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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Every one of 993 lines we hold for Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 20.
“Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to join in the debate. COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge that we face in this generation. Within the short span of three months, many societies worldwide, in Europe, America, the Middle East and closer to home, in Southeast Asia, are seeing widespread transmissions, overwhelmed healthcare systems, soaring death rates and economic recession. Today, we are debating the Resilience Budget, a $48 billion Supplementary Budget just a month after the Unity Budget 2020 was announced. And we just heard the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance introduce a third Budget, the Solidarity Budget of $5.1 million. We all know the gravity of the situation – only the second time that we are dipping into our past reserves since Independence. While we had experience with SARS 17 years ago, the world today is a much different place. We are even more connected to the world than ever before. We have seen how the virus can spread like wild fire all over the world. We must do everything that we can to fight this virus on all fronts. Lives are at stake. Those who succumb to the virus could be a parent, a sibling, a friend, a neighbour. When we heard of community transmission in more countries and through large-scale religious gatherings, we took swift and decisive measures. Singapore suspended all religious services regardless of faith as part of a comprehensive set of safe distancing measures in order to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. It is a huge sacrifice for all religious communities here. But we all knew it had to be done. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] The fight against COVID-19 and coping with its socio-economic impact requires the support of everyone.”
“To help our asatizah step up to this role, the Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies (PCICS) will also expose them to social sciences, develop counselling, social work and other vocational skills to prepare them for an exciting and promising future. In addition to partnerships with renowned Islamic institutions like Al-Azhar University and the University of Jordan and our local publicly-funded Universities like NUS and SUSS, PCICS will include a practicum component to equip students with on-the-job training, exposure and experiential learning for their future roles in the workforce. Mr Chairman, allow me to continue in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our asatizah shape the character of our community. This is an important responsibility. The role of an asatizah has evolved from only functioning as religious teachers to religious leaders who contribute their expertise in the religious and non-religious sectors. Our long-term vision is to develop our future cohorts of asatizah as religious thought leaders who are highly regarded locally and internationally. (In English): Mr Chairman, our young asatizah can be great assets to the community, beyond the mosque and the madrasah. We must continue to invest in their development. In turn, I hope that our young aspiring asatizah will rise to the occasion, be the confident guides that the community needs to navigate future challenges and contribute to the vision of a Muslim community of success and help us build a strong and cohesive Singapore.”
“Lifelong learning is crucial and critical for all Singaporeans who want to stay relevant, and our asatizah are no exception. The top-up to their Skills Future Credit announced in Budget 2020 will be an additional boost for them to explore new frontiers of skills and opportunities. The second strategic thrust is strengthening institutions. As we nurture a stronger, more adaptable asatizah workforce, it is also important to strengthen religious institutions. I agree with Mdm Rahayu Mahzam that madrasahs play an important role in developing future asatizah. MUIS has been working closely with our madrasahs to support the development of teachers, improve programmes and curriculum and enhance the facilities of madrasahs. For example, Madrasah Al-Arabiah has a new campus. The campus is equipped with better lab facilities and resources for students, so that our young asatizah can build a strong foundation in both religious and secular subjects. The Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) and Syariah Court also play key roles in the lives of Singaporean Muslims. While overseeing the registration and solemnisation of marriage and managing divorces will remain their core roles, these institutions can play a bigger part in shaping community life. For example, to further enhance Bersamamu, ROMM has been working closely with MSF to train Kadis and Naib Kadis to better engage and support soon-to-wed couples. Thus far, Bersamamu has benefited close to 3,000 couples since its launch in July 2019. The third strategic thrust is to nurture inspiring asatizah. COFA saw potential for asatizah to contribute to adjacent sectors, such as social work, and to provide Singaporean Muslims with advice on how to navigate contemporary developments in the use of technology and finance.”
“COFA proposed to realise the vision through three strategic thrusts: first, we will professionalise the asatizah sector; second, we will strengthen key religious institutions; and third, we will do more to nurture inspiring asatizah. First, on professionalising the asatizah sector. Today, a significant proportion of jobs in the religious sector are unstructured and, as Mr Zainal Sapari highlighted, this results in limited opportunities to progress. To transform and professionalise the sector, I am glad to share that MUIS is developing an Asatizah Workforce Development Plan (AWDP) to enhance the attractiveness of the religious sector and the skills and competencies of our asatizah. This year, asatizah can look forward to the first initiative under AWDP, which is the Career and Competency Framework (CCF). This framework articulates the different roles and pathways within the formal religious sector and provides information on the respective skillsets needed. With this framework, asatizah can better plan their careers and proactively learn about skills and competencies required for the various career pathways. In the next three years, MUIS will develop more initiatives under the AWDP. This includes salary guidelines, a religious talent programme to identify and develop future religious leaders and more opportunities for skills upgrading. The religious talent programme, like the Muis scholarship that Mr Irshad mentioned, will be open to deserving applicants on the basis of merit, regardless of race. For asatizah who are interested to upgrade themselves on emerging issues, Muis will organise relevant courses on digitalisation and the use of social media.”
“Mr Chairman, our asatizah anchor our community to values and traditions in a rapidly evolving world. Increasingly, they are expected to dispense religious guidance on matters not limited to faith and rituals, but also on finance and estate matters, science, medicine and family. Socio-religious issues are becoming more complex. Bio-scientific developments pose new ethical questions. Demographic shifts, such as an ageing population, evolving concepts of gender roles and challenges brought forth with the Internet of Things, require clearer religious guidance. In March 2019, we formed the Committee on Future Asatizah (COFA) and I led the engagements on the vision for future asatizah. COFA members included representatives from the asatizah fraternity, Malay/Muslim community leaders, professionals and academics from different fields. The diversity reflects the expanded role expected of future asatizah. We held 16 engagements sessions over nine months, involving over 1,900 stakeholders. These engagement platforms include focus group discussions, round tables, online surveys, street surveys and interviews. COFA concluded its deliberations with the following vision for future asatizah: (a) As religious leaders in a multi-cultural and diverse society, our asatizah must proactively engage on issues of the modern world and connect with other communities to build a cohesive Singapore society. (b) As professionals, our asatizah are advocates of lifelong learning, acquiring new knowledge and skills in guiding Singapore Muslims to respond to contemporary challenges. (c) As role models, our asatizah are rooted to Islamic traditions, resilient, adaptable, compassionate, driven and committed to the betterment of Singapore society.”
“I thank the Member again. I think the Member will appreciate that it is not up to ASEAN to allow them to go back. It is up to the Myanmar government to allow them to go back. And really, we want to encourage the stakeholders on the ground to understand such circumstances, especially also NGOs that are working on the ground. What we do at the ASEAN level, I can assure you, is that at every Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the issue of the Rakhine state will always be discussed. And whatever the decision that is being made, we have to respect that it is a decision that the Myanmar government will have to take as and when they are ready to facilitate the process.”
“I thank the Member for the question. I fully appreciate his concern for those refugees who are affected. I think the ASEAN Foreign Ministers continue to look at some of these issues and we really want to facilitate the repatriation of the refugees back to where they are. But as Members are well aware of, it is also their concern about their own security and we have to make sure that the security is made available and they feel secure enough to go back. We will continue to work with our ASEAN partners to ensure that the situation is conducive enough for them to return.”
