Category: Singapuraku

Walid J. Abdullah: If I Were A Politician…

As a political science major, I get the following question whenever i tell people what i study: ‘so you want to be a politician?’ I don’t. But if i was one, this is how my first press conference would sound like.

Walid: Hello everyone (while carrying a random baby of some resident). I am Walid, a son of simei (‪#‎sonofsimei‬, since every politician needs a hashtag). I have stayed here for the most part of my life and know the place very well.

Reporter: So what is your plan for Simei?

Walid: I intend to build a mega mall here! This will serve the needs of the residents here, young and old.

Reporter: Erm, but residents of Simei do not need another mall. They already have Eastpoint.

Walid: Good leadership is not about doing what the people want; it is about doing what is right. I am
not a populist.

Reporter: How much would it cost?

Walid: Around $100 million. But the eventual expenses may even triple and be in the range of $300 million.

Reporter: What???? In any other job, a person who exceeds the budget three times over would be sacked!

Walid: You must not look at the tangibles only. Look at the intangibles.

Reporter: Erm, ok. So what is your stance on political participation?

Walid: I am a firm believer in freedom of expression. Everyone should be able to state their opinions on anything. There are no sacred cows.

Reporter: How would you respond to some claims of racial discrimination by some residents?

Walid: That is a provocative question that can disrupt our social harmony. If you want to ask such questions, please drop your pen and paper, and join politics to contest against us.

Reporter: But you just said we must be free to express ourselves.

Walid: Not unconditionally. These Western notions of freedom are not applicable to societies like ours. And you journalists have a part to play; don’t just write everything. Make sure Singaporeans read the ‘right’ thing.

Reporter: What are some of the concerns that have been raised by residents?

Walid: We understand that the residents have many concerns. We will continue to seek ways to address them. Meanwhile, we will continue to have dialogues with the relevant stakeholders.

Reporter: Are there mistakes that your predecessors have made?

Walid: Let us not harp on the past. Let us move on.

Reporter: Final question Walid, as a son of Simei, will you be contesting here?

Walid: It does not really matter where I contest. Let us look at the bigger picture.

#sonofsimei

Source: Walid J. Abdullah

August 3, 2015
Muslim Women In Singapore Did Not Wear The Hijab Before Early 1970s

As proof that the cultural trend of wearing the hijab is a fairly recent phenomenon in Singapore’s history, here are some photos of Muslim women in Singapore/Malaya before early 1970.

In everyday life:

In special occasions:

In film and pop culture:

From the above photographs, it is evident that before the early 1970’s, the hijab was not part of the Islamic dress code. Then, most Muslim women went about bareheaded or even sporting perms that were popular during that era. Even the more conservative did not wear the hijab, but rather draped a loose shawl or scarf over their head.

The increasing religiousity of Muslims around the region has obviously impacted Muslims in Singapore, as evident from the changes in our daily habits and dress code. While this in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but we should not be so quick to also import the customs and culture of other Muslim nations, and in doing so, erode away our own beautiful Malayan heritage.

Source: www.aiseyman.com

August 3, 2015
Doa Tunai Haji Akhirnya Termakbul

Beg untuk dibawa ke Makkah tidak disentuh hampir empat tahun.

Kenangan pahit yang dilanda Cik Siti Noorisah Mohd Taib, 50 tahun pada 2011 lepas masih segar di dalam ingatannya.

Apa tidaknya, tawaran bagi kuota tambahan haji telah diterima dan pakej haji juga sudah dibeli.

Persiapan serta kenduri selamat juga sudah diadakan.

Malangnya, beberapa jam sebelum berangkat ke Jeddah, hasrat Cik Noorisah serta suaminya, Encik Rahmat Samin, 59 tahun untuk menunaikan ibadah haji tidak kesampaian.

Sebabnya, mereka senasib dengan lebih 1,000 jemaah yang terjejas gagal mendapatkan visa haji mereka di saat-saat akhir.

Tiada perkataan yang dapat menggambarkan perasaan sebak pasangan suami isteri itu serta jemaah-jemaah yang terjejas ketika itu.

“Hanya Tuhan sahaja yang tahu bagaimana perasaan saya ketika itu.

“Sememangnya kita harus redha tetapi saya dan suami rasa terlalu sedih menerima berita itu,” katanya sambil menggambarkan tisu satu kotak habis digunakan bagi mengesat titisan air mata ketika itu.

