Speech by Mr Zaqy Mohamad at the launch of the M³+ Directory on 30 August 2026

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Para pemimpin masyarakat,

Rakan-rakan M³+,

Saudara-saudari sekalian.

1. Sejak memikul amanah ini, saya telah bertemu dan berbual bersama pelbagai lapisan masyarakat kita. Saya mendengar pandangan anda, kebimbangan anda, aspirasi dan harapan anda, seperti dilakukan oleh Profesor Madya Faishal Ibrahim sebelum ini.

2. Ada yang menitipkan doa.

   1. Ada yang memberi kata-kata semangat.

   2. Ada juga yang kongsi pandangan secara terbuka.

   3. Dan mestilah, kalau di gerai atau kedai kopi, pasti ada yang ajak makan.

3. Terima kasih atas sambutan mesra anda. Saya amat menghargainya. Namun, yang paling menyentuh hati ialah kesediaan anda untuk kongsi pandangan dengan jujur dan terbuka.

4. Ada ibu bapa yang cerita tentang anak-anak mereka. Harapan yang mereka taruhkan dan kebimbangan yang mereka rasa. Ada juga anak-anak muda yang kongsi cita-cita mereka. Mereka mahu berjaya. Mahu mencuba perkara baharu. Meneroka dunia yang luas terbentang di hadapan mereka.

5. Saya juga bertemu ramai yang telah lama berbakti kepada masyarakat. Tidak semua dikenali ramai. Tidak semua mendapat perhatian. Namun mereka tetap memberi masa, menghulurkan tenaga dan berusaha – sedikit demi sedikit – untuk kemajuan masyarakat kita.

6. Ada juga yang terus-terang tentang apa yang boleh diperbaiki. Saya hargai semua pandangan ini. Semakin banyak saya mendengar, semakin yakin saya akan kekuatan yang ada dalam masyarakat kita.

7. Minggu lalu, dalam ucapan Rapat Umum Hari Kebangsaan PM Wong berkongsi keyakinannya terhadap pemimpin Melayu/Islam kita. Saya turut menghargai segala usaha dan sumbangan mereka. Saya percaya kekuatan masyarakat kita bukan hanya terletak pada pemimpin kita, tetapi pada setiap individu yang bersedia menyumbang dan memainkan peranan. Inilah semangat M³+ yang ingin kita terus kukuhkan!

8. Kekuatan itu ada di sekeliling kita.

   1. Ada pada keluarga kita.

   2. Ada pada anak muda kita.

   3. Ada pada asatizah, karyawan dan sukarelawan kita.

9. Tugas kita sekarang ialah menyatukan kekuatan yang ada, dan melangkah ke hadapan bersama. Dunia akan terus berubah, sama ada kita bersedia atau tidak. Tetapi, bagi masyarakat kita, perubahan bukanlah perkara baharu.

10. Sejak zaman dahulu, Singapura sudah mempunyai hubungan erat dengan Rantau ini dan dunia luar.

    1. Orang datang dan pergi.

    2. Ilmu dan idea bertemu.

    3. Bahasa dan budaya bersilang.

    4. Peluang baharu terbuka.

11. Di tengah-tengah segala perubahan itu, generasi demi generasi membina kehidupan di Singapura.

    1. Kita berubah mengikut zaman.

    2. Kita belajar daripada dunia.

    3. Kita melangkah maju

12. Namun kita tidak lupa siapa diri kita. Hari ini, giliran generasi kita pula. Dunia yang bakal diwarisi anak-anak kita mungkin jauh berbeza daripada dunia yang kita kenali. Cara mereka belajar akan berubah – begitu juga pekerjaan yang bakal mereka ceburi. Teknologi akan membuka ruang dan peluang yang mungkin belum dapat kita bayangkan hari ini. Perjalanan mereka mungkin membawa mereka lebih jauh daripada generasi kita.

13. Saya harap masyarakat kita terus melangkah ke hadapan. Kita mahu anak-anak kita berani memasang cita-cita. Berani merebut setiap peluang di luar sana. Tetapi sebagai ibu bapa, sebagai pemimpin, sebagai sebuah masyarakat, ada satu harapan yang kita semua kongsi. Sejauh mana pun mereka melangkah, biarlah mereka tahu siapa diri mereka. Itulah sebabnya; apabila kita memandang ke hadapan, kita perlu jelas tentang pegangan kita. Bagi saya, ada empat.

14. Iman.

    1. Iman menjadi asas kehidupan kita sebagai masyarakat Islam. Ia membentuk pegangan kita, cara kita menjalani hidup, dan hubungan sesama manusia.

15. Ilmu.

    1. Ilmu membuka minda dan membuka jalan. Sejak dahulu, ilmu menjadi bekal untuk kita membaiki kehidupan, merebut peluang, dan membimbing generasi seterusnya.

