Think with Google says that there is currently no playbook for marketing during a crisis, but data may show a way. "Now more than ever, we rely on digital platforms to seek information,
entertainment or buy what we need. Understanding this behavior is
essential for marketers to develop truly agile campaigns for Ramadan," say Dina Barakat, Sara Hamdan and Muriel Makarim in an April blog post.
Barakat, Hamdan and Makarim - who are a Product Marketing Manager with Google, Editor of Think with Google MENA and Large Advertiser and Agency Marketing Manager of Google Indonesia respectively - say that users are spending more time online consuming content, learning new skills and investing in new hobbies. They are also shopping for essentials from home. Google data shows a 1.8X growth in delivery searches worldwide.
In connecting to consumers thoughtfully, the authors suggest three tips:
- Capture the feeling of being together without being physically together
Take into account how social distancing changes Ramadhan traditions while delivering the same message of care and love:
Indonesian beauty brand Wardah has created a virtual platform where users can try on different shades of lip colour, the blog post notes. Other suggestions include broadcasting content that can be watched together; enabling people to add filters to shared pictures and videos, and using Google's Qalam app which sends customised Ramadhan greeting cards.
- Embrace changes in Ramadhan consumer trends
People are unlikely to shop at brick-and-mortar stores, and will request contactless delivery solutions, the blog authors said.
Given that e-commerce will likely be popular, Google recommends that e-commerce sites enhance the user experience with options such as gift-wrapping, customised cards or discounted add-ons.
Cooking will be another bright spot, with Google observing that search queries for recipes have surpassed 2019 peaks in Indonesia. Innovation ideas include recipe recommendations and online cookalongs.
Other possibilities for a better experience could include no-penalty date changes and refunds for event tickets, as airlines in Singapore have offered, and real-time updates for available inventory, and providing accurate delivery times.
Ensuring that a website loads easily is another Google tip. Google has a tool called Test My Site which measures a mobile site's loading speed.
- Contingency plans
Incremental changes to existing assets, refreshing assets without filming through animation or repurposing existing creatives, as well as keeping up to date with Google Trends will help brands stay responsive, Google said.
Thursday, 30 April 2020
Moka sees F&B down, but delivery services grow during Ramadhan
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| Source: Moka. |
The company found that daily business revenues in the food and beverage (F&B) sector were down more than 40% during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, with one out of every three F&B businesses in Indonesia suffering significant losses. However, revenue for delivery services were up by as much as 30%.
During Ramadhan in 2019, there had been up to a 67% rise in the number of food and beverage (F&B) outlets operating between 2 and 4 am. During these hours, consumers would tend to choose practical food for their suhoor (سحور, pre-dawn meal) and purchase up to five products during each transaction for group servings.
In the fashion retail industry, there had been up to a 50% revenue increase for Ramadhan 2019. The most popular items sold during Ramadhan would be tunics, hijabs and Islamic gowns (modesty clothing), which would see sales gradually decline after Ramadhan. Beauty services would instead enjoy higher revenues, by up to 54%, one month after Ramadhan. This shows that the public tends to seek beauty treatments once Ramadan concludes.
Although consumption patterns in Indonesia have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trends seen during Ramadhan 2019 cannot be entirely disregarded, said Moka. Moka Data Analyst Hutami Nadya said that one strategy that merits focus is online shopping.
To maximise shopping that makes use of delivery services, whether in the F&B as well as the service and retail industries, businesses can innovate by issuing special delivery menus that can be processed and cooked by the consumers themselves for suhoor and iftar (إفطار, breaking of the fast) with the family at home. This also applies in the retail and service industry, where businesses can introduce special packages for sale online.
"Businesses may take note of trends in society. For instance, for the purpose of cooking at home, F&B merchants are shifting to provide ready-to-cook food ingredients while providing the option of delivery services to support social distancing. Additionally, Ramadhan is the right moment to share with those who need more. We can start by adding the option of a menu to be donated to those in need. To record positive cashflow, merchants may also apply the pay-it-forward scheme for customers," she said.
Pay-it-forward is a prepayment scheme that allows customers to purchase product or service packages from a business that are delivered in the future. Businesses would usually offer price reductions in the form of coupons for customers. This scheme is expected to assist businesses to book positive cashflow for such purposes as rent, employee salaries, business capital installments, insurance, supplies of raw materials, repairs and other expenses.
Moka supports 40,000 merchants across 200 cities in Indonesia with an end-to-end solution that consists of POS, payments, loyalty, accounting, ingredient procurement, and business loans. The company's products include Moka Pay, Moka Fresh, Moka Capital, and Moka Connect to complement its POS services.
Sunday, 26 April 2020
Celebrate Ramadan Together in Singapore
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| Source: NHB website. Logo for Ramadan Together. |
The Ramadan Together page explains what Ramadhan is all about, debunks myths and offers a month-long celebration of virtual activities.
Explore:
Learn more about the activities
Hashtags: #OurSGHeritage, #IntangibleCulturalHeritage, #SGUnited, #CultureCarriesOn, #DoseOfCulture, #onxonrayafest, #malayheritagecentre
DBS introduces DBS eGifts for Eid
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| Source: DBS. DBS eGifts are now available for Eid. |
Said Jeremy Soo, MD and Head of Consumer Banking Group (Singapore), DBS Bank, “The season of Ramadhan and Hari Raya is an important time for the Muslim community to celebrate as well as strengthen bonds among families and loved ones. In these unprecedented times, we are heartened to see individuals and communities looking to alternative ways to mark this special occasion, in order to keep everyone safe. We hope that our Hari Raya-themed DBS eGifts will help keep the spirit of exchanging well wishes via green packets alive, as they celebrate within their family households.”
Customers simply need to use DBS PayLah!, a mobile payment platform with close to 1.8 million users, to send and receive a DBS eGift. To send an eGift, tap on the ‘Pay’ button on DBS PayLah!’s dashboard and toggle on the ‘Send as eGift’ function after entering the desired amount and message. Givers should check that they are sending the eGift to official mobile numbers used by recipients to register for DBS PayLah! and/or PayNow*. The eGift can also be sent to mark other occasions all-year round such as birthdays and weddings, as well as Mother’s Day on 10 May and Father’s Day on 21 June.
Till 20 June 2020, those who successfully send or receive a DBS eGift are eligible to participate in the DBS PayLah! eGift contest. The top 200 users every week who make qualifying transactions of at least S$2 per transaction in a week stand a chance to win a cash prize of S$18 each. A qualifying transaction is defined as a successful DBS PayLah! eGift transaction between a unique giver-receiver pair (i.e. multiple transactions between the same giver-receiver pair are counted as one transaction). Each qualified user may win the weekly cash prize once throughout the contest.
DBS was the first bank to launch the first digital red packet in Singapore in 2015. This year, DBS eGift drew over 16,000 new eGift users and saw an increase of 20% in total amounts transacted during Chinese New Year compared to last year.
*PayNow is a peer-to-peer funds transfer service available to retail customers of nine participating banks in Singapore, including DBS/POSB. Launched in July 2017, PayNow enables customers to instantly send and receive Singapore dollar funds from one bank to another in Singapore through Fast And Secure Transfers (FAST) by using their mobile number or Singapore ID. This allows senders to do away with the recipient’s bank and account number when transferring money.
IFSB, AMF, renew collaboration to support Islamic finance
The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) will continue a collaboration for another three years, reflecting the commitment of both
institutions to increasing awareness of the sound
practices of Islamic finance. This move is in line with the IFSB’s mandate to promote the stability and resilience of the Islamic financial services industry.
Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Dr Bello Lawal Danbatta, Secretary-General of the IFSB and the HE Dr Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy, Director General/Chairman of the Board, Arab Monetary Fund on 23 April 2020, the institutions will continue cooperation and collaboration in promoting programmes and initiatives for the Islamic financial services industry, specifically in the Arab region.
Key areas of cooperation include:
Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Dr Bello Lawal Danbatta, Secretary-General of the IFSB and the HE Dr Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy, Director General/Chairman of the Board, Arab Monetary Fund on 23 April 2020, the institutions will continue cooperation and collaboration in promoting programmes and initiatives for the Islamic financial services industry, specifically in the Arab region.
Key areas of cooperation include:
- Providing expertise for joint technical assistance missions to member countries to facilitate the development of Islamic finance and strengthen the capacity of regulatory and supervisory institutions to better supervise institutions offering Islamic financial services
- Conducting joint research and
undertaking coordinated policy dialogues to support guidance on the
stability, resilience and macroprudential supervision of Islamic finance
sector and enhance financial inclusion in member countries.
The first MoU, which covered 2016-2019, successfully synergised the development of Islamic finance in
common member countries.
Saturday, 25 April 2020
Islamic Council of Victoria announces funding initiatives
The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) welcomes the announcement from Minister Ros Spence, Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs, that the Victorian government will be providing A$20,000 to support halal food pack distributions to needy families.
ICV President Mohamed Mohideen said, "We'd like to thank Minister Spence and the Victorian government for this much-needed financial contribution that will allow the ICV to continue our work supporting Muslim families, refugees and international students during the holy month of Ramadhhan, made even more urgent during this challenging time."
The ICV has set up a separate emergency fund of A$20,000 for Muslim families experiencing severe financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis.
In addition, the ICV started an initiative to help mosques leverage online technology to connect with their communities. The government in Victoria are providing A$5,000 to cover the costs of subscribing to Zoom.
"The current restrictions on community gatherings provide an opportunity for Muslim families to focus on the message of spiritual renewal and empathy for those less fortunate, as a family," Mohideen said.
The Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamad, had earlier announced that Ramadhan would begin in Australia on 24 April as the moon was visible after sunset for 19 minutes in Sydney, and for 22 minutes in Perth.
ICV President Mohamed Mohideen said, "We'd like to thank Minister Spence and the Victorian government for this much-needed financial contribution that will allow the ICV to continue our work supporting Muslim families, refugees and international students during the holy month of Ramadhhan, made even more urgent during this challenging time."
