Category: Agama

Hijabi Rejected For Role With Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa

We wish this wasn’t happening, but it seems like it is, once again.

We learned on Thursday that the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa denied employment to a lady because she wears a hijab — the reason: “we have a strict grooming code”.

The lady originally took to Facebook to share her experience in a public post that she later took down.

In it, she explained that she applied for a part-time Kids’ Club assistant position, went through the job scope with the hiring manager and confirmed that her availability matched the period she was required.

“… everything was okay except for the fact that I cover myself,” she wrote.

Here’s a screenshot of what she wrote, which we’re sharing with her permission:

“that thing on your head”

As if this situation wasn’t bad enough, she said the staff referred to her headscarf as “that thing on (her) head”.

Following her post, a person claiming to be an employee of the resort’s kids’ club shared it, with the following comment:

For the best of both world [sic] — we’re not sure the lady benefited in any way from this experience, though.

A spokesperson from the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort confirmed that this did happen in an email to Mothership.sg, with the following:

“We confirm that we interviewed a part time applicant for the position of Kids Club Assistant.
We could not offer her the position as she was not able to meet our grooming and uniform guidelines.

In addition, we pride ourselves in embracing fair employment practices in our resort.”

What do the authorities say about this?

Earlier this year, a Today article quoted TAFEP (Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices) on this issue, after another lady was told she would not be allowed to wear a hijab at an administrative role.

Here’s what they said:

“… while employers may prescribe a dress code, such dress code requirements should not be differentiated by an employee’s race or religion.

Rather, the dress code should be suited to the nature of work, taking into account business, operational and safety considerations.”

According to TAFEP’s job advertisement guidelines stated in its fair employment practices handbook,

“Employers who advertise a position requiring a specific attribute which may be viewed as discriminatory should ensure it is indeed a requirement of the job and state the reason for the requirement in the advertisement…

Race should not be a criterion for the selection of job candidates as multiracialism is a fundamental principle in Singapore. Selection based on race is unacceptable and job advertisements should not feature statements like ‘Chinese preferred’ or ‘Malay preferred’.

Religion is unacceptable as a criterion for recruitment except in cases where employees have to perform religious functions as part of the job requirement. In such cases, the requirements should be clearly and objectively presented”.

We’ll let you decide if Shangri-La met the hiring guidelines as stipulated by TAFEP, which you can find here, as well as their employment guidelines here.

Source: http://mothership.sg

December 23, 2016
Mufti KL: Tidak Salah Ucapkan ‘Merry Christmas’

Tidak salah untuk orang Islam memberi ucapan Selamat Hari Krismas atau “Merry Christmas” kepada orang Kristian atas dasar memupuk persaudaraan dan muhibah, kata mufti Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.

Mufti Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri memberi contoh mesyuarat ke-78 Ehwal Islam Majlis Jawatankuasa Nasional Muzakarah pada tahun 2007 yang berakhir dengan pemberian ucapan melalui kad, emel atau kiriman SMS kepada golongan bukan Muslim semasa musim perayaan ini, menurut laporan Malay Mail Online.

“Setelah kami amati dan tekuni isu ini dengan berhemah, di samping membincangkan dengan pakar serta kembali kepada rujukan yang muktabar, maka kami berpendapat hukum mengucapkan Merry Christmas adalah harus,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan yang ditukil laman Free Malaysia Today.

USAH ADA NIAT AGUNGKAN AGAMA LAIN

Beliau menggariskan beberapa panduan umum untuk orang Islam seperti mengucapkan “Merry Christmas” sebagai tanda perpaduan dan hubungan kemasyarakatan.

Beliau juga menegaskan ia tidak boleh disertai niat untuk mengagungkan, memuliakan dan menyetujui agama lain; dan tidak mengandungi perbuatan yang menyalahi syarat.

Menurut laporan Free Malaysia Today Dr Zulkifli ditukil sebagai berkata menghadiri jemputan makan malam, menziarahi golongan bukan Islam dan bertukar hadiah juga dibenarkan, khususnya kepada mereka yang mempunyai ikatan tertentu seperti kaum kerabat, jiran tetangga, teman pengajian dan sekerja.

“Kita perlu sedar bahawa hubungan dan kesatuan antara kita sesama manusia adalah bertaut pada semangat kemanusiaan (insaniyyah) dan bukannya pada faham creedal nation (al-ummah al-‘aqidiyyah).

