Update on the progress of FITRAH Office

Response to parliamentary question on the progress of FITRAH Office

Question

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) what is the take-up rate of programmes run by FITRAH @ Masjid En-Naeem in providing enhanced support services to incarcerated Muslim individuals and their families; and (b) what is the current number of community befrienders who have been recruited and are actively serving ex-offenders and their families.

Response

Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs & Minister for Social and Family Development:

1. The FITRAH programme (Family and Inmates Through-care Assistance Haven) provides holistic support for incarcerated individuals and their families, through its in-care and aftercare services.
2. To support incarcerated Muslim individuals, FITRAH develops a customised religious curriculum with its religious counsellors, in consultation with psychologists from the Singapore Prison Service (SPS). The curriculum inculcates positive values and prepares the ex-offenders for life after incarceration. The curriculum is delivered by a pool of religious counsellors through counselling sessions and Friday prayer sermons. About 65% of Muslim inmates attend FITRAH’s in-care religious services on a voluntary basis.
3. FITRAH has also worked with other community partners to help families of inmates and ex-offenders access different forms of assistance. Since its establishment in 2019, FITRAH facilitated 611 such referrals for employment support, financial and social assistance, befriending services, as well as Islamic learning. This includes the referrals from the joint home visits done by FITRAH community befrienders and the Yellow Ribbon Community Project (YRCP) volunteers, where they assess the various needs of the families. The beneficiaries have been referred to the Social Service Offices, Family Service Centres, as well as the M³ agencies for further assistance.
4. FITRAH has recruited 314 community befrienders, of which 246 are actively deployed to provide ex-offenders and their families with emotional support as they reintegrate back to society. FITRAH will continue to work with Singapore Prisons Service and the M³@Towns to raise awareness about the community befriending programme to benefit more eligible families.