AMLA amendments to recognise Singapore's first Islamic college, strengthen Muslim divorce laws

Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad introduced proposed amendments to the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 6), which would allow Singapore's first Islamic college to award degrees while streamlining selected Muslim divorce procedures and strengthening child protections.

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said the proposed changes are aimed at strengthening Singapore's Muslim institutions and ensuring they remain responsive to the community's evolving needs.

SCIS to award degrees

Under the proposed bill, the upcoming Singapore College of Islamic Studies (SCIS) will be legally recognised and given the power to award degrees, diplomas and certificates in tertiary religious education, including a full undergraduate degree in Islamic Studies, ahead of its 2028 opening.

Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) will formally oversee SCIS as part of its statutory functions, and may provide funding from community funds it administers, including zakat, wakaf and the Mosque Building and MENDAKI Fund (MBMF).

To ensure sound governance and accountability, the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs will oversee selected administrative and financial matters, including access to SCIS' financial records, appointments to its Board of Governors and approval of key decisions such as changes to its constitution.

MCCY said the arrangements will provide clear accountability and appropriate oversight while maintaining SCIS' academic independence and scholarly rigour.

Simpler divorce processes, stronger child protections

The proposed changes aim to reduce the administrative burden and unnecessary acrimony for couples going through divorce at the Syariah Court (SYC).

Couples who agree to end their marriage through talak tafwidh, where the husband delegates the pronouncement of divorce to the wife, will no longer need to first appoint hakam, or marital conciliators.

Couples who have agreed on the divorce and all related matters could save six months or more and $172 per party in Hakam appointment and court-order fees.

The court will also be able to waive the requirement for sworn testimony from two witnesses in suitable fasakh applications where the grounds can be proven through other means, such as documentary evidence.

To strengthen child-centricity in divorce proceedings, the amendments will explicitly state that a child's welfare is the Syariah Court's paramount consideration in matters involving children.

The court will also be empowered to allow or prevent a child from being relocated overseas, a change MCCY said responds to growing demand arising from transnational marriages and overseas work relocations.

Muslim couples who obtained a divorce overseas will also be able to apply to the Syariah Court for financial and child-related orders, provided certain conditions are met, including either party being domiciled in Singapore or having lived here for at least three years before the application.

New rule for some Muslim marriages

Additionally, where at least one party is neither a Singapore Citizen nor a Permanent Resident, a minimum period of physical presence in Singapore will be required before a Muslim marriage application can be made.

MCCY said this would ensure that foreigners who marry in Singapore have an established presence in the country or a meaningful connection to Singapore.

The Bill will be debated at a subsequent Parliamentary sitting during its Second Reading.

helmy.saat@asiaone.com

负责穆斯林事务的代理部长扎基·穆罕默德于周二（10 月 6 日）在国会提出了对《穆斯林法律管理法》（AMLA）的修正案，该修正案将允许新加坡第一所伊斯兰学院授予学位，同时简化部分穆斯林离婚程序并加强对儿童的保护。

文化、社区及青年部（MCCY）表示，拟议的改革旨在加强新加坡的穆斯林机构，并确保它们能够持续响应社区不断变化的需求。

SCIS授予学位

根据拟议法案，即将成立的新加坡伊斯兰研究学院（SCIS）将在2028年开学前获得法律认可，并被赋予授予高等宗教教育学位、文凭和证书的权力，其中包括伊斯兰研究的完整本科学位。

新加坡伊斯兰宗教理事会（MUIS）将正式监督新加坡伊斯兰学校（SCIS），作为其法定职能的一部分，并可能从其管理的社区基金（包括天课、瓦克夫和清真寺建设及MENDAKI基金（MBMF））中提供资金。

为确保健全的治理和问责制，主管穆斯林事务的部长将监督部分行政和财务事项，包括查阅SCIS的财务记录、任命其理事会成员以及批准关键决策，例如修改其章程。

文化、社区及青年部表示，这些安排将提供明确的问责制和适当的监督，同时保持新加坡国际研究中心（SCIS）的学术独立性和学术严谨性。

更简化的离婚程序，更强有力的儿童保护

拟议的变更旨在减轻在伊斯兰教法庭 (SYC) 办理离婚手续的夫妇的行政负担和不必要的争吵。

通过 talak tafwidh 结束婚姻的夫妻，即丈夫将宣布离婚的权力​​委托给妻子，将不再需要先任命 hakam（婚姻调解员）。

就离婚及所有相关事宜达成一致的夫妇，可以节省六个月或更长时间，以及每方 172 美元的 Hakam 指定和法院命令费用。

在适当的法萨赫申请中，如果可以通过其他方式（例如书面证据）证明理由，法院也可以免除两名证人宣誓作证的要求。

为了加强离婚诉讼中以儿童为中心的原则，修正案将明确规定，在涉及儿童的事项中，儿童的福祉是伊斯兰教法庭的首要考虑因素。

法院还将有权允许或阻止儿童移居海外，文化、社区及青年部表示，这一变化是为了应对跨国婚姻和海外工作调动带来的日益增长的需求。

在海外获得离婚的穆斯林夫妇也可以向伊斯兰教法庭申请财务和子女抚养权方面的命令，但需满足某些条件，包括一方在新加坡有住所，或在申请前已在新加坡居住至少三年。

针对部分穆斯林婚姻的新规定

此外，如果至少一方既不是新加坡公民也不是永久居民，则在提出穆斯林婚姻申请之前，必须在新加坡实际居住至少一段时间。

文化、社区及青年部表示，这将确保在新加坡结婚的外国人在新加坡有稳定的居所或与新加坡有有意义的联系。

该法案将在随后的议会会议上进行二读辩论。

helmy.saat@asiaone.com