Ahmad Khalis Bin Abdul Ghani
Singapore
“Besides observing, may I ask the Minister whether there is a role for the non-Muslim public to support the efforts of the Muslim community? Sir, we have seen that events which have a religious dimension which may happen in one part of the globe can influence inter-community sentiments elsewhere.”
“Sir, I wish to seek clarifications on two points. Firstly, on the extent of the involvement of businesses during Exercise Northstar V, I reckon that their involvement was rather minimal because it was held on a very early Sunday morning.”
“Sir, statistics show that there were significant increases in the crimes of cheating, including offences related to it, and housebreaking and snatch theft in 2005 over 2004. Is this the trend for such cases over the last 10 years? May I also ask the Minister to what extent are the victims themselves to blame for these offences?”
“May I ask the Minister whether he can assure this House that such extra resources shall be funded by the revenue from the IR and not result in the net depletion of our resources elsewhere?”
“This information can be shared with other agencies and help them design schemes to make illegal moneylending irrelevant. Sir, I urge everyone to support the fight against illegal moneylending. As a character in Shakespeare said, "neither a borrower nor a lender be".”
“Sir, I wonder whether the Deputy Prime Minister can tell us whether or not there is at present a code or protocol which investigation officers can follow at investigation stage so as to enable them to be alert of the presence of low intelligence persons who are being suspected of criminal offences and how to deal with them and, if there i…”
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“Members have asked what our current manpower situation is, what the job market will be like, and which groups will find it harder to stay employable. They have also asked what the Government can do, and what more can be done to help them. Mdm Halimah echoed those words. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang said the situation is unsettling. Mdm Halimah said her constituents were worried and felt vulnerable. Dr Tan Boon Wan said the older workers did not share the optimism. I understand their concerns and I know that they are echoing the words of their constituents, and I will try to do my best to answer their queries. Before I go on to specific schemes, I would like to update Members on the larger aspects, so that they can see the greater context in which our strategies are now placed. Some Members have asked for updates on the current manpower situation, so let me begin there. Updates on Employment MOM has already released figures for 2003, but let me summarise. First of all, we appear to have turned the corner. There was a stark difference between the first and second halves of last year. While we lost 30,000 jobs in the first half, we gained about 17,000 in the second half, and most of that, about 12,000 jobs, in the last quarter. The same trend was reflected in retrenchments. Similarly, the ratio of job vacancies to job seekers went up from about 0.18 in September 2003 to 0.3 in December 2003, not a huge jump but we are grateful for it. With an expected GDP growth of 3.5% to 5.5% this year, the labour market is set to improve and more jobs will be created. But these jobs will need to "soak up" the existing unemployed pool as well as those economically inactive persons who choose to enter the labour market as employment conditions improve.”
“There have been reports that there are many job opportunities not taken up by Singaporeans, such as those in our shipyards and in the nursing industry. Employers simply attribute this to job seekers not being willing to work in difficult conditions. But job seekers say that they do not have the required qualifications or training even to apply, and those who apply without the necessary qualifications get rejected. So, there seems to be a mismatch between the kind of employees that employers in these fields seek and the qualifications or skills that the current unemployed possess. May I ask the Minister what efforts have been made to study and address this mismatch? Many of the unemployed, I am told, are willing to undergo training to gain skills, so as to qualify for the vacancies, but they cannot afford to pay for training while they are being unemployed. May I ask what efforts have been made to understand the training needs, in particular the choice of skills and the cost of training of these unemployed persons? Are there efforts being made to close the gap between the qualifications of our unemployed with the needs of vacant employment? I understand that, to meet the needs of industries, employers do resort to employing foreigners. But would the Minister not agree with me that in the long term, especially when it comes to employment where the salaries by themselves do not put Singapore off, like in the nursing and shiprepairing or shipbuilding industries, it is better to close this gap again between the lack of training and qualification of the present unemployed with the vacancies available? The Acting Minister for Manpower (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Madam, let me thank Members for their questions.”
“Sir, people worry about health cost, especially in the case of serious and chronic illnesses and diseases. And one way to reduce health cost is by having a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, healthy lifestyle has a serious cost dimension to it. A healthy lifestyle also enables us to enjoy life more. May I ask the Minister what is the attitude of Singaporeans today on healthy lifestyle compared to, say, three or four years ago? What programmes have there been on promoting healthy lifestyle and how can we improve on them? Anecdotal evidence suggests that certain segments of our population are more likely to suffer certain types of diseases. I wonder whether there are studies made on the profiles of such patients. For instance, recently, the Berita Harian carried a front-page report of a comment made by a Minister that adult Malays seem to place less emphasis than others to avoid chronic diseases. So more profile information would enable the Ministry to take measures that are more targeted, more focused and more effective. For instance, if the target for a certain campaign is for the Malay housewives above the age of 40, then our usual posters and brochures would not work. Probably collaboration with the Malay radio or the brisk walking groups at mosques would be more effective. Similarly, if the problem is smoking among youths in schools, then other more targeted approaches are probably more effective. Lastly, the underlying principle here about healthy lifestyle is that prevention is better than cure. I wonder what is the Minister's assessment of our present situation. Are we putting this into practical effect or are we still procrastinating on the prevention part until it is too late even to cure? Elderly Healthcare”
“Sir, a number of hospitals in the region, such as those in Malacca, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, have been attracting patients from South East Asia, other parts of Asia, and even the Middle East. They are also positioning themselves as medical hubs. I would like to ask the Minister whether we have made studies on these hospitals. What are the lessons we can learn from them and what challenges do they pose in our desire to position ourselves as a medical hub? Sir, I understand that patients from mainland South East Asia, for instance, from Vietnam, can go to Bumrungrat Hospital in Bangkok with minimal hassle-free visa arrangements - points brought up earlier by my colleagues. Do we have similar medical visa arrangements with other countries? In this regard, can we consider medical visa link-ups with hospitals overseas, so as to facilitate speedy reference and movement of patients? Would the Ministry also consider, I suppose, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, visas for patients' family members and accompanying persons? The hospitality industry - here, we do not refer to hospitals but hotels and restaurants - would also need to cater to the needs of visitors and family members who come here for medical reasons. Could the Minister say whether our hospitality industry is preparing itself in our efforts to position ourselves as a medical hub?”
