New SG50 Panel to lead Malay/Muslim Community Efforts

A newly formed SG50 coordination committee will lead the Malay/Muslim community's efforts to raise funds for the Yusof Ishak Professorship in Social Sciences.

The committee, whose main role is to coordinate how the community can contribute to celebrating Singapore's 50th anniversary next year, aims to hit a target of $6 million, which includes matching government grants of up to 11/2 times the donated sum.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim revealed this yesterday, as he hosted his first Hari Raya lunch for about 200 Malay/Muslim professionals. Speaking of the fund-raising efforts, he told reporters that it will be led by the community "as a gift to the nation".

Earlier, he told guests: "The perception has always been that we are a community that's always receiving. It's about time that we establish this perception that we are a community that can also contribute. I think the time has come to think about how we can respond to national challenges."