New registrar appointed at Syariah Court

SINGAPORE - A new registrar of the Syariah Court has been appointed with effect from Friday (April 1).

Madam Masayu Norashikin Mohamad Amin, 46, who is currently a deputy registrar, will also concurrently be the ad hoc president of the Syariah Court.

She joined the Syariah Court in January 2018, and previously served as a district judge and an assistant registrar in the Family Justice Courts.

Prior to that, she was in the private sector from 2000 to 2009.

In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said Madam Masayu currently leads the Syariah Court's efforts towards a full digitalisation of court processes and systems.

She takes over from Madam Shahrinah Abdol Salam, 44, whose term as registrar started in January 2018.

MCCY said Madam Shahrinah has completed her term of service in the Syariah Court, and will be assuming a new appointment from Friday at the Legal Aid Bureau in the Ministry of Law.

Madam Shahrinah has previously held various positions with the Singapore Legal Service, including as deputy senior state counsel in the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

In its statement, MCCY said that during her tenure, Madam Shahrinah led legal reforms for the Syariah Court, contributing to the overall enhancement of Singapore's family justice system.

"Working with stakeholders and legal practitioners to transform court practices and develop policy initiatives, these efforts culminated in amendments to the Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966 in 2017 and earlier this year," it said.

"She steered the Syariah Court through challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring that court services were delivered effectively and Muslim families continued to be supported."

It added that her tenure also saw the Syariah Court play a significant role in promoting legal education in Muslim family law.

Taking over Madam Masayu's portfolio is Madam Wileeza A. Gapar, 51, who was appointed a deputy registrar of the Syariah Court on Oct 1, 2021.