Category: Singapuraku

MUIS Builds Villas On Wakaf Land To Fund Upgrading of Al-Huda Mosque

The 110-year-old Al-Huda Mosque in Jalan Haji Alias, off Sixth Avenue, will be getting new neighbours – six luxury villas that come with a swimming pool.

And money from the sale of these villas will be used to fund the current upgrading of the mosque.

Known as Alias Villas, the semi-detached strata landed units were launched yesterday by Warees Investments, the real estate development arm of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).

The three-storey villas have a 99-year lease and are expected to be ready by 2017. They range from 3,000 to 3,670 sq ft and will go for at least $1,500 per sq ft, or around $5 million each.

The launch is part of an ongoing revitalisation scheme by Warees Investments to enhance the asset value of wakaf properties, which are built on land bequeathed or willed by Muslims towards religious or charitable uses. The 30,450 sq ft wakaf land parcel that will house the villas was donated in 1905 by Indian landowner Navena Choona Narainan Chitty to trustees for building the Al-Huda mosque.

Upgrading works to the mosque began last June and are due for completion next month. The $1.1 million upgrading cost is expected to be reimbursed with money from the sale of the adjacent villas.

“Alias Villas is a reflection of the success of the Singaporean Muslim community,” said Mr Haider M. Sithawalla, chairman of Warees Investments’ board of directors.

“What used to be a humble plot of land in the middle of the old Kampung Tempeh is now going to be a prestigious residential development in the heart of District 10,” he added, referring to how the area used to be a kampung from the 1920s to 1980s.

At the launch at Marina Mandarin hotel yesterday, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said: “The whole idea is really to unlock the value of our wakaf. So this is a good example… a mosque which has been bequeathed with a little piece of land… We’ve been able to maximise it to generate further income for the mosque and for the beneficiaries of the wakaf.”

He said he believed the duty of Muis and Warees is to maximise the potential of the wakaf land because the benefit goes back to the community.

“So I think this is something which we are obligated to do and we will do our best with the help of the community.”

One-stop website for Malay heritage

Spanning news features, videos and even a digitised traditional game, a new website aims to be a one-stop gateway for resources on the Malay community’s heritage.

The WarisanSG portal, warisansg.com, was launched yesterday by the Malay Heritage Foundation (MHF). Available in Malay and English, it includes news articles, event listings, picture and video galleries, and even a cyber version of congkak, a traditional Malay game.

More than 20 Republic Polytechnic and National University of Singapore students who interned with the foundation contributed to the site’s content.

A mobile game app and book were also launched yesterday. The app, Warisan Enigma, is a puzzle game where players can find out more about the history of Malay artefacts dating as far back as the 14th century.

The book, Faith, Authority And The Malays: The Ulama In Contemporary Singapore, is the third of five books in the Singapore Malays: Our Heritage & Legacy series.

Written by Mr Norshahril Saat, a doctorate candidate at Australian National University, it looks at the history of the Islamic religious elite and how Malay Muslims here respond to the challenges of modernisation while preserving their Islamic heritage.

Ms Sim Ann, Minister of State for Communications and Information, and Education, attended the launch at the Malay Heritage Centre in Sultan Gate. She said these initiatives will facilitate the documentation, promotion and preservation of Malay heritage.

“As we celebrate our nation’s 50th birthday this year, I am heartened by the efforts of individuals and organisations, such as the MHF, in the documentation and preservation of our local culture and heritage. This is a task that has no end, and is much better done by many hands and minds.”

Source: http://news.asiaone.com

February 1, 2015
Pelajar-Pelajar Cemerlang Madrasah Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah Diberi Anugerah Emas

Dalam perjalanan pendidikan mereka, tiga pelajar Madrasah Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah (MAI) ini didorong satu matlamat – melihat rasa bangga terpancar dari wajah kededua ibu bapa mereka.

