Minister Masagos Zulkifli, Chairman of Yayasan MENDAKI.
Anugerah MENDAKI recipients,
Family members and friends
1. A very good afternoon to all of you. It is my great pleasure to join you all here to celebrate our students who are receiving the Anugerah MENDAKI Awards.
2. To all the students, I must say that your hard work and perseverance have paid off. As with all these occasions, I will always remind our students that you're here not just because of your hard work and intelligence. You must also remember that you are here because of the love and support of your family members, and also the opportunities provided to all of you by the community.
3. I am sure that this momentous occasion marks a significant milestone in your academic journey, and it is a testament to your hard work. I am confident that you will continue to strive to do even better than what you have achieved. But your own personal achievement is not everything, and I'll explain why in a short while.
4. In Singapore, it is important for us to reflect upon the significance of education and the transformative power it brings. Since 1965, we have consistently spent quite a substantial sum of every budget to invest in the education of our children. This is because we believe that education is the leveller.
5. We want a Singapore where regardless of your background – so long as you're able and willing – you have the opportunities to fulfil your fullest potential. That is our promise to each and every Singaporean, in each and every generation.
6. Our Malay community has continued to do well, and our students have made tremendous progress. In the 2020 Census Population Survey, it showed that the number of Malay students who graduated from university has doubled since 2010. I don't think many other countries are able to achieve that for their own people.
7. Last year, MENDAKI recognised 92 students who graduated with 1st Class Honours at universities here and abroad, compared to 21 in 2013. This is four times more. In fact, it was the highest ever recorded by MENDAKI. And overall, 476 students were awarded the Anugerah MENDAKI last year as compared to 365 in 2013.
8. I understand that the number of outstanding students has grown so large that MENDAKI needs to have two Anugerah ceremonies, the one we are having today and another in October. This is an amazing achievement. I hope the Malay/Muslim community will continue to do even better in the days to come.
9. Today's ceremony celebrates the achievements of 150 students who performed exceptionally well at PSLE, GCE N-levels, O-levels, A-levels, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) levels, including those from the Madrasahs. This is an increase of about 17% from last year.
10. Even as we celebrate the achievements of our award recipients here today, we need to remember the efforts of their parents, teachers, and the community. This is why I started the ceremony by reminding us of their importance.
11. In time to come, we must move beyond our personal achievement. Today is not just a celebration of the personal achievements, it is a celebration of our collective commitment to do something for one another, by paying it forward. To all of you who have succeeded and have done well, always remember that now you have the capability to also reach out to others who are perhaps not as able, or not as privileged as you. Only so can we progress together as one community and one Singapore.
12. Parents play a crucial role in supporting students in their studies. One of our awardees today, Sakinah Saidah Binte Irwan, who will be pursuing Pharmacy at the National University of Singapore, attributes her success to her parents. Sakinah shared that she is blessed with amazing parents who she looks up to and loves dearly. She hopes to embody their admirable habits and values, and aims to continue making them proud!
13. Sakinah's parents actively supported her during her schooling days. Her mother, Mdm Suhaila Binte Ahmad, was an avid reader and her passion inspired Sakinah's interest in reading from a young age. Mdm Suhaila would also attend Sakinah's hockey trainings when she was at Victoria Junior College, to lend her encouragement and support. Sakinah and her teammates eventually won a silver medal in the National Schools Games.
14. Her father, Mr Irwan Bin Karim, supported Sakinah in Math and Science when she was in primary school and that helped grow her interest in the subjects. Mr Irwan himself was an Anugerah Cemerlang MENDAKI recipient in 2001 and I am glad that Sakinah is now carrying on the family tradition. Sakinah's story serves to remind us of the importance of parental support and involvement in the development of our children. This is something I hope that not just the Malay community, but every community in Singapore will also be inspired by – the role of parents in bringing up their children.
