Category: Politik

PM Lee: Kita Mesti Pastikan Singapura Ada Presiden Melayu Dari Semasa Ke Semasa

“Kita mesti pastikan bahawa dari masa ke masa, Singapura mempunyai seorang Presiden Melayu, seorang Presiden India ataupun dari kaum minoriti lain.

“Saya percaya isu ini penting bukan sahaja kepada masyarakat minoriti tetapi juga Singapura.”

Demikian tegas Perdana Menteri Lee Hsien Loong dalam ucapan beliau di Rapat Umum Hari Kebangsaan 2016 hari ini (21 Ogos).

Semasa ucapan dalam bahasa Melayu, PM Lee berkata, semakan terhadap jawatan Presiden Dipilih dibuat atas dasar untuk memastikan masyarakat minoriti merasakan bahawa mereka diwakili secukupnya dalam sistem politik negara ini, dengan kepentingan mereka dijaga dengan rapi.

Encik Lee berkata semakan itu bagi memastikan bahawa dari masa ke masa Singapura akan mempunyai seorang Presiden dari kalangan minoriti, seperti semasa di bawah sistem Presiden Dilantik dahulu.

Di bawah sistem itu, Singapura ada Presiden Yusof Ishak (Melayu), Presiden Benjamin Sheares (Serani), Presiden Devan Nair (India) dan Presiden Wee Kim Wee (Cina).

Namun kini, di bawah sistem Presiden Dipilih, adalah sukar bagi calon bukan Cina untuk dipilih sebagai Presiden.

KEADAAN BOLEH DIPOLITIK DAN PECAH BELAHKAN PERPADUAN

Dalam jangka panjang, keadaan ini, kata Encik Lee, akan menimbulkan perasaan kecewa dan resah di kalangan masyarakat minoriti, dan ia boleh dipolitik dan diperalatkan untuk mengapi-apikan masyarakat minoriti dan memecah belahkan perpaduan kita pada masa depan.

Oleh itu, kata Encik Lee, Singapura harus membuat perubahan sekarang dan mengambil tindakan ketika suasana aman dan rakyat bersatu.

“Jadi, kita mesti pastikan bahawa dari masa ke masa, Singapura mempunyai seorang Presiden Melayu, seorang Presiden India ataupun dari kaum minoriti lain.

“Saya percaya isu ini penting bukan sahaja kepada masyarakat minoriti tetapi juga Singapura,” ujarnya.

Bagaimanapun, kata Encik Lee, kriteria kelayakan yang ketat akan dikekalkan. Ini supaya rakyat yakin bahawa sesiapa sahaja yang dipilih sebagai Presiden layak dipilih dan memenuhi piawaian tinggi yang sama.

“Jawatan Presiden merupakan simbol negara kita. Setiap rakyat Singapura mesti berasa bahawa seseorang dari kaumnya boleh menjadi Presiden malah terpilih menjadi Presiden dari masa ke masa.

“Dengan keyakinan dan sokongan itu, Presiden boleh memainkan peranannya menyatu padukan rakyat Singapura,” kata Encik Lee.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

August 21, 2016
Walid J Abdullah: Definitions Of A Politician

Looking at events all around the globe, i propose we modify the definition of a politician. Here are some suggestions.

Politician:

‘Someone who may not be there to assist along the way, but will surely be there when it is time to claim credit’.

‘Someone who has one standard for his/her opponent, and another for him/herself.’

‘Someone who struggles to give a straight answer when asked a simple question.’

‘Someone who is miraculously always “misquoted” and whose words are “taken out of context”.’

‘Someone who makes more promises than a fiance.’

‘Someone who tweets (or posts on facebook) the phrase “thoughts and prayers” more than others.’

‘Someone who wants his/her actions, tears, altruistic acts, good deeds, and kindness to be displayed all over print and social media.’

Source: Walid J. Abdullah

August 20, 2016
Most Singaporeans Want Someone Of Same Race As Prime Minister, President: CNA-IPS Survey

If given a choice, most Singaporeans prefer someone of the same race as the nation’s Prime Minister or President.

This was one of the findings in a nationwide survey of 2,000 citizens and permanent residents on their views on relations between the country’s four major races. The survey was commissioned by Channel NewsAsia in partnership with the Institute of Policy Studies, and was one of the largest of its kind.

The survey, conducted between June and July this year, was done through a random sampling of dwelling types. Malay and Indian respondents were oversampled to ensure sufficient minority representation. Selected households completed a survey questionnaire then returned it to a surveyor at a stipulated time, to reduce the possibility of interviewer bias.

The results were then statistically weighted to ensure that the final sample resembled the national population in terms of racial composition, dwelling type and gender.

According to the survey, the vast majority of Chinese respondents – 98 per cent – would accept a Singaporean Chinese as Prime Minister, while 96 per cent preferred a Singaporean Chinese as President.

