Malay organisation Majlis Pusat Singapura ordered to wind up

Majlis Pusat Singapura, a society that was once a leading voice for the Malay/Muslim community here, has been ordered by the courts to shutter and have its assets liquidated after it failed to settle debts of close to $400,000.

- Syarafana Shafeeq, Whitney William

A notice gazetted on June 3 said RSM Corporate Advisory had been appointed as the liquidator, following an order by the High Court for the society to be wound up.

The court issued the order on May 20 in favour of an application filed by Ms Siti Hasmah Adam, the director of Three Aces - a company engaged by Majlis Pusat to operate a childcare centre between 2015 and 2020.

According to court documents, Ms Siti had claimed more than $228,000 for payments owed to her over the contractual period, as well as over $135,000 for fees for legal and arbitral proceedings, among other things.

The dissolution of Majlis Pusat brings to an end a 55-year-old organisation that rallied the Malay/ Muslim community in the uncertain years following independence.

Formed in 1969, it was originally an umbrella organisation of more than 30 Malay/Muslim organisations, whose goal was to advocate for the Malay community here.

"It was created against the backdrop of separation from Malaysia in 1965 and the sense of uneasiness among Malay leaders then about the future of our minority community in Singapore," former minister and MP Yaacob Ibrahim told The Sunday Times.

The society organised the landmark 1970 seminar on Malay participation in national development, and subsequent seminars to tackle other social problems such as participation in the education system. It also organised the Bulan Bahasa, or Malay language month, from 1982.

It became known for its fearlessness in raising tough issues to the Government on behalf of the community, such as why young Malay males were not called up for national service, which affected their employability, and the deeper issue of Malays' loyalty to Singapore.