16. Ihsan.

    1. Ihsan mengingatkan kita bahawa kemajuan bukan untuk diri sendiri sahaja. Kita juga tanggungjawab untuk berbuat baik, saling membantu, dan memberi manfaat kepada orang lain.

17. Identiti.

    1. Identiti memberi kita keyakinan tentang siapa diri kita. Bahasa kita. Budaya kita. Warisan kita. Jati diri yang kita tetap bawa, walau sejauh mana kita melangkah. Sebab itu, sambil melangkah ke hadapan, kita harus terus memelihara warisan kita, melalui usaha-usaha seperti pembaharuan Taman Warisan Melayu dan usaha budaya di Kampong Glam.

18. Iman. Ilmu. Ihsan. Identiti. Empat pegangan kita. Bukan satu mendahului yang lain. Bukan satu menggantikan yang lain. Keempat-empatnya saling melengkapi. Dan keempat-empatnya perlu kita jiwai bersama. Kerana kemajuan tidak bermakna kita lupakan jati diri. Dan akar yang kukuh tidak pernah menghalang pokoknya daripada menjulang tinggi.

19. Sebaliknya, apabila kita jelas akan pendirian kita, kita lebih yakin menghadapi dunia. Lebih berani mencuba. Lebih terbuka untuk belajar. Lebih bersedia untuk menyumbang. Inilah keyakinan yang ingin kita semai dalam generasi seterusnya. Berani melangkah. Yakin menghadapi dunia. Ingat pada asal usul mereka.

20. Allow me to continue in English.

21. Iman. Ilmu. Ihsan. Identiti. Our four anchors. And these anchors are not abstract ideas. We can already see them in the story and progress of our community.

22. Iman is reflected in how we practise and live our faith, and how we continue to build a vibrant community religious life in our Muslim community. Over the years, we have built strong religious institutions. We continue to renew our mosques and build new ones as the needs of our community evolve. And we look forward to the Singapore College of Islamic Studies, SCIS. It will be another important milestone in the progress of our Muslim community. A Singapore institution developing future generations of religious leaders who understand our faith, our society and the world we live in. For me, this is what binds us as fellow Muslims. We remain deeply rooted in our faith, while building institutions that prepare us for tomorrow.

23. Ilmu is a reflection of how far our community has come through education. Today, many more amongst us have achieved greater progress in educational attainment than our parents’ or grandparents’ generation. Our youths are also entering different professions and contributing across many fields. We should be proud of this progress. But Ilmu also reminds us not to be satisfied with how far we have come. Technology is changing the nature of work. AI is changing how we learn, create and solve problems. That is why we launched Langkah Digital, to equip every individual with essential digital and AI skills. Today, M³+@Bedok and PPIS are building on these efforts through the “AI For You & Your Family” workshop. It is an example of how we are bringing Ilmu to life by helping our community in embracing new technologies with confidence. So the next chapter of Ilmu must be about preparing our young people to seize these new opportunities, while helping our workers adapt, learn, acquire new skills and stay relevant throughout their careers.

24. Ihsan asks something different of us. As we ride the waves of progress, how can we ensure that the rising tide lifts all boats? Do we reach out and bring someone else along? Do those who have experience share it? Do those who have networks open doors for others? Do those who have done well create opportunities for the next generation? We already see this spirit across our community. In our Muslim organisations. In our M³+ partners. In our professional networks, where people are giving their time, expertise and connections to help others progress. And in countless individuals who serve quietly, without expecting recognition. Ihsan reminds us that the progress of a community cannot simply be measured by how high some of us rise. It must also be measured by how many others we help rise with us.

25. And Identiti is about having the confidence to know who we are, even as Singapore changes rapidly around us. Our Malay language. Our arts. Our culture and heritage. These should not be things we remember from the past. They must continue to live, grow and find their place in the Singapore of tomorrow. That is why we invested resources to revamp our Malay Heritage Centre and embarked on cultural placemaking efforts at Kampung Glam. Our young people should be able to create something new from what they inherit. To speak our language with confidence. To appreciate our heritage without feeling confined by it. To be proudly Malay and Muslim, confidently Singaporean, and comfortable engaging the wider world. Because being confident in our identity does not mean closing ourselves off from the world. Quite the opposite.

26. When we feel secure in who we are, we have the confidence to engage the world. And being open to the world is not new to us. It has always been part of our Singapore story. For generations, Singapore has been connected to our region and to the world beyond. Like every other community, our community flourished with those connections. We encountered new people, ideas and opportunities. We learnt. We adapted. We progressed. And through all that change, each generation found its own way to carry forward what mattered. Our generation must do the same.

27. So when I speak about Iman, Ilmu, Ihsan and Identiti, I do not see four separate areas of work. They go together. They describe the progress we have made and the community we want to continue building here in Singapore. A community that is grounded, capable, compassionate and confident. A community that does well. But also does good.

28. A community that is confident about where we come from, and ambitious about where we can go. And one whose young people can say – I know who I am, I know what I stand for, I am ready for what comes next and I am willing to give back. But a vision only matters if we are prepared to turn it into action. And this brings me to how I believe we should work together in the next phase.

