MOSQUE BUILDING PROGRAMME (Progress)

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi asked the Minister for the Environment what is the progress of phase two of the mosque building programme and what are the expected completion dates for the remaining mosques in this phase.

The Minister for the Environment (Dr Ahmad Mattar): Mr Speaker, Sir, nine mosques are scheduled to be built under Phase 11 of the Mosque Building Programme of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS).

The first mosque under the Programme, Masjid En-Naeem in Hougang, was completed in November 1983. Masjid Darul Aman in Kampong Ubi is under construction and is expected to be completed in December this year. Construction work on the third mosque, Masjid Darul Makmur in Yishun, will commence soon. Tenders for the construction of Masjid Al-Mukminin in Jurong East were called in December last year and work is expected to start by the middle of this year. Tenders for two other mosques, Masjid Al-Amin in Telok Blangah/Radin Mas and Masjid Darussalam in Clementi/West Coast will be called later this year. Work on the design of these two mosques is being done now by the HDB architects.

Tenders for Masjid Darul Ghufran in Tampines and a mosque at Jalan Sempadan in Siglap are expected to be called next year, while tenders for the construction of the ninth mosque under the Programme, ie Masjid Ar-Raudhah in Bukit Batok, will be called in early 1987.

Sir, barring unforeseen circumstances, the construction of each of these mosques will take between 18 and 24 months to complete.

Encik Ibrahim Othman (Tanah Merah): Sir, in view of the construction of a mosque in Jalan Sempadan, can the Minister inform the House whether MUIS has any plans for the Al-Taqwa Mosque in Jalan Bilal, Bedok?

Dr Ahmad Mattar: Mr Speaker, Sir, MUIS has no plans for the Al-Taqwa Mosque at Jalan Bilal, and MUIS is not aware of any public scheme which will affect the site on which the mosque stands.

Encik Zulkifli bin Mohammed (Eunos): Mr Speaker, Sir, I understand there is a piece of land pledged for the building of a mosque to replace the Masjid Alkaff in Jalan Eunos in Bedok Reservoir. Can the Minister confirm that this is so and give an assurance that Masjid Alkaff will not be demolished until the construction and completion of the alternative mosque?

Dr Ahmad Mattar: Mr Speaker, Sir, a site at the junction of Bedok Reservoir Road and Bedok North Road has been safeguarded for the construction of a mosque to replace Masjid Alkaff which is affected by the redevelopment of Kampong Melayu/Kaki Bukit area. This assurance was made in this House some three years ago by the Minister for National Development himself.

But I would like to stress, Sir, that as MUIS is heavily committed to the building of the nine mosques under Phase 11 of its Mosque Building Programme, development of the mosque at the Bedok Reservoir site can only be considered thereafter. The Member for Eunos wants an assurance to be given that the Masjid Alkaff mosque will not be demolished until the new mosque is built. This is the undertaking given by the Minister for National Development.