“Adapun melibatkan diri dalam upacara keagamaan khusus mereka, ia tetap tidak dibenarkan di sisi Islam,” kata Dr Zulkifli.

MASYARAKAT RATA-RATANYA SENANG DENGAN PERKARA ITU

BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-81: HUKUM MENGUCAPKAN “MERRY CHRISTMAS” KEPADA MEREKA YANG BERAGAMA KRISTIAN Alhamdulillah, pujian…

Posted by Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan on Sunday, 18 December 2016

Dr Zulkifli yang melakukan kenyataan itu melalui akaun Facebook, rata-ratanya mendapat reaksi yang baik daripada masyarakat.

Seorang pengguna dengan nama Abdul Hadi Ruslan berkata: “Subhanallah… sangat jelas dan lengkap…semoga Allah rahmati Dr dan admin (admin Facebook itu)”.

Bagi seorang lagi pengguna dengan nama Ameirul Anwar Mustadza pula berkata: “Terbaik. Ilmuan yang hebat. Moga Allah merahmati Tuan Dr Mufti.

AKTIVIS, TOKOH AGAMA PADA MASA LALU DINASIHATI SESUAIKAN TEKS

Seorang aktivis dengan kumpulan Muslim konservatif Isma menyatakan pada Disember 2014 bahawa ia tidak sesuai golongan Muslim mengucapkan penganut Kristian “Merry Christmas” sambil memberi contoh bahawa tokoh lama dan tradisional yang menganggap perbuatan itu sebagai “haram”, menurut laporan Malay Mail Online.

“Fitrah kemanusiaan yang menginginkan keamanan, kebersamaan dan keadilan inilah yang boleh memandu kita dalam menghargai fiqh kewujudan bersama dalam kepelbagaian ini.

“Adapun melibatkan diri dalam upacara keagamaan khusus mereka, ia tetap tidak dibenarkan di sisi Islam,” kata Dr Zulkifli.

Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan turut menasihatkan para ulama supaya mentafsirkan teks klasik lama dengan disesuaikan pada kerangka masa kini.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

December 22, 2016
Bandung Mayor Forms Tolerance Task Force Following Intolerant Incidents

Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil has announced the formation of the Tolerance Task Force to maintain peace during services of any religion following at least two incidents in the past two weeks.

The formation of the task force, which will coordinate with the Bandung Police, is a response to incidents in which groups forcibly dispersed religious activities.

“This is the first response team that you can contact if you encounter the prospect of a disruption in worship activities. I hope the Tolerance Task Force can maintain peace and make everyone feel protected by the state and that they do not have to give in to those who disrespect unity,” Ridwan said on Tuesday.

The task force is comprised of young people of various religious backgrounds. Bandung Religious Affairs Agency head Yusuf Umar said the young people would get training on the law on religious rights.

Besides an incident in which Ahlu Sunnah Defenders (PAS) broke into an event held to celebrate Christmas, the Padjadjaran University choir’s fund-raising performance in Trans Studio Mall was also disrupted and halted by one person.

It was reported that members of the choir were in the middle of singing Christmas carols when a man approached them and asked them whether there were any Muslims among them. He also recorded the choir’s songs using a smartphone.

“The choir should have reported the incident to security guards. They should have talked with the mediation of security guards. And if that didn’t work, they should have reported the matter to the police,” Ridwan said.

Source: The Jakarta Post

December 22, 2016
Polis Swiss: Lelaki Yang Lepaskan Tembakan Di Dewan Solat Zurich Ditemui Mati

Polis Switzerland hari ini (20 Dis) menyatakan pihaknya sudah menemui mayat lelaki yang disyaki melepaskan tembakan hingga mencederakan tiga lelaki di sebuah dewan solat di Zurich.

Serangan pada petang Isnin itu (19 Dis) dipercayai tidak ada kaitan dengan ISIS, tambah kenyataan itu lagi.

“Kami menganggap lelaki yang sudah mati yang kami temui itu adalah dalang insiden tembakan di pusat Islam di Zurich,” menurut polis Zurich di laman Twitter.

Ia menambah “tiada tanda-tanda bahawa dalang itu ada kaitan dengan ISIS.”

Mayat tersebut ditemui selepas polis melancarkan operasi memburu suspek berhampiran tempat kejadian.

Ini setelah seorang lelaki, berusia sekitar 30 tahun, menyerbu masuk ke Pusat Islam di tengah Zurich sekitar 5.30 petang waktu tempatan dan mula melepaskan tembakan.