The ICV has set up a separate emergency fund of A$20,000 for Muslim families experiencing severe financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis.
In addition, the ICV started an initiative to help mosques leverage online technology to connect with their communities. The government in Victoria are providing A$5,000 to cover the costs of subscribing to Zoom.
"The current restrictions on community gatherings provide an opportunity for Muslim families to focus on the message of spiritual renewal and empathy for those less fortunate, as a family," Mohideen said.
The Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamad, had earlier announced that Ramadhan would begin in Australia on 24 April as the moon was visible after sunset for 19 minutes in Sydney, and for 22 minutes in Perth.
Friday, 24 April 2020
Ramadhan begins in Singapore
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has announced the beginning of Ramadhan on 23 April.
The organisation noted that according to astronomical calculations, the new crescent marking the start of Ramadhan appeared in the evening of 23 April after sunset for about 17 minutes. As such, the first day of fasting began on 24 April 2020.
"We welcome the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan this year with a different atmosphere. Our country, as well as the rest of the world, is currently fighting the COVID-19 outbreak. Besides the act of fasting, we should also play our part to stay at home to prevent the spread of this deadly virus," said Singapore's Mufti, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir.
"This year, Ramadhan and Hari Raya (Eid al-Fitr, or Aidilfitri) will be celebrated together with our family in our own homes. No matter the test, we can accept and overcome it with the permission of Allah S.W.T., what more with the arrival of Ramadhan – a month of challenges, and the culmination of patience, perseverance and hope.
"As we strengthen our faith this Ramadhan, may it also spur us to be more determined to fight this virus. This test will eventually pass, and we will overcome this with patience and unity."
Muis separately announced that zakat fitrah rates for Ramadhan this year are S$5.10 or S$7.50. Zakat fitrah is an obligatory contribution by all Muslims during the month of Ramadhan, with the amount determined by the Muis Zakat and Fitrah Committee, by using staple food of the country that the person resides in.
As rice is the staple food here, the rates are based on the median price of 2.3 kg of the grade of rice that is generally consumed by the Muslim community.
The two-tier zakat fitrah rate has been in place since 2005 to facilitate those who may wish to pay more than the normal rate as they consume a higher grade of rice. Zakat payers may choose the rate that is most suitable based on their daily consumption.
The deadline for zakat fitrah is the morning of Eid al-Fitr. However, the Muslim public is advised to pay early and through electronic modes of payment in light of the current COVID-19 situation.
Explore:
Watch the announcement of Ramadhan by Dr Nazirudin on SalamSG TV.
Details:
Various methods to pay zakat fitrah are available in Singapore.
PayNow is a new mode of payment. Payers can make payment by scanning the QR code or by keying in the UEN T08GB0028LZKT on their banking app. To obtain an official receipt and for IRAS tax auto-inclusion, payers should visit go.gov.sg/zakat.
The organisation noted that according to astronomical calculations, the new crescent marking the start of Ramadhan appeared in the evening of 23 April after sunset for about 17 minutes. As such, the first day of fasting began on 24 April 2020.
"We welcome the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan this year with a different atmosphere. Our country, as well as the rest of the world, is currently fighting the COVID-19 outbreak. Besides the act of fasting, we should also play our part to stay at home to prevent the spread of this deadly virus," said Singapore's Mufti, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir.
"This year, Ramadhan and Hari Raya (Eid al-Fitr, or Aidilfitri) will be celebrated together with our family in our own homes. No matter the test, we can accept and overcome it with the permission of Allah S.W.T., what more with the arrival of Ramadhan – a month of challenges, and the culmination of patience, perseverance and hope.
"As we strengthen our faith this Ramadhan, may it also spur us to be more determined to fight this virus. This test will eventually pass, and we will overcome this with patience and unity."
Muis separately announced that zakat fitrah rates for Ramadhan this year are S$5.10 or S$7.50. Zakat fitrah is an obligatory contribution by all Muslims during the month of Ramadhan, with the amount determined by the Muis Zakat and Fitrah Committee, by using staple food of the country that the person resides in.
As rice is the staple food here, the rates are based on the median price of 2.3 kg of the grade of rice that is generally consumed by the Muslim community.
The two-tier zakat fitrah rate has been in place since 2005 to facilitate those who may wish to pay more than the normal rate as they consume a higher grade of rice. Zakat payers may choose the rate that is most suitable based on their daily consumption.
The deadline for zakat fitrah is the morning of Eid al-Fitr. However, the Muslim public is advised to pay early and through electronic modes of payment in light of the current COVID-19 situation.
Explore:
Watch the announcement of Ramadhan by Dr Nazirudin on SalamSG TV.
Details:
Various methods to pay zakat fitrah are available in Singapore.
PayNow is a new mode of payment. Payers can make payment by scanning the QR code or by keying in the UEN T08GB0028LZKT on their banking app. To obtain an official receipt and for IRAS tax auto-inclusion, payers should visit go.gov.sg/zakat.
Thursday, 23 April 2020
Muis supports foreign workers during Ramadhan
The Islamic Religious Council (Muis) is supporting the religious needs of Muslim foreign workers ahead of Ramadhan. Movement of workers living in dormitories have not been allowed since 22 April 2020.
"Muis recognises the important contribution of foreign workers to Singapore. Aside from their sacrifices and contributions to Singapore’s nation building, Muis also acknowledges the contributions of many Muslim foreign workers to our local mosques. For many years, our Muslim foreign workers have been an integral part of the mosque community. Many have volunteered to support in the preparation of buka puasa* meals during Ramadhan as well as other volunteer duties in the mosques throughout the year. Now, they too are fighting the battle against COVID-19, alongside the nation," the organisation said in an online statement.
Measures taken by Muis include:
- Working with the Singapore Ministry of Manpower to disseminate important information, such as the Imsakiah (prayer time table), fatwas, irsyads (religious guidance from the Office of the Mufti) and infographics released during this period.
Muis will continue to provide translated versions of relevant materials to ensure that the workers remain updated on latest developments. For instance, the Muis Ramadan Handbook has been translated into Bengali.
- Working with an interagency taskforce to support foreign workers and dormitory operators. Muis has been working with the task force to help ensure that the health and wellbeing of Muslim foreign workers during Ramadhan. Religious guidelines specific to Ramadan as well as medical advisories related to fasting are being provided for the Muslim foreign workers in their native language, Muis said.
- Working with Masjid Assyakirin to produce short videos by Bengali-speaking imams in order to carry religious messages and messages of support. Other mosques have also reached out via video messages and video chats to comfort our Muslim brothers who have served and formed a bond with our mosques. These videos are disseminated via WhatsApp.
- Creating a dedicated playlist for Bengali resources on SalamSG TV, a special YouTube channel providing online videos for the Muslim community during Ramadhan. This will include messages from Singapore's Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir.
Details:
Download the advice on Observing Ramadan at Community Isolation Facilities and Dormitories and guidance on performing tarawih prayers amidst the outbreak situation. Tarawih (تراويح) refer to additional prayers performed in the evening during Ramadhan.
*Breaking of the fast
"Muis recognises the important contribution of foreign workers to Singapore. Aside from their sacrifices and contributions to Singapore’s nation building, Muis also acknowledges the contributions of many Muslim foreign workers to our local mosques. For many years, our Muslim foreign workers have been an integral part of the mosque community. Many have volunteered to support in the preparation of buka puasa* meals during Ramadhan as well as other volunteer duties in the mosques throughout the year. Now, they too are fighting the battle against COVID-19, alongside the nation," the organisation said in an online statement.
Measures taken by Muis include:
- Working with the Singapore Ministry of Manpower to disseminate important information, such as the Imsakiah (prayer time table), fatwas, irsyads (religious guidance from the Office of the Mufti) and infographics released during this period.
Muis will continue to provide translated versions of relevant materials to ensure that the workers remain updated on latest developments. For instance, the Muis Ramadan Handbook has been translated into Bengali.
- Working with an interagency taskforce to support foreign workers and dormitory operators. Muis has been working with the task force to help ensure that the health and wellbeing of Muslim foreign workers during Ramadhan. Religious guidelines specific to Ramadan as well as medical advisories related to fasting are being provided for the Muslim foreign workers in their native language, Muis said.
- Working with Masjid Assyakirin to produce short videos by Bengali-speaking imams in order to carry religious messages and messages of support. Other mosques have also reached out via video messages and video chats to comfort our Muslim brothers who have served and formed a bond with our mosques. These videos are disseminated via WhatsApp.
- Creating a dedicated playlist for Bengali resources on SalamSG TV, a special YouTube channel providing online videos for the Muslim community during Ramadhan. This will include messages from Singapore's Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir.
Details:
Download the advice on Observing Ramadan at Community Isolation Facilities and Dormitories and guidance on performing tarawih prayers amidst the outbreak situation. Tarawih (تراويح) refer to additional prayers performed in the evening during Ramadhan.
*Breaking of the fast
Wednesday, 22 April 2020
Muis launches SalamSG TV
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| Source: Muis. Logo for SalamSG TV. |
SalamSG TV aims to enhance the community’s Ramadhan spiritual experience and strengthen the psychological resilience of the community. The channel also enhances one of the key Ramadhan messages from Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, that the community can still observe a meaningful Ramadhan by retaining the spirit of the community, and to continue seeking knowledge through alternative means with asatizah online.
“Salam” (سلام) is a common greeting that Muslims use to greet family and friends, and means “peace” in Arabic. In the Malay language, “salam” refers to the shaking of hands as a gesture of respect, honour, the warmth of relationships and the bond of community.
It is this bond that Muis hopes to maintain through SalamSG TV. The Singapore Muslim community may be physically distant from the mosques, but they can remain spiritually connected to the mosques and practices that they associate with Ramadhan, the organisation said.
The green that dominates in the logo is also a recurring colour theme in the Quran. For example, green is used in reference to the earth after rain is being sent down from the sky (22:63). It is a symbol of life and hope, that will be significant during this period.
