Ibrahim bin Othman
Singapore
“Sir, the Minister has explained in his speech just now about the setting up of sports schools. As such, I will not be speaking on the next amendment. The sum of $378,227,160 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $231,562,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.”
“Sir, I wish to seek clarification from the Minister. With regard to the annual Haj festival where we sacrifice sheep and cows in the mosques, which we do it annually, and I think mosque committees get special permission from the Ministry, would this practice be continued?”
“It may not be the ideal, but it is, I believe, a workable one given the constraints facing the Muslims here. Let us work together in providing justice to thousands of Muslim men and women who are in real need of our urgent attention and, to quote the Minister, if they queue up the length could be from the MCD Building down to Toa Payoh.”
“Sir, is it true that pilgrims have to pay between $600-$1,000 for theses visas outside Singapore? And do we consider the amount paid as a form of corruption? If it is so, can we take action against the travel agents who are involved in bringing pilgrims who got their visas from outside Singapore?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JJ 3100. (In Malay): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Muslim Affairs regarding the explanation on the announcement that he has made on the Marriage Development Unit.”
“Sir, because of time, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $295,941,750 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $184,188,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head E -”
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“Sir, I thank the Minister for his explanation and beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JJ 3100. MUIS is managing many wakaf properties. These properties include mosques, lands, houses, apartments and commercial premises. Some of these wakaf properties have the potential for redevelopment and thus would generate better income for the beneficiaries. At present, the management of these wakaf properties is under a small department within MUIS. I wish to ask the Minister whether MUIS has any plans to privatise this department so that they could perform better, especially in the process of redeveloping their wakaf properties so that they can get better returns because some of these wakaf properties have the potential to get better returns. I am also made to understand that an established management company was awarded a three-year contract to manage MUIS properties. Perhaps, MUIS could also get advice from this company on how to privatise this department. Next, I wish to seek some clarification with regard to the Mosque Building Programme. We are now in the third phase of the Mosque Building Programme. I wish to ask the Minister to give an update on Phase III of the Mosque Building Programme. At the same time, I also wish to ask the Minister whether MUIS has decided on the number of mosques to be built under Phase IV. Apart from the number of mosques to be built, where will the locations of these mosques be?”
“Sir, Parliament recently passed the Health Promotion Board Bill. With the formation of a new statutory board, ie, the Health Promotion Board, Singaporeans can look forward to a more focused, integrated and concentrated approach for better health outcomes. The Board will spearhead health education, promotion and prevention programmes to overcome health problems in children, adults and the elderly. 2.45 pm Sir, one of the functions of the Board is to provide medical, dental, health screening and immunisation services to school children and all other persons. I believe this is a good move by the MOH because they can monitor the medical history of all Singaporeans. I wish to ask the Minister whether the Ministry could set up a central registry of all the medical records of all Singaporeans from birth until they reach old age. This move will allow Singaporeans to know more about their medical history. They can also provide this medical history to their respective doctors who are treating them. This may save them time and perhaps cost while getting treatment for their present illnesses. The doctors can also advise them to maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent their previous illnesses from recurring again. I hope the Minister could comment on these points.”
“It went on with maturity, clarity and honesty. In this dialogue, the Malay community has been urged to immediately participate in this integration process. In my view, this has already happened where the majority of the Malay community have already been together with the other communities in their daily lives, whether in the housing estates, in their workplaces, in schools and also at public places. Therefore, the issue of the Malay community wanting to isolate themselves from the other communities should not arise. What has emerged now is in respect of the identity of the Malays who are Islam by religion, especially the attire of covering the aurat, halal food, payment of zakat, and performing their religious obligations like the Haj. The Singapore community should understand that these aspects are obligations which have to be performed by the Malay/Muslim community. They should understand this much earlier to bring about a more understanding and cohesive community. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, I support the policies of the Finance Minister in his Budget speech, but I hope more funds will be given to improve or step up the cohesion of our multi-racial community.”
“The Government may give a grant of up to $1 billion to the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund, so that the people will be able to attend these courses. The same will apply to the ITE and polytechnic buildings which can be used for technical upgrading courses that can lift the educational standards of our workers to NTC certificates, diploma or higher. Our schools and educational institutions are run based on meritocracy and multi-racialism. Students compete among themselves to achieve the best in education. The process of multi-racial nation building is also being carried out actively among the young. They interact comfortably in the classrooms and other co-curricular activities in schools. Although there are situations of grouping of the majority race in a few special schools meant for specific purposes, on the whole, our schools reflect the multi-racialism of education in Singapore. This process enables us to educate our young with good values such as the concept of multi-racialism to guarantee the stability of our society in the future. We can say that the process of integration in a multi-racial society has been going on well in our schools. In respect of integration, I hope this integration process will be carried out smoothly in our housing estates and the work places or in the SAF. We hope one day no question will be raised regarding the issue of loyalty or the contribution of one community towards our sovereign country. Recently, if we had followed the development in Singapore, the issue of loyalty and the participation of the Malay community in SAF has become a topic for dialogue between the Senior Minister and the Malay/Muslim community leaders. A few young Ministers also attended. I feel that this dialogue is very effective.”
