Mr Chairman, allow me to begin my response in Malay.

Masyarakat Melayu/Islam Singapura berani menghadapi cabaran-cabaran yang berada di hadapannya.

Sebagai sebuah masyarakat, kita sering bekerjasama dalam semangat gotong royong untuk membawa perubahan kepada masyarakat kita. Dalam tahun-tahun 60-an, para pemimpin masyarakat kita mengorak langkah untuk menubuhkan pertubuhan-pertubuhan baru seperti Persatuan Persuratan Pemuda Pemudi Melayu (4PM) dan Lembaga Biasiswa Kenangan Maulud (LBKM) dalam usaha menangani cabaran-cabaran pendidikan.

Sebagai langkah lanjutan, mereka menubuhkan Yayasan Mendaki pada 1982 untuk melaksanakan usaha-usaha yang lebih fokus dan bersepadu untuk mempertingkat pencapaian dalam pendidikan. Kita turut berusaha untuk menangani masalah penyalahgunaan dadah. Dan tidak berapa lama dahulu pula kita melancarkan Program Wrap Around Care (WAC) untuk menangani isu keluarga pincang.

Institusi-institusi kita juga turut meluaskan usaha membantu masyarakat tanpa terikat oleh bidang kuasa mereka. Misalnya, ROMM (Pejabat Pernikahan Orang-Orang Islam) ROMM memberi kaunseling kepada pasangan muda untuk mengajak mereka berfikir tentang langkah menangguhkan rancangan untuk bernikah. Mahkamah Syariah (SYC) pula melaksanakan program kaunseling untuk membantu pasangan bermasalah menimbangkan semula keputusan untuk bercerai.

Masyarakat kita menubuhkan Forum Pemimpin Masyarakat (CLF) pada 2003 kerana sedar kita mampu membuat perubahan yang lebih besar jika kita bekerja secara padu. Hari ini, CLF mempunyai lebih daripada 130 rakan atau partners untuk melaksanakan program yang mampu menjangkau lebih daripada 150,000 klien.

Hasil usaha kita dapat dilihat hari ini. Para pelajar kita terus mencatat prestasi yang baik. Dari 2001 hingga 2010, anak-anak kita mencatat kadar kelulusan yang lebih baik dalam peperiksaan PSLE dan GCE peringkat ‘O’ dan ‘A’. Kadar pelajar Melayu yang berjaya memasuki pendidikan pos-menengah sepanjang tempoh itu meningkat dari 74.6% kepada 86.2%.

Rumahtangga yang dibina oleh pasangan kita pula semakin bertambah kukuh dengan merosotnya kadar perceraian sekitar 6.4% sejak lima tahun lalu.

Kadar pernikahan dan perceraian melibatkan pasangan muda turut merosot sejak 10 tahun lalu. Kadar pernikahan melibatkan golongan ini merosot 55% dan perceraian pula (13%) sepanjang tempoh tersebut.

Saya akan juga memberi contoh-contoh pencapaian lain yang memaparkan masyarakat kita sebagai sebuah masyarakat yang berdaya mara bergerak dan mempunyai keyakinan untuk menangani pelbagai cabaran.

Nilai sumbangan yang dibuat oleh masyarakat, sama ada dalam bentuk wang tunai atau lain-lain sumbangan, telah meningkat. Seperti kata DPM Tharman, pendapatan kesemua kumpulan pendapatan telah meningkat. Kita boleh menjangkakan nilai pendapatan individu MelayuIslam turut meningkat. Dengan ini, sumbangan kepada zakat dan MBMF turut meningkat dari 3% kepada 7.9% tahun lalu. Sebanyak $23.3 juta dikumpul bagi zakat tahun lalu, kenaikan 3% berbanding tahun sebelumnya. Menerusi sumber yang lebih besar, masyarakat kita mampu melaksanakan lebih banyak program baru dan menambah bilangan penerima bantuan. Oleh itu, kita telah meluaskan penggunaan MBMF untuk mempertingkat masjid dan bagi pendidikan Islam. Bilangan orang yang tampil untuk menawarkan khidmat relawan juga bertambah.

