Rilek1Corner

Category: Sosial

  • Zulfikar Shariff: Should Malays Accommodate Other Communities, Or Should We Assimilate?

    Zulfikar Shariff: Should Malays Accommodate Other Communities, Or Should We Assimilate?

    A few years ago, I had a discussion with an Australian expert on history and politics in the Malay world.

    He asked me what I thought about racial relations among the Chinese and the indigenous communities in Malaysia and Indonesia.

    Specifically, he asked whether the Chinese in Malaysia is happier than those in Indonesia.

    While in Malaysia, the Chinese community is able to run their own schools, media, religious institutions, political associations and parties and maintain their identity, in Indonesia they had to fully assimilate, give up their Chinese names, culture and at times even their religion.

    He argued that it appears the Chinese community that has largely assimilated and become part of Indonesian society is happier and better adjusted than those that are given their rights and ability to maintain their identity in Malaysia.

    While the claim need to be tested, it does indicate how the Malays could have demanded full assimilation for better race relations among the communities.

    Instead, they try to accommodate other communities, even if some of them may not appreciate the accommodation

     

    Source: Zulfikar Shariff

  • Warga Singapura Ditahan Di Batam Dek Pakai Baju Lambang Tukul Dan Sabit

    Warga Singapura Ditahan Di Batam Dek Pakai Baju Lambang Tukul Dan Sabit

    Seorang warga Singapura yang memakai baju dengan lambang tukul besi dan sabit semasa berlibur di Batam, ditahan dan disoal siasat, menurut Jakarta Post.

    Lambang tukul besi dan sabit itu mirip lambang parti komunis, dan dilarang di Indonesia.

    Pelancong itu, Azri Zulfarhan Kamsin, 29 tahun, memakai baju merah dengan lambang tersebut ketika bersiar-siar di Mega Mall Batam Centre kelmarin (30 Apr), lapor Merdeka.com. Beliau ke Batam untuk beriadah sempena cuti hujung minggu bersama anak dan isterinya.

    Menurut Merdeka.com, Encik Azri sempat makan di pusat beli-belah tersebut, namun bajunya itu menarik perhatian ramai.

    Beliau ditahan oleh para pegawai Komand Tentera Bandar Batam dan dibawa ke sebuah bilik soal siasat, lapor Jakarta Post.

    Encik Azri memberitahu para pegawai bahawa beliau tidak tahu lambang tukul besi dan sabit dilarang di Indonesia.

    “Itu oleh-oleh dari saudara saya yang berkunjung ke Vietnam,” katanya seperti ditukil Merdeka.com. Setelah memberikan penjelasan tersebut, Encik Azri dibebaskan pada hari yang sama.

    Namun, Encik Azri diarahkan menanggalkan baju itu dan memakai baju lain. Merdeka.com melaporkan, baju merah tersebut dirampas oleh para pegawai untuk dijadikan bukti.

    Belum pasti bagaimana Encik Azri dibenarkan melepasi pemeriksaan imigresen di Batam – adakah beliau ketika itu memakai baju dengan lambang tukul besi dan sabit tersebut atau memakai baju lain.

    Seorang pegawai Komand Tentera Bandar Batam, Baziduhu Zebua, memberitahu Jakarta Post: “Lambang komunis itu yang menjadi masalahnya. Ia mungkin bukan satu masalah di Singapura, tetapi sepatutnya dia menghormati adat kami di sini di mana komunisme diharamkan. Ini sebabnya para pegawai memeriksanya dan mengarahkannya supaya menanggalkan bajunya.”

    Source: Berita Mediacorp

  • PrimaDeli Incident Highlights Insidiousness Of Institutional Racism

    PrimaDeli Incident Highlights Insidiousness Of Institutional Racism

    PrimaDeli’s sacking of an employee should not be seen as a resolution to what seems to be an unfortunate one-off incident of racism (“PrimaDeli sacks staff for making racist remarks during job interview”; April 29). Rather, the incident should spur deeper thinking of the insidious ways of institutional racism.

    In this incident, the racist remarks were not made by any employee, but the head of the baking department who is in a position of power to hire, dismiss and promote employees in the department. It is troubling when the few people in power who execute or have influence on company policies are prejudiced.

    This raises certain questions on the company’s internal practices and management.

    Does PrimaDeli send its people managers for training in setting up inclusive practices and preventing racial discrimination in the workplace? Is Mandarin the dominant language used in the workplace, which can potentially alienate other racial minorities? Is there proper racial representation in senior positions, and are there specific avenues for racial minorities to provide feedback on certain racial blind spots in the running of the company?

    To be sure, institutional racism does not only come from prejudices held by people in power, but also from the dynamics of global capitalism.

    The job applicant in this case, Ms Sarah Carmariah, said she was also asked if she could speak Mandarin because that is the language that most of the workers speak.

    As a way of keeping costs low, many companies produce bread and cakes in central kitchens staffed by foreign nationals from China or Malaysia who speak mainly in Mandarin.

    This is not the fault of any company; it is what many companies must do in order to survive in a competitive, saturated food industry.

    But it does not change the fact that many racial minorities are institutionally disadvantaged in getting a job because they cannot speak in the dominant language that most of the foreign staff speak in.

    Even if they are hired, it can be difficult for them to get promoted to management positions considering how the language barrier may hamper them from forming meaningful relationships with fellow workers.

