Latest news with #ZaqyMohamad
Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
$260k raised for vulnerable children, youth and families at charity golf event
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment Zaqy Mohamad during the tee-off at the BH-AMP Charity Golf and Dinner 2025 at Orchid Country Club on July 22. SINGAPORE - Over $260,000 has been raised to support vulnerable children, youth and families through a charity golf event and dinner on July 22 . The proceeds will support programmes by AMP Singapore , a non-profit organisation that serves the Muslim community, and the Singapore Children's Society . A portion of the funds will also be directed to book prizes for students pursuing communication, media or Malay studies in higher education. The charity event, organised by Malay-language daily Berita Harian and AMP Singapore, brought 96 golfers together at Orchid Country Club , where Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment Zaqy Mohamad launched the tee-off. Matching grants are expected to take total contributions from corporate and individual sponsors to $400,000 , surpassing the initial target of $300,000 , said SPH Media , which publishes BH, and AMP Singapore in a joint statement. With donations of $60,000 each , supermarket chain Sheng Siong Group and the Salleh Marican Foundation were the biggest donors at the event. Local bakery chain Bengawan Solo donated $20,000 , while construction firm AGSH Builders , travel agency Karva Travel Group and Maybank Singapore contributed $10,000 each. BH editor Nazry Mokhtar said the event reflects the newspaper's commitment to giving back to the community and standing by fellow Singaporeans during challenging times. He added that when the event was being planned, he was unsure if it would meet its fund-raising target, especially given the current tough economic climate. 'I am glad to say I was proven wrong. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and golfers, we have not only met - but surpassed - our goal,' said Mr Nazry. This is the first time BH has organised a charity golf event. It was held in conjunction with Singapore's 60th anniversary celebrations. AMP Singapore executive director Mohksin Rashid said his organisation's partnership with BH, along with the support of the event's donors, sponsors and golfers, is a reminder that collaboration across different segments of society can create lasting and positive change. Holding the event a day after Racial Harmony Day is deeply symbolic, said Singapore's former president Halimah Yacob , who was the guest of honour at the July 22 dinner . Madam Halimah added: 'This observance is a reminder of the strength we draw from our diversity. And tonight, we take it one step further - by turning harmony into action, and goodwill into tangible support for those who need it most.' Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment Zaqy Mohamad (middle, in purple), with Berita Harian editor Nazry Mokhtar (left of Mr Zaqy) and AMP Singapore executive director Mohksin Rashid (right of Mr Zaqy) alongside golfers who took part in the BH-AMP Charity Golf and Dinner 2025 at Orchid Country Club on July 22. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN Mr Zaqy said he was heartened to see how the community has come together to support those who are most vulnerable. 'By uplifting vulnerable families, supporting our children, and empowering youth through education, we are not only meeting today's needs - we are also shaping a brighter future for Singapore,' he said.
Straits Times
29-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Safra Bayshore targeted to open in 2030 next to TEL's Bedok South station: Zaqy
Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said the new clubhouse will replace the existing Tampines clubhouse. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO Safra Bayshore targeted to open in 2030 next to TEL's Bedok South station: Zaqy SINGAPORE - Come 2030, national servicemen (NSmen), regulars from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and full-time national servicemen (NSFs) can look forward to participating in activities at the largest Safra clubhouse in Bayshore. The new Safra Bayshore clubhouse, which is targeted for completion in 2030, will replace the existing Tampines clubhouse, said Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad on June 29. Safra Bayshore will be located next to the Thomson-East Coast Line's (TEL) Bedok South MRT station, which is slated to open in 2026. The new clubhouse will also be Safra's largest, with a gross floor area of at least 30,000 sq m – the equivalent of about four football fields. ' That is double the size of the current Safra Tampines... It will offer a wider range of modern and affordable facilities ,' said Mr Zaqy at Safra Toa Payoh, where he launched initiatives to appreciate NSmen as Singapore celebrates its 60th year of independence. The Tampines clubhouse, built in 1988, is Safra's oldest. Safra Bayshore , to be built behind Temasek Secondary School, will be the eighth clubhouse providing activities for servicemen and their families. Plans to build the clubhouse were first announced in March. Mr Zaqy, who is also Safra president, said the social and recreational organisation has been engaging NSmen living in the east to determine the mix of facilities and activities at Safra Bayshore, and a committee has been formed to develop the club. 'Special attention will also be given to the club design in achieving high sustainability standards, as well as providing sheltered communal spaces for national servicemen and their families to gather for various arts, sports, music events and fairs,' he added. Mr Zaqy said the new clubhouse's location will allow those living in the east of Singapore to access its facilities more conveniently through public transport. Bedok South MRT station had initially been targeted to open by 2025, but construction challenges, including tunnelling near existing critical infrastructure, had delayed works. The station will be part of an integrated transport hub, which will also house a bus interchange. Some 10,000 homes, including about 7,000 Housing Board flats, will be built in Bayshore as an extension of Bedok town in the coming years. Appreciating servicemen Mr Zaqy also announced the launch of a host of new initiatives aimed at appreciating NSmen in the lead-up to SAF Day on July 1 and National Day on Aug 9. These include a variety of deals and discounts for NSmen and Safra members come July 1, including discounts on booking fees for some Safra club facilities and membership fees for selected interest groups. More than 4,000 burgers will