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Down the memory lane with Former Prime Minister Lee: Terima Kasih Tuan.


Friday nights are usually reserved for family, but this week was an exception. I was honored to attend a tribute dinner for Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, organized by the Malay-Muslim community. Many individuals, groups, and organizations gathered at the Singapore Expo to recognize SM Lee’s contributions and the journey we have all shared during his time as Prime Minister. Surrounded by friends and well-wishers, SM Lee was visibly at ease throughout the evening.


In his speech, delivered almost entirely in Malay, SM Lee highlighted three key observations from his two decades of engagement with the Malay-Muslim community:

  1. Progress and Achievement: The community's strides forward, marked by an increasing number of professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMETs), as well as a growing presence of graduates in institutes of higher learning.

  2. Resilience and Maturity: The ability of the Malay-Muslim community to remain rational, mature, and composed in the face of challenges.

  3. Leadership and Collaboration: The robust partnership he experienced with Malay-Muslim leaders in political and social spheres, emphasizing a shared commitment to the nation’s progress.


Looking to the future, SM Lee called on the community to continue its support for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, encouraging us to extend the same, if not greater, trust and backing that we gave him during his tenure.


Reflecting on his words, I have three hopes for how PM Lawrence, our community’s leadership, and the broader Malay-Muslim community can work together as we move forward:


To PM Lawrence Wong: Trust Us

Trust that the Malay-Muslim community holds Singapore’s best interests at heart. Embrace us fully, provide equal opportunities, and judge us on our merits. We are a young, eager, and determined community ready to contribute meaningfully to our nation’s growth.


To Malay-Muslim Leadership: Be Brave

Be bold in your actions, explore new horizons, challenge the status quo, and rejuvenate your organizational leadership. Stand firm for what is right. The community looks to you for guidance on the path to prosperity.


To Our Community: Stand Up and Be Counted

Stay positive, strive for excellence, and seize every opportunity that comes your way. We are a community committed to doing good and rejecting what is wrong. It’s time for us to make bold strides, united and determined to create a better future.

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