Kehidupan beragama turut menampakkan perubahan kita sebagai sebuah masyarakat progresif. Perubahan-perubahan ke atas pendidikan agama terus berjalan lancar. Lebih ramai peserta melahirkan rasa puas dengan program Alive. Bagi madrasah sepenuh masa pula, Sistem Madrasah Bersama (JMS) sedang melaksanakan perubahan-perubahan yang akan merubah sistem madrasah kita. Pakar-pakar agama kita pula secara proaktif mengkaji cara-cara untuk memastikan kita terus mampu melaksanakan kehendak-kehendak agama dalam sebuah negara sekular seperti kita.

Tuan Pengerusi, saya telah membentangkan rangka sebuah masyarakat yang bersatu padu, yakin ke atas visi dan misinya, komited untuk membaiki mutu kehidupan para anggotanya dan berganding bahu dengan rakan-rakan kerjanya dan pemerintah dalam usaha mencapai visi sebuah masyarakat cemerlang. Sememangnya, masyarakat kita berada dalam kedudukan yang baik untuk memasuki tahap pembangunan selanjutnya.

Mr Chairman, let me continue in English. I have just highlighted in Malay how we are confident of our vision to be a Community of Excellence. In wanting to realise this vision, we work hand in hand with our partners and the government. Our united commitment in achieving greater progress and success is the hallmark of our community that Dr Fatimah has asked about. It also stands us in good stead to embrace the next phase of development.

DPM Tharman highlighted the theme of building an inclusive society in the Budget Statement. In the same vein, it is important for our community to continue working together to care for our children, our youth and those in need. We have to optimise our resources to help more – enabling our whole community to be confident and progressive, even amidst challenges.

(i) Empowering the Poor and Needy, as well as Low-Skilled Workers

Workers

There has been much discussion on improving productivity as the key to ensuring that Singapore stays competitive. It is also the best way for workers to earn higher wages and give their families a better life.

Job training and re-training must continue, especially for the lower-skilled workers that Dr Mohd Faishal Ibrahim spoke about. Mendaki’s “Move Into, Move Across and Move Between” programmes help improve the employability of workers and families in need. The long-term unemployed, low-skilled workers, back-to-work mothers and single parents are among the groups that have benefited from the 12,500 training places offered by these programmes in 2011.

The demand for upskilling among those in the professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) category is also high. Over 4,000 training places in supervisory and diploma courses were taken up by PMETs in the last two years.

Overall, 40% of Mendaki SENSE’s training places are taken up by workers in the east. Mendaki SENSE has thus recently set up a new centre in Tampines to be closer to them – to offer training, career coaching and job matching services.

I am pleased to note that a $20,000 SENSE Scholarship was launched in February to subsidise workers for courses at Continuing Education and Training Centre (CET) centres across Singapore. I hope our community will continue to embrace the opportunities available to hone or upgrade their skills to secure stable and fulfilling jobs.

The Needy

Dr Mohd Faishal Ibrahim asked about using zakat monies to better help families in need. Just like fellow Singaporeans, our community has seen rising income across all income groups. With this, giving has also gone up and our zakat collection has been increasing over the past few years. In 2011, a total of $23.3 million was collected, a 3% growth from previous year, and 2,210 families received monthly zakat assistance.

MUIS will continue helping existing zakat recipients, and at the same time gear up for more applications. On top of financial assistance, MUIS’ Empowerment Partnership Scheme (EPS) guides zakat recipients towards self-reliance. Since EPS started in 2004, about 400 out of 600 families have graduated from MUIS’ assistance schemes. Some of them even help to mentor other families still on EPS, to share their experiences in achieving self-reliance.

I am happy to announce that the existing MUIS Progress Fund will receive a top-up of $2 million, boosting its total to $2.9 million. The Progress Fund was set up in 2010 primarily for the educational needs of children in zakat-receiving households.

Take the example of Mdm Rafida’s five children, who are now able to regularly attend part-time madrasah at Darul Aman Mosque. Thanks to the Progress Fund, their monthly madrasah fees are 85% subsidised and miscellaneous fees, fully subsidised. This takes a load off Mdm Rafida, a single parent who earns less than $1,000 a month as a food handling supervisor.

Children’s education needs are better met when the adults in the family have stable, meaningful jobs. As such, we will also use the fund to provide job training grants for zakat recipients, so that the adults can stay employed and the children can continue schooling.

Dr Fatimah talked about consolidated care for the needy in our community. This is what Mendaki’s Enhanced Wrap Around Care (eWAC) concept is about. A social assistance project based on eWAC was piloted last year in MacPherson.