29. Over the past few weeks, and through our M³+ Networking Sessions, I have seen just how much capacity there is across our community. Good ideas. Deep experience. Organisations doing important work. There are professionals and volunteers who want to contribute. And there are young people who want a greater role in shaping the future they will inherit.

30. Our opportunity is to connect these strengths better. Government does not have all the answers. Neither does any single organisation. Leadership does not mean that we develop all the solutions first, and then ask the community what it thinks. We can work differently. When we last met at the M³+ Networking Sessions, I spoke about moving from listening to co-creating solutions together. I want us to build on that.

31. Many of you will remember CiptaSama@M³ when the community came together during Covid. At its heart was a simple idea: our community should have a role in shaping the solutions that affect them. As we enter this next phase, I want to strengthen this way of working through CiptaSama@M³+ - Listening, Partnership, Co-creation. Not as something we do occasionally. But increasingly as part of how Government, our community organisations and our people work together. Because if the future belongs to all of us, then all of us should have a hand in shaping it. And today, I want to share how we are taking another important step.

32. We are taking M³+ to a new level of community collaboration. M³+ brings together Government agencies, our M³ partners, Muslim organisations and other community partners. But this is not about having more organisations around the table. It is about tapping our collective strengths to meet the needs and aspirations of our people. That distinction matters. Our people do not live their lives according to the boundaries between our organisations. A parent looking for opportunities for her child should not be left trying to figure out which organisation runs which programme. A young person looking for an opportunity should not be left to wonder which door to knock on. Someone navigating a career transition should not have to go from organisation to organisation trying to work out what support is available. Our institutions should make that journey easier. And today, we are taking a practical first step.

33. I am pleased to announce the launch of the M³+ Directory, led by AMP Singapore and PPIS. The Directory brings together programmes, services and opportunities available across M³+, making them easier for our residents to discover. Together with our Community WhatsApp channel, we can bring useful information closer to our people. The Directory is not simply a listing of programmes. It also helps our partners see what others are doing. Where our strengths complement one another. Where there may be gaps. And where we can work together.

34. Our challenge is not simply to create more programmes. It is to become better at bringing the right strengths together, at the right time, around the individual and the family. PPIS and AMP Singapore, together with our M³+ Focus Areas and many of you here, are already exploring how we can put this into practice. How we can go upstream to build the right foundation for a child’s learning journey? How can we bring support closer to families? How we can better connect our youths to available opportunities as they progress through education and work? How can we support workers as they build their careers, acquire new skills and navigate transitions?

35. No single organisation can do all of this. But together, we can make the journey easier for our people. This is what deeper collaboration can look like. And this is the larger promise of M³+.

36. The Directory is our first visible step. There will be more initiatives to announce in the coming months. More partners stepping forward. More ideas being shaped together. More opportunities for our community to participate and contribute. And, I hope, more examples of what becomes possible when we stop asking only: "What can my organisation do?" And start asking: "What can we do together?"

37. Every generation has had to face change. The world our children inherit will be different from ours. Their opportunities may take them further than we can imagine. We should want that for them. We want them to go further.

    1. To seize opportunities we did not have.

    2. To create things we have not imagined.

    • To make their mark in Singapore and in the world.

38. And as they do so, I hope they will always carry with them our four pegangan, our four anchors :

    1. Iman

    2. Ilmu

    3. Ihsan

    4. Identiti

39. And they should know that they do not make that journey alone.

    1. Their families are with them.

    2. Their community is with them.

    3. And here in Singapore, we move forward together.

40. Before I end, I would like to thank everyone present here today.

    1. Supported by M³ ECO and M³+@Bedok, all our M³+@Towns’ chairpersons, AMP Singapore, PPIS, Muslim Organisations and all our community partners, thank you for your commitment!

    2. Let us continue this spirit of listening closely, working together and co-creating solutions for our community, together.

    3. I conclude with where I began in my speech.

41. Our history reminds us that our community has never been separate from the world. From the earliest days, we have been connected to this region and to the wider world beyond. Each generation before us encountered change.

    1. They embraced new knowledge and ideas.

    2. They explored new opportunities.

    3. They adapted to the times.

    4. And they moved forward.

    5. But they never lost sight of who they were.

42. Today, it is our turn. And one day, it will be our children’s turn. The world they step into may be very different. Their journeys may take them further than we can imagine.

    1. Let them go far.

    2. Let them pursue their ambitions as high as they can.

    3. Let them explore the world with confidence.

43. Because we have given them their anchors – Iman. Ilmu. Ihsan. Identiti. And we have built a community that moves forward with them. This is our responsibility. Not to decide how far our children can go. But to give them the confidence to go further. And when they do, they will know where they come from, who they are, and the community that stands with them.

44. Berakar pada Jati Diri. Melakar Masa Depan Bersama.

45. Terima kasih.