SalamSG TV will showcase religious as well as lifestyle content. It will feature exclusive religious content from several asatizah who will be addressing a diverse range of religious and motivational topics. The tajwid (تَجْوِيدْ, enunciation for reciting the Quran) is a wonderful collaboration of several mosques coming together to offer a comprehensive series on how to improve your recitation of the Quran.
The lifestyle segment will showcase a variety of content, which include arts and crafts and storytelling videos for children, as well as workshops on Islamic calligraphy and tarannum (Quranic melodious recitation). The channel will also feature religious talks and videos in Bengali and Tamil, as well as content from our partners.
Specific programmes include:
- Mufti’s Thought of the Day, a daily segment where the Mufti will share thoughts and reflections on various issues.
- Stories from the Quran aims to highlight the stories narrated in the Quran and the lessons that can be applied in our current context. It will feature several Singapore asatizah, and the Mufti as well.
- Fiqh FAQ, featuring asatizah from the Office of the Mufti answering some of the most frequently-asked questions that the organisation has received.
- Ramadan Kali Ini is a forum that aims to offer insights and practical advice on how Muslims can adapt to new norms this Ramadhan.
- Tanyalah Pakar is a talkshow featuring practitioners and experts from various fields sharing useful tips with the audience.
Details:
View SalamSG TV
Cook at home with Fatafeat this Ramadhan
Fatafeat is inviting families to help create their very own 'home of Arabic cooking' this Ramadhan with the launch of brand-new seasons of Ramadhan favourites such as Matbakh Manal Alalem, Shu Biyheb Al Orf and Bil Afya Maa Hayat.
Matbakh Manal Alalem
Widely regarded as the Queen of the Arabian Kitchen, Chef Manal Alalem showcases a new four-course set menu of appetiser, main course, dessert and accompanying beverage, featuring some of Manal's own creations.
Matbakh Manal Alalem airs daily during Ramadhan at noon KSA time.
Shu Biyheb Al Orf
Chef Mohammad Orfali invites you into his home kitchen in Shu Biyheb Al Orf where he crafts three recipes from a mix of cuisines around the world and shares his personal stories behind each dish.
Shu Biyheb Al Orf airs Mondays and Wednesdays during Ramadhan at 12:55 pm KSA time.
Bil Afya Maa Hayat
Emirati Chef Hayat Al Shaibani explores the flavours of the GCC and beyond in four-course menus from appetisers to main dishes and desserts, topped off with an accompanying beverage. Every menu either uses the foundations of a traditional GCC-inspired menu but has an international twist, or cleverly incorporates GCC cooking techniques within international menus.
Bil Afya Maa Hayat airs Tuesday-Thursdays and Saturdays during Ramadhan at 1:50pm KSA time
Explore:
Watch beIN channel 351 or via YouTube.
 |
| Source: Fatafeat. Chef Manal. |
Widely regarded as the Queen of the Arabian Kitchen, Chef Manal Alalem showcases a new four-course set menu of appetiser, main course, dessert and accompanying beverage, featuring some of Manal's own creations.
Matbakh Manal Alalem airs daily during Ramadhan at noon KSA time.
Shu Biyheb Al Orf
Chef Mohammad Orfali invites you into his home kitchen in Shu Biyheb Al Orf where he crafts three recipes from a mix of cuisines around the world and shares his personal stories behind each dish.
Shu Biyheb Al Orf airs Mondays and Wednesdays during Ramadhan at 12:55 pm KSA time.
Bil Afya Maa Hayat
Emirati Chef Hayat Al Shaibani explores the flavours of the GCC and beyond in four-course menus from appetisers to main dishes and desserts, topped off with an accompanying beverage. Every menu either uses the foundations of a traditional GCC-inspired menu but has an international twist, or cleverly incorporates GCC cooking techniques within international menus.
Bil Afya Maa Hayat airs Tuesday-Thursdays and Saturdays during Ramadhan at 1:50pm KSA time
Explore:
Watch beIN channel 351 or via YouTube.
Tuesday, 21 April 2020
Tata Consultancy Services sponsors laptops for madrasah students
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has collaborated with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to partner the tech industry to support students from low-income households who do not have the computers for home-based learning (HBL). A ‘circuit breaker’ period announced in Singapore as part of a COVID-19 response has required schools to deliver lessons online.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) sponsored new and refurbished laptops for 58 madrasah students from low-income households studying at Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah, Madrasah Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah, Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah and Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamia.. The sponsorship also covered mobile broadband connections for 14 students.
There are six full-time madrasahs in Singapore. They offer a curriculum that includes both religious and secular education. Under HBL teachers regularly do a check-in with students and parents through various platforms to ensure that the learning continues to take place at home in the best possible way and meet the desired learning outcomes.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) sponsored new and refurbished laptops for 58 madrasah students from low-income households studying at Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah, Madrasah Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah, Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah and Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamia.. The sponsorship also covered mobile broadband connections for 14 students.
There are six full-time madrasahs in Singapore. They offer a curriculum that includes both religious and secular education. Under HBL teachers regularly do a check-in with students and parents through various platforms to ensure that the learning continues to take place at home in the best possible way and meet the desired learning outcomes.
Refugee Zakat Fund has over 1 million zakat beneficiaries
- UNHCR urges Muslims to support refugees struggling to cope with the repercussions of the global COVID-19 outbreak through the Refugee Zakat Fund
- In 2019, the Refugee Zakat Fund received US$43,165,000, allowing UNHCR to provide lifesaving support to over 1 million refugees and internally-displaced persons
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has launched the findings of its 2020 Islamic Philanthropy Report, highlighting the impact of the Refugee Zakat Fund on vulnerable refugees and internally-displaced persons (IDPs) across the globe. Zakat (زكاة) is an obligatory form of alms-giving for Muslims who meet the criteria, and is often given during Ramadhan.
The Refugee Zakat Fund was launched by UNHCR in 2019 as a trusted, compliant and effective distributor harnessing the power of zakat to transform the lives of the most vulnerable refugee and IDPs. The report revealed that in 2019, the Refugee Zakat Fund received over US$43 million, including the largest-ever single contribution made by the Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani Humanitarian Fund of over US$35 million.
Other donations to the UNHCR Refugee Zakat Fund were from individuals, institutional partners and philanthropists. These donations have helped provide lifesaving assistance to 191,497 vulnerable families (1,025,014 individuals).
On March 25, UNHCR appealed for US$255 million for its urgent push to curb the risk and lessen the impact of COVID-19 outbreaks on vulnerable communities. Funds are critical to urgently support preparedness and response in situations of forced displacement over the next nine months.
"Imagine trying to cope with this (the coronavirus pandemic) crisis with no access to soap and water to wash your hands. No hope of isolating yourself because of overcrowded conditions. No shelter to stay safely inside. Imagine having to do this after already having been forced by war to flee your home and your family. This is the tragic reality today for far too many refugees and displaced families around the world," said Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in a video statement.
Explore:
Watch the video where Grandi delivers wishes for Ramadhan
- In 2019, the Refugee Zakat Fund received US$43,165,000, allowing UNHCR to provide lifesaving support to over 1 million refugees and internally-displaced persons
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has launched the findings of its 2020 Islamic Philanthropy Report, highlighting the impact of the Refugee Zakat Fund on vulnerable refugees and internally-displaced persons (IDPs) across the globe. Zakat (زكاة) is an obligatory form of alms-giving for Muslims who meet the criteria, and is often given during Ramadhan.
 |
| Source: UNHCR. Eleven-year-old Reem is an internally displaced Yemeni girl with a
serious medical condition. She lives in Sana’a, Yemen and needs regular
medication. Through its partners, UNHCR helped her mother with cash assistance which she used to buy medicine, pay off overdue rent and buy
food for her four children. “I cried when I got the money because I was able to cover Reem’s medicine for one month,” her mother told UNHCR. “Before I got the cash I didn’t have any food in the house to feed my kids - not even a grain of rice.” In 2019, the UN estimated that 80% of Yemen’s 24 million population required humanitarian assistance or protection due to the ongoing conflict. Some 3.65 million civilians have been displaced since the war began in March 2015. Conflict has caused extensive damage to public infrastructure and humanitarian needs are the most acute in governorates most affected by conflict, including Taizz, Al Hudaydah, Hajjah and Al Dhale’e, where fighting and civilian impact is recorded daily. UNHCR provides humanitarian support for the internally displaced and around 275,000 refugees and asylum-seekers who have remained in Yemen despite the fighting. It provided cash assistance to more than 167,000 families in 2019. |
The Refugee Zakat Fund was launched by UNHCR in 2019 as a trusted, compliant and effective distributor harnessing the power of zakat to transform the lives of the most vulnerable refugee and IDPs. The report revealed that in 2019, the Refugee Zakat Fund received over US$43 million, including the largest-ever single contribution made by the Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani Humanitarian Fund of over US$35 million.
Other donations to the UNHCR Refugee Zakat Fund were from individuals, institutional partners and philanthropists. These donations have helped provide lifesaving assistance to 191,497 vulnerable families (1,025,014 individuals).
On March 25, UNHCR appealed for US$255 million for its urgent push to curb the risk and lessen the impact of COVID-19 outbreaks on vulnerable communities. Funds are critical to urgently support preparedness and response in situations of forced displacement over the next nine months.
"Imagine trying to cope with this (the coronavirus pandemic) crisis with no access to soap and water to wash your hands. No hope of isolating yourself because of overcrowded conditions. No shelter to stay safely inside. Imagine having to do this after already having been forced by war to flee your home and your family. This is the tragic reality today for far too many refugees and displaced families around the world," said Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in a video statement.
