Speech by President Halimah Yacob at Muis Buka Puasa 2022

Encik Masagos Zulkifli, Menteri Pembangunan Sosial dan Keluarga, Menteri Kedua Kesihatan dan Menteri Bertanggungjawab bagi Ehwal Masyarakat Islam

Tetamu yang dihormati

Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan

Assalamu’alaikum wr wb. Alhamdulilah, kita bertemu sekali lagi di majlis buka puasa pada bulan yang penuh barakah ini.

Saya bersyukur bahawa keadaan COVID-19 di Singapura semakin baik. Bulan Ramadan tahun ini disambut dengan lebih meriah. Lebih ramai dapat mengerjakan solat berjemaah, dengan masjid kini menawarkan lebih banyak ruang untuk tarawih dan kegiatan lain sepanjang Ramadan. Saya pasti perkembangan ini disambut baik oleh masyarakat kita. Inilah berkat kesabaran dan kecekalan kita dalam menempuhi cabaran COVID-19.

Saya juga bangga dengan ketangkasan masjid dalam menyesuaikan pendekatan dan meneruskan khidmat kepada masyarakat secara digital sepanjang pandemik ini. Masjid-masjid aktif menganjurkan program agama dalam talian. Pegawai masjid pula menghasilkan video ringkas dan infografik mengenai kegiatan di masjid dan nasihat agama secara kreatif untuk mendekati masyarakat dengan lebih mesra. Pasca pandemik, saya yakin usaha sebegini akan diteruskan bagi manfaat masyarakat kita.

Semangat inovatif ini juga dipaparkan oleh Pergerakan SalamSG yang dilancarkan buat julung-julung kalinya tahun ini. Dengan tema ‘Suburkan Salam, Sebarkan Rahmah’, Pergerakan SalamSG bertujuan untuk memenuhi keperluan rohani masyarakat kita melalui wadah digital dan fizikal. Saya akur dengan pesanan Mufti Dr Nazirudin agar kita terus meraih manfaat daripada pengalaman kita dalam mengharungi cabaran pandemik ini. Kita harus mengekalkan amalan baik yang telah kita pelajari, agar kita lebih cekal menghadapi cabaran masa hadapan. Inilah semangat Pergerakan SalamSG yang akan terus dipupuk sepanjang bulan Ramadan dan seterusnya.

Meskipun Singapura dan seluruh dunia kini sudah mula membuka lebih ruang untuk menyambung semula kegiatan seharian, kita harus terus berwaspada demi menjaga kesejahteraan masyarakat dan negara. Lantas, saya mengalu-alukan inisiatif pihak masjid yang telah melantik Duta-Duta Khidmat Ramadan untuk menyambut kedatangan jemaah ke masjid. Ini memastikan kegiatan di masjid dilakukan dengan selamat.

Dengan ini, izinkan saya untuk teruskan ucapan saya dalam Bahasa Inggeris.

The Muslim community has displayed tremendous resilience and patience throughout the pandemic. With the easing of restrictions, more people in the community will now be able to participate in congregational prayers and religious activities in our mosques. These developments are no doubt welcomed by many who look forward to activities such as the nightly tarawih prayers during Ramadan.

During the pandemic, religious institutions including Muis, mosque partners, and madrasahs have seized opportunities to better serve the community. For example, Muis started the SalamSG TV YouTube channel to provide the Muslim community with access to religious lectures and classes. The channel now includes more than 20 videos in Bengali catered to our migrant workers, exemplifying the spirit of extending blessings and assistance to all in need.

Mosques also came up with creative ways to produce religious content to serve the spiritual needs of the community in the absence of physical interactions. Outreach efforts to seniors helped them gain skills on how to use their digital devices to pay their zakat, book prayer slots, and tune in to religious classes online. With the strong support from Muis, the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF), and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), such initiatives ensured that no one was left behind as the community forged ahead in its digitalisation journey. I am glad that the SalamSG Movement will continue to promote efforts in the digitalisation of religious services.

In keeping with the theme of the SalamSG Movement to ‘Reinvigorate Salam, Radiate Blessings’, our community has harnessed its energy to support one another, especially those in need. The madrasahs have been actively involved in these initiatives. In collaboration with M3@Jalan Besar, students from Madrasah Aljunied will expand their outreach to residents in Kolam Ayer this year, in addition to Jalan Kukoh where they served last year. They will distribute porridge and Hari Raya meals to residents. It is always encouraging to see young people embrace and practise the value of compassion.

In closing, I would like to express my appreciation to Muis, mosque leaders, madrasah principals, students, and other partner organisations for your continued commitment in service to the community. I encourage you to grow your efforts in this blessed month of Ramadan. Thank you.