Dengan dorongan itu sebagai obor pembakar semangat, Nurul Iffah Baharudin, Maryam Ahmad Dahlan dan Basrah Bee Shaik Hussain berusaha gigih sehingga berjaya muncul dengan keputusan cemerlang bagi Peperiksaan Sijil Am Pelajaran (GCE) Peringkat ‘O’ tahun lalu.

Malah, Nurul Iffah, 17 tahun, muncul pelajar terbaik MAI dengan lapan kepujian, sekaligus menjadikannya pelajar terbaik di kesemua madrasah setempat tahun lalu.

Maryam dan Basrah, juga 17 tahun, masing-masing mendapat lima kepujian.

Hasil kecemerlangan mereka, tiga pelajar itu diberi Anugerah Emas bagi pencapaian di peperiksaan nasional 2014 bagi Peperiksaan GCE Peringkat ‘O’ di Majlis Haflah MAI 2015 semalam.

Anugerah itu, dalam bentuk sijil dan pingat, disampaikan dalam majlis di Auditorium Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis).

Majlis penyampaian hadiah dan sijil kepada pelajar cemerlang dalam peperiksaan nasional dan sekolah itu dihadiri tetamu terhormat, Anggota Parlimen GRC Chua Chu Kang, Encik Zaqy Mohamad.

Dalam ucapannya, Encik Zaqy memuji madrasah setempat atas kemajuan yang dicapai. Beliau turut menggesa ibu bapa pelajar madrasah agar terus memberi sokongan penuh kepada anak-anak mereka dalam usaha mendapatkan pengetahuan yang diperlukan demi memenuhi potensi mereka.

Sementara itu, Pengetua MAI, Encik Herman Cher Ma’in, pula berkata beliau gembira kerana ini merupakan kali kedua madrasah itu menghasilkan seorang pelajar terbaik yang mendapat lapan kepujian dan juga pelajar terbaik di kesemua madrasah bagi GCE ‘O’.

Bagi Nurul Iffah, selain membanggakan kedua orang tuanya, beliau juga terdorong belajar bersungguh-sungguh demi membantu menguatkan ekonomi keluarga.

Anak sulung lima beradik itu telah menerima bantuan kewangan sepanjang pengajiannya di MAI.

Nurul Iffah, yang bercita-cita menjadi seorang guru Matematik, akan melanjutkan pengajian diploma dalam jurusan perakaunan dan kewangan di Politeknik Temasek.

“Saya bermotivasi bekerja keras kerana hanya menerusi pendidikan saya dapat memperbaiki keadaan ekonomi keluarga. Lagipun, saya mahu mengharumkan nama madrasah,” kata anak pasangan pembantu juru ukur dan suri rumah itu.

Dua lagi pelajar terbaik, Maryam dan Basrah sama-sama meminati bidang kedoktoran dan sains sejak kecil lagi. Kini, mereka lebih dekat mencapai cita-cita itu.

Maryam akan melanjutkan pengajian diploma dalam jurusan Sains Bioperubatan di Politeknik Singapura, manakala Basrah akan menceburi pengajian diploma jurusan sama di Politeknik Republic.

“Saya ada tiga matlamat semasa menduduki peperiksaan nasional iaitu membuat ibu bapa saya bangga, membuat diri saya puas hati dan mendapat keputusan lebih baik daripada tiga abang saya,” kata Maryam, anak keempat dalam lima beradik, tersenyum lebar.

Kata Basrah pula: “Selain mengulang kaji pelajaran, saya juga mengamalkan bacaan Al-Quran setiap hari.”

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

February 1, 2015
Man Dubbed “Bishan Gay” Terrorising Boys In Bishan Estate

Students in Bishan have been complaining about a middle aged man in the area who would stalk them, and sometimes harass them.

The man has been nicknamed “Bishan Gay” by local students as he often lurks outside schools, fast food areas and cafes visually harassing young school boys.

He has been caught following students and if often seen in a green raffles institution alumni polo shirt.

