SINGAPORE - A high-level advisory panel will be convened to guide the development of Singapore’s first Islamic college, while a programme to help families in rental flats own their own homes will be expanded.
These were among the moves relating to Malay/Muslims that were announced during the debate on the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s budget on March 10. Here are the key takeaways:
1. Advisory Panel for new college
To guide the development of theSingapore College of Islamic Studies (SCIS), a new advisory panel consisting of nine local and international leaders will convene in June.
The first meeting of the panel, which is chaired by Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, is scheduled for June, on the sidelines of the International Conference on Cohesive Societies.
Other leaders on the panel include Singapore’s Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, Grand Mufti of Egypt Dr Nazir Mohamed Ayyad and president of Al-Azhar University Dr Salama Dawood.
The Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura, a community endowment fund established in 2024, will serve as one of the key funding sources for SCIS.
The wakaf has raised $6.25 million so far, of which close to $1 million are cash contributions, and the remainder in pledges. Besides funding the SCIS, the money will be channeled towards the Muslim community other needs, such as to finance the renewal of mosque leases and mosque maintenance, and to develop religious teachers, or asatizah.
The SCIS is expected to open its doors in 2028. The college is currently in the process of establishing partnerships with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta, University of Jordan and Morocco’s Al-Qarawiyyin University.
Mr Masagos also provided updates on the Common Salary Guidelines for asatizah, which ensures salaries are benchmarked to relevant sectors.
Implemented progressively since 2023, it has benefitted more than 400 religious teachers, he said. More than 80 per cent of asatizah working in Singapore mosques and madrasahs have seen their salaries rise to meet the guidelines, with an average increase of between 5 per cent to 12 per cent.
2. Expansion of Project Dian@M3
Project Dian@M3, a programme to help Malay/Muslim families in rental flats buy their own homes, will be expanded to reach 1,000 more households.
The programme will reach all 11 M3@Towns by end-2025, up from the current six M3@Towns, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman.
These towns are Marsiling-Yew Tee, Nee Soon, Pasir Ris-Punggol, Toa Payoh, and Woodlands.
Since its pilot in 2021, the project has engaged more than 535 households. More than half of these are families with young children who benefit from additional home-based support, added Mr Maliki.
3. New MOUs to use AI in tuition
Mendaki will sign memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre (SMART) and Quantedge Foundation to use AI to improve its tuition programme.
Senior Minister of State for Manpower Mr Zaqy Mohamad said that the move to integrate AI tools into the Mendaki Tuition Programme curriculum aims to better prepare students with the skills necessary to thrive in an AI-driven future.
The tuition programme served 9,700 Malay/Muslim students in 2024. It currently operates from 100 physical and virtual centres across Singapore.
Enrolment has grown by 35 per cent over the past five years, said Mr Zaqy.
4. New community mentoring programme
To celebrate Singapore’s 60th birthday, a mentorship programme will be launched to link secondary school students with senior professionals, aged 60 and above.
The PA Mesra 60 for 60 programme will bring together 60 mentors and 60 Malay/Muslim secondary school students from various schools, said Mr Maliki.
The initiative aims to boost the confidence of these students and equip them with skills in project management, public speaking and presentation.
Students will work with their mentors to come up with and lead their own community projects in any area of their interest, such as sustainability.
5. Fundraiser for Gaza
All 11 M3@Towns will come together to raise funds for humanitarian relief for the people of Gaza.
A fundraising initiative, called Aid for Gaza, aims to raise $600,000 over six weeks in collaboration with Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation. It has managed to collect $266,000 in the campaign’s first two weeks.
“The situation in Gaza remains volatile, and Gaza still needs much help in the areas of humanitarian aid and reconstruction. The situation is more critical now, as they observe their fast in the month of Ramadan,” said Mr Maliki.
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