RELIGIOUS REHABILITATION GROUP

RELIGIOUS REHABILITATION GROUP:

(Update on activities): 4.

Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs if he will provide an update on the activities of the Religious Rehabilitation Group and what is the progress in the management of the remaining Jemaah Islamiyah detainees.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, the Religious Rehabilitation Group or RRG is a voluntary group formed by some Muslim religious scholars and teachers on their own initiative. They provide religious counselling to terrorist detainees and those under Restriction Orders, as well as their families. The RRG and MUIS also help to counsel other individuals who have fallen for radical and violent ideology.

Religious counselling is part of the overall rehabilitation of detainees. When detained, the detainees are interviewed by ISD for their knowledge of the terrorist network and operations. At the same time, effort is made by the asatizah volunteers in the RRG to try to rehabilitate them, in particular, to show them that the terrorist ideology which they had imbibed is misguided and against what Islam teaches, and to guide them to the correct teachings and interpretations of the religion. As part of rehabilitation, the

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detainees also interact regularly with ISD psychologists, case officers and their families, and are given opportunities to improve themselves, for example, through access to a library and pursuit of academic courses.

Rehabilitation takes time, as the detainees have been deeply exposed to JI teachings. It is unrealistic to think that, overnight, they can be convinced that their JI beliefs are wrong, and hence released. That said, several detainees who were less deeply indoctrinated have been released. We will continue to try to rehabilitate the others. But it is worth highlighting that a number are adamantly holding on to their radical and violent beliefs.

Also on their own initiative, RRG members have reached out to the public to explain the misuse and abuse of Islamic concepts by terrorists, so that other Singaporeans will not unwittingly fall for the terrorist propaganda. MUIS and several other Muslim organisations have done likewise. They have conducted many public forums and talks, and also reached out through the media. For the continued security and harmony of Singapore, we should strongly support all these efforts. Terrorist ideologues have been unrelenting in spreading their ideas to win recruits, supporters, and sympathisers. The Government and the Malay/Muslim leaders must actively counter their rhetoric.