Speech by Minister for Education Mr Desmond Lee at Berita Harian Achiever of the Year

Mr Kuek Yu Chuang, Managing Director of SPH Media,

Mr Wong Wei Kong, Editor-in-Chief of the English/Malay/Tamil Media Group, SPH Media,

Mr Nazry Mokhtar, Editor of Berita Harian,

Mr Alvin Lee, Country CEO of Maybank Singapore Limited, and CEO of Malayan Banking Berhad Singapore

Distinguished guests, friends, and families of our awardees,

1.Selamat Petang dan Salam Sejahtera.

2.Malam ini, saya amat berbesar hati untuk bersama-sama anda sempena Anugerah Jauhari. Encik Nazry Mokhtar telah pun berkongsi tentang perjalanan Berita Harian, sebuah perjalanan yang luar biasa, yang sememangnya patut kita bang-gakan.

3.Selama hampir tujuh dekad, Berita Harian bukan sahaja merakam bahkan memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat Melayu/Islam kita, sambil mencerminkan pencapaian, cabaran, dan aspirasi mereka. Menjelang ulang tahun BH yang ke-70 pada tahun hadapan, saya amat menantikan bagaimana wadah ini akan terus berbakti kepada masyarakat bagi dekad-dekad yang mendatang.

4.Sepanjang 28 tahun ini, Anugerah Jauhari sentiasa mengiktiraf anak-anak watan Melayu/Islam Singapura yang telah mencapai puncak kecermerlangan dalam bidang masing-masing. Malam ini, kita baru sahaja menyaksikan detik yang bermakna itu.

5.Namun, apa yang paling menyentuh hati saya tentang para penerima anugerah malam ini bukan sekadar kejayaan tinggi yang telah mereka capai.

6.Sebaliknya, ia adalah kerana mereka memilih untuk menyumbang kembali kepada masyarakat.

7.Inilah keindahan semangat bergotong royong, iaitu "berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing", dan saling mengangkat satu sama lain. Para penerima anugerah malam ini ialah cerminan sebenar pada semangat tersebut.

8.Allow me to continue in English.

9.Each of our awardees today stands on the shoulders of those that came before them: parents who sacrificed, teachers who believed in them, friends who supported them, and shared in their joy and pain. They then uphold this spirit, by paying it forward to those who come after.

10.Ms Farhanna Farid cannot be with us tonight as she is currently training overseas, but her story speaks for itself. She not only breaks world records – she coaches her teammates at the same competitions she competes in.

11.Mr Nabill Shukry Johary is using his success to uplift others — establishing a student bursary and running free workshops to share what he has learned. Nabill, I am excited to see how many more lives you will touch along the way.

12.Tonight also marks a meaningful new chapter for the Anugerah Jauhari — the inaugural BH-Maybank Perkasa Award. The Perkasa award honours those who have shown extraordinary drive by overcoming socio-economic barriers.

13.Ms Siti Nurhumaira Bte Azman has endured loss this year that most of us cannot imagine.¹ And yet, in her grief, she has chosen to share her journey openly, and in so doing inspired many others. Nurhumaira, we are honoured to celebrate you tonight.

14.Ms Elizabeth Neo turned a decade of hardship into a life dedicated to the service. After rebuilding her life, she reached back to mentor and guide others. Elizabeth, thank you for showing us what it means to lift others up.

15.Our four award winners show what community spiritedness looks like in action. They are role models not only for the Malay / Muslim community, but for all of us in Singapore. When those of us fortunate enough to have done well or overcome challenges, choose to support others and pay it forward, we create a virtuous cycle that strengthens our communities and our nation.

16.Such contributions are deeply important to Singapore’s continued success, because we are facing significant challenges today. Such as a very complex and difficult geopolitical environment, rapid technological change bringing great uncertainty and opportunity at the same time, an ageing society, and increasing difficulties in sustaining social mobility as our society and economy mature.

17.The Government will continue to work hard to address these challenges. For example:

1. Supporting Singaporean workers to upskill through the SkillsFuture movement, to stay relevant as technology evolves;
2. Helping seniors to age well in their homes and communities through the Age Well SG national programme, to age actively, stay socially connected and be cared for within their communities;
3. And to provide educational opportunities for every Singaporean regardless of starting point in life, including by keeping pre-school affordable for all families, and expanding educational pathways so that late-bloomers and those who prefer more applied learning and technical work can still achieve success.

18.But we need Singaporeans to pitch in too, especially those of us who have done well in life or overcome challenges, and have the skills, networks, time or resources to pay it forward. No contribution is too small, and no one is too young, and each of us can contribute in our own way.

19.For example:

1. You can lead initiatives in your communities that plug into our national ComLink+ efforts to uplift lower-income families facing complex challenges, or volunteer as a Silver Generation Ambassador to befriend and help our seniors;
2. You can contribute resources, for example through the Gift-a-Family initiative where Singaporeans who have done well can support ComLink+ families;
3. You can contribute your time as a mentor for students from less well-off backgrounds, support them in career guidance as they transition from school to work, and use your contacts to help them gain access to professional networks;
4. You can serve on our School Advisory Committees or Parent Support Groups to help other parents and children in our schools;
5. And many more opportunities for you to play a part in other way.

20.That is the community spirit that I hope we will all continue to embrace. By doing so, we will:

1. Help those in need of more support;
2. Make our communities and society more resilient amidst change; and
3. Lay the foundations for Singapore’s unity and prosperity for the next generation.

21.Let me close with a few words in Malay.

22.Kepada warga muda Melayu/Islam Singapura yang berada di persimpangan perjalanan, saya berharap para penerima anugerah malam ini dapat menjadi inspirasi. Dan apabila tiba giliran anda nanti, tampillah ke hadapan untuk menabur bakti, sepertimana generasi sebelum ini pernah berbakti untuk anda.

23.Kepada semua yang hadir di sini, semangat gotong royong ini bermula daripada diri kita sendiri. Teruskan usaha ini melalui tindakan anda.

24.Kepada para penerima anugerah malam ini, semoga kejayaan anda menjadi pembuka jalanbuat lebih ramai lagi untuk terus maju, sambil membimbing dan membantu antara satu sama lain.

25.Saya ingin mengakhiri dengan sebuah pantun:

Kain cindai tenunan berseri²
Disimpan rapi di dalam peti
Megah terserlah kilauan Jauhari
Menjadi teladan tulus di hati.

26.Terima kasih.

Footnotes

1. In April 2026, Nurhumaira lost her eight-month-old son, Zafir, to Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
2. The poem is a metaphor for inner beauty and moral integrity. It suggests that just as these physical objects are carefully preserved and highly valued for their radiant quality, a person’s honesty and sincere heart are the ultimate treasures that shine brightly for all to see, naturally serving as a noble example that inspires others to live with the same virtue.