also be given away islandwide by fast-food chain Burger King to NSmen on July 1 to celebrate SAF Day. Between July 2 and July 6, the Burger King at Safra Choa Chu Kung will also give away 300 burgers to servicemen and members. Safra also organised a video competition, collaborated with Temasek Polytechnic on a short film, and organised an art jam with more than 35,000 pre-school children, to reflect its appreciation for servicemen in Singapore. Said Mr Zaqy: 'Given how our national servicemen have contributed to Singapore's defence and security over the years, it is right for us to express our appreciation for their sacrifices and commitment. ' 'It does not always take grand gestures. Even the smallest interactions in our daily lives can affirm their sacrifices.' Mr Zaqy, who has served as Safra president since 2020, will hand over the reins of the organisation to Minister of State for Defence Desmond Choo in July. ' I am confident that under his leadership, Safra will continue to make inroads to further strengthen efforts to appreciate national servicemen, and to meet their evolving family lifestyle needs and life stage needs ,' he said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
28-06-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims
Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad, Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh flagging-off a walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta on June 28. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims SINGAPORE - Residents in Marsiling-Yew Tee, those in particular from the Malay/Muslim community, can look forward to more mental health support in the coming months. Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said on June 28 that the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team has been engaging residents since the start of 2025 with mental health sharing sessions and information about dementia awareness. More than 80 people have been engaged so far, through a partnership with An-Nur Mosque. Speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines at the annual Hijrah Walk and Health Fiesta event, Mr Zaqy said the initiative is in its early days, but has plans to expand. He said he has gotten feedback, especially from the Malay/Muslim community in Marsiling-Yew Tee, that they cannot find enough support for caregivers of those with mental illnesses or dementia. The June 28 event, held in conjunction with the Islamic New Year, was held at Choa Chu Kang Stadium and attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Zaqy, Ms Hany Soh and Mr Alex Yam. All are MPs for the GRC. The event was organised by the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team. M³ is a collaborative effort between three key Malay/Muslim institutions - the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Mendaki and Mesra. More than 700 residents from Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC came together to show their support for mental wellness through a mass walk. Residents visited interactive booths and activity stations by community partners like the Singapore Cancer Society, Caregivers Alliance, and Health Promotion Board which featured information on mental health support services, wellness resources, and active lifestyle initiatives. Said Mr Zaqy: 'It's important from a community perspective to talk about mental wellness. I think there's always been mental illness around us, but it can be seen as a taboo issue and therefore not much of it has been spoken about.' 'But I think that sharing experiences, resources, and support is one way in which we bring the community together and help bring down the barriers to discussing mental illness.' He added that connecting those in need with help is always challenging. 'For many of them, the reason why they are not well-connected is because they're are busy firefighting at home. Taking care of those struggling with any issue is not easy, so we need to go reach out to them through neighbourhood networks.' He said the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team plans to also work with youth in the rest of the year. Among younger people, he said, mental health is less of a taboo topic, thanks to greater exposure in schools and on social media. PM Lawrence Wong (in pink) interacting with participants after their walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO 'We have to translate that and see how they can be ambassadors to do outreach to the rest of the community, and refer friends and family members who may have issues,' he added. 'I think they are more ready to speak about this, and I hope they can help bring family members who might be older onboard.' Retiree Madam Zulaiha, 63, attended the mass walk on June 28 with her grandson. 'It is not only good exercise and fun to walk with everyone else, but it is for a good cause,' the former canteen cook said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
22-06-2025
- Science
- Straits Times
Robotic, cyber-security challenges at tech festival to inspire future defence scientists
Contestants and spectators at the final match of the AI competition at the Defence Science and Technology Agency's BrainHack tech showcase on June 12. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI SINGAPORE – Brightly coloured robots the size of tissue boxes wheel around a maze arena, racing to complete missions while avoiding capture by adversaries represented by other robots . The missions involve classifying vehicular objects in an image, extracting text from fictitious military reports, and decoding military voice communications from noisy audio recordings – tasks that these artificial intelligence (AI) robots are primed to do. Created by 185 students from 32 teams, the robots played 'scout' and 'guard' positions, while completing the maze. The teams were graded on the speed and accuracy at which their AI-controlled robots were able to complete the tasks. Points were deducted if a scout robot was captured by a guard. The challenge was part of the annual BrainHack festival organised by the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA). The tech festival exposes post-secondary school youth to emerging technologies shaping the future of national defence. The 2025 iteration of the event was held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre on June 11 and 12. Ms Rachel Tan Min Zhi, 22, from the winning team in the university category, said the AI challenge required thinking out of the box. 