Nine receive Muis awards for contributions to Muslim community

For about four decades of service in which he worked towards improving the Muslim community's intellectual thought and education, Dr Abdul Razak Chanbasha received the highest accolade at the annual Muis Awards ceremony on Saturday.

His contributions include forming the Association of Muslim Professionals with a group of other activists in 1991. The non-profit runs programmes in education, human resource development, social development and research.

Dr Razak was also active in Muis, where he was a four-term council member and provided his views on policies and plans for the Muslim community.

On Saturday, Dr Razak received the Jasa Cemerlang (Outstanding) Award, which Muis said is given to an individual who has made outstanding and distinctive lifelong contributions in fields such as education, economics and community service. He was among nine individuals recognised at the awards ceremony held at the Istana, with President Halimah Yacob as the guest of honour.

The Muis Awards are conferred by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) to those who have made significant contributions towards the socio-religious life of the local Muslim community. More than 150 people have been conferred these awards since 1991.

Speaking to The Sunday Times on the sidelines of the ceremony, Dr Razak said that his decades of service began when he was an undergraduate at the National University of Singapore and active in the Muslim Society.

"It was drummed into us that being privileged to receive education, we should contribute to society when we graduate," said the 63-year-old. "So that instilled a sense of mission in me - to be involved in community work in whatever capacity I can."

Now serving as a Justice of the Peace and as a member of Warees Investments' board, Dr Razak said he hopes to continue contributing towards education efforts.

Eight others received the Jasa Bakti (Service) Award, which recognises exemplary long service to the community.

Among them was Ustaz Fadlon Osman, who has served as a religious counsellor to inmates, former offenders and their families for more than 20 years.

"Even if 100 inmates see me, and I manage to help only one of them reform their life, I will still be very satisfied, knowing that this one ex-offender will be able to influence generations to come in his family."