Advisory Panel for New Islamic College Among Moves for Malay/Muslims

A high-level advisory panel will be convened to guide the development of Singapore's first Islamic college, while a programme to help families in rental flats own their homes will be expanded.

- Syarafana Shafeeq

These were among the moves relating to Malay/Muslims announced during the debate on the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth's budget on March 10. Here are the key takeaways:

ADVISORY PANEL FOR NEW COLLEGE

To guide the development of the Singapore College of Islamic Studies (SCIS), a new advisory panel consisting of nine local and international leaders will convene in June.

The first meeting of the panel, which will be chaired by Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, is scheduled for June, on the sidelines of the International Conference on Cohesive Societies. Other leaders on the panel include Singapore's Mufti Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, Grand Mufti of Egypt Nazir Mohamed Ayyad and Dr Salama Dawood, president of Al-Azhar University.

The Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura, a community endowment fund established in 2024, will serve as one of the key funding sources for SCIS.

The wakaf has raised $6.25 million so far, of which close to $1 million comprises cash contributions and the remainder is in pledges.

Besides funding SCIS, the money will be channelled towards other needs of the Muslim community, such as financing the renewal of mosque leases, mosque maintenance, and the development of religious teachers, or asatizah.