Speech By Mr S Iswaran, Minister For Transport & Minister-In-Charge Of Trade Relations, at Arif Budiman Malay Language Teacher Award

Minister Dr Maliki Osman, Chairman of the Malay Language Learning & Promotion Committee, 

Minister of State Dr Faishal Ibrahim, Chairman of the Malay Language Council, Singapore;

Mr Wan Imran Bin Mohamed Woojdy, President of the Malay Language Teachers Association; 

Everyone joining us through Zoom virtually

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Introduction

1.     Selamat sejahtera dan selamat pagi. I am delighted to join you this morning for the Anugerah Guru Arif Budiman (AGAB) or Arif Budiman Malay Language Teacher Award 2021.

2.     Please allow me to begin with a few words in Malay.

Anugerah Guru Arif Budiman (AGAB)

3.     Saudara-saudari sekalian, saya amat gembira kerana dapat bersama anda pagi ini dalam acara yang cukup bermakna ini.

4.     Tahun ini, AGAB meraikan ulang tahun ke-15 dalam usaha mulianya mengiktiraf guru-guru Bahasa Melayu kita yang memainkan peranan penting dalam menyemarakkan semangat cinta pelajar kita terhadap Bahasa Melayu. Sejauh ini, seramai 64 guru Bahasa Melayu cemerlang dari peringkat sekolah rendah hinggalah maktab rendah telah menerima anugerah ini kerana sumbangan besar mereka kepada pengajaran dan pembelajaran Bahasa Melayu.  Hari ini, kita meraikan kejayaan lima lagi guru Bahasa Melayu. Mereka adalah:
     -   Puan Nor Azlin Abdul Aziz;
     -   Puan Shaheda Salim;
     -   Puan Manisah Osman;
     -   Tuan Mohd Fuad Salim; dan 
     -   Tuan Zulhafiz Zainal

Saya mengucapkan syabas kepada kesemua pemenang dan juga kepada semua guru-guru pelajar Melayu! 

A Call to Action

5.     Our Mother Tongue languages are critical to our identity. They strengthen our community bonds and connect us to our cultural roots, within Singapore and beyond in Asia. 

6.     Our 2020 Census showed that more than 60% of those aged between 5 and 14 years in the Malay community use the English language at home.  This is much higher than a decade ago when it was just 26%.  However, the data also showed that among Malays who spoke English most often at home, more than 90% also spoke Malay at home. In other words, increasingly our families are becoming comfortably bilingual. 

7.     Our youth are the future and the future custodians of our language and heritage.  And, as the Malay proverb goes - Melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya – we must imbue our young with a deep interest in, and passion for, their Mother Tongue.  Our Malay language teachers are indispensable to this mission, with their tireless efforts and unique role in sparking the joy of learning in our students.  

8.     This year’s recipients are respected members of the fraternity of Malay language teachers.  Through their hard work and dedication, they helped to cultivate in their students a love of learning for the Malay language. They embody the essence of both ‘Arif’ and ‘Budiman’, having leveraged their subject mastery and skills to contribute to the development of their students and fellow teachers. 

9.     Two of our award recipients from the Motivation Category adopted engaging, effective ways to connect with their students.  Ms Shaheda Salim from Raffles Girls’ Primary School, collaborates with the Master Teachers from the Malay Language Centre of Singapore to organise cultural programmes, so that her students experience and learn about customs and practices beyond the classroom, a fact that has been empahsied several times already today.  Ms Nor Azlin Abdul Aziz from Blangah Rise Primary School harnesses ICT tools to keep her students engaged during her lessons and help them appreciate the continued relevance of the language in this digital age - An important task, because, with our children spending so much time on the internet, exposed to technology in so many different ways, we must continue to bring Mother Tongue languages into their lives in a manner that is relevant and interesting for them.  

10.    Our Malay language teachers are also role models to their peers.  For example, Mdm Manisah, Senior Teacher at Yio Chu Kang Primary, led and mentored her fellow colleagues in Action Research projects to enhance their art of teaching.  In so doing, she also deepened her own craft as a teacher mentor.

Role of the Community in the Learning of Malay Language

11.    Two of this year’s recipients, Mr Mohd Fuad and Mr Zulhafiz, exemplify the importance of a collective community effort, by working closely with community partners to make the learning of Malay fun and enjoyable.

12.    Mr Fuad partners Tampines West CC and introduced Podcasting@Springfield to build up his students’ confidence in Malay. Mr Zulhafiz works with Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapura (PPIS) and Woodlands Galaxy Malay Activity Executive Committee to give motivational talks to youths to encourage them to continuously strive towards their goals and aspirations.

The importance of Mother Tongue Languages 
 
13.    While English will continue to be our main language of administration, instruction, and commerce, our Mother Tongue languages hold the key to a deeper understanding of ourselves, our heritage, and our identity.  Even as we broaden our horizons and face the winds of globalisation, it is ever more essential that we remain firmly anchored through deep cultural roots.  This is why the contributions of our Mother Tongue language teachers are invaluable. 

14.    Saudara-saudari sekalian, kita haruslah merebut setiap peluang untuk melengkapkan anak-anak kita dengan pengetahuan yang relevan, dan membolehkan mereka membuat keputusan bijak dalam melayari kehidupan. Dengan asas yang kukuh dalam Bahasa Ibunda, mereka akan lebih bersedia menjalin hubungan dengan orang dari setiap pelusuk dunia. 

Conclusion 
 
15.    Saya ingin akirkan ucapan saya dengan sekali lagi ucapan tahniah kepada para penerima AGAB atas sumbangan mereka yang amat luas. Saya ingin juga ucapkan terima kasih kepada semua guru-guru yang telah berusaha damlam tugas ini.  Semoga mereka terus memberi inspirasi dan memupuk rasa cinta dan minat yang mendalam terhadap Bahasa Melayu dalam pelajar-pelajar kita. 

16.    Sempena tahun istimewa yang ke-15, saya faham bahawa Jawatankuasa Penganjur akan melancarkan sebuah lagu sulung AGAB. Berjudul ‘‘Dikau Guru Arif Budiman”, ia mengisahkan hasrat murni seorang pendidik dan menghargai sumbangannya yang tidak ternilai. Lagu itu mengingatkan kita tentang peranan utama yang dimainkan guru sebagai tunggak masyarakat kita dalam membentuk minda anak-anak kita di bangku sekolah. Saya ingin mendengar lagu yang bakal didendangkan Syah Riszuan, juara pertandingan nyanyian anjuran Wisma Geylang Serai, sebentar nanti. 

17.    Let me end my speech with a pantun that was written with the help of some friends and colleagues:

          Sirih adat sirih dijunjung,
          Dihias indah disusun rapi;
          Adat dijunjung, adab disanjung,
          Arif Bahasa Diri Berbudi.

18.    Terima kasih.