Category: Agama

Muslim Group Wants Body To Be Set Up To Handle Discrimination Cases

Expressing concern over what seems to be an increase in the number of discriminatory practices against minority races and foreign communities in Singapore, the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) has called for a central body to be formed to resolve, mediate and prevent such incidents.

The AMP’s board of directors issued a statement on this suggestion on Wednesday (May 4) noting that there is currently no publicly available data tracking such cases or how they are resolved eventually.

Incidents of discrimination can cause “irreparable tears to our social fabric”, not least when anecdotal reports of cases get circulated on social media, which can “quickly elicit views and reactions that may polarise various segments of our society”, it added.

AMP’s statement came after a Malay woman said last week she was discriminated against when she applied for a job at PrimaDeli bakery. According to the woman, an employee of the bakery had made racist remarks about Malay people. She added that the employee also asked her if she could speak Chinese because it was how most of the workers communicated.

The company subsequently sacked the employee responsible for the discriminatory act.

In response to queries, the AMP said its suggestion was not a direct response to that incident, nor was it only concerned with job-related incidents or cases involving the Malay community here. Rather, it felt that collecting data on such incidents and the consequent reparative actions taken are important for coming up with ways to reduce or eliminate similar incidents.

Otherwise, when informal accounts of such incidents, which can be outside of job-related matters, such as in education or social interactions, are circulated widely on social media, people may sensationalise the issues and cause polarisation of views, it added.

AMP suggested that its proposed central body to deal with discrimination matters can comprise stakeholders from the Government, private and independent bodies.

In the meantime, the Government could also give existing organisations such as the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) and OnePeople.sg more powers to deal with discriminatory practices and actions.

“It is critical for the issue of discrimination to be swiftly managed and for preventive strategies to be developed,” AMP said. “This will ensure that the racial and religious harmony we have so carefully preserved over the last five decades will not be disrupted, which may otherwise cause long-term concerns for our society.”

Responding to TODAY’s queries, TAFEP said the AMP’s proposal stems from a desire to create a more inclusive society, which is “aligned with TAFEP’s mission to promote the adoption of fair, responsible and progressive employment practices”. It said besides educating employers on how to have fair employment practices, it also advises and helps individuals who have encountered workplace discrimination.

Source: TODAY Online

May 5, 2016
Bangladeshi Workers Here Condemn Countrymen, Fear For Future

Bangladeshi migrant workers who spoke to TODAY condemned the actions of their countrymen who are suspected terrorists, with some worrying that this may affect their standing here in Singapore.

Eight Bangladeshi nationals were detained last month under the Internal Security Act after they were found to have been planning to return to their home country to carry out terror attacks and establish an Islamic state branch, while working here in Singapore. This is the second reported incident in five months involving Bangladeshis — last November to December, 27 Bangladeshi workers were detained and repatriated on similar charges.

When TODAY approached the Bangladeshi community here, some expressed their concerns, or said they would flag suspicious activities.

Construction worker Robel Miah, 27, is “scared” that it would not be so easy to re-enter Singapore for work if this keeps up. “If people come here to make problems, then the next time, it’ll be difficult for me to come back here and work,” he said.

Another view is that with these developments, the community has to be more pro-active to protect their livelihoods. Mr Majedur Kamrul Hasan, 21, an office administrator at a construction firm, said: “If (the suspects) had managed to do what they wanted to do, it would have harmed so many people. If I see something like this happen… I will definitely inform the police… If not, the police may think that I am one of them… and I will also be punished.”

Construction worker Ali Mohd Yasin, 44, who has worked in Singapore for more than seven years, said those who align themselves with terror groups make Bangladesh “look bad”.

“We are lucky to be here in Singapore … You should just work, makan (eat), sleep and sembahyang (pray) … Terrorism is no good. Islam also doesn’t support any terrorism,” he said, adding that he would inform the police if he knows of any suspicious acts.

Construction worker Mohammad Assad, who arrived here just a week ago, was surprised by the news. “They have already caused some trouble in Bangladesh and now they are here, too,” the 25-year-old said.

Mr Majedur, who stays at a temporary dormitory in Tai Seng, believes that integration will be a challenge. “I don’t know how Singaporeans see us, since we work all the time and don’t meet them. There is no time to go out. I will only go to the market (here in Little India), and even if we go out, we will be with our Bangladeshi friends,” he said.

Source: www.todayonline.com

May 4, 2016
MUIS: Ideologi ISIS Masih Terus Jadi Ancaman Serious

PENANGKAPAN terkini satu lagi kumpulan pekerja Bangladesh menunjukkan ISIS dan ideologi pengganas terus menimbulkan ancaman serius.

Demikian menurut satu kenyataan Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis), semalam.

Meskipun adanya penangkapan ini, Muis berkata pengalaman pihaknya dengan pekerja Bangladesh selalunya positif.

Ramai pekerja Bangladesh menyumbang masa dan tenaga sebagai relawan di masjid bersama-sama dengan relawan setempat yang lain.

“Misalnya semasa bulan Ramadan, mereka membantu menyiapkan makanan dan buka bersama para jemaah yang lain,” kata Muis.

Ia menambah bahawa masjid akan terus menyambut kedatangan Muslim daripada pelbagai latar belakang dan kerakyatan bagi program keagamaan dan kelas yang dijalankan guru agama bertauliah di bawah Skim Pengiktirafan Asatizah (ARS).