15. MENDAKI also plays a big role in uplifting education and helping our students achieve their fullest potential. This is first done through learning support programmes such as the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme and the MENDAKI Homework Café. More importantly, MENDAKI has recognised the potential that mentoring has in helping our students and youths fulfil their aspirations. The Youth Mentoring Programme pairs students with mentors who will journey with them and provide them with advice and guidance for their studies and career planning. The programme has since trained more than 300 mentors and matched them to more than 700 beneficiaries in 2022.
16. Volunteers are the other key to the success of MENDAKI's programmes, and an important resource to uplifting our society as a whole. I am glad to hear that many have come forward to volunteer as tutors and mentors. For example, Christina Ho, a volunteer with the MENDAKI Club, who worked with five others to develop the MARA Mentoring programme since 2019. MARA Mentoring by MENDAKI Club aims to boost the personal growth and career path of young Malay/Muslim undergraduates by connecting them with a dedicated community of successful early career professionals. Christina also oversees the recruitment of like-minded and dedicated mentors for the programme. I am happy to share that MARA Mentoring will launch its fourth run in September this year. Thank you to volunteers like Christina who have stepped forward to support our Malay/Muslim community.
17. I am also heartened to hear that our Malay/Muslim community is giving back to the wider society. Mohammad Azfar Bin Saari is one such example. A recipient of the MENDAKI Special Malay Bursary in 2012 and the MENDAKI-SCCCF Scholarship in 2017, Azfar has volunteered at Woodlands MINDS Garden School since 2015; where he assists the teachers during lessons as the students require more attention due to their different needs. Azfar will also be volunteering as a mentor for the MARA Mentoring programme that Christina is running. Thank you to Azfar, Christina, and all our volunteers for their selfless contribution and commitment. All of you believe that success is not solely defined on your achievements, but also in your contributions to others. This is my main message for today.
18. In Singapore, be it in academics or in the economic sphere, always remember that we must never narrowly define success just by how well we do for ourselves or our families. Instead, we can broaden the definition of success beyond academics, to one where success is defined by our contributions to society. Every one of us can contribute something regardless of our station in life.
19. To those who are more able, you can contribute more. But even those who are not so able, we must make sure they have the confidence that they can also contribute something. This is a story that I've always shared, from my own constituency. Some people might think that people who stay in a one room flat are those in need. One of my residents Madam Ida makes it a point to help someone else, who is more in need than her. Despite her own circumstances (she stays in a one room flat and receives ComCare), she will do small little things like baking a small cake for the volunteers, as a sign of her contribution to society.
20. If Madam Ida can do that, what more all of us, who are much more blessed and able. So, I would like to encourage everyone to step forward and volunteer your time, treasures, and talent to uplift those who may be less fortunate than us, or who might be less privileged than us. Your little gestures and acts will all add up.
21. Every small little action will add up to making our society that much more heartwarming. As the Malay saying goes, sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit. Every small little bit will count towards making Singapore that much more heartwarming.
22. For many of our recipients here, you have the knowledge and capabilities. We look forward to you joining the ranks of many other mentors and volunteers to pay it forward and ensure that the next generation will do even better than this generation.
23. At this juncture, I would also like to thank many corporate partners such as SIA, MiRXES, GIC, Micron Semiconductor, and Bitsmedia who are crucial in uplifting the community, by providing opportunities and internships. This is what I mean by its not just about contributing treasures, but also time and talent. Allow the next generation to see that there can be a bright future for each and every one regardless of their circumstances, and I am sure they will go forth to do us proud.
24. Congratulations to all our students who are receiving the awards today. Remember, number one, you are not here just because of your hard work and intelligence, but also because of the love and support of family and the opportunities created for us by our society. Number two, remember never to just define your success by your individual achievements. Let's define success by our collective contributions.
25. Last but not least, each and every one of you are gifted in your own ways. We must make sure that the people beyond this hall also believes that each and every one of our children is special in their own ways, and each and every one of them can contribute something regardless how small, for us to be that heartwarming community that we aspire to have in Singapore.
26. Thank you very much and congratulations once again.