“Madam, during the debate on the White Paper on the threat of terrorism last year, a number of Members spoke on the need for the Muslim community in Singapore to monitor the religious education system. May I ask the Hon. Minister what measures have been taken? How effective are they? How have these measures been received by the community? During this same debate, Madam, a few Members also suggested that the Muslim community do some self-reflection and introspection. Have any measures been taken in this regard, in particular with respect to Islamic education in Singapore? We live in a highly cosmopolitan Singapore amidst fast-changing surroundings. While the Muslim community is willing to embrace change and to contribute, they also wish to be true to their religious beliefs. What are the major challenges faced by Islamic religious education in this regard and how does MUIS, the Muslim Religious Council of Singapore, intend to overcome them? Looking to the future, what is the long-term plan of MUIS to develop Islamic education in Singapore, whether among the six full-time madrasahs or among the hundreds of part-time classes in mosques, private schools and homes? What are the main characteristics of this plan and what are the main issues that the plan seeks to address? Support for Students' Islamic Education Overseas”
“Sir, the Inter-racial Confidence Circle (IRCC) was launched two years ago. It is to strengthen the multi-racial relationship among Singaporeans, as Mr Chong had said. Could the Minister explain what is the progress of the IRCC so far? Up to the present, there are criticisms that IRCC activities do not really have deep impact. It is only superficial. IRCC often says that warmer ties usually begin with the normal introduction. The question is: after two years, are the IRCC activities still at the introduction level? Is the IRCC scheme able to achieve deep and widespread inter-racial ties? Or has the IRCC spirit been somewhat diminished, seeing that many of us feel that security is becoming more stable? Last year, the Religious Harmony Committee launched the Religious Harmony Code. This was well received by a large number of the religious leaders in Singapore. Are there further developments in this matter? With our open and multi-racial society, are we able to make Singapore a centre for inter-religious dialogue, be it at the regional or international level? This is in line with Singapore's reputation as an international centre in fields such as international arbitration, conferences, exhibitions, trade and tourism. This is also in line with the Prime Minister's call that Singapore establishes an Asia-Middle East dialogue, which was announced recently. I hope the Minister could give his comments.”
“Sir, the Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) project was launched last year, sometime in August. The HOPE project has been around for several months. Since then, I would like to know how many people have applied and how many of them were granted assistance under this scheme. Could the Minister also give us some figures and profiles of the kind of people that have been successful? It might be a bit too early now, but could the Minister also give us a sense of how the project has changed the lives of these successful applicants? What about those who were rejected? What has happened to them now? Are they referred to some other schemes or were they just rejected and left to seek their own means elsewhere? I would also like to ask whether HOPE can be extended to families with three children. Presently, it is only restricted to families with two children or less. I understand that there is a concern of us not giving wrong signals to the low income families. But if the number is not too large and if the difference that we can make to them, on the good side, is much greater and far outweighs the disadvantage of giving some wrong signals to a small number of families, could we not extend the HOPE project and give hope to these families as well?”
“Sir, last year, the HDB introduced bank origination loans for certain categories of flats. Affected owners worry that their homes might be forfeited if they default in repayment of loans. Owners of private property have always understood the logic behind this and accepted its risks. Recently, we had the replacement of windows issue. The immediate reaction of many flat owners was that the HDB should pay for it. Private property owners, on the other hand, would understand that no other party would pay unless it is their fault, legally speaking, otherwise they pay for the replacement themselves. The reactions of the HDB flat owners suggest that many, though not all, are still grappling with what home ownership means in their context. May I ask the Minister whether there are systematic efforts made to assist Singaporeans better understand this issue. There are many HDB rules which seem to contradict the notion of home ownership, such as restrictions on subletting, reselling, even rebuying, and others. HDB flat owners are understandably not fully convinced that they own their flats, because there are too many restrictions on ownership rights. Could the Minister comment? Further, what is the long-term direction of the Government as regards home ownership of HDB flats? Are we to move towards more genuine home ownership a la private property ownership? To do, Sir, is to be consistent with efforts to encourage entrepreneurship, risk-taking and less state involvement in commercial transactions. But we have to balance this against the present need for affordable public housing and, perhaps, the social mission of HDB as well. Could the Minister comment? Supply and Demand of Public Housing”
“Sir, what I wish to say has much been covered by my friend, Ms Irene Ng. We have seen discernible moves towards greater easing up of our social scene. The main reason for this easing up is to present Singapore as a more happening place to woo tourists and foreigners. Sir, a number of my grassroots leaders have expressed concern over this signal transmitted by these moves. They are concerned that such moves promote the idea that sexual promiscuity is acceptable, and therefore, this may undermine our family values. They are afraid that this signifies a willingness, a readiness on the part of Singaporeans or the Government to go down the slippery slope where further down the society may no longer be able to or may not want to distinguish between entertainment and sleaze. I understand that we need to be exciting and vibrant in order to woo tourists. But the signals we pass must be consistent with our overall values. It is untenable that we say one thing to Singaporeans but, at the same time, we say another thing in order to woo tourists in. I believe that with the rather optimistic picture painted by our Minister on our economic growth and the revitalisation of our tourist industry, we do not quite need bar-top dancing or such other types of items to woo more tourists and foreigners. 11.15 am Power Generation Companies New Electricity Market Vesting Contracts for Electricity”
“Sir, in addition to the questions from the speaker before me, can the Minister enlighten us on the trends of crime involving youths, say, for the last few years? Is it true that more teenage girls are getting involved in gang-related activities? What are the lessons that we can learn from these trends and what efforts have been made to arrest such unhealthy trends? From the information culled thus far, are we able to have a profile of the youths who have a high risk of being involved in delinquency or crime? Having such a profile would enable the authorities to direct their efforts in a more effective manner and to take more preventive upstream measures. This should reduce the problem in the longer term. Is the Minister able to share with us the profile of such high risk groups? If the Minister is not disposed to do so, could he see whether the profile information could be shared in confidence with relevant persons, such as school principals or grassroots or community leaders? As spoken earlier, there are other aspects to these issues besides legal enforcement. Delinquent behaviour could be related to family, social or school problems. Curbing delinquent behaviour among youths therefore requires the coordinated involvement of several parties, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Community Development and Sports, schools and even parents. Would the Minister agree that such a coordinated and comprehensive approach would be more effective and, if so, are there efforts being made in this regard?”
“Madam, on community policing, several police officers told me that there is a direct correlation between low crime rates and strong police-community relationship. The Police has also been making statements in clear terms about the role of the community in combating crime. The Police has been instrumental in the setting up of community safety and security programmes (CSSP). Such measures on the face of it seem to have enhanced the safety and security of our residential neighbourhoods. May I ask the Minister for his assessment of the effectiveness of community policing, in particular the CSSP, in lowering the incidence of crime, and what have we learnt from the experience thus far? Not all neighbourhoods or RCs have CSSPs. May I ask whether the Ministry has a master plan to achieve a level of CSSP readiness which covers all residential areas? Presently, CSSP in some precincts are not as active as others. It may not be possible to ensure uniform CSSP standards in all precincts. However, too much disparity between adjacent precincts can cause confusion and dissatisfaction among residents. Is the Police willing to intervene so as to address the disparity? Some RCs, especially new ones, need help to start CSSP. Through their representatives, the Police greatly assist in this respect. It is good to allow grassroots activists to develop their own CSSP strategies at their own pace. But the Police should not hold back suggestions that could jump start CSSP or to demonstrate more effective methods. Has the Ministry consolidated and analysed its CSSP experiences over the years? If it has, would the Ministry consider sharing the information to CSSP operators so that they need not reinvent the wheel each time a problem arises? Crime”
“She wrote to the Straits Times that currently, the 2-month maternity leave does not apply to the third child onwards; higher accouchement fee to the hospital for the delivery of the fourth child onwards; Medisave cannot be used to offset medical cost for delivery of fifth child onwards, and so on. The Government may say that these are to reward families with three children or less. But in the light of our current TFR, and in the light of the Government being willing to consider even inviting immigrants, the above policies need to be reviewed. I believe the number of families with more than three children - mine is one of them - is not that large. I believe that allowing the fourth and subsequent children to have the same benefits as the first three would not upset the Government's policy on TFR growth so much. On the other hand, it will pass a more correct signal that all Singaporeans receive the same special welcome and that we care for what we have. A Malay saying goes, kejar kera di hutan, bayi mati di gendong keciciran, which means chase the monkey in the forest, lose the baby in the arms. We should avoid this, Sir.”
