S'pore asatizah continue to show progressive leadership amid global rise in conflict: PM Wong

Religious leadership plays a vital role amid the rise of conflict and polarisation in societies around the world, and asatizah or Muslim religious teachers in Singapore continue to demonstrate progressive leadership, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

- Lee Li Ying Correspondent

He was speaking at the launch of the Asatizah Professionals and Volunteers Network (APVN) held at Max Atria at Singapore Expo on Oct 4. The network comes under the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association, or Pergas.

The initiative is a platform that brings together asatizah, both the professionals and volunteers, to learn from one another, build confidence and expand contributions to the community.

The APVN aims to ensure asatizah remain relevant, and are empowered to serve not just in traditional religious spaces, but also meaningfully across wider domains.

PM Wong said that the world is becoming more complex with the spread of misinformation and extremist views online, which leaves young Singaporeans vulnerable to radicalisation.

With societal changes and technological advancements, new questions are also being raised about how religious teachings should be applied in modern society.