Sometimes, he is seen taking photographs of the boys while pretending to casually use his handphone.

Students and parents have feedbacked about the man but nothing has been done as he has apparently not broken any laws.

Nevertheless, students feel threatened by him as he constantly stares at them.

On some occasions, the man has been seen patting young children on the head.

When he is confronted, he will deny stalking or following anyone and he says he is just taking pictures of the scenery as he likes Bishan.

Do you think something should be done to stop people like this?

Here are photos of the man taken by various students who have seen him.

Source: www.therealsingapore.com

January 30, 2015
Singapore Is World’s Most Expensive City To Live In

Singapore has topped the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) list of the world’s most expensive cities to live in, according to the 2014 list released yesterday (this morning, March 4, Singapore time).

Singapore jumped five places from No 6 last year to top this year’s list after rising in the list in recent years. The city was ranked No 18 a decade ago in the EIU’s Worldwide Cost of Living Survey.

The Republic’s strong currency, which has appreciated about 40 per cent over the past decade, combined with soaring utility bills and the high cost of car ownership contributed to Singapore’s rise in the list, according to the EIU. Singapore is also the most expensive place in the world to buy clothes.

Paris, Oslo, Zurich and Sydney also made the top five of the EIU list. Tokyo, the most expensive city to live in for 2013, fell to joint sixth place alongside Caracas, Geneva and Melbourne. At No 10 is Copenhagen.

“Improving sentiment in structurally expensive European cities combined with the continued rise of Asian hubs means that these two regions continue to supply most of the world’s most expensive cities,” said Mr Jon Copestake, the editor of the EIU report.

“But Asian cities also continue to make up many of the world’s cheapest, especially in the Indian subcontinent.”

Predominantly higher costs of groceries has been singled out as a reason for most Asian cities figuring highly in this year’s list, with Tokyo still at the top of the list for everyday food items.

The EIU’s Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, which is published twice a year, compares more than 400 individual prices across 160 products and services including food, clothing, household supplies, home rentals, transport and utility prices. All cities are compared against New York City as a base.

According to the EIU statement, the survey is meant to let human resource line managers and expatriate executives compare the cost of living in 140 cities in 93 countries, which would allow hiring companies to calculate a fair remuneration package for relocating employees.

Source: www.todayonline.com

January 30, 2015
Yaacob Ibrahim: Zakat Was Not Used To Fund MUIS’ Operating Expenditure

Zakat, a tithe contributed by Muslims, is not used to fund the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore’s (MUIS) operating expenditure, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim in Parliament on Thursday (Jan 29).

MUIS is funded by its General Endowment Fund, which has a number of income sources, including property, inheritance and investment income, and fees for services such as Halal certification, said Dr Yaacob. Zakat funds are not part of the General Endowment Fund and are separately accounted for, added the minister.

Dr Yaacob said this in response to a question by Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Zainal Sapari, who asked if any zakat was used to fund MUIS’ operating expenditure. Mr Zainal also asked what the total amount of zakat collected by MUIS was, and the breakdown of allocation of zakat to the beneficiaries.

HOW ZAKAT WAS USED

Dr Yaacob said the amount of zakat collected in 2013 was S$28.4 million, while the total for 2014 has not yet been confirmed through audit.

Of the S$28.4 million in 2013, about S$11 million, or 40 per cent, was disbursed to the needy through direct financial assistance and empowerment programmes, said Dr Yaacob, and 5,263 families were helped through direct financial assistance in 2013.

Another 40 per cent was used to support mosques and madrasahs through grants, programmes, and funds for the training of teachers, mosque religious officers, volunteers and youth development officers, he added.

The remaining zakat was used for dakwah, or the propagation of Islamic knowledge, and public education, the development of Islamic education, and the funding of expenses incurred in the administration of Zakat, as well as assistance for Muslim converts, said Dr Yaacob.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

January 30, 2015