Namun, Cik Noorisah percaya ada hikmah di sebalik kekecewaannya itu dan terima seadanya.

Walaupun sudah menyerah semua kehendaknya kepada Allah, beliau tidak pernah berputus asa mengharapkan peluang keemasan untuk melaksanakan rukun Islam itu.

Dengan doa tiada henti serta niat suci murni beliau, Cik Noorisah dan suami telah dianugerahkan dengan peluang untuk menunaikan ibadah haji September nanti.

Mereka adalah antara 680 jemaah lain yang akan berangkat ke tanah suci dan di antara 90 peratus dari mereka yang akan menunaikan haji buat kali pertama.

Cik Noorisah menceritakan bagaimana proses menunggu surat dari Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis) itu amat mendebarkan buat dirinya.

Apatah lagi, ramai jemaah yang lain sudah menerima surat pengesahan dari Muis pada minggu pertama selepas pengumuman dari kelas agama yang dihadirinya pada setiap hari Sabtu di Masjid Darussalam.

“Pada minggu kedua, Ustaz kami berkata masih ada beberapa jemaah yang belum membalas surat pengesahan itu dan sesiapa yang mendaftar pada tahun-tahun berkenaan berkemungkinan besar mendapat peluang.

“Saya pun tunggu dah syukur saya menerima surat pengesahan itu. Hampir tidak sangka juga!” katanya yang serta-merta membalas surat itu.

Dengan pengesahan itu, beliau serta suami sudah pun membuat persiapan menjelang keberangkatan mereka ke Makkah.

“Beg saya simpan hampir empat tahun itu sudah saya buka dan sudah dirombak balik. Dulunya, saya tidak berani memegangnya kerana terlalu sedih memikirkan kisah lalu,” katanya sambil tertawa.

Cik Noorisah dan suami bakal berangkat 16 September nanti dan dijadualkan pulang pada 14 Oktober nanti.

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

August 3, 2015
Unequal Benefits For Single Unwed Mothers A Matter Of Deterrence

I agree with the writer of “Unwed mums did make choices that led to their situation” (Aug 1), and I wish to add a point.

Some people argue for more benefits on the grounds that the child is innocent. While this is true, the child is also the parents’ responsibility.

For something to be a strong disincentive, it often must go beyond affecting the person himself. Nothing is more motivating than preventing harm from coming to the people one loves.

For example, jail terms are a deterrent not only because of the unpleasant confinement, but also the loss of income, which may create hardship for the offender’s family.

Likewise, loan sharks ask for their client’s address because they can incentivise their clients to pay their debt by inflicting some pain on their family.

Kidnapping a person and asking for ransom would work better than torturing him directly. Terrorists, criminals and the justice system understand this principle.

In the case of benefits for single mothers, if we intend to deter people from unwanted pregnancies, we must make good on the threat of inadequate support for a child born out of wedlock, otherwise the deterrent will not work.

In conclusion, the matter is a balance between social justice and setting the right incentives.

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 3, 2015
Man Sets Fire To Flat After Fight With Wife

A man, who had been arguing with his wife on the phone, ended up setting fire to his Choa Chu Kang flat.

One of his tenants and her 3½-year-old daughter were in the flat at that time.

The Saturday evening blaze destroyed the flat but, fortunately, no one was hurt.

The dramatic events were recounted to The New Paper by the tenant’s husband, who wanted to be known only as Mr Johnson.

The 29-year-old said his wife had told him that from their room, they heard their landlord arguing angrily with someone on the phone.

Then, it went quiet.

About 15 minutes later, at about 7.40pm, smoke wafted into their room.

Before they could figure out what happened, they heard frantic knocks on their door.

It was their landlord, dressed in only his boxers, screaming: “Come out!”

Mr Johnson, his wife, also 29, and their daughter had just moved into the 12th-storey flat at Block 688A, Choa Chu Kang Drive, earlier that day.

As the fire progressed, residents were hit by the acrid smoke from the burning 12th-storey unit.

Then, they heard sounds of explosions.

“My landlord was sitting at the stairs, crying,” added Mr Johnson.

“He was crying and kept apologising. He said he had wanted to kill himself but got scared when the fire grew bigger.”

The man had started the fire by burning bedsheets.

The 45-year-old was later arrested by police.

A Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said about 40 residents living on the 12th, 13th and 14th storeys were evacuated from the block.

The fire was put out by a water jet and no one was injured, he added.

Source: www.tnp.sg

August 3, 2015