Haji M K Abdul Jabbar, President, UIMA,

Secretary General and Advisors to the UIMA,

Community Leaders and friends,

Good evening. It gives me great pleasure to join you this evening. The United Indian Muslim Association has served its members and fellow citizens in Singapore for 38 years now, contributing to the culture, education and well-being of our society. I am happy to celebrate our nation’s 37^th birthday with you, and to recognise some of your community leaders who have been active and generous in giving their time and resources to the activities of the organisation.

It was heartening to hear twenty young and proud voices take the National Pledge a short while ago. Our pledge is a simple one, yet its words continue to resonate with us each time we reaffirm our commitment to be "one united people".

I understand that one of this Association's objectives is to promote better understanding between the Indian Muslim community and other communities in Singapore, and to live in peace and harmony with fellow Singaporeans. Looking around at the people of diverse races who are here tonight, I can see that you have been building relationships both within the Indian Muslim community and beyond it. You have worked, through your activities, to strengthen the social fabric of Singapore society.

Singapore is at a turning point in its history. In the economic area, we have entered a totally new landscape. We cannot return to our old ways. We have to restructure our economy, upgrade our skills and move quickly to take advantage of new opportunities in China, India and elsewhere. We can do this. If we make adjustments, work hard and stay flexible, we can prosper and create good jobs for Singaporeans for many years to come.

Our bigger challenge is ultimately social. First, to take Singapore forward in a fast-changing and uncertain world, we have to renew the spirit of tenacity and passion for Singapore among our young. We cannot recreate the unique conditions that bred this spirit among older generations of Singaporeans. Neither can we force this spirit on the young. Spirit and passion cannot be fed. But we must nurture young Singaporeans who feel this is a place that they can realise their hopes in, and which they can contribute to shaping. They must want to defend and take Singapore forward to new heights.

Our second challenge, socially, is to maintain our social cohesion. Singapore’s diversity is a strength. Each of our communities, large and small, contributes to the rich tapestry of Singapore’s social fabric. Our different traditions, cultures and religions are like diverse colours, patterns and motifs, woven together tightly into a single fabric. It is a strong, and beautiful fabric. If we were a fabric with just a single colour and pattern, we would be less attractive and less vibrant. We will be less useful to the rest of the world.

We must take good care of the Singaporean fabric, and make sure it does not start fraying at the edges, or unravelling. We have to stay cohesive and "one united people", whatever happens in the rest of the world.

We will be tested from time to time. September 11, 2001, was not the start or end of the problem. The forces and trends that led to September 11 began several years earlier, and they remain ever-present in the world around us. In some countries in the region itself, new political strands, drawing on radical interpretations of the religion, are now part of the landscape. The terrorist threat is now in the region. It is unlikely to disappear soon.

We will inevitably be affected by developments around us and by influences from abroad. But we can hold together. We can keep our defiantly multi-racial nation going. Nothing should divide us.

The government will continue to do its best to preserve security, and promote stable and harmonious relations among our different races and religions. However, resilience and strength has to come from the community itself.

Community leaders like yourselves will serve a critical function. The Indian Muslim leaders have played a key role since our independence, in drawing the community into the mainstream of Singapore society, and encouraging the young to educate themselves and realise a better future. The community sank roots in Singapore and contributed to its development. I encourage the Indian Muslim leaders to continue exercising leadership to keep the community forward-looking and keep Singapore strong.

We have to avoid stereotypes in the post-September 11 environment. The ideas and trends in the Muslim world are not monolithic. Even in the Middle East, there is a wide range of opinion on matters such as life in a secular state, or on the relationship between Islam and new knowledge. Changes in the Muslim world impact on Muslims worldwide, but non-Muslims should not think the response of Muslims worldwide is uniform or monolithic.

Singapore Muslims are overwhelmingly committed to remaining in the mainstream of Singapore life. They stay true to what they believe are the basic principles of Islam, and are willing to make accommodations for a secular, multi-religious environment. This modern, accommodative view is an important asset for Singapore, benefiting both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Community leaders must therefore continue to preserve the dominance of the mainstream view in all areas of Singapore life, especially in matters of race and religion. We must also strengthen interaction between citizens of different communities – in school, at work, at play. That way we breed familiarity and keep the sense of ease and comfort with each other that we have built up in the last four decades. It is not good enough that we understand each other, or have some knowledge of each other’s religions and cultures. We must also interact and form friendships. These friendships are the threads that will keep Singapore’s social fabric tightly woven. They will keep this unique tapestry, of different patterns and motifs, strong and resilient.

Our third social challenge is to help those who fall behind, or who face greater insecurity as we move into a new, more competitive economic environment. More Singaporeans have lost their jobs, or are facing difficulty in meeting their daily expenses. We must help them regain their independence. We must make sure they do not lose hope, and that their children are able to concentrate on their education.

The United Indian Muslim Association has played a useful role in looking after the welfare of families who have been affected by economic restructuring. It has been providing bursaries, free tuition, books and other assistance.

I understand that your Association is also branching out to provide childcare for members who are working parents. This is another way you can keep your network alive and relevant. I encourage you to also look for new ways in which you can reach out to families in difficulty, and link them up to agencies like SINDA and the CDCs. We should pay special attention to families with young children, to ensure they do not begin underachieving in school.

The current economic and social challenges we face are not constraints. They are opportunities to reach out to the community, to widen your network, and to focus on measures that are most effective in uplifting the community.

In closing, I commend you for your efforts through the years in strengthening the Indian Muslim community, and your contributions to a multi-racial society. I wish you a fruitful year ahead.

Thank you.