Therefore, I was struck that throughout my stint in the Government, many foreign leaders, including those I met in my first year as Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, not only knew of our community, but held us in high regard.

Muslims are one of many communities in Singapore – and a minority one at that.

But these achievements did not come easy, especially for a country of many and different communities. Just last month, it was announced that for the second time in a row, the World Children’s Report named Singapore the best country for the level of healthcare, nutrition, education and safety we can provide for children. Therefore, every policy we put in place seeks to ensure that Singapore punches above its weight, because we believe, as Mr Lee Kuan Yew put it, “we can make up by quality for what we lack in quantity, just as we make up in geographic and strategic location what we lack in size.” 1 Today, we are globally renowned for our high levels of development, education, cleanliness.

In those roles, I was constantly reminded that Singapore is a small country. Before that I had a stint in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One of my other responsibilities is to oversee environmental matters and water resources.This is a room full of people who exemplify the virtue of service, who inspire us by their impact on others, and who have made Singapore a better home for all Singaporeans. And I see friends from other communities, with whom we have enjoyed years of partnership. I see individuals whose achievements have made our community and country proud. I see many who have given time and effort to help our community. From this podium, I can see many familiar faces. It is my pleasure to welcome you tonight to our annual festive dinner. Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Grace Fu,

Toleransi dan etos kerja