The AMLA Amendments - Association of Muslim Professionals

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C O N T E N T S MESSAGE EDITOR’S DESK 1 FOCUS REFLECTIONS ON THE SINGAPORE MUSLIM IDENTITY by Yusof Sulaiman The Singapore Muslim Identity initiative was introduced by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) in 2005. Four years on, Yusof Sulaiman reflects on how effective it has been in shaping the Muslim community in Singapore. 2 COVER STORY THE AMLA AMENDMENTS AMLA OVERVIEW ARE WE AMBITIOUS ENOUGH 9 by Mohd Nizam Ismail Mohd Nizam Ismail discusses whether the amendments to AMLA are sufficient and if more needs to be done in order to achieve a Muslim community of excellence. AMLA, MOSQUES AND MADRASAHS IN CONTEMPORARY SINGAPORE 11 by Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied The recent AMLA amendments changed the way the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF) will be used by the community. Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied looks at the implications on the mosques, madrasahs and the community. SOCIO-ECONOMY AMLA AND THE CHANGING ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE 14 by Arfat Selvam A panelist at the Karyawan Forum on AMLA, Arfat Selvam discusses how AMLA should be updated in line with the changing economic landscape. MUSLIMS AND FINANCIAL PLANNING 16 by Sadali Rasban Not many in the community are well-versed in Islamic financial planning. Nevertheless, it is an important area that needs to be looked closely at, especially the laws that govern it, says Sadali Rasban, another panelist at the Karyawan Forum on AMLA. SOCIAL RESILIENCE AMLA AND THE PROBLEM OF DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES 18 by Raihan Ismail One of the key AMLA amendments makes it easier for divorced women to ensure the maintenance orders on their husbands are enforced. How will this help alleviate the problem of dysfunctional families TACKLING THE PROBLEM OF EARLY MARRIAGES AND DIVORCE – An interview with Halijah Mohamad 21 In an interview with Karyawan, lawyer Halijah Mohamad explains how key AMLA amendments can tackle various problems in the community. She was one of three lawyers who played a major role in bringing about these amendments to AMLA. MINOR MARRIAGES: How will the AMLA Amendments Help 24 by Zaleha Ahmad Zaleha Ahmad looks at how the AMLA amendments will help combat the problem of minor marriages, which is one of the contributing factors of divorce in the community. AMLA: TIME FOR SWEEPING CHANGES 6 by Yang Razali Kassim A recent Karyawan Forum on AMLA discussed the significance and implications of the latest amendments to the Administration of Muslim Law Act. ISSUES/COMMUNITY IS SINGAPORE READY FOR A NON-CHINESE PM OBAMA: WHAT HE MEANS FOR SINGAPORE 27 by Yang Razali Kassim Following the election of Barack Obama as the first African American president, many Singaporean are debating whether it is possible to have a non-Chinese prime minister in Singapore. A NON-CHINESE PM RACE, SOCIAL COHESION AND SINGAPOREAN IDENTITY 30 by Yolanda Chin and Norman Vasu, RSIS A study conducted by Yolanda Chin and Norman Vasu showed that Singaporeans can be classified into three groups on the issue of whether Singapore is ready for a non-Chinese prime minister – the “why not”, the “why not, but not now” and the “no” groups. PM MELAYU DI SINGAPURA 32 by Ismail Pantek Dengan kemenangan Obama di Amerika Syarikat, apakah kita tetap berkata mustahil untuk Melayu Singapura jadi perdana menteri PIONEERING MALAY ENTREPRENEURS HAJI YUSOFF ‘TALI PINGGANG’ – Patriarch of Gedung Kuning and Pioneering Malay Entrepreneur 34 by Hidayah Amin Gedung Kuning, a mansion of historical significance, has a special place in the community. Hidayah Amin, the great granddaughter of Haji Yusoff ‘Tali Pinggang’, one of the earlier owners of Gedung Kuning, shares her personal memories of living in the mansion and the role of Haji Yusoff Tali Pinggang as a pioneer of Malay entrepreneurship. YOUR SAY: GUEST COLUMN AFTER MUMBAI: Going Beyond the Dialogue of the Deaf 37 by Saat Abdul Rahman and Chairul Fahmy Hussaini The recent Mumbai tragedy was one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. Saat Abdul Rahman and Chairul Fahmy Hussaini look at what can be done now by the community to bridge the gulf between Muslims and non-Muslims. BOOK REVIEW THE ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION OF ISLAMIC LAW BY WAEL HALLAQ 39 Review by Mohd Suhaimi Ismail Mohd Suhaimi Ismail reviews Wael Hallaq’s The Origins and Evolution of Islamic Law, which traces the history of legislation in Islam and how it has evolved through the centuries.
