Latest news with #BERITAHARIANSINGAPORE
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Ownership through a ‘shared vision': Prof Faishal Ibrahim's hopes for the Malay/Muslim community
Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim hopes to achieve what he described as a 'shared vision' for the Malay/Muslim community. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN SINGAPORE - One of the ways in which Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim tries to engage with young people is by being active on social media and personally replying to messages he receives on his social media accounts. 'They want to be heard. They would like to have an open conversation,' he said on June 4. Acknowledging that he is 'not young,' Prof Faishal said other ways he engages with younger people is by working with younger MPs, speaking to youth during his public engagements as well as creating more mentoring opportunities via Mendaki and other Malay/Muslim organisations. These are some ways in which the newly minted Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs hopes to achieve what he described as a 'shared vision' for the Malay/Muslim community – one shaped in part by the community itself, so they feel a sense of ownership over it. Achieving such a vision would take some time, said the 56-year-old, adding that he would share updates at different milestones. Prof Faishal was speaking to reporters at the KopiCuts cafe and barbershop at community hub Wisma Geylang Serai – where he serves as lead adviser – in his first sit-down interview since taking being appointed to the role on May 21. He replaced Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who had held the portfolio since 2018. Married with two children, Prof Faishal was previously an associate professor at the National University of Singapore's Department of Real Estate. He said he received a warm reception from residents following his recent appointment. 'It is very heartwarming to see the responses from our community where they say that they want to cooperate with me and my colleagues, to continue the effort to develop our community and our country,' he said. 'And more importantly, they feel that the Prime Minister listened to their concerns and aspirations regarding our community leadership.' He thanked his predecessors Mr Masagos and retired cabinet minister Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, who served as Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs from 2002 to 2018. Prof Faishal noted he had worked closely with both men, describing them as having had the heart to serve the community and help it progress. It was also by working with both men that he saw the challenges associated with the role, as well as what needs to be done, he said. 'I know this is not an easy responsibility, some have told me they know it's not easy but they want to support this effort,' he added. Prof Faishal joined politics in 2006 at the age of 38, as part of a six-member PAP team representing Marine Parade GRC. Following the 2011 elections, he became an MP for Nee Soon GRC, where he served for three terms. During the 2025 General Elections, he returned to the newly-formed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC as part of a five-member PAP team, led by Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, which won the constituency uncontested. In 2012, Prof Faishal became Parliamentary Secretary at the health and transport ministries, and in 2017 was promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the education as well as social and family development ministries. He subsequently became Minister of State for National Development and Home Affairs in 2020, and following the 2025 GE was appointed Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs as well as Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs. While the community has progressed tremendously over the years, making strides in areas such as post-secondary education, there are still areas for improvement, Prof Faishal said. These include working with government agencies to meet the needs of needy families as well as addressing the drug problem in the community. He also highlighted the need to have more Malay/Muslim children enrolled in pre-school education, saying that he would work with Mendaki chairman Zaqy Mohamad, who is also Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, and Defence, to address the issue. Beyond the M3 framework, Prof Faishal said other Malay/Muslim organisations, as well as professional bodies and informal groups, can play a role in meeting the needs and aspirations of the community. M3 refers to a tie-up between self-help group Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council. He added that he would like to see more ground-up initiatives, citing the example of Bersamamu – a programme which provides Muslim couples with mentoring from their solemnisers in their first two years of marriage. He noted that Bersamamu was initiated by veteran religious teacher Ustaz Pasuni Maulun and other solemnisers, before it received the support of the Government. 'This is an example of how we can work together,' he said. When asked how he would address views which differed from the those of the authorities, Prof Faishal said the Government is 'well-intentioned' and tries to meet all needs. However, it has to take in account all viewpoints, he said, adding that some more complex issues may require more time to be addressed. 'There may be issues that are not easy but we know that the Government's intention is to help, to solve these issues together.' A long-time supporter of English football club Liverpool, Prof Faishal says the club's motto You'll Never Walk Alone – derived from Gerry and the Pacemaker's 1963 single of the same name – can be applied to Singapore's Malay/Muslim community. The community will never walk alone as it has the support of its leaders and community organisations, he said. 'And I will also never walk alone, because I have the Malay/Muslim community and the people of Singapore with me to continue this effort,' he said. 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. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Misfiring Lions aim to sharpen attack ahead of Asian Cup qualifier
