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  • From left to right: 4PM President Izzuddin Taherally, Haneesa Habib, Aamir Bana, DPM Heng Swee Keat, Noureen Mervani, Akbar Humayun Makani, and Dr Mustafa Izzuddin
    Aamir Bana | 02 December 2019 | Southeast Asia

    Singapore Ismaili youth participate in the 4PM Ministerial Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat

    From left to right: 4PM President Izzuddin Taherally, Haneesa Habib, Aamir Bana, DPM Heng Swee Keat, Noureen Mervani, Akbar Humayun Makani, and Dr Mustafa Izzuddin Photo: Submitted
  • Haneesa Habib sharing with DPM Heng about past initiatives wherein the Ismaili Muslim Community had partnered with 4PM
    Aamir Bana | 02 December 2019 | Southeast Asia

    Singapore Ismaili youth participate in the 4PM Ministerial Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat

    Haneesa Habib sharing with DPM Heng about past initiatives wherein the Ismaili Muslim Community had partnered with 4PM Photo: Submitted

Youth from the Singapore Ismaili Muslim community participated in 4PM’s (Persatuan Persuratan Pemuda Pemudi Melayu or the Malay Youth Literary Association) inaugural annual ministerial dialogue on 2 November 2019. This year’s Guest of Honour was Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Heng Swee Keat. During the hour-long closed-door dialogue session attended by some 300 Muslim youths, DPM Heng spoke on numerous topics ranging from Singapore’s upcoming challenges to larger trends afoot in the world. He also responded to a wide range of questions and comments from the audience, including from Singapore Ismaili youths.

The dialogue was moderated by Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, 4PM’s Vice-President. Dr Mustafa is also a Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies and the University Scholars Programme (USP) at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

DPM Heng generously spent time engaging with the audience on a one-to-one basis following the dialogue as they adjourned for lunch. Despite his busy schedule, he found time to speak to young members of the Ismaili Muslim Community.

The Ismaili Muslim Community of Singapore is grateful to 4PM for its longstanding commitment, partnership and friendship. In 2013, they partnered with 4PM to pack food hampers and distribute it to needy residents during Ramadan. Last year, members of the community volunteered at 4PM’s inaugural Cookies For Our Community Event. Over 60 volunteers gathered to bake 187 bottles of cookies that were distributed to beneficiaries. Following the Ministerial Dialogue, Dr Mustafa invited Ismaili Muslim representatives to participate in the South Asian Diaspora Convention 2019, which was organised by the Institute of South Asian Studies and held at the National University of Singapore.

Through volunteerism, active links, friendships and collaborative partnerships with the larger Muslim community in Singapore, most notably with 4PM, we can forge better ties of kinship and understanding to build a more inclusive Ummah and strengthen the multicultural fabric of Singapore.