Friday, December 30, 2005
World » Rest of Asia
Muslim clerics to undergo registration in Singapore
Indo-Asian News Service
Singapore, December 29, 2005
Islamic religious teachers in Singapore are to be registered by next March in a move to prevent those without proper qualifications from misusing their positions to push political agendas.
The scheme, outlined on Thursday by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, followed calls by the Muslim community of the country to ensure that teachers, calling themselves "ustaz" for men and "ustazah" for women, are qualified.
It also applies to Indian Muslim teachers in the country using the title "maulana".
Teachers will need to obtain the approval of a panel of religious leaders before they can preach in mosques or teach in madrassas.
Fourteen per cent of Singapore's predominantly Chinese population are Muslim Malays. Some of the city-state's six per cent Indian population is also Muslim.
Voluntary self-registration was introduced in 2002, but the need for a proper system received renewed urgency after the arrests of members of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terrorist group revealed local JI leader Ibrahim Maidin was a self-styled ustaz with little religious training.
The Al-Qaeda-linked group has been blamed for a host of attacks and plots throughout Southeast Asia. More than 40 members have been detained in the city-state for plans to attack the US embassy, other Western targets and infrastructure.
Under the registration plan, some 800 teachers will have received certificates of recognition from the eight-member panel by next March.
A list of those qualified to teach will be listed on the Council's website with background details.
There are currently religious teachers in Singapore without the qualifications or experience who conduct home-based classes.
Religious leaders told The Straits Times they cannot enforce registration, but Council president Alami Musa did not rule out giving legal teeth to such recognition over time.
Malaysia and Brunei have such systems in place, he said.
© HT Media Ltd. 2005.