“Sir, I think that not many Singaporeans are fully aware of the implications if our TFR remains as it is. Recently, a friend of mine, a professional, wondered whether the ex-Minister for Health did not handle SARS well enough, such that he has to be relegated to handle a much simpler and smaller portfolio. I spent about 15 minutes, much more time than I have in this cut, to explain to him about the dire consequences of low TFR coupled with an aging population. The anecdote brought up by my hon. Friend, Mr Ong Kian Min, on Monday is worth repeating. He recounted how the one-child policy in China had affected a young couple. They have to support eight aged grandparents in addition to their one child. I hope the Government would do more to educate the public on the dire consequences of low TFR coupled with an aging population. For instance, can we not disseminate information on the experiences faced by other countries, past and present, in this regard? Sir, getting more people to have more children and getting Singaporeans to accept immigration as a plausible solution is not a simple task. However, if the rationale for it is constantly borne in mind and if the consequences of not taking the necessary action is fully appreciated, I believe Singaporeans would be more amenable to making mindset and even lifestyle changes. In this connection, I also urge the Government to be careful of the signals that get transmitted to the people, for example, as regards welcoming foreigners. Ms Ong Ling Lee gave some examples.”
“To complete the loop, we must have in place a mechanism that facilitates the proper resolution or closure of local civil disputes. And in this respect, we ought not to assume that all small disputes are trivial. May I ask whether the Minister is looking at the feasibility of expanding the jurisdiction of the Small Claims Tribunal? Sir, since the Tribunal has been in existence since February 1985, may I also ask the Minister whether the Tribunal is making use of its accumulated body of case law to evolve certain guiding principles and to educate the public on them? Legal Aid and Means Test Assoc. Prof. Chin Tet Yung: Sir, currently, the use of the means test in legal aid has meant that those who qualify will obtain legal counselling and assistance. Those who do not are left without the means to obtain such advice and assistance. There should be a graduated scheme which could require those with higher income to pay more for their legal costs while those in the lower income group or those who cannot afford at all and who have no income can obtain such services for free. The DPM and Minister for Finance in his Budget speech had mentioned that more use should be made of the means test to control and distribute costs. Of course, he referred to the health costs rather than legal costs, but it is essentially the same type of service. We should also see how the means test can be refined to allow more people at the margins to obtain legal advice, not for free, but based on how much they are able to pay. Access to Justice”
“Sir, currently, the Small Claims Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear claims not exceeding $10,000, where the claims relate to disputes arising from: (1) a contract for the sale of goods; or (2) a contract for the provision of services; or (3) tortuous damage to property (not including motor vehicle accidents). The original intent of the Tribunal was to provide a quick and inexpensive forum for the resolution of small claims between consumers and suppliers. I believe that we should expand the intent and jurisdiction of the Tribunal. For instance, the Tribunal does not hear employment disputes. Where the employee earns less than $1,500 a month, he has a recourse to the Ministry of Manpower. However, if his salary exceeds that, even if his claim is less than $10,000, he has to bring his claim to the Subordinate Courts. Similarly, the Tribunal does not hear disputes between landlord and tenant, or torts involving personal injury and others, even if the claims are less than $10,000. In these cases, the claimant may not be able to bring the matter for resolution at the community mediation centres unless the other party consents. Can he not proceed in court? Yes, but our current Rules of Court require compliance of many procedures. Anecdotal evidence suggests that legal costs for pre-trial preparation alone, say, for a $50,000 claim, could easily range between $5,000 and $10,000. A claim, say, for $5,000, may entail the same kind of preparations and therefore the same but relatively much more prohibitive costs. Sir, Singapore is positioning itself well as a forum for international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. Our judicial system is among the most impartial and efficient in the world.”
“The people need to be reassured that although there are many things uncertain, that in spite of the rapid changes, many things will remain the same. Ironically, perhaps many things need to be changed so that we can ensure the more fundamental things remain the same. And among the things that ought to remain the same and have to remain the same and are intended to remain the same by these steps are: (1) That our system of governance and Government will remain, ie, we have a Government that listens, that has foresight and that acts responsibly. (2) That the future of our country and our economy remains in our hands, even though it is hot at times. There is a Malay saying that goes: gengam para api, biar sampai jadi arang. It means that when we hold burning ember, we have to hold it until we snuff out the fire, until it returns back to charcoal. If we let it go, it will continue burning and become ash, which will not be of much use to us anymore. (3) Our country will remain a safe and peaceful place for us to live in, even if we are going to be less cash rich. (4) Our families will remain strong and that pro-family policies are firmly upheld. (5) That we will continue to help those in need and there will be policies remaining in place to ensure that every Singaporean matters and every Singaporean is cared for. On that note, Sir, I am in support of the proposals tabled by the Government.”
“To the workers, I have this message - the unions hear you, your MPs hear you, your Government hears you. And I am sure the Government and all of us will do all we can to help where it is proper to do so. But such help does not mean that all the workers' problems will be solved. That certainly is not the intention and it should not be. In this exercise, no one escapes completely unscathed. The reduction of the CPF contribution by 3 percentage points is not that devastating to most people. And even as of now, various schemes are already in place to assist Singaporeans who are in need, and I urge the Government to ensure that these schemes continue. In addition, there is the HOPE scheme, which will be of great help to poor small families to get out of an otherwise intractable poverty situation. Sir, I also urge workers to maintain their productivity in spite of the CPF retuning. If workers respond otherwise, ie, they slacken because their CPF contribution by employers is reduced, then it renders this exercise futile, as there would be no real advantage for employers or investors to come in. All workers - and, of course, this includes those working in the Government - have to moderate their expectations and adjust their lifestyles. Already we are reconsidering our attitude towards work. We are replacing the concept of life-long employment with life-long learning. With this CPF retuning, we have to rethink our retirement plans. Sir, the CPF retuning is perhaps the most widely and drastically felt among a slew of reforms undertaken by the Government in the last couple of years. The rapid changes strike fear and worry among the people. The uncertainty is quite disconcerting. Speakers before me have elaborated on the kinds of uncertainty that workers face.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak. Looking at the number of speakers, I would just deal with two or three points. Sir, understandably, many employers I spoke to welcomed the CPF cuts, although I am sure they were hoping for a 6 percentage point reduction as opposed to 3. But to them, I have this message. I urge employers to utilise the forthcoming savings in a responsible manner. To companies who are doing well, I urge them to return their savings, or at least a part of their savings, to their workers - this return made in the form of bonuses, higher budget for upgrading or retraining or other schemes that suit the peculiar needs of their workers. Sir, with such savings, I also urge companies to refrain from resorting to retrenchments. I do appreciate that some companies do have to downsize notwithstanding the CPF retuning. But I do hope that retrenchment is done only where it is truly unavoidable. I believe these points were raised by speakers before and, in fact, even by the Prime Minister himself. Sir, I think employers owe it to the country and to the workers to do their part in this exercise. If employers do not act responsibly by utilising the savings in a responsible manner, they would undermine the efforts of the Government and the sacrifice of the workers. We need to remind employers of this obligation. According to a report in a recent edition of the NTUC News, union leaders call on employers to share the benefit of savings with their workers. And I understand that union leaders would continue to remind employers of this call. I applaud this effort and I ask the Government to use its influence and good office to remind the employers of their role in this process.”
