Masagos appointed adviser to PA's Malay activities council

Mr Masagos (in blue batik shirt), newly appointed Mesra adviser, meeting performers and production crew at the annual Mesra show.
Mr Masagos (in blue batik shirt), newly appointed Mesra adviser, meeting performers and production crew at the annual Mesra show. PHOTO: MESRA

Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli is the new adviser to the People's Association (PA) Malay Activity Executive Committees Council, better known by its acronym Mesra.

He takes over from Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, who was Mesra adviser for more than 15 years.

Mr Masagos' appointment and other changes in Mesra were announced by the PA on Friday.

Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister- in-charge of Muslim Affairs, is now the council's honorary adviser.

Dr Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Social and Family Development, will be co-adviser.

Mr Masagos has also set up a new panel of advisers for Mesra, which coordinates the activities of Malay Activity Executive Committees (MAECs) across the island.

MAECs organise cultural and social activities at the community centres and clubs, and many reach out to needy families. The PA said the panel will focus on new initiatives to beef up outreach, in order to attract new volunteers and ensure leadership renewal.

The panel comprises Mr Masagos, Dr Faishal and four Malay MPs: Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman, Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Amrin Amin and MP Zaqy Mohamad.

Mr Masagos told Berita Harian he hopes Mesra can keep on drawing the Malay/Muslim community closer together as well as closer to the other communities. "We have integrated well and progressed with other communities, without losing our culture," he said.

Mr Omar Ismail, Mesra chairman, said his team would work with the panel to improve programmes and reach out to more Malays. He also hopes to attract more young people to join MAECs.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 20, 2017, with the headline Masagos appointed adviser to PA's Malay activities council. Subscribe