KARYAWAN Editorial Editorial Board Yang Razali Kassim Supervising Editor Mohd Azhar Khalid Editor Yusof Sulaiman Abdul Razak Chanbasha Mohd Nizam Ismail Winda Guntor Assistant Editor Contributors Arfat Selvam Chairul Fahmy Hussaini Halijah Mohamad Hidayah Amin Ismail Pantek Mohd Nizam Ismail Mohd Suhaimi Ismail Norman Vasu Raihan Ismail Saat Abdul Rahman Sadali Rasban Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied Yang Razali Kassim Yolanda Chin Yusof Sulaiman Zaleha Ahmad Karyawan Disclaimer: Karyawan is a publication of the Association of Muslim Professionals. The views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the Association and its subsidiaries nor its directors and the Karyawan editorial board. Copyright in 2009 of the Association of Muslim Professionals. Printed in Singapore by The Print Lodge Pte Ltd. All rights reserved. We welcome letters, comments and suggestions on the issues that appear in the magazine. Please address your correspondence to: Editor, Karyawan Association of Muslim Professionals, 1 Pasir Ris Drive 4, #05-11, Singapore 519457, Tel: +65 6416 3966 Fax: +65 6583 8028 Email: karyawan@amp.org.sg THIS ISSUE of Karyawan looks at change and identity: Changes in the legislative framework for Muslims in Singapore; Potential change in terms of the future national leadership and what this means for national identity; And thirdly, the identity of Muslim Singaporeans in a secular state. The primary focus of this issue is on the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), taking off from the latest amendments to AMLA in November 2008. The AMLA changes continue a process that has stretched over many years since AMLA was promulgated in 1966. The primary motivation behind these legislative changes over the years has been the goal of improving the “software” and eco-system of the Muslim community. In terms of their immediate goals, the latest amendments to AMLA were aimed at addressing the social challenges facing the Malay/Muslim community, specifically the problems of marriage, divorce and dysfunctional families. Invariably, these amendments will have a long-term impact on the identity of the Muslim community as Singaporeans living in a multi-religious and multi-cultural society within the ethos of a secular state. This Karyawan issue presents a spectrum of views on the latest amendments to AMLA, reflecting the undercurrent of debate over these changes, a debate which is not often heard of publicly. A glimpse of this debate was captured in the Karyawan Forum on AMLA organised by this publication in collaboration with Young AMP and RIMA, the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs. The forum was held just prior to the passing of the amendments by the Singapore Parliament in November 2008. Given the paucity of publicity for such alternative views, this forum, and this issue of Karyawan, hope to encourage some long-range thinking on AMLA and its central place in Muslim society in Singapore. At around the same time in November, the world was shaken by a most unexpected issue – the election of Barack Obama. The impact of Obama’s victory and his subsequent swearing in on January 20 as the first African American president of the United States carried a special significance for plural societies around the world. Can multiracial countries also produce their own Obama Are they ready for a president or prime minister from the minority community These are more than just questions of representation. They go to the core of national identity and nation-building. Singapore was not spared such a debate in the wake of Obamamania. This issue of Karyawan captures the debate in a couple of articles. Finally, the question of reconciling Muslim identity with the secular values of the state is also discussed. We present a commentary on this in our Focus section. Are Muslims in Singapore comfortable with their present identity Do they have problems reconciling being Muslim and being Singaporean What about the triple identity of being Malay, Muslim and Singaporean all at the same time We hope you enjoy reading this issue of Karyawan. Yang Razali Kassim Supervising Editor From the Editor’s Desk AMLA: Time for sweeping changes 1
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The AMLA Amendments - Association of Muslim Professionals

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