Saudi Arabia, Singapore signed MoU on recognizing halal certificates this month Muslims account for 16 percent of Singapore’s 6m population SINGAPORE: Singapore is looking forward to deepening its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the halal industry, following a recent visit to the Kingdom by its minister in charge of Muslim affairs. Saudi Arabia and Singapore elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in October, during Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s official trip to Riyadh at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Seven memoranda of understanding to facilitate investment opportunities were signed and bilateral engagements have since increased. Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who is also the minister in charge of Muslim affairs, visited the Kingdom on Jan. 8-12 to ratify the Hajj and Umrah agreement with the Kingdom and attend the Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah. He was accompanied by ministry officials and a delegation of Singaporean businesses, and in addition to arrangements related to the pilgrimage, Saudi and Singaporean authorities also signed a memorandum on cooperation in the halal industry — the Kingdom’s first such agreement with a non-Muslim-majority country. “We signed a memorandum of understanding to mutually recognize the halal certificates of both countries and ensure high-quality food products are exported to both destinations,” Zulkifli told Arab News this week. “With our bilateral ties now elevated to strategic partnership, following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s official visit to KSA last October, we look forward to deepening and expanding collaborations across different fields beyond the Hajj and Umrah sectors.” The minister’s trip took place as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore was invited for the first time to set up a booth at the Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition and showcase its PilgrimSG app. The app, which provides real-time news alerts and can locate pilgrims via the GPS if they require emergency assistance, last year won the Labbaitum Award of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj for providing efficient services and quality and creative initiatives to pilgrims. Islam is the third-largest religion in Singapore, with Muslims accounting for about 16 percent of the city-state’s 6 million population. The majority of Singaporean Muslims, or nearly 90 percent, are ethnic Malays, while the rest are of Indian descent. This year, 900 of them will travel to the Kingdom in June to participate in the Hajj pilgrimage — a spiritual journey that is also one of the five pillars of Islam. “The Singapore and KSA governments are working closely to ensure a smooth experience for the pilgrims,” Zulkifli said. Medical teams from the Singapore Pilgrims’ Affairs Office will be in Makkah and Madinah to support the pilgrims. “Pilgrims’ health is always a key priority for us. They will face challenging conditions as they embark on their Hajj pilgrimage during Saudi’s hot and dry season,” the minister said. “Having our doctors and nurses in the Holy Land enables the SPAO to provide the first line of defense and medical support and not overburden the KSA hospitals for manageable conditions. Such collaborations only serve to further strengthen our bilateral relations.”