Malay respondents also overwhelmingly wanted a Singaporean Malay to be Prime Minister or President. A total of 93 per cent of Malays surveyed said they preferred a Singaporean Malay to be Prime Minister, while 94 per cent would accept a Malay as President.

Among Indian respondents, 89 per cent would accept a Singaporean Indian as Prime Minister and 92 per cent said the same for the role of the President.

The majority of respondents of all races were agreeable to a Singaporean Chinese in both positions, with more than 80 per cent of Malays, Indians and Others saying they would accept a Singaporean Chinese as Prime Minister and as President.

A smaller number of respondents said they would accept a minority race in the positions – around 60 per cent of Chinese, 75 per cent of Malays and around 68 per cent of Others said yes to a Singaporean Indian Prime Minister or President. When it came to a Singaporean Malay Prime Minister or President, just over half of Chinese, around 70 per cent of Indians and about 80 per cent of Others said yes.

The older a respondent, the less likely he or she would accept someone of a different race to hold the nation’s highest positions, the survey found.

Among Chinese respondents who were below 30 years old, more than 60 per cent would accept a Singaporean Malay as Prime Minister or President, while more than 70 per cent would accept a Singaporean Indian.

Among those over 60 years old, about 40 to 42 per cent would accept a Singaporean Malay, while between 45 and 50 per cent would accept a Singaporean Indian in the two positions.

Source: ChannelNewsAsia

August 18, 2016
Singapore To Assess Need To Send Forces To Frontlines To Fight IS

If Singapore faces a direct security threat, forces might be sent to the frontlines for counter-terrorism efforts, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in Parliament on Monday (Aug 15).

This comes after Member of Parliament Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC) asked Dr Ng for an update on how Singapore can directly contribute to support the multinational coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group.

He said that should Singapore face a direct security threat, the country would fight to make a “real difference”, and not just a “token” contribution.

Dr Ng also added that a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) medical support team will be deployed to Iraq for about three months next year.

“The exact size, composition, and capabilities of the medical support team will be determined after our needs assessment and survey team assesses the situation,” he said.

He added that the medical team will take care of injured soldiers and civilians in the event of a battle against ISIS.

It was first announced in November 2014 by Dr Ng that Singapore will participate in the multinational coalition against ISIS.

In 2007, Singapore sent 492 SAF servicemen to Afghanistan during a six-year deployment to the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force, which ended in 2013. It was the SAF’s longest overseas deployment, The Straits Times reported.

Source: AsiaOne

August 18, 2016
Pendakwah Britain Anjem Choudary Didapati Bersalah Sokong ISIS

Salah seorang pendakwah di Britain, yang terkenal dengan ceramah-ceramah yang menerapkan kebencian, kini berdepan dengan hukuman penjara setelah didapati bersalah menyokong ISIS.

Anjem Choudary dijatuhi hukuman di Old Bailey setelah para juri mendengar bahawa dia mengikrarkan taat setia kepada ISIS, lapor The Guardian.

Lelaki berusia 49 tahun itu, yang ada kaitan dengan salah seorang pembunuh Lee Rigby, Michael Adebolajo dan anggota militan Omar Bakri Muhammad, juga menggesa para pengikutnya supaya menyokong beberapa rancangan ISIS yang disiarkan di laman YouTube.

Anjem dan rakannya yang turut berdepan hukuman, Mohammed Rahman, 33 tahun memberitahu para penyokong mereka supaya mematuhi Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, iaitu pemimpin ISIS, yang juga dikenali sebagai khalifah, serta menggesa mereka agar ke Syria untuk menyertai ISIS atau “khilafah”, mahkamah dimaklumkan.

Kedua-duanya didapati bersalah pada bulan Julai namun perincian perbicaraan termasuk keputusan mahkamah tidak boleh dilaporkan sehingga sekarang.

Anjem dan Rahman berdepan hukuman penjara selama 10 tahun kerana memberikan sokongan kepada pertubuhan yang berbahaya, menurut The Guardian.

Mereka akan dijatuhi hukuman pada 6 September di Old Bailey.

Menurut Ketua Polis Metropolitan Anti-Pengganasan, Komander Dean Haydon: “kedua-dua lelaki ini cuba mengelak pengawasan pihak berkuasa sejauh ini, namun tiada seorang pun dalam bidang anti-pengganasan yang meragui pengaruh mereka, kebencian yang mereka sebarkan dan orang-orang yang mereka galak supaya menyertai pertubuhan pengganas.”

“Berkali-kali kami menyaksikan orang-orang dibicarakan atas kesalahan paling serius, yang pernah menghadiri ceramah kedua-dua lelaki ini. Ikrar taat setia mereka kepada ISIS adalah satu titik perubahan – akhirnya kami mempunyai bukti yang menunjukkan bahawa mereka sudah melanggar undang-undang dan kami boleh buktikan bahawa mereka menyokong ISIS,” tambah beliau, menurut laporan The Guardian.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

August 18, 2016