“The possibility of a prohibition order may even act as a disincentive for a SARS case, carrier or contact, or his family members from owning up and being examined for SARS as they fear being deprived of proper funeral rites in the event of death. In addition, Sir, such an order would cause consternation to religious groups who may feel that their religious beliefs are not sufficiently respected by the State. In the premises, there is merit to make provisions to ensure that the Director does two things prior to issuing the prohibition order. Firstly, the Director should consult the relevant religious authority for views and advice. Secondly, the Director should also counsel the immediate family members of the deceased. I believe, Sir, that the measures proposed would go in some way to make the otherwise harsh but necessary measures more humane, more acceptable, and thus more readily supported.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I speak in support of the Bill whose main thrust is to strengthen enforcement measures to curb the spread of infectious diseases such as SARS. Current enforcement provisions need to be enhanced so that the spread of diseases such as SARS can be contained more effectively. I also appreciate the compelling reasons why the Government sought to have this Bill passed urgently. These points had been raised by speakers before me. Sir, while I agree with the general intent of the Bill, I wish to raise a certain concern. It relates in particular to clause 5 of the Bill as regards the proposed section 14. This point was touched by Dr Warren Lee and Assoc. Prof. Low before me. Section 14(1) as proposed, provides, amongst others, that the Director be empowered to prohibit the wake of a person who was a case or contact of SARS. Sir, funeral rites and wakes are serious events. They are important to the majority of, if not all, Singaporeans. They are of great religious and personal significance. The need for this particular amendment must be explained properly. The people have to be made to understand why it may be necessary for the Director to make such prohibition orders in certain circumstances, and what these circumstances are must also be explained clearly. Otherwise, this clause may appear to be an affront to religious beliefs or social norms dearly held by many Singaporeans. Without adequate explanation, a prohibition order under this proposed section is likely to stigmatise the SARS victim and his family. This only adds to the stress and trauma suffered by family members of the deceased victim, in addition to their bereavement.”
“Sir, I have a few questions for the Deputy Prime Minister. We have noted from the Deputy Prime Minister's speech and from reports elsewhere that SARS has severely affected the travel and tourism industries, among others. My question is whether the Government is reviewing the importance that we have been attaching to the travel and tourism industries. What is the Government's assessment of the impact of SARS on the travel and tourism industries in the medium and long term?”
“The madrasah teachers also attend in-service training conducted to enhance their teaching skills and their proficiency in English. NIE has agreed to MUIS' proposal to accept madrasah teachers who meet the entry requirement of the Diploma of Education Programme from this July. MUIS is seeking nominations from the six madrasahs. The Curriculum Development Project (CDP), which takes place over six years, will revamp the curriculum for Islamic studies and Arabic language programme from Primary One to Pre-U 2. The materials for Primary One have been completed, and teachers have been trained to use them from this year. The next phase will focus on the Primary Two and Secondary One levels. Some madrasahs prefer to deliver the new curriculum in Arabic and Malay, rather than in Arabic and English. MUIS will work closely with the madrasahs to facilitate this. Sir, MUIS and the madrasahs fully share Mr Ahmad Khalis' views that madrasah education must be relevant to our knowledge-based economy and plural society. The madrasahs will work together, in partnership with MUIS, to achieve these goals. As I understand it, in the curriculum being rolled out by the CDP, they have taken into account some of the social contexts which are relevant to our Muslim students here in Singapore. Sir, to sum up on the issues raised on MUIS, let me assure Members that MUIS will spare no effort in helping the Muslim community move forward as a community of excellence. MUIS will continue to work in partnership with Muslim or Malay organisations which share its vision. I thank all those who have given their strong support, and urge every member of the community to rally together with MUIS. MUIS is our institution, and it is our collective responsibility to work together to strengthen MUIS.”
“15 pm Some Muslims engage religious teachers for home-based teaching. Most home-based teachers teach recitation of the Qur'an, and do not teach religious classes. Increasingly, more people are approaching MUIS and the mosques to ask about the credentials of the religious teachers or to recommend suitable religious teachers. At the same time, various study groups and teachers have also approached the mosques to let them know about their classes, so that the mosque is kept informed of the developments. These are good developments taking place in the Muslim community. Sir, before I answer Mr Ahmad Khalis' question on madrasah education, let me just clarify that the benchmark to be achieved by the madrasah students for PSLE is pegged at the average PSLE aggregate score of EM1 and EM2 Malay pupils in the six lowest-performing national schools, ranked according to the performance of their EM1 and EM2 Malay pupils in the PSLE of that year. So, we take the six lowest-performing schools, take the Malay students, and take that as the benchmark. It is not pegged to the average score in those subjects of the six lowest scoring national schools, as the Member has suggested. Sir, the madrasahs, with the support of MUIS, have strengthened the delivery of English, Mathematics and Science to meet the requirements of compulsory education. MUIS will ensure that madrasah students are given all the necessary help to be ready for the PSLE in 2008. All the madrasahs have significantly increased the contact time for English, Mathematics and Science to match the same exposure time that the national schools devote to these subjects. The madrasahs have hired 14 more teachers with the relevant qualifications and teacher training.”
“MUIS has already developed a religious education curriculum to teach school-going children basic Islamic knowledge. This material is used in classes run by our mosques. And adults attend talks and forums conducted by various teachers at the mosques. Next, religious teachers. For classes held at mosques, the mosque management boards ensure that the speakers and teachers are qualified. Last year, MUIS provided training for some 450 religious teachers to upgrade their religious knowledge as well as expose them to issues in the economic and social spheres. This would put them in a better position to help their students apply Islamic principles to life. Complementing the efforts of mosques, there are also other providers, as alluded to by Dr Maliki, including the Islamic Missionary Committee, Muslim organisations and private education centres. Whilst there is no formal accreditation or licensing of these private centres, MUIS keeps regular contact with them to share and update on the developments. These providers use the curriculum offered by MUIS and actively keep MUIS informed about their classes. The mosques, together with these providers, cater to some 32,000 school-going children. Full-time religious education is carried out by the six madrasahs, with an annual intake of 400 pupils. MUIS administers the madrasahs and assists them with resources for teacher training, student development and curriculum development. Dr Maliki has asked about the religious teachers' directory launched in July last year. The directory now lists 317 teachers. Members of the public have been using the directory as a means to verify whether an individual is registered with MUIS. If an individual is not listed, the public can still check with MUIS. 3.”