    It is time we begin the uncomfortable conversation on the various modes of implicit racism that exist within our industries, instead of dismissing this as yet another incident about the moral failings of an individual person.

     

    Source: TODAY Online

  • Projek #GreenUmmah Teknik Baru Sampaikan Dakwah

    Projek #GreenUmmah Teknik Baru Sampaikan Dakwah

    Menggunakan teknik baru dan terkini dalam menyampaikan dakwah.

    Demikian pendekatan Masjid Mujahidin menerusi projek terbarunya, #GreenUmmah.

    Penerbitan sebuah video cara berwuduk yang mesra alam akan dilancarkannya sempena Ramadan nanti.

    Laporan tentang paras air di kolam simpanan Linggiu yang semakin susut, mencetuskan ilham Jabatan Dakwah Masjid Mujahidin untuk mencernakan projek #GreenUmmah.

    Matlamatnya untuk meningkatkan kesedaran bukan sahaja jemaah masjid tetapi umat Islam secara umumnya supaya melindungi alam sekitar.

    “Dapat membuat masjid memainkan peranan yang lebih, bukan sahaja sebagai tempat mencari ketenangan, meningkatkan kerohanian dan sebagai pusat pengajian Islam, malah ia juga satu pusat pembangunan sosial, pendidikan dan juga tempat untuk menyokong dan berkongsi nilai positif, seperti kesedaran dalam penjagaan alam sekitar,” Pengurus Khidmat dan Hubungan Korporat Masjid Mujahidin, Rohainizah Adnan memberitahu BERITAMediacorp.

    SUTRADARA FILEM SUMBANG KREATIVITI SECARA SUKARELA

    Sutradara yang pernah memenangi beberapa anugerah, Sanif Olek secara sukarela menyumbang kepakaran dan kreativiti dalam menghasilkan video pendek untuk menggalak penjimatan air sewaktu berwuduk.

    “Saya rasa apa yang buat video ini menarik adalah pertama mesejnya dan yang kedua sekali adalah cara penggambarannya yang berbeza daripada apa yang kita lihat sebelum ini,” kata Encik Sanif.

    Menurut kajian Masjid Mujahidin, jika seorang Muslim mengubah kebiasaan dan membuka air paip dengan tidak begitu deras, beliau dapat menjimatkan sekurang-kurangnya 10 liter air setiap kali berwuduk.

    Ini bermakna, 50 liter air dapat dijimatkan dalam sehari, bagi solat lima waktu.

    “Mengambil kira kita mempunyai sekitar 5,000 hingga 7,000 jemaah dalam seminggu, ini bermakna jika kita dapat kerjasama semua pihak, ia dapat membantu kami menjimatkan sekitar 250,000 liter air, hanya dalam jangka masa seminggu sahaja,” ujar Cik Rohainizah.

    MELENTUR BULUH BIAR DARI REBUNGNYA

    Usaha mengurangkan pembuangan sampah juga menjadi sebahagian usaha kempen #GreenUmmah.

    Pada tahun 2014, seorang penduduk sahaja membuang purata 1,370 kilogram sampah, dengan kertas dan plastik dicatat sebagai lima sampah yang terbanyak dibuang.

    Lantaran itu, Masjid Mujahidin menggalak usaha kitar semula dengan menyediakan tong tersebut di kawasan masjid.

    “Melentur buluh, biar dari rebungnya”, maka itu, usaha mesra alam di masjid ini melibatkan juga murid-murid prasekolahnya serta golongan belia.

    “Menggunakan lelaman sosial seperti Facebook, Instagram dan juga Twitter. Di sini, para belia dapat informasi yang terkini tentang projek ini dan juga boleh menggunakan #GreenUmmah sekiranya mereka ada idea yang baik seperti bagaimana cara untuk menjimat air atau elektrik,” kata Eksekutif Pendidikan Madrasah dan Belia Masjid Mujahidin Hafiz Jabbar kepada BERITAMediacorp.

    Walaupun akan dilancarkan sempena Ramadan, Masjid Mujahidin sudah mula membangkitkan kesedaran seawal mungkin tentang Projek #GreenUmmah.

    Source: Berita Mediacorp

  • 26 Year Old Mother Of Two Young Children: Please Help My Family!

    26 Year Old Mother Of Two Young Children: Please Help My Family!

    Hi Gilbert,

    I hope this email find you well.

    This is the first time I’m writing to you.

    I am a 26 years old lady with 2 kids age 3 and 1.

    My husband is a freelance driver. Recently, we moved in to our new flat in Punggol.

    There are both infant and childcare services available under my flat.

    However, most childcare facility requires deposit + full month school fees in order to enrolled them in.

    Due to this, I only managed to enrol my elder daughter at the childcare. While I have to leave my full time job and take care of my younger daughter.

    Since we have move in to a new flat, we do not have extra monies for installing the window grill and kitchen top. We  move in few months ago and we mainly pack food everyday.

    The food in Punggol is extremely expensive.

    A pack of fried rice can cost as much as $5.50. I really hope to seek your advice so I can set up my kitchen top to settle our meals. I do not wish to let my kids to eat outside food for long.

    I am really worry that this will affect their health.

    Beside that, I hope to have my window grill up asap due to the safety of my growing up kids.

    Hope to seek for your advice soon.

    Regards,

    Worried

    Editor’s note: If you can assist the young couple, please let us know especially if you can provide low-cost window grilles to the struggling couple. Its a 4-room BTO flat.

     

    Source: www.transitioning.org