Earlier today 16/5/2014 @ 1310hrs while going for my friday prayers at sengkang mosque, saw an enforcement officer issuing summons to vehicles parking along the road at sengkang almawaddah mosque.
While advising him to give chance and be tolerant for abt 30mins as those drivers are attending to fridays prayers.
The officer told that he cant as its an offense to park along a zigzag white line but i told him that he too park his motorcycle along the zigzag white line while summoning the vehicle. He replied that he is special and able to park to carry out his duties.. i told him why can’t he parked at nearby carpark and walk to the spot to carry out his duties… y a double standard??
Some confrontations happened between him and some other muslim passerbys…
I wont comment much as not to fuse any racial misunderstandings… but how i wish racial and religions tolerance is at its very best… haiz!!!!
I used to work in the public sector and several years ago I graduated with a UniSIM degree. After an extremely long wait and several email exchanges with the HR department, they finally got back to me with the news.
Yes, I was not given any upgrade and remained as a junior officer.
I recall Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in the National Day Rally 2012, announced that Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and SIM University (UniSIM) will become the republic’s 5th and 6th universities. Both institutions will participate in the Government’s plan to increase the number of publicly funded full-time university places.
As we already know SIM collaborates with foreign universities in some of their degree courses. UniSIM also confer their own degrees and I obtained my degree from there.
It appears that there is no standardization in the public service. I asked around and found that only certain stat boards and ministries fully recognized UniSIM degrees. Not all stat boards or ministries share the same vision as PM Lee, let alone ready to offer better remuneration package to those who managed to graduate from their part-time degrees.
For people like me who wanted upgrade themselves and take up part-time degrees from so called recognized universities like UniSIM, it takes a lot of perseverance, sacrifices and determination. I have two young children, the youngest is 7 months old and another one in primary school. Besides juggling work commitments and studying, I have to be a father and husband. Not forgetting, that I have to manage my relationship with my parents who are old and unwell.
At that time, my wife also wanted to pursue her part-time degree but she had to put that plan on hold until I completed my studies. This is to ensure that the children don’t feel left out or neglected when our other half is busy studying. Alhamdulillah, my wife is currently pursuing her part-time degree in UniSIM.
Except for several ministries and stat boards, UniSIM graduates working in public service are offered lower starting pay as compared to NUS/NTU/SMU graduates. Some I heard are offered upgrades but no jump in pay or change in career progression.
I really enjoyed what I did in the public sector. Unfortunately, I cannot find any more good reason to continue this path. I found a job opportunity in private sector which offered me the same pay but better career prospects. As the cost of living is increasing in Singapore, I need to think about my family and our future. No one can make the change except ourselves.
I do hope that part-time graduates will be treated more fairly especially in the government sector.
Support for Hijab sticker logo seen on a local Muslim food stall. Credit: Mohd Saiddhin Abdullah
Support for Hijab sticker logo seen on a local Muslim food stall. Credit: Mohd Saiddhin AbdullahHijab sticker in conjunction Singapore hijab movement seen on Facebook profiles of many Muslims who helped to spread the awarenessSupport for Hijab sticker logo seen on a local Muslim food stall. Credit: Mohd Saiddhin Abdullah
Dear R1C,
I would like to share something wonderful that I found over the weekend. I saw one of my friend shared a photo of a local Muslim butcher stall owner who pasted hijab movement sticker on the stall. The stall is located at Blk 4A Eunos Crescent Market & Food Centre S402004. I want to express how happy I am to see this. I believe more people should paste all these stickers at their work place, their food stalls, their home and even their car. As Muslims, it is our duty to spread this awareness.
As a proud Muslim, I am happy to find a growing number of Muslims who are supporting the hijab movement. Hijab is a command of Allah and every command of Allah is full of wisdom.
Wearing a hijab for me feels great. It definitely makes you feel different somehow as if your spirit is being up lifted. For myself I wear a hijab with guidance but also as I feel comfortable. I don’t try to push myself too hard but still stay within boundaries of what Allah would want.
I started by wearing the hijab and practicing how to wear it when going out with friends and incorporated a new wardrobe along the way as hijab is not just covering the head. I made people around me aware of my interest in Islam and that I was serious about becoming Muslim and in doing so following “it” and respecting Islam as much as I can and that means representing the faith and we should as well as Muslims following their book of guidance and Muhammad who was a great teacher.
