Syariah Court’s Community of Practice event for Marriage Counselling Programme

Speech by Minister Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development, Second Minister for Health, and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs on 20 Feb 2025

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Ustaz Irwan Hadi Bin Shuhaimy

Senior President, Syariah Court

Professor Ang Hak Seng

Director Centre of Excellence for Social Good, SUSS

Ladies and gentlemen

INTRODUCTION

1. I am delighted to be here at the Syariah Court’s Marriage Counselling Programme, or MCP, Community of Practice. Let me first record my thanks to Guy Ghazali for her sterling services in the Syariah Court. Thank you Guy. My congratulations also to Ustaz Irwan on being appointed as the new Senior President of the Syariah Court. He has spent considerable effort to become both a qualified lawyer and an asatizah. May we see more Asatizah take this path.

2. Marriage is a sacred institution in Islam, described in the Quran as a source of tranquillity, love, and mercy. It is an institution we should promote, protect, and help to heal when things go wrong with the marriage. The practitioners gathered here all play an important part in nurturing strong, healthy, and resilient Muslim families, through MCP.

3. I am therefore glad that the Syariah Court brings together critical partners across different sectors together as a Community of Practice – to build competencies and strengthen collaboration in this effort.

MCP’S CONTRIBUTION TO STRENGTHENING MUSLIM FAMILIES

4. The MCP is part of the Syariah Court’s wider efforts to provide therapeutic justice to families undergoing divorce, embodying the Islamic principle of ihsan, or doing good to others, in accordance with our faith and values.

1. As a key part of the Syariah Court’s divorce proceedings, it is aimed at preserving family relationships through free counselling services to couples contemplating divorce.

5. But beyond the MCP, the principle of ihsan has been built into nearly every stage of the Syariah Court divorce process, which also includes mediation, the hakam process involving our asatizah, as well as child-centric initiatives like social support programmes, joint child interviews, and the Child Representative scheme.

1. Collectively, these efforts serve to save marriages, settle divorces amicably, and deliver just outcomes.

6. The provision of marriage counselling for couples contemplating divorce is something that the Syariah Court has believed in. It has, in fact, been part of the Syariah Court divorce process from its establishment in 1958.

1. Over the years, we have taken steps to formalise the MCP, ensuring that it remains accessible to couples. Since 2004, the MCP has been made mandatory for parties wishing to file for divorce.

7. This has made a difference in saving marriages.

1. In the past two decades from 2004 to 2024, over 58,000 couples went through MCP.
2. Over a five-year period from 2019 to 2023, close to 40% of couples who went through the MCP chose not to proceed with filing for divorce.
3. We have also seen some positive trends in the overall dissolution rates of Muslim marriages, which have been declining over the years.

8. These are significant developments. By keeping families intact, we shield children from the long-term destabilising effect that divorce can have on them.

IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS IN STRENGTHENING MUSLIM FAMILIES

9. However, the work of strengthening our families in an increasingly turbulent world is not one that any of us – be it the MSF or the Syariah Court – can go at it alone.

1. This is why the Syariah Court is building a more holistic ecosystem of support by establishing partnerships with community organisations that offer counselling services, including AMP Singapore, APKIM, Darul Arqam, PPIS, and Reach Community Services, and the asatizah fraternity as resource persons.
2. Such an ecosystem will allow parties contemplating divorce to receive professional counselling services, tapping on the collective expertise and resources of our partner organisations and our asatizah.
3. For couples with children, marriage counsellors will facilitate discussion on the parenting programme so that parents going through the MCP process can better support the well-being of their children.
4. These efforts ensure that the MCP remains responsive to meet the evolving needs of couples and families, and contribute towards building stronger and more resilient families for the future.

10. Ultimately, strong families are the foundation of what it means for us to be a Community of Success – one that can thrive in and contribute to our multi-racial and multi-religious society in Singapore, and one that can continue to serve as an inspiration to others.

11. This is why platforms like this Community of Practice presents a valuable opportunity for us to bring partners from the religious sector, social and community organisations, legal practitioners, as well as Government agencies, together to share best practices and explore new areas of collaboration.

1. Today’s Community of Practice is also special because we have Professor Ang Hak Seng from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, who will be delivering a keynote address exploring the compatibility of social science theories and practices with faith-based principles.
2. We will also get to hear insights from an evaluation study on the MCP, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and the Syariah Court.

12. Before I conclude, allow me to say some words in Malay.

13. Program Kaunseling Perkahwinan, MCP, merupakan salah satu inisiatif utama Mahkamah Syariah di Singapura. Ia bertujuan untuk menyokong keluarga Islam yang menghadapi cabaran dalam hubungan perkahwinan mereka, dengan menyediakan perkhidmatan kaunseling percuma untuk mereka yang sedang mempertimbangkan perceraian.

14. Izinkan saya berkongsi dua keutamaan utama untuk MCP yang saya harap anda dapat ingat semasa anda mengambil bahagian dalam sesi hari ini.

15. Pertama, MCP telah membuat sumbangan yang besar untuk menyelamatkan perkahwinan, dan ia akan terus berbuat demikian walaupun cabaran keluarga menjadi semakin kompleks. Dalam dua dekad yang lalu dari 2004 hingga 2024, lebih daripada 58,000 pasangan telah melalui MCP. Dalam tempoh lima tahun dari 2019 hingga 2023, hampir 40% daripada pasangan yang melalui MCP memilih untuk tidak meneruskan dengan permohonan perceraian. Ini adalah penting kerana jika keutuhan keluarga terus dikekalkan, ia akan membantu melindungi kanak-kanak daripada kesan jangka panjang yang boleh mengganggu kestabilan mereka akibat perceraian.

16. Kedua, MCP adalah penting untuk usaha-usaha Mahkamah Syariah untuk menyelamatkan perkahwinan, menyelesaikan perceraian secara baik, dan mencapai hasil yang adil. Mahkamah Syariah telah secara berterusan meningkatkan prosesnya untuk memberikan keadilan terapeutik, atau therapeutic justice, kepada keluarga yang sedang melalui perceraian. Ini menerapkan prinsip ihsan dalam agama kita, iaitu untuk berbuat baik kepada orang lain yang berpunca daripada keimanan kita.

CONCLUSION

17. In closing, let me once again thank everyone for your dedication and hard work. Keep up the good work and continue to strengthen families and uplift the community.

18. I wish you all a fruitful and meaningful time of learning.

19. Thank you.