“The contribution of $500 million to the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund is also for such a purpose. We are urging the people to upgrade themselves with skills and knowledge throughout their life to meet the challenges of the KBE era. I fully support the Government's emphasis on education. The upgrading of our people is the only way to improve our economy. Therefore, we should nurture the attitude of lifelong learning among our people. We should emphasise among them that education is a continuing process from cradle to grave. With lifelong learning, every person will be able to follow the development, especially in science and technology, and they will not be left behind. Mr Speaker, I also notice that out of $6.3 billion allotted for education, $1.4 billion is for the development estimates. This amount is to build facilities such as schools and other institutes of education. In view of the high cost of building educational infrastructure, I think the Fund should be wisely spent. What we understand now is that many schools are not used at night. I hope that the Government will encourage other educational agencies to use these schools to educate workers who do not have a high education. We know that many workers who are 40 years and above do not have secondary education, up to 'O' level. Therefore, we could use these schools to teach important subjects like English, Mathematics and Science, up to 'O' level, for these workers whom I have mentioned earlier. For the others, they could also pursue upgrading courses which are below GCE 'O' level, ie, `N' level. If these schools are open at night, the workers who live in the housing estates could spare some time, maybe three times a week, to pursue such courses.”
“But what is of concern to them is the business cost, such as transportation, payment of levies to the Government, workers' wages and rentals. Therefore, the Government should assist by ensuring that these costs of business will not rise rapidly. It is no point to have all the tax cuts when our companies cannot make profits. I hope the Minister will give an assurance that the Government will take steps to control business costs. And I hope that with these measures taken, we will be able to attract more investments and help start-up companies to expand here. Mr Speaker, the general public, especially those who live in HDB 1- to 3-room flats welcome the rebate on utilities and service and conservancy charges. These rebates will assist them to settle their monthly bills. I welcome this measure. But I hope we should also consider other ways which are more effective to assist the lower income group in facing rising cost of living. Maybe we can give them a monthly grant to upgrade their skills, so that they will be able to secure a better job in future and maintain their families. I worry that the rebates which I treat as consumption may make them feel complacent and may lead to wastage. If a skills upgrading grant is given, I think this is in a way a long- term investment. Mr Speaker, the crux of this Budget is to prepare the people to meet the growth in the new era. Singapore has to compete with developed countries in the world market. In the knowledge-based economy (KBE) era, education, training and re-training should be emphasised all the time. Therefore, the allocation for FY2001 of $6.3 billion to the Ministry of Education is right. This is the second biggest allocation. This is to equip our students with the new economy skills.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Budget for this year can be said to be a generous Budget. With a budget surplus of $4.3 billion, the Government is able to distribute some of it to the people, to assist those in the lower and middle income group. With the personal income tax reduction, it will also reduce the burden of the taxpayers to meet the rising cost of living. The budget surplus of $4.8 billion in 1999 and $3.54 billion in the year 2000 shows that we are able to manage our economy well. It also shows the effectiveness of our measures to bring about economic growth. With the cooperation and efforts made by all parties, the Government, employers and workers, our economy has grown by 9.9% last year. It is timely that the Government should share the success of our economy with the people through rebates and tax cuts for the people. In fact, we can say that every level of the people and all sectors of the economy are getting the goodies and incentives mentioned by the Minister for Finance. The people would like to thank the Minister for Finance for this generous Budget. Mr Speaker, the Budget this year has been described by our businessmen as pro-business. The reduction of 1% to 24.5% for corporate tax for Year of Assessment 2002 is to maintain our competitiveness. It will also reduce the burden of tax by the companies. What is most interesting to me is the exemption of the income tax of 75% for the first $10,000 of income and 50% tax reduction for the next $90,000. This step will benefit the small and medium enterprises. However, businessmen are still expecting that the business cost can be further reduced to assist those who are facing slow economic growth this year. It is true that businessmen will pay reduced tax to maintain their competitiveness.”
“Next, I would like to move to the achievements of Malay students at PSLE, 'O', 'A/O' and 'A' levels. I would like to ask how many Malay students have achieved A star at PSLE and A1 in the 'O' and 'A/O' levels. I have received feedback from a number of students in the better schools in Singapore that they find difficulty in achieving excellent results, ie, A1 at 'A' and 'A/O' levels. Is this true? And what would be the comparison with the results in Mandarin and Tamil subjects? Finally, I would like to ask the Minister for Education whether excellent Malay students who achieved the top 10% or 20% will be allowed to learn Mandarin, as a third language at secondary level. I understand that they are allowed to take German, Japanese and French. I would like to suggest why not we allow them, if they want to, to learn Mandarin as well. I say this following from the steps taken by two SAP schools, as mentioned earlier by Mr Tay, ie, Chinese High School and Nanyang Girls' High School, to allow their students the opportunity to learn Malay at secondary one and two. I think this is a step ahead towards closer relations between the communities in Singapore.”