Explore:
Watch the video where Grandi delivers wishes for Ramadhan
Lyre's Non-Alcoholic Spirits wins 10 medals at prestigious US competition
 |
| Source: Lyre's Non-Alcoholic Spirits. Non-alcoholic absinthe with lemonade. |
Gold medals were awarded to Lyre’s Aperitif Rosso and Dark Cane Spirit, while Aperitif Dry, Amaretti, Coffee Originale, and Spiced Cane Spirit received silver medals. In addition, Lyre’s Orange Sec, Dry London Spirit, White Cane Spirit, and American Malt were recognised with bronze medals.
The awards are the result of Lyre’s creator and co-founder Mark Livings’ desire to create a non-alcoholic product line that captures as closely as possible, the flavours and aromas of the world’s favourite spirits. The brand is named after the lyrebird, an Australian breed known for its ability to mimic the birdsong of any other creature it hears.
The Lyre’s range draws from a library of over 12,500 extracts, all-natural essences and distillates to replicate classic spirits, all derived from a proprietary mix of international fruits, spices, and botanicals.
“It is brilliant to see Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Spirits honoured with such a prestigious set of awards and I am even more pleased to see non-alcoholic spirits participating in and winning awards at competitions like the San Francisco World Spirits Competition,” said Livings.
“As the movement toward lower ABV* and zero-proof drinks continues to rise, Lyre’s offers consumers an option to enjoy their drink, their way. We believe our collective medals from highly controlled blind tasting competitions make Lyre’s the most awarded non-alcoholic spirit brand globally and undeniably reinforces the credibility of this new category and our range and flavour leadership.”
Hashtag: #StaySpirited on Instagram
*ABV stands for alcohol by volume and refers to the amount of pure alcohol is in a beverage, expressed as the number of ml per 100 ml.
Monday, 20 April 2020
Malaysian restaurants focus on takeaways, food delivery
Restaurants in Malaysia are adapting to lockdowns with food delivery services. The following establishments are in the Klang Valley and will deliver meals:
Soul Sacrifice Cafe (halal)
Located in Desa Pandan, Soul Sacrifice Cafe has been serving fusion dishes for three years now. Their signature dishes, are truffle cheese scrambled eggs and beetroot hummus toast.
38 Jalan 4/76C, Desa Pandan, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
+603 9201 3596
PIC of Food Preparation: Izaz Zainal Abidin
Delivery services: Lalamove, Foodpanda, GrabFood
The Terrace by The Good Cafe (halal)
The Terrace by The Good Cafe can cater for larger orders. Situated in Menara IMC, this cafe has a menu with local Malaysian and Western flavours. Look out for their nasi lemak, fried rice, spaghetti, and roast chicken.
This restaurant is also running a Share a Meal campaign for the less privileged.
Level 8, Menara IMC, 8, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
+6011 5697 8234
Delivery services: In-house delivery (corporate lunch deliveries (10 boxes and up) within KLCC vicinity. Larger orders can be sent further
House of Taste (halal)
There's a lot to choose from, with Asian and Western flavours to set meals and local rice sets. Their signature dishes are the chicken percik rice set and mushroom pesto spaghetti.
13, Jalan PJS 5/26, PJS 5, Taman Desaria, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
+603 7772 9026
Order online
Mr. Fish FishHead Noodle Restaurant (pork-free)
This is where to get authentic home-cooked fish head noodles, with four types of soup base to choose from: milky, curry laksa, clear soup, and tom yam. There is also a choice of proteins, such as grouper fillet, grouper fish head, fish maw, homemade fish balls and giant river prawns.
HQ: B009, Level B1, The Starling Mall, Damansara Uptown
+601 2883 1698 / +601 6339 6161
Sunway Pyramid outlet: OB2.G.U2, Oasis Boulevard 2, Sunway Pyramid
+603-56117200
Da Men outlet: LG-24, level LG, Da Men Mall, Jalan Kewajipan, USJ Subang
+603 8081 3308
Delivery services: In-house delivery services (minimum order RM30 to deliver, maximum delivery charge RM15), GrabFood, Foodpanda, Hungry2U, RunningMan
The Link Cafe (vegetarian)
Dear vegetarians, we have not forgotten you! Situated at Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, this Wetern fusion vegetarian cafe has been operating for 1 and a half years now. Do not miss out on The Link's Signature Burger (with homemade patty and sauce and their crowd favourite, Curry Cream Pasta!
Address: 12A-G, Jalan Radin Bagus 6, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, 57000 WIlayah Persekutuan.
Phone Number: +6017-3980309
Delivery Service: GrabFood, Foodpanda, Beep Delivery
Note: Customers enjoy a 10% discount for takeaway or self-pickup.
Soul Sacrifice Cafe (halal)
Located in Desa Pandan, Soul Sacrifice Cafe has been serving fusion dishes for three years now. Their signature dishes, are truffle cheese scrambled eggs and beetroot hummus toast.
38 Jalan 4/76C, Desa Pandan, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
+603 9201 3596
PIC of Food Preparation: Izaz Zainal Abidin
Delivery services: Lalamove, Foodpanda, GrabFood
The Terrace by The Good Cafe (halal)
 |
| Source: Xavier Mah Consultancy/Naw Lawn. The Terrace Cafe’s kitchen crew preparing meals for customers amidst Malaysia's movement control order (MCO). |
The Terrace by The Good Cafe can cater for larger orders. Situated in Menara IMC, this cafe has a menu with local Malaysian and Western flavours. Look out for their nasi lemak, fried rice, spaghetti, and roast chicken.
This restaurant is also running a Share a Meal campaign for the less privileged.
Level 8, Menara IMC, 8, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
+6011 5697 8234
Delivery services: In-house delivery (corporate lunch deliveries (10 boxes and up) within KLCC vicinity. Larger orders can be sent further
House of Taste (halal)
There's a lot to choose from, with Asian and Western flavours to set meals and local rice sets. Their signature dishes are the chicken percik rice set and mushroom pesto spaghetti.
13, Jalan PJS 5/26, PJS 5, Taman Desaria, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
+603 7772 9026
Order online
Mr. Fish FishHead Noodle Restaurant (pork-free)
This is where to get authentic home-cooked fish head noodles, with four types of soup base to choose from: milky, curry laksa, clear soup, and tom yam. There is also a choice of proteins, such as grouper fillet, grouper fish head, fish maw, homemade fish balls and giant river prawns.
HQ: B009, Level B1, The Starling Mall, Damansara Uptown
+601 2883 1698 / +601 6339 6161
Sunway Pyramid outlet: OB2.G.U2, Oasis Boulevard 2, Sunway Pyramid
+603-56117200
Da Men outlet: LG-24, level LG, Da Men Mall, Jalan Kewajipan, USJ Subang
+603 8081 3308
Delivery services: In-house delivery services (minimum order RM30 to deliver, maximum delivery charge RM15), GrabFood, Foodpanda, Hungry2U, RunningMan
The Link Cafe (vegetarian)
Dear vegetarians, we have not forgotten you! Situated at Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, this Wetern fusion vegetarian cafe has been operating for 1 and a half years now. Do not miss out on The Link's Signature Burger (with homemade patty and sauce and their crowd favourite, Curry Cream Pasta!
Address: 12A-G, Jalan Radin Bagus 6, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, 57000 WIlayah Persekutuan.
Phone Number: +6017-3980309
Delivery Service: GrabFood, Foodpanda, Beep Delivery
Note: Customers enjoy a 10% discount for takeaway or self-pickup.
Pinterest celebrates Ramadhan
Pinterest has shared what's inspiring its members in planning for Ramadhan this year. It will be a particularly unusual time as most Muslims will be staying home during the month, doing without the many Ramadhan traditions that are incompatible with social distancing.
Globally, Pinterest hit all-time highs in engagement the week of April 13, the company said. Searches were up about 60% year on year, with new signups and 'saves' up about 30% each. Searches for "Ramadan tips" were up 70% around the world.
Household
This year, people are looking for creative ideas for Ramadhan celebrations for the home, Pinterest said. With a 140% increase in global searches for "homemade Ramadan decorations", people are looking for fun and easy ways to make their home a festive space. Trending Ramadhan decorations on Pinterest include:
Homemade Ramadan decorations
Ramadan kareem decorations (4x increase)
Crochet ramadan decorations (+145% increase)
At home Ramadan decorations
Ramadan lanterns (+130% increase)
At home
With a 100% increase in global searches for "Ramadan activities", people are turning to Pinterest for inspiration on how to create their own new festivities at home such as ideas from Ramadhan greetings. Activities that are trending now on Pinterest include:
Ramadan crafts (4x increase)
Ramadan matching cards
Ramadan greetings (125% increase)
30 Days of Ramadan Activity book
Ramadan drawings (3x increase)
Ramadan board games
Ramadan journal (105% increase)
Virtual feasts
People are looking to make their favourite Ramadhan recipes and can easily plan a virtual family feast and Pinterest is seeing a 65% increase in searches for "Ramadan foods" and a 90% increase in searches for "Ramadan sweets". Trending recipes on Pinterest include:
Bolu Gulung Pisang Karamel
Kue Nastar
Lemper
Tumis Tahu Daun Ketumbar
Nagasari
Sharing the festive spirit
As some people feel the physical distance this Ramadhan, Pinterest users are finding gift ideas as a way to stay connected to their communities. Searches for "Ramadan gift ideas" are now 4x greater as people are discovering how to give back and stay together during Ramadhan. Trending gift ideas on Pinterest include:
Ramadan box gifts (+85% increase)
Ramadan Date Jam
Ramadan gifts for neighbors (+70% increase)
Ramadan gift basket
Ramadan gifts for kids (+150% increase)
Homemade Ramadan lantern gift
Ramadhan in style
On Pinterest, men and women are looking for outfit ideas to celebrate Ramadhan in style, even if they are not visiting others. Inspiration for an at-home Ramadhan look:
Ramadan dresses (+140% increase)
20 Ramadan iftar outfits to try
Hijabi Eid outfits (+90% increase)
Ramadan hijab style outfits
Baju Koko
Men's Eid kurta
Men's Ramadan collection
Pinterest is also celebrating Ramadhan. Over the next few weeks, people around the world searching for Ramadhan ideas on Pinterest will see a festive background below the search bar with additional search recommendations so people can get into the Ramadhan spirit while they plan. To see this, users can go directly to the search bar and type "Ramadan" on iOS and Android.
