Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman
Singapore
“Just a quick response to the question on JKJU. Indeed, we continue to pay attention to the health of the Malay/Muslim community. I mentioned earlier while we have been making progress, there have been some areas that we continue to want to improve on, particularly, increasing in our rates of participation in signing up for Healthier SG, p…”
“00 pm (In English): Mr Chairman, beyond our shores or closer to home, efforts like M3's Aid for Gaza and our initiatives for local communities in the M3@Towns show how our acts of care and contribution, as donors or volunteers, and how we can connect with one another to do so, can make a difference to those around us.”
“The other dimension is that having Dian ambassadors help with the cultural dimension, because not all family coaches from ComLink necessarily understand the dynamics of Malay culture, the nuances, and so the Dian ambassadors help them and tell them that these are the ways in which we can connect with Malay families in a manner that will g…”
“This will also mitigate the impulse to normalise or chase the extremes in the contest to circulate ever more startling videos and content. While firm actions will be taken to address the parties involved in each incident, the school will also use the opportunity as a teaching moment for all its students.”
“Sir, I agree with the Member that we have to strike a balance. We cannot just swing one way or the other. Just to assure the Member that MOE did commission a National Institute of Education study – it was a two-year study which was commissioned in September 2022, but it is not completed yet.”
“Mr Speaker, the short answer is yes. We welcome anyone who is keen to join the SPED sector. We know this SPED sector is a very challenging sector to be in. It requires determination. It requires passion. It is a calling.”
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“Sir, I thank the Member for his two questions. The first question is on pathways for GCE “A” Level students who have finished their GCE “A” Levels, but may not have made it to universities. Of course, we know that students who do the GCE “A” Level programme set their sights to go to university but some do not make it. What we try to do now is to offer different pathways. Some of them do decide to subsequently go into the Polytechnics and when the Polytechnics admit these students, they get some advanced standings. Some of the students who are admitted with their GCE “A” Level qualifications go straight to the second year. It really depends on the credentials that the GCE “A” Level students come in with. We are also looking at how we can develop this whole concept of micro-credentialing with our Universities. For example, SIT has started with conceptualising micro-credentialing, in which students will take modules at different points in time, during their career. The broader concept we are introducing to our students is that you do not necessarily have to see the university as your immediate end point after your GCE “A” Levels. Even those who qualify immediately do not necessarily have to go directly to the universities. We do encourage them to have a taste of the work and industry so that they have a better idea if that is indeed the field that they want to get into. So, we are working on different pathways to provide better opportunities for young people to look at skills as the more critical impetus to their future careers and therefore, when deciding on going into a particular industry, understand what kind of skills are relevant and take courses in relation to that, and then accumulate the micro-credentials, to possibly lead to a degree qualification.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as mentioned, MOE currently does not regulate private freelance tutors as these services are delivered in a wide range of settings, including informal forms of home tuition and roving home tutors. But we will be working with MHA, as I have mentioned earlier. MHA is currently reviewing it and the relevant Ministries are looking into how this screening framework for those working with children can be strengthened, including whether to make it mandatory for freelance providers of services for children to be screened for serious offences. Some of the considerations include balancing between protecting the vulnerable while providing people with second chances. So, we will come back to the House when the review is completed. But the other issue, Mr Speaker, is that we also want to encourage parents who engage these private tutors and service providers to also exercise care and due diligence, for example, not leaving the tutors and child alone behind closed doors and continue to engage their own children and the tutors, and communicating with them so that they can also ensure the safety of their children when they engage such private operators and service providers.”
“Part of the effort of helping FITRAH families will be the effort of UPLIFT, part of the effort will be under ComLink. So, the coordination effort is being worked on and, certainly, we agree that it is not just while the inmate is incarcerated, support must continue to be given even after they have been released so that they see stabilisation has been achieved while they are incarcerated. Yet, at the same time, we work towards independence and self-reliance moving forward for the incarcerated individual and their families. Community Harmony and Norms”
“Sir, I thank Ms Nadia Samdin for the supplementary question. She is absolutely right. When we work with families, like those under FITRAH, it is very complex. The structure of the families is very complex. Sometimes, you do have the father in prison, single mothers having to deal with very young children. Sometimes, you have both parents who are in prison, incarcerated and the children are under the care of grandparents, making it very complex. When we started FITRAH, it was really looking at many different dimensions. One is to ensure that the needs of the children are supported primarily by family members who are outside, because it is the stability of the children, while the parents are incarcerated, that is very critical. And stability comes in the form of ensuring that they continue to be able to go to school, they are able to get support for their socio-emotional development and everything around that concept. And that is the first part of looking after the children – to understand their socio-emotional needs, and even their economic needs. 3.30 pm At the same time, we ensure that work with the inmates continue. That is very important. And the reason why we put the framework in place is to give a very strong message to the inmates that it is a time for reflection and rehabilitation for you, too, so that when you do come out and get released, that you do make every attempt to turn over a new leaf. And this is very important because, sometimes, we do come across inmates who repeat the offences and they go back in and we want to make sure that FITRAH provides comprehensive support to prevent relapses among the inmates. On collaboration and coordination of different programmes, I assure Ms Nadia Samdin that we continue to do so.”
“With guidance from our young volunteers, seniors built their confidence in using technology by learning how to use WhatsApp, Singpass and TraceTogether app. I attended one of these sessions recently and was heartened to see the enthusiasm of both our young volunteers and our senior learners. We bridge the digital gap and the generational gap at the same time. We will be organising another edition of the M3 Forum in the first half of next year after the last session in 2020, to bring together volunteers across various towns and programmes to network and share ideas and best practices. Mr Chairman, we will continue our efforts to strengthen our programmes and outreach to targeted segments – our children, our families and the community – to build up their competencies and empower them to achieve their aspirations. This spirit of caring for one another binds us together and we will leave no one behind as we build our Community of Success. [Applause.] 2.45 pm”
“I look forward to more MMOs partnering M3 to uplift our community. (In English): Mr Chairman, without the support of the community, the reach and impact of our programmes in uplifting the vulnerable will be limited. Our volunteers play an important role in reaching out to families to understand their concerns, conducting needs assessment and befriending them. Many of our volunteers have displayed empathy, patience and resilience. I thank all our M3 volunteers, who have dedicated timeless support for the families. They have been tirelessly helping these families work and walk the journey to achieve their aspirations. To expand our network of care, especially to the families with children aged six and below living in public rental flats, we need more volunteers to come forward to support us in this effort. We need volunteers who can inspire hope in families, engage them regularly over an extended period of time, thereby building rapport and trust with them. I encourage more from the community to step forward and contribute in whatever way they can. We will ensure that all M3 volunteers are equipped with the right knowledge and skillset to meaningfully engage families through the Volunteers Capability Building Framework. So far, more than 150 volunteers have attended our onboarding programme last year and about 120 volunteers have attended the basic house visit workshops. Despite restrictions during COVID-19, our M3@Towns have done well serving the community. A total of 77 initiatives were conducted by 11 M3@Towns last year, benefiting more than 53,000 residents. Our M3@Towns also supported residents through ground-up initiatives, such as the "Jom Surf!" – "Jom", Melayu word for "Come" – which equips our seniors with digital literacy.”
