A range of assistance for needy Muslims

Question

Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) for each year from 2012 to 2014, what is the total number of applications that MUIS has received for their Financial Assistance Scheme; (b) what is the percentage of applications approved each year and what are the main reasons for unsuccessful applications; and (c) how does MUIS arrive at the eligibility criterion of a $350 monthly per capita income cap as the basis of its assessment.

Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) for each year from 2011 to 2013, what is the average monthly number of feedback received by MUIS on their financial assistance scheme(s); (b) what are the most common areas of concern; and (c) what procedures and processes has MUIS put in place to enhance the services rendered to needy families.

Response

1. Minister Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: MUIS provides a range of assistance to needy Muslims, including monthly cash assistance and food vouchers as well as one-off assistance through gharimin (to help pay off outstanding debts for basic necessities such as utility bills and conservancy charges), riqab (academic support) and burial expenses. MUIS also helps Muslim families through other support schemes, such as the Empowerment Partnership Scheme (EPS) to help zakat families attain self-reliance; PROMAS, which provides financial assistance for full-time Madrasah students; and the IEF, or Islamic education fee subsidy for part-time madrasah studies at mosques. These assistance schemes and programmes are available at the mosques and madrasahs, as well as partner-organisations to allow greater accessibility for those in need.

2. MUIS will typically advise prospective applicants on their eligibility for zakat financial assistance. The number of applicants has risen slightly over recent years – in 2012, MUIS received 5,210 applications; in 2013, 5,306 applications, and in 2014, 5,454 applications. Within this period, MUIS approved an average of 99% of these applications each year. Unsuccessful applicants might have sought help on matters for which MUIS does not have an assistance scheme. In such instances, MUIS would refer the applicants to the appropriate public agency.

3. In deciding on the PCI cap, firstly, MUIS takes into consideration the sustainability of the assistance scheme in the long term. Secondly, MUIS' zakat financial assistance is meant to supplement the existing national assistance schemes, such as ComCare, and to help those who need it most. MUIS took into account these considerations last year, when it raised the monthly PCI cap from $300 to $350 to extend the support to more families, and increased the amount of assistance to each eligible family.

4. Between 2011 and 2013, MUIS received on average about 125 enquiries or items of feedback about its financial assistance schemes every month. These were either received directly by MUIS or via the enhanced mosque clusters. Issues ranged from general queries about MUIS financial assistance schemes, to specific queries by zakat recipients on the status of their assistance.

5. MUIS studies feedback received from the public as well as from Social Development Officers at the mosques. It regularly reviews the adequacy of its current financial assistance schemes and studies social trends and challenges faced by needy households so as to enhance its schemes and services. As part of this process, MUIS has trained over 520 Mosque Befrienders to conduct regular home visits to long-term zakat recipients, so to better understand and respond to their needs.