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Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
Speeches

Speech by Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Assoc Prof Muhammad at the Leap Initiative Completion Ceremony

11 April 2026

Minister celebrates 126 families completing the Leap Initiative, highlighting trust-based support that empowers families to make their own decisions and build community resilience.

Dr Albakri, Deputy Chief Executive of MUIS,

Mdm Muzaiyanah Hamzah, Executive Director of PELITA

Ladies and gentlemen,

  1. Assalamualaikum wr. wb. Good evening, everyone. Before I begin, allow me to wish all of you Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

  2. I am very happy to be here tonight and especially happy to celebrate with the 126 families from batch 3 of the Leap initiative.

Introduction

  1. Tonight is really all about you.  

  2. It is about your journey, your effort, your quiet sacrifices, and your hopes for your families.

  3. Over the past two years, each of you has taken important steps forward. Some steps may have felt small at the time. But when we look back, we can see how meaningful they really are.

  4. And like any other human beings, when wea re going through the challenges. The feelings will be really tough. Then there will be questions like “Why me? Why is it so complicated?”

  5. But if you get the right support, you have the right attitude and you also make sure there are people with you – your spouses, children and other family members are also in this journey together, when you look back, it will be sweet moments.

  6. So, to all our Leap families, tahniah and syabas! We are proud of you. Please give yourselves a big round of applause!

  7. What makes Leap Initiative truly special, to me, is not just the support it provides, it is the belief behind it.

  8. The belief that as much as we provide the necessary support for families, we should also trust families to know their own needs.

  9. You know your needs better, right? Because you have the glimpse, you are living your lives as individuals, as families, and you know your needs.

  10. Trusted to make decisions for themselves. And trusted that they also want to do their best to shape a better future for their families and their children.

  11. This trust is very important.

  12. It reflects the values which I hold close such as Amanah, Kesyukuran and Keihklasan.

  13. Because when we trust families, and when we support them with dignity, we do more than solve immediate problems. We help them build confidence. We help them build resilience. And we help them move forward on their own terms.

  14. That is also very much the kind of community we want to build. A community where every person can continue to grow and do well at every stage of life, and where every family feels that they have a place, support, and hope for the future.

  15. Every family should have that feeling that they are being supported that it is something that very special about the programme.

  16. And this is why the Leap Initiative matters.

Leap initiative

  1. Yes, there is grant support. That is important. But more than that, Leap gives families room to take ownership of their journey. It says to them: we believe in you, we are with you, and we want to help you take the next step.

  2. That kind of support does not happen by chance. It takes partnership, commitment and people who are prepared to walk this journey with families.

  3. This is made possible through the strong support of partners, including Pelita, which plays an important role in strengthening social development efforts across our mosques. Through its work, Pelita build capabilities, support caseworks and ensure that programmes like Leap are delivered in a structured and meaningful way to families.

  4. More importantly, Leap is funded by Zakat monies contributed by the community via MUIS and our mosques, reflecting our collective commitment to supporting those in need.

  5. This work may not always be seen. But it matters deeply. Because behind every family that progresses, there is usually a wider circle of people and institutions who cared enough to support them well.

  6. And this evening, we can see that clearly in the stories of the families here.

  7. Take Mdm Nuraini Ramli as an example.

  8. Mdm Nuraini used part of the grant to support her daughter’s PSLE preparation, while also investing on her own upskilling. She enrolled in Temasek Polytechnic’s Skills Future Career Transition Programme – Patient Service Associate, paid the remaining course fees with the grant, and graduated successfully. She is now employed full-time as a dental assistant, while Suhaira has enrolled in her chosen secondary school. This is progress. Real progress. Not just for one individual, but the whole family.

  9. Then there is Mdm Rizabella and her husband, Md Razie.

  10. They took a security course together. After completing it, both secured employment as security guards. At the same time, they used the support to meet their children’s needs, including their Silat fees, student care, and CCA lessons.

  11. These are not just stories of families using grants well. They are stories of determination. Of dignity. Of parents doing whatever they can to create a better future for their children.

  12. And I think that is something all of us can appreciate.

Community and partnerships

  1. Leap is not just about individual families. It is also about how we as a community, come together around families.

  2. Caseworkers work closely with Malay/Muslim Organisations and social service agencies to provide holistic support for families. Through partnerships with organisations like Mendaki and Ilham, families are better connected to education, employment and development opportunities.

  3. For families who need more specialised support, they are also referred to the appropriate agencies, so they can access the full network of assistance available.

  4. This is important because families should not feel that they are navigating challenges alone.

  5. They should feel that there is a community around them. A community that sees them, believes in them, and is prepared to journey with them. 

  6. With the formation of M3+, we are improving social service and programme delivery so more families can be reached out and impacted positively.

Engagements

  1. I am also heartened that some Leap families are now giving back.

  2. About 5 Leap families are actively volunteering in a fellowship programme with Beyond Social Services, whilst the others are also actively participating in personal efforts of giving back through ground up initiatives like cooking for fellow neighbours who are in need.

  3. This is a meaningful part of the story and how a stronger community is built.

  4. I am very touched, I have been working with many members of our community, I see that we have big hearts, where we want to contribute.

Mentors

  1. I also want to acknowledge our Leap mentors and volunteers.

  2. We have around 60 mentors who have journeyed with the families, encouraging them, supporting them and standing by them.

  3. And I want to make special mention of Mdm Anisah Sudarman and her daughters, who have supported engagements, shared ideas and organised carnival game booths for Leap families.  

  4. To see parents and children volunteer together is very heartening. It sends a strong message about the kind of caring values we want to nurture across generations.

  5. So tonight, we are celebrating more than the completion of a programme.

  6. We are celebrating perseverance. We are celebrating family effort. We are celebrating the courage to keep going, even when life is not easy.

  7. And we are celebrating something else too: a community that chooses to support families with trust, with care, and with hope.

  8. To all the Leap Batch 3 families, thank you for letting us be a part of your journey.

  9. Your stories remind us that families are not defined only by the challenges they face. They are also defined by their strengths, by their love for one another, and by their determination to keep moving forward.

In Malay

  1. Izinkan saya akhiri dalam Bahasa Melayu.

  2. Saya amat terharu melihat usaha dan ketabahan para keluarga Leap. Di sebalik setiap pencapaian adalah pengorbanan seorang ibu, kesungguhan seorang ayah dan harapan besar untuk masa depan anak-anak.

  3. Kisah-kisah yang saya kongsikan tadi memberi makna sebenar kepada Leap. Ia menunjukkan bahawa apabila keluarga diberi kepercayaan dan sokongan, mereka mampu melakar perubahan yang besar dalam kehidupan mereka sendiri. Mampu bangkit dan maju.

  4. Saya juga gembira keluarga-keluarga Leap bukan sahaja memperkukuh kehidupan sendiri, malah kembali menyumbang kepada masyarakat. Semangat saling membantu, bersatu hati dan maju bersama, inilah yang saya harap akan terus menjadi pegangan kita dalam membina masyarakat yang lebih penyayang dan berkeyakinan menghadapi masa depan.

  5. Kepada semua keluarga Leap, tahniah sekali lagi. Teruskan melangkah dengan yakin, menyokong satu sama lain dan menjadi inspirasi kepada keluarga-keluarga lain. Terima kasih.

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