“Sir, I welcome the steps by the Ministry of Education to upgrade the learning of Malay language in schools. I am very impressed by the policy of the Ministry of Education to allow every Malay to study Malay language all the time and also to the highest level that he is capable of. Having reached the objective of ensuring that Malay students are taught effectively, we have to give focus on the standard of the Malay language among our students. Often, we find and we meet our Malay students who speak Malay in poor syntax. The syntax is based on English. Often, their speeches are mixed with English words. If we want to upgrade the standard of our Malay language, it is important that we take firm action to draw up good teaching programmes so that we can produce students who have a high proficiency in Malay. These are the students who will be taking Malay at a higher level from primary five to university. Sir, language is the spirit of the people and language reflects the identity of the people and community. The language is to channel our heritage to the next generation. So it is very important for us to focus on our young students so that they can learn Malay at a higher standard. I would like to ask the Minister for Education what are his plans to upgrade the learning of the Malay language in the schools. Sir, the Ministry of Education will be conducting a programme to develop talent called MAS or gold glitters. We hope that the talents will glitter and this will start in the Bukit Panjang High School next year. If this plan succeeds, I would like to ask whether this plan can also be conducted in other schools in the eastern part of Singapore, because there are many Malay students living in the eastern area.”
“Sir, the Minister has explained in his speech just now about the setting up of sports schools. As such, I will not be speaking on the next amendment. The sum of $378,227,160 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $231,562,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his explanation and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Development Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JC 5100. Sir, the Syariah Court has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to divorce, custody, maintenance and division of matrimonial property where the parties are Muslims or were married according to Muslim law. With the amendments to the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) in 1999, the Syariah Court has been conferred additional powers that will make it more efficient and effective in administering justice to Muslims in family matters. After more than a year, I would like to ask the Minister whether he could give us an update on the performance of the Syariah Court. During the sittings of the Select Committee on the AMLA amendments, there were reservations on the amendments. One of them is that they are afraid that more Muslims would turn to civil courts when they should be going to the Syariah Court. The other is that the civil law applied by the civil courts may contradict Syariah law. I wish to ask the Minister whether these reservations are valid. Specifically, I wish to ask how many Muslim couples have gone to the civil court to settle their matrimonial problems.”
“Sir, I share the views of my GPC Chairman, Mr Bernard Chen. However, I wish to focus on our nurses in the health service. Nurses play a very important role in the care of patients in our hospitals. They are constantly in direct contact with patients. If we visit our hospitals nowadays, we find that there is a big percentage of nurses who are foreigners, especially from the Philippines, China and even some from the advanced countries. I believe these foreign nurses are taken into our service due to the shortage of our locals wanting to become nurses. I hope the Minister can enlighten us on the reasons for the lack of Singaporeans who are keen to be nurses. What steps is the Ministry taking to attract more young Singaporeans to take up nursing as a career? Sir, in 1998, there were a total of 15,568 nurses and midwives registered with the Singapore Nursing Board. However, almost 20% or 3,060 of them are not in active practice. I think it is such a waste because almost one-fifth of them are not practising their skills that they have learned during their training to be nurses and midwives. I hope the Ministry can do something to attract these nurses not in active practice to come back and serve our health service. Finally, Sir, according to the national health manpower to population, the ratio for nurses is about one to 250. I wish to ask the Minister whether there are plans to improve this ratio, bearing in the mind the higher standard of living in Singapore.”
