$15m upgrade for Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque; new mosque to be built in Tampines North from mid-2027

SINGAPORE - Upgrading work on the Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque in Bedok North has begun and is expected to last more than two years at a cost of $15 million.

Separately, construction of a new mosque in Tampines North is expected to start in mid-2027 and be completed in 2029.

Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim made these announcements during a visit to Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque on July 25.

The upgrading of Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque started in April and is expected to be completed in two phases over 26 months, said the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) in a statement on July 25.

The renovation will improve accessibility with features such as barrier-free amenities, and optimise space in the 30-year-old mosque.

“The current layout and infrastructure need to be refreshed and optimised to better serve the needs of our growing congregants and the aged,” said Muis, adding that post-upgrade, the mosque will be able to accommodate up to 3,200 congregants, up from the current 3,000.

The project will include expanding the main prayer hall on the first floor to include new wings with classrooms and administrative offices, as well as installing a new passenger lift and refreshing the building’s facade.

During the upgrading period, the mosque will still be operational for daily and Friday prayers, with a limited space for about 1,000 congregants, said Muis.

Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque is also actively raising funds for the $15 million project through multiple avenues such as religious talks, charity drives and donation boxes placed in mosques islandwide.

Meanwhile, the construction of a mosque in Tampines North that had been put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic will begin in mid-2027.

Associate Professor Faishal announced that design development of the new mosque, located in Tampines North Drive 5, will kick off by the end of 2025.

The larger project will be overseen by the management board of the nearby Darul Ghufran Mosque, he said.

Former minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs Masagos Zulkifli had said in March that the new Tampines North mosque will ease the load of Darul Ghufran – the only mosque in Tampines and Singapore’s biggest.

While the mosque, located next to Our Tampines Hub, can accommodate up to 5,500 worshippers, Mr Masagos said it was overstretched by having to conduct two to three sessions during Friday prayers and Hari Raya prayers.

Muis said Darul Ghufran Mosque’s management board would lend its expertise and experience in mosque management, as well as its familiarity with the Tampines area.

Speaking to the media after Friday prayers, Prof Faishal said mosques are vital institutions that play a central role in fulfilling the socio-religious needs of the Muslim community.

Earlier in July, he had announced that Darussalam Mosque in Clementi will undergo a $10.3 million upgrade from September, while a site for the future mosque serving the new Tengah town has been reserved in Forest Drive.

“We welcome feedback and views from the community on how we can shape the two new upcoming mosques together,” said Prof Faishal, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs.

“This is an exciting chapter for Muslim residents in the Tampines area, and I look forward to building these mosques together – a space that will serve many generations to come.”