“We acknowledge the important role of volunteers in the journey with these families and in guiding them every step of the way – from supporting their children's early education, to equipping parents with skillsets to secure good jobs and stable incomes to buy their own flat. Over the past few years, volunteers from MESRA and the Malay Activity Executive Committees (MAECs) have expanded their roles beyond just organising cultural events. Today, they work together with volunteers from the mosques and professional groups to engage and conduct needs assessment of Malay households in public rental units using similar forms as the MSF's ComLink programme. This will streamline efforts and thus allows us to provide customised services that meet the unique needs of each family. Ms Mariam Jaafar and Ms Nadia Admad Samdin also asked about the success indicators and long-term outcomes of Project DIAN@M3. Our aim is to strengthen the children's early childhood education to help them secure a brighter future, and for families to achieve stability, so that they can be self-reliant and eventually have social mobility. We will track each family's progress in meeting their goal to own their homes. We are confident that these efforts will pay off. But we all know that this process will take time. Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked for an update on the Family and Inmates Throughcare Assistance Haven, or FITRAH programme. Since 2019, FITRAH has supported about 2,600 families and 530 offenders. Seventy-five percent of these supported offenders are male. Uplifting the vulnerable requires a whole-of-community effort. Therefore, I am happy to see many Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMOs) coming forward to support us in this effort, such as through FITRAH's MMO Alliance Network.”
“These upstream steps may be small but are crucial towards developing our children's competencies in their early years and building their confidence and resilience. In the long run, efforts in early childhood education will help achieve greater inter-generational mobility for these families. Mr Chairman, Project DIAN@M3 also aims to help households in rental flats improve their incomes and work towards home ownership. This is their aspiration. And we want to help them make their dream a reality. I am pleased to share with Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin and Ms Mariam Jaafar that since last December, Project DIAN@M3 has reached out to almost 65% of all Malay households in the three rental blocks during the first phase at M3@Bedok, M3@Geylang Serai and M3@Jalan Besar. We strengthen wrap-around support for families in rental flats by linking up these families with community and national programmes, including MSF's Community Link, MOE's UPLIFT and ECDA's KidSTART, to complement the Government's effort with an approach that aligns with the Malay community's culture and values. To facilitate this, we have formed the Project DIAN Steering Committee, comprising senior officers from the relevant Government and community agencies, to coordinate efforts among Government agencies and community partners. For more efficient service delivery, we have formed an Operations Group at the local level in each of the three pilot blocks. This local Operations Group comprises officers from the same Government agencies and community partners as the Project DIAN Steering Committee. Through this group, we will further understand each family's circumstances and needs, and work together to provide comprehensive support for them.”
“Your acts of service and compassion have the ability to change the future of these children. For children entering the formal school environment, we also want to improve their performance. We will provide tools and resources through M3 programmes, such as the KelasMateMatika@CC (KMM) and KelasSiapSekolah (KSS), so that they can succeed in school. Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked about the success of KMM and KSS. KMM has successfully engaged close to 1,700 parents and more than 1,800 children last year. In 2021, 83% of KMM participants came from low-income families. KMM has shown promising results. More than 80% of students who attended KMM felt that they are more prepared for Primary 1 and did not require further assistance through the Learning Support for Mathematics in their respective schools. The KSS has also enrolled 98% of the target of 100 students last year. Parents have also benefited from KSS, with 90% of them reporting that they will use the approaches shared to guide their children. MENDAKI is also going upstream to strengthen support to children in Mathematics in the early primary school years, instead of at Primary 6 currently. For Primary 1 to Primary 3 children who have been identified as needing additional support, MENDAKI will bring coaches to their homes to provide one-on-one Mathematics lessons. This will mean a more intensive approach which will require more resources. We are prepared to allocate the necessary resources. The coaches will guide these children at their own pace of learning, recognising that each person has their own strengths. We are confident that the coaches' presence in the homes will inspire and empower the parents to be more involved in their children's education.”
“So, we will endeavour to convince and urge these parents to send their children to preschool early, so that their children have at least three years of education before they enter Primary 1. I share Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim's view that more families can benefit from KidSTART. KidSTART is a programme that empowers parents and caregivers to provide infant care and childcare. Through home visits by KIDSTART facilitators, they will also be given appropriate learning tools as well as opportunities to practise effective parent-child interaction techniques. KIDSTART facilitators will also guide them on the appropriate nutritional needs of their children and ways to stimulate their children's brain development to harness their growth potential. These parents will also be assisted in enrolling their children in preschool. Regular screening of the child's development and maternal well-being are also conducted from the antenatal stage to when the child is three years old, so that timely interventions can be introduced should issues arise. Dr Wan Rizal asked about M3's efforts to ensure that young children in public rental flats receive early intervention. Through Project DIAN@M3, our M3 volunteers will work closely with KidSTART to strengthen support for Malay families living in public rental flats with young children. We will start with the three blocks under the Project DIAN@M3 pilot. Our volunteers will work closely with KidSTART officers, visit them regularly, support their child's development and befriend these families. As I mentioned earlier, there are about 3,800 children today aged six and below from Malay families living in public rental flats. I know that many are concerned about the future of these children, and I urge them to step forward to volunteer with us.”
“We can strengthen the support network for these families and guide them to the resources and support available. This group will be our focus. We will take an upstream approach to support them. First, we will help them stabilise and increase their incomes. Today, among first-timer households in rental flats with young children, more than 90% have either one or no breadwinner. About one-third are single-parent families while the rest are married couples. We will help them overcome whatever barriers they face, including supporting them to upgrade their skills through training and upskilling, as well as childcare issues. Through this upstream approach, we will focus on their children. There are about 2,300 first-time Malay households living in rental flats with at least one child aged six and below. In total, there are about 3,800 Malay children aged six and below living in public rental flats whose parents are first timers. About 60% of them have at least one child aged three and younger. The early years in a child's life are crucial in laying a strong foundation. This goes beyond preparing our young children academically, but also for them to develop well physically, mentally and socially. As the Malay saying goes, "bend the bamboo while it is still a shoot" – which means to mould a person while one is still young. In the past, most children attended school only at Primary 1 as preschool was not viewed seriously. In fact, it was called "sekolah makan" and many did not attend preschool. Today, around nine in 10 children in Singapore attend preschool by the age of four. International research tells us that attending quality preschool early, from around age three, can boost children's confidence and social skills and help prepare them for school.”
“We will reinforce our network of care for the community through M3 in three ways. First, upstream. We intend and we will invest early in our children's education, so that we can create a strong foundation for life for them. Second, we will provide comprehensive support. We will empower families to achieve their aspirations to be home owners. Third, we will galvanise resources. We will enhance community capabilities to strengthen support for families. Mr Chairman, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, allow me to share some of the challenges that families staying in public rental flats face. Recently, I met Ahmad, not his real name, and his wife. They live in a 2-room public rental flat. Both are 26 years old and have three young children between two and six years old. Ahmad works as a food delivery driver. His wife is unemployed. The young family is faced with financial difficulty and other challenges. Both grew up without stable home environments nor guidance from other family members. Ahmad's parents and his elder siblings are divorced. They also reside in public rental flats. As for Ahmad's wife, her mother passed away when she was two years old, while her father was mostly absent. They have to raise three children at such a young age, without guidance from their elders. The story of Ahmad's family reflects the situation faced by young families in rental flats. They are who we call, first-timer households – families who have neither purchased nor owned a flat but certainly have the potential to do so and do well in life. They feel overwhelmed by their circumstances as they lack the necessary skills and social support networks.”
“Mr Chairman, our community has done well. Over the last few decades, we have seen generations of Malay families do well and move up in life. At the same time, we still have some who still face challenges and need help as they progress. The Census 2020 found that home ownership in the Malay community remained high at 85.6%. Yet, the proportion of Malay households in public rental flats has doubled in the last decade. Member of Parliament Faisal Manap raised this issue during the Budget debate recently, saying that the community has regressed and families in rental flats are living in cramped conditions. It is sad to hear how Mr Faisal Manap had portrayed the plight of these families. First, the increase in number of households in rental flats is in tandem with the higher supply of 1- and 3-room public rental flats in the past decade provided by HDB. Second, the public rental households include young families who need temporary accommodation while they stabilise their income and savings. Another group are flat owners who were not able to purchase another flat after selling their previous flats for various reasons, including divorce. Prior to moving into their rental flats, many would be living with extended family members in a crowded environment, far less conducive than what they have now. For these families, public rental flats provide improved living conditions, as the much-needed shelter for them, as they work through their various socio-economic challenges and aspire to be home owners. As a community, we are determined to uplift the vulnerable families, especially those with young children, to secure a brighter future. We set up Project DIAN@M3 last year to support families in our public rental flats to achieve greater social mobility.”
“But we must be careful that social mixing, if brought to the extreme, may impose more challenges for our teachers and how they can teach. So, we want to strike a balance, in managing what we can do. But beyond the classrooms, we also facilitate social mixing through other platforms, as I mentioned earlier, in CCA activities.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Yes, as I mentioned, we do group students in form classes at Primary 5, because at Primary 4, they take tests to ascertain their competency level and they are allowed to then decide based on consultation with their parents, too, on the subject level that they are prepared to take – whether it is at Foundation or at the Standard level. Some students do take one or two subjects at the Foundation level, depending on their level of abilities. Let me give a broad overview as to how we allocate students in their class formation. When allocating students to classes, schools aim to create an inclusive and caring learning environment, so as to nurture and develop students holistically. We provide the foundation for students to shape their attitudes towards learning, build future knowledge and skills and develop soft skills that are needed for them to navigate in the future world, which is really, very challenging for them. This is better achieved with diverse classrooms within the classroom setting and as diverse as we can, to provide better social mixing. But there are certain considerations, given the class size that we have. These considerations include having enough common subjects for the form class to bond but it also depends on the capability of teachers with a wide range of abilities and resource limitations. Schools are given flexibility to manage and operationalise the groupings. As I mentioned in my earlier reply, we want to manage better social mixing between gender, ethnicity, abilities. More importantly, Sir, we understand the Member's concern about social mixing. Social mixing is but one of the many considerations in how students are grouped in classes.”
“For example, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) works with Queensway Secondary School on their programme called the Play Inclusive Programme; Raffles Institution working with Crest Secondary School, collaborating with students in Scouts in the CCA, doing projects, community projects together; Raffles' Girls School with Edgefield Secondary School, with Guangyang Secondary School, collaborating on CCA programmes. So, it does not mean that we need to just focus ourselves on the profile of students in those particular schools when, as I mentioned earlier, in almost all our schools, the profile is generally reflective of the socio-economic backgrounds across our students. Mr Chairman, I just want to make one clarification to my speech earlier. I had said that in response to Mr Sharael Taha and Dr Shahira Abdullah nine in 10 of our ITE students are employed within the first six months. The correct figure is eight in 10. Maybe it was a mix-up, because nine in 10 of our technical diploma students get employed within six months. Just a clarification.”
“We want to encourage that diversity in our school systems and in our school environment. So, in the Independent schools, for example, we provide that opportunity for students from different backgrounds to interact. For Independent schools today, roughly, we have close to half of our students coming from public housing. So, there is a good spread of students from different socio-economic backgrounds in all our schools, including our Independent schools. Mr Leon Perera talked about how they are well-resourced. I want to assure Mr Leon Perera that all our schools are well-resourced. 4.00 pm In fact, in my speech, I spoke about resourcing schools with higher needs. Because they have higher needs, we want to give the students the best that they could get and we respond to their needs accordingly. But even if we do see situations where schools may not have the demographic profile that reflects the national profile, we also encourage them to use other platforms for integration, for students to interact and appreciate the Singapore society's profile. For example, once the students are in school, we facilitate interactions like Values in Action projects not just within the school but across schools, projects, co-curricular activities (CCAs), joint CCAs, joint camps, cohort level camps – many opportunities for the students to interact. So, while the school provides certain experience which are relevant, with a right understanding of the objectives, it does not mean that our students are not interacting, that they are not mingling with students from different socio-economic backgrounds. Just to give some examples. Integrated Programme (IP) schools are doing this too. They are also interacting with other students.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Leon Perera for the supplementary question. I just want to start off by saying that we understand that what he is saying is we should have a good mix of students to encourage social mixing, students from different backgrounds in our schools. We must begin with the premise that no one education setting fits all students, although we have the same objectives in mind. We want to make sure that there is a good mix as students learn to grow in their adolescent period and understand the real world. But I want to assure Mr Leon Perera that most schools have good representation from different socio-economic backgrounds – Government and Government-aided schools are largely representative of the national average. Our Independent schools, including Specialised Independent schools, there is some variation from the national average by virtue of the performance of the students at the PSLE – I mentioned during the Parliamentary Question by Mr Louis Ng earlier that there is a correlation between socio-economic background and performance at PSLE. But Independent schools cater to specific learner profiles that are different and with different aptitudes. But really, our fundamental objective is not to achieve identical profiles for every school. Even our neighbourhood schools, they are identical in broad based curriculum, but they are unique in some specific aspects and because of that, almost all Secondary schools, in fact, all Secondary schools today, admit students in Secondary 1 through DSAs. Which means that they are able to niche themselves sufficiently. And what does DSA mean? DSA means that people with different unique talents go into the school. And we want to encourage that.”
“At a young age, we will build strong foundations for all students and spark their curiosity and desire for learning. In schools, we will continue to free up time and space for students to discover their strengths and cultivate future-ready competencies. In higher education, we will continue to equip our students with the skills and competencies to succeed as they transit to the workforce. At the same time, our Institutes of Higher Learning will also grow into their roles as institutes for continual learning, working closely with industry to enhance the quality and accessibility of their upskilling and reskilling programmes for adult learners. Chairman, we will continue to enhance our education system for the future of our children and our country. We need the support of all Singaporeans in this effort. Educators, parents, as well as community and industry partners all play a key role in developing a future that enable Singaporeans to have the confidence to chart their own path, and the resilience to respond to changes and disruptions. (In English): As we embark on the enhancements to our education system, we will help our students to make the best of these changes. Together, we will nurture generations of confident and resilient students who are prepared to face the challenges and opportunities of the future economy.”
“This is something that we should be proud of although we acknowledge the challenges that they face due to exposure to the use of English language in today's world. At the same time, we must continue our efforts to get students interested and maintain their performance in mother tongue learning. We will continue to provide opportunities for our students to deepen their learning in mother tongue languages in schools, and increase their interest in mother tongue languages through activities organised by the Mother Tongue Language Learning and Promotion Committees. At the policy level in MOE, we are pressing ahead with important reforms to our education system. We need to be prepared for a future where technological and business cycles are more compressed and the demand for skills is more dynamic, and also a future where our world is increasingly polarized and fragmented, even as we remain more interconnected and interdependent. A future where our social fabric continues to evolve as well, with more diverse aspirations and perspectives amongst our people. Our vision for the education system has three key elements. First, we want all Singaporeans to have confidence in our abilities and ourselves, so we can keep growing and maximise our full potential. Second, we want all Singaporeans to continue to maintain our competitive advantage, through the ability to learn and re-learn, and our connectivity with the world. Third, for us continue to appreciate and celebrate diversity, even as we work to forge a shared identity, Achieving this vision requires us to rethink our approach to education. Our education is no longer something which ends in schools, but a continuous journey throughout our lives.”
“Mr Chairman, this framework prioritises 10 skills, including critical thinking, collaboration, as well as mental resilience. These skills will prepare our students for the future workforce, where they are expected not only to excel in their domain, but also have confidence in working with their colleagues locally and globally. We will strengthen these skills through experiential opportunities outside the classroom, including internships, student activities and overseas exposure. The Polytechnics and ITE will enhance their curricula, so the incoming batch of students in AY 2022 will benefit from the enhanced baseline competencies across all 10 LifeSkills. Building on this common framework, the Autonomous Universities will also embark on enhancements to their curricula to ensure graduates are equipped with baseline competencies in the same LifeSkills, but adapted to their student profile. Through these enhancements, we will continue to support the diverse needs and aspirations of our students, and prepare our graduates to learn for life and succeed in a wide range of fields. Mr Chairman, allow me to say a few words in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, the learning of Mother Tongue languages is an important part of our vision to help our students remain rooted and appreciate their culture. During the Budget debates, Mr Faisal Manap shared his concerns about how our children would develop strong Malay language skills. I would like to assure him that our Malay students are still performing well in their mother tongue subjects where the percentage of those who pass in national examinations has remained high over the years.”
“Sir, I thank Mr Louis Ng for his supplementary question. On the correlation, it has been stable over the last five years – it has not been going up, not going down. We will continue to do our best to ensure that we provide the resources to help our students from disadvantaged backgrounds to continue to do well. On the outcomes of UPLIFT, I hope Mr Ng will give us some time. We just started in 2018 and the initial outcomes have been quite encouraging. We see more students' attendance improving. We are tracking and monitoring different components of the programme. And I will share a bit more during MOE's Committee of Supply (COS) later this afternoon.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for that question. It is very heartening for him to translate the much talked about ITE as "It's the end" to "It's towards excellence". I think we want to certainly work towards ensuring our students get the best technical education through the ITE curriculum. Sir, the intent of the revised ITE curricular structure is to ensure that the ITE students are better prepared for the skills demanded by the industry and have a stronger foundation for further upgrading subsequently for their future needs. So, beyond this, we will continue to support upgrading for our ITE graduates via different pathways after their Higher Nitec qualification. The diploma programmes offered by the polytechnics is one of the pathways and there will continue to be places that will be set aside for them. And if need be, there will be programmes that will support them in the transition. There are also other upgrading pathways available to our ITE graduates, such as the Technical Diplomas in the ITE themselves, as well as the Work-Study Diplomas offered by the ITE, which ITE is planning to expand further. ITE graduates can also choose from across the different pathways and programmes according to their learning styles and career development needs and aspirations at the appropriate point in time and in accordance with the entry requirements of each pathway. So, there are a lot of pathways that our ITE graduates can take up at different points in time in their careers.”
“As a context, Mr Speaker, I think the Member would also appreciate that the madrasahs are not part of the national MOE education system; they are a separate education system, they are treated as a private education institution. So, they are not bound by the inter-school framework. On whether we should encourage that or not, I think we have to study that very carefully. But today, there are already opportunities for the madrasah students to interact with many of our national school students through various opportunities. For example, we have SAP schools like River Valley High working very closely with some of the madrasahs. The most important thing is that we want to find common spaces for our students and our young people to interact in the light of our conversation today, to facilitate greater inter-ethnic understanding. Although they are in separate institutions, we should continue to find opportunities for them to interact, not just through inter-school games or inter-school CCAs but also other opportunities. Community organisations also provide such opportunities. I remember when I was the Mayor of South East District, the Community Development Councils organise platforms like the Common Senses for Common Spaces, where students from different institutions come together to learn more about inter-religious understanding. We can explore further opportunities for our young people to continue to interact regardless of where they are studying and, more importantly, to ensure that we try to expand the common spaces as much as possible.”
“Mr Speaker, can I just clarify with the Member, her question is whether we should extend MOE's CCA offerings to the madrasahs?”
“Mr Speaker, to the first question of the Member's, whether we should be publishing the report annually, first, I want to say that the incidence of this nature in schools is very low and I do not see that there is a necessity to publicise the report every year. But we take every case that has been brought to the attention of the institutions very seriously, whether it is in the school or whether it is in the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). Every report or every feedback given will be investigated thoroughly. As I mentioned in my earlier response, we will provide every opportunity for students to raise their concerns through various channels. Every institution and school will have its own mechanism to investigate and we will take action against those found guilty of the alleged offences. The second question on whether programmes are differentiated, yes, I have mentioned earlier, in the schools, students can report to the leaders of the school, their teachers, any staff member that they are comfortable with. In the IHLs, including the Polytechnics and ITE, there are various channels that the students are able to access. More importantly, it is to ensure that they are able to provide the feedback in a safe environment and that they feel assured that their feedback will be taken in strict confidence. I want to assure again that any incidents of racism are not tolerated in any of the schools and any report that we receive will be thoroughly investigated.”
“While students and staff can choose to remain anonymous when providing feedback or reporting any incident, we generally encourage them to identify themselves and provide their contact details so that a more thorough investigation can be conducted. Students and staff have the assurance that they will be supported and protected, and that their feedback will be handled sensitively and in strict confidence. Where necessary, institutions may decide to implement measures to maintain campus safety and the safety of those involved in the incident. For example, institutions may issue a no-contact order between the complainant and perpetrator or temporarily suspend the perpetrator from campus while investigations are ongoing. Once a case has been lodged, institutions take prompt action to investigate the case and provide counselling support to the affected persons. Individuals involved in the incident will be interviewed and evidence gathered, to ascertain the facts of the case. Those found to have breached the Code of Conduct will be disciplined and counselled accordingly. Institutions will continue to strengthen their feedback processes and encourage students to speak up on any incidents of discrimination. The curricula and policies in the Ministry of Education schools and IHLs are also regularly reviewed, taking into consideration feedback from educators, students and parents, through regular engagement sessions. Beyond efforts in schools and IHLs, parents and community groups also play a crucial role in supporting students to stand up against acts of discrimination and not be afraid to raise any issues to their respective institutions.”
“Mr Speaker, our schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are committed to providing a supportive and safe environment for our students and staff, regardless of their race, religion or gender. They provide a common space for students to learn and live out the values of respect and harmony and build a deeper appreciation of diversity in our society. To maintain this common space, our institutions stand firmly against any form of discrimination. The importance of racial and religious harmony and respect for others, is also taught through the formal and informal curriculum. Our institutions have clear guidelines against unprofessional and discriminatory conduct. Specifically, respect for others is an integral part of the Codes of Conduct for both students and staff in the IHLs. In particular, we expect all educators to conduct themselves to the highest standards of their professions given their position of influence over the students. Students and staff who experience any form of discrimination should not hesitate to bring it up to their institution immediately. Feedback channels and processes for students to do so include approaching senior staff or faculty members in person, or via email channels and other formal feedback mechanisms. In schools, students are informed that they can raise any issues to their teachers or any staff member. In IHLs, information on feedback channels are broadcasted on various platforms, including institutions' websites, student handbooks and portals. Students are also informed about these feedback channels during enrolment and orientation briefings.”
“Mr Chairman and colleagues, I must tell you it is not easy. We have been called names. But we must do and we need to do what is right. We do our best to convince our community leaders, our religious leaders and our union leaders. They understand. We hope that they will also, in their own ways, discuss these matters with their members constructively, yet in private, away from the glare of the public. And I hope Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap can do likewise. If he wants to speak to community leaders, he can do so, but do so away from the glare of the public and that is what we should remember. I know. I have spoken to many of them. In fact, just a few weeks ago, I spoke to a group of union leaders and we spoke about these issues in private. The community leaders understand these sensitivities when it comes to race and religion. I sincerely hope that Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap understands that too. This is something we cannot take for granted. This is something we must take seriously. This is something that will ensure Singapore's racial and religious harmony continues to be kept the way it is. [Applause.]”
“Our religious scholars and community leaders support our approach as they understand that these issues, especially those that involve racial and religious sensitivities, are complex and any decision on them should not be taken lightly. We must also ensure that our approach in addressing such issues safeguards the harmony between all races and religions in Singapore. As articulated earlier, Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap had on previous occasions also raised this issue and he had articulated before that he is doing so because it is his job as a Member of Parliament to give feedback to the Government. We must know that our role as Members of Parliament is more than just giving feedback and reflecting public sentiment in the open, even in the Parliament. Yes, there is nothing that we cannot bring up in the Parliament. But PAP Muslim Members of Parliament also recognise our role as leaders of our communities. As leaders, we must exercise discretion and know the implications of our actions. We are leaders and we have the responsibility to ensure our collective desired outcome as a society and country to maintain racial and religious harmony. This cannot be compromised. Thus, as leaders, we have to lead our community to understand sensitivities – when they cannot initially, maybe – of such topics and issues which are best not discussed in the open. If you are not careful, any discussion in the open may lead to serious ramifications. We have seen it happen and we must guard against it. That is why the PAP Muslim Members of Parliament have continuously been engaging the Government and the various communities, not just the Malay community or Muslim community, in order find a way forward for the greater good of Singapore and Singaporeans.”
“We can attest to this through our own personal experiences. I was just hospitalised a few months back and I can attest to them performing their duties with the utmost respect from all of us. But even so, and even more importantly, they perform it during national crises like SARS and more currently, COVID-19, par excellence. 12.30 pm There are Muslim scholars, Sir, who have given guidance that Muslims must make appropriate adjustments while staying true to their faith when living in a plural and contemporary society. This is important for us in Singapore. We must avoid situations like in other countries, where issues of religious expression take centre stage, become a divisive matter and put certain groups under the spotlight. I want to give an example. It happened two years ago. The Grand Imam of al-Azhar, His Excellency Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb came to Singapore. He spoke about the tudung when he delivered the MUIS Lecture in Singapore in 2018. I was the moderator for his session. In response to a question on the tudung not being allowed in certain workplaces, the Grand Imam made it clear that while Islam commands women to wear the tudung, he advised Muslim women against leaving their jobs solely because they are not able to wear it. He advised not to make the hijab an issue that determines your life to the extent that you have no choice but to leave your job; and he emphasised that there is a legal maxim in Islam that would permit Muslim women to take off their tudung due to work requirements. So, on issues that affect our common space, we must always approach them very carefully. Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap may not agree with our approach, but this is our approach.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman, for giving me this opportunity to clarify. This issue relates to Mr Faisal Manap's earlier comment, both during his speech in the Budget debate as well as the current discussion we are having on allowing nurses and those in uniform services to wear tudung. I echo first Minister Masagos' views that we do empathise with the views of those who want to don the tudung as part of their uniform in nursing. I want to assure our community and our Muslim women nurses that we take this matter very, very seriously. We have continued to engage union leaders, religious teachers, respected members of the community, putting to them the concerns of the Government, the other community leaders, as well as not just the Muslim community. They agree that these are sensitive issues and best discussed behind closed doors. They also agree that the solution is not straightforward and we should not rush into one without addressing these other concerns. And whether Mr Faisal Manap participates in these sessions or not, I think the most important thing is a large segment of the community has been consulted and we continue to consult them. Take uniforms as an example. Uniforms serve to project the common identity which in turn develops esprit de corps and strengthen camaraderie. In the case of public healthcare services, the uniform underscores that our healthcare workers are neutral and provide impartial care regardless of race and religion. This is a reminder on both the healthcare workers as well as the persons receiving the care. This is in addition to the uniform meeting operational and safety requirements. Sir, our Muslim nurses and their colleagues continue to perform their duties with dignity, pride and professionalism.”
“For those students who do come from other disadvantaged backgrounds, we also support ITE with social emotional counsellors to help them with some of their challenges. Today, ITE has 19 social emotional counsellors across the three colleges. We will continue to assess. And Mr Don Wee is absolutely right. Many of the students come with very challenging backgrounds. They want to study. At the same time, sometimes, they get engaged in part-time employment because of the financial circumstances they are in. We provide financial support for them and we will continue to help them, because we want them to aspire to have higher qualifications. As I mentioned earlier, with the curricular structure review, we want all ITE students to aspire to attain their Higher Nitec qualification when they enter ITE. One last point I want to add is that, in recognition of our ITE's staff, we introduced the ITE Staff Appreciation Day last year for the first time. Last year, it was on 6 November 2020. And we will recognise the first Friday of November each year as the Polytechnic-ITE Staff Appreciation Day, akin to Teachers' Day, but specifically for our teachers in the IHLs.”
“Mr Chairman, first, let me thank Mr Don Wee for his recognition of the effort of ITE teachers in educating our students in ITE. Indeed, ITE is more than just an educational institution. They acknowledge that they have a strong social role in supporting their students. ITE absorbs and takes in students from diverse backgrounds and with diverse abilities. As Mr Don Wee mentioned, the teachers have done a tremendous amount of work in not only just providing training in terms of the skills required by the students to get better outcomes in terms of their work, but they also provide a lot of support emotionally. I have met many of the students, even those who have graduated. They tell me that the one thing that always makes them remember their ITE education is indeed their teachers. Sometimes, after they have graduated, after they finish their National Service, they come back and they want to speak to their teachers to get some career guidance. So, thank you so much, Mr Don Wee, for acknowledging the work of our ITE teachers. Yes, we will continue to look at how best we can support our teachers. Given that we are also having more SEN students in ITE, we have also been increasing resources to support SEN students. For example, in 2019, we provided ITE with an additional six SEN support officers. These are officers that are specifically recruited to help students with special needs, the varying needs of these students. We have added six to augment the resources that ITE had as well as supporting the SEN support office. This brings the number to 19 in 2020. We will continue to monitor the learning needs of our ITE students and we are prepared to enhance the support if necessary, including for our SEN students.”
“What MOE has done now is to allow school leaders to have sight of some of these Primary school children who may have had some challenges while they were in Primary school, but not all teachers. School leaders will be able to make a determination. It is more about having sight of some of these students who come to the Secondary schools, not necessarily to make a judgement on them; more indicative. Should the child show some indication of challenges early, the school leaders would then be able to alert the school personnel, like the School Counsellors and the Student Welfare Officers, as well as some of his teachers, to be able to help the child. From MOE's perspective, every child's well-being is of paramount concern, not just in terms of academic pursuits but also their emotional and social well-being. 3.00 pm”
“Sir, I thank the Member for the questions. On the study of children of divorced parents who are doing well, I think it is very important for us to do that because if you look at the outcome of the recent study, whilst it is indicative that there could be some less favourable responses or outcomes of children of divorced parents, there are significant number of children of divorced parents who have done well, too. Certainly, divorce alone is not a causal factor to the outcomes of children. There are many factors – it is dependent on the way the divorce happens and on the support level given by parents post-divorce and throughout the lives of their children. It is really useful to understand the children of divorced parents who have done very well. And amongst us, I am very sure we all know that. I would encourage MSF to work together with MOE to venture into studying deeper with reference to children with positive outcomes and to look at factors that have made it possible for these children to have succeeded. The second question is really whether we transfer information of children who have had challenges in Primary school, moving on to Secondary school. Prior to this, there is always this tension on whether we want to give children a fresh start when they get into Secondary school. There are two schools of thought. One school of thought really is: we want to give them a second chance, a fair chance, even if they have had situations in Primary school, whether they had disciplinary problems, or issues in schools. When they start Secondary school, we want them to have a fresh start so that teachers do not see them with a certain mindset, a certain lens. But we also understand that it is useful to transfer some of the information.”
“I think I would encourage Mr Leong to raise this at another platform because I think this is not the right forum to elaborate on what the Ministry is doing. But suffice to say that I have shared in my speech that we are looking at education beyond just the academic. About character building, I have elaborated quite significantly on Citizenship and Character Education. I have talked about experiential learning. There is a lot of progress that has been done in the way we educate our children, because we know these are very important skillsets and values that are required for children in the future. Much has been talked about in terms of changes that we have put in place in the education system. I invite Mr Leong to look up some of this information. If he needs further information at another platform, I invite him to file questions or raise some of these issues. I just find that this may not be the right forum because I think there could be many other speakers. I also invite Mr Leong to look at my speech again and see how I have elaborated on the various changes we have put in place in our education system.”
“I think as the Member has rightly put it already, they are allowed to decide for themselves. The parents are allowed to decide for themselves because of the double-barrelled classification policy that we have put in place. So, I do not think it is an issue as to how the children should identify themselves. When I come across mixed marriages, both parents are equally proud to want their children to grow up in the respective cultures. I think that provides diversity for the child growing up in such a family. So, I will leave it to the children and the double-barrelled policy allow them to make the decision on which identity they want to take up.”
“I want to assure Ms Sylvia Lim that we have been talking to the younger generations for the many years we have been in politics and even before that. Those in the younger generation do also grow up, and when they grow up, sometimes their perspective change too. Today, we will continue to talk to our younger generation. We have the MENDAKI Club, which is the younger generation of young Malay activists; CDAC has their younger Chinese activist club, and so does SINDA. I think each of our communities do talk to each other; each of the members of the young communities in MENDAKI Club, CDAC as well as SINDA will continue to talk and engage in conversations. The Government continues to engage them too. And I think we remain open to look at what evolves. My point is that as we talk about all this amalgamation as suggested by Ms Sylvia Lim, we do have to also look at the uniqueness of this cultural nuances that is very necessary, sometimes, to find those solutions required for the respective communities.”