“With the support of the community, MUIS will continue to guide the community in becoming a model Muslim community in our plural society. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed has also touched on the role of the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs. I see my role as galvanising the Muslims to take their place proudly in the Singapore society, progressing alongside others and contributing to Singapore's peace, prosperity and progress. Many I have spoken to share in this wish. Over the last year, I have met with the leaders of over 30 mosques, sometimes joined by my Malay MP colleagues. We also held seven dialogues with the Malay/Muslim community and religious leaders over issues affecting the community. The Malay MPs have also visited non-Muslim organisations, especially Chinese employers, to enhance mutual understanding. Sir, let me now address the question raised by Dr Maliki concerning religious education and the religious teachers' director. MUIS has formed a Religious Education and Advisory Panel to advise it on improvements to religious education for the Muslim public, including target groups, such as children and adults. The review covers areas, such as the curriculum, training for the asatizah, or religious teachers, as well as how various institutions, such as our mosques and private providers, can help enhance the quality of religious education. The advisory panel is also actively gathering feedback from various stakeholders. Mosque leaders have also actively contributed their support and ideas to improve religious education through the Muzakarah Masjid, a regular platform which MUIS initiated in 1997 for sharing and networking among mosque leaders. I will touch now on some of the areas that MUIS and its key partners are reviewing. First, the religious education curriculum.”
“Volunteers also serve in the Young Muslim Secretariat and as teachers for religious programmes in the prisons and drug rehabilitation centres. Sir, I assure Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed that MUIS will continue its outreach to strengthen racial and religious harmony and to correct the misconceptions about Islam and the Muslim community following the events of September 11. MUIS has indeed stepped up public education efforts, including goodwill visits, talks and dialogues and mosque open houses. Sir, last year, more than 12,000 people attended MUIS' talks on "Understanding Islam and the Malay/Muslim Community" both in English and in Mandarin. The programmes have received good feedback. MUIS also hosted students for Learning Journeys and will extend these to civil servants this year. As for inter-religious dialogue, MUIS actively participates in activities of the inter-religious organisation. The media in all languages have been helpful and important to MUIS. The Chinese media has been very forthcoming in helping MUIS to reach out to the Chinese community here in Singapore. Sir, Dr Maliki raised the concern whether MUIS is spending too much money on publicity. MUIS' Public Affairs and Public Education Department is a small outfit of four officers and its public education budget in 2002 was $800,000. To MUIS' credit, it has done a lot with these resources. It has not spent the money on publicity as much as on delivering public education programmes to Muslims and non-Muslims and responding to the challenges in September 11. Through these efforts, the Muslim community will be in a better position to weather the impact of the external developments, such as the US war on Iraq, as well as maintain mutual understanding and trust with other communities.”
“Such networks also strengthen MUIS' ability to reach out, build a common vision and implement its programmes more effectively. MUIS also seeks to develop a corps of progressive and credible local religious leaders. It is revamping the religious studies curriculum of the madrasahs. MUIS also runs a scholarship programme to ensure the future supply of well-qualified teachers and officials. Sir, I will touch on the aspects of religious education in greater detail in response to Dr Mohamad Maliki's question. Sir, while MUIS is the key authority on Islamic issues, it carries out its work with the support of the Muslim community. For example, MUIS and Pergas have a joint committee on asatizah development. MUIS also works with Mendaki and AMP to bring in speakers who can add to the discourse on Islam and with Perdaus on publications to guide the public on religious issues. MUIS would not have been able to do its work without the support of the wider community. Since 1975, 19 new mosques have been built with the contributions of 130,000 Muslims from all walks of life. Every year, some 3,500 haj pilgrims undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca. Besides MUIS officials, we are also accompanied by volunteers, such as doctors and nurses. Their tireless contribution had won praise from the pilgrims and the Saudi government had expressed appreciation for the well-organised Singapore contingent. Sir, I am also encouraged by the number of volunteers wo have come forward to serve on the various MUIS committees. For example, there are 870 volunteers in the Mosque Management Boards and other MUIS committees. The MUIS Council and Fatwa Committee members are also volunteers.”
“We saw 9/11 and the threat of trans-national terrorism. Ethnic conflicts and tensions occurred and are still brewing in several parts of the world and, even as we speak, there is now a war in Iraq. Many people are beginning to wonder whether the theory of the crash of civilisations is more valid than was originally thought. Do our madrasahs and MUIS take this into account - the scenario which I have just painted - when formulating or reviewing the curriculum? I believe they should, Sir, if the madrasah is to play its role effectively in contributing towards the progress of the community and the well-being of the nation. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, like other communities, the Muslim community in Singapore must also do its part to strengthen our multi-racial and multi-religious social fabric. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Mr Ahmad Khalis and Dr Maliki have spoken about the important role of MUIS in guiding the religious development of the Muslim community and the need to forge greater partnership with the community. I fully agree with the concerns raised by the three Members. Since September 11, MUIS has made even greater efforts to galvanise the Muslim community towards national unity. And I agree with Mr Ahmad Khalis that the members of the MUIS Council, as part of the leadership of MUIS, have a special responsibility to bring MUIS and the community together in fruitful partnership. MUIS also works closely with its networks of mosque committees, religious and community leaders and other key Muslim organisations to ensure that the public has access to sound religious teaching. MUIS makes use of platforms, such as the Mosque Council, Asatizah Network, Muzakarah Mosque or mosque leaders' platform for coordination, sharing and networking.”
“Sir, about three years ago, the Government decided to enforce compulsory education (CE). Madrasah students are exempted but not totally spared. They are required to achieve a certain standard in English, Mathematics and Science at PSLE. This standard is pegged to the average score in those subjects of six lowest scoring national schools. The first batch of madrasah students who are so affected will sit for their PSLE in 2008. They are now in Primary One. This CE requirement means that madrasahs have to revamp their curriculum. This, in turn, calls for new textbooks, new materials, even changes in teachers, teacher training and teaching methods. MUIS has embarked on a curriculum development programme in this regard. Could the Minister give an update on this effort? What has been achieved thus far and what more can we expect? Sir, the PSTE, which is the Malay acronym for Secondary Four Certificate Examination, in the madrasahs conducted by MUIS a few years ago had introduced a degree of standardisation among our full-time madrasahs, at least for the religious knowledge component. The CE requirement infuses further standardisation, this time in relation to English, Mathematics and Science. Does this not bring greater coordination and cohesion among the madrasahs now that they have to meet more common standards? Sir, we are seeing advancements made in the realm of knowledge at a rate unimagined before. It is imperative that MUIS resources be allocated to enhance the relevance and quality of madrasah education in Singapore. At the same time, all the madrasahs, MUIS and the community need to work more closely together to meet these challenges. The global landscape is undergoing changes in the wake of the Sudanese side events.”
