Illinois International Programs is pleased to announce that Dr. Mohamad Maliki Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Singapore, as well as Second Minister in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been named the recipients of the 2023-2024 Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement.
In celebration of his recognition, Dr. Osman will give a lecture titled "From The Margins to Mainstream: Lessons On Leadership From A Small State" on April 18, 2024, at 12:00 PM in the Illini Union, Room 104. Dr. Osman will share reflections and lessons from his own distinguished career in politics in Singapore. Registration requested.
About the Award
Established in 2000 with a generous gift from Dr. Jagdish and Mrs. Madhuri Sheth, the Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement award recognizes international alumni who are highly distinguished in their profession, have made outstanding contributions to government, humanity, science, art, or human welfare, and exemplify the strength of their education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
About Dr. Mohamad Maliki Osman
Dr. Mohamad Maliki Osman was elected a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in 2001 and 2006. He was elected as one of the MPs for the East Coast GRC in May 2011, September 2015 and July 2020.
Dr. Maliki served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development Youth and Sports (MCYS) from August 2004 to June 2006 and the Ministry of Health (MOH) from August 2004 to October 2005. He moved on to become the Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of National Development (MND), and was promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary on 1 November 2010.
Following the 2011 General Elections, Dr. Maliki was re-appointed as the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development and was concurrently appointed as the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence. He was also appointed Mayor for the South East District. He was promoted to Minister of State for Defence and National Development on 1 September 2013. In the Ministry of National Development then, Dr. Maliki served as the Chairman of the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) and the Private Estates Upgrading Programme (EUP) as well as oversaw Singapore’s food security, including food safety and the development of our agriculture sector.
After his re-election as MP for the East Coast GRC in September 2015, Dr. Maliki was promoted to Senior Minister of State for Defence on 1 October 2015, and was concurrently appointed as Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. He continues as Mayor for the South East District till July 2020. As Mayor of the South East District then, Dr. Maliki championed interfaith engagement and appreciation through innovative programmes like the Common Senses for Common Spaces Interfaith (CSCS) Forum Series as well as facilitated stronger relations between the people, public and private sectors in developing social programmes to meet varying needs in the community.
Dr. Maliki was re-elected in July 2020 as MP for the East Coast GRC and was promoted to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). At MOE, Dr. Maliki oversees ITE and Polytechnic Education as well as Chairs the Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT) and the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC). At MFA, Dr. Maliki continues to advance Singapore’s interest overseas in various regions including ASEAN, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East.
Dr. Maliki has previously held the position of President of the Singapore Armed Forces Reservist Association (SAFRA) and Co-Chairman of the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence or ACCORD in MINDEF.
At the community level, Dr. Maliki is also Advisor to the Centre for Promoting Alternative to Violence (PAVe) and the East Coast GRCs’ Grassroots Organisations.
Dr. Maliki graduated with his Bachelor and Masters Degrees from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Majoring in Social Work. He obtained his doctorate in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1998 and became an Assistant Professor at the NUS Department of Social Work and Psychology that year.
Dr. Maliki was born in Singapore in 1965. He is married with two children, a girl and a boy. He spends most of his leisure time with his wife and children, going out to the movies. He enjoys watching Korean drama series, exercises in the gym and plays badminton regularly to keep fit and healthy, and performs on the Guzheng to raise funds for charity.
