Singapore PM Underlines Priorities to Improve Livelihood of Malay-Muslim Community

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah SINGAPORE, July 2 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has underlined two priorities for the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) in its effort to improve the socio-economic performance of the Malay-Muslim community in Singapore. Addressing the 3rd National Convention of Singapore Muslim Professionals here Saturday, Lee noted that the Malay-Muslim community had done well and achieved what it had achieved in a meritocratic system through its own efforts, individually, collectively and also hand-in-hand with the government. He said that going forward, in a new position with a new environment, it was timely for the AMP to have a rethink, to reconsider what the strategies and approaches were. "I would like to suggest two priorities for AMP. First, to continue to focus on improving the socio-economic performance of the community. The key to this is the fundamentals - education, strong families, and financial skills. "(If) you get those right, everything else will follow - in the job market, in terms of social economic attainment such as housing and in terms of leaderships," he said. The second emphasis, he said, was to help all segments of the community, from the most successful to those who were most in need. He said that for those who were doing badly, it was hoped that the AMP would help them to get out of trouble, and for those who were doing average, to help them become above average, and for those who were doing above average, to try and excel. The convention, held every 10 to 12 years, aims to provide a platform for Muslim professionals in Singapore to convene and discuss issues facing the Malay-Muslim community in the next decade. -- BERNAMA