“Sir, the MUIS' report for the year 2001 also states that the challenge today is to build on past achievements, without being shackled by old mindsets, yet still firmly upholding true religious teachings. With such challenges, what factors should MUIS give priority to? What is being undertaken by MUIS so as to make the community share the same perspective? 2.30 pm”
“Sir, the foreword of MUIS' report 2001 states that the community should adopt a new mindset in order to face future challenges. This change should begin with the community. In the same report, MUIS stated its objectives to lead the community in Islam, as well as provide guidance in its efforts to produce a community of excellence that contributes to the prosperity of Muslims and the nation. MUIS accepts its duty in leading the Muslim community in this aspect. My question is: what is the position of MUIS' leadership at the moment? Is it becoming more effective? How could this effectiveness be measured? Recently, there were voices that questioned MUIS' credibility, that is, at the time when the community debated on the tudung, NEWater and JI issues. I have said before in this House that MUIS' credibility should not be questioned. But this does not mean that this would always be guaranteed and should not be a concern. On the other hand, MUIS' credibility and leadership should be nurtured and strengthened all the time. Among the elements which influence MUIS' leadership is its relationship with the community. Is the question of MUIS' credibility that I have mentioned earlier connected to its ties with society? Sir, a large part of MUIS' Executive Council members are made up of those who are nominated by the community organisations. There are also members of the community who are in a few of MUIS' sub-committees. Both these structures have the potential to bring about closer cooperation between MUIS and the community. Can these ties be enhanced? What measures can be taken, in terms of its structure or programmes, in order to strengthen the ties between MUIS and the community?”
“Such targeted programmes would be more effective in reaching out to these groups who may speak certain languages, prefer a certain diet and subscribe to certain cultural practices. These programmes can be more culture-sensitive and should result in better buy-in. Further, a recent study in the US shows that the weight patients vary in their readiness to adopt specific weight loss behaviours. For instance, some are willing to exercise more but not reduce fat in their diet. Others are willing to eat more fruits and vegetables but are not willing to eat smaller portions of food. So if doctors can identify which behaviour patients are willing to change, they can assist in an effective weight-loss programme. But doctors are usually constrained by time and not reimbursed for obesity counselling. Will the Ministry consider studying the effectiveness of individual obesity counselling and perhaps later start a grant to encourage the same?”
“Sir, as of October 2002, 24% of adult Singaporean residents aged 18-69 are overweight, while another 6% are obese. Weight problems are largely attributable to a less than healthy lifestyle, and we note that there are well-established relations between excessive body weight and conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension and osteoarthritis. I commend the Ministry for having embarked on large-scale programmes to combat obesity among children, such as the School Tuckshop Programme and the Trim and Fit Programme. These programmes have certainly helped to reduce obesity among children from 14% in 1992, to 10% in 1996, and having remained steady after that. Sir, the Ministry has also started the Workplace Health Promotion Grant in 2001. Its target audience is, presumably, our workers. The question is: how effective has this grant been among our workers? How many of our workers have benefited from this grant and how have they benefited? In 1998, our death rate of 76 per 100,000 from coronary heart disease is higher than the rates of 58 and 60 in Canada and Australia, respectively. Our death rate of 29 per 100,000 from stroke is also higher than the rate of 14 in Canada and Australia. Have our figures improved since then? 5.30 pm Sir, I also seek to ask whether the Ministry has conducted a detailed profiling of our adult population with medical conditions to see whether there is a relation between their cultural or ethnic backgrounds and a propensity towards certain diseases. Is educational level also a relevant factor in this relation? If so, Sir, I ask whether there are in place specific programmes that target these specific groups.”
“Sir, recently the Government announced the formation of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). It is one of the measures taken in response to the threat of international terrorism. Its main aim is to enhance the security of our borders. Border security reorganisation is also being pursued in other countries, notably in the United States. There, the inspection and security functions of three departments (Justice, Treasury and Agriculture) are reorganised into two bureaus - one bureau to deal with border protection; the other to deal with immigration and customs enforcement. Here, the immigration and customs functions at our borders are being amalgamated under the authority of the ICA. Several issues arise here. Firstly, what would this move entail? Would customs officers now also have to cover immigration security and vice versa? While multi-tasking may be good, would not specialisation and focus be more important in security matters? Secondly, would this transformation process adversely affect the efficiency and morale of our immigration and customs officers, at least in the short term? And how are these issues being handled? Thirdly, how would the formation of the ICA affect the tens of thousands of people who cross our borders every day? While enhancing security is vital, would there be greater inconvenience? We do have to bear in mind that Singapore's openness is key to our survival and growth, and therefore it is imperative that we ensure smooth legitimate traffic flow across our borders. Lastly, perhaps, most importantly, how would the establishment of the ICA actually enhance our borders' security? I request the Minister to give details.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for the clarification. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $24,074,230 for Head F ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $3,774,600 for Head F ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head B -”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head F of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code FA 1500. Sir, for the last one year, very often, we see that the hon. Leader of the House, or his Deputy, having to come up to the Table to move a motion for an exemption of Standing Order No. 1, asking for more time for Parliament to proceed. This happens at least 80% of the time. Presently, Sir, the motion to have an exemption of the rule has become a rule. I have roughly calculated that the time taken by the hon. Leader of the House, or his Deputy, from the time he leaves his seat until the time when the 'Ayes' were given and he gets back to his seat and for Parliament to resume, is about 25 seconds. You multiply that by the number of Cabinet Members and the number of our sitting days in a year, the amount of man hours is worth a review. Sir, while we are on this question of timing, perhaps, it is also timely to review the other Standing Orders of our Parliament. Is it not in line that we review our Standing Orders now that Singapore, as a country, is embracing change, we are looking at the New Economy, we are constantly looking at ways to improve ourselves? We do this not with a sense of disdain as to what has been going on, but with an appreciation that these rules, now archaic, though maybe, had at one time performed their functions. But still, it is inevitable that to improve ourselves, we have to seek to innovate and to make this constant review.”
“This can happen when our top and higher income earners have evolved the genuine spirit to help and volunteer to do charity work. Sir, we can and should evolve this spirit. If we recognise the need and are resolved to evolve this elusive entrepreneurial culture, then, similarly, there is no reason why we cannot resolve and evolve a charitable culture. Indeed, both must go hand in hand. On that note, Sir, I support the motion.”
“This House has decided that capping the top runs counter to the efforts to attract and keep investors, and we need investors to keep our economy going, in other words, taxing our top earners can only be done to a limited extent, an extent to be determined, among others, by tax regimes in other countries and other costs of doing business in Singapore. The other way to reduce this gap is to raise the base. Again, there are limitations to this. The Government seeks to be a fair, not welfare state - to borrow a quote from a very well-known book, which I am sure all of us have read or are reading - and further doling out too much help runs counter to our vision to evolve an entrepreneurial culture. But if our top earners are more conscious of the need to maintain our social cohesion and are happy to do so, then we might be able to raise the base without antagonising the top. I applaud the numerous fiscal measures in the Budget that encourage and facilitate charitable acts. But, Sir, like entrepreneurship, charity is also driven by the human spirit. We need to evolve the spirit of charity, social consciousness and voluntarism. Schools now have community involvement programmes. We have also recently established a National Volunteers Centre. These are only two of many structures and programmes recently set up that would help in evolving the spirit of charity. The success of the programmes should not be measured only in terms of how many activities were conducted and how many people were reached, or even how strongly people feel towards charity and voluntarism. Perhaps, the ideal is reached when our poor and socially handicapped feel that they are not left out, that they see the rich as their partners and their helpers, and not as targets of anger or envy.”
