Idea Transcript
SPEECH BY DR YAACOB IBRAHIM,MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES AND MINISTER-IN-CHARGE OF MUSLIM AFFAIRS, AT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI MESSAGE TO THE SINGAPORE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, 12 OCTOBER 2007, 8.00 PM
My fellow Muslim Singaporeans, We are grateful that we are able to fulfill our obligations in the blessed month of Ramadan. We celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri in a safe and secure setting with our economy showing strong growth. Our community continues to achieve in terms of education, employment and quality of life, together with fellow Singaporeans. 2 More of our children are continuing their education to post-secondary levels and beyond. With higher educational attainment, the community can attain higher incomes. This will help to improve our community’s socio-economic standing. But our learning must be life-long and we must always ensure that we have skills that are relevant to the economy. 3 The progress that we have enjoyed thus far is due to the strong collaboration and unity within our community, the good work of community organizations and like-minded partners, and the strong commitment of the Government to ensure we progress together as a nation. 4 Our community’s key strengths are our unity and self-help spirit. When faced with a challenge, our community will join hands to overcome it. From our track record, we have strong reason to believe that no challenge is impossible to overcome. Many hands make light work. 5 It is this community spirit that had seen our leaders come together to form the Community Leaders Forum (CLF). The success of CLF depends on our combined strength and efforts. While a majority of our community is doing well, a small but significant group is not. We need to share further our vision of a Community of Excellence with this group and focus our efforts to help unfortunate families out of vicious cycles. Our community organizations have shown a progressive attitude and maximised their strengths and resources to collectively reap positive benefits through CLF. Indeed, our success lies in combining our strengths. 6 The success of a community mirrors the success of its individuals. And the success of the individual is influenced by his upbringing as well as the support from his family. Parents play an important role in bringing up children with the right attitudes and behaviour – self-discipline, and a sense of responsibility to his family, his community and nation. 7 Children must be given their rightful support. They have a right to love from their parents, the right to a nurturing environment, and the right for opportunities to achieve their dreams. Every family - whether wealthy or less well-off, has a role and responsibility to bring up well-balanced, upright and, confident children. We must plan and use the resources that we have wisely. We must not shy from seeking help for our children’s education or getting support to improve our skills so that we can be more economically productive to better support the family. Many social service organizations and government agencies offer assistance programmes that can strengthen our families. There are plenty of opportunities. It is up to us to reach out and make the most of these opportunities. 8 It is my hope, and that of my Malay/Muslim parliamentary colleagues, that the trend of progress that our community has chalked up thus far will continue and that we will improve further in the years to come. And for this, we must imbue in our children the spirit of self-help and unity as a community and as a nation. We must always stand united. 9 If every head of a family is able to guide his family well, we will not be saddled with problems of dysfunctional families and youth promiscuity. We must strengthen every family to avoid social problems in the community. This will be further discussed in the upcoming Community Leaders Forum. 10 On this blessed Hari Raya, my fellow parliamentary colleagues and I urge parents to continue playing our roles effectively. Children are God’s trust to us. Bringing them up well is our obligation. 11 This year, we celebrate Hari Raya amidst a promising future. My parliamentary colleagues and I wish you Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. ________________________________________________________________________
