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Sengsara Sepasang Pelarian Syria, Namun Masih Dapat Bernikah Di Kem Pelarian

GREECE: Di sebalik penderitaan yang dialami para pelarian Syria di Greece, masih ada relung-relung cahaya yang menyinar.

Pasangan warga Syria, Saher, 27 tahun dan Ruqaiya, 20 tahun, bernikah dalam majlis perkahwinan serba ringkas di kem pelarian Idomeni, berhampiran sempadan Macedonia, di Greece pada 4 Mei lalu, menurut laporan CNN.

Pasangan yang sudah bertunang itu sebenarnya mahu mengadakan majlis perkahwinan mereka di Jerman, di mana saudara-mara dan rakan-rakan mereka kini menetap.

Malangnya, pasangan itu sudah enam minggu tersekat dalam kem pelarian itu, yang menempatkan lebih 10,000 pelarian.

Encik Saher memberitahu CNN dalam bahasa Arab: “Kami memutuskan untuk berkahwin di sini. Sudah takdir kami untuk berkahwin tanpa kehadiran anggota keluarga. Namun, kami tetap gembira.”

CNN melaporkan, pasangan mempelai itu melarikan diri dari Syria, yang bergolak dengan perang, sekitar tiga setengah bulan lalu. Mereka melarikan diri dari Deir Ezzor, di mana pertempuran antara ISIS dan pasukan Syria menyebabkan ratusan mati pada Januari lalu. Keluarga kedua-dua Encik Saher dan Cik Ruqaiya masih kekal di Syria.

Bagaimanapun, yang menarik, meskipun tanpa kehadiran keluarga, pasangan mempelai itu diraikan oleh pelarian lain di kem itu, rakan-rakan dan para relawan Amerika.

Majlis perkahwinan mereka disertakan dengan nyanyian tradisional Syria serta dihiasi tanglung-tanglung plastik. Bahkan, pengantin juga mengenakan baju dress putih serta memegang jambangan bunga ros dan lili.

(Gambar-gambar: Alison Thompson/Facebook)

Menurut CNN lagi, semangat gotong-royong dan persahabatan jelas terserlah di kem pelarian itu.

Dalam pesta selama tiga jam yang diadakan di luar khemah pasangan itu dan dianjurkan secara bersama oleh para pelarian dan relawan, minuman Coca-Cola, manisan Turki, kek perkahwinan berwarna putih dan hidangan makanan Greece yang dimasak seorang doktor Saudi turut dihidangkan.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

May 16, 2016
Dr Tan Cheng Bock: By-Election Result Is Victory For Multiculturalism

A victory for Multiracialism.

The results of the Bukit Batok by-election clearly show that a minority candidate can win an election on his own.

This win by Murali is significant because he won his seat as a member of a minority race in a predominantly (75%) Chinese constituency. And the win is even more telling because it was won in a by-election. Recent past by-election results have not been in favour of the ruling party eg Ponggol East by-election.

Apart from the many other factors that contributed to his win, an important observation was that, race did not affect his performance of 62%. It is a victory for multiracialism and a sign that voters are more discerning and colour blind.

The fear that a minority candidate cannot win on his own, resulted in the creation of Group Representation Constituency (GRC) after GE1988. The setting up of this GRC was to address this early concern that minority races may not be represented in Parliament if Singaporeans vote along racial lines.

This victory by Murali has put paid to this fear and should pave the way for the removal of any race-based politics in future.

Source: Dr Tan Cheng Bock

May 13, 2016
ACCIRD – Madrasah Students More Confident And Critical

“Madrasah students have definitely changed…” is what crossed my mind as I sat through the talk given by Mr Gerald Kong from the ACCIRD about Christianity and Catholicism to students at Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah this morning. Unlike madrasah students of the past, these students are unafraid and unapologetic about asking the difficult questions and are much more critical of what is presented to them.

Some questions include what is the nature of the Pope in Christianity andthe problem of papal succession, another student asked if Jesus truly is God then why does he need to sacrifice himself as the Son to bring about salvation and why was it done in such a violent manner. Aside from theological questions there were some who were curious about how Christians and Muslims can work together to combat extremism and bigotry, in short it was a riveting Q&A session.

Hopefully the Madrasahs and schools will continue to engage us in bringing such talks to their students in the future, looks like we can expect more exciting times ahead…

Source: Harmony Centre

May 13, 2016
Masjid Al Ansar Raih Anugerah Emas Dalam Usaha Terapkan Mesra Pengguna

Buat pertama kalinya, sebuah institusi masjid berjaya merangkul anugerah emas atas usahanya menerapkan unsur mesra pengguna.

Masjid Al Ansar juga menerima pujian atas penggunaan ruang yang bijak dalam reka bentuk masjid.

Anugerah tersebut diberikan kepada masjid Al Ansar bagi pensijilan Tanda Reka Bentuk Universal Penguasa Bangunan dan Binaan (BCA). Ia adalah satu-satunya tempat ibadah daripada 25 projek yang menerima pengiktirafan tahun ini.

Apakah ciri-ciri masjid Al Ansar yang melayakkannya merangkul anugerah emas?

KONSEP TERBUKA

Apabila anda melangkah masuk ke masjid Al Ansar, apa yang akan anda rasakan ialah keluasan masjid yang terletak di Bedok North itu. Berbeza dengan masjid Al Ansar yang lama, masjid yang berwajah baru itu menerapkan konsep terbuka dari segi rekaannya.