“This represented a high-water mark in our relations with the United Arab Emirates, which remains our largest trading partner in the Middle East. President Halimah Yacob also made a historic State Visit to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in November 2019. Looking ahead, Prime Minister Lee is scheduled to visit the region to attend the G20 Summit later this year. These political exchanges lay the groundwork for fostering stronger economic ties with the region. Our efforts are strengthened by the fact that Singapore is well-regarded in the Middle East as a development model. Our companies enjoy good brand recognition. They should continue to explore opportunities in the region. On the temporary suspension of umrah visas by the Saudi Government as a precautionary measure in view of the COVID-19 outbreak, Singapore hopes that the suspension will be lifted in due course so that Singaporeans can proceed with their umrah in a safe and secure manner. Mr Chairman, I conclude by reiterating that we should continue to deepen ties with our closest partners for peace and prosperity of Singapore and the region. We should intensify regional and international cooperation. By doing so, we will be better-equipped to secure Singapore's strategic interests in an increasingly uncertain global climate. Mr Chairman, I now turn the floor to my colleague, Minister of State, Sam Tan.”
“The dispute between Qatar and its four neighbours, for instance, has persisted for over two years. Singapore has good relations with all the parties involved and we hope that a resolution can be reached soon. Given our position as a major maritime and oil hub, our economic growth could also potentially be impacted if maritime routes are disrupted. The incidents involving Iran and the US in the Strait of Hormuz earlier in January were therefore of particular concern given the risk of miscalculations, which could further spiral into conflict and affect regional stability. We hope that all sides will take steps to de-escalate tensions. No one will gain from a military conflict in the Gulf. With regard to the complex and longstanding conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis, Singapore has taken a consistent and principled position. We support a negotiated two-state solution consistent with the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and we welcome all efforts by the international community towards this end. The US recently released President Trump's vision for a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. However, this was rejected by the Palestinian side. We hope that both sides will return to direct negotiations towards a just and durable solution and refrain from any unilateral action. While we watch the situation in the Middle East, we have not been deterred from expanding our political and economic space. We have kept up regular interactions with the Middle East at all levels. In February last year, we hosted an official visit by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and signed a joint declaration on comprehensive partnership.”
“We will enhance our Nationally Determined Contribution and submit a long-term low emissions development strategy for 2050. As highlighted by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean earlier, achieving these goals require deep transformations in our industry, economy and society. We are heartened that there is a growing awareness of climate change among Singaporeans, especially our young. We look forward to working with the private sector and key stakeholders to achieve our climate goals. The terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, New Zealand and the UK last year, as well as the recent attack in Germany, are grim reminders of what is a clear and present danger. In this regard, Mr Liang Eng Hwa raised a pertinent question on how Singapore secured itself from the threat of terrorism. It is important that we remain vigilant and continue to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation with our neighbours. Within Southeast Asia, there is robust defence and security cooperation through joint exercises, such as the Sulu-Sulawesi Straits Patrol and the Malacca Straits Patrol. We also make use of relevant platforms such as ASEAN's Our Eyes Initiative for defence officials to exchange strategic information on terrorism, radicalism and violent extremism. Let me now move on to the situation in the Middle East. Though further away, our citizens visit the Middle East often, not only for work and education but to perform religious practices like umrah and the haj as well. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about the situation and our key engagements there. The Middle East is an important global supplier of fossil fuels with many key shipping routes passing through the region. Any instability in the region will affect Singapore. We have thus been closely monitoring developments, which remain volatile.”
“With 60% of ASEAN's population below the age of 35, I agree that focus should be placed on strengthening linkages amongst our youth. The Singapore-ASEAN Youth Fund (SAYF) was set up in 2007 to promote greater interaction amongst ASEAN youth and an increased understanding of ASEAN culture. Singapore added S$5 million to the SAYF during our 2018 ASEAN Chairmanship to promote leadership development, community service and entrepreneurship amongst ASEAN youths. Our engagement of regional partners also serves as an avenue of cooperation to tackle transboundary threats like cybersecurity, climate change and terrorism. Cybersecurity is a growing concern, particularly for Singapore, which has one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world. Mr Murali Pillai asked how we could work with the international community to safeguard Singapore's cybersecurity. MFA works with Cyber Security Agency (CSA) and international partners to exchange information and promote best practices through active participation in platforms like the United Nations Group of Government Experts on cybersecurity issues and the United Nations Open Ended Working Group on Cybersecurity. We also launched the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence in October 2019, which offers capacity building programmes for participants. Climate change is also of serious concern. According to UN Environment, global temperatures could rise another 3.9 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, with catastrophic results. Although Singapore contributes only to 0.1% of global emissions, we will continue to actively address climate change as a responsible member of the global community. Mr Amrin Amin asked how we are fulfilling our Paris Agreement commitments.”
“We will continue to engage Indonesia's regions widely, to open up opportunities for our businesses while deepening and broadening our people-to-people ties. (In English): Mr Chairman, Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked how we can deepen our relationship with ASEAN countries. Apart from Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore continues to closely engage and pursue collaborative relations with the wider Southeast Asian region. We have substantive and growing economic, defence and people-to-people ties with many of them. We are also exploring cooperation in many new areas. For instance, during President Halimah's State Visit to the Philippines in September last year, Singapore and the Philippines concluded eight MOUs that chart cooperation in emerging areas like data protection, data innovation and smart city infrastructure. With Thailand, we have been exploring FinTech cooperation, like linking PayNow in Singapore with PromptPay in Thailand. This means people in Singapore and Thailand can send money to each other instantly using their mobile phone numbers. 5.15 pm We have strong economic links with Vietnam too. Our seven Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks are doing well. Both sides are also strengthening cooperation in finance, digital technology and innovation, smart cities and energy. Our agencies like Infrastructure Asia are working across the region to support sustainable infrastructure development and share best practices in areas like smart cities, urban mobility and water supply and sanitation. We are confident that cooperation in these areas would promote economic growth, social development and long-term stability in our region. I am glad Mr Gan also mentioned increasing our youth exposure in ASEAN.”
“Over the past year, we had also received a large number of high-level incoming visits from state leaders and officials who are keen to engage our agencies, and more so, our economic agencies. These visits provide opportunities to deepen cooperation and build closer economic ties. Minister Vivian had also spoken about our multi-faceted relations with Indonesia. Allow me to elaborate. Our economic cooperation continues to grow from strength to strength through flagship collaborative projects, including the Kendal Industrial Park project in Central Java and Nongsa Digital Park project in Batam. We have been Indonesia's top foreign investor since 2014. Both countries are among each other's largest trading partners. The updated Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement, which was signed during President Halimah's State Visit to Indonesia in February, along with our Bilateral Investment Treaty, will further increase two-way trade and investments, once the agreements are ratified. Such projects and agreements facilitate the creation of jobs and business opportunities on both sides. There is still room for us to do so much more together. For example, discussions are ongoing on ways to expand cooperation in investments, human resource development, infrastructure, tourism and the digital economy. Beyond our close links with the central government, we also have regular high-level visits to Indonesian provinces, and established closer ties with the local leaders. President Halimah had a fruitful visit to Yogyakarta during her State Visit in early February. I visited Riau and Jambi last month, where I met various leaders, including the Riau Governor Syamsuar and the Jambi City Mayor Syarif Fasha.”
