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Youth Radicalisation: Where Does It Stem From?

Youth radicalisation. The subject is once against in the news, especially after the arrest of two Singaporean teenagers.

It is worrying, to say the least. And what’s more distressing are the comments that accompany some of these reports. As a young Muslim, it is unsettling to read comments that condemned the religion as a whole. Even though they were few and far between, there were comments that hinted at Islamic education being one of the catalysts for the radicalisation of youths.

As someone who has spent most of her formative years studying at an Islamic Institute in Pakistan, this hit a nerve.
Let me elaborate. I gained admission to an Islamic Institute when I was just thirteen. I left for Pakistan after a year as a secondary school student in Singapore. The main reason why I decided to pursue my education in that particular institute was because I wanted to learn more about my culture and embrace a sense of spirituality. And this was with my parents’ blessing and support.

The next four years were a whirlwind of adventure.

Everything seemed so new and unique compared to what I was accustomed to in urban Singapore. The sights, sounds and smells were a positive assault on my senses. Well, mostly positive. (I found out quite quickly that I couldn’t get my fix of fast food as often as I would have liked.)
Adapting to a totally different culture and environment was definitely challenging but I was relieved to discover that one aspect of life remained the same. Here I mean the people and their company.

I had a preconceived notion that the biggest difficulty for me would be making friends with my classmates, as they would come from different walks of life. What a misconception that turned out to be. We mostly got along like a house on fire. The fact that we came from various backgrounds and cultures did not make a difference at all.

Throughout the four years that I spent there, I forged many friendships that last till this day. My friends have all moved on after graduating and some of them have even started families of their own. I guess the point I am trying to make here is that from my experience, studying at an Islamic institution or having an Islamic education does not automatically or invariably lead to radicalisation.

However, it would be an act of denial to say that youth radicalisation is not becoming a pressing issue. The recent case of two Singaporean youths who were radicalised by ISIS and arrested, with one detained for planning terrorist attacks and only recently released, proves that this is indeed a case for national security concern. The primary question on people’s minds is this: How do young people get radicalised?

The first avenue is through the Internet. Youths are increasingly exposed to various forms of online platforms such as social media, blogs, forums, YouTube videos and websites in general. