Celebrating our pioneers

Our special guest, DPM Teo Chee Hean,
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong,
Your Excellencies, Community and Religious Leaders
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

1. Assalamualaikum wr wb and a very good evening to all. Allow me to begin by wishing my Muslim guests Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Eid Mubarak, mohon maaf zahir dan batin.
   

2. Allow me to begin my speech in Malay.

3. Saudara-saudari sekalian, bulan Ramadan yang baru berlalu merupakan satu bulan penuh barakah bagi masyarakat Islam, kerana ia memberi peluang kepada kita untuk mendalami iman kita, mengukuhkan silaturahim dengan keluarga dan teman, serta mempertingkat semangat untuk membantu golongan yang kurang bernasib baik. Namun, bulan Ramadan tahun ini juga merupakan suatu detik yang telah menghambat hati kita, disebabkan keganasan dan penderitaan yang berlaku di Timur Tengah, terutama sekali di Gaza. Ramai daripada kita terkejut dan marah dengan kekejaman dan korban jiwa yang berleluasa, dan berharap dapat memberi bantuan untuk meringankan kesengsaraan penduduk Gaza. Seperti anda, saya turut berasa sedih di hati akibat pertumpahan darah dan kehilangan nyawa yang tidak berdosa – terutama sekali kanak-kanak, wanita dan warga tua. Saya juga faham mengapa sebahagian daripada kita mahu melakukan sesuatu untuk membantu mereka. Tetapi, kita perlu ingat keganasan di Gaza berada di luar jangkauan kita. Ia merupakan satu konflik yang sangat rumit, dan sudah berlarutan berdekad-dekad lamanya.
   

4. Bagaimanapun, kita telah luahkan rasa kesedihan kita secara positif – kita mengumpul dana bagi bantuan kemanusiaan dan berdoa bagi perdamaian. Malah, kita turut mengadakan satu perhimpunan secara aman untuk meluahkan keprihatinan kita terhadap krisis di Gaza. Namun, buat jangka panjang, kita perlu menggalakkan pihak-pihak yang bertelagah supaya segera berunding dan tidak menggadai lebih banyak lagi jiwa, malah, mengiktiraf hak penduduk Gaza untuk menubuhkan sebuah negara, dan membolehkan mereka menikmati kehidupan secara bebas, aman dan gembira. Kita menolak tindakan pihak Israel menggunakan kekerasan secara keterlaluan. Namun, kita juga tidak seharusnya menyokong pihak Hamas, kerana tindakan-tindakan mereka mengancam nyawa orang lain. Kita menyokong hak penduduk Palestin untuk menubuhkan sebuah negara. Kita sokong satu penyelesaian melibatkan dua negara sebagai satu huraian berkesan untuk mencapai keamanan di Timur Tengah.
   

5. Para hadirin sekalian, malam ini kita bersyukur kerana kita di Singapura hidup dalam keadaan yang aman dan damai. Generasi perintis kita telah berganding bahu dengan kaum lain untuk membina sebuah negara Singapura yang aman, makmur dan dapat kita banggakan. Malam ini, saya ingin menjunjung budi mereka. Generasi perintis kita, seperti Allahyarham Presiden Yusof Ishak; Allahyarham Kiyai Haji Ahmad Zuhri Mutammim; Allahyarham Ustaz Syed Abdillah Aljufri; Allahyarham Ustaz Ahmad Sonhadji Mohamed; Allahyarham Ustaz Ibrahim Kassim; Allahyarham Haji Abu Bakar Maidin dan ramai lagi seperti Encik Othman Wok; Cikgu Shafawi Ahmad; Sheikh Syed Isa Semait dan Puan Khatijun Nissa Siraj, telah memain peranan yang besar untuk membina sebuah Singapura yang modern, progresif dan bersatu-padu. Jasa dan bakti mereka merangkumi pelbagai bidang – dari bidang politik hinggalah ke bidang sosial, keagamaan, pendidikan, hak kaum ibu dan hubungan antara kaum.
   

6. Di sebalik usaha dan keringat mereka, tersirat satu wadah untuk membina sebuah masyarakat yang mempunyai taraf hidup yang lebih baik dan sebuah masyarakat Melayu/Islam yang lebih kukuh. Walaupun mereka menghadapi pelbagai cabaran, komitmen mereka tidak pernah goyah dalam usaha mencari huraian bagi masyarakat kita. Kadang kala, huraian-huraian yang telah diketengahkan kurang disenangi oleh masyarakat kita ketika itu, tetapi kini terbukti sebagai huraian yang tepat. Para perintis kita yakin masyarakat kita mahukan kebaikan bagi semua pihak, dan oleh itu mengetengahkan idea-idea dan polisi-polisi membina bagi masyarakat kita. Kita mengenang jasa dan sumbangan mereka, dan memberi penghargaan kepada mereka dengan terus melaksanakan polisi-polisi yang mereka lakarkan untuk mencapai sebuah Singapura yang lebih baik bagi semua rakyat.
   