“It is normal for issues to crop up from time to time with our closest neighbours. How we go about resolving our differences is key. It is only by maintaining good overall bilateral relations and cooperating in areas of common interest on a win-win basis, and with mutual respect, that we are able to develop comfort and trust to discuss more complicated issues in a constructive manner. Because of this, we have kept up close personal ties, with exchanges in visits at the highest levels. In 2019 alone, there were over 50 Ministerial-level visits and exchanges between Malaysia and Singapore. These exchanges allowed us to discuss a wide range of issues, including connectivity projects like the Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link and Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail (HSR). I hope that we will be able to continue making progress on these mutually beneficial projects. We should also continue to work closely with Malaysia through several bilateral platforms on other issues such as maritime boundary delimitation, the environment, economic cooperation and public health. The key is to find ways to sustain our historically excellent ties for future generations. In this regard, I believe that there are many opportunities for greater engagement and exchanges among our younger generation. This will strengthen the excellent people-to-people ties we already share. Mr Chia Shi-Lu asked what steps we were taking to expand our engagement, including building ties with various Malaysian states. Beyond our relations with the Federal government, we want to strengthen our relationship with the various states in Peninsula Malaysia and with Sabah and Sarawak. In 2019, Minister Balakrishnan visited Johor, Kedah, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Terengganu.”
“We also accounted for the largest share, which is 47.1%, of total trade in services. This has allowed us to position ourselves as a regional trading hub. ASEAN has also increased efforts to promote tourism in the region, such as through the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan and the annual ASEAN Tourism Forum. Visitor arrivals to ASEAN have increased markedly, reaching 135 million in 2018, an estimated 264% increase from 2005, and Singapore is consistently among the top ASEAN countries with highest visitor arrivals. Going forward, we should continue to tap on ASEAN's potential as a burgeoning consumer market. By 2030, ASEAN is expected to be the fourth largest economy in the world. We should, therefore, continue to promote regional integration and deepen intra-ASEAN trade. One important component towards this goal is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which we look forward to signing at the earliest opportunity. Singapore, as Country Coordinator of ASEAN-EU relations, is also leading efforts to advance an ASEAN-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement and to restart the ASEAN-EU FTA negotiations. Closer to home, it remains crucial that we continue to foster closer bilateral relations with our Southeast Asian neighbours. Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and Mr Seah Kian Peng asked for updates on relations with Malaysia and Indonesia. I would like to take these two questions together in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Relations with our neighbours are strong and continue to expand steadily. We share extensive interdependencies with our two neighbours. In this regard, it is in Singapore's interest that our neighbours succeed, as a successful Indonesia and Malaysia is good for Singapore and the region.”
“For example, through ASEAN's humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts, we are able to alleviate the situation in the Rakhine State. To reply to Mr Louis Ng's query, Singapore has contributed over S$1 million in bilateral humanitarian aid to Bangladesh and Myanmar. Through ASEAN, we support efforts to create conducive conditions for repatriation. For instance, the ASEAN Secretariat's Ad Hoc Support Team is building infrastructure and providing equipment for reception and transit centres in the Rakhine State. We will be ready to support future comprehensive needs assessments once repatriation commences. In the meantime, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered provisional measures in the case brought by Gambia against Myanmar. As a strong proponent of international law, we hope that all parties will respect the ICJ's decision. ASEAN convened a Special ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting back-to-back with a Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting two weeks ago in Laos to look into ASEAN's collective response to COVID-19 and discuss how we can strengthen cooperation with China to address the outbreak effectively. Preparations are also underway for a video conference meeting between ASEAN and the EU to exchange information and best practices on COVID-19. ASEAN's success in maintaining peace and security has given investors confidence to put money in the region and in Singapore. In 2018, total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into ASEAN amounted to some US$155 billion. This is up from US$42 billion in 2005. Intra-ASEAN trade remains strong, and has benefited Singapore. In 2018, Singapore was the largest exporter and importer of the region, accounting for 28.8% and 26.8% of ASEAN exports and imports, respectively.”
“Mr Chairman, thank you. Minister Vivian spoke on Singapore's relations with our immediate neighbours and the major powers. I would like to elaborate on our efforts to foster closer relations in the region. These efforts will help Singapore make friends, gain support at international fora and enable our companies to pursue economic opportunities abroad. They also enable us to work closely with our partners to address non-traditional threats, in order to keep Singapore safe and secure. Let me first start to address ASEAN and its strategic importance to Singapore, which Mr Charles Chong, Mr Henry Kwek and Dr Teo Ho Pin had addressed in their speeches. ASEAN continues to be a cornerstone of Singapore's foreign policy. It allows us to foster regional peace and security, so that we can pursue our strategic, economic and socio-cultural priorities. Despite its diversity and member states' different stages of development, ASEAN's continued stability makes it an attractive platform for major powers to engage our region. This amplifies ASEAN's collective voice on the international stage. Mr Henry Kwek asked about the progress of the negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). We completed the first reading of the Single Draft Negotiating Text for the COC last year and have started on the second reading. Our key concern remains the right to freedom of navigation and overflight as enshrined by UNCLOS. ASEAN's security platforms like the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting have also facilitated an effective and sustainable security architecture in the region. ASEAN also serves as a channel to coordinate collective responses to regional crises.”
“In conclusion, Mr Chairman, although the COVID-19 outbreak has not ended, I believe that the collective effort from the Government, communities and individuals will see us through this crisis. We must continue to encourage the community spirit shown during this period and support those at the frontline. It is with this collective strength that we are able to stay resilient and united as one people. We must make Total Defence in every Singaporean's DNA. With a strong Total Defence, we have every reason to have confidence and a sense of hope for Singapore's future.”
“Mr Seah Kian Peng asked about the significance of the new logo and how Singaporeans responded to the call for the design of this new logo. In Ms Teng’s design, the arrows pointing upwards represent Singapore’s continuous journey to stay resilient against current and future threats. When we launched the logo competition, we wanted to create a new logo that represents all six pillars and, more importantly, to hear from Singaporeans what Total Defence meant to them. We were heartened to receive more than 600 designs by participants from all walks of life – from students, teachers, professional designers and retirees. Global trends and threats are evolving and, as Mr Seah Kian Peng noted, one of the issues our youths and many young people around the world are increasingly concerned with is climate change. Given that Total Defence has kept Singapore strong for more than 35 years, it is timely for us, as a nation, to revitalise this all-round defence and deterrence strategy to address these threats confronting Singapore now and in the future. We will continue partnering fellow Singaporeans to seek ideas on how to strengthen our Total Defence because this should be a whole-of-nation effort. As part of the SG Together movement, MINDEF will conduct a series of engagement sessions in the second half of 2020, to hear from Singaporeans on how all of us can do better to put Total Defence into action and how Total Defence can be strengthened for our future. This will also allow younger Singaporeans to reflect on what Total Defence is to them and operationalise this as we respond to future threats and challenges.”
