According to a report in the Singapore Straits Times recently, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has drawn up a tentative list of 10 desirable attributes for Singapore Muslims.

According to the report, Muis put together this list '... after much brainstorming and dialogues' and will further discuss it with the Muslim community in Singapore this year.

According to Muis, a Singapore Muslim -

• holds strongly to Islamic principles, but yet is adaptable to change when applying them in response to contemporary issues and challenges.

It seems to me that all of the above would be relevant in the Malaysian context, especially when one looks at the angst generated by campaigns to instil Islamic values by dictate. What the Muslim community in Singapore is trying to do, as part of its "Singapore Muslim identity" project should be observed closely by the appropriate institutions in Malaysia.

It is worth noting, as the report said, that Muis, as part of the project, has been encouraging mosques to reach out to non-Muslims and improve their understanding of the religion; and to urge the 'madrasah' or religious school students to learn the humanities and sciences, and not just subjects on religion.

Mosque leaders also receive training and attend courses to learn about national issues facing Singapore and social issues facing a globalised world.

It is ironic that the Muslim community in Singapore does not need a Jabatan Agama Islam enforcement counterpart or a group of the mat skodeng to monitor issues of morality in a resolutely secular, cosmopolitan city-state.

That in itself should give us in Malaysia much food for thought.