7. Salah satu cara untuk menjunjung budi para perintis kita ialah dengan menamakan institusi-institusi kita sempena  nama mereka. Salah seorang anak Singapura yang ulung dan layak diberi penghormatan seperti itu ialah Presiden pertama kita, Allahyarham Encik Yusof Ishak. Dengan besar hati, saya ingin mengumumkan bahawa kita telah memikirkan beberapa idea untuk memberi penghormatan kepada Allahyarham dan InsyaAllah ini akan diumumkan tidak lama lagi.
   

8. Seorang lagi perintis yang layak diberi penghormatan ialah Allahyarham Kiyai Haji Ahmad Zuhri Mutammim. Sebahagian daripada kita pasti ingat akan Allahyarham Kiyai Haji Ahmad Zuhri sebagai salah seorang anggota pengasas Pergas dan Presidennya yang pertama. Beliau juga pernah menjadi anggota Jawatankuasa Fatwa MUIS dan Pengerusi serta Penasihat bagi Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu. Namun, salah sebuah institusi yang lekat di hati beliau ialah Madrasah Al-Irsyad Al-Islamiah, yang ditubuhkan oleh bekas para pelajarnya. Mereka telah mendapatkan nasihat beliau untuk menubuhkan madrasah itu dan juga untuk melaksanakan peringkat awal pembangunannya. Malam ini, dengan izin keluarga Allahyarham Kiyai Ahmad Zuhri dan Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Madrasah Al-Irsyad, saya, dengan besar hati, mengumumkan bahawa nama Madrasah Al-Irsyad akan diubah untuk mengiktiraf sumbangan Allahyarham Kiyai Haji Ahmad Zuhri. Nama baru Madrasah Al-Irsyad ialah Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri. Langkah yang tidak seberapa ini diharap dapat menghargai jasa besar Allahyarham kepada Madrasah Al-Irsyad.
   

9. Kini izinkan saya untuk meneruskan ucapan saya dalam Bahasa Inggeris.
   

Ramadan and Gaza

10. The blessed month of Ramadan was a period of spiritual importance for the Muslim community. We took time to reflect, to strengthen our social bonds, and to help the less fortunate wherever we could. But it was also an emotional time for most of us, as we witnessed many others around the world face severe challenges, including being victims of violence such as in Gaza and Syria. I share your pain over the bloodshed and unwarranted loss of lives. Some of us, understandably, wish we could do more to help, but these conflicts are out of our hands here in Singapore. They are inherently complex, and some have lasted for decades, like in Gaza.

11. In Singapore, our community has responded generously, with record donation drives and prayers throughout Ramadan. I was informed by MUIS earlier this evening that our mosques, together with the Rahmatan Lil Alamin or “Blessings to All” Foundation, have to date collected an unprecedented contribution of over S$1,086,000 towards humanitarian aid for the people in Gaza. I understand that the Foundation is working closely with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and Kimse Yok Mu, two humanitarian relief agencies on the ground in Gaza, to deliver aid to the affected population. Let us pray these conflicts can come to a lasting ceasefire soon, and for peace to prevail. Let us also keep the people caught in these unfortunate conflicts in our thoughts and prayers, as we pray for their well being.
    

Honouring our pioneers

12. This evening I would like to pay a special tribute to our pioneers, who have given so much to both community and nation. They have stepped forward to serve in their own unique and selfless ways, and inspired many others to do the same. In this short speech, I cannot give a complete and definitive description of their manifold efforts, and neither can I honour every single individual. But I will highlight what binds these pioneers and their efforts together: faith in the possibility of creating a better life and a stronger community in Singapore. Let us take a look at this short video.

13. It is heartening to see that our young have embodied the enduring spirit of our Pioneers. This faith in creating a better life is evident in the efforts of the late Encik Yusof Ishak, our first Head of State, who guided Singapore through the difficult periods of self-government, merger, separation and independence. It was his firm belief in respect and multiracialism that held the nation together in our early years of nationhood, and it was his drive in championing a progressive Malay/Muslim community that rallied our people together. We remember the late Encik Yusof Ishak as someone who gave his best in everything he did, be it as Singapore’s first Cadet Lieutenant in the National Cadet Corps, the founder of Malay newspaper Utusan Melayu, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, and as our Yang di-Pertuan Negara and President.

