Valedictory Letter from PM Lawrence Wong to Dr Maliki Osman

Dr Maliki Osman 
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
Second Minister for Education Second Minister for Foreign Affairs

Dear Maliki,

As you retire after nearly 25 years in politics, I write to express my deepest appreciation for your many years of dedicated service to Singapore.

Across your different portfolios, you have shown the ability to bring people together, bridge differences, and energise communities.

This was especially evident in your decade of service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You were always prepared to explain the nuances of our foreign policy to a diverse domestic audience. You expanded Singapore's network of friends and deepened international goodwill — both vital for a small open state like ours. Keeping up a punishing travel schedule, you put in the time and effort to engage partners near and far — not just those in our immediate region, like Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia, but also across the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Despite differences in culture and language, you found ways to connect, build trust, and make the case for why Singapore mattered. Your efforts strengthened partnerships and rallied international support for Singapore's survival and success.

At the Ministry of Defence, you worked closely with the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence to strengthen support for National Service (NS) and awareness of Total Defence. You also led the Working Group on Recognition and Benefits for NS, which was set up under the Committee to Strengthen NS. Its recommendations enhanced the support and appreciation shown to National Servicemen for their contributions and sacrifices.

At the Ministry of Education, you brought together diverse stakeholders to support for students with Special Educational Needs, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. You also championed creating more diverse and flexible post-secondary applied education pathways, to cater to students with different learning profiles, and equip them with work-ready skills for a rapidly changing economy.

At the Ministry of National Development (MND), you played an important role in developing the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, helping lower income families achieve their home ownership dreams. You also led the conceptualisation and design of a new civic centre for Geylang Serai, rejuvenating the precinct while retaining its distinctive Malay heritage. Today Wisma Geylang Serai stands as a key landmark in the area, as well as a one-stop service centre for the Malay/MusIim community. Even after leaving MND, you continued to track closely ongoing efforts to revitalise the broader Geylang Serai Cultural Belt. I saw for myself how the area has transformed when I visited it earlier this year for the Hari Raya light-up.

Your contributions to the Malay/Muslim community go far beyond physical infrastructure. You have been a key member of our team of Malay/MusIim office-holders and MPs. Together with the rest of your colleagues, you helped the government to engage the community on sensitive issues, like the repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code. You forged strong partnerships with Malay/ Muslim organisations, encouraged better coordination and service delivery, and brought government and community together through initiatives like M3. These efforts have made a lasting impact — from supporting families in rental flats through Project Dian to rallying humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza.

As Mayor of South East District, and a Member of Parliament for Sembawang and later East Coast GRC, you always paid close attention to the needs of your residents. You worked tirelessly to improve their lives, especially of the most vulnerable residents.

In all these appointments, your experience and training as a social worker, and your passion to help disadvantaged members of our society, shone through. One notable initiative was Project 4650, which focused on the rental blocks of Blocks 46 and 50 at Bedok South. Instead of agencies working in silos, you brought together government and community partners to tighten coordination, take a family-centric approach, and tailor solutions for each family. The additional effort proved well worth it, producing much better results. When the Ministry of Social and Family Development later designed ComLink, Project 4650 served as a key reference point.

On behalf of all Singaporeans, I thank you for your steadfast service and many contributions over the years. I wish you and your family all the very best as you embark on the next phase of life.

Yours sincerely,
LAWRENCE WONG

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Valedictory Letter from PM Lawrence Wong to Dr Maliki Osman [PDF, 1.1 MB]

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