Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says the Malay community in Singapore had made tremendous progress over the past three decades.     

Lee also praised the Malay/Muslim self-help group, Mendaki, for its contributions in the progress.     

Local television Channel NewsAsia (CNA) quoted Lee as saying this in an interview with MediaCorp Malay News and Current Affairs for a documentary on the 30th anniversary of Mendaki.     

NONE The documentary will be aired on MediaCorp's Suria at 9.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.     

Lee said the achievements of the Malay community was made possible because of the programmes initiated by Mendaki.      

The prime minister said: "Through all these programmes, working with other community organisations, Mendaki has contributed to the transformation of the community, and also, given the community a sense of self-confidence and pride that they have been part of their own success and the cause of their own success.     

Lee, who noted Mendaki also had support from many different parties, urged self-help groups to take a multi-racial approach when helping the disadvantaged, even as they focus on their own communities.     

"That is something valuable which would not be so easy to get if all the efforts were on a multi-racial and multi-community basis. But at the same time, there are areas where it makes sense for the self help groups to come together and work together and gather their resources and have economies of scale. So I think both will carry on. Both have their part to play," added Lee.     

- Bernama