Category: Politik

Kirsten Han: Ong Ye Kung’s Ownself-Praise-Ownself A Sign Of How Blinded Majority Privilege Chinese Singaporeans Are

This sort of patronising smugness stops us from being more reflective and self-aware of systemic racism in Singapore. The very act of patting ourselves on the back for a job well done shows just how blinded by majority privilege Chinese Singaporeans can be.

“When necessary, the community has made important compromises to protect Singapore’s values of multiculturalism and multiracialism,” said Mr Ong in Mandarin, as the House entered Day Two of the debate on proposed changes to the elected presidency.

One example of the community compromising was when it agreed to have English as the state’s working language, he added.

This is why he believes the community will understand the need to safeguard minority representation in the president’s office.

“All races need to have the chance of being elected president. This is the only way that our president can be a symbol of multiracial Singapore,” he said.

Source: Kirsten Han and www.straitstimes.com

November 11, 2016
Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood: Advice For PAP – No Need For Presidential Grandstanding, Just Adopt Fair And Non-Discriminatory Policies

Now that the amendment to the constitution has been passed by parliament we Singaporeans, whether we like it or not, will have to brace ourselves with the inevitability of having an “elected” Malay President who in actuality is selected. And since the bar has been set so ridiculously high no other candidate except those from the establishment would qualify to stand.

Ironically the passing of the amendment coincides with the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States.
It is not hard to guess who the Malay candidate would be in view of the scacity of qualified Malays. My guess is it would be either Puan Halimah or Encik Zainal Abidin Rasheed. Should it be Encik Zainal, who would have become Speaker had he not lost the election in 2011, would he be as proud as Donald Trump who had fought a long and bruising battle before clinching the presidency?

Would Ebcik Zainal, assuming he is the candidate, be able to command the respect of all Singaporeans in a skewed system tailored and reserved for him?

Would the Malays be proud of him? It would also be a slap on his face if as a Malay Muslim president he cannot even get the government to allow Muslim women in uniformed groups to dorn the tudung and rid Singapore of all forms of discrimination against Malay Muslims.
We don’t yet know what the actual PAP agenda is for instituting this ridiculous move. We don’t need to have a Malay, Indian or Eurasion President to tell the world that we are a multi racial and not a Chinese country. People of the world are not stupid. Come to think of it why should we worry about this? Can it guilty conscience for mistreating the Malays? Is the PAP leadership trying to con and impress the Malay world. My advice is, just adopt the right policies which are fair and non discriminitory to the minorities. And stop padding up our population with large numbers of PRC aliens if you really are concerned about being mistaken as a Chinese state. Let our population grow naturally and bond as a united nation. Your logic in instituting this amendment cuts no ice. It sounds so hollow and nothing but a scam. No self respecting and dignified Malay would want to partake in the scam.

Should Donald Trump carry out his threat to bar Muslims from entering the US Singapore’s head of state cannot even visit the country.

Source: Mohamed Jufrie Bin Mahmood

November 10, 2016
Damanhuri Abas: Mengapa Tiada Badan Melayu Utarakan Pandangan Terhadap Elected Presidency?

Di manakah letaknya pendirian dan kewibawaan masyarakat kita apabila tiada satu pun badan Melayu yang kedepan untuk mengutarakan pandangan rasmi mereka terhadap suatu perkara yang langsung melibatkan masyarakat Melayu itu sendiri?

Orang Melayu berhak tahu kedudukan pendirian mereka. Kenapa kita rakyat Melayu sengaja dibiarkan begitu saja tanpa diambil kira. Kita bimbang kesan jangka panjang terhadap kewibawaan bangsa ini di mata masyarakat majmuk yang lain. Sudah mula kedengaran suara dari bangsa lain yg merasakan orang Melayu memang mudah dijual beli dengan harga yg murah. Maruah bangsa sedang dipertaruhkan.

Merayu seribu kata bila meminta bantuan dari rakyat Melayu biasa, diam sebisu anak dara bila rakyat Melayu minta dibela.

Apakah jenis kepimpinan yang ada pada masyarakat kita? Semoga Allah mempertanggungjawabkan mereka di dunia dan di akhirat.

Source: Damanhuri Abas

November 10, 2016
Malay President – Halimah Yacob, Abdullah Tarmugi Or Bahren Shaari?

MADAM HALIMAH YACOB, 62

APPOINTMENTS

2001 to now: Member of Parliament

2011 to 2012: Minister of State (Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports)

2012 to 2013: Minister of State (Ministry of Social and Family Development)

2013 to now: Speaker of Parliament

WHY HER?

“She is a trained lawyer. Was in the top echelon of NTUC, then MP, Minister of State, and Speaker. In short, she is very well-qualified. I believe she is also well-liked. As an added bonus, she is a woman.”

– Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser, National University of Singapore

“Usually, candidates (for the Presidency) don’t step down from their current positions and stand for election immediately because they may be seen as too closely associated with the governing party.

– Mr Mano Sabnani, political observer and chief executive officer of Rafflesia Holdings, a media and financial consultancy company

MR ABDULLAH TARMUGI, 72

APPOINTMENTS

1984 to 2011: Member of Parliament

1989 to 1993: Deputy Speaker

1993 to 2002: Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs

1994 to 2002: Minister for Community Development

2002 to 2011: Speaker of Parliament

2012 to now: Member, Presidential Council for Minority Rights

WHY HIM?

“He’s been retired from politics for some years now. So he could be seen as not closely linked to the political establishment.”

– Mr Sabnani

“That Abdullah Tarmugi was born to a Malay father and a Chinese mother, and the fact that his wife is also Chinese may well be an added advantage as the portrayal of a multicultural identity is likely to resonate with the society at large here.”

– Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute

MR BAHREN SHAARI, 54

APPOINTMENTS

2010 to 2015: Global Head (Southeast Asia), Bank of Singapore

2015 to now: Chief executive officer, Bank of Singapore

2012 to now: Non-executive and independent director, Singapore Press Holdings

WHY HIM?

“He is known to many in the community, but he may have to boost his profile beyond the community should he be interested to run for president.”

– Dr Mustafa

Source: www.tnp.sg

November 10, 2016
Walid J. Abdullah: World Has To Deal With Failings Of American Democracy

Perhaps 2016 will teach us not to adopt a holier-than-thou approach towards those who disagree with us. Dismissing everyone who is a Trump supporter as a racist, xenophobic idiot evidently did not work out well.

Sure, there are racists and deplorables amongst them. But there were people with genuine concerns that were not addressed, and instead of having their sentiments understood, they were dismissed as racists. Of course they would turn to Trump afterwards!

The media especially has blood on its hands. In spite of not being a Trump fan, i found the media coverage – particularly by Huffington Post – to be absolutely disgusting. Clearly one-sided. If i were an undecided voter, the media coverage would push me towards Trump. I hope the liberal media is proud of itself now.

Trump has won. Whether we like it or not, those are the rules of the game. We have to deal with a President Trump.

Unless you’re the US government (democrat or republican). Then you don’t have to respect other people’s aspirations. Just dismiss them as Islamic fundamentalists and then engineer a coup.

For peasants like the rest of the world, we have to deal with the failings of American democracy.

Source: Walid J. Abdullah

November 10, 2016