“Dia melepaskan beberapa das tembakan ke arah para jemaah,” sebelum melarikan diri, menurut polis.

Kebanyakan mereka yang berada di Pusat Islam itu, yang digunakan sebagai masjid, berasal dari Afrika Utara, Somalia dan Eritrea, menurut agensi berita ATS.

“Tiga lelaki, berusia 30, 35 dan 56 tahun cedera, setengah cedera parah. Suspek kemudian melarikan diri dari masjid itu ke arah Stesen Central,” menurut polis sebelum ini.

Mayat berkenaan ditemui beberapa ratus meter dari tempat kejadian tembakan itu di tebing sungai di bawah jambatan.

Sekitar 12 orang berada di dewan solat itu ketika insiden tersebut berlaku, lapor ATS.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

December 22, 2016
Ahok Supporters Finding New Strength

As prosecutors read out their statement that rejected Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s refutation, hundreds of supporters of the blasphemy defendant staged a demonstration outside the North Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, asking the judges to release the beleaguered incumbent Jakarta gubernatorial candidate.

It was the first time since his allegedly blasphemous remarks started to trouble him two months ago that a large number of demonstrators openly voiced support for the capital’s first Chinese-Indonesian
governor.

Wearing the iconic blue and red plaid shirts, the protesters carried signs that read, “We are Muslims who forgive Ahok” and “Release Ahok”.

“I’ll tell you what Ahok has done to Islam. He sent mosque keepers to go on the umrah and built mosques. He is not an enemy of Islam,” a man in a white cap said through a loudspeaker to supporters who responded with a thunderous applause.

The scene at the old Central Jakarta District Court building on Jl. Gajah Mada stood in contrast to Ahok’s first trial hearing a week before. At that time, no Ahok supporters were present. Instead, hundreds of protesters swarmed the street to demand that Ahok be jailed immediately.

At least three large rallies with similar demands were staged in Jakarta, as well as in other cities, shaking the country’s political stability.

With the “anti-Ahok” protestors also present on Tuesday, the two groups were separated by dozens of police officers and a police Barracuda vehicle.

“We were trying to display support for Ahok and send a message to the judges and other people that there are Muslims who support tolerance and a fair trial,” Yayong Waryono of the Bara-Badja (Volunteer Front for Basuki and Djarot) told The Jakarta Post. The abbreviation refers to Ahok and his running mate Djarot Saiful Hidayat.

Yayong said they decided to stage a rally because they were concerned with the hundreds of anti-Ahok protestors “trying to put pressure on the panel of judges”.

A recent survey carried out by Jakarta-based pollster Poltracking Indonesia found that most Ahok supporters in Jakarta were from the middle class group, which seemed to make up most of the
demonstrators.

Inside the court building, prosecutors asked the judges to ignore the refutation statement emotionally presented by Ahok last week.

Lead prosecutor Mukartono said the refutation by Ahok and his legal team was baseless and urged the judges, presided over by Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, to proceed with the trial.

In his refutation, Ahok said as evidence of his great respect for Islam, he had funded many mosque keepers to go on the umrah, therefore leaving him with no reason to commit blasphemy against the religion.

But Mukartono brushed off the claim.

“The source of the funds was from the Jakarta regional budget and it was normal for a regional leader to do such a thing,” he said.

Prosecutors also questioned a claim conveyed by Ahok’s legal team in the previous hearing that it was a “trial by mob”.

Prosecutors claimed that despite the blasphemy allegation that stirred public controversy, it was the crime that brought Ahok to court, not the public pressure.

“The legal process had been made under the proper procedures and none of it was affected by public pressure,” Mukartono said.

The trial has been adjourned until Dec. 27, when the panel of judges are scheduled to issue an interim decision on whether to accept the refutation statement and terminate the trial, in which Ahok would be cleared of the blasphemy charge.

Ahok has been indicted on Article 156 section (a) of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on blasphemy, which carries a maximum of five years’ imprisonment, for his controversial remarks that included a reference to a Quranic verse when he made a visit to Thousand Islands regency in September.

The Jakarta Police said they deployed 2,986 officers to secure the area surrounding the court building.

The police have repeatedly voiced concerns over possible security issues during the trial hearings and asked the Supreme Court to consider relocating the trial as the current venue is located in the heart of Jakarta where many government institutions and major businesses operate.

Source: The Jakarta Post

December 21, 2016