'I am currently studying artificial intelligence. The things I learnt will be applicable in my future career,' said the second-year data science student at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Four other students in her team, which won prize money of an undisclosed sum, are also from NTU. BrainHack 2025 also featured cyber-security, space data exploitation and coding challenges. A total of 4,300 students from 100 schools participated in the event. This was the highest-ever turnout for the event, which was started in 2019 with more than 1,500 participants. The festival has since grown to include four competitions, three workshops and a tech showcase. The cyber-security challenge featured a Capture-the-Flag competition, which pitted 334 students from 102 finalist teams against one another. In this exercise, participants found and exploited vulnerabilities in websites or programs to receive 'flags'. Students also hacked into the systems of miniature models of a smart city, a construction crane and a ship ballast. In the space data exploitation challenge, students assembled their own miniature satellite, known as CubeSats, measuring 10cm by 10cm. Teams tested out their satellites by completing a simulated remote earth imaging operation in which they had to capture a satellite picture of a target area. Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad, who was the guest of honour at the BrainHack event, spoke about the critical role that technology plays on the battlefield. Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad (centre) observing a Cyber Defenders Discovery Camp challenge at the BrainHack tech showcase on June 12. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Raising the example of commercial drones deployed in the war in Ukraine , he highlighted the need for Singapore to remain vigilant, agile and forward-thinking. 'We need bold thinkers and skilled engineers who can harness emerging technologies for national defence,' he said. Mr Zachary Lee, 23, a sophomore computer science and design student at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, whose team won the coding challenge, developed an app called Truthy Go to raise awareness of scams and misinformation. Winners of the coding challenge (from left) Brandon Kim, 23, Vernice Kah, 21, Marilyn Seet Ru Suan, 21, Javier Chan, 23, and Zachary Lee, 23. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Inspired by Monopoly Go, the app allows users to play on a monopoly-like board. When their avatar lands on a spot, it triggers a mini-game which tests the users' ability to spot falsehoods. For example, the user may be given two news headlines about an MRT breakdown and be prompted to select a headline from a genuine report. The app came out top among the audience votes. BrainHack also provides a platform for honing industry-relevant skills through repeat engagement. Mr Ravin Nagpal , 18, a third-time participant at BrainHack, has competed in over 90 Capture-the-Flag events since 2021. Even though the Ngee Ann Polytechnic cyber-security student has not won any of the challenges in BrainHack, he said the Capture-the-Flag exercises provide real-world value and have helped him identify vulnerabilities in present-day systems. Ngee Ann Polytechnic student Ravin Nagpal, 18, who was a finalist in the Cyber Defenders Discovery Camp challenge. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Capping off BrainHack 2025 was a showcase that offered an exclusive look at DSTA's defence innovations. It featured a humanoid robot equipped with light detection and ranging sensors which participants could test by trying to evade its sensors while navigating a maze. The immersive exhibits and activities at BrainHack are aimed at sowing the seeds of defence innovation, said DSTA. Mr Zaqy pointed out that many of DSTA's defence engineers started out just like the youth in the audience – joining competitions, attending workshops, and discovering their passion along the way. 'Through BrainHack and other efforts, we hope to inspire more of you to take up the challenge of becoming a defence engineer,' he said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
CNA
20-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Seah Kian Peng to be appointed Speaker of Parliament, Indranee Rajah will remain House Leader
SINGAPORE: Mr Seah Kian Peng will be nominated for re-election as Speaker of Parliament when the House convenes on Sep 5 in the first sitting since the May General Election. Mr Seah, who is Member of Parliament for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, has served as Speaker since 2023. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah will remain Leader of the House, while Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad will continue as Deputy Leader, the Prime Minister's Office announced on Friday (Jun 20). All three positions were nominated by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, but the Speaker will be elected by MPs at the start of a new parliament. The Speaker presides over the sittings of the House and enforces the rules prescribed in the Standing Orders of Parliament for the orderly conduct of parliamentary business. Although the Speaker need not be an MP, he or she must possess the qualifications to stand for election as an MP. In carrying out his or her duties, the Speaker must remain impartial and fair to all MPs. The Speaker regulates and enforces the rules of debate, deciding who has the right to speak and putting the questions for the House to debate and vote on. The Speaker does not take part in the debates of the House, but can abstain or vote for or against a motion if he or she has an original vote as an elected member. He or she has no casting vote. The Speaker is overall in charge of the administration of parliament and acts as the representative of the House. In order duties, the Speaker also welcomes visiting dignitaries and represents parliament at national events and during official visits abroad. Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development, has been House Leader since 2020. Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment Zaqy Mohamad has also been Deputy Leader since 2020. The Leader of the House is responsible for the arrangement of government business and the legislative programme of parliament. He or she also proposes appropriate actions to be taken on any procedural matters arising in parliament. House Leaders also move procedural motions relating to the business of the House during sittings, such as to extend the times of sittings beyond the usual time as set out in the Standing Orders. The 15th parliament will have 97 elected MPs and two non-constituency MPs. The new session will kick off with the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of MPs at 5pm on Sep 5.
