'Our S'pore Muslim community, even as a minority, enriches our society in every way': President Tharman

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Oct. 14 that the Singapore Muslim community, even as a minority, "enriches the Singapore society in every way".

He was speaking at the International Conference on Communities of Success (ICCOS) 2024 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre.

This was the second edition of the conference since 2022, which aims to discuss and highlight the importance of partnerships among religious, community and government leaders in supporting minority Muslim communities to thrive in their societies.

Around 600 international participants and delegates attended the two-day conference held on Oct. 14 and 15.

President Tharman also presented the Muis Awards to various recipients from the Muslim community in Singapore.

Decades of hard work by government and society

At the start of his speech, President Tharman noted that close to 400 million Muslims around the world live in countries where Islam is not the majority religion.

He noted the significance of multiethnic cohesion, adding that it is "never assured, neither is polarisation a given".

"It has taken decades of hard work by government and society to weave a multi-racial and multi-religious fabric out of our diverse traditions," President Tharman said.

He noted that Singapore has managed to do so through its political system, education and housing policies which encourage ethnic integration, an economy that provide opportunities for all, and continuous dialogue between religious leaders and communities.

He also highlighted that education played a part as Singapore's "most fundamental strategy" to develop the qualities needed for a cohesive society through social mixing from young.

"This comes not from textbooks, but from their shared experiences in growing up together," he said.

President Tharman lauded religious leaders in Singapore for guiding followers to practice their faith in a way that is consistent with the basic tenets of Singapore's "multicultural compact", grassroots leaders for actively promoting multiracial and interfaith mixing through social activities such as sports, and the government for ensuring that laws and policies in Singapore do not discriminate against any group.

He also commended the Singapore's Muslim community's efforts in "charting its path forward to uplift and empower its members".

He noted the initiatives by M3 - formed by key Malay/Muslim institutions such as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), MENDAKI and MESRA - which are key in religious guidance, self-help in education and skills, and grassroots activity.

The president also emphasised the importance of competent and respected religious leaders and teachers. On that, he mentioned the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) to enhance the standing of Singapore's Muslim religious teachers and the Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies (PCICS) for returning graduates from overseas Islamic universities.

He also highlighted the government's plans to establish the Singapore College for Islamic Studies to train future generations of asatizah.

"Our Singapore Muslim community, even as a minority, enriches our society in every way," President Tharman said.

He added that even as Singapore eliminates overt racial or religious prejudices, it must "pay attention to subtle prejudices and segregations", such as including "classmates or colleagues from other ethnic groups in conversations, and in circles of friends at lunch and in the neighbourhood".

He ended his speech by expressing his hope that the ICCOS series "will not only enable leaders to come together but to inspire each other and find practical pathways for how minority Muslim communities can flourish" for present and future generations.

Focus, significance and exploring areas affecting leadership

The 2024 edition of the conference focuses on the role of current and future community leaders in developing "communities of success".

The conference aims to discuss how leaders should pave the way in developing and representing a community that is confident, self-reliant and equipped with the right attitude, knowledge, competency and vision.

In the 2024 edition, panellists explored four key areas affecting present and future leadership, such as:

• Social Upliftment and Empowerment
• Representative Leadership
• Social Cohesion for the Future
• Considerations for the Future: Entrepreneurs, Professionals and Religious Sector

Key panellists include Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Masagos Zulkifli, former Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb, Lembaga Biasiswa Kenangan Maulud (LBKM) president and Nominated Member of Parliament Syed Harun Alhabsyi.

The event also incorporated other participative activities on both days, such as the Jalan-Jalan learning journey which provided participants with a deep understanding of community leadership, the Human Library Experience where members from esteemed community organisations and grassroots initiatives shared insights and personal success stories, and the World Cafe where youths met with ICCOS participants to exchange insights and gather feedback to refine their solutions from the ICCOS 2024 Youth Hackathon in September 2024.

These activities were introduced as learning opportunities for participants to collaborate and connect closely with community leaders.

Muis Awards 2024

As part of efforts to recognise outstanding individuals in the Singapore Muslim community, the Muis Awards 2024 were handed out on Oct. 14 to recipients from various backgrounds for their significant contributions to the Singapore Muslim society.

This was the first time that the Muis Awards were held in conjunction with ICCOS.

President Tharman presented the Anugerah Jasa Cemerlang, the highest Muis Awards accolade, to former LBKM president Suhaimi Salleh.

Other prominent individuals in areas such as volunteerism and social services received the Anugerah Jasa Bakti and the Anugerah Belia Harapan awards.

Top photos via Masagos Zulkifli/Facebook & Tharman Shanmugaratnam/YouTube via CNA