The key feature of eWAC is the holistic help provided through a project manager, who co-ordinates what each family member needs from different agencies. These agencies include South East CDC, MacPherson Moral Family Service Centre and the Sallim Mattar Mosque. Since its pilot in the North East and the South East in 2011, the eWAC project has reached out to 37 families to help them achieve a certain level of healthy functioning.

The desire to improve is strong in these households. Parents with schooling children recognise the need for tuition, as they themselves are unable to coach them academically.

Mdm Juhana, a divorcee with six young children, is one such forward-looking eWAC beneficiary. To give her children a good head start in education, she has recently registered them for child care and student care. This will also help her secure permanent employment and build a more conducive home environment for her children. It is encouraging to see Mdm Juhana putting her heart into the two key ingredients for success in Singapore –education and jobs.

(ii) Nurturing and Enhancing Education for the Young

The community’s improvement in education over the years is testament to the importance we place on education for our children. MOE’s statistics show that the performance of Malay students in PSLE, as well as GCE ‘O ‘and ‘A’ Levels has improved over the past ten years (2001 to 2010). Proportionally, the percentage of Malay students admitted to post-secondary institutions has also increased from 74.6% to 86.2%. Our community must seize the opportunities that come along with the increasing diversity and choice in the education landscape.

Madrasahs

Education Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat had earlier highlighted the important role that madrasahs play in our community. Indeed, our six full-time madrasahs not only aim to nurture asatizahs (religious teachers) for our community, but also to ensure that students are equipped to join the mainstream education system if they choose to do so.

Our efforts to upgrade our madrasahs have attracted attention beyond our shores. I have just returned from Indonesia where I witnessed the signing of an MOU between a 96-year-old Indonesian institution called Matha’ul Anwar and our Madrasah Al Irsyad. They value our efforts at integrating academic subjects such as Math and Science into the religious curriculum and teaching these subjects in English. We have benefitted from the progressive outlook of our leaders who decided many years ago, even before compulsory education was introduced, to teach madrasah students core academic subjects so that they grow up to be contributing citizens, comfortable in this modern world.

I wish to assure Mr Zainal that MUIS ensures financial support for all students in full-time madrasahs, which operate as private schools.

Close to $1 million has been allocated for the madrasah PSLE student grant since 2007. All Primary 5 and 6 students receive this, which can be used for supplementary learning activities. Students from needy families also receive up to $1,700 per student worth of assistance funded by MUIS, for school fees, text books, allowances, and remedial programmes. Last year, over 260 Madrasah students benefitted from the Madrasah Financial Assistance Scheme, which is one of the programmes under MUIS’ Progress Fund.

Besides the students, MUIS also ensures that the madrasahs receive support. Such support includes top-up allowances for teachers’ salaries, grants based on student numbers, and funding for various expenditure for facilities or events. Teacher training is a key plank of MUIS’ support. Since 2003, MUIS has invested $2.6 million in fully-sponsored training for madrasah teachers, Heads of Department and principals. To address Dr Fatimah’s query, MUIS is well on track to raise the professionalism of madrasah teachers. By the end of next year, all madrasah teachers would have acquired professional teaching qualification under the National Institute of Education (NIE).

Joint Madrasah System (JMS)

Mr Zaqy asked about the JMS. I am pleased to highlight that the JMS has seen much improvement in the areas of madrasah pedagogy, curriculum and leadership.

MUIS is reviewing the JMS to ensure that our madrasahs remain relevant to the needs of our community within the context of our society and the changing global environment. It is important that the madrasah curriculum is integrated, inter-disciplinary, age-appropriate and tailored for our local context. For a start, Madrasah Aljunied is piloting a Globalisation module to expose our students to different perspectives on contemporary issues.

The enhancements to the JMS will be a significant investment of MUIS’ time, effort and resources, and it requires careful planning. Muis will announce details later this year. I am confident that the enhanced JMS will offer more options to cater to the differentiated abilities and interests of madrasah students.

Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy (TTFS) and other Education Assistance

The Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy (TTFS) Scheme was reviewed last year, a welcome move to benefit more Malay students. The eligibility criterion is now based on per capita income (PCI), rather than just household income, to enable families with more children to qualify. Mr Zainudin asked about the number of applications. The new criteria are applicable from academic year 2012, and Mendaki expects about 7,000 applications from new and existing students by July.