Allah wants us to be protected from harm and get maximum benefit so keep in that in mind. It is all about believing in yourself and that you can do it. Take the hijab as a stepping stone to a new direction. Once you wear it you will understand that it is not difficult. You have to have the courage to wear it as it will protect your beauty.
Hijab is dignified, not dishonoured, noble, not degraded, liberated, not subjugated, purified, not sullied, independent, not a slave, protected, not exposed, respected, not laughed at, confident, not insecure, obedient, not a sinner, a guarded pearl, not a prostitute…
Setelah lima bulan beroperasi, kami di Rilek1Corner sangat terharu dengan sambutan meriah daripada para pembaca yang banyak memberikan kami semangat memperkembangkan media alternatif kami ini, baik untuk pembaca yang berbangsa Melayu mahupun mereka yang beragama Islam.
Kami juga menganggap segala kritikan dan sokongan sebagai satu rangsangan dan dorongan untuk terus memajukan hak kebebasan bersuara di Singapura.
Tanpa sokongan anda, siapalah kami di Rilek1Corner.
Namun, sejak beberapa minggu kebelakangan ini, anggota Rilek1Corner telah menerima ancaman dan ugutan daripada beberapa pihak yang berasa tidak puas hati dengan berita dan surat-surat pembaca yang diterbitkan dengan segera di lelaman kami.
Walaupun segala berita dan informasi yang telah dipublikasikan terdiri daripada media cetak dan juga surat-surat kiriman pembaca yang setia, ada segelintir pihak tertentu berasa kurang senang kerana publikasi-publikasi tersebut mendapat kritikan daripada masyarakat umum.
Ada dua insiden yang boleh dijadikan ikhtibar.
Pertama, ada sekumpulan orang Melayu yang beragama Islam di Singapura telah memperkenalkan diri mereka sebagai ahli kewangan dan pengendali bisnes-bisnes skim cepat kaya. Setelah dimaki-hamun dan dicaci, mereka menuduh para pembaca, anggota Rilek1Corner, dan wartawan-wartawan akhbar Berita Harian Singapura sebagai pengecut, jahil dan iri hati dengan kejayaan mereka meraih duit lumayan dengan senang.
Seperti tidak cukup dengan kata-kata kesat, pihak tersebut juga telah membuat ancaman dan ugutan kepada para pembaca dan juga anggota Rilek1Corner. Ancaman dan ugutan yang dimaksudkan mempunyai unsur-unsur kekerasan fisikal dengan niat mencederakan mereka yang tidak berdosa.
Ugutan dan ancaman kekerasan ini berlaku setelah beberapa surat pembaca, beserta keratan akhbar daripada Berita Harian Singapura, dan juga gambar-gambar pihak yang terlibat telah dimuat-naikkan di Rilek1Corner, hasil perkongsian maklumat dari para pembaca. Siasatan kami mendapati bahawa gambar-gambar tersebut senang diperolehi secara terbuka di Facebook (tanpa sebarang sekatan privasi) untuk menarik anggota-anggota baru menyertai skim cepat kaya tersebut.
Ada juga diantara para pembaca yang telah menjadi mangsa skim cepat kaya yang diperkatakan, dan bersungguh-sungguh ingin berkongsi pengalaman mereka supaya masyarakat umum dapat mengelakkan diri daripada mengalami nasib yang serupa.
Kami di Rilek1Corner juga akur tentang kewajipan moral ini.
Jika betul bisnes, produk atau servis yang diberikan itu bermutu tinggi, seratus-peratus dijamin halal, dan juga sahih dari segi undang-undang, apakah perlu membuat ugutan sehingga ingin mencederakan semata-mata orang lain mempunyai pendapat yang berbeza atau memberi kritikan yang berasas?
Insiden kedua pula mengenai seseorang yang bakal menerajui satu jawatan yang mencabar sebagai pemimpin masa hadapan Islam Singapura yang berkaliber dan berwibawa. Dua minggu yang lepas, beliau telah diumumkan oleh pihak media setempat sebagai salah satu calon parti pembangkang untuk Pilihan Raya Umum yang akan datang.
Rilek1Corner telah berkongsi keratan akhbar dari sebuah media setempat dan memuat-naikkan butir-butir kelayakan beliau yang diberikan oleh seorang penyokong kuat parti pembangkang tersebut. Menurut pembaca itu, butir-butir kelayakan calon pembangkang tersebut senang diperolehi secara terbuka. Siasatan kami juga mendapati segala informasi yang diberikan senang diperolehi di Internet (tiada sekatan privasi). Namun, kerana rasa tidak puas hati, calon pembangkang tersebut membuat beberapa ugutan kepada Rilek1Corner, dan malangnya ugutan beliau itu mendapat tindak balas yang tidak disangkakan.
Rilek1Corner tidak tahu-menahu tentang apa yang telah dilakukan oleh ahli politik tersebut dan hanya dimaklumkan tentang kejadian tersebut semalam. Dengan jujur, anggota Rilek1Corner sangat kecewa dengan apa yang telah dilakukan walaupun kami telah memberi sokongan padu kepada beliau.
Kalau betul tiada apa yang ingin disembunyikan, apakah perlu berahsia? Sudah lumrah hidup orang politik. Segala hal peribadi akan tersebar buat santapan umum baik publisiti positif ataupun yang buruk, terutama sekali dalam zaman media sosial ini. Mulut tempayan boleh ditutup, mulut manusia bagaimana menutupnya.
Soalan-soalan yang bermain di fikiran kami ialah: Apakah yang maksudkan dengan media alternatif dan hak kebebasan bersuara dalam konteks demokrasi kita di Singapura yang selama ini menjadi idaman kalbu? Adakah masyarakat Melayu dan juga Islam setempat sudah benar-benar bersedia untuk menerima konsep kebebasan bersuara ini, atau ianya hanya manis dimulut sahaja? Apakah tiada toleransi terhadap pendapat orang lain yang bercanggah dengan pendapat kita? Apakah mereka yang dianggap sebagai ‘public figure’ sudah benar-benar bersedia menerima hakikat bahawa mereka bukan sahaja mendapat sokongan positif, malah akan juga menerima kritikan hebat daripada orang-orang yang tidak mempunyai matlamat yang sama atau visi yang sehaluan.
Kebebasan Bersuara
Kebebasan bersuara ialah kebebasan menyatakan pandangan mahupun fikrah tanpa batas atau penapisan tentang apa yang ingin diperkatakan. Semua masyarakat mempunyai hak kebebasan bersuara tanpa mengira kaum atau pangkat.
Kebebasan bersuara juga merangkumi aspek seperti kebebasan bersuara secara percakapan verbal, tindakan mencari, menerima dan menyebarkan maklumat atau idea, dengan tidak mengira medium yang digunakan. Kebebasan bersuara juga mempunyai etika dimana cara penyampaiannya beradab dan sopan, tanpa sebarang bahasa kesat.
Jika seseorang manusia itu mempunyai hak berfikir untuk dirinya sendiri dan kebebasan menggunakan mindanya semahunya, maka dia juga haruslah mempunyai hak untuk mengekspresikan dan meluahkan buah fikirannya dan idea-idea dalam bentuk yang konkrit, sama ada dalam bentuk penulisan ataupun lisan.
Tiada sesiapun boleh memaksa kita dirasakan sesuatu perkara itu benar atau salah melainkan kita melihat sendiri kebenarannya. Tiada jumlah paksaan yang akan mampu mengubah persepsi sesiapapun terhadap sesuatu individu, subjek atau benda.
Kebebasan bersuara juga memainkan peranan yang sangat penting dalam melindungi individu-individu yang mempunyai pendapat berbeza. Apabila pendapat segelintir orang tersilap, ianya adalah menjadi kewajipan bagi sekelompok minoriti untuk menyuarakan kebenaran.
Peranan Media Sosial Dalam Menyemarakkan Kebebasan Bersuara
Kewujudan media sosial yang bersifat terbuka, pelbagai dan bebas dari tapisan dan sekatan adalah antara asas penting bagi pembentukan masyarakat demokratik kerana ia menyumbang ke arah kemudahan pengaliran maklumat, idea secara bebas, dan menjamin ketelusan serta kebertanggungjawaban.
Persoalannya ialah, sejauh manakah kebebasan bersuara dalam media sosial ini benar-benar bebas? Apakah hubungan di antara media sosial dan kebebasan bersuara?
Media sosial adalah salah satu cabang atau bentuk ekspresi yang ada di dalam sistem sosial manusia yang luas. Malah kehadiran media sosial itu sebenarnya melengkapi dua lagi gelombang teknologi komunikasi sebelumnya – cetak dan gelombang udara sebagai wahana untuk manusia – baik secara individu atau berkelompok – untuk mengkomunikasikan maklumat, bertukar-tukar idea, pandangan, dan pendapat.
Sebagai satu konsep liberal dan ‘batu asas’ kepada demokrasi barat, kebebasan bersuara bertujuan untuk melindungi ekspresi rakyat jelata dan penyebaran maklumat ke pentas awam daripada campur tangan pihak kerajaan atau sesiapapun.
Jangan kita simpan mentaliti paranoia dan perbuatan melulu yang melampau.
Ugutan, Ancaman Diambil Serius
Rilek1Corner memandang serius terhadap segala ancaman baik terhadap diri kami mahupun ugutan terhadap para pembaca yang hanya ingin menyuarakan pandangan mereka.
Yang lebih membimbangkan ialah perkembangan media sosial yang ingin disekat dan ditapis semata-mata pandangan yang berbeza, walaupun pada hakikatnya segala pendapat telah ditulis atas nama hak kebebasan bersuara dengan cara yang beradap dan sopan.
Peliknya, pihak-pihak yang telah membuat ancaman dan ugutan terhadap kami dan juga pembaca-pembaca budiman, juga merupakan orang-orang yang pernah menegakkan hak kebebasan bersuara dan hak kemanusiaan dengan lantangnya.
Bak kata pepatah, rambut sama hitam hati lain-lain.
Like many other concerned public who have written about Galaxy Trio and Ultrasonic on the Internet, I was threatened, my family was harassed, and we were thrown with numerous insults when discussing about the legitimacy of their money making business which solely requires recruiting new members. We have contacted the police regarding these harassments and threats. However, this does not mean I will stop trying to make people understand what they are getting themselves into.
MLM, pyramid, matrix board, pigeon chess, you name it – these are Get-Rich-Quick schemes disguised in many fancy names. The only common factor is recruiting new members and this cannot stop. Once recruitment stops, the entire business model will collapse.
If there are more reward based on recruiting than reward based on selling, then there is a high suspicion of a pyramid scheme. The reason is simple: where is the money coming from, if not from sales? The only other source of income is from the membership fees, and that makes this a Ponzhi or Pyramid scheme/scam. A pyramid scheme is an operation where you have to recruit two or more people into the system to get paid.
The “recruiting” angle uses a lot of fancy words like “forced matrix” “matrix board” or “cycling the matrix”. In truth, a “matrix” is just another name for “pyramid”. If you have come across phrases like “cycling out of the matrix” or anything along those lines, be suspicious because you can only “cycle out” by filling the matrix with members “promising” large bonus paid for “filling the matrix”.
As long as there is a recruitment of at least two members, it is a scam.
In other instances, new recruits or members were offered “golden opportunities”. Some even go to the extend of telling those who did not sign up as “lazy” or “idiots”. There is no mention of membership at all at first look. Another way to disguise recruiting is by “selling” the opportunity’s “joining gift”, and not mention the membership at all.
In other instances, some give you an impression that you are buying an “item X”, when in fact, you actually paid for the membership, which gets you item X. Before you join, you have no idea or in most cases were not informed about the need for new recruits to “cycle out” the matrix or the hassle of redeeming your bonuses.
Yet another way is to disguise the recruiting by making the compensation for sales very vague, but how you get the big payout, by recruiting a lot of people, is crystal clear.
Hard to sell products and services
Can you sell ebooks or videos or poor-quality non-consumable products/services to friends which costs a few hundred dollars? Don’t you find it hard to sell such items? Besides such products/services can be easily purchased online at much cheaper deal. These days, ebooks and online videos are easily downloadable either free or a small sum of payment usually less than $10.00. Take the time to browse through Amazon and you will be amazed at the awesome collection. Way much better than the ebooks or video sold to you by Ultrasonic and Galaxy Trio, judging by the quality of the products shoved at your face.
Membership fee
You receive some physical or virtual products to sell, or any equipment and such to sell the “service”, or some tangible training for your membership fee. If all the fee does is “qualify” you to get paid by recruiting, you are definitely a victim of a pyramid scheme.
If you just receive a bunch of links to video lessons of dubious value, or an e-mail, or a catalog, or dodgy ebooks which you asked yourself what is the worth in such badly created products, you are probably looking at a scam.
If you do get a worthwhile bonus, such as free vacation, check to see how you actually “use” or redeem the vacation. There have been scary sounding reports such vacations never existed, or the redemption process is so tedious, or it numerous excuses were given so that you will not be able to go for the free holiday trip. Many times, the company kept insisting that due to “explosive demand” they cannot send you for the free holiday trip. Don’t let that “bonus” be main reason to join, instead of the real business opportunity.
No real money yet
To convert all your credit into “real dollars” you have to pay all sorts of crazy fees, like wire transfer fee, debit card fee, transaction fee, conversion fee, and so on and so forth, and wait weeks or months. That is a sign of a scam. Some companies pay you vouchers which you sell to new recruits, and you are actually getting paid by new recruits. This is a pyramid scheme. What’s worse, that actually makes YOU a part of the scam, as you benefited from it. It is basically a money transfer scheme.
Lastly, look out for businesses operating offshore (British Virgin Islands, BVI) and only accepts “payment processors” who will take your money for “conversion” and send it off. Once you’ve transferred the money, you cannot rescind the transfer, no matter what valid mode of payment you have done. The payment processors, such as AlertPay, Solid Trust Pay, Liberty Reserve acts like banks. You pay the processors money to open a temporary account, and you pay someone else from that temporary account. Once the money is gone from the temporary account it cannot be rescinded, even if you have a complaint. By adding that extra layer, the offshore company can be sure that even if you had second thoughts you will have a hard time getting your money back.
No info on management
If the opportunity is run by an unknown, with no background information for you to check, or there is no name anywhere attached to this “opportunity”, you should run away. Logically speaking, you simply don’t loan money to total strangers and expect it to be returned.
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The investor may have asked – if this is really a ponzhi scheme, why is the Monetary Authority of Singapore or the Commercial Affairs Department not taking any action to stop it?
Do not be disheartened by the lack of action by our authorities. The MAS has already put an alert on their website and asked the public to lodge a complaint with CAD, if they suspect any fraud. I do not know why MAS expects the public to do the investigation. It is quite easy for MAS to engage an investigator, at the cost of the Government, to see if there is any risk of a fraud, rather than wait for it to happen. Same goes to the Commercial Affairs Department. They have the power, authority and the resources to carry out an investigation. They only need to have reasonable grounds to make an investigation into a potential ponzhi scheme.
Here are some signs that you need to watch for, to make sure that matrix board opportunity you may be thinking about joining is not actually a pseudo-MLM/pyramid scam designed to take your money.
Warning Signs
If it looks too good to be true—it probably is.
Use your common sense: the offer may be a scam.
Do not let anyone pressure you into making decisions about money or investments: always get independent financial advice.
You can contact Commercial Affairs Department (CAD), CASE or the Singapore Police Force if you notice something is amiss.
Beware of products or schemes that claim to guarantee income or winnings.
Remember that family members and friends may try to involve you in a scam without realizing that it is a scam: you should seek independent advice (from a lawyer or financial adviser).
How you can Protect Yourself
Do not let anyone pressure you into making decisions about money or investments: always get independent financial advice.
Read all the terms and conditions of any offer very carefully: claims of free or very cheap offers often have hidden costs.
Make sure you know how to stop any subscription service you want to sign up to.
Be very careful about offers for medicines, supplements or other treatments: always seek the advice of your health care professional.
Remember there are no magic pills or safe options for rapid weight loss.
Beware of products or schemes that claim to guarantee income or winnings.
If someone offers you an investment or other financial service, ask for their Financial Services Licence number.
Be wary of investments promising a high return with little or no risk.
Beware of job offers that require you to pay an upfront fee.
Authored by Zainal Ariffin
Photos: Readers’ contribution
EDITOR’S NOTE
More and more readers are writing to Rilek1Corner to share information about the Get-Rich-Quick scams. We thank you for the contribution and we assure you that identities will be kept secret. We were also informed that readers who had openly share their grievances/concerns were harassed and threatened. We urged those affected parties to contact the authorities immediately. If you are uncertain on how to go about doing it, please do contact Rilek1Corner and we will gladly be of assistance to you. Otherwise you can do so by:
You can lodge a complaint with the Commercial Affairs Department either in writing or in person:
Director
Commercial Affairs Department
391 New Bridge Road #06-701
Police Cantonment Complex Block D
Singapore 088762
The following information should be contained in the report:
An account of the relevant facts;
Copies of the relevant documents, if available; and
Your name, NRIC / passport number, contact number and address.
Complaint in Person
You may appear in person at the above address. To avoid any inconvenience, you are advised to call the Department at 1800-325 0000 (Toll-Free) to make an appointment. Our office hours are as follows:
Monday – Friday (8.30am to 5.30pm)
Complaint via Electronic Police Centre
Alternatively, you may lodge an online complaint via the ePC at the following web-site:
