boleh diperbaiki – hanya 53 peratus orang Melayu berumur 40 hingga 74 tahun menjalani pemeriksaan penyakit kronik pada tahun 2023. Ini jauh lebih rendah berbanding purata nasional sebanyak 63 peratus. Mereka yang berusia 40 tahun ke atas disarankan menjalani pemeriksaan kencing manis dan kolesterol tinggi setiap 3 tahun sekali, dan pemeriksaan tekanan darah tinggi setiap 2 tahun sekali.

16. Saya harap masyarakat Melayu/Islam akan terus mendakap amanah menjaga kesihatan, demi keluarga, demi masyarakat dan demi negara, untuk menjadi warganegara yang aktif dan terus bersemangat menyumbang kepada pembangunan Singapura!

Mengarahkan aset masyarakat untuk kebaikan bersama

17. Encik Sharael Taha dan Cik Mariam Jaafar bertanya tentang usaha-usaha M3 dalam menggerakkan sumber masyarakat dan sukarelawan.

18. Pada 2024, sebelas M3@Bandar telah menganjurkan 160 kegiatan kemasyarakatan yang disokong oleh 900 sukarelawan, dan menjangkau lebih 65,000 penduduk.

19. Dr Wan Rizal bertanya tentang Projek Dian@M3. Project Dian adalah satu contoh bagaimana masyarakat Melayu/Islam dapat berganding bahu dengan agensi-agensi pemerintah dan sukarelawan, untuk menyokong mereka yang tinggal di flat-flat sewa di M3@Bandar. Seiring dengan skim nasional seperti ComLink+, Projek Dian membantu keluarga di flat sewa awam meningkatkan kestabilan dan pendapatan mereka, dan berusaha membantu mereka dalam proses membeli dan memilki flat mereka sendiri.

20. Projek Dian dimulakan sebagai projek perintis di tiga bandar pada 2021, dan kini telah berkembang kepada enam bandar. Kami telah mendekati lebih daripada 500 keluarga, iaitu kira-kira 70 peratus keluarga Melayu/Islam yang tinggal di flat sewa di bandar-bandar ini. Dalam kalangan keluarga-keluarga ini, lebih daripada separuh ada anak kecil yang meraih manfaat daripada sokongan tambahan yang memenuhi keperluan sosial dan pendidikan mereka.

21. Dengan kejayaan projek perintis ini, suka citanya saya umumkan bahawa Projek Dian akan diperluaskan ke lima lagi M3@Bandar menjelang akhir 2025. Ini bermakna Projek Dian bakal ditawarkan kesemua sebelas M3@Bandar. Perkembangan baik ini akan membolehkan kita mendekati dan membantu 1000 lagi keluarga yang tinggal di flat sewa awam HDB.

22. Dalam masa yang sama, Duta-duta Projek Dian telah dipadankan dengan keluarga yang mempunyai anak-anak kecil berumur tiga hingga enam tahun, untuk memberi bantuan seawal mungkin, agar anak-anak ini lebih bersedia memasuki sekolah rendah. Keceriaan jelas terpancar pada wajah anak-anak ini apabila duta-duta Projek Dian mereka membaca dan bercerita kepada mereka.

23. Dengan perkembangan Projek Dian, kami akan memperluaskan program Duta Projek Dian ke semua sebelas M3@Bandar dan akan melatih 100 lagi sukarelawan tahun ini, untuk menambah jumlah 200 sukarelawan yang ada setakat ini.

24. Saya harap lebih ramai lagi akan tampil ke hadapan untuk menyokong usaha murni ini, dan membantu keluarga-keluarga ini keluar dari lingkaran yang mereka hadapi sekarang.

Menyumbang kepada masyarakat lebih luas

Tuan Pengerusi,

25. Encik Saktiandi Supaat bertanya tentang sumbangan masyarakat Melayu/Islam kepada sambutan SG60 tahun ini. Kami telah melancarkan SG60 Bersama untuk mengatur atur cara menyambut SG60 oleh masyarakat Melayu/Islam. Anggota SG60 Bersama terdiri daripada badan-badan Melayu/Islam, agensi Pemerintah, serta beberapa individu yang tampil melakarkan beraneka program untuk dinikmati oleh semua rakyat Singapura.

26. Salah satu inisiatif SG60 Bersama ialah Projek “60 untuk 60” atau “60 for 60”, anjuran PA MESRA. Dalam projek ini, 60 karyawan berusia 60 tahun ke atas, akan memberi bimbingan kepada 60 pemimpin pelajar Melayu/Islam dari sekolah menengah kejiranan. Inisiatif ini menggambarkan konsep membalas budi, di mana para pelajar ini akan menjalani kursus kepimpinan selama 6 bulan, dan mempelajari kemahiran baharu dalam bidang-bidang seperti pengurusan projek serta kemahiran berpidato.

27. Di luar sambutan SG60, usaha masyarakat Melayu/Islam dalam membantu rakyat Gaza juga memaparkan keprihatinan kami di peringkat global.

28. Keadaan di Gaza masih tidak stabil, dan Gaza masih memerlukan banyak pertolongan dari segi bantuan kemanusiaan dan pembangunan semula. Keadaan lebih terdesak sekarang, dalam mereka melaksanakan ibadah puasa di bulan Ramadan.

29. Rakyat Singapura dari pelbagai kaum dan agama telah dengan begitu murah hati, menyumbang kepada bantuan kemanusiaan bagi Gaza. Ini mencerminkan jati diri dan nilai-nilai murni kita.

30. Sepanjang setahun setengah yang lalu, Yayasan Rahmatan Lil Alamin (RLAF) telah mengumpulkan lebih $13 juta, dan kini sedang melaksanakan kempen pengumpulan dana keempat untuk Gaza.

31. Kami faham keinginan rakyat Singapura untuk terus membantu para penduduk Gaza. Baru-baru ini, M3 bekerjasama dengan RLAF melancarkan kempen Aid for Gaza, untuk mengumpul dana untuk Gaza. Sepanjang bulan Ramadan, sukarelawan daripada M3@Bandar akan mengumpulkan dana untuk Gaza melalui pelbagai inisiatif akar umbi. Dalam dua minggu pertama sahaja, kami telah berjaya mengumpul $266,000 – hampir separuh daripada sasaran kami sebanyak $600,000 bagi kempen ini. Kami harap tema sambutan SG60 iaitu – Keterhubungan, Kepedulian dan Sumbangan kepada Masyarakat, dapat kita semarakkan lagi melalui kempen ini. Saya mengalu-alukan sokongan padu masyarakat untuk menjayakan kempen ini bersama.

Conclusion

Mr Chairman,

32. Beyond our shores or closer to home, efforts like M3’s Aid for Gaza and our initiatives for local communities in the M3@Towns, show how our acts of care and contribution – as donors or volunteers – and how we connect with one another to do so, can make a difference to those around us.

33. This is what we hope that we can do through the Malay/Muslim community’s contribution to the SG60 celebrations – or SG60 Bersama. We hope this will bring about many opportunities to celebrate our shared culture and heritage, and act upon our collective hopes for the future.

34. We want to continue to nurture this spirit of Citizenry towards the community and country. This is what will propel us forward as a Community of Success, in the next 60 years and beyond.

English Translation

Fostering ownership towards healthy living

6. First, we aim to foster a sense of ownership towards healthy living amongst our Malay/Muslim community, to enable us to contribute as active citizens. We do this by raising awareness on good health practices and providing an encouraging ecosystem.

7. Dr Wan Rizal asked for an update on M3 Focus Area 5. Since we started FA5 two years ago, M3 agencies, the Health Promotion Board and community partners have collaborated on many initiatives to support priority areas for the community’s health, including healthy ageing and improving mental well-being.

8. We expanded the Saham Kesihatan initiative to all 11 M3@Towns, with more than 800 individuals taking part in 2024, up from over 500 individuals in 2023.

9. The Jaga Kesihatan, Jaga Ummah (JKJU) network has also grown, from 100 partners in 2023 to over 160 partners in 2024. JKJU reached out to nearly 70,000 participants in 2024 from over 40,000 in 2023, through programmes such as exercise sessions, health talks, and healthier groceries distribution.

10. Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Mariam Jaafar asked about the health outcomes of our community. We have observed some positive trends in recent years. The proportion of Malays who have sufficient total physical activity rose from 76% in 2021 to 80% in 2023. This means having at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, including daily routines such as housework and taking the stairs instead of the lift.

11. It is also encouraging to see more take part in national programmes like HealthierSG, with enrolment among Malays increasing from 30% in May 2024 to 45% in February 2025.

12. However, there is still more we can do. For example, increasing our community’s participation rate in programmes like HealthierSG.

13. We must also intensify efforts to prevent and manage chronic diseases. The prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and high blood cholesterol in our community remains higher than the national average.

14. Regular health screenings help with early detection and intervention, which can prevent or delay onset of complications of certain diseases. Health professionals always remind us that the longer we wait to address potential problems, the more complex and costly the treatment can become.

15. Our community’s participation rate in chronic disease screening has room for improvement – 53% of Malays aged 40 to 74 attended chronic disease screening in 2023, which lags behind the national average of 63%. For those of us aged 40 and above, it is recommended to go for diabetes and high blood cholesterol screening once every 3 years, and hypertension screening once every 2 years.

16. I hope that all of us will continue to take charge of our health, for our families and community, in order to be active citizens with passion and confidence to contribute to Singapore’s development!

Rallying community assets towards the collective good

17. Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Mariam Jaafar asked how we have rallied community assets and volunteers in our M3 programmes and M3@Towns.

18. In 2024, the 11 M3@Towns, supported by 900 volunteers, organised over 160 ground-up initiatives, benefitting over 65,000 residents.

19. Dr Wan Rizal asked about Project Dian@M3, which is an example of how our community works with government agencies and volunteers to support those living in public rental flats in M3@Towns. This includes helping families work towards home ownership goals and skills upgrading to secure better employment, complementing national schemes like ComLink+.

20. What started out as a pilot project in three M3@Towns in 2021, has expanded to six M3@Towns. We have engaged over 535 households – about 70% of the Malay/Muslim families living in rental homes within these towns. Of these families, more than half have young children who have benefitted from additional support in social and educational needs.

21. I am pleased to announce that Project Dian will be expanded to the remaining five M3@Towns by end 2025. This expansion will allow us to reach out to 1000 more of these families living in rental homes.

22. At the same time, our Dian Ambassadors have been matched with families with young children aged three to six years old, to provide structured home-based support as early as possible, so that these children are better prepared to enter primary school. The joy is evident on the faces of the children when Dian Ambassadors read and tell stories to them.

23. With Project Dian’s expansion, we will progressively expand the Dian Ambassador programme to all M3@Towns. To support these efforts, we hope to recruit and train more than 100 more volunteers this year, up from our current 200.

24. I hope that many more of us will step forward to join this noble cause, to help these families move forward.

Playing our part by contributing to the wider society

25. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about our community’s contributions to the SG60 celebrations. We launched SG60 Bersama, which brings together government agencies, Malay/Muslim Organisations, and several individual members, to organise programmes that showcase our shared culture for all Singaporeans to enjoy, and that show our care for one another.

26. One example is PA MESRA’s 60 for 60 Programme. We will bring together 60 professionals aged 60 and above, to provide guidance to 60 Malay/Muslim secondary school student leaders from neighbourhood schools. This initiative exemplifies what it means to pay it forward, where students will attend a 6-month leadership programme to learn new skills in areas such as project management and public speaking.

27. Beyond SG60, the community’s efforts in supporting the people of Gaza show what we can do on the global stage.

28. The situation in Gaza remains volatile, and there remain tremendous needs in the areas of humanitarian aid and reconstruction. The situation is more critical now in the month of Ramadan.

29. Singaporeans of all races and faiths have contributed with big hearts towards the provision of critical humanitarian assistance to Gaza, which reflects a recognition of our common humanity.

30. Over the past year and a half, RLAF has raised over S$13 million and counting, and is now into its fourth fundraising campaign for those affected by the crisis in Gaza.

31. We recognise the desire of Singaporeans to do more to help. Earlier this month, the M3@Towns worked with RLAF to launch the Aid for Gaza campaign to raise funds for Gaza. Over Ramadan, volunteers from the M3@Towns will raise funds for the people of Gaza through various ground-up initiatives. In just the first two weeks of the campaign, we managed to collect $266,000, which is close to half of our target of $600,000. Through this campaign, we hope to rally everyone’s support to enliven the spirit of SG60 celebrations – Connect, Care and Contribute.