KIDNEY DONATION AMONG MUSLIMS

Encik Ibrahim Othman asked the Minister for the Environment (a) how many Muslims have signed up to be kidney donors; and (b) what steps the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura is taking (i) to inform Muslims that kidney donation is permissible and (ii) to encourage more of them to be donors.

Dr Ahmad Mattar: ( In Malay): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the response from local Muslims to efforts to encourage Muslims to pledge their kidneys is still unsatisfactory. So far, only 78 Muslims have registered with the Ministry of Health as kidney donors. 125 more have pledged and are in the process of being registered.

On the 3 May 1986, the Fatwa Committee of MUIS issued a ruling to inform the local Muslim public that it is permissible in Islam to be kidney donors. MUIS, led by the Mufti, has encouraged Muslims to opt-in as kidney donors when it launched the campaign on 11 September 1987 at the Al-Falah Mosque.

MUIS has also held talks to disseminate information on kidney transplants and to encourage Muslims to come forward to pledge their kidneys. So far, MUIS has organized three talks with representatives of 13 Mosque Management Committees and 41 Muslim organizations and 6 talks with Muslim officers of the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Health. As a result of the talks with the officers of the two Ministries, 85 have pledged to be kidney donors. More are expected to sign up. However, MUIS is still awaiting the pledges through Mosque Management Committees and Muslim organizations. MUIS will continue with its programme of talks with Muslim officers in other Government Ministries and other Mosque Management Committees and Muslim organizations. I hope the local mosques and Muslim organizations will play a more active role in this campaign. Let us prove that the Muslim community in Singapore, too, are humane.

Encik Ibrahim Othman (Tanah Merah): ( In Malay): Could the Hon. Minister clarify whether the Fatwa given in 1986 is in any way different from the Fatwa issued earlier in the 1970s? Secondly, what could MUIS do to explain the real position of the Fatwas to the public in general and in particular to the Muslim ulamas? Thirdly, could MUIS take action against individuals who are lacking in the knowledge of Islam and who are trying to confuse the public on this matter?

Dr Ahmad Mattar: ( In Malay): Sir, actually the two Fatwas are the same, ie, Islam does not allow an individual to donate his organs under normal circumstances. However, in emergencies, the religion permits a Muslim to donate his organs to save lives. To avoid any confusion, I would instruct MUIS to hold dialogues with local Muslim religious teachers.

As to the third question raised by the Member for Tanah Merah, I would suggest that he refers the individuals concerned to MUIS so that they could be counselled by the Mufti of Singapore.