Muis telah bekerjasama dengan Persatuan Bangladesh Singapura untuk meneroka lebih banyak inisiatif bagi menyokong pekerja Bangladesh dalam kehidupan sosio-agama mereka dan berintegrasi dengan masyarakat setempat.

Muis juga menekankan pentingnya masyarakat Muslim Singapura terus berwaspada dan tidak membenarkan sebarang ajaran yang menggalak keganasan dan ekstremis berlaku dalam masyarakat.

Source: www.beritaharian.sg

May 4, 2016
Bangladeshi Group’s Hit List Includes Military, Government Officials And Unbelievers

The eight Bangladeshi workers arrested for forming the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB) had drawn up a list to target at least 13 categories of people and agencies in their homeland, including the police, senior government leaders, and “disbelievers” who did not share their religious faith.

The list of targets was found in a document titled “We Need for Jihad Fight”, and recovered from alleged ringleader Rahman Mizanur who wanted to bring Bangladesh under the caliphate of the Islamic State (IS).

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the group had no specific plans to target Singapore. But the ministry added that Rahman had said he would launch an attack anywhere if he was instructed by the IS to do so. They were also planning to raise funds to buy firearms.

The group’s plans were foiled last month when they were detained under the Internal Security Act. Rahman had been recruiting members for his group since January, and set up the ISB in March.

The Border Guard of Bangladesh, the Rapid Action Battalion and the police topped the list of what the group called “Target of Enimies (sic) Forces Need to Kill”. Military targets also included the Civil Information Defence, the air force and the navy.

Government officials such as MPs, government officials at general or secretary level, and government leaders were also on the list.

The eight also listed media professionals and “disbelievers”, which they identified as Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, “Nastiks” and “Munafiks”, on their hit list. “Nastiks” and “Munafiks” are derogatory terms used respectively to describe atheists and Muslims deemed to be working to undermine their own faith.

Apart from the hit list, material on weapons and bomb making was also found. The cover of the bomb making material had the text “How to make explosives through action and reaction?” A manual for the AX50 sniper rifle was also recovered.

Five other Bangladeshis were found with jihadi-related material or supporting the use of armed violence for a religious cause, and have been repatriated.

In January, it was revealed that 27 Bangladeshi construction workers had been arrested for planning to wage jihad overseas. In March, four Singaporeans were dealt with under the ISA for taking part in violence, or planning to take part in armed conflict abroad.

Source: TODAY Online

May 3, 2016
Eight Radicalised Bangladeshis Detained Under Internal Security Act

Eight Bangladeshis have been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), after they were found to have been planning to return to Bangladesh to carry out terror attacks and establish an Islamic state, while working in Singapore.

They were also found to have been planning to recruit other Bangladeshi nationals working here, and had even raised funds to buy firearms to carry out the attacks, although investigations have not revealed indications of any planned attack here.

This is the third reported case this year of radicalised individuals being dealt with under the ISA, and the second involving the Bangladeshi community.

Ringleader Rahman Mizanur, 31, was an S-Pass holder while the other seven detainees, aged between 26 and 34, held work permits. They were employed in the construction and marine industries, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a press release on Tuesday (May 3).

The eight, who were arrested last month, were part of a clandestine group which calls itself the Islamic State of Bangladesh (ISB) set up here in March. The Investigations showed that the ISB members initially wanted to join ISIS as foreign fighters, but abandoned the plan due to its difficulty. Instead, they planned to overthrow the Bangladeshi government by force, and bring it under the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria’s (ISIS) self-declared caliphate.

A document titled “We Need for Jihad Fight” which identified various Bangladeshi government and military officials as possible targets was seized from Rahman. He also held documents on weapons and bomb making, and a significant amount of radical material relating to ISIS and Al-Qaeda which he had used to recruit new members since January.

According to the MHA, Rahman had said he would launch an attack anywhere if he was instructed by ISIS to do so, but there are no indications of Singapore having been selected as one such target.

The other detainees are Mamun Leakot Ali, 29, Sohag Ibrahim, 27, Miah Rubel, 26, Zzaman Daulat, 34, Islam Shariful, 27, Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul Islam Sowdagar, 30, and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, 29.

The monies raised by the group has been seized. Several of the detainees may be liable for prosecution for terrorism financing, the MHA said. At least two more members of the ISB are in Bangladesh, according to the members.

Five other Bangladeshi nationals here were also investigated. While they were not found to be involved in the ISB, they were repatriated for possessing and/or proliferating jihad-related material, or supporting the use of armed violence for a religious cause.

The MHA said the Government takes a serious view of any form of support for terrorism and will deal firmly with anyone who engages in activities “inimical to Singapore’s national security and racial and religious harmony”.

“ISB poses a security concern to Singapore because of its support for ISIS and its readiness to resort to the use of violence overseas…Foreigners should not import their own domestic agenda into Singapore and carry out activities here in pursuit of such an agenda,” it said.

In January, the MHA revealed that 27 Bangladeshi construction workers here were arrested after they were found contemplating waging armed jihad overseas. They were detained in November and December last year. 26 have been repatriated while another remains in prison.

In March, the MHA said that four Singaporeans had been dealt with under the ISA for taking part in violence or intending to do so in armed conflicts overseas.

Source: TODAY Online

May 3, 2016