Pinterest is also curating Ramadhan-related content. As people are searching and saving ideas for Ramadhan, Pinterest will surface a pin on the Pinterest home feed that will take them to a board of more Ramadhan ideas.
Pinterest is a visual discovery engine people use to find inspiration for their lives, including recipes, home and style ideas, travel destinations and more. People have saved more than 240 billion pins across a range of interests. The platform is a available on iOS and Android, and at pinterest.com.
Globally, Pinterest hit all-time highs in engagement the week of April 13, the company said. Searches were up about 60% year on year, with new signups and 'saves' up about 30% each. Searches for "Ramadan tips" were up 70% around the world.
Household
This year, people are looking for creative ideas for Ramadhan celebrations for the home, Pinterest said. With a 140% increase in global searches for "homemade Ramadan decorations", people are looking for fun and easy ways to make their home a festive space. Trending Ramadhan decorations on Pinterest include:
Homemade Ramadan decorations
Ramadan kareem decorations (4x increase)
Crochet ramadan decorations (+145% increase)
At home Ramadan decorations
Ramadan lanterns (+130% increase)
At home
With a 100% increase in global searches for "Ramadan activities", people are turning to Pinterest for inspiration on how to create their own new festivities at home such as ideas from Ramadhan greetings. Activities that are trending now on Pinterest include:
Ramadan crafts (4x increase)
Ramadan matching cards
Ramadan greetings (125% increase)
30 Days of Ramadan Activity book
Ramadan drawings (3x increase)
Ramadan board games
Ramadan journal (105% increase)
Virtual feasts
People are looking to make their favourite Ramadhan recipes and can easily plan a virtual family feast and Pinterest is seeing a 65% increase in searches for "Ramadan foods" and a 90% increase in searches for "Ramadan sweets". Trending recipes on Pinterest include:
Bolu Gulung Pisang Karamel
Kue Nastar
Lemper
Tumis Tahu Daun Ketumbar
Nagasari
Sharing the festive spirit
As some people feel the physical distance this Ramadhan, Pinterest users are finding gift ideas as a way to stay connected to their communities. Searches for "Ramadan gift ideas" are now 4x greater as people are discovering how to give back and stay together during Ramadhan. Trending gift ideas on Pinterest include:
Ramadan box gifts (+85% increase)
Ramadan Date Jam
Ramadan gifts for neighbors (+70% increase)
Ramadan gift basket
Ramadan gifts for kids (+150% increase)
Homemade Ramadan lantern gift
 |
| Source: Pinterest website. Pinterest has curated a board just for Ramadhan inspiration. |
Ramadhan in style
On Pinterest, men and women are looking for outfit ideas to celebrate Ramadhan in style, even if they are not visiting others. Inspiration for an at-home Ramadhan look:
Ramadan dresses (+140% increase)
20 Ramadan iftar outfits to try
Hijabi Eid outfits (+90% increase)
Ramadan hijab style outfits
Baju Koko
Men's Eid kurta
Men's Ramadan collection
Pinterest is also celebrating Ramadhan. Over the next few weeks, people around the world searching for Ramadhan ideas on Pinterest will see a festive background below the search bar with additional search recommendations so people can get into the Ramadhan spirit while they plan. To see this, users can go directly to the search bar and type "Ramadan" on iOS and Android.
Pinterest is also curating Ramadhan-related content. As people are searching and saving ideas for Ramadhan, Pinterest will surface a pin on the Pinterest home feed that will take them to a board of more Ramadhan ideas.
Pinterest is a visual discovery engine people use to find inspiration for their lives, including recipes, home and style ideas, travel destinations and more. People have saved more than 240 billion pins across a range of interests. The platform is a available on iOS and Android, and at pinterest.com.
SGUnited Buka Puasa initiative to benefit healthcare professionals, those in need
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has announced the SGUnited Buka Puasa initiative, a ground-up effort to provide meals for the breaking of fast during the month of Ramadhan. In line with this year’s Ramadhan theme to strengthen resilience, this
effort rallies the community to unite and support each another during
the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Daily meals will be extended to two groups within the community, healthcare professionals and their families, as well as Muis’ zakat beneficiaries and other families who require the provision of meals during this challenging time. The initiative aims to express our gratitude and solidarity with those on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19 and to support those who are significantly affected by the outbreak, Muis said.
The initiative is a joint collaboration between Muis, mosques, the Rahmatan lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF), Peoples’ Association, Roses of Peace and Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It is supported by SGUnited, M3 and SGTeguhBersatu Taskforce. The various agencies and community organisations will work together to distribute 15,000 meals per day throughout Ramadhan. Meals will be delivered to hospitals, community centres/clubs (CCs), or direct to homes of zakat beneficiaries.
Muis will kickstart the initiative with S$1 million in funding. RLAF will also mount a special fundraising effort via Giving.SG for donations from the public to raise another S$1.5 million, to meet the overall project fundraising target of S$2.5 million. The SGUnited Buka Puasa Fund fundraising drive will run from to 23 May 2020. All donations are eligible for tax deduction.
In support of local businesses, the funds raised will be channelled through SMCCI to local establishments like caterers and delivery services who will provide and deliver the meals.
Chief Executive of Muis Esa Masood said: “The act of giving towards the breaking of fast of others is an act that is highly commendable for Muslims, and every Ramadhan there is usually an outpouring of donations at our mosques to organise the communal breaking of fast. Even though our mosques are closed this Ramadhan, Muis and our mosques are happy and committed to be part of this meaningful initiative to reignite our community spirit and show solidarity with our healthcare workers, and those affected in the ongoing crisis.”
NMP Mohamed Irshad, founder of Roses of Peace, said: “Feeding people in need is a cornerstone of all religions, especially Islam. Over the years, Buka Puasa has become a massive community bonding affair bringing together the Muslim community and people of other faith traditions in Singapore. With the COVID-19 pandemic and circuit breaker measures in place, we are facing a real threat of people in need going hungry during this month. Roses of Peace is heartened to be part of this community-led initiative bringing together the public, private, and people sectors – in a first of its kind to exemplify the spirit of Ramadhan and SGUnited.”
Azrulnizam Shah Sohaimi, Executive Director, SMCCI, said: “SMCCI is heartened to be part of this meaningful initiative, as we believe strongly in giving back to the community. The chamber is confident that this groundbreaking effort will bring benefit and create a sense of unity amongst the varying segments of the community, synonymous with the spirit of Ramadhan.
This initiative is made even more meaningful as it allows SMCCI to partner its members in the food and beverage (F&B) industry, who are themselves, facing unprecedented challenges. This underlines the chamber's commitment in standing in solidarity, with its members, throughout their business journey.”
Details:
Registration for the daily meals can be made via www.bukapuasa.sg. Meals will be available for collection at 20 CCs across Singapore daily from 24 April 2020 to 23 May 2020 between 5.15 pm and 6.15 pm.
Residents who have registered for the meals are reminded to bring along their NRIC when collecting the meals at the CCs.
Precautionary measures such as putting on face masks, temperature taking and safe distancing measures will be strictly implemented.
Zakat beneficiaries will have their meals delivered to their homes, while healthcare professionals who are on duty will receive the packed meals delivered to their respective hospitals.
Daily meals will be extended to two groups within the community, healthcare professionals and their families, as well as Muis’ zakat beneficiaries and other families who require the provision of meals during this challenging time. The initiative aims to express our gratitude and solidarity with those on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19 and to support those who are significantly affected by the outbreak, Muis said.
The initiative is a joint collaboration between Muis, mosques, the Rahmatan lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF), Peoples’ Association, Roses of Peace and Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It is supported by SGUnited, M3 and SGTeguhBersatu Taskforce. The various agencies and community organisations will work together to distribute 15,000 meals per day throughout Ramadhan. Meals will be delivered to hospitals, community centres/clubs (CCs), or direct to homes of zakat beneficiaries.
Muis will kickstart the initiative with S$1 million in funding. RLAF will also mount a special fundraising effort via Giving.SG for donations from the public to raise another S$1.5 million, to meet the overall project fundraising target of S$2.5 million. The SGUnited Buka Puasa Fund fundraising drive will run from to 23 May 2020. All donations are eligible for tax deduction.
In support of local businesses, the funds raised will be channelled through SMCCI to local establishments like caterers and delivery services who will provide and deliver the meals.
Chief Executive of Muis Esa Masood said: “The act of giving towards the breaking of fast of others is an act that is highly commendable for Muslims, and every Ramadhan there is usually an outpouring of donations at our mosques to organise the communal breaking of fast. Even though our mosques are closed this Ramadhan, Muis and our mosques are happy and committed to be part of this meaningful initiative to reignite our community spirit and show solidarity with our healthcare workers, and those affected in the ongoing crisis.”
NMP Mohamed Irshad, founder of Roses of Peace, said: “Feeding people in need is a cornerstone of all religions, especially Islam. Over the years, Buka Puasa has become a massive community bonding affair bringing together the Muslim community and people of other faith traditions in Singapore. With the COVID-19 pandemic and circuit breaker measures in place, we are facing a real threat of people in need going hungry during this month. Roses of Peace is heartened to be part of this community-led initiative bringing together the public, private, and people sectors – in a first of its kind to exemplify the spirit of Ramadhan and SGUnited.”
Azrulnizam Shah Sohaimi, Executive Director, SMCCI, said: “SMCCI is heartened to be part of this meaningful initiative, as we believe strongly in giving back to the community. The chamber is confident that this groundbreaking effort will bring benefit and create a sense of unity amongst the varying segments of the community, synonymous with the spirit of Ramadhan.
This initiative is made even more meaningful as it allows SMCCI to partner its members in the food and beverage (F&B) industry, who are themselves, facing unprecedented challenges. This underlines the chamber's commitment in standing in solidarity, with its members, throughout their business journey.”