“Today, the tuition programme, for example, we have seen great coordination – any child who would like to participate in any of the tuition classes can participate in a tuition class organised by CDAC, SINDA or MENDAKI based on the proximity of where he or she lives. But backend, MENDAKI, SINDA and CDAC will then proceed with the necessary administrative processes that they have put in place. So, there are already efforts at collaboration, and I think it has worked well, and I think is useful for Ms Sylvia Lim to also perhaps get further feedback from the other self-help groups, and I think we should continue to allow this diversity, to continue in the way we have managed issues faced by the respective communities.”
“I thank Ms Sylvia Lim for her comments. Indeed, we are in the same age group, born in the same year, and went through similar experiences, I guess. The self-help group concept has worked for over almost 40 years now. MENDAKI started in 1982. Because of the success of MENDAKI and ability for us to reach out to the Malay community together with support from the Government, SINDA and CDAC were formed. Today, I am sure Ms Sylvia Lim also knows that we do not work in silos. Over the years, we have made efforts to work together. But while we work together in different platforms, we also recognise that the uniqueness of each self-help group does serve our respective community better to a certain extent. Because we do understand our cultural nuances, we do understand our cultural history, we do understand what we stand for as individual communities. So, I think it is not about whether we want to pull everybody together and just have one race-blind fund, but it is also to be able to give each community the space to understand their respective issues, their respective challenges, work in their own pace and find their own strengths. This is what we often talk about – unity in diversity – and I think we should continue to celebrate this diversity. I personally have been involved with MENDAKI. For many, many years, I have worked with SINDA; I have worked with CDAC. We acknowledge the value of working together. But I think my personal belief is that we should continue along this line, and where possible, where we can galvanise our resources together, we can do that.”
“Let us be serious in implementing the precautionary measures. We use #wemustbeserious. A good number of locally transmitted cases could have been avoided if people had been more socially responsible by avoiding gatherings and crowds and staying at home when unwell. Adjust our daily routine, such as avoiding going to the market on weekends and going when it is not crowded instead and eat at home. Wear a mask and see a doctor if we are unwell. Our community must be part of the solution, not the problem. This is what we must do as a Community of Success. (In English): This COVID-19 episode is an important opportunity for us reaffirm our fundamental values as a community and apply them to contemporary challenges, adapt and emerge stronger, both as a community and as a nation. It takes a whole-of-community effort to overcome the challenges we face today. I am confident that we can triumph. 6.56 pm”
“I am heartened to see that some segments of the community have already stepped up to support our asatizah during this period. For example, the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (PERGAS) started the Gracious Package, a fund that provides some supplementary financial support for asatizah. During this period, eligible asatizah may receive a one-off payment of up to $400, and up to $300 per month, for the next six months. MUIS and the SGTeguhBersatu Taskforce will work closely with these MMOs to ensure that our asatizah receive the support they require during this period. In addition to the support for asatizah, our madrasahs will also do more to support students and ensure learning can be carried out smoothly even with the safe distancing measures. Like national schools, from Wednesday, our madrasahs will also transit to home-based learning. MUIS will work with madrasahs to lend devices to madrasah students who may not have personal devices. If necessary, students may still come to the madrasahs if their parents are working in essential services. MUIS will also extend the application window for the Progress Fund Madrasah Assistance Scheme (PROMAS) to support madrasah students who may require financial assistance. Mr Speaker, the month of Ramadan is almost upon us. Our community will have to be psychologically prepared that they may not be able to partake in community breaking of fast at mosques or perform the nightly terawih congregational prayers at the mosques as well. For many Muslims, Ramadan is not just a time to reflect and grow spiritually, but also to show care and compassion to all. We must remember these values as we safeguard our loved ones and our countrymen from the virus.”
“As the Deputy Prime Minister had announced during his speech on the Solidary Budget earlier, asatizah who are eligible for SIRS support will receive three payments of $3,000 from May. MUIS will also work with MSF to guide asatizah through the Temporary Relief Fund (TRF) application process, which will provide a temporary relief of $500 for eligible asatizah who are experiencing a drop in their income due to COVID-19. Asatizah who lose their jobs due to COVID-19 can also apply for the COVID-19 Support Grant and receive $800 a month, for three months. At the same time, I encourage the community to continue their support for our asatizah and mosques. Our mosques are heavily dependent on donations from the community and, with the closure of mosques, the income of mosques is surely affected. As such, MUIS is developing a platform to make it easier for the community to make online donations to the mosques, including those who would like to donate on a regular basis, such as through PayLah and GIRO. The system is expected to be launched before Ramadan. As I urge the community to play its part to continue to support our mosques, I am also glad to share that MUIS will take the lead to support mosques in the following ways. First, in view that physical aLIVE classes will be disrupted with the closure of mosques and will be replaced by home-based learning, MUIS will extend grants to mosques to provide a 50% waiver of their aLIVE fees for two months. MUIS will also provide grants to mosques to support mosques to adopt the enhanced COVID-19 precautionary measures, such as temperature taking, contact tracing and queue management, when mosques reopen in the future. These measures to support mosques are expected to cost MUIS over $1 million.”
“MUIS will also develop a toolkit to help IECPs move their learning online. I am glad to see that some home-based Quran teachers are already having lessons via teleconference. These efforts will ensure asatizah continue to conduct their lessons, and draw an income during this period. Second, strengthening upskilling of our asatizah and preparing them for beyond the crisis. MUIS will be collaborating with MENDAKI SENSE to help asatizah upskill during this downtime in areas, such as IT and digital media or in counselling. We encourage asatizah to tap on the various schemes, such as the SkillsFuture Credit as well as the enhanced Self-Employed Persons (SEP) Training Support Scheme. This effort to upskill our asatizah is tied to the launch of the Career Map and Competency Framework (CCF) which I talked about during the Committee of Supply Debates last month. The CCF was recommended by COFA and will provide an overarching framework to raise the professionalism of the asatizah sector and create more career pathways and opportunities for them. MUIS will provide more details later this month. Third, assisting asatizah affected by the downturn. Many asatizah depend on direct contributions from their students or followers for their income. MUIS will work with relevant agencies to help asatizah affected by the downturn tap on schemes in the Resilience Budget. For example, MUIS will work with NTUC, and will accept applications from freelance asatizah who do not automatically qualify for the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS). Muis will also reach out to asatizah through its partners, such as Pergas and IECPs, to raise awareness of these schemes. MUIS will guide the asatizah through the application process and facilitate any appeals from asatizah.”
