In 2021, Singapore marked a significant milestone: Muslim nurses and public healthcare workers were finally allowed to wear the tudung (headscarf) as part of their uniform. The decision, announced by former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally, was celebrated as a sign of Singapore’s evolving multiracial society.
Yet, behind the congratulatory headlines lies a harsher truth: this policy shift would likely not have occurred without persistent grassroots pressure and unwavering advocacy from alternative voices, particularly Workers’ Party MP Faisal Manap.
The decade-long tudung debate reveals an important lesson as Singapore approaches its next General Election: meaningful change in our society often needs both public discourse and champions willing to challenge the status quo in Parliament.
The Tudung Debate: A Short History
The issue first came to national prominence in 2013, when questions were raised about why Muslim nurses and uniformed public officers could not wear the tudung at work. Grassroots sentiment exploded online. Petitions gathered tens of thousands of signatures. A “Singapore Hijab Movement” page on Facebook gained over 18,000 likes within weeks.
The government’s response, however, was cautious. Then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stressed that while the Government recognised the aspirations of the Malay-Muslim community, any changes regarding the tudung must be approached with extreme care. He warned that religious and racial sensitivities could easily inflame tensions, and that maintaining multiracial harmony had to remain Singapore’s foremost priority.
Thus, despite rising community frustration, no immediate change was made.
The matter appeared shelved — until alternative political voices and the ground ensured it stayed alive.
The Role of Ground Pressure: From Silent Grievance to National Conversation
Public discourse around the tudung moved beyond the Malay/Muslim community over the years.
By 2020, incidents of workplace discrimination, such as a part-time retail assistant being asked to remove her tudung, galvanised broader society.
An online petition calling for the lifting of the tudung ban on nurses drew over 50,000 signatures — clear proof that this was no longer a fringe issue.
Former President Halimah Yacob, Singapore’s first tudung-wearing head of state, described discrimination based on attire as “disturbing” and emphasised that people should be judged solely on their merit.
Public sentiment thus shifted: Singaporeans increasingly viewed the tudung issue as one of fairness and equality, rather than merely a matter of religious expression.
The Role of Parliamentary Advocacy: The Relentless Voice of Faisal Manap
Inside Parliament, Workers’ Party MP Faisal Manap was the lone, persistent voice pushing for change year after year.
In the 2021 Budget debate, Faisal once again raised the tudung issue, stating:
“There are Muslim women who want to serve as nurses but are forced to let go of that intention as they know they will be prohibited from wearing the tudung.”
His call was met with sharp rebuke.
Minister Masagos Zulkifli cautioned against “championing divisive issues publicly,” warning it could damage multiracial trust.
Yet without Faisal’s unrelenting advocacy, the issue might never have been elevated to a point where ignoring it became politically risky.
The Workers’ Party’s consistent stance — even at the risk of being accused of stoking communal tensions — forced the government to confront ground realities.
Behind-the-Scenes: A Deliberate Shift Driven by Evolving Public Sentiment
In March 2021, then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Singapore’s Mufti, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, exchanged letters discussing the sensitive issue of Muslim nurses wearing the tudung at work.
Their exchange, reported by The Straits Times, highlighted the government’s recognition of the growing socio-religious significance of the tudung for many Muslim Singaporeans.
Prime Minister Lee emphasised that although societal attitudes were evolving, any policy changes must be handled carefully to maintain racial and religious harmony. He stressed that changes should be gradual, understood, and accepted across all communities, reinforcing rather than weakening Singapore’s multiracial compact.
Mufti Nazirudin welcomed the Government’s deliberative approach and reaffirmed the Muslim community’s support for gradual, thoughtful change, acknowledging the importance of maintaining societal cohesion.
The Government’s willingness to consider a policy shift stemmed significantly from ground realities, as Singaporeans became more open to religious diversity in public-facing roles, particularly in healthcare.
However, this evolution in public attitudes did not happen spontaneously. It followed years of grassroots advocacy, online petitions gathering tens of thousands of signatures, and persistent parliamentary calls, most notably from Workers’ Party MP Faisal Manap, urging a review of uniform policies that impacted Muslim women’s opportunities.
While internal government deliberations were ongoing, the maturity of public consensus played a decisive role in creating space for change. Without the persistent spotlight from the ground and Parliament, the political environment might not have been conducive to moving forward.
The tudung debate demonstrates that in Singapore’s evolving society, constructive ground-up discussions, supported by courageous voices in Parliament, are essential to shaping a more inclusive future.
Tampines GRC: A Battle of Two Legacies
In the upcoming General Election, both Masagos Zulkifli and Faisal Manap are expected to contest Tampines GRC. Their clash will not just be personal; it will be symbolic of two political philosophies:
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Masagos: Representing gradualist, behind-closed-doors negotiation, prioritising racial harmony over public contestation.
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Faisal: Representing open advocacy, even at political cost, asserting that public debate strengthens, rather than threatens, multiracialism.
While Masagos will argue that stability requires patience, Faisal can credibly claim that without public champions, progress would have stalled indefinitely.
Singaporean voters will face an important choice: Do we value careful management that waits for the “right conditions”, or do we recognise that courageous advocacy, even if uncomfortable, is necessary to move society forward?
Conclusion: Change Requires Both Courage and Will
The tudung policy change was not inevitable.
It was the result of:
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Ground pressure demanding fairness.
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Alternative voices in Parliament refusing to let the issue fade.
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Careful state management aligning itself with shifting societal attitudes.
In short, change needed both courage from the ground and political will from the top.
As Singapore matures as a democracy, it must ask: Can we afford to sideline alternative voices who challenge the status quo? Or do we need more of them to help shape a fairer, more inclusive future?
The tudung debate shows us the answer.
And in Tampines GRC, voters will soon have their say.
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