Details:
Registration for the daily meals can be made via www.bukapuasa.sg. Meals will be available for collection at 20 CCs across Singapore daily from 24 April 2020 to 23 May 2020 between 5.15 pm and 6.15 pm.
Residents who have registered for the meals are reminded to bring along their NRIC when collecting the meals at the CCs.
Precautionary measures such as putting on face masks, temperature taking and safe distancing measures will be strictly implemented.
Zakat beneficiaries will have their meals delivered to their homes, while healthcare professionals who are on duty will receive the packed meals delivered to their respective hospitals.
Friday, 17 April 2020
Vegan food market CAGR expected to be 11.4% through to 2027
Government initiatives and consumer concerns related to health are major
factors influencing the growth of global vegan food market, says consultancy Absolute Market Insights (AMI). Vegan foods include fruit, vegetables, nuts, cereals, pulses, milk,
yoghurt, cream, margarine, cheese, soy products, as well as dairy
alternatives and meat substitutes.
The global vegan food market was valued at US$10.66 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to reach US$27.98 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 11.4% over the forecast period, according to AMI. Consumer preferences across the globe toward vegetarian and flexitarian food are driving the demand for vegan food products, AMI said. Consumers are more inclined towards a healthy lifestyle today and largely prefer plant-based food products to provide their nutrition, the consultancy elaborated. Whereas vegetarians do not eat meat or fish, flexitarians have a primarily vegetarian diet but may occasionally take meat or fish.
Governments have also been introducing vegan food items to reduce meat consumption, due to associated health concerns and environmental issues. The China government has taken the initiative to reduce its citizens' meat consumption by 50% to combat global warming. The ongoing prevalence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has accelerated the trend.
Food manufacturers such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have responded to the trend with plant-based food products that resemble meat in terms of taste and texture, while restaurant chains have begun to offer dishes that feature plant-based 'meat'.
Report highlights include:
- The dairy alternatives segment is expected to witness a tremendous growth over the forecast period.
- The online distribution channel registered highest market share in 2018 and is expected to further proliferate over the forecast period.
- The Asia Pacific market is anticipated to witness highest growth over the forecast period.
Some of the players mentioned in the report include ADM, Amy's Kitchen, Beyond Meat, Blue Diamond Growers, Conagra, Hain Celestial, Hormel Foods Kellogg, Kraft Foods, LIGHTLIFE FOODS, Marlow Foods (Quorn), NESTLÉ, Smithfield Foods, THE WHITEWAVE FOODS COMPANY, and Tyson Foods.
Within the Asia Pacific region, the following countries are studied: China, Japan, India, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Southeast Asia, the Rest of Southeast Asia and the Rest of Asia Pacific are also segmented as regions. For the Middle East and Africa, KSA, UAE and Kuwait are some of the countries studied.
Details:
Buy the report (April 2020)
The global vegan food market was valued at US$10.66 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to reach US$27.98 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 11.4% over the forecast period, according to AMI. Consumer preferences across the globe toward vegetarian and flexitarian food are driving the demand for vegan food products, AMI said. Consumers are more inclined towards a healthy lifestyle today and largely prefer plant-based food products to provide their nutrition, the consultancy elaborated. Whereas vegetarians do not eat meat or fish, flexitarians have a primarily vegetarian diet but may occasionally take meat or fish.
Governments have also been introducing vegan food items to reduce meat consumption, due to associated health concerns and environmental issues. The China government has taken the initiative to reduce its citizens' meat consumption by 50% to combat global warming. The ongoing prevalence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has accelerated the trend.
Food manufacturers such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have responded to the trend with plant-based food products that resemble meat in terms of taste and texture, while restaurant chains have begun to offer dishes that feature plant-based 'meat'.
Report highlights include:
- The dairy alternatives segment is expected to witness a tremendous growth over the forecast period.
- The online distribution channel registered highest market share in 2018 and is expected to further proliferate over the forecast period.
- The Asia Pacific market is anticipated to witness highest growth over the forecast period.
Some of the players mentioned in the report include ADM, Amy's Kitchen, Beyond Meat, Blue Diamond Growers, Conagra, Hain Celestial, Hormel Foods Kellogg, Kraft Foods, LIGHTLIFE FOODS, Marlow Foods (Quorn), NESTLÉ, Smithfield Foods, THE WHITEWAVE FOODS COMPANY, and Tyson Foods.
Within the Asia Pacific region, the following countries are studied: China, Japan, India, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Southeast Asia, the Rest of Southeast Asia and the Rest of Asia Pacific are also segmented as regions. For the Middle East and Africa, KSA, UAE and Kuwait are some of the countries studied.
Details:
Buy the report (April 2020)
Thursday, 16 April 2020
Philips TAPH805 wireless noise-cancelling headphones available in Singapore
 | |
| Source: Philips. The TAPH805. | . |
The TAPH805 is one of the lightest models in its class, weighing in at just 235 grams. It is perfect for travelling and easy to store, thanks to a unique folding design that fits into the pocket, or can be folded flat. Users can enjoy their audio from phones, tablets or laptops, thanks to standard Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity.
Easy-to-use physical buttons and touch controls make it easy for users to hear things as they want them. A touch of the headband activates Google Assistant. Physical buttons allow users to play, pause, skip forwards and backwards, or access essential call features.
Swiping on the right earcup controls the volume and basic voice assistant functions, while a single tap activates or deactivates active noise cancelling, or lets users engage Awareness Mode to hear more of the world around them while the audio continues to play.
With a Hi-Res Audio (HRA) source, users get the full benefit of lossless audio that is recorded at a higher sample rate than the CD standard, which is 16-bit encoding with a 44.1 kHz sample rate. Music sounds just as the original artistes heard it, faithfully reproduced by the large, high-quality 40 mm diameter speakers. These are capable of HRA-accredited bandwidth of 7 to 40,000 Hz.
The headphone's Advanced Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) hybrid technology cancels out background noise, thanks to four electret condenser (ECM) microphones - two feedback microphones inside the earcup, and two feed-forward microphones outside the earcup. The earcups are built of soft memory foam for comfort and also help to block unwanted sound.
Users enjoy 30 hours of battery life with two hours of charging. Quick-charge delivers six hours of playback from just 15 minutes of charging, and a five-minute rapid charge is enough for another two hours of playback. The headphones can even be used without battery power, via the included audio cable that is compatible with inflight entertainment systems.
The new headphones are provided by TP Vision, an audiovisual digital entertainment provider. TP Vision concentrates on developing, manufacturing and marketing Philips-branded audio products worldwide. The company combines the Philips brand heritage with its design expertise, operational excellence, flexibility and technology.
Details:
The Philips TAPH805 is available in Singapore for an manufacturer's suggested retail price of S$249 at Sprint-Cass Changi Airport Electronics Retail and online.
Wednesday, 15 April 2020
Muis releases theme for Ramadhan 2020
The theme for Ramadhan in 2020 (1441) is Deepening Spirituality, Strengthening Resilience (Memperdalam Iman, Memperkasa Amanah), said the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis). It calls for the Singapore Muslim community to remain resilient during unprecedented conditions.
With the disruption to traditionally observed communal activities of community gatherings and congregational tarawih prayers at the mosques, the community is encouraged to continue observing Ramadhan meaningfully at home:
- Focus on the core duties of fasting and helping the needy with zakat.
- Retain the spirit of the community through alternative means by learning with asatizah online.
- Continue to support the vulnerable and community through online contributions as Ramadhan is about charity.
"Responsibility is one of the most important virtues and it is a testament to our faith – we must play a part to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone," Muis said in an online statement.
The Office of the Mufti recognises the critical role of the religious fraternity in guiding the Singapore Muslim community as new challenges arise amid the increasing severity of the COVID-19 developments.
The local religious fraternity will actively convey how religion comprehensively demonstrates and builds spiritual, social, physical and psychological resilience, while emphasising the importance of social responsibility during the COVID-19 outbreak:
- Spiritual resilience
Being adaptive in our religious practices that transcends physical spaces through uplifting religious narratives, and the importance of non-ritual elements to deepen one’s spirituality.
- Social resilience
Community to be united in supporting one another in times of need.
- Physical resilience
Health is a responsibility (أمانة, amanah), and it also extends beyond caring for our own individual health, to looking out for others.
- Psychological resilience
Staying mentally strong despite the tests we face; seeking help from family and others in the community if we need to.
- Social responsibility
Sacrificing personal interests for the greater good to prevent causing any form of harm on the lives and health of individuals and the general public. This also includes being mindful of others and not inconveniencing them through unnecessary acts.
The Office of the Mufti will also launch a Ramadhan 2020 handbook, Contemporary Irsyad Series Vol. 2, to guide the community in practising their faith during the COVID-19 pandemic. The handbook will emphasise the role of Singaporean Muslims as citizens in practising social responsibility to curb the transmission of COVID-19.
It will feature several religious advisories that have been issued during this outbreak. Related religious queries from members of the public will also be addressed.
With the disruption to traditionally observed communal activities of community gatherings and congregational tarawih prayers at the mosques, the community is encouraged to continue observing Ramadhan meaningfully at home:
- Focus on the core duties of fasting and helping the needy with zakat.
- Retain the spirit of the community through alternative means by learning with asatizah online.
- Continue to support the vulnerable and community through online contributions as Ramadhan is about charity.
"Responsibility is one of the most important virtues and it is a testament to our faith – we must play a part to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone," Muis said in an online statement.
The Office of the Mufti recognises the critical role of the religious fraternity in guiding the Singapore Muslim community as new challenges arise amid the increasing severity of the COVID-19 developments.
The local religious fraternity will actively convey how religion comprehensively demonstrates and builds spiritual, social, physical and psychological resilience, while emphasising the importance of social responsibility during the COVID-19 outbreak:
- Spiritual resilience
Being adaptive in our religious practices that transcends physical spaces through uplifting religious narratives, and the importance of non-ritual elements to deepen one’s spirituality.
- Social resilience
Community to be united in supporting one another in times of need.
- Physical resilience
Health is a responsibility (أمانة, amanah), and it also extends beyond caring for our own individual health, to looking out for others.
- Psychological resilience
Staying mentally strong despite the tests we face; seeking help from family and others in the community if we need to.
- Social responsibility
Sacrificing personal interests for the greater good to prevent causing any form of harm on the lives and health of individuals and the general public. This also includes being mindful of others and not inconveniencing them through unnecessary acts.
The Office of the Mufti will also launch a Ramadhan 2020 handbook, Contemporary Irsyad Series Vol. 2, to guide the community in practising their faith during the COVID-19 pandemic. The handbook will emphasise the role of Singaporean Muslims as citizens in practising social responsibility to curb the transmission of COVID-19.
It will feature several religious advisories that have been issued during this outbreak. Related religious queries from members of the public will also be addressed.
Tuesday, 14 April 2020
SDRPY donates second batch of fishing boats in Socotra, Yemen
The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) is
distributing the second installment of fishing boats with modern engines
in the Governorate of Socotra Archipelago, Yemen, in fulfilment of a project to provide 100 boats to fishermen affected by hurricanes and tropical conditions.
Three hundred fishermen will benefit from the delivery, which is aimed at contributing to the recovery of the fishing sector, improving family incomes, advancing self-sufficiency to achieve sustainable food production, and increasing productivity. It will also further a sustainable economic environment and increase job opportunities.
"On behalf of all the people of the province, I extend my thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and his Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman," Socotra Governor Ramzi Ahmed Mahrous said during the inauguration ceremony.
The projects that KSA has offered the people of the province will remain forever in the minds of generations, the governor stressed, and said Socotrans would remain loyal to their Saudi brothers and sisters.
Saudi Forces Commander in Socotra Brigadier General Abdul Rahman bin Salman Al-Hajji confirmed that the project is an extension of those that KSA had earlier implemented in Socotra under the guidance of King Salman and the Crown Prince in support of all Yemeni provinces, with the direct participation of SDRPY Supervisor Ambassador Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber.
Al-Hajji explained that the boats being delivered had been manufactured in local Yemeni factories, according to special specifications to adapt them to conditions in the Socotra Archipelago.
The fisheries sector in Yemen provides employment opportunities for more than half a million individuals, who in turn support 1.7 million and make up 18% of the coastal population of 9.4 million. Fishing is thus a major source of income, an important sector for job creation, and a key contributor to the economy.
The high cost of boats, on which about 36,000 fishermen depend, represents a genuine challenge after prices jumped by 100% to 150%, in addition to 200% increase in engine prices. In 2018, the cost of an engine reached 3,900,000 Yemeni riyals (about US$15,400).
SDRPY operations are not limited to the fishermen of Socotra Archipelago, as the programme has supplied 100 boats to fishermen in Al-Mahra Governorate as well. Yemen's coastline stretches more than 2,500 km along three seas – Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea – and encompasses 10 governorates: Aden, Abyan, Hadhramaut, Hodeidah, Hajjah, Lahj, Taiz, Shabwah, Al-Mahra and Socotra.
SDRPY aims to achieve its development goals in alignment with the objectives of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development."
Three hundred fishermen will benefit from the delivery, which is aimed at contributing to the recovery of the fishing sector, improving family incomes, advancing self-sufficiency to achieve sustainable food production, and increasing productivity. It will also further a sustainable economic environment and increase job opportunities.
 |
| Source: PRNewsfoto/SDRPY. A fishing boat from the SDRPY. |
"On behalf of all the people of the province, I extend my thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and his Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman," Socotra Governor Ramzi Ahmed Mahrous said during the inauguration ceremony.
The projects that KSA has offered the people of the province will remain forever in the minds of generations, the governor stressed, and said Socotrans would remain loyal to their Saudi brothers and sisters.
Saudi Forces Commander in Socotra Brigadier General Abdul Rahman bin Salman Al-Hajji confirmed that the project is an extension of those that KSA had earlier implemented in Socotra under the guidance of King Salman and the Crown Prince in support of all Yemeni provinces, with the direct participation of SDRPY Supervisor Ambassador Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber.
Al-Hajji explained that the boats being delivered had been manufactured in local Yemeni factories, according to special specifications to adapt them to conditions in the Socotra Archipelago.
The fisheries sector in Yemen provides employment opportunities for more than half a million individuals, who in turn support 1.7 million and make up 18% of the coastal population of 9.4 million. Fishing is thus a major source of income, an important sector for job creation, and a key contributor to the economy.
The high cost of boats, on which about 36,000 fishermen depend, represents a genuine challenge after prices jumped by 100% to 150%, in addition to 200% increase in engine prices. In 2018, the cost of an engine reached 3,900,000 Yemeni riyals (about US$15,400).
SDRPY operations are not limited to the fishermen of Socotra Archipelago, as the programme has supplied 100 boats to fishermen in Al-Mahra Governorate as well. Yemen's coastline stretches more than 2,500 km along three seas – Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea – and encompasses 10 governorates: Aden, Abyan, Hadhramaut, Hodeidah, Hajjah, Lahj, Taiz, Shabwah, Al-Mahra and Socotra.
SDRPY aims to achieve its development goals in alignment with the objectives of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development."
Community crowdfunding initiative to support Singapore mosques
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has launched a centralised donation portal in support of the mosques named OurMasjid.SG and called upon the community to continue to support Singapore mosques and asatizah during the challenging months ahead.
The mosques were closed temporarily on 13 March 2020, and meant to reopen the same month. As the risk to the community remains high, the Fatwa Committee in Singapore recommended on 24 March to continue the closure of mosques and suspend Friday prayers until further notice. In making this recommendation, the committee is guided by two principles that apply in a situation like COVID-19, i.e. to avoid all forms of harm and to close all doors that lead to danger and harm.
The mosque closure has prevented the community from donating directly to mosques through donation boxes, which the mosques rely on for operations and manpower funding. All mosque operational costs, such as manpower and utility bills still
depend largely on donations from congregants. Significant amounts are
typically collected during Friday congregational prayers.
In response, Muis has partnered MuslimSG to launch OurMasjid.SG - a community crowdfunding initiative for mosques. With this new platform, it is now easier for the community to make online donations to mosques.
Singapore mosque overheads include salaries as well as utilities costs. They employ more than 2,000 staff which includes Mosque Religious Officers (MRO), Social Development Officers (SDO), aLIVE teachers, imam, bilal, admin officers as well as maintenance & support officers (noja). These frontliners face thousands of congregants weekly, and play important roles in keeping religious life alive at the mosques.
In addition, while there have been efforts by the mosques to promote water and energy conservation, mosques continue to be in need for support from the public to defray such costs to ensure the cleanliness and safe operations of mosques. Water and utilities alone account for almost 4% of mosque annual expenditure.
Separately, KuliahSG will centralise online religious content provided by the mosques. Starting out as a ground-up initiative by two individuals, KuliahSG is a centralised portal for online programmes produced by mosques. Muis and mosques are fully supportive of this initiative and will work together with KuliahSG in the spirit of helping the community gain access to Islamic online content which asatizah and mosques in Singapore are producing daily, Muis said.
Despite the physical closure of the mosques, mosque asatizah and staff have been working hard to continue to serve the spiritual needs of congregants by bringing mosque programmes and religious content online. For example, over 50 mosques now have put up online content, comprising over 1,130 videos. Mosques are also continuing with Islamic education for the young, by conducting aLIVE lessons through home-based learning.
Muis announced on 7 April 2020 that S$1 million had been set aside to support mosques during their temporary closure due to COVID-19. The organisation is working with partners under the SGTeguhBersatu Task Force to provide a comprehensive assistance package for asatizah, the mosque sector, as well as the tenants of wakaf properties.
With the temporary closure of the mosques, Muis noted that many asatizah have lost both their primary platform to reach the community as well as a source of income. Muis will assist asatizah in applying for assistance under the Resilience Package, including the Self-Employed Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) and the Temporary Relief Fund (TRF).
For SIRS, Muis will work with NTUC, and will accept applications from self-employed ARS-certified asatizah who are eligible for this scheme. Muis will outreach to asatizah to raise awareness of the scheme, and guide asatizah through the application process.
Asatizah who are eligible to receive the support under the scheme will receive three payouts of S$3,000, starting from May.
Muis will also work with MSF to assist and support asatizah to apply for the Temporary Relief Fund via the designated online portal. Asatizah who experienced a drop in income due to COVID-19 will receive a one-off payment of S$500. In addition, asatizah who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 can also apply for the COVID-19 Assistance Grant and receive S$800 a month, for three months.
Asatizah who wish to apply for these schemes can call +65 6350 5374 or 6350 1440 for assistance.
Muis has also helped mosques to move more lessons and classes online. This includes programmes conducted by its religious officers, home-based learning for aLIVE madrasahs* and other Islamic learning classes. Muis will also share a toolkit with IECPs** and home-based Quranic teachers to encourage more to continue their classes via online platforms. This will ensure they continue to draw income during this period.
To support and prepare asatizah for beyond the crisis, Muis will partner MENDAKI Sense to support the upskilling of asatizah. To complement the Self-Employed Person (SEP) Training Support Scheme, Muis will encourage asatizah to upskill especially in areas like digital marketing, technology-enabled learning delivery and counselling. This will be tied to the launch of the Career Map and Competency Framework (CCF), one of the recommendations from COFA***, later this month, which will create more opportunities and enhance the career pathways for asatizah.
Given that the closure of mosques will affect them financially, Muis earlier said that it will provide grants to support mosques to adopt enhanced precautions to deal with COVID-19 when they reopen. This includes temperature taking, contract tracing, and manpower and systems for queue management.
In addition, as the aLIVE class is partially affected by the closure of the mosque and will be replaced with home learning, Muis will give a grant to mosques to waive the aLIVE fee by 50% for two months. Parents in the aLIVE programme will be informed by their respective mosques on the details of this fee waiver.
Muis is committed to supporting businesses and organisations which are renting wakaf properties. In this regard, Muis will pass on all the property tax rebates provided by the government from the Resilience and Solidarity Budgets. In addition, Muis will provide additional rental waivers to commercial tenants as well as community tenants.
Wakaf properties are those dedicated by a Muslim for a purpose recognised by Muslim law as pious, religious; or charitable. Community tenants refer to non-profit organisations and SMEs offering socio-religious services.
All commercial and community tenants will receive a baseline rental waiver of 1.5 months as part of passing on property tax rebates to tenants. Commercial tenants will receive an additional 0.5 month rental waiver on top of the associated tax rebates while community tenants will receive an additional two months' rental waiver. In total, commercial tenants of wakaf properties will receive a two-month rental waiver while community tenants of wakaf properties will receive a four-month rental waiver.
Muis has also said that zakat financial assistance will remain available at the 31 Social Development Mosques.
Details:
Members of the community can make their contributions online at https://ourmasjid.sg (English) or https://ourmasjid.sg/ms/ourmasjid-home-ml/ (Malay) via credit and debit cards, eNETs, PayNow and GIRO. Recurring payments can also be made through credit/debit card or GIRO to help support the mosques in the long term.
*ALIVE (Learning Islamic Values Everyday) are religious programmes for children across various age groups (kids, tween, teens, youth). The programmes are conducted at mosques across Singapore.
** Islamic education centres and providers (IECP) provide religious instructions (e.g. lectures, classes) at various location. IECPs are required to employ teachers who are registered under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) and to ensure that the curriculum, learning materials and teachers employed comply with the ARS Code of Ethics.
***The Committee of Future Asatizah (COFA) was formed in March 2019 to spearhead engagement on the Vision for Asatizah of the Future. The committee recently published a report outlining three key thrusts and 10 recommendations, based on the Vision of Future Asatizah.
The mosques were closed temporarily on 13 March 2020, and meant to reopen the same month. As the risk to the community remains high, the Fatwa Committee in Singapore recommended on 24 March to continue the closure of mosques and suspend Friday prayers until further notice. In making this recommendation, the committee is guided by two principles that apply in a situation like COVID-19, i.e. to avoid all forms of harm and to close all doors that lead to danger and harm.
In response, Muis has partnered MuslimSG to launch OurMasjid.SG - a community crowdfunding initiative for mosques. With this new platform, it is now easier for the community to make online donations to mosques.
Singapore mosque overheads include salaries as well as utilities costs. They employ more than 2,000 staff which includes Mosque Religious Officers (MRO), Social Development Officers (SDO), aLIVE teachers, imam, bilal, admin officers as well as maintenance & support officers (noja). These frontliners face thousands of congregants weekly, and play important roles in keeping religious life alive at the mosques.
In addition, while there have been efforts by the mosques to promote water and energy conservation, mosques continue to be in need for support from the public to defray such costs to ensure the cleanliness and safe operations of mosques. Water and utilities alone account for almost 4% of mosque annual expenditure.
Separately, KuliahSG will centralise online religious content provided by the mosques. Starting out as a ground-up initiative by two individuals, KuliahSG is a centralised portal for online programmes produced by mosques. Muis and mosques are fully supportive of this initiative and will work together with KuliahSG in the spirit of helping the community gain access to Islamic online content which asatizah and mosques in Singapore are producing daily, Muis said.
Despite the physical closure of the mosques, mosque asatizah and staff have been working hard to continue to serve the spiritual needs of congregants by bringing mosque programmes and religious content online. For example, over 50 mosques now have put up online content, comprising over 1,130 videos. Mosques are also continuing with Islamic education for the young, by conducting aLIVE lessons through home-based learning.
Muis announced on 7 April 2020 that S$1 million had been set aside to support mosques during their temporary closure due to COVID-19. The organisation is working with partners under the SGTeguhBersatu Task Force to provide a comprehensive assistance package for asatizah, the mosque sector, as well as the tenants of wakaf properties.
With the temporary closure of the mosques, Muis noted that many asatizah have lost both their primary platform to reach the community as well as a source of income. Muis will assist asatizah in applying for assistance under the Resilience Package, including the Self-Employed Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) and the Temporary Relief Fund (TRF).
For SIRS, Muis will work with NTUC, and will accept applications from self-employed ARS-certified asatizah who are eligible for this scheme. Muis will outreach to asatizah to raise awareness of the scheme, and guide asatizah through the application process.
Asatizah who are eligible to receive the support under the scheme will receive three payouts of S$3,000, starting from May.
Muis will also work with MSF to assist and support asatizah to apply for the Temporary Relief Fund via the designated online portal. Asatizah who experienced a drop in income due to COVID-19 will receive a one-off payment of S$500. In addition, asatizah who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 can also apply for the COVID-19 Assistance Grant and receive S$800 a month, for three months.
Asatizah who wish to apply for these schemes can call +65 6350 5374 or 6350 1440 for assistance.
Muis has also helped mosques to move more lessons and classes online. This includes programmes conducted by its religious officers, home-based learning for aLIVE madrasahs* and other Islamic learning classes. Muis will also share a toolkit with IECPs** and home-based Quranic teachers to encourage more to continue their classes via online platforms. This will ensure they continue to draw income during this period.
To support and prepare asatizah for beyond the crisis, Muis will partner MENDAKI Sense to support the upskilling of asatizah. To complement the Self-Employed Person (SEP) Training Support Scheme, Muis will encourage asatizah to upskill especially in areas like digital marketing, technology-enabled learning delivery and counselling. This will be tied to the launch of the Career Map and Competency Framework (CCF), one of the recommendations from COFA***, later this month, which will create more opportunities and enhance the career pathways for asatizah.
Given that the closure of mosques will affect them financially, Muis earlier said that it will provide grants to support mosques to adopt enhanced precautions to deal with COVID-19 when they reopen. This includes temperature taking, contract tracing, and manpower and systems for queue management.
In addition, as the aLIVE class is partially affected by the closure of the mosque and will be replaced with home learning, Muis will give a grant to mosques to waive the aLIVE fee by 50% for two months. Parents in the aLIVE programme will be informed by their respective mosques on the details of this fee waiver.
Muis is committed to supporting businesses and organisations which are renting wakaf properties. In this regard, Muis will pass on all the property tax rebates provided by the government from the Resilience and Solidarity Budgets. In addition, Muis will provide additional rental waivers to commercial tenants as well as community tenants.
Wakaf properties are those dedicated by a Muslim for a purpose recognised by Muslim law as pious, religious; or charitable. Community tenants refer to non-profit organisations and SMEs offering socio-religious services.
All commercial and community tenants will receive a baseline rental waiver of 1.5 months as part of passing on property tax rebates to tenants. Commercial tenants will receive an additional 0.5 month rental waiver on top of the associated tax rebates while community tenants will receive an additional two months' rental waiver. In total, commercial tenants of wakaf properties will receive a two-month rental waiver while community tenants of wakaf properties will receive a four-month rental waiver.
Muis has also said that zakat financial assistance will remain available at the 31 Social Development Mosques.
Details:
Members of the community can make their contributions online at https://ourmasjid.sg (English) or https://ourmasjid.sg/ms/ourmasjid-home-ml/ (Malay) via credit and debit cards, eNETs, PayNow and GIRO. Recurring payments can also be made through credit/debit card or GIRO to help support the mosques in the long term.
*ALIVE (Learning Islamic Values Everyday) are religious programmes for children across various age groups (kids, tween, teens, youth). The programmes are conducted at mosques across Singapore.
** Islamic education centres and providers (IECP) provide religious instructions (e.g. lectures, classes) at various location. IECPs are required to employ teachers who are registered under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) and to ensure that the curriculum, learning materials and teachers employed comply with the ARS Code of Ethics.
***The Committee of Future Asatizah (COFA) was formed in March 2019 to spearhead engagement on the Vision for Asatizah of the Future. The committee recently published a report outlining three key thrusts and 10 recommendations, based on the Vision of Future Asatizah.
Friday, 10 April 2020
Islamic Council of Victoria advises on burial process for COVID-19 deceased
The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), in consultation with the medical community, religious and community leaders as well as most of the Muslim funeral directors in Victoria, Australia, has come up with guidelines on handling and burying a person who has passed away due to COVID-19:
- All funerals (janazas) are to be carried with strict infection control procedures
- All staff involved in the funeral will follow personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines
- The body of the deceased must not be removed from the sealed bag
- Ritual cleansing of the body will be performed with tayyamum (using clean sand) over the body bag, or masa (wiping over the body bag with a damp cloth). The ritual will be performed by the funeral director or other trained person. If the deceased is female, the procedure will be performed by a female member of the funeral service.
- The body should then be covered in cloth over the sealed bag in preparation for the funeral.
- The body is to be taken directly to the cemetery.
- Funeral prayers with the family are to be conducted at the grave site, but social distancing rules apply. The maximum number of attendees is currently 10, but is subject to change.
Details:
Read the guidelines for prevention and control of infection in healthcare
Read the guidelines for PPE
Read the guidelines for funerals
- All funerals (janazas) are to be carried with strict infection control procedures
- All staff involved in the funeral will follow personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines
- The body of the deceased must not be removed from the sealed bag
- Ritual cleansing of the body will be performed with tayyamum (using clean sand) over the body bag, or masa (wiping over the body bag with a damp cloth). The ritual will be performed by the funeral director or other trained person. If the deceased is female, the procedure will be performed by a female member of the funeral service.
- The body should then be covered in cloth over the sealed bag in preparation for the funeral.
- The body is to be taken directly to the cemetery.
- Funeral prayers with the family are to be conducted at the grave site, but social distancing rules apply. The maximum number of attendees is currently 10, but is subject to change.
Details:
Read the guidelines for prevention and control of infection in healthcare
Read the guidelines for PPE
Read the guidelines for funerals
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