More initiatives to benefit the Muslim community: Yaacob
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim (in blue) praying at the Assyafaah Mosque on Hari Raya in 2011. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — Amid a more diverse socio-religious landscape, where it will be increasingly difficult to try and balance competing views and interests, it is the Malay Muslim community’s duty to learn about other cultures, religions and societies so as to reach a consensus to find the best solutions, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim on Thursday (April 14).
Noting that diversity is not new to the Malay Muslim community, he urged the community to continue its journey in adapting to changes affecting their religious life.
Dr Yaacob, who was speaking during the Committee of Supply debate in Parliament, said that to foster discussion and dissemination of progressive religious thinking in a multiracial society, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) will launch an inaugural Conference on Fatwa in Contemporary Societies in October this year. Fatwas are religious rulings to guide the Muslim community on the various aspects of religious life.
He also revealed efforts to counter against extremist influences online. The curriculum for the Adult Islamic Learning and aLIVE – for students aged 5 to 20 years old - programmes will be updated to include lessons that help “inoculate our youth against online radicalisation.”
“We are actively engaging parents on cyber safety for their children so that they are more critical with what they read online. In doing so, our young are better protected against radical teachings,” said Dr Yaacob.
Dr Yaacob also spoke about plans to build a future-ready and highly-skilled Muslim community. For instance, a new Future Ready Mentoring scheme will also be rolled out for secondary and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students to help them better understand their educational and career pathways. MENDAKI’s Future Ready Unit, which oversees the new mentoring scheme, will also continue holding discussions about the community’s hopes and aspirations, as well as drive home the importance of lifelong learning to students from secondary schools, ITEs and polytechnics.
The organisation will also be launching its CM-TECH@Heartlands initiative, which is a coding and robotics programme that is targeted at younger students to spark their interests in technology from young. The programme, conducted in collaboration with the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) aims to reach out to 450 students by 2017.
Dr Yaacob also provided an update on the location of the new mosque planned in Tampines North town, as announced last year. The mosque will be built along Tampines Avenue 10.
The completion of two new mosques in Jurong West and Woodlands by next year and the completion of upgrading works at older mosques under the Mosque Upgrading Programme will see more than 24,700 prayer spaces added by 2018, compared to 2009, added Dr Yaacob.
Noting that the divorce rates of Muslim couples with younger grooms aged 20 to 24 years was 1.5 times higher than those of older grooms, the minister said more will be done to strengthen the marriages of young couples, in addition to those of minor couples.
To that end, the INSPIRASI Hubs - dedicated centres for marriage preparation and enrichment for young Muslim couples - will extend its services from minor couples to young couples.