“Because of this, we were able to move decisively while others were still deliberating the way forward. Given the crisis will be long-drawn, I urge all our asatizah to rally together in continued efforts to strengthen the resilience and confidence of the community through the challenges ahead. To spearhead this in a concrete manner, MUIS, PPIS, PERGAS and the Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association (MHPA) will be working collaboratively together, as part of the SGTeguhBersatu Taskforce, to develop initiatives and programmes to strengthen the psychological resilience and support the mental wellness of the community. This will help the community cope with this challenging period. More details will be shared by the Taskforce when ready. Mr Speaker, the third “P” is Persevering Together. We acknowledge that it will take some time for us to overcome COVID-19. But, as one people, we must be ready to make adjustments to all facets of life, including our religious life. We must persevere, so that we can emerge stronger after this crisis. The livelihoods of many Singaporeans have been affected. To support asatizah during the downturn, I am pleased to announce that MUIS has put together a comprehensive package, together with partners, as part of the SGTeguhBersatu Taskforce. This package will comprise the following. First, ensuring asatizah remain relevant and earn an income. MUIS will work with mosques and the Islamic Education Centres and Providers (IECP) to intensify efforts to ensure that asatizah remain relevant during this period. Asatizah must continue to play a critical role in guiding the community through Islamic education. To do this, mosques will conduct more online programmes and support home-based learning for aLIVE madrasahs and other Islamic learning classes.”
“For example, Dr Norhisham Main of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital appeared alongside Mufti in an online talk show to explain the closing of mosques from the medical perspective. The Working Group is also actively discussing plans for Ramadan and how Ramadan can continue to be spiritually engaging for the community while we continue to observe safe distancing measures. MUIS will share more of these plans in due course. This collaboration between our asatizah and the medical professionals provides more holistic guidance for our community. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] COVID-19 has disrupted our daily as well as religious lives. We acknowledge that these changes are necessary. However, changing our social norms to protect ourselves and the people around us does not make us any less of a Muslim or diminish our cultural identity. Similarly, our inability to perform Friday prayers during our COVID-19 battle does not mean that we have lost our faith or our religious way of life. As the Mufti said, the Muslim community doing their bit to keep everyone safe is, in and of itself, one of the noblest thing that we can do as Muslims. He also said that our togetherness and sense of community must remain strong in our hearts even though we must keep apart. Mr Speaker, during the Committee of Supply debates last month, I announced the Committee on Future Asatizah or COFA’s work, and the importance of having asatizah who can lead and guide our community through new and increasingly complex socio-religious challenges. Responding to COVID-19 is one such challenge. Our asatizah’s progressive approach has helped us examine religious traditions critically and apply them in today’s circumstances.”
“Now, more than 50 mosques have put up content online, releasing over 130 videos online since they were closed on 23 March. I hope younger family members can also assist and ensure that this online religious content reach our older generation. I also hope that the community benefits from the daytime infotainment programmes in the Malay media that help to reiterate how we can all help to stay safe and curb the spread of COVID-19. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the second "P" for us is for us to have a progressive religious leadership that unites and guides the community. Our Fatwa Committee, chaired by Mufti, has paved the way for how we can and must continue to adapt in the practice of our religion to the context and challenges that we face. We are indeed fortunate to have religious and community leaders who are open and progressive, can provide clear guidance to help the community address immediate challenges, and can rally and unite the community in times of crisis. A progressive religious leadership is also one that is able to grapple with increasingly complex issues. For instance, our asatizah are also working with medical professionals to develop religiously and medically sound advice for our community. Last month, we formed the Malay/Muslim COVID-19 Working Group comprising asatizah and medical professionals, co-chaired by Minister Masagos Zulkifli and Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary. The Working Group members have helped to communicate the scientific and religious reasons for precautionary measures we need to take in our mosques and our social interactions, such as at weddings, and how we can all protect ourselves.”
“Not being able to perform Friday prayers during our COVID-19 battle does not mean losing our faith or religious way of life. As the Mufti said, "[the Muslim community] doing their bit to keep everyone safe is, in and of itself, one of the noblest things that we can do as Muslims" and also that "our togetherness and sense of community must remain strong in our hearts even as we have to keep physically apart". I am heartened to see that the community, the asatizah and the mosque leaders have rallied behind the religious leadership on the very difficult decision to close our mosques. I also see people practising what has now been termed affectionately as "Salam Mufti" as an alternative to shaking hands with one another. These actions are important as they reduce the risk of community spread. I am sure that many people are anxious to know when our mosques will reopen. Certainly, mosques hold a special place in the hearts of the Muslim community. While we cannot be sure how soon the COVID-19 situation will improve, we must do the necessary to curb COVID-19 infections in Singapore. This is to protect not just ourselves but also our loved ones, especially our seniors who are the most vulnerable. It is the morally responsible and right thing to do. To preserve our religious life, MUIS is working with mosques to make more religious programmes available online through Muslim.sg as well as over the radio. In fact, religious programmes over Warna 94.2FM, which were originally scheduled for Ramadan, have been brought forward for the benefit of seniors in the community who might not be as internet savvy. I commend our asatizah for stepping up to this new mode of religious guidance. Many of them had to acquire entirely new digital skills to do this.”
“Our Malay/Muslim community has a key role to play in this national effort. We have formed the SGTeguhBersatu Task Force, or the SG Resilience in Unity Task Force, comprising representatives from the M3 agencies, Malay/Muslim organisations, NTUC as well as Government agencies. By galvanising the strengths of these organisations, we will create new and stronger partnerships to provide better support for the community in areas such as employment and up-skilling, families and students, and the religious sector. We will also strengthen the resilience of the community. Thus, I would like to speak on what we can do together as a community. This can be summed up in three Ps, namely, the first P – preserving our religious life; secondly, having a progressive religious leadership; and thirdly, persevering together. First, preserving our religious life. COVID-19 has disrupted our daily lives as well as our religious lives. As Muslims, many of our social norms are highly interpersonal. We offer our hands in greeting. We pray together at mosques. In fact, we believe that our merit is multiplied when we congregate to pray in a mosque. We meet regularly in homes for religious gatherings like kenduri or doa selamat to offer prayers to family members who have passed on and strengthen our family bonds as we gather. All these, we were told is part of our faith and our culture. It is therefore difficult to forgo such norms, but we understand and accept that safe distancing measures and the suspension of religious services are critical in the fight against COVID-19. Changing our norms to protect ourselves and those around us does not make us any less of a Muslim or diminish our cultural identity.”