Declaration of Governing Body for a Religious Group

Definition

The "Governing body" of a religious group refers to the group of individuals who;

• is directly involved in the management of the properties (including donations) belonging to the religious group; and
• has the capacity, on behalf (as the case may be) of the religious group, to influence the appointment of the religious leaders of the religious group or any institutions affiliated or associated with the religious group.

Requirement

Religious groups^[1] need to comply with the following leadership requirements:

• The Responsible Officers (President, Secretary and Treasurer, or their equivalent roles) ^[2] have to be Singapore Citizens (SCs) or Permanent Residents (PRs); and

• The majority of the religious group’s governing body have to be SCs

[1] Religious groups include registered societies, companies, partnerships, or any other body of persons that promotes religion or religious worship, or deals with religious affairs of the practice, conduct, teaching or propagation of any religious beliefs.

[2] If the religious group is a company, the leadership requirements will be imposed on the persons in the entity that hold positions analogous to the President, Secretary, and Treasurer, such as that Chairman, Managing Director, and Company Secretary. If a religious group is a partnership, they would be the partners of the partnership. The leadership requirements do not apply to spiritual leaders who are foreigners and do not hold formal positions in the religious group’s governing body.

Effective Date

The effective date for which religious groups are required to comply with the MRHA’s leadership requirements will be announced at a later stage.

Exemption

Religious groups with difficulties meeting the leadership requirements may be granted exemptions on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about the appeal process, religious groups may email to MHA_RFPD@mha.gov.sg. 

Declaration

Prior to Effective Date, it is mandatory for all religious groups to make a one-time declaration of their Governing Body to RFPD within 60 days of Appointed Day (1 November 2022), i.e., latest by 30 December 2022.

Thereafter, for each change that occurs in the governing bodies, religious groups are required to update the change with RFPD within 30 days of the change, using the forms below.

• Form A2 – Declaration of Change to Governing Body
• Form B – Verification Form

Modes of declaration

For religious groups registered as societies under the Societies Act (i.e. with Registry of Societies) can access ROS website (www.ros.mha.gov.sg) to make the declaration via either one of the two iROSES Digital-eServices:

• Annual Returns (if the Annual Returns were not submitted for the current year); or
• Change of Management Details (if Annual Returns for the current year has been submitted).
  
  

For religious groups that are registered under any other law, such as companies and trusts, please access the following links to declare the governing body.

• Form A - Declaration of Governing Body
• Form B - Verification Form
  
  

Note: Both Form A and Form B will have to be submitted to complete the declaration process. Links will be active from 1 Nov 2022 onwards.

For guidance on submission of declaration:

User Guide for GB Declaration

For further clarification, please email MHA_RFPD@mha.gov.sg.

Details/Information required to make a declaration

One-time declaration within a 60-day period starting from Appointed Day

• Particulars of every individual who is a member of the religious group’s governing body as at the Appointed Day (1 Nov 2022) – Full name, passport or other identity document number, nationality, date of birth, contact email address, every office he/she holds in the religious group (including the title), and term of office.
  AND
• The constitution, memorandum or articles of association, trust deed or equivalent instrument of the religious group as in effect on the Appointed Day – To upload as a supporting document.
  
  

Ad-hoc declarations thereafter

• Particulars of every individual who is a member of the religious group’s governing body after the Appointed Day (1 Nov 2022) – Full name, passport or other identity document number, nationality, date of birth, contact email address, every office he/she holds or held in the religious group (including the title), and term of office.
• Particulars of every individual who stopped acting for any reason as a member of the religious group’s governing body (if applicable) – To upload relevant document (eg. resignation/termination letter) as a supporting document.
  AND
• The constitution, memorandum or articles of association, trust deed or equivalent instrument of the religious group as in effect at time of declaration – To upload as a supporting document.

Declaring your Religious Group's Governing Body Infographics (PDF, 1.42MB)