Decision to allow Muslim nurses to wear tudung could be made by end-August: PM Lee

• Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he hopes a decision on the tudung issue can be announced by this year’s National Day Rally in August
• He said that Singapore should be prepared to make such a move because people’s attitudes have changed
• The Government will prepare the ground for the change in the next few months with the aid of community leaders
   

SINGAPORE — A decision on whether Muslim nurses will be allowed to wear the tudung while at work will hopefully be made by the end of August, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday (April 10) after a closed-door dialogue with 70 Malay/Muslim community leaders. 

He said that Singapore should be prepared to make such a move for nurses because people’s attitudes have changed.

Speaking to reporters after the dialogue at the Civil Service Club at Tessensohn Road, Mr Lee said: “In social and work settings, the tudung is now more common and on its own, we can see the merits of allowing Muslim nurses to wear the tudung with their uniform if they wish.” 

The Government, he said, has been considering allowing Muslim nurses to wear the tudung for some time but needed time to prepare the ground for such a change. 

The last time Mr Lee was involved in a closed-door dialogue with the community over the tudung issue was in 2014. 

“We have to make sure that everybody understands this is a careful adjustment and not a wholesale change. We want people to realise what the limits are, as we make these changes and we must make sure that Singaporeans, both Muslims and non-Muslims, are ready to accept the move,” he added.

He did not elaborate on what he meant by limits.

Stressing the importance of Singapore’s multiracial and multireligious society, Mr Lee said the Government is fully committed to preserving harmony and maintaining common space.

“We want to avoid creating unintended consequences when we make well-intentioned moves. The change for nurses can be done. We want to do it, but it will take a bit of time,” he said.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Masagos Zulkifli, who was also at Saturday’s dialogue, said that the discussion was a “constructive and candid” one, with all parties coming away with a better understanding of each other’s views. 

They also understood the need to not rush to a decision, given the racial and religious sensitivities, he added.

A careful balance needs to be struck, said Mr Masagos, who is also Minister for Social and Family Development: "In doing so, we can support the request by our nurses to put on the tudung with their uniforms, because we know — we empathize — that they want to lead meaningful religious lives daily, because this is also their religious identity.”

Mr Lee said that community leaders will help the Government with the preparation process over the next few months and that he hopes the tudung decision can be made by the National Day Rally in August.

Last month, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam also said that the Government was consulting with the community before announcing any change to the tudung policy for nurses, and that its position was that a change was likely.

The issue had been in the headlines in the past year, following the news last August that a part-time promoter working in Tangs department store was allegedly told to remove her hijab or tudung in order to work there. 

The Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency Faisal Manap also asked the Government during a Parliament session last month to relook its position on the tudung for uniformed services such as nursing.

Mr Masagos, responding to the MP’s call, said then that the uniform policy in public services cannot favour any religious belief given its critical role in society, as the uniform is a visible sign that the service is rendered equally regardless of race or religion.

On Saturday, Mr Masagos said that the Malay-Muslim community has to safeguard Singapore’s precious racial and religious harmony, together with the rest of Singapore.

“I hope to see everyone's support as we deliberate on this issue and work towards an outcome that is acceptable to all Singaporeans,” he said.