14. Similarly, other pioneers built up on this notion of determination and self-improvement. For example, Cikgu Haji Shafawi Ahmad, who not only recognised the importance of education but dedicated his efforts to motivate and inspire our young to strive for their full educational potential. Likewise, the late Syed Ali Redha Alsagoff, a prominent businessman and real estate developer, saw the need to help students in need, and set up the Prophet Muhammad's Birthday Memorial Scholarship Fund Board (LBKM) in 1965. To date, LBKM has provided assistance to some 22,000 students from all races and religions. And as we faced the daunting prospect of lacklustre educational performance in the early 80s, we did not despair. Under the leadership of another pioneer, Dr Ahmad Mattar, we came together to form Mendaki to give our goals and achievements in education a needed boost. Today we can be proud of the many success stories of our students across all national examinations.

15. As Muslims, we also place importance in the religious development of the individual, and the community. For a young nation, we were blessed to have pioneers who helped develop a religious orientation for the community that is progressive, inclusive and relevant in the modern world. Some of them, sadly, have left us, such as the late Kiyai Haji Ahmad Zuhri Mutammim, Ustaz Syed Abdillah Aljufri, Ustaz Ahmad Sonhadji Mohamed and Ustaz Ibrahim Kassim. These pioneers worked hard to contribute to the development of our madrasahs, and helped to expand the role of our mosques to include new services and programmes.

16. Underpinning these efforts is a piece of legislation that is unique in this world – the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA). With AMLA, we set up MUIS, regularised Syariah Court and later, the Registry of Muslim Marriages, as well as provided for the administration of madrasahs and mosques. These are important institutions that support and shape our religious life. And for this we owe a debt of gratitude to Encik Othman Wok as well as the late Professor Ahmad Ibrahim, for moving AMLA in Parliament in 1966. Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, meanwhile, built upon the good work of his predecessors by reforming AMLA to better suit our times, including improving the operations of the Syariah Court, strengthening MUIS’ oversight on wakaf matters, and enabling MUIS to better regulate and oversee Haj pilgrimage services.

17. Central to our religious and community life is our mosques, which provide not only a place for prayer but a myriad of other services and programmes. Through the creation of the Mosque Building Fund (MBF) – a unique programme not seen elsewhere – we have built new mosques and upgraded some of the old. And we must acknowledge the role of our former Mufti, Sheikh Syed Isa Semait, the youngest Mufti ever when appointed, in helping to start the MBF. He saw this fund as a way to galvanise our community to build new mosques in tandem with a developing Singapore.

18. Earlier this year, I mentioned that MUIS is working closely with MND and URA on long term mosque planning. Tonight, I am especially pleased to announce that longer term leases will be given to three of our mosques presently on Temporary Occupation Licenses – Masjid Ahmad Ibrahim, Masjid Tentera Di Raja and Masjid Petempatan Melayu Sembawang. With the certainty of a longer-term lease, these mosques can be upgraded to house better facilities, and accommodate more congregants. MUIS is also doing more in the short term to meet the community’s need for more prayer space, especially in areas with strong localised demand such as in the East. For example, the upgrading of Masjid Al-Ansar in Bedok will be completed by early next year, and we can expect close to 1,000 more prayer spaces. For Masjid Al-Istighfar in Pasir Ris, we are exploring practical ways to expand prayer space for our congregants. I seek the community’s patience and support in our efforts to make our mosques more conducive places of worship for all.

19. The importance and high regard that we place on our religious institutions make them ideal settings through which we can remember and celebrate our pioneers. One Singaporean who deserves such a tribute is our late President Encik Yusof Ishak. I am happy to share that we have been working on a few key ideas to honour him, and these should be announced soon. Another Singaporean truly deserving of such an honour is the late Kiyai Haji Ahmad Zuhri Mutammim, one of the founding members of Pergas and its first President. As I announced earlier in my Malay speech, we will be renaming Madrasah Al-Irsyad to Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri, in recognition of his role as adviser to the madrasah’s formation and early development. Indeed, for Madrasah Al-Irsyad to rename itself after him is a big tribute to his contributions.
    

Singapore 50

20. Our nation will celebrate its 50th birthday next year. It is an important milestone in the life of this young nation. It is a time to remember the past, celebrate the present, and look towards an even brighter future. 2015 will be a year of celebration. In conjunction with our nation’s 50th anniversary and to honour our pioneers, the Pioneer Generation Joint Committee led by our honourable Speaker Madam Halimah Yacob has been hard at work in spurring and coordinating efforts among our community organisations. I understand that there are already plans to publish a book to document the lives and contributions of 50 of our pioneers.