I wish to assure the House that we will continue to review the TTFS eligibility criteria from time to time, to ensure that at least two-thirds of Malay households in Singapore benefit from the scheme. Mendaki will also continue to exercise flexibility to assist families in unique circumstances, such as those with more than one child in tertiary institutions.

For students who do not qualify for TTFS or are not eligible for a full subsidy, Mendaki’s Supplementary Assistance Scheme (SAS) is an interest-free loan that they could consider. Let me cite an example. Dr Noorul Fatha As’art is one such beneficiary. She pursued her undergraduate medical degree at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine with Mendaki’s interest-free loan. Dr Noorul is an Advanced Specialist Trainee in Public Health. Despite her busy schedule, she still finds time to volunteer at Mendaki. In addition to working hard, she gives thanks by contributing to the community and more importantly, serving as a role model.

Mendaki provides affordable and quality tuition for primary one to secondary five students each year under the Mendaki Tuition Scheme (MTS), which Mr Zainudin has asked about.

Mendaki enhanced MTS at the beginning of this year, and saw an overwhelming surge in applications. The student enrolment is now about 8,500, compared to about 6,000 before the enhancements.

First, the tutor-student ratio for upper primary classes has been reduced from 1:12 to 1:8. Second, MTS students are given materials designed according to their differentiated learning abilities. Pupils are thus better able to learn and progress at a pace suitable for them.

Third, the home-school-community partnership has been strengthened to encourage more students to enrol in the MTS, particularly those weaker in English, Mathematics or Science. I urge parents to tap on the quality and affordability of the MTS to benefit their children.

(iii) Strengthening Muslim Marriages and Families

Strong, stable families are fundamental for a resilient community. To strengthen families, institutions such as our Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) and Syariah Court have stepped forward to provide services beyond what they are expected to. For a whole range of issues from minor couples to couples considering divorce, there are concerted community efforts by both ROMM and Syariah Court and relevant agencies to provide support and assistance.

Marriage Preparation Course

More couples are attending the Bersama Mu Marriage Preparation Course (MPC) to understand the transitions and challenges of married life. This is a first step to nurturing a strong family. To ensure continued relevance, MCYS has embarked on a review of the course. We welcome constructive suggestions in the coming public consultation exercise.

INSPIRASI

Minor Muslim couples continue to seek premarital guidance at our INSPIRASI Hubs operated with the help of AMP and PPIS. Almost 300 couples attended premarital counselling in 2011, of whom 40% decided to either delay or call off their marriage plans. I am glad that some minor couples who eventually married continue to participate in INSPIRASI’s post-marriage activities to strengthen their families.

As INSPIRASI celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, we will review the programmes to ensure that they are more deeply integrated into the community.

Marriage Counselling Programme

Marriage can be challenging at times, but divorce should not be seen as the quick solution. Even as parties consider a divorce, we do not give up. The Syariah Court pays much attention to saving marriages. On average, over the last 6 years (2005-2011), the Syariah Court’s Marriage Counselling Programme (MCP) has successfully persuaded 44% of clients each year not to proceed with divorce.

The Syariah Court also offers a customised pre-divorce briefing in collaboration with PPIS As-Salaam Family Support Centre, to help couples reconsider their decision, or pursue an amicable divorce if reconciliation is not possible. Importantly, the briefing serves to minimise the impact of divorce on young children. This initiative has resulted in 17.5% (or 35) of the participants not proceeding with divorce.

As a result of all these collective efforts, divorce rates and minor marriages have gone down, which Dr Intan has raised concerns about. Overall, Muslim divorces have gone down by 6.4% from about 1,750 to 1,640 over the last five years. This suggests that Muslim marriages are generally showing stronger resilience. Muslim marriages involving minors have also steadily decreased by 37% from about 410 to 260 over the last five years (2007 to 2011). Likewise, on the flip side, divorces involving minors have also gone down by 26%.

The figures I have just shared show results in terms of reducing the rates of divorces and minor marriages. It is timely for us to look deeper at marriage and divorce trends, so that our programmes can be even more targeted in addressing vulnerabilities and blind spots.

(iv) Strengthening Key Institutions

Mosques are important pillars of our religious needs. I agree with Mr Hawazi that our mosques should continue to enhance their service delivery, especially to our needy. 2011 saw the inaugural Muslimah Seminar, the inaugural Befrienders’ Seminar and the Mosque Convention to share best practices, shape the character of our mosques and pave the way for their future.

