Speech by Chief Executive of Muis, Hj Abdul Razak Maricar at the Opening of the Programme for RISEAP Members (PRISM)

11 OCT 2016 AT MUIS ACADEMY, SINGAPORE

Sohibusamaha Mufti Dr Fatris Bakaram
Deputy Chief Executive Muis and Dean of Muis Academy
Dr Albakri Ahmad

Brother Riduan Wu, Deputy President, RISEAP
Brother Haji Mardzuki Mohd Omar, Secretary General RISEAP
Distinguished participants of this Inaugural Training attachment
Programme

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

    Assalamualaikum wr wb and a very good morning to all,

    Let me begin by welcoming all of you today to Singapore and to theSingapore Islamic Hub as participants of a new programme that has been specially crafted and developed for members of the Regional Islamic Da’wah Council of Southeast Asia and the Pacific (RISEAP).This is also a special occasion that marks a new milestone in the long-standing friendship between the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) and RISEAP. On behalf of Muis, I would also like to thank Hj Ridzuan Wu, Deputy President and Hj Mohd Marzuki Mohd Omar, Honorary Secretary General of RISEAP, for making time to be present at this launch of the new Programme also known as PRISM.

  1. PRISM is a one-week attachment programme which aims at strengthening the institutions of Muslim-minority communities through deeper study of religious services, programmes and institutions existing here in Singapore. This programme demonstrates the close collaboration that Muis has with its international partners to forge beneficial and strategic partnerships in the interest of our communities and our nations.

  2. The PRISM programme will be facilitated by senior Muis officers and will incorporate learning journeys to local mosques, madrasahs, wakaf developments, religious institutions and community organisations. The theme that connects all these different elements of the programme is need to explore and harness creative and collaborative approaches as well as building good relationship with local authorities and communities in developing a progressive and credible Muslim community of excellence.

  3. The main focus for this inaugural run of PRISM will be learning about effective programme modules and the two key thrusts will be Mosque Management and Programmes as well as Zakat Collection and Disbursement. A testimony of the vibrant religious life that we experience here is the 70 mosques we have island-wide that not only serve as places of worship but is also institutions for Islamic learning social development and community cohesion. The specialised module on Mosque Management and Programmes will focus on how mosques have been built and sustained by the Muslim community in Singapore itself through the community funded Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF). Participants will be exposed to the processes that are in place for strategic mosque governance and administration through strategies such as the Enhanced Mosque Cluster (EMC) system that better facilitates services and ownership, a stronger and united mosque sector that benefits from economies of scale and resources, increased public confidence and lastly, positioning mosques as active nodes in the national grid.

  4. The specialised module on Zakat Collection and Disbursement will provide insights on the strategies for innovative zakat collection as well as the varied platforms for public engagement and education. Participants will also be able to see the connection between zakat collection to social development programmes for the poor and needy within the community and how zakat provide valuable resources for development of religious education and development of religious teachers and educators. Finally you will also be given a chance to learn on the range of social development programmes for individuals and families, who are recipients of financial assistance in Singapore.

  5. In conclusion, we hope that this programme will be a good catalyst for Muslim communities in a multi-cultural setting to pursue a path of excellence within each country’s unique context. This effort is critical as Muslim communities around the world are constantly in the spotlight given the turbulent and globalised world that we live in today. This programme will also be a good platform for the cross-fertilisation of ideas and sharing of experiences and best practices. We hope to learn and study from the success stories of participating RISEAP member countries as well.

  6. Please also find time to enjoy your stay here to visit many interesting tourists destinations and I am sure some of you do have friends and relatives for you to catch up with. Beyond the official programme that we have worked out, if you do have other areas of interest, you may wish to discuss with the programme coordinator and relevant staff who would be happy to facilitate.

  7. I do hope you will have an enriching experience, much as we look forward to be enriched with the sharing and learning during this one week. I end with wabillahi Taufiq walhidayah wassalamu alaikum wr.wb. Thank you

PDF icon Speech by CE Muis at the Opening of the Programme for RISEAP Members PR ISM (PDF, 79KB)