Success of Malay/Muslim community a shared effort, says Prof Faishal

Straits Times

25-05-2025

Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim taking a selfie with participants of Cyclation 2025 at Wisma Geylang Serai on May 25. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN
SINGAPORE - Ensuring the continued success of Singapore's Malay/Muslim community is a collective effort, said Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim, who is Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.
This will involve working together with M3 – a collaboration between self-help group Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council – in addition to other Malay/Muslim organisations, as well as informal groups, he added.
This would help create closer, more effective networks to work towards the community's success, he said.
Every member of the community should feel like they have a stake in its success, and this involves finding channels where individuals can express their thoughts and views, added Prof Faishal, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs.
'We want to give space for them to share their views, share their aspirations on how we can shape a successful Malay/Muslim community,' he said.
This is especially important as the global outlook becomes more challenging, he added.
Prof Faishal was appointed Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs on May 21, replacing Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who had held the position since 2018.
He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of Cyclation 2025, a community cycling event organised by Wisma Geylang Serai (WGS), where he is also lead adviser.
Cyclation 2025 was organised as part of SG60 Bersama, a series of events celebrating the Malay/Muslim community's contributions to Singapore's development, in conjunction with the Republic's 60th year of independence.
The event, organised together with cycling enthusiast group Temasek GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) Riders, saw 90 participants cycle a 15km route that began and ended at the community hub, with participants going through areas such as the park connectors of Marine Parade and East Coast Park.
Temasek GOAT Riders member Faisal Hassan, 48, said the event was aimed at encouraging a healthy lifestyle and a love of cycling in the community.
Prof Faishal said the event is one of a broader slate of wellness and lifestyle activities at WGS, which includes Gerak-Gerak Geylang, a free fitness programme held on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
He cited Cyclation 2025 as an example of the informal engagements with the community he hopes to have, noting that Temasek GOAT Riders could build on its newfound connections with WGS to expand its network.
Prof Faishal said he viewed such engagements as an extension of the work he has done since he first joined politics in 2006 as an MP for Marine Parade GRC.
This included gathering views by speaking to residents at coffee shops and other locations, as well as via more formal arrangements such as dialogue sessions.
'We're going to make sure that we reach out to as many people as possible, engage as widely as possible, and we want to deepen our engagement,' he said.
This would be done not just with WGS but also in his work with other Malay/Muslim MPs, he said.
'I would like to listen. I would like to see how your suggestions can contribute to the development of the Malay/Muslim community,' he said.
Such a approach would bring success not to just the Malay/Muslim community here but also members of other communities, he added.
'I think what is key is that we are in this together, and I hope to bring as many people on board this journey,' he said, describing it as key to a successful shared future for all Singaporeans.
Zhaki Abdullah is a correspondent at The Straits Times. He is on the health beat, in addition to occasionally covering science, environmental, tech and Muslim affairs issues.
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