Faishal Ibrahim to be Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on May 21 that Prof Faishal will take over the Muslim Affairs portfolio from Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, who held the position for seven years.
During a press conference about the reshuffle, PM Wong also said that Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad will take over the chairmanship of self-help group Mendaki. He is currently deputy chairman.
'So Faishal and Zaqy, together with other Malay/Muslim office-holders and MPs, will continue to engage the Malay/Muslim community closely, building on the strong foundations we have today and working with the community to realise our shared goals,' said PM Wong.
He added that he too will work closely with the community.
'Engaging the Malay/Muslim community was a priority for me in the last term, and it will continue to be a priority in this new term of government,' said PM Wong.
Leadership transition in the Malay/Muslim community has been a matter that PM Wong said he had discussed with Mr Masagos.
PM Wong noted that Mr Masagos had done a good job during his tenure, having advanced many initiatives such as M³ – a partnership between Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), and the People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (Mesra).
Mr Masagos had also championed efforts such as the establishment of the Singapore College of Islamic Studies. These contributions, PM Wong added, were valued and appreciated by the community.
Both he and Mr Masagos had agreed that it was time to refresh the Malay/Muslim leadership and give new and younger office-holders the opportunity to step up, engage the community, and work with them to achieve shared goals.
In consultations with his Cabinet colleagues and Mr Masagos himself, it was agreed that Prof Faishal would be the best person to take over as Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, said PM Wong.
PM Wong said Mr Zaqy would assist Prof Faishal, alongside other Malay/Muslim office-holders. New additions to the team include Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, who will be a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Social and Family Development, and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, who will serve as a Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Education.
They will join Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam. PM Wong said that together with the other Malay/Muslim MPs, these individuals will work hard to engage the Malay/Muslim community and listen to their concerns and aspirations.
Responding to a question on what his priorities for the community would be, Prof Faishal said that he was grateful for the trust placed in him by PM Wong, adding that he recognised the significant responsibility that comes with his new appointment.
'This is a very important area, and it's a big responsibility,' he said.
Thanking Mr Masagos for his contributions, Prof Faishal said that he intended to continue and build on key programmes in the community.
Reflecting on his experience, Prof Faishal noted that he has been involved with the Malay/Muslim community for nearly 30 years, beginning as a grassroots and community leader before becoming an MP and subsequently holding roles in government.
In those roles, he worked with the community across a range of areas, from education to social and family development, housing, and most recently, the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.
Through his work, he said, he has found value in connecting both widely and deeply with the community. Prof Faishal said that when he works closely with residents, people become more involved as they begin to understand the challenges involved in supporting others. He noted that this approach allows the community to celebrate small victories, which cumulatively lead to larger achievements.
But Prof Faishal also acknowledged that progress takes time and effort, and that building momentum requires bringing people together and creating opportunities for collective action. 'What is key is how we work together as a community,' he said.
PM Wong was also asked about the chairmanship of the Chinese Community Liaison Group (CCLG), which was established in 2000 to strengthen the Government's relationship with Chinese community organisations and deepen its understanding of the Chinese community.
He said the role, currently held by Mr Edwin Tong – who will be taking over the Ministry of Law – will be handed over to Mr Chee Hong Tat, who will be appointed Minister for National Development.
Hariz Baharudin is a correspondent at The Straits Times covering politics.
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