At the Mosque Convention, more than 700 mosque leaders supported the move for mosques to become a more active node in the national grid by partnering community and national agencies for greater outreach.

The mosques in MUIS’ three Enhanced Mosque Clusters (EMCs) are already leveraging on existing assistance schemes to render help at the neighbourhood level.

Such outreach efforts would not be possible without dedicated befrienders. I am heartened by the 283 new befrienders who have volunteered their services after the Befrienders’ Seminar, joining ranks with the existing pool of over 350 trained befrienders.

I am also heartened to see more women contributing to mosque programmes and activities. We now have about 3,000 active women volunteers in mosques. The inaugural Muslimah Seminar last year showcased their hard work, including volunteers, mosque staff and representatives of our Mosque Management Boards. So let me wish all of them a happy International Women’s Day.

Mosque Executive Chairman (MEC) Scheme

Our mosques are not only a place of worship, but have become an important community space offering a wide range of socio-religious services. Mr Muhd Faisal Manap asked about the Mosque Executive Chairman (MEC). MUIS introduced the MEC Scheme in 2001 to provide leadership to run our mosques, and there are currently 11 MEC.

With the support of Mosque Management Boards (MMBs), mosques led by MEC have proven to be effective in ensuring the quality of their programmes and services, including community outreach and equally important, inter-faith engagement. The MEC work primarily for their mosque and the congregants, and are accountable to their MMB. Hence, it is right that the mosques contribute to their wages.

At the same time, the MEC also serve the function of helping MUIS, as the overall authority for mosques, and to achieve its strategic plans for the mosque sector. As a show of support to the mosques, MUIS thus bears 20% of an MEC’s salary, which is pegged to that of a Senior Manager in the social service sector.

Mosque Building and Upgrading

Our Mosque Building Fund (MBF) started out in 1975 to consolidate the community’s spirit of self-help to build new-generation mosques. Renamed in 1984 as the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF), it was expanded to include educational and social programmes. Since contribution rates were revised upwards in 2009, the annual MBMF collection has gone up steadily from $14.8 million to $16.5 million in 2010. In 2010, half was allocated to Mendaki and religious education, while the remaining half went to mosque building.

With the increased contributions in 2009, MBMF’s uses were expanded to include upgrading works for mosques. MBF and non-MBF mosques have benefited from upgrading to provide more conducive environments for our congregants, especially our elderly and the disabled. Dr Mohd Faishal Ibrahim commended our mosque upgrading efforts and Mr Hawazi asked about future plans.
In 2009, five mosques were selected for MUIS Mosque Upgrading Programme (MUP) Phase 1, which is expected to complete in 2013. Muhajirin Mosque in Toa Payoh and Hajjah Rahimabi Kebun Limau Mosque in Whampoa have been rejuvenated with barrier-free features, among other improvements. The remaining three mosques — An-Nur in Woodlands, Al-Ansar in Bedok and Alkaff Upper Serangoon Mosques — are still undergoing or will soon undergo upgrading works. Additionally, Kampong Siglap Mosque in Marine Parade was also included under MUP Phase 1 following damage caused by a fire in October 2009.

With the increase in collection, I am pleased to announce that the MBMF is in a healthy state. We are thus able to bring forward MUP Phase 2 to this year instead of 2014. We have identified 15 mosques for MUP Phase 2 based on their urgency for upgrading or expansion. From expanded prayer areas to barrier-free accessibility features such as lifts, these mosques will be spruced up according to their needs.

Apart from revitalising existing mosques, mosque building is another important aspect to better serve our congregants’ needs. We are building three new mosques, as Mr Zainal has noted. The Punggol Mosque – it is just a working name – is expected to be ready in 2014. Residents in the area can look forward to an eco-friendly mosque conveniently located near Punggol Public Transport Centre (PTC). While construction is funded by the MBMF, I hope our community can donate generously to raise funds for its interior furnishing.

For the other two new mosques in Jurong West and Woodlands, MUIS is working with the relevant government agencies to seek the necessary approvals to start building. We are planning for the Jurong West mosque to be located at the junction of Jalan Bahar and Jurong West Ave 2, as shown on the map. It is expected to be ready in 2015. The proposed site for the new mosque in Woodlands is along the future extension of Woodlands Drive 17. It is expected to be ready in 2016. The two new mosques will cater to the demand for prayer space in their respective areas.