“In Singapore, to anchor Total Defence for our next generation, MINDEF collaborated with MediaCorp artiste Edmund Chen and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to create "My Little Red Dot – Making Our Home A Better Place" book. Through this book, young children can learn about Total Defence in an interactive manner and parents are encouraged to share values, such as unity and resilience, with their children. Mr Chairman, key to Total Defence is a strong SAF – our military defence pillar. For a small country like Singapore, the only way to have a credible military of sufficient size is to have a conscript force, where every able-bodied male Singaporean defends Singapore, thereby contributing to military defence. Earlier, Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How had talked about this extensively. I believe that strong family and societal support for our National Servicemen will motivate them to give of their best when performing their duties. To recognise and strengthen family support for all our servicemen, I am happy to announce that MINDEF and MHA will launch the SAFRA Family Scheme and HomeTeamNS Family Scheme this year. Under these schemes, Operationally Ready National Servicemen can sign up for a family package for himself and his dependants, regardless of the size of his family. This allows significant cost savings because servicemen no longer need to pay individual membership fees for each dependant. We hope that this will encourage more families to visit SAFRA and HomeTeamNS clubhouses, enjoy the facilities and spend more quality time together. SAFRA and HomeTeamNS will announce more details on this in mid-2020. Last month, we launched the new Total Defence logo – the winning design, by Ms Samantha Teng, an Allied Educator.”
“While we step up efforts in digital defence, the multi-faceted threats of today mean that to keep Singapore strong, we need the collective effort of all aspects of society – Government, businesses, communities and individuals like you and me, across every Total Defence pillar. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked about MINDEF's efforts to engage the community to strengthen resilience against potential threats. MINDEF is working with PA to introduce the Total Defence Achiever Badge programme this year for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), which currently includes 2,000 active volunteers. To achieve the highest tier of this programme, CERT volunteers will have to attend lessons to learn how to identify fake news, community mediation and psychological first aid, among other training components. In this way, CERT volunteers will be better equipped with the knowledge and skills to respond to the evolving nature of emergencies, thereby putting Total Defence into action. Dr Teo also asked for an update about the Government-led and community-led efforts to strengthen Total Defence. I am happy to share with the House that the community has, in various ways, taken ownership of Total Defence. One example is the collaboration between four NTU students, Coding Lab and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to develop a Total Defence board game within the Tiny Thinkers Starter Kit, which were given to pre-schoolers and parents of low-income families, with the aim of exposing young children to Total Defence. As noted by Ms Joan Pereira, in many countries, education on the importance of resilience and emergency preparedness starts at a young age.”
“One of the many efforts to achieve this is a collaboration between MINDEF, SSG, the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and NLB to introduce a Digital Defence component into the SUSS SME Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Nurturing programme to teach small- and medium-sized enterprise business owners how to use the S.U.R.E. (Source, Understand, Research and Evaluate) framework to better assess the reliability of information. We conducted one session last year and the feedback on this has been very positive so far. While we do our utmost to defend Singapore against digital threats, we have to acknowledge that it is impossible to prevent all cyber and data incidents, especially by determined and capable adversaries. Dr Teo Ho Pin and Mr Seah Kian Peng asked about MINDEF's efforts to strengthen cyber security against potential threats and attacks on our security systems. MINDEF/SAF is doubling down on efforts to raise the cybersecurity standards and readiness within the entire defence sector, including our vendors and among MINDEF-related organisations like SAFRA and NSRCC. We will limit the amount of data they hold and ensure implementation of technical and procedural measures to protect the data during transmission and storage. In addition, I am happy to announce that the first batch of Specialists from the Cyber NSF scheme has been deployed into our cyber defence operations across MINDEF/SAF. The Defence Cyber Security Centre (DCSC) which was announced in 2019, has also reached 24/7 operating capability to monitor, detect and respond to threats. The DCSC will coordinate operations across the defence sector and integrate cyber threat intelligence capabilities.”
“As part of a broader effort to raise information literacy and increase Singaporeans’ understanding of digital threats, MINDEF, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), National Library Board (NLB) and Cyber Security Agency of Singapore had worked together to add a Digital Defence component to the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme. The enhancement to the programme will equip participants with the skills to detect and deal with fake news and digital threats. At the same time, MINDEF/SAF has partnered NLB to enrich our existing BMT curriculum with content on cyberattacks and information threats. Now, BMT recruits will have to complete an e-module on Digital Security in the SAF and visit the Digital Defence exhibition at the Singapore Discovery Centre. Students who joined the 2019 N.E.mation! competition had the chance to visit the SAF Cyber Defence School, which equips the MINDEF/SAF's cyber workforce with skillsets and knowledge for deployment in cyber defence entities, to learn about the SAF's cyber capabilities and contributions to keep Singapore's network systems and infrastructure safe and secure. They also visited The Straits Times’ newly revamped newsroom to learn how ST detects and deals with fake news. Online falsehoods can also affect the reputation and credibility of businesses and even cause serious financial losses. A case in point is Tesla. Last January, Tesla's shares and consumers' confidence in their products were affected when fake videos claiming that Tesla's cars were unsafe were circulated online. Mr Henry Kwek asked about the initiatives targeted at business owners to equip them to deal with digital threats.”
“As we try to prevent the transmission of this virus, there is an even greater threat that we must fight, that is, the spread of fake news. According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study, fake news can travel six times faster than true stories. In the past month, false information on the closure of schools and an MRT station due to the spread of COVID-19 was propagated. It is important to remember that, whenever you receive messages or unsubstantiated information over WhatsApp or other social media platforms, please do not forward or circulate them. Please ensure that you check the information you receive against official sources, like the government websites and official news releases. If you are unsure, do not spread the information. We have to be disciplined in the fight against fake news. All in all, Singapore can and will overcome this COVID-19 situation if Singaporeans are ready, psychologically resilient and support the efforts by the government and businesses to deal with this outbreak. We should not be easily rattled and instead, be confident as a people. As my soldiers often say "Relax, Don't Be Stressed Out!" 3.00 pm (In English): Mr Chairman, the spread of falsehoods during this COVID-19 crisis is just one example of how fake news can damage our society, erode communal trust and social cohesion. Ms Joan Pereira asked how MINDEF is supporting the whole-of-Government efforts to prepare Singaporeans to combat the spread of online falsehoods and fake news.”
“In the past month, false information on the closure of schools and the closure of an MRT station due to the spread of COVID-19 was propagated. When you receive messages or unsubstantiated information over WhatsApp or other online platforms, do not forward or circulate them. Always check the information against official sources like the Government websites or the official news releases. If you are unsure, do not spread the information. Such discipline will go a long way in our fight against fake news. All in all, Singaporean can and will overcome this COVID-19 situation if Singaporeans are psychologically resilient and support the Government and businesses to deal with this outbreak. We should not be easily rattled and instead show confidence as a people. As my soldiers often say in Hokkien "ai zai" or be steady. Mr Chairman, may I say a few words in Malay, please? (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Religious leaders in Singapore have come together to provide religious guidance and to prepare measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For instance, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) had advised Muslims in Singapore that, in Islam, those who are unwell are excused from attending congregational prayers, including Friday prayers. Muslims were also advised to set aside the practice of "salam" to avoid the transmission of the virus. Some temples and churches in Singapore are scaling back or suspending mass and regular services, and urging followers to watch their services online instead. I really appreciate the guidance provided by the religious leaders to rally the community together in this current situation.”