“Are the Government agencies giving them assistance to facilitate their move to their new homes? Sir, the very generous offer by the Government to the 79 beneficiaries of the late Sultan Hussain is much appreciated. Apart from receiving monetary payments, tenants of Istana Kampong Glam who are eligible would be getting their own flats and be able to live in a better environment as compared to their living environment now. But above all, the most important aspect is the noble intention of the Government to establish a Malay Heritage Centre at Istana Kampong Glam. This Heritage Centre will portray the Malay culture, arts, history, traditions and everything that is related to the Malays in Singapore. I am sure the future generation will be able to gather more information with regard to the Malays, including the Malay Sultanate, before the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. Sir, the Malays are proud of the history of the Malay Sultanate in Singapore. However, that era is now part of our history. The Malays now look towards the future with confidence in a meritocratic Singapore. While some hearts still hold for the golden past, the Malays are now more realistic and want to move along with the mainstream to face the challenges of the new millennium. Sir, I support this Bill as it will benefit not only the Malays but, most importantly, all races in Singapore because the Malay Heritage Centre shall be a part of the heritage of a multi-racial Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, like my colleagues, I wish to seek clarification from the Minister in regard to the legal status of the land at Istana Kampong Glam. Just now, in his speech, the Minister has confirmed that it is State land since 1897. The question is: if it is State land, why is it that the Government is providing annual payments of monies to the beneficiaries of the late Sultan Hussain? Are there avenues for these beneficiaries to claim that the land belongs to them and not to the Government? Are there any attempts by them, through legal channels, to stake their claims? Sir, I ask all these questions because there have been some statements made by some beneficiaries, as reported in the foreign media, that the land still belongs to them and that the Singapore Government suddenly confiscated Istana Kampong Glam and chased out about 300 residents. Next, Sir, I wish to ask the Government's stand with regard to the distorted reports from the foreign media, as mentioned by my colleagues just now. There have been many mischievous reports from the foreign media accusing the Government of trying to erase the last symbol of the Malay Sultanate in Singapore and also to erase the history of the Malays in Singapore. This statement is very mischievous. My question is: what is the Government going to do to correct this distorted picture? Personally, I strongly object to the interference from the foreign media with regard to our local matters, especially pertaining to the Malays in Singapore. The examples given by Mr Yatiman in his speech is a clear move by some foreign media to meddle in our internal affairs. Finally, Sir, I wish to ask the Minister about the progress on the resettlement process of the tenants of Istana Kampong Glam.”
“Sir, what about those present beneficiaries who do not want to take the lump sum? Will they draw that sum after 30 years?”
“To me, the move by the Ministry of Education today to place the top Malay students in 12 of the best schools such as Raffles Institution, RGS, Tanjong Katong, Cedar and Victoria Schools, and so on, is a wise move. And I feel that if there are 30% of the top Malay students, the number will be about 500. Certainly, the number of schools allocated will be increased. At these schools, they will be able to compete with students from other races of equal calibre and maybe even better. So they will have the opportunity to study and interact with other races. We can expect this group of students, who will be scholars of the community, to be the professionals who will be the pride of the Malay community in future. I would like to propose that the Ministry provide additional teachers to teach Higher Malay (HML) in these schools. These schools will not only be able to teach Higher Malay and also outside the curriculum hours, they can introduce the Malay students to the culture, literature and heritage of the Malay community. In this way, we will ensure a group of Malay scholars who will be the role models of the younger generation. I hope the Minister could give consideration to these proposals.”
“Sir, I wish to declare my interest. I am a teacher. Sir, the learning of the mother tongue has been made compulsory for students in all schools. Proficiency in the mother tongue will enable our students to inherit the culture of this community from the older generation. Recently, the Ministry of Education has decided to allow more Malay students to study Malay at Higher Malay level (HML) in secondary schools. This is most welcome by the Malay community. Today, 30% of the best Malay students at PSLE are allowed to take HML. More Malay students will have the opportunity to study Higher Malay at Secondary One level. Sir, in view of the increasing number of students, I would like to ask if the Ministry of Education has provided competent teachers to teach Higher Malay effectively. Following that move, I would like to ask if Higher Malay will continue to be taught at Junior College and whether Malay Studies in the National University of Singapore can be taught at Honours level. Sir, the Malay community needs students who are proficient in Malay who would take over from the current specialists in Malay such as Cikgu Mohamed Arif, Cikgu Masuri, Cikgu Suratman, and so on. I would like to ask the Minister for Education if the Ministry of Education will set up a committee to study the teaching and learning of Malay language in Singapore. This committee, I feel, will be able to make a study as to whether the Malay community wants an SAP school for Malay students or not. In my view, we do not need a SAP school for Malay students. What has happened to the two well-known Malay schools, ie, Sang Nila Utama and Tun Sri Lanang Secondary Schools, will be a lesson for our community.”
“Sir, since time is running short, I would just like to ask the Minister to give an update on the activities of the Family Development Unit of Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura.”
“Sir, the population in Singapore is ageing. One in five Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above in the year 2030. Medical care and other welfare problems of the elderly will become a heavy burden to us. As such, all Singaporeans must give some thought to this future problem. The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Healthcare for the Elderly has come out with a long list of recommendations for Singaporeans to take note of. One important recommendation urges the Ministry of Health to develop a geriatric screening protocol to detect medical problems such as hypertension and diabetes very early. This, I believe, can prevent complications and disability among the elderly. The MOH should therefore quickly draw up a comprehensive screening programme for citizens who are 55 years and above. This programme, I believe, must be made compulsory and should involve all doctors at our polyclinics and private GPs all over Singapore. The frequency of screening can be carried out once a year, and for those above 65, perhaps they should go for screening twice a year. 2.45 pm An important consideration in this programme is the cost of the screening process. It should be reasonable enough to enable our senior citizens to afford it. I am sure with a standardised health screening, the cost could be as low as possible so they could reach out to all our senior citizens. MOH could cooperate with all our Community Development Councils to share the burden of the cost. I hope that MOH will consider the above points and I wish to ask the Minister how soon can MOH start the screening programme for the elderly.”
“Sir, I wish to seek clarification from the Minister. With regard to the annual Haj festival where we sacrifice sheep and cows in the mosques, which we do it annually, and I think mosque committees get special permission from the Ministry, would this practice be continued? Can I get the assurance from the Minister that they will get special permission for that ceremony?”
“It may not be the ideal, but it is, I believe, a workable one given the constraints facing the Muslims here. Let us work together in providing justice to thousands of Muslim men and women who are in real need of our urgent attention and, to quote the Minister, if they queue up the length could be from the MCD Building down to Toa Payoh. It is in this context, Sir, that I am happy to learn and fully support the Bill to be committed to a Select Committee. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Sir, the reason why I dwell at length on the experience of Muslims in other countries is none other than to emphasise that there are many ways of implementing the Syariah laws and, as the saying goes, there are many roads to Rome. What is important is that we have to be creative in deploying selective elements of Islamic traditions, combined with ideas, techniques, institutions and facilities of the present and recent past to cope with the specially modern predicament: political, social, economic and cultural issues that emerged as a result of the changes that have affected the world. Thirdly, let me ask this question. Do the amendments proposed by the Minister take away or in any manner deprive the Muslims of their rightful choice for the avenue to seek for justice? The answer is no. The amendments give the Muslims the right to exercise their free will. The control is entirely within the Muslim community themselves. Finally, individual justice can never be fully satisfied within the condition of existence. We can follow all Islamic rules that, in their ultimate result, should provide us with the "happiness in both worlds". Moreover, we can follow other norms: medical, social, moral, but, because of the entanglement of fate or historical accident, we face a situation which places us under persistent "emergency" or abnormal condition. This we must understand and accept and find solutions to our problems within this context. The challenge facing us is how to combine or reconcile Islamic law, Syariah, with the regulation of contemporary public and private matters. Given that Islam does not constitute a monolithic entity and not all Islamic countries or communities apply similar solution to their problems, the Bill, to me, is the solution currently available to us.”
“Hence, all jurisdiction on matters pertaining to the resolution of post-divorce issues falls under the Civil Courts or enforced under the civil power. The Civil laws in Egypt are based on written laws issued in the late 1920s and formulated from Islamic law and Islamic jurisprudence. In India, I was informed that the Syariah Courts do not exist. However, India does not have a uniform civil code. There is a statute called "Sharia Act". When Muslims appear in a Civil Court (on divorce matters), the judgement on the cases is based on Syariah laws through the application of the "Sharia Act". They could appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, which will review their cases according to the Syariah laws. In Indonesia, the Religious Court (this is the term used for the Syariah Court in Indonesia) is not the supreme body over the religious and Syariah laws. Chapter 1, Articles 1 and 2 of the Indonesian Laws No. 7/1989 on Religious Court state that the Religious Court is the judicial body for Muslims in certain civil cases as determined under Chapter III, Article 49. The areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Religious Court in Indonesia are those pertaining to marriage; inheritance, wills, and grants based on Islamic laws; and property donated for religious or community use as charity or wakaf. The Religious Court co-exists with Civil Courts. The Civil Courts enjoy the same position as the Religious Court and each has its own judicial authority. In Indonesia, there are four judicial bodies. They are Civil Court, Religious Court, Military Court and State Administrative Court. The administrative, organisational and financial responsibilities of each of these Courts come under the respective Ministries although they are established under the Supreme Court.”
“Sir, the nation's legal system gains its great reputation through similar evolutionary process. Rome was not built in a day. We need to be patient. Second, experience in other countries in which Muslims form either the majority or minority population showed that Syariah or Religious Courts can take varied forms and exist in tandem or side by side with the secular legal system of the respective countries. I was informed that, in Pakistan, the Syariah Courts do not enjoy the position as the supreme body over the Syariah laws. The Pakistani Supreme Court is the supreme body over both the Civil and Syariah Courts. The Civil Courts and Syariah Courts exist in parallel and the Syariah Courts in Pakistan have given the Civil Courts concurrent jurisdiction on matters pertaining to the resolution of post-divorce issues. Of course, Islamic law is the law of the land in Pakistan. In Malaysia, according to the Information Malaysia 1998 Yearbook, prior to 1988, some cases involving Muslims could be heard by the secular courts. In 1988, Article 121 of the Constitution was amended so that the secular courts of Malaysia no longer have any jurisdiction over any matters within the jurisdiction of the Syariah Courts. In Egypt, according to a former Egyptian High Court Chief Justice, there are no separate Syariah Courts in Egypt. All Syariah Courts were subsumed under the Civil Courts since 1955. The Civil Courts in Egypt comprise district governorate and higher appeal courts. Presently, Civil Courts are divided into chambers that deal with civil, commercial and personal status matters separately. The chamber of personal status administers the Syariah laws.”