Pengerusi Masjid Al Ansar, Zahid Ahmad, berkata: “Salah satu keunikan Al Ansar ialah mungkin dari seni bina, rekaannya, agak terbuka. Yang tidak ada fungsi dinding luar atau pagar. Ia konsep terbuka. Kerana saya dan jawatankuasa, semasa kami membuat reka bentuk itu, dari peringkat rekaan lagi, kami rasakan Islam itu agama terbuka, jadi ia tidak semestinya tertutup.”

PENGGUNAAN RUANG YANG INOVATIF

Penggunaan ruang yang inovatif dan bijak juga turut diserap dalam rekaan masjid Al Ansar.

Encik Zahid menambah: “Kita juga ada kawasan legar atau The Plaza di depan, agak terbuka. Saya kira ini adalah salah satu kawasan legar yang terbesar di masjid.

“Ia mempunyai pelbagai guna, ia bukan sahaja untuk dewan solat pada hari Jumaat tetapi digunakan bagi aktiviti-aktiviti lain seperti untuk kelas-kelas agama kita, kanak-kanak berkumpul, sebagai tempat mereka beriadah dan bermain dan juga aktiviti-aktiviti masjid yang lain. Kalau masjid lama, kurang kita ada aktiviti sedemikian.”

Bagi memaksimakan ruang yang diberi, menara masjid, iaitu satu-satunya bahagian yang kekal dari bangunan masjid yang lama, kini dijadikan terowong lif.

MESRA KELUARGA, WARGA TUA

Bukan itu sahaja, ciri-ciri Masjid Al Ansar yang mesra keluarga dan warga tua turut mendapat perhatian.

Memandangkan kebanyakan jemaah warga emas datang dari kawasan Chai Chee Street, sebuah pintu masuk khas sudahpun disediakan bagi mereka.

Mereka yang berkerusi roda pula boleh mengggunakan tanjakan yang disediakan. Tempat mengambil wudhu dan ruang solat utama juga berada berhampiran dengan pintu masuk khas itu.

Ciri-ciri mesra warga tua itulah antara faktor yang membuat Masjid Al Ansar mendapat emas bagi Tanda Reka Bentuk Universal BCA.

Sebelum ini, masjid Al Mawaddah dan Kampung Siglap menerima gangsa dalam kategori yang sama. Masjid Al Ansar merupakan antara sembilan projek yang menerima emas.

Secara keseluruhannya, 25 projek mendapat Tanda Reka Bentuk Universal BCA tahun ini, berbanding 37 projek pada tahun lalu.

Selain Masjid Al Ansar, masjid baru, Al Islah, baru-baru ini turut mendapat sorotan apabila reka bentuk bangunannya diulas dalam majalah seni bina antarabangsa The Architectural Review yang berpangkalan di London.

Antara lai, majalah tersebut menyebut tentang reka bentuk Al Islah yang mengikut arus kemodenan namun masih lagi mengekalkan ciri-ciri keislaman dalam sebuah masjid.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

May 13, 2016
Almakhazin: The Myth Of Decolonisation And Liberal Malay Impotence

One of the most defining moments in recent Malay history is Tunku Abdul Rahman’s proclamation of Merdeka in 1957.

With his arm stretched upwards, the Tunku’s declaration was echoed by thousands others in a roar of pride, freedom and dignity. After years of European colonisation, Tanah Melayu was once again Merdeka.

We are free.

Or so we believe.

While the British no longer rule Singapura and Malaysia directly and their Residents and the British crown no longer impose their violent authority, to believe we are actually free and decolonised is to live in an illusion.

Previous colonisation model

Colonisation was an expensive exercise. Even though the colonisers were able to extract our natural resources and labour for their benefit, the colonising state was directly involved in our administration.

They needed to send administrative officers, maintain their lifestyle, a regimental force, establish and exercise the judiciary, manage local politics and commit to the defence of lands that are not militarily strategic to their own.

Their inability to defend Singapura, the Gibraltar of the East, and the use of resources that could have been redeployed to their own land was strong indication of the folly of the direct colonial venture.

This recognition led to British withdrawal form territories east of the Suez in 1971.

However, it does not mean the British, and more generally the west, are no longer colonising us.

Neocolonialism- Ideational and Systemic Colonialism

Even though the western colonial states have withdrew from Singapura, Malaysia and the region, it does not mean they have given up colonisation.

Colonisation is beneficial to the coloniser.

It privileges their system, promotes our identification with their values, advances the sense of western superiority and ensure we only act and think the way they want us to.

There are 2 main ways the west are still colonising us:

1. Our countries exist within an international system created by the Western powers. This system define the rules, procedures, norms and how each state interact with each other.

The system, whether it is the United Nations, WTO, IMF/ World Bank or the reference to secular, territorial states are created by the West, based on Western experience and preferences.

We are required to operate within the system they established.

And the rules they created. Our own socio-political system is removed and destroyed.

All that we know of now, all that we seek to secure and strengthen, are Western political models.

And approval of the west.

2. The west is actively and continuously promoting their philosophies, based on liberalism to us.

Some of the defeated, colonised Malays have adopted these philosophies.

Like the eunuch, they are intellectually impotent. They throw themselves at the feet of the West and remain their faithful, unthreatening servants.

And speak as though Western thought, ideas, practices are theirs too.

The Liberal Malays do not need to be forced to be subjugated. Their admiration for the west and intellectual castration has led to their own colonisation.

We have not truly been decolonised.

Although while for some of us, our colonisation remains only as members of states colonised through an international system,

for some Malays, their love for their colonial masters means that they want to remain and promote

Their own colonization.

And intellectual impotence.

Source: Almakhazin SG

May 12, 2016