HALFWAY HOUSES SET UP BY VOLUNTEER ORGANISATIONS (Provision of financial assistance)

Encik Harun bin A. Ghani asked the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs whether the Muslim Religious Council of Singapore will provide financial assistance to Muslim halfway houses set up by the volunteer organisations.

The Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (Mr Abdullah Tarmugi): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Muslim Religious Council has been providing assistance to help alleviate the drug problem amongst Muslims. Last year, MUIS spent about $200,000 towards this need. Its assistance is mainly in the provision of religious instruction and counselling in Drug Rehabilitation Centres (DRCs) in recognition of the fact that religion is important in the rehabilitative process. Currently, 27 part-time and one full-time religious teachers are engaged to provide such instruction and counselling in the DRCs.

Apart from the above, MUIS also assists the drug addicts to pay for their GCE 'N', 'O' and 'A' level examination fees for those who are sitting for these examinations so that they can be better educationally qualified when they leave the DRC. It is hoped that with these qualifications, the discharged drug addicts will be able to obtain better paying jobs and gain enough confidence to kick the drug habit.

MUIS will certainly continue to provide assistance for religious instruction and counselling of drug addicts and I assure the Member that this assistance will be extended to halfway houses set up by voluntary organisations.