“The Minister is absolutely correct in using the analogy of a drowning person. In other words, the amendments are meant to tackle problems in an emergency situation. I wish to add a number of reasons to this. First, even in a non-emergency situation, experience in law-making process or process of legislation in many countries showed that the process is often an evolutionary one. Singapore is of no exception. In our case, despite its origin and historical roots, Islam has grown up in an independent country. This being the case, it has to embody this society in itself, and has to order, encourage and promote it. It has to regulate order and regulate this society, adopting its principles and its spirit. We are fully aware that the theological beliefs of Islam are not divorced in nature, or in objective, from the day-to-day life of the Muslims. In fact, the way we conduct our day-to-day life reflects the belief and the customs of the Muslims vis-a-vis a multi-racial environment. The amendments, therefore, should be seen as part of this evolutionary process. As the circumstances change and new demands arise, just like other laws, it will be improved, strengthened and even changed. In my view, the concurrent jurisdiction is a transitional arrangement and therefore is acceptable. Can we not achieve the "ideal" state and have the Syariah Court that is seen as the supreme governing body over the Syariah law? The answer is, it is not impossible, but it takes a long time. For the time being, we have to do what is practicable, while we strengthen the Syariah Court's staffing and administrative capabilities so that they can carry the heavier and more complex responsibilities of the future.”
“Sir, there could be several reasons why public reactions have been such. The Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) had been introduced about 30 years ago. Since its introduction, one generation had passed by. New problems and challenges had emerged. The Muslim community had undergone major change. The expectation of the community had increased. Better education and higher standard of living had fueled their confidence. Thus, when the proposed amendments were made known to them, they aspire for more. They want the Syariah Court to be the supreme governing body over Syariah laws. They want this position to be safeguarded. Mr Deputy Speaker, their reaction is understandable and, as a Muslim, I share their concern. But what we need to do is to take into account the circumstances in which the amendments are introduced in this House. However, before going into this, Sir, we need to view the amendments in its entirety. The Bill seeks to amend AMLA (Chapter 3). Apart from conferring concurrent jurisdiction on the Civil Courts and the Syariah Court in certain matters, it also extends the function of Majlis Ugama Islam, Singapura, extends the powers of the Syariah Court, deals with halal certification, haj matters and the teaching of false doctrine. The overall objective is to have a stronger and a more effective MUIS and to enhance the power of the Syariah Court. It is my belief that with these amendments, and given the strong resolve of the Muslims in Singapore, we can be better prepared to enter the new millennium. Sir, let me now move into the amendments involving the Syariah Court. Why does the Government choose to have a concurrent jurisdiction? This is the question lingering in the minds of the Muslims.”
“As the amendment to AMLA must be done in the spirit of consultation within the Muslim community, I support that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Information and the Arts (Encik Yatiman Yusof): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the motion made in the name of the Minister for Community Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Mr Abdullah Tarmugi. Mr Deputy Speaker, in 1995, as the Minister had earlier stated in his speech, the High Court ruled that the Muslims involved in matrimonial case could not seek a declaration from the Court of Appeal. Then, the following year the High Court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to hear custody and maintenance cases involving Muslim children. Since then, there has been a backlog of cases. The number is about 200 cases per month or 2,000 cases per year. The problem of dysfunctional families and the increase in divorce cases is not peculiar to the Muslim community in Singapore. Other communities too experience it. However, the problem for the Muslims had been compounded by the fact that the Syariah Court could not handle the volume. Prior to this, the Subordinate Courts had been helpful in clearing the backlog. The Subordinate Courts took the view that there were conflicting decisions and took the cases. Now, following the High Court's ruling, this is not possible. The question is: what shall we do? The amendment of AMLA is intended, inter-alia, to solve this urgent problem which is growing day by day, apart from strengthening the Muslim Religious Council (MUIS). It is unfortunate that public reactions tend to focus on the independent and non-concurrent jurisdiction of the Syariah Court.”
