MOSQUE BUILDING FUND SCHEME

Encik Othman bin Wok: Mr Speaker, Sir, the House may recall that in September, 1975, the Administration of Muslim Law Act was amended for the implementation of the Mosque Building Fund Scheme. The objective of the Scheme is to ensure a steady source of funds for mosque building purposes. Under this Scheme, all employers are required to pay a 50-cent contribution per Muslim employee per month to the Fund and to recover the contributions from the wages of their Muslim employees. Since the Scheme started in May, 1975, contributions to the Fund have averaged 108,000 persons monthly and the average monthly collection is $68,000.

The first mosque built under the Scheme at Toa Payoh was officially opened on 8th April 1977 and the second mosque at Queenstown will be completed in September 1977. The third mosque at Jurong is scheduled for completion in early 1978 and sites have been reserved for mosques at Woodlands, Bedok/Chai Chee and Ang Mo Kio New Towns. A total of six mosques will be built under the first phase.

As more and more Muslims are moving into new towns, it is necessary to build additional mosques. Over the course of the next few years, mosques costing approximately $1.5 million each will be built in HDB new towns in Tampines, Nee Soon, Bukit Batok and Clementi. This will be the second phase of the mosque building programme. It is obvious that more funds will be required to ensure the early completion of these mosques.

Mr Speaker, Sir, it has been decided to increase the Mosque Building Fund contribution from 50 cents to $1 per month with effect from 1st July 1977. The increase is necessary to ensure the availability of funds for the mosque building programme.

The decision to increase the rate of contribution is made after consultations with Muslim Members of Parliament and the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. They support the increase and are confident that it will have the support of Muslims. The Majlis reported receiving requests from Muslims to increase the rate of contribution to speed up the mosque building programme to meet the needs of Muslims who are resettled in the new towns.

While it is compulsory for every employer of a Muslim employee to pay contributions to the Fund on behalf of his employee through the Central Provident Fund Board and to recover such contribution from the wages, Muslims who are financially unable to afford to contribute may either opt to contribute 50 cents or nothing. Muslims wishing to exercise this option will have to file an application for a Certificate of Option valid for a period not exceeding 12 months with the Majlis. This is a very simple process.

Similarly, Muslims who wish to contribute more than $1 can notify their employers by submitting a Notification Form to state the desired amount for a period of six months. The Notification Form can be obtained from the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura or the employers.

The Majlis will continue to appoint its own agents to collect contributions from Muslims who are employers or are self-employed, since they do not have CPF accounts. The Central Provident Fund Board will be the collecting agent for contributions payable in respect of Muslim employees.

Mr Speaker, Sir, the building of mosques is a logical outcome of Muslims moving into new towns. The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura supports the policy of the Government in building one new mosque in each new town where the Muslim population is sufficiently large and agrees that this is the most practical way to meet the religious needs of the Muslims as they are resettled in the new towns.

For the benefit of Muslims living in the new towns. the new mosques to be built under the Mosque Building Fund Scheme will have facilities for educational, cultural and social activities besides religious programmes. The mosques will generally have a library, a hall for social gatherings and rooms for educational purposes. The concept of a large and modern multi-purpose mosque to serve all Muslims within a satellite town is a new and bold one. I hope that the new mosques will become the hub of community life for Muslims, and there will be maximum utilisation of the facilities for constructive and positive objectives. Through religious guidance given in mosques, we should be able to teach young people the right values and proper attitudes necessary for the continued well-being of everyone. Seen in this way, the Mosque Building Fund Scheme is a translation of a social ideal into reality.