“I really appreciate the guidance provided by the religious leaders to rally the community together in the current situation. The Government is mindful that Singaporeans and businesses are facing pressures as Singapore is affected by economic downturn, slow-down and uncertainties from this COVID-19 outbreak. In Budget 2020, the Government has announced measures to help businesses directly affected by the outbreak. We must build resilience in our economy. It is heartening to know that the businesses are exemplifying economic defence by implementing business continuity plans, sending workers for retraining and following calls to disinfect working areas regularly. Companies like Singapore Airlines, Singtel and SMRT, are finding ways to avoid retrenching their workers by cutting capital spending, operating costs and wages for managerial staff. Hopefully, these measures will provide workers with greater job assurance and help them cope and emerge stronger from the difficult period. Some like CapitaLand and Changi Airport have also offered rental relief to help retailers cope with the COVID-19 crisis. As businesses do their part, fellow Singaporeans should also show solidarity – take the necessary precautions and carry on with our own life; eat and shop as you normally do and support these businesses. Please do not panic when you see shops disinfecting their premises or medical workers in Personal Protection Equipment or PPE providing assistance – these practices are routine precautionary procedures at a time like this. As we fight the virus, concurrently, we are also fighting an even greater threat – the spread of fake news. According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Study, fake news can travel six times faster than true stories.”
“Mr Chairman, the strength of a nation depends largely on the readiness of her people to resist and respond to the threats, and there are various manifestations. These demands and all-round defence and a deterrent strategy best provided by Total Defence, with its six pillars and emphasis on everyone playing their part. Total Defence has rallied Singaporeans together in responding to challenges that have threatened our independence and well-being. Despite these challenges, be it threats from terrorism, economic downturns and SARS, we overcame them all. The outbreak of COVID-19 is the latest test of our collective strength as a nation. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked how Singaporeans can play a part to overcome this crisis. In the past month, we have seen how fear of the virus had led to panic buying of household essentials, hoarding and profiteering from the sale of masks and shunning of our healthcare workers. Yet at the same time, we came across countless heartwarming examples of how Singaporeans have displayed quiet strength and resolve to fight this crisis together – residents leaving hand sanitisers and spare masks in common areas for others, and University students bringing food for their classmates who were on leave of absence. Religious leaders have also come together to provide religious guidance during this period. The Islamic Religious Council for Singapore, for example, has said in an advisory to Muslims that Islam excuses those who are unwell from attending congregational prayers, including Friday prayers. Muslims are also advised to set aside the practice of salam or shaking hands to ensure that they do not transmit the virus. Some temples and churches are scaling back or cancelling regular services and urging followers to watch their services online instead.”
“Muslims and non-Muslims in Singapore have shown our region and the world that it is possible to have a model anchored on harmony, peace, coexistence and honest, genuine relationships among leaders and followers of different faiths. Hence, we believe that as the global socio-religious landscape continues to evolve, the amendments to MRHA will ensure it remains an effective legal safeguard to protect religious harmony and bolsters the community's ongoing efforts to strengthen our social cohesion. The Bill underscores Singaporeans' conviction that we will not have others prescribe for us how we should live our religious lives. MUIS has been consulted on the specific amendments to MRHA and supports them. I, too, welcome and support this Bill.”
“In my conversations with the asatizah community as part of COFA’s engagement, I am heartened that they recognise the importance of teaching Islam that is suited to our multi-religious societal context and support the introduction of PCICS. COFA will submit its recommendations to the Government early next year. Mr Speaker, the Singapore Muslim community recognises that we cannot take for granted today’s harmonious state of inter-religious relations today, and we cannot underestimate the influence, ideas and practices from outside our borders that are dangerous to our community and social cohesion. Muslims and non-Muslims in Singapore have shown our region and the world that it is possible to have a model anchored in harmony, peaceful co-existence and honest, genuine relationships among the leaders and followers of different faiths. Hence, we believe that, as the global socio-religious landscape continues to evolve, the amendments to MRHA will ensure it remains an effective legal safeguard to protect religious harmony and bolsters the community’s ongoing efforts to strengthen our social cohesion. The Bill underscores Singaporeans’ conviction that we will not allow others and foreign influences to prescribe for us how we should live our religious lives. MUIS has been consulted on the specific amendments to MRHA, and MUIS supports the amendments. I, too, welcome and support this Bill. (In English): The Singapore Muslim community recognises that we cannot take today's harmonious state of inter-religious relations for granted nor underestimate the influence of foreign ideas and practices that are inimical to our community and social cohesion.”
“Several crucial ingredients make the ARS work. First, the Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB). Comprising senior asatizahs who are respected in the community, it oversees ARS and is supported by MUIS. Second, ARB and MUIS take ARS registration seriously, by instituting provisional periods of observation and requiring additional interviews as the Board deems necessary. Third, ARS asatizahs are required to attend training under the Continuous Professional Education programme and their suitability as an asatizah is reviewed periodically. Their accreditation will be revoked if they breach the ARS Code of Ethics. Essentially, ARS is a robust system that was built through the community’s own efforts. It shows the Singapore Muslim community’s strong sense of ownership and commitment to ensure that its religious teachers are credible and that their teachings are aligned with Singapore’s multi-religious context. To enhance this further, starting next year, all returning religious graduates from overseas Islamic universities must also undergo the PCICS programme, before they can register under ARS. PCICS will enable local asatizahs to remain anchored to Singapore’s multi-religious context. Under PCICS, they will learn about other religions in Singapore and, through this, appreciate the importance of inter-religious understanding in strengthening social cohesion. Mr Speaker, I chair COFA that was established to support the development of our future religious teachers to confidently lead and provide guidance in the religious life of the community that is suited for Singapore.”
“For example, all members of the MUIS Council and the board members of our madrasahs, are Singapore Citizens. We are also proud that the strong support of the Muslim community in Singapore through the monthly contributions to MBMF has allowed us to raise funds from our community to build and upgrade mosques in all our estates and to support education in our madrasahs without the need for foreign funding. We can and must continue to be self-reliant so that, as a Singapore Muslim community, we are able to address our own needs without becoming susceptible to manipulation by foreign parties for their own agendas and risking the peace and harmony we have enjoyed. However, we need more than MRHA laws to ensure that our Muslim community remains strongly grounded in how Islam is practised in Singapore’s multi-religious context. Our entire community, our religious teachers, and our leaders, must continue to be proactive and have the conviction that religious harmony is imperative to the survival and success of Singapore. We need to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to live out these values every day. This is why we have the ARS. To register under ARS, one must possess the necessary qualifications as well as abide by the Asatizah Code of Ethics, which states that religious teachings must not encourage extremism or violence, nor denigrate other faiths. Instead, it must inculcate respect and understanding towards others. ARS was introduced as a voluntary scheme in 2005 and received strong support from the community, including amongst the asatizahs. This strong support was clearly displayed in 2016, when community and religious leaders themselves asked for ARS to be made mandatory. Today, we have more than 4,500 asatizahs registered under ARS.”
“Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Muslim community in Singapore recognises the importance of practising one’s religion in a way that is respectful towards other religions. Singapore is a multi-religious society. We are a successful nation not just because Muslims and non-Muslims live side-by-side in peace and prosperity, but also because Singaporeans understand that our diversity does not divide us, but instead it is our source of strength. We believe that Singapore can flourish as one united people only if we safeguard the common spaces in society, regardless of race or religion, including those who do not profess to any religion. Although religion is a deeply personal matter, our community recognises the need for laws as an important enabler to allow communities of different faiths to co-exist in harmony. The law sets the tone for the norms that we treasure and uphold as a society and, in the case of MRHA, laws are the ultimate safeguard for religious harmony. The amendments proposed in this Bill align with our approach in managing Muslim affairs in Singapore. Our Muslim community is a confident community. The way we practise our religion is founded on the strong underpinnings of Islam and is contextualised to our way of life in Singapore. It cannot and should not be influenced by foreign forces, because our community must chart our own way forward, based on the set of values that have allowed Singapore and Singaporeans to thrive in an increasingly polarised world. The practices in our mosques and religious institutions under MUIS are already aligned to the enhanced safeguards in the MRHA amendments to ensure local leadership of our religious institutions, as well as regulations on foreign funding.”
“Mr Speaker, I chair the Committee on Future Asatizah (COFA) that looks at supporting the development of our future religious teachers to confidently lead and provide guidance in the religious life of the community that is suited for Singapore. In my conversations with the asatizah community as part of COFA’s engagement, I am heartened that they recognise the importance of teaching Islam that is suited to our multi-religious societal context and support the introduction of PCICS. COFA will submit its recommendations to the Government early next year. Our community’s religious leaders also lead by example. They have a strong tradition of working closely with the leaders of other faiths to strengthen interfaith trust and understanding. For instance, our mosques officials are active members of the IRCCs. Several asatizahs have been involved in deepening interfaith dialogue and mutual understanding through the "Ask Me Anything" and the Common Senses for Common Spaces (CSCS) dialogue series promoting interfaith conversations, while others volunteer as docents at the Harmony Centre. The religious leaders of the different faiths mooted and developed the Commitment to Safeguard Religious Harmony that was launched during the International Conference on Cohesive Societies in June this year. The Commitment emphasises the common values across different faiths and sets out how Singaporeans of different faiths should interact with one another in a manner that grows trust and social bonds in our society. How we can dine together and express good wishes for and attending one another’s festival celebrations and life events. MUIS and the leaders of key Muslim religious and community institutions, including all mosques in Singapore, have since endorsed the Commitment.”
“Several crucial ingredients make ARS work. First, the Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB) comprising senior and respected asatizahs in the community oversees ARS, supported by MUIS. Second, the Board and MUIS take ARS registration seriously, instituting provisional periods of observation and requiring additional interviews as the Board deems necessary. Third, ARS asatizahs are required to attend regular Continuous Professional Education training programmes, and their suitability as an asatizah is periodically reviewed. Their accreditation will be revoked if they breach ARS standards. For example, Murad Mohd Said, who was placed on a Restriction Order in December 2018, was struck off ARS earlier in May 2018 for his segregationist teachings that contravened the ARS Code of Ethics. In summary, ARS is a robust, community-led system. It shows the Singapore Muslim community’s strong sense of ownership and commitment to ensuring that its religious teachers are credible and that their teachings are in line with Singapore’s multi-religious context. To enhance further, starting next year, all returning religious graduates from overseas Islamic universities must also undergo the Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies (PCICS) programme to be registered under ARS. PCICS will enable local asatizahs who have been trained in overseas Islamic institutions to remain anchored to Singapore’s multi-religious context. Under PCICS, they will learn about other religions in Singapore, and through this, appreciate the importance of inter-religious understanding in strengthening social cohesion.”
“Before leaving Singapore, he apologised, and showed that he understood the implications of his remarks on trust among communities in Singapore. Both the Muslim community and non-Muslim Singaporeans welcomed his apology and gesture of reconciliation. However, we need more than MRHA laws to ensure that our Muslim community remains strongly grounded in how Islam is practised in Singapore’s multi-religious context. Workers’ Party Member of Parliament, Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap, earlier mentioned about how integration is done in Australia. But here in Singapore, we must determine what works best for our unique multi-religious context. We must always uphold our common spaces. And our schools are critical common spaces where we nurture a shared identity and a shared experience among our children, regardless of race and religion. This has worked well for Singapore. Our entire community, our religious teachers and our leaders, must continue to be proactive and have the conviction that religious harmony is imperative to the survival and success of Singapore, and then to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to live out these values every day. This is why, to be registered under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS), one must possess the necessary qualifications as well as abide by the Asatizah Code of Ethics, which states that religious teachings must not encourage extremism or violence, nor denigrate other faiths, and instead inculcate respect and understanding towards others. ARS was introduced as a voluntary scheme in 2005, and community support, including amongst the asatizahs, has been strong. This was underscored when community and religious leaders asked in 2016 for ARS to be made mandatory. Today, we have more than 4,500 asatizahs registered under ARS.”
“In support of the launch of the Commitment to Safeguard Religious Harmony in June 2019, Mufti Ustaz Mohamed Fatris Bakaram had said that the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore's (MUIS’) efforts have always been guided by the vision of establishing a common space and advancing the common good for all in our society, and to keep out divisive and isolationist tendencies. The practices in our mosques and religious institutions under MUIS are already aligned to the enhanced safeguards in the MRHA amendments, in particular, to ensure local leadership in our religious institutions, as well as regulations on foreign funding. For example, all members of the MUIS Council and the board members of our madrasahs, are Singapore Citizens. We are also proud that the strong support of the Muslim community in Singapore through the monthly contributions to the Mosque Building and MENDAKI Fund (MBMF) has allowed us to raise funds from our community to build and upgrade mosques in all our estates and to support education in our madrasahs without the need for foreign funding. We can and must continue to be self-reliant so that, as a Singapore Muslim community, we are able to address our own needs without becoming susceptible to manipulation by foreign parties for their own agendas and risking the peace and harmony we have enjoyed as a society. We will not condone any foreign preacher advocating violence, segregationist or intolerant teachings that could divide our multiracial, multi-religious society, and build up unhappiness across different faith communities. In 2017, Imam Nalla, a preacher from India, was charged and repatriated for making remarks against Christians and Jews. Our community leaders and those of other faiths met with him.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Singapore Muslim community welcomes and supports the proposed amendments to MRHA which will further strengthen religious harmony in Singapore. The community recognises the importance of practising one’s religion in a way that is respectful towards those who may profess a different belief from oneself. Singapore is a multi-religious society. Singapore is a successful, thriving nation-state not just because Muslims and non-Muslims live side-by-side in peace and prosperity, but because many Singaporeans deeply believe that our diversity does not divide us and instead is a source of strength. We believe that Singapore can flourish as a cohesive society and as one united people only if we safeguard the common space for people of all races and religions, including those who do not profess one. While religion is a deeply personal matter, the community recognises the need for laws as an important enabler to allow communities of different faiths to co-exist in harmony. The law sets the tone for the norms that we treasure and uphold as a society and, in the case of MRHA, the laws are the ultimate safeguard for religious harmony. The amendments proposed in this Bill are aligned with our approach of managing Muslim affairs in Singapore. Our Muslim community is a confident one and how we practise our faith is founded on the strong underpinnings of Islam and contextualised to our way of life in Singapore. It cannot and should not be influenced by foreign forces, as our community must chart our own way forward, based on the set of values that have allowed Singapore and Singaporeans to thrive in an increasingly polarised world.”