AMANAT DR YAACOB IBRAHIM, MENTERI SEKITARAN DAN SUMBER AIR DAN MENTERI BERTANGGUNGJAWAB BAGI EHWAL MASYARAKAT ISLAM SEMPENA HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI, 1 SYAWAL 1428 HIJRAH BERSAMAAN 13 OKTOBER 2007. Saudara sekalian Kita bersyukur kerana dapat menyempurnakan ibadat puasa sepanjang Ramadan dan bertemu Syawal dalam suasana yang aman dan berkah. Ekonomi negara mencatatkan pertumbuhan yang baik. Masyarakat Melayu/Islam pula terus meraih pencapaian yang menggalakkan dalam bidang pelajaran, pekerjaan dan mutu kehidupan. 2 Lebih ramai anak Melayu/Islam berjaya melanjutkan pelajaran ke peringkat pos-menengah. Berbekalkan taraf pelajaran yang lebih tinggi, masyarakat Melayu/Islam mampu meraih pendapatan yang lebih lumayan. Ini seterusnya meningkatkan taraf sosio-ekonomi kita. 3 Pencapaian yang saya sebut tadi dinikmati berkat kesepaduan dalam masyarakat kita, usaha keras badan-badan Melayu/Islam serta bantuan pemerintah. 4 Alhamdulillah, masyarakat kita masih berpegang kepada semangat gotong-royong yang telah disemai bergenerasi lamanya dan semangat itu terus menjadi sebahagian daripada darah daging kita. Oleh itu, apabila berhadapan dengan sesuatu cabaran, masyarakat kita bangun untuk menggembeling tenaga dalam usaha mengatasinya. Tiada cabaran yang mustahil diatasi jika kita berpegang kepada prinsip, Yang berat sama dipikul, yang ringan sama dijinjing. 5 Semangat kemasyarakatan kita telah menghasilkan Forum Pemimpin Masyarakat (CLF). Kejayaan CLF bergantung kepada sokongan daripada badan-badan, para pemimpin dan masyarakat Melayu/Islam sendiri. Kita perlu berkongsi wawasan dan fokus CLF untuk membawa masyarakat keluar daripada lingkaran masalah dan seterusnya, meningkatkan kedudukan sosial. Badan-badan Melayu/Islam menujukkan sikap progresif dengan memaksimakan sumber kekuatan mereka bagi meraih kebaikan bersama menerusi CLF. Memang benar, Muafakat membawa berkat 6 Kemajuan masyarakat Melayu/Islam bergantung kepada pencapaian para individu yang membentuk masyarakat kita. Dan kemajuan para individu pula dipengaruhi oleh cara beliau dibesarkan dan sokongan kekeluargaan yang diterimanya. Ibubapa berperanan penting untuk membentuk anak-anak yang berwawasan dan bertanggungjawab ke atas diri sendiri, keluarga, masyarakat dan negara. 7 Anak-anak perlu diberi hak masing-masing. Hak-hak itu ialah mendapatkan kasih sayang daripada ibu bapa, dibesarkan dalam sekitaran yang memberangsangkan dan mengejar impian mereka. Peranan setiap keluarga - tidak kira sama ada yang berkemampuan ataupun kurang berkemampuan, ialah memenuhi tanggungjawab membesarkan anak-anak dalam suasana penuh bahagia supaya mereka berjaya dalam kehidupan. Gunakanlah segala sumber yang kita miliki dengan baik. Jika perlu, dapatkan bantuan yang sewajarnya daripada badan-badan bantu diri atau agensi pemerintah. Peluang untuk mengecap kebahagiaan dan kejayaan terus terbuka luas. Terpulang kepada kita untuk memanfaatkannya. 8 Adalah menjadi harapan saya dan para Anggota Parlimen Melayu/Islam agar kemajuan yang kita kecapi selama ini akan terus mekar dalam tahun-tahun mendatang, Insya-Allah. Untuk terus maju, semangat kemasyarakatan harus terus ditanam dalam diri anak-anak kita. Ia mesti menjadi cara hidup kita. Pendekatan bersatu teguh, bercerai roboh, perlu terus diamalkan. 9 Bayangkanlah jika setiap keluarga Melayu/Islam dapat membimbing para anggotanya sebaik mungkin. Kita mungkin dapat mengurangkan masalah keluarga pincang dan remaja yang bergaul bebas. Kita harus memperkasakan setiap keluarga Melayu/Islam demi mengelakkan masalah sosial. Ini akan dibincang di Forum Pemimpin Masyarakat tidak lama lagi. 10 Sempena hari yang mulia ini, saya dan para Anggota Parlimen Melayu/Islam ingin menggalakkan ibubapa agar memainkan peranan mereka secara lebih berkesan lagi. Anak-anak adalah amanah Allah kepada kita. Membesarkan mereka dengan sempurna adalah satu tuntutan agama. 11 Alhamdulillah, tahun ini kita berhari raya dalam suasana ceria. Masa depan kita juga kelihatan cerah. Saya dan para Anggota Parlimen Melayu/Islam ingin mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. Maaf Zahir Batin.