Category: Sosial

Hawazi Daipi Appointed Non-Resident Representative To Palestine

Former Senior Parliamentary Secretary Hawazi Daipi will be Singapore’s new non-resident representative to the Palestinian Territories, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Monday (Nov 7).

In a press release, MFA said Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman, who is currently on a working visit to the Middle East, announced Mr Hawazi’s appointment during meetings in Ramallah with Palestinian National Authority (PNA) leaders President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Al-Maliki, Minister of Education and Higher Education Sabri Saidam and Minister of National Economy Abeer Odeh.

“The PNA leaders welcomed the appointment,” MFA said.

As non-resident representative to PNA, Mr Hawazi will coordinate Singapore’s Enhanced Technical Assistance Package for the Palestinians. In April this year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had announced that Singapore would double the package to help the Palestinians with capacity-building from S$5 million to S$10 million.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

November 9, 2016
Noor Mastura: Is Singapore Relatively Racism-Free Because Singaporeans Are Naturally Nice Or Because Of Government Intervention?

Hey Singapore.

As I read all the posts today from my friends living in America – I can’t help but reflect as a Singaporean.

The fact that Trump has gotten so far with his racist and xenophobic views does not show how good he is. It shows what America has become.

Of course there are still incredible people on the ground, fighting the good fight and working hard to counter these views and many of my friends are amongst them – but there are millions who actually voted and support Trump and worse- his views.

The upside of this is – if Trump never ran for Presidency, you would never know. You would never know that so many of your countrymen support xenophobia, racism and are misogynists. A scary revelation.

Attacks on Muslims, Blacks & places of worship are on the rise. And these actions are validated and justified according to the attackers because the guy running for presidency supports it as well right?

I wonder sometimes if Singapore is so ‘safe’ and ‘harmonious’ because we are genuinely nice people or because the government has set such stern laws against racism. What if that was lifted?

How many of us would fight tooth and nail to keep the peace of our people?

And would there actually be a bunch of us or worse, a whole lot of us – who will use that opportunity to finally vent out their vitriol and hate?

What do you think?

Source: Noor Mastura

November 9, 2016
Harasha Bafana: Government’s ‘Calibrated Meritocracy’ Approach Should Be Applauded

Our Prime Minister announced in Parliament yesterday that the next presidential election, due next year, will be reserved for candidates from the Malay community: “That means if a qualified Malay candidate steps up to run, Singapore will have a Malay president again… this would be our first after more than 46 years, since our first president Encik Yusof Ishak. I look forward to this.”

He also said that: “Every citizen, Chinese, Malay, Indian or some other race, should know that someone of his community can become President, and in fact from time to time, does become President.”

I applaud this move.

It’s a unique approach to a sensitive issue. I call this a ‘Calibrated Meritocracy’ approach, Singapore-style. The Malay candidate(s), after all, must still be qualified to enter the race (no pun intended) – but assuming that there is a primordial urge to vote for one’s own ethnic group, there is little hope that the Malay candidate will garner enough voter support. Hence the need for this provision.

PM said in his speech that he’s doing this now “because it would be irresponsible of me to kick this can down the road and leave the problem to my successors.”

I pray that this will not open a can of worms.

After all, beyond the racial stereotype that had emerged over the decades, there ARE many successful Malays (& Muslims) in our midst. We just need a better way to bring them into the National Consciousness – an emerging trend over the last few years that I am pleased to note in various fields such as mass media, the military & other national leadership positions.

Majulah Singapura.
Regardless of Race, Language or Religion.
Let’s all be one inclusive Singapore where our beautiful diversity is acknowledged & appreciated – even as we work hard to succeed in a merit-based playing field.

… & One day soon, I hope that we will be mature enough as a society to remove the CMIO (Chinese/Malay/Indian/Others) organising principle. When that day arrives, we will no longer need special provisions such as this.

****************

“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”
~ William Shakespeare

Source: Harasha Bafana

November 9, 2016
Who Will Be PAP’s Chosen One – Halimah Yacob Or Abdullah Tarmugi?

Looks like with the new hiatus-triggered model, PAP will be putting in place a mechanism that can effectively put Dr Tan Cheng Bock out of contention for the Elected Presidency.

Why? Because if they implement it with immediate effect, next year’s presidential elections will be about PAP’s chosen Malay ~~puppet~~ candidate. Do you see any Malays from the private sector meeting the eligibility criteria? Yes you know the answer to that.

That leaves us with high-ranking Malay civil servants and Ministers or even the Speaker of Parliament.

But do you know of any high-ranking Malay civil servants? They do not have the profile that other races can be comfortable with.

So in the end, who are we left with?

Halimah Yacob and Abdullah Tarmugi. Between this two, who would you want as your President?

Hammer Blow

[Reader Contribution]

November 9, 2016
Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood: PAP Must Stop Wayang On Elected Presidency

Listening to the news about the proposed amendments to the criteria of a candidate for the elected president has made my kepala pusing.

So complicated and confusing.

Among other things the financial criterion is to be raised to $500 million, effectively ruling out Dr Tan Cheng Bock. And I don’t know of any Malay who can fullfil the criterion besides ex or current PAP office holders. You see how dirty the PAP is. Why can’t they save us lots of time, money and effort by admitting that for self preservation they just want someone whom they can go to bed with?

All the wayang!

After what they saw in the last PE, especially how close and dangerous it would be for them if their chosen horse were to be defeated, a Malay candidate of their choice would surely lose his pants even if he is an ex minister.

Now you see the picture?

Source: Mohamed Jufrie Bin Mahmood

November 9, 2016