Singapore coach Tsutomu Ogura (left) and forward Ikhsan Fandi during a press conference ahead of the June 5 friendly with the Maldives. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN SINGAPORE – The Lions have set a target of qualifying for the Asian Cup, but the mission to reach the 2027 edition in Saudi Arabia could be hamstrung by a lack of goals. In their last five matches, Singapore managed to find the net just once. It is a worrying statistic ahead of the crucial Asian Cup third-round Group C qualifier against Bangladesh in Dhaka on June 10. The Lions kicked off their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Hong Kong on March 25, while Bangladesh's match with India also ended in a goal-less statement. Only the group winners will advance to the tournament proper. Before the duel in Dhaka, world No. 161 Singapore will host the 164th-ranked Maldives in a friendly at Bishan Stadium in an international friendly as they seek to rediscover their scoring touch. It is a task made harder by the unavailability of Shawal Anuar – who has 26 goals in 42 league and continental matches this season – as he is set to undergo a medical procedure during this period. The goal-scoring responsibility is likely to fall on the returning Ikhsan Fandi, who has not featured for Singapore since last November, or his younger brother Ilhan. BG Tampines Rovers' Taufik Suparno and Faris Ramli, and newcomer Amir Syafiz Rashid of the Young Lions are the team's other forwards. Song Ui-young's Lions recall after a year-long absence due to family matters will also come as a boost. For Ikhsan, who has had an injury-riddled season with Thai side BG Pathum United, it is about making up for lost time. Due to an issue with his right knee and a quadriceps injury, the 26-year-old saw limited game time with his club this season and was unable to nail down a starting role. He scored three goals in eights starts and 13 substitute appearances across four competitions. 'I'm feeling good, confident and happy, and I'm ready to help the national team,' said Ikhsan, who has bagged 18 goals in 38 international appearances. 'Yes, it's been a difficult season. A lot of setbacks and I couldn't get consistency or rhythm. I want to prove myself and get back to the level where I should be at.' Watching the team struggle to score has affected him too and motivated him to stay fit and seek more regular playing time. Ikhsan said Pathum have allowed him to leave on loan next season. While he declined to confirm his next destination, ST understands that Ratchaburi FC, who finished fourth in the 16-team Thai top flight, will be his most likely destination. Ikhsan said: 'I want to be starting matches. To be honest, I feel sad whenever I'm not called up, or whenever I'm not available, because I feel like some responsibility has been put on me (to be the main goal getter for the national team).' Ilhan Fandi (second from right) during Singapore's training session ahead of the international friendly match between Singapore and Maldives, at Bishan Stadium in Singapore, on June 4, 2025. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN For Ilhan, it will be about building on the recent season which saw him named the Young Player of the Tournament at the Asean Club Championship. In 30 games for Pathum, he scored seven goals and notched four assists. It was enough to earn the admiration of Thai champions Buriram United, whom ST understands, are set to sign the 22-year-old forward on loan. On the Lions' upcoming matches, Ilhan said: 'While not having Shawal is a big miss, it's down to the other players to show that they deserve to be in the national team. I feel like I am in a good run of form, so I feel very confident against the Maldives and Bangladesh.' There is a possible wildcard in Young Lions forward Amir Syafiz, who has earned his first senior national team call-up after a strong second half of the season. The 20-year-old, who had predominantly been deployed in central midfield since his SPL debut in 2021, was thrust into the forward's role in January after Japanese forward Itsuki Enomoto left for BG Tampines Rovers. Since the start of the year, Amir has netted six goals for the developmental side. Amir could also be on the move at club level, having received offers from several local teams. However, he said he will only decide on his next step after the international fixtures, adding that staying with the Young Lions remains a possibility. While he is viewing his maiden call-up as an opportunity to learn from his senior teammates, he also hopes to be given a chance to impress. Amir said: 'I hope I can start or contribute. But I think this call-up is a stepping stone for me. I want to learn as much as I can from the senior players like Ikhsan and Ilhan, so that I can step up when needed.' At the pre-match press conference on June 4, Lions coach Tsutomu Ogura urged his team to up the ante in the creativity department. 'We need to create more chances. The delivery is also important. It is also important that we don't give up and keep trying to create chances,' said the Japanese tactician. Meanwhile, Maldives coach Ali Suzain is looking for an improvement from his team after they lost 4-1 to the Philippines in their opening qualifier. He said: 'We are looking for better defensive and midfield organisation so that is what we will be (working on) in this match.' Deepanraj Ganesan is a sports journalist at The Straits Times focusing on football, athletics, combat sports and policy-related news. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Success of Malay/Muslim community a shared effort, says Prof Faishal
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. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
