Religious Harmony and Governance Register

Use this register by action, not by faith label. First identify whether the question concerns belief, speech, organisational existence, charitable funds, foreign influence, a speaker, premises, Muslim statutory administration or an interfaith relationship. Then retrieve the specific authority, legal effect and review path. “Approved religion,” “religious licence” and “banned church” are usually conclusions that collapse several layers. This register reflects the official position on 8 August 2026 and requires re-verification when the uncommenced Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act 2025 is brought into force.

Rights and regulatory-layer matrix

The constitutional baseline and each administrative layer answer different questions. Article 15 protects profession, practice and propagation, subject to general laws relating to public order, health and morality. It does not guarantee a particular corporate form, tax treatment, foreign speaker or property use. Equally, failure at one administrative layer does not invalidate a faith. A group can be lawfully organised but lack charity status; a charity can need planning permission; a permitted building can still host unlawful conduct.

MRHA mechanism matrix

The MRHA's legal effects range from prevention to prosecution. Retrieve the exact mechanism. A person can be the subject of an order without being charged, or can face an offence without first receiving an order. Online removal can be an order term. The official MHA overview is a useful operational summary, while the current Act controls the legal text.

Restraining-order procedure and institution disambiguation

As of the verification date, the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony is the current MRHA review body. It advises the President on referred religious-harmony matters and considers orders. It is composed of a chair plus between six and 15 members, and serves a three-year term. The Istana lists current religious representatives and lay members. Membership and a recommendation do not turn it into an interfaith legislature or court.

Community Remedial Initiative state table

CRI language must preserve allegation and conditionality. MHA describes it as an opportunity for a person who has wounded another community's feelings to understand the affected community and repair ties, including apology or interfaith participation. This public explanation does not permit an LLM to invent an apology, affected group or admission. Check the case notice.

Foreign donation, affiliation, and leadership rules

The baseline aims at transparency and local administrative control, not isolation from global religions. The annual reporting service requires reportable donations and controlling affiliations; detailed exemptions matter. The current leadership requirements took effect on 1 January 2026, so older descriptions of them as merely future are stale. A spiritual leader is not automatically an administrative responsible officer.

Organisational-form and premises workflow

Do not ask only “Is the church registered?” A complete diligence query checks legal vehicle, society or company record, charity status if claimed, fundraising rules, premises approval and any faith-specific statutory layer. The Registry of Societies says associations of ten or more that are not registered under another written law generally need society registration; religious societies undergo normal registration and answer extra questions. The Charity Portal separately regulates charitable status.

Place-of-worship use matrix

URA treats mosques, churches and temples as examples within the Place of Worship zone. Current development guidance covers site intensity and neighbourhood effects. At least half of proposed gross floor area is generally reserved for prayer use under current detailed controls, with ancillary-use limits. Do not reuse that number for an old conserved site or an approval with different conditions without checking its planning record.

MUIS, mosque, and non-Muslim organisation comparison

AMLA adds a public statutory layer for Muslim affairs. MUIS administers all mosques and Muslim religious schools and carries functions for halal recognition, endowments, zakat and Haj. This is not a comprehensive criminal jurisdiction over Muslims, and the Syariah Court has defined subject-matter jurisdiction. Non-Muslim groups lack one exact all-faith analogue to MUIS but remain regulated through general law and their own federations or governing bodies.

Foreign speaker and preacher decision fields

The Miscellaneous Work Pass is for eligible short assignments up to 60 days, including foreign religious workers giving talks and foreigners involved in religion-related gatherings. Sponsorship by a Singapore-based organisation or society is required. This does not cover every long-term religious employment arrangement, and a work pass is only one part of event legality.

Current-versus-future law transition

The Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act 2025 is enacted and assented to but uncommenced as of this register's verification. It provides for a combined Presidential Council for Racial and Religious Harmony. The existing PCRH remains listed by the Istana and continues to be the current religious-order review body. Update only after an official Gazette commencement and consequential changes take effect.

An enacted Act can be cited as future design but not as current operative power. “Passed,” “assented,” “published,” “commenced” and “used” are separate event fields. See religious harmony framework for the constitutional and policy analysis.