“So, we want to see how they can be incorporated or work beyond the religious sector. Second, we are holding discussions with overseas universities on how we can collaborate to enhance the curriculum for PCICS students. Subsequently, these students will be channelled to the MUIS Academy, which provides the accreditation, because once they have undergone PCICS, they will receive the ARS accreditation.”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] First, the question on whether we will continue to include asatizahs who are already involved in the religious sector, they will certainly be involved because they are the stakeholders. As I have mentioned in my speech earlier, COFA will engage all of our stakeholders. Since they continue to be involved in this sector, the future of asatizahs is also their future. Hence, we would include them and get their feedback on how they view their own future. Can we expand the current opportunities in the religious sector to help them in their careers and how can they use the opportunities provided by COFA? COFA would also like to see how we can enhance career opportunities for our asatizahs beyond the religious sector. So, in terms of concept, COFA would be engaging all levels of society and obtain their feedback. For those who are already in the religious sector, we welcome their cooperation. We would like to give them new hope as well. Regarding the details, as I have mentioned earlier, PCICS is an extension of ICON. ICON is a programme for our graduates who recently returned from overseas. We have this programme to ensure that they understand how they can practise and teach religion in the context of a society like Singapore. PCICS is an extension based on their feedback that they require even deeper content. That is why it was called Post-Graduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies. What can we include in PCICS over and above what was in ICON? First, by working beyond the religious sectors, they will acquire new expertise, such as from the counselling sector, the social work sector, as well as the digital, finance or legal sectors, because many of them graduated from the religious sector or studied religion.”
“I am confident that COFA’s engagements with the community will guide MUIS as it embarks on important initiatives to strengthen our religious sector. (In English): Mr Chairman, today, we have over 4,000 asatizahs who play a critical role in guiding the Singapore Muslim community in being part of a cohesive and multiracial society. Looking to the future, we have a vision of a strong and vibrant religious sector that provides more opportunities for our asatizahs to serve the needs of our community as well as the broader society. Our asatizahs must continue to stay relevant, given the complex and ever-changing environment that they are operating in. I am confident that COFA's engagements with the community will guide MUIS as it embarks on important initiatives to strengthen our religious sector.”
“Over the course of the next few months, members of COFA will engage the public and gather feedback from key stakeholders like our religious students and their parents, employers, the asatizah fraternity and the wider community. Prof Fatimah Lateef and Dr Intan Mokhtar asked for an update on the development of an SIC. COFA's work is a critical step towards the college, because it will deepen our understanding of what the community desires of our future asatizahs. Through these engagements, MUIS will be able to chart the holistic development of our asatizahs, from the madrasahs to the universities, and into their employment. MUIS will also be able to map out the skillsets that our asatizahs will require to serve our community effectively and develop pathways for careers within and beyond the religious sector. These findings will provide us with a strong foundation for establishing the SIC in the future. Through COFA, we will be able to work more closely with the community to develop three key plans. First, producing asatizahs who are trained to meet the evolving needs of the Singapore Muslim community and contribute to the wider Singapore society; second, facilitating employment of our religious graduates in good jobs in the religious sector and beyond; and third, cultivating and retaining a strong pipeline of leaders for the religious sector. Mr Chairman, today, we have over 4,000 asatizahs who play a critical role in guiding the Singapore Muslim community. We have a vision of a strong and vibrant religious sector that provides more opportunities for our asatizahs to serve the needs of our community as well as the broader society. Our asatizahs must continue to stay relevant, given the complex and ever-changing environment that they are operating in.”
“Thus, starting in 2020, MUIS will introduce the one-year PCICS programme for returning graduates. The PCICS programme will replace ICON. PCICS will offer modules that deepen our returning graduates' understanding of our geopolitical and socio-religious context and how Islam can be practised effectively in our multiracial and multi-religious society. This is important to prepare them for their role in providing religious guidance to the community. PCICS will also equip participants with work-relevant knowledge and skillsets, such as in social work and counselling, digital literacy as well as entrepreneurship, to open up more opportunities for them. Graduates of PCICS will also be recognised under ARS. Chairman, over the past week, Members of this House had reminded us of the various ways in which the world around us is changing. Geopolitical forces are evolving and shifting, the economy and its demands on Singaporeans are changing. Likewise, our religious landscape and social norms are also evolving. Singaporean Muslims need to move with the times, in their professional and socio-religious lives. The same goes for our asatizahs. This is why we formed COFA. COFA was formed to help us gain a better understanding of the evolving needs of the community, react to the trends that will shape the community's future, and hear ground-up feedback on how we can prepare our next generation of asatizahs. I will chair the COFA committee. COFA comprises members who have come forward to volunteer their services to the community. They include senior and younger asatizahs, leaders from the madrasah sector, community leaders, Muslim professionals, and individuals and academics with expertise in social work and continuing education and training.”
“What we want is that, with their qualifications, they receive the guidance that they require in order to be successful in their careers. One of our SLOs is Ustaz Goh Muhammad Redhuan, based in Cairo, Egypt. Redhuan looks after about 300 Singaporean students in the Middle East and North-African region. He has supported them in university administration matters and initiated developmental programmes. For example, in December 2018, Ustaz Redhuan organised a learning journey for 60 students in Cairo to visit two synagogues there. The students had a fruitful discussion with Cairo's Jewish community, learning about the culture and traditions of the Arab Jew community, and dispelling their prior misconceptions. In January this year, he arranged for a visit to the reputed Al-Azhar Observatory for Countering Extremism. With Ustaz Redhuan's support, the students have also organised dialogues on current issues in Singapore and discussed possible ways for them to contribute to the progress of the community and the nation. Dr Intan Mokhtar asked how we are preparing our returning religious graduates with work-relevant skills and knowledge to serve our community. Since 2017, graduates from overseas Islamic colleges have had to attend a compulsory four-week programme organised by the MUIS Academy, titled “Islam in Context” (ICON) Certificate, before they can be accredited under the ARS. Over the past two years of running ICON, MUIS has received positive feedback from ICON participants that not only has the programme been useful, but that the scope of the programme could be widened to include more work-relevant skillsets. This acknowledges that our asatizahs today serve in many domains beyond the religious sector, including counselling and consultancy services.”
“Besides adapting to the curriculum, students need to adapt to the local culture and systems. At the same time, we also have to ensure their ties to Singapore remain strong. As such, MUIS' Student Career and Welfare Office (SCWO) has deployed three SLOs, who mentor these students to help them keep abreast of Singapore’s developments and prepare them for future careers. As alumni of the universities in the same regions, these SLOs are familiar with the environment and common issues our students face. MUIS has deployed one SLO based in Cairo and another one in Jeddah and they are supporting over 500 Singaporean students in the Middle East and North Africa. Another SLO based in Singapore is supporting about 300 of our students in Southeast Asia. These three SLOs also support the overseas Singaporean student welfare groups, such as the Singaporean Students Welfare Assembly in Cairo, Singapore Students’ Association in Jordan, the Association of Singapore Students in Saudi Arabia and Association of Singapore Students in the International Islamic University Malaysia in Malaysia. The SCWO is ready to engage our students. Before the students leave, SCWO shares with them about the extra-curriculum opportunities, education and career pathways, and general information, such as finances and personal safety. When these students return to Singapore for their annual summer vacation, the SCWO engages them through various activities, such as workshops on contemporary Islamic thought, skills to improve their employability, internships and career coaching sessions. Upon graduation, the SCWO refers them to the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) Office and MUIS Academy for developmental programmes and further career coaching sessions.”