Creation of Wakaf

As Mr Zaqy noted, some of our key programmes are financed by MBMF monies and generous donations. As needs become more complex and costs increase, we should plan ahead.

Over the last two centuries, our pioneer philanthropists have created wakaf, or Muslim endowment. The annual income from these wakaf supports the funding of religious and charitable programmes in perpetuity. Last year, a total of $3.08 million was disbursed to three main beneficiaries, namely mosques, madrasahs and the poor and needy. Wakaf is typically in the form of immovable properties, and this is the case for our existing 99 wakaf properties. Since 1993, no such wakaf has been created.

We should find an appropriate way to promote this important Islamic institution and adapt it to the modern context. The giving landscape has changed and we expect many well-to-do Muslims would like to contribute to the community. The good news is, wakaf may also be in the form of cash for investment in low-risk or capital-guaranteed instruments.

For a start, MUIS will be creating a new wakaf fund through consecrating and pooling together shares of Muslim estates which will otherwise form part of the Baitulmal or General Fund. Beginning with a capital sum of $3 million, this wakaf will be for the benefit of Islamic education broadly. The Wakaf Disbursement Committee will allocate the disbursement based on the priorities and needs for the year.

A recent positive trend is that more Muslims are doing financial planning and drawing up wills in accordance with Islamic inheritance law. As a form of “planned giving”, Muslims can pledge up to one third of their estates for the wakaf fund. The public may also contribute directly to the fund. MUIS will announce further details later.

I would also like to highlight that Khalid Mosque is creating new wakaf through the purchase of two properties at Joo Chiat Road and Onan Road. This is a good example of how income from wakaf properties could be channelled to sustain the operations of a mosque.

I am confident that MUIS’ move to create new wakaf will pave the way to revive the philanthropic spirit in our community. It is a progressive move to keep pace with evolving giving trends and the growing complexity of our financial environment. Just as our forefathers had worked hard and selflessly created wakaf for the greater good, I hope our community will also contribute generously to the new wakaf.

(v) Thriving as a Progressive Community

Mr Chairman, Muslims in Singapore are able to fulfil our religious obligations in the context of our secular and plural society. This privilege should not be taken for granted but should instead spur us on to thrive as a progressive community.

As Dr Intan pointed out, the release of fatwas, or religious guidance, on joint tenancy and CPF nomination in the past few years was in response to emerging issues facing our community. Indeed, the MUIS Fatwa Legal Committee has been actively reviewing and formulating fatwas to guide the community on areas such as Muslim inheritance law. MUIS is also translating fatwas into English for publication.

Such documentation is important as a common reference for the community. I am pleased to note that the Syariah Court intends to publish a five-volume Singapore Syariah Appeals Report (SSAR) series, which consolidates significant Appeal Board decisions in both SYC and ROMM cases. This body of law will chart how the practice and development of Muslim personal law has progressed over the years.

In addition to institutionalised efforts to help our community thrive progressively, community-driven initiatives are also critical. One key example mentioned by many speakers today is the Community Leaders’ Forum (CLF). The CLF secretariat has been developing the four key networks, namely Education, Youth, Family and Employability. Mr Zainal Sapari recommended that the community leverage on the CLF to build capacity to face future challenges.

This is indeed timely. By all accounts, the future is paved with many uncertainties and challenges but also opportunities. While education remains an important concern for our community, we should also be collectively thinking what education will be like for our community in the years to come. And as the world gets more connected and learning and the sharing of knowledge and expertise are no longer confined to the classroom, how should our community leverage on new interactive technologies to accelerate the pace of learning within our community? All these point to developing new skills needed in our community in order to navigate the future confidently.

I have asked the CLF secretariat to put forth some suggestions for our community leaders to deliberate and consider the possibility of starting a fifth network to drive this process.

Conclusion

In closing, I would like to thank all the MPs for their questions. The Malay/Muslim community has come far from humble beginnings. Our current successes are all due to efforts put in bit by bit over many years, encouraged by the government to do well in everything we do. We must continue to build on the successes together as a community and nation, and not get distracted. The CLF Convention in November this year will be an apt platform for us to reflect, review and explore paradigms to further build capacity as a community to face future challenges, in our vision to be a Community of Excellence.

Thank you.