21. The Pioneer Generation Joint Committee has also been conducting several outreach initiatives to engage the pioneer groups within our community. I thank Madam Speaker and her committee members for taking the time to reach out to our pioneers, including explaining the Pioneer Generation Package to them. Recently, I have also asked Madam Halimah to expand the scope of her committee’s outreach efforts to include Medishield Life. This is a critical piece of our government’s universal healthcare insurance scheme, but some, especially our elderly, may find it technical and complex. So we want to help answer any question or clarify any doubts, so that everyone is aware of the benefits it brings.  To support Madam Halimah in this effort, I have asked Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Mohd Faishal Ibrahim, to join her committee, and I am glad that he has agreed.

22. I am heartened to see how our community has already taken steps to be involved in the SG50 preparations, including in sending in several commemorative proposals to the SG50 secretariat. So I commend your efforts and enthusiasm wholeheartedly. In order to galvanise and coordinate the community’s involvement in this initiative, I am setting up a SG50 coordination committee, to be headed by Haji Sallim Kadir. One of the committee’s key objectives would be to develop and implement a flagship project which our community can lead to benefit the nation. In the same spirit of giving that has been central to our community, I have discussed with Haji Sallim the idea of having the committee lead a “Service to the Nation” week next year, in partnership with the Malay/Muslim organisations, Indian/Muslim organisations, mosques, madrasahs and youth groups. This initiative could feature donation drives, blood donation campaigns, and volunteer activities, among other things. It is no doubt an ambitious endeavour to undertake, but with the community’s support I have every faith that we will succeed and make an impact for Singapore. This would not only be a fitting tribute to our pioneers, but it would also let our community make its mark in continuing their legacy both of optimism and magnanimity.

23. The best tribute we can give our pioneers is not just to commemorate them, but to continue their good work for the generations to come. As we honour our pioneers’ contributions and strive to emulate their efforts and values, one of the things that stood out for many of us, including myself, was their ability to deal with differences within the community in a calm, rational and dignified manner. I recall how issues such as organ donation, phasing out of old mosques and even lowering the volume of the azan, or prayer call, had drawn strong comments from our community. But our leaders patiently engaged the community on these issues. Because of their reasonable and inclusive approach, over time we forged our own space within the larger multicultural Singapore. There was the late Haji Ridzwan Dzafir, or Pak Wan as we fondly knew him, who was always looking for common ground among heated, contending views. The late Prof Syed Hussein Alatas, meanwhile, was an advocate of rational and constructive debate on difficult issues, while the late Ustaz Ibrahim Kassim, the gentlest man I have ever met, was always full of compassion and advice whenever he discussed any problem, and not once let anger or impatience get the better of him.

24. Many of our women pioneers also exercised great patience and tact when dealing with complex matters, even when confronted with a more traditional environment. One such lady is Mdm Khatijun Nissa Siraj, who was active in shaping a more progressive outlook on issues such as marriage, divorce and social welfare, not just locally but also internationally. And instead of being combative, Mdm Khatijun participated in regular dialogue and debate, and took to the path of offering help directly – not only did she become the first woman counsellor at the Syariah Court, she was also one of the founding members of the Singapore Muslim Women’s Association (PPIS), which till today continues to be a key organisation dedicated to helping and empowering Muslim women in Singapore.

25. These are all examples we should follow if we are not to forsake the compassionate community that our pioneers built. This is particularly important for us today as we are confronted with a plurality of ideas and opinions on a range of matters. Intolerance on our differences can easily lead to extreme behaviour, which in turn can affect our cohesion as a community and as a nation. We must preserve an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. If we resort to labelling and criticising others just because we disagree with them, we risk creating an atmosphere of mistrust and will end up drawing divisions among ourselves. As the Malay proverb goes, “bahasa menunjukkan bangsa”, and I am sure you would agree with me that we are a gracious community, and are always willing to sit down and discuss our differences in musyawarah.

Conclusion

26. Tonight, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have attempted to sketch the defining characteristics of our pioneers by highlighting a few examples. There are many more pioneers, those who have left us and those still around, who displayed these characteristics. It is not possible for me to name every one of them. But we all know deep in our hearts that all of them care for our community and nation. Our pioneers faced many daunting challenges, but from the riots of the 60s, to separation, independence, and keeping pace with a developing Singapore, they never wavered in their faith in creating a better life and a stronger community. In every challenge, they saw opportunities. In every hurdle, they saw a path forward, towards progress. They found solutions which at times were at odds with the community, but have now proven to be wise. They provided substance and meaning to our identity of a Singaporean Muslim. They believed in the goodness that resides in all of us, and patiently paved the way for constructive ideas, norms and policies to take root in our community. We will remember them, and honour them, by keeping faith with the idea that a better Singapore for all of us lies ahead.

27. So let’s us continue to pray for peace and harmony in Singapore.

28. And with that, I wish you an enjoyable evening. Thank you very much.