MUSLIM DIVORCES

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The following Question stood in the name of Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe -

Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe: To ask the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs whether he will ask the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura, together with the Registry of Muslim Marriages, to urgently undertake a study on (i) the measures and programmes which can help to arrest the high number of Muslim divorces and (ii) the welfare and well-being of the children of the affected families.

Mr Umar Abdul Hamid (Ang Mo Kio GRC): Question No. 1, Sir.

The Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (Dr Ahmad Mattar): Mr Speaker, Sir, there are a number of existing programmes in place to help Muslim couples intending to get married. These have been implemented by the Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) and the Syariah Court with the help of MUIS and the Mosque Management Committees. For instance, all couples intending to marry are urged to attend Marriage Guidance Courses conducted at 19 mosques. The majority of them do so.

The ROMM provides counselling services to all couples when they declare their intention to marry. However, those couples identified by the ROMM as lacking in religious knowledge are referred to the 19 mosques for religious counselling. They subsequently attend the Marriage Guidance Courses at these mosques.

Sir, MUIS, Syariah Court and the ROMM are working out further measures to help bring down the number of divorces. One good example is the constant review of existing programmes to gauge their effectiveness.

As far as the welfare and well-being of the children of affected families is concerned, it is being looked after by MUIS. Under its Financial Assistance Scheme, MUIS provides assistance to affected families in need. This takes the form of financial assistance, study grants for the children, and even payment of certain debts incurred by the families. MUIS also refers some of the cases needing counselling to Malay/Muslim organisations where such counselling is available. School-going children are referred to MENDAKI and other Malay/Muslim organisations for tuition.

Encik Ibrahim bin Othman (Thomson GRC): Sir, could the Minister inform us how successful are the Marriage Guidance Courses? And would the Minister consider making it compulsory for all couples intending to marry to attend these Marriage Guidance Courses and also a course on Islamic Religious Knowledge?

Dr Ahmad Mattar: Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not have the figures on the success rate. On the Member's suggestion to make attendance at Marriage Guidance Course and Islamic Religious Course compulsory, I will certainly ask the Registry of Muslim Marriages to consider the idea.