Besides finding out where to cut my hair, I also searched information about the closest mosque from where I lived while in Singapore. And my choice is the Masjid Tentera Diraja.

This one-story mosque is my destination on Friday, July 19, 2019. On foot from my residence in Kent Vale Apartment, this mosque can be reached in about 5 minutes. Very close.

When you want to enter in front of the entrance near the storage of shoes and sandals, there is a woman who brings a charity box. Inside there are also several charity boxes. The donation was written for the operation of the mosque. Really interesting.

There are three rooms bordered by glass walls. This mosque can accommodate 1,000 worshipers. In the first room there were two television monitors that I thought were 42 inches in size. It displays the mosque’s management and displays the Friday sermon text in Singapore Malay. The introductory language is Malay, but the Khatib speaks in English. Prayer starts at 13.15 local time.

This mosque is located on Clementi Road in the Clementi Woods neighborhood. It stood proudly on a hill with a golden dome. On the opposite side is the Departement of Engineering, National University of Singapore.

From the references, this mosque was built in 1961 by Muslims who served British Royal Army in the post-World War II.

This mosque was inaugurated by Yang di-Pertuan Agung, Yusof Ishak on March 30, 1962, when this allied country was still in the form of the Kingdom. After the withdrawal of the British Royal Army from Singapore, this mosque is under the management of the Singapore Government. Then after being rebuilt in 1969, this mosque was inaugurated again by President Yusof Ishak, when the country was in the form of a Republic.

The administration of this mosque is in the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore.

What’s interesting about this mosque is the unique program called “Mudik ke Hulu.” This program provides opportunities for ex-lawbreakers who have served the sentence to integrate and return to the community without charge. The programs include weekly classes and skills upgrading in collaboration with other institutions or organizations.

Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to find out more about this program. Is it still running and how is the process? Hopefully there is time to trace it and write the story for you all. ***