“I will now move on to my next point, Sir, on something which is related to this elusive nature of the entrepreneurial spirit. We have decided to embrace globalisation, the infocomm technology, and the new economy. We have decided to make our country more attractive for investments. We are taking steps to lessen impediments and increase attractiveness for top business people to invest in Singapore. We are allowing our people more leeway to explore and to express. The sum total of all the recommendations in the recent reports - whether in the review of the upper secondary and pre-university education or in the ERC - not only allows for more peaks in our people's achievements but also enables these peaks to go higher. But not everyone can keep up with the changes that are taking place. Some are struggling just to remain relevant. These, juxtaposed with the enhancements of peaks, mean that there will be a widening of the social gap between the very top and the very bottom. Sir, as I face many applications for financial help or otherwise from genuinely hardship-stricken families, I also see many brand new Maseratis, Boxsters and XJs on our roads. Being a young nation, Sir, social cohesion is pivotal to our well-being. Recent events related to extremism and terrorism have caused us to worry about our inter-racial and inter-religious relations. Similarly, we have to ensure that changes in the economic landscape do not over stretch our social fabric. One possible way to keep this gap down - and I say this only for discussion - is by placing caps at the top.”
“Thank you, Sir, for allowing me to join in the debate. I will be touching only on entrepreneurship, and more specifically one or two aspects of it. Sir, I am pleased that the Government, in the Budget, does not see entrepreneurship as a branch of the economy or as an industry, but as a cultural mindset. For Singaporeans to be entrepreneurial, there has to be a cultural shift, and to quote the Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr Raymond Lim, earlier, the entrepreneurial spirit has to be one which permeates all walks of life, not only in businesses. I do not think that the entrepreneurial spirit is just about maximising financial profits, but it has to do with maximising potential of resources, lateral thinking, creativity and the pursuit of human ideals. These are some of the qualities stated by my colleague, Ms Indranee Rajah, earlier. Entrepreneurship is equally applicable in family management and social work as it is in businesses and MNCs. I agree with the Minister of State that we cannot manufacture entrepreneurship, but we can enable people to be entrepreneurs. But we, as a society, also can and should do more. We, as a society, need to evolve into an entrepreneurial one. I do not think that we can become entrepreneurial after one budget debate. Even all the fiscal measures put together in the Budget Statement do not create an entrepreneurial society. However, this Budget recognises entrepreneurship for what it actually is, elusive though it may be, and it decides to move towards a more entrepreneurial society. This House and all Singaporeans have to look at it in the long term, and we shall continue to monitor our progress as we, as a society, evolve the entrepreneurial spirit.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I have two supplementary questions. Firstly, I understand that while we operate a lighthouse at Pedra Branca, we also operate a lighthouse at Pulau Pisang. But while we say that Pedra Branca belongs to us, we do not have a similar position as regards Pulau Pisang. My first question is: what are the differences in Singapore's position as regards Pedra Branca as opposed to Pulau Pisang? Second question, to borrow my colleague, Ms Indranee's terms, has Malaysia decided or realised or in any other way taken any steps to claim any other island that belongs to us, besides Pedra Branca?”
“Thus, acknowledging it the way as we do now requires much courage and open heartedness. Handling it is a long drawn affair that demands patience, sensitivity and diligence, and we must do it together. Sir, I support the motion.”
“It has to be consciously kept alive and current. Some people feel that enhancing inter-religious harmony like self-regulation means further restraints on religion. The President of Pergas alluded to this in his statement which was published in the Berita Harian on 16th January. Sir, the reality is that our society has become more assertive. We want more political space and more freedom of expression. Religious groups too are becoming more aggressive in their missionary work. At the same time, our island has become more densely populated and more cosmopolitan. There is much greater interface among peoples of various ethnic and religious persuasions now than ever before. These trends are likely to continue. In such a scenario, heightening religious differences is bound to occur unless the different religious groups have developed among themselves that degree of mutual confidence which allows them to air their different positions without undermining the common peace. So, instead of curbing religious expression, inter-religious harmony is meant to facilitate greater freedom of religious expression. It is in the interest of all religious groups to enhance inter-religious confidence. The majority of Singaporeans understand this. Singaporeans also understand that there can be little meaningful community or religious life if there is no collective peace in the first place. Again, in the Berita Harian of 16th January, the Deputy Mufti was reported to have said that the Asatizah group which MUIS intends to set up shall, among others, discuss matters to enable the Muslim community to enhance national integration. In conclusion, Sir, I state that the terrorism threat is real. It has serious repercussions. It cannot be cured with a single operation.”
“Let us give the Muslim community some space to formulate its position calmly and thoroughly. Monitoring religious education, Sir, is a delicate task. It is not quite completely a good idea for the religious education of a certain community to be monitored by a group from a different religion or by the Government. Self-regulation with an increased awareness of the issues at hand is, in principle, the best way out. In other words, if anyone is to regulate and monitor the religious education of the Muslim community so as to detect extremist elements, the best people to do so are the Muslims themselves. Sir, many Singaporeans are keen to have the terrorist threat resolved once and for all. Unfortunately, it is not always so simple. As stated in the White Paper, Singapore cannot eliminate terrorism completely and by itself. In spite of measures to monitor religious classes and enhance security, it is not possible, as stated earlier, to fully insulate ourselves. On the contrary, the flow of ideas and people across borders will increase. It is not advisable for Singapore to cocoon itself from external influences. The more open we become, the more open we are to possible terrorist attacks, ideologically or physically, from within or without. The White Paper correctly points out that groups like JI can undermine inter-ethnic harmony. If unchecked, inter-ethnic suspicions will breed distrust, hatred and, eventually, enmity. Therefore, steps have to be taken to further strengthen inter-ethnic cohesion. The establishment of the IRCC and the drafting of a Religious Harmony Code are two concrete steps mentioned in the White Paper. Bearing in mind the nature of terrorism and extremism, we must continuously promote social cohesion. Social cohesion is not a one-off exercise.”
“The Muslims will continue to clarify them. They have been grappling with issues pertaining to Islam since the community itself existed. In the late 19th century, for instance, Munsyi Abdullah wrote about the issue of education to Muslims and pondered why Muslims were weak in that aspect. That issue is still relevant today. In some technical cases, issues such as whether the first day of Ramadan ought to be determined by sight or by calculations, were gradually resolved. But not all issues are straightforward. Some issues get more complex as the world progresses. Some new issues are born with the passage of time. The emergence of radicalism, extremism and terrorism, as they coincide with religious revival, is a major issue that confronts the Muslims today. In this regard, the Muslims in Singapore realise that it has to do some serious introspection. Sir, in Berita Harian of 16th January, the Mufti's Office issued a statement on Religious Guidance. It stated among others: 1) that Muslims have to objectively evaluate its role in missionary work and religious education; (2) missionaries must be keenly aware of current thoughts in our society; 3) the approach used to interact with society has to be reviewed; (4) when dealing with contemporary issues, missionaries and teachers should use an approach that is open and comprehensive; and (5) Muslims have to appreciate the universal values in Islam which is based on pristine faith, moral virtues and dynamic laws. Mr Speaker, Sir, the above reflects the kind of critical self-analysis that underscores the community's present and future efforts. It is not one that is totally inward-looking, but one which also emphasises active participation in the larger society.”
“Malaysia, where Yazid stays, may have its own peculiar context in relation to radicalism; but in Singapore the radicals remain in the periphery. For instance, we noted from the White Paper that the JI believes that those who reject their campaign are infidels. This is not the Islam understood by most Singapore Muslims. Such ideas remain in the periphery. As regards (4), about the Islamic ideological framework, I beg to disagree. For instance, in the Treaty of Hudaibiya, which was signed by the Prophet on behalf of the Muslims in Medina and the Meccan Quraish, contained several terms, more of which were not favourable to the Muslims, but necessary in order to secure peace. The Prophet ensured that the Muslims honoured its terms. Events such as this and many others form the corpus of material from which Islamic values and laws are extracted. They show that it is perfectly acceptable for Muslims to have compacts, agreements, with non-Muslims, be they individuals, groups or states. Once made, these agreements are to be honoured even if it is to the detriment of the Muslim party. Sir, the quotes from Scruton or Ayatollah Khomeini do not reflect the kind of Islam we have in Singapore. But we cannot deny that there are different interpretations of Islam, as there are of any religion. It is not for us to determine which is the true version. The crucial question for us is what is the stand of the Muslim Singaporeans on such issues. It is incumbent on the Muslim community to clarify its position. It is also in the interest of all of us, all communities, to appreciate the position of the Muslim community and act on them wisely The Muslims in Singapore, Sir, had come out clearly against JI and terrorism. What about some of the other issues raised by Ms Chua Lee Hoong?”
“Some points raised were: 1) The word "Islam" does not mean peace, but total submission to God in order to obtain security, as held by philosopher Roger Scruton; 2) Ayatollah Khomeini said in 1984 that war was a blessing to the world, and men are commanded to wage war and to kill, and such perverse logic continues to inspire young Muslims; 3) There is a danger of the periphery moving into the centre - so one Yazid Sufaat, who was supposed to be an engineer upon receiving a Malaysian Government scholarship, instead returned as one who was involved in both September 11 and the Bali bombing. 4) The Islamic ideological framework, "taken to its logical conclusion denies any official compact with the state and regards secular authority by definition, as being without legitimacy." Sir, these are extremely serious charges. My brief response is as follows: According to Drs Imam Munawwir, "Islam" means both peace and submission. According to Dr Quraish Shihad, he commented that by knowing the meaning of the word "Islam" a person would know that it is a religion of peace. World-renowned scholar Abdullah Yusuf Ali in his commentary on the Quran elaborated on the six aspects of "peace" and stated that these are shades of "Islam". Second point, on killing - the statement made by Ayatollah Khomeini - there are verses in the Quran that say there is no compulsion in religion and the Prophet is reported to have said, "He who is not merciful to others will not be treated mercifully", and these values continue to be taught in our hundreds of religious classes. As regards Yazid Sufaat, I say, Sir, that thousands of graduates proceed on to be of service to their professions, employers or governments.”
“Further, Sir, MUIS has over time grown in terms of reputation and sophistication. It handles mosque development, manage wakaf properties, deals with Haj matters, administers halal certification, overseas zakat or tithe collection and distribution, among others. Problems that arise in relation to madrasah curriculum should not, in one go, strip MUIS of all its credibility. We have to be fair in our judgement. The madrasah issue can be dealt with separately. Notwithstanding that, MUIS had announced that it would form an Asatizah Group - asatizah is the plural of ustaz or religious teachers - including religious teachers outside MUIS, to discuss contemporary issues facing Islam and to help the self-monitoring process. This announcement was published in the Berita Harian on 16th January 2003. In this respect, Sir, I refer to a statement made by Pergas, referred to by my colleague, Mayor Othman, just now, which was published also in the Berita Harian of 16th January. The statement was in the Malay language. In the statement, Pergas reiterates its commitment to maintain peace in our multi-religious country. It states that monitoring religious education is a concern of Pergas and MUIS. If further added at paragraph 17, "our efforts - "our" meaning Pergas' efforts - to strengthen cooperation with MUIS shall continue." Sir, the Muslim community, either by itself, or through MUIS, Pergas or other organisations, shows the resolve and resources to carry out this delicate task of self-monitoring. There is yet another concern, in spite of numerous assurances to the contrary, whether the religion of Islam itself is the cause of the problem. This worry was given prominent airing recently in the Straits Times dated 15th January in a commentary by Ms Chua Lee Hoong.”
“Sir, pursuant to this White Paper, the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs had announced the prime role of MUIS, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, to carry out the self-monitoring effort. Some people have raised the concern whether MUIS has the capability to carry out the self-monitoring. The issue here is whether MUIS has the credibility to ensure compliance. A letter published on 14th January 2003 in the Forum page of the Straits Times stated "MUIS already faces a credibility problem". The writer there stated that this was noted in an earlier article by Mr Mafoot Simon in the Straits Times on 12th January. It was said that since not all madrasahs follow the MUIS curriculum, it shows that MUIS lacks credibility. Mr Speaker, Sir, no institution can claim to have complete adherence from all its constituents. The real issue here is whether it has enough credibility to carry out its task effectively. Section 3(2) of the Administration of Muslim Law Act provides, among others, that it shall be the function and duty of MUIS to advise the President of Singapore in matters relating to the Muslim religion in Singapore; to administer matters relating to the Muslim religion and Muslims in Singapore; and to administer all mosques and Muslim religious schools in Singapore. Sir, MUIS has the legitimacy and authority in law to perform the duty to self-monitor religious teachings. No other organisation has an equal status. The appointment to the MUIS Council is through a careful process as stipulated in section 7 of the Act. Efforts are also made to ensure wide representation of the Muslim public. MUIS Councils over the years usually comprise respected community leaders and organisation leaders.”
“Some people question, Sir, whether the community would be up to its task. This question springs from two assumptions. One, that the Muslim community may not have the resources; and two, that the Muslim community may not be firm enough to deal with errant followers for fear of antagonising the greater Muslim community in Singapore and other parts of the world. As regards resources, it is not the duty of the Muslim community to deal with the whole terrorism threat. Self-monitoring is only one of three pieces in the full picture. Seen in that perspective, the resources required of the community is not so formidable. I am convinced, Sir, that the Muslim community would be resolute in its task. Since the first arrests, members of the community had declared openly their rejection of the JI and terrorism. The most significant, perhaps, was the stand made by 127 Muslim organisations, who unequivocally rejected the JI and terrorism a few months ago. The Muslim community finds it in their interest to safeguard itself against elements similar to the JI, cuckoo birds included. If it has to do with stricter self-monitoring, it would do so with genuine vigour. Further, Sir, the Muslim community has received the moral support of the other communities to act firmly. Recently, the committee to look into a proposed Religious Harmony Code met leaders from various religious groups, as mentioned by my colleague, Dr Ong, just now. Generally, all groups agree that there is a need to ensure that religious enthusiasm does not get out of hand and grow into bigotry or extremism. This concern is shared by all religious groups and not just by the Muslims. As such, the efforts by the Muslim community would be complemented by similar efforts made by other religious groups.”