“Mr Chairman, allow me to join my colleagues in wishing all our women colleagues and women out there a very "Happy International Women's Day", and acknowledge and commend them for all their significant contributions to our families, our society and Singapore. Let me start my addressing the cuts on efforts at strengthening the core of our religious sector. Mr Chairman, our asatizahs anchor our community to values and traditions in a rapidly evolving world. Equally, our community’s social and religious needs are changing, and for our asatizah to serve the community well, they must stay relevant and possess a strong grounding in religious knowledge and work-relevant skills. Mr Mohamed Irshad asked about support for our overseas students, and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked how we can ensure that their teaching is relevant to our community when they return. Prof Fatimah Lateef and Mr Saktiandi Supaat were concerned about development opportunities for our asatizahs. To address all these, MUIS is increasing its support for our asatizahs through their journey from being students to asatizahs in three ways. Firstly, MUIS increased their ground support for our overseas students through deploying Student Liaison Officers (SLOs). Secondly, for returning students and returning graduates, MUIS will enhance its existing programme to better equip them with contextualised knowledge and skills before they embark on their careers. Thirdly, to guide plans for enhancing asatizah development, I will chair COFA, which Minister Masagos announced earlier, to engage the community for views on the desired skills of our asatizahs in the future. Mr Chairman, allow me to continue in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, studying overseas is not easy.”
“In turn, this creates opportunities for our companies in areas, such as urban consultancy services and digital technology. This year, we have put together a special Climate Action Package of courses to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change. As Small Island Developing States continue to be most vulnerable, we will step up our delivery of customised programmes to help them achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We will also contribute to smart city development in our region through our ASCN. To conclude, Mr Chairman, to meet the foreign policy challenges of the day, we need to be pragmatic and resilient. But to seize the opportunities before us, we need to be optimistic, open-minded and courageous. Looking ahead, we should strengthen ties with our closest partners, enlarge our circle of friends and expand and intensify our outreach. Mr Chairman, I turn the floor over to my colleague Minister of State Sam Tan.”
“Today, Singapore is one of Southeast Asia’s largest investors in Africa. Further from home, Singapore’s interaction with Latin America has also grown. Our companies are exploring commercial opportunities in major economies in sectors as diverse as ports, airports, oil and gas, logistics, master planning and education. MFA has worked with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to support these companies' entry into the Latin American markets. We are pursuing two FTAs with the region. One is with the MERCOSUR trade bloc which comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, and is the world’s fifth largest economy. The other is with the Pacific Alliance, comprising Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Once concluded, these agreements will help to facilitate trade and investment flows. Last year, we had a series of high-level exchanges with Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. This culminated in a visit by the Prime Minister to Buenos Aires in November 2018 for the G20 Leaders’ Summit under Argentina’s Presidency. We will sustain such productive high-level meetings this year, including through the Prime Minister's visit to Chile for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November 2019. Third, we should continue expanding and intensifying our outreach. Minister Vivian Balakrishnan mentioned the SCP. SCP was established in 1992 for Singapore to “give back” to the international community the assistance that we received in our early years of nation-building. It is a key conduit for us to provide human resource capacity-building to fellow developing countries and has helped to build goodwill for Singapore across the globe. SCP showcases our expertise and evolving capabilities and allows our officials and companies to interact with foreign officials.”
“Tensions continue to simmer at the Israel-Gaza border and have been exacerbated over the status of Jerusalem. Singapore maintains a principled and consistent position on this issue. We support a negotiated two-state solution with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security. We hope that they can resume direct negotiations and make progress towards a just and durable solution. Meanwhile, we will continue to work with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in practical ways. For example, we shared our development experience with PNA officials and worked with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to conduct an inaugural information and communications technology (ICT) programme in Ramallah last month. Israel is one of our oldest partners. The year 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations with Israel. We have developed a broad-based relationship with shared interests in many sectors, such as R&D and education. We are also gradually stepping up our engagement of Central Asia. The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy has an ongoing partnership with Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan to offer courses on public administration. Singapore companies are also exploring opportunities in education, infrastructure and oil and gas sectors in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. I plan to visit Uzbekistan soon to explore other opportunities for cooperation. We are looking for opportunities to step up engagement of key countries in Africa. The continent is expected to grow 4% over the next two years. More than 60 Singapore companies, including SMEs across multiple industries, are operating in sectors as wide-ranging as manufacturing, digital economy, transport and logistics, and agribusiness.”
“Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean visited Jordan, Oman and Israel in 2018. In January this year, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam met key Saudi leaders, including Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi has just visited Singapore yesterday where both sides issued a joint declaration on the Singapore-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Partnership. High-level engagements this year reflect the potential for our ties to grow, especially with states trying to reduce oil dependency and diversify their economies. We will leverage the Gulf Cooperation Council-Singapore FTA, and work with our agencies to support our companies through legislative frameworks composed of the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements and Bilateral Investment Treaties. Every year, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli leads a delegation to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj Ministerial Meeting to seek an increase in our official Haj quota. We obtained an increase in Haj places in 2018. We recognise the limit to the increase that Saudi Arabia can accord each country in light of logistical realities but will continue to make our case for more Haj places for our pilgrims. Mr Seah Kian Peng also asked about how Singapore balances its engagements with countries in the Middle East amidst tensions in the region. Several disputes and conflicts persist in the Middle East and North Africa. Singapore’s principle is to keep friendly ties with all countries, regardless of any disputes between them. The diplomatic rift between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, is ongoing. We hope that all parties will work together to find a solution. The complex, multifaceted Israeli-Palestinian conflict has particular domestic and regional salience.”
“Defence ties have strengthened. Our navies signed an agreement on logistics cooperation and celebrated the 25th anniversary of the annual Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise last year. Singapore is India’s 10th largest trading partner and largest foreign investor. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Official Visit to Singapore in June 2018, we concluded the Second Review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Since CECA came into force in 2005, bilateral trade flows have doubled from S$11.18 billion in 2004 to S$25.2 billion in 2017. The updates to CECA will support greater economic cooperation and provide opportunities for our businesses and people. We have also grown our state-level engagement of cities, such as Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. With both countries making significant strides towards digitalisation, we have established a Joint Working Group to explore further cooperation in FinTech and innovation. We launched an initial link for our payment systems between Singapore’s Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS) and India’s RuPay payment systems that will enable workers, tourists and businesses to make cross-border transactions more securely and conveniently. Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked about our engagement of emerging markets in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Mr Seah Kian Peng also asked about our key engagements in the Middle East in 2019 and how our efforts have borne fruit. Our engagement of the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia is premised on expanding our economic space, looking after Muslims on pilgrimage and sharing our development experience. In the Middle East, our trade grew by 21.5% from S$50.6 billion to S$61.5 billion in 2018. We enjoy regular exchanges at the highest political level.”