“Sir, I would like to move on to the role of MUIS in the management of mosques and madrasahs (religious schools) in Singapore. The Muslim community generally welcomes the step taken by MUIS to encourage mosques to display their accounts to the congregation and this will enable the congregation and other philanthropists to know the true financial position of the mosques. Mosque officials appointed by MUIS must be suitably qualified residents who would therefore be able to carry out their duties more effectively. The plan by MUIS to employ a permanent full time administrator for every mosque is appropriate in the effort to enhance the status of the mosque as a corporate body. In the management of the religious schools, MUIS must make a decision on the structure or form of our madrasahs. The original aim of the madrasahs, as we know, is to provide indepth knowledge on Islam and for us to provide the scholars of the future. Today, more parents are sending their children to study in full-time madrasahs. Therefore, there is now a group of our children who miss the chance of undergoing education in regular schools which are, of course, of higher quality. They also miss the opportunity to mix with children of other communities. Is this trend good for the community and country? That is the question that we must consider. Can the madrasah graduates contribute to the economy of the country and can our children gain the quality education in madrasah? Sir, the Muslim community must find the answers to these questions and decide on the appropriate madrasah system for our children. Hence, as parents, we are responsible for our children and we want our children to be pious Muslims and good citizens who can contribute to the country later.”
“They are fearful that the Islamic law will not be given consideration in determining the solution of these cases. Sir, the question of Muslim couples resolving maintenance and custody matters in the civil court is not a new matter. For a long time, many Muslim women have gone to the civil courts to obtain maintenance from their husbands. Similarly, with custody. After divorce, they have accepted the decision of the Civil Court. This clearly shows that the Syariah Court and the Civil Court have been able together to play a role in the management of the problems of Muslim couples. As Muslims are also subject to the law of the State, they cannot be prevented from seeking justice from the Civil Court. I support the move to enable Muslim couples to seek resolution in the Civil Court in the matter of custody, maintenance and division of property if this does not contravene the Islamic law. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Muslim Affairs if there are any decisions of the Civil Courts so far that have been in conflict with Islamic law. If there are any, I believe it is the duty of the Syariah Court to advise Muslim couples that they should not seek the solution of their matrimonial matters in the Civil Court. Of course, the appropriate action would be for the Syariah Court to be strengthened with qualified officials who will be able to resolve their problems quickly. I would also like to know what is the position of the Mufti and the members of the Fatwa Committee on having matters resolved in the Civil Court. If the Syariah Court currently is not able to perform its duty in resolving the problems of Muslim couples effectively and quickly, could that be made an excuse for going to the Civil Court? I think this must be explained more carefully.”
“To be a more effective corporate body in carrying out its responsibilities, MUIS must attract more young talents to conduct its programmes. The professionals working in MUIS will then be able to lead the community so that it will rise above the challenges, especially when we approach the new millennium. In relation to the Syariah Court, I support the amendment to section 35 where the President of the Republic of Singapore can appoint more than one President of the Syariah Court. The measure to have more than one President in the Syariah Court will alleviate the existing burden of the President of the Syariah Court. I am sure there are many more cases that can be quickly resolved in the Syariah Court. By virtue of new section 35, the position of the Syariah Court will be enhanced as a legal institution of equal status with the Civil Court in resolving divorce cases among Muslim couples. Sir, I agree with the additional powers to be granted to the Syariah Court. Among them is the proxy power where the President of the Syariah Court can sign documents of transfer of property on behalf of those who refused to do so. There is also the enforcement of orders where the Syariah Court can impose a penalty against those who refuse to comply with its orders. With these amendments and having capable staff, I think the Syariah Court will be able to perform its duties fully and resolve the family disputes of the Muslim community more effectively in future. But there are some quarters in the community which are concerned about new sections 35A and 35B allowing divorced Muslim couples to choose the civil law for the determination of custody, maintenance and division of matrimonial properties.”
“Sir, I rise in support of this Bill. Since it was enacted more than 30 years ago, AMLA has fulfilled the needs of the Muslim community in Singapore. With AMLA, the Muslim community has been able to live comfortably and is able to progress together with others in Singapore. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 5.20 pm Our success in building modern mosques, religious schools, raising funds to be distributed to different groups, development of wakaf land, clearly shows the effectiveness of AMLA in bringing the community to a higher status. The question now is this: is AMLA able to continue to fulfil the aspirations of the Muslim community in facing future challenges? I think the amendments can be said to be a positive and progressive step in assisting the Muslim community to face future challenges. We must realize that the Muslim community is a minority in Singapore. Like other communities, we are subject to all the laws enacted in Parliament. Although our country is based on a secular system, the Muslim community is fortunate because AMLA has been created specifically for the Muslim community looking after us in the practice of Islam. We must ensure that AMLA does not make our community to be alienated from the lives of the larger multi-racial community in Singapore. The amendment to AMLA this time is rather comprehensive and reflects the practical approach of the Muslim community in a plural and secular society in Singapore. Sir, the amendment to section 3 gives a clear provision on the functions and role of the Muslim Religious Council of Singapore. MUIS, as the body responsible for Islamic affairs, will have wider powers and need therefore to raise its service to be more effective.”
“Sir, I join my Chairman in commending the School Health Service for having a very good and comprehensive health programme for our students in schools. The major types of health programmes, namely, health screening, immunisation programme and health education ensure that our school children are well looked after and they grow up to become healthy citizens. Sir, presently, our school children undergo screening at Primary 1, Primary 6 and Secondary 4. These health screenings assess their nutritional status, their growth and development, their vision and any other health problems. These assessments, I believe, are very useful, as we can detect early any health problems faced by our children, and thereafter we can take remedial measures. I wish to ask the Minister whether the Ministry has any plans to conduct yearly health screening for our school children. If not, could the Ministry perhaps consider having additional screening at these Primary 3 and Primary 4 levels and also at Secondary 2. Sir, one of the health problems amongst children is myopia. I wish to ask the Minister whether the Ministry has any health education programme to advise our children on myopia so as to prevent more of them becoming myopic. Further, Sir, I wish to ask the Minister whether the School Health Service screens students in our junior colleges and institutes of technical education. If not, could the programme be extended to them too?”
“Sir, is it true that pilgrims have to pay between $600-$1,000 for theses visas outside Singapore? And do we consider the amount paid as a form of corruption? If it is so, can we take action against the travel agents who are involved in bringing pilgrims who got their visas from outside Singapore?”
“Sir, because of time, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $295,941,750 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $184,188,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head E -”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JJ 3100. (In Malay): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Muslim Affairs regarding the explanation on the announcement that he has made on the Marriage Development Unit. My question is when will it be implemented. Secondly, can this Unit assist in strengthening the family values? I think this is an important issue, because the Unit's role is not only to reduce divorces or to help graduates to get married, but what is more important is the strengthening of family values. Thirdly, the Unit should not only provide assistance to graduates but extend its assistance to all unmarried males and females.”
“Sir, I think there is no time. Can I move on to Amendment No. (6) on MUIS? The Chairman: Yes. We have two minutes left. Can you raise your question quickly?”
“I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $964,551,940 for Head P ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $299,753,600 for Head P ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head R -”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head P of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code PE 1500. Sir, I wish to ask the Minister a question in regard to the increase in the number of attendance at the outpatient polyclinics and whether there will be a corresponding increase in the number of doctors treating them. May I also ask what is the average number of patients seen by each doctor daily and what is the average time for consultation for each case. What is the waiting time for each patient before he gets to see the doctor at the outpatient polyclinics?”
“I thank the Senior Minister for State for her explanation and beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“How can we make this matter more equitable for those who have paid the $200 and those who have not paid the $200 administrative fee? Will they receive the same treatment? Mr Abdullah Tarmugi(In Malay): Mr Speaker, if possible, I will discuss this matter further during the debate in the Committee of Supply.”
“Can I ask the Minister what is MUIS' stand on the group of pilgrims who went to the haj not through MUIS and whether MUIS intends to collect the same administrative fee of $200 from them? If not, what is MUIS' stand on these pilgrims if they were to seek help or services from the various doctors and welfare officers while they are in Makkah?”
“Sir, could the Minister of State then consider allowing traffic that goes towards Changi Airport in the morning to use the CTE and PIE without payment because it does not cause congestion in the morning?”
“Sir, could the Minister of State consider taking away one gantry point near Toa Payoh at the Central Expressway (CTE) so as not to make things difficult for residents who want to use the PIE to go to Changi Airport in the morning?”
“In that case, could Mendaki consider favourably applicants whose family income is more than $3,000 and who are not qualified for this scheme so that they could be given the subsidy if they have, say, a few children who are in university or school?”
“Sir, could the Minister get Mendaki to consider, on a per capita basis, the number of children that is going to university? Would the Minister agree that a family with one child in the university and earning, say, $2,999 a month, is better off when compared to a family whose income is more than $3,000 but has, say, five school-going children? Would the Minister please comment on that?”
“I thank the Minister for his assurance and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head J of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code JI 3100. Sir, as part of the Government's healthy lifestyle campaign effort, the Singapore Sports Council launched the Delta Sports Complex (DSC) membership project in November 1992. This pilot project aims to promote sports and recreation amongst residents living within the vicinity and maximise the utilisation of all facilities available within the Sports Complex. The project also provides opportunities for grassroots leaders and volunteers to manage and coordinate the activities within the Complex. It has become the operational base for sports promotion whereby several neighbourhood constituencies, sports clubs are grouped under one central sports complex. It has been more than three years since the launch of the DSC. I wish to ask the Minister on the effectiveness of the project and maybe he could provide figures on the usage of all the facilities and whether it is in line with the Sports-for-All policy. I would also like to find out whether the Ministry has plans to extend the project to other parts of Singapore, in particular, in Bishan.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his answer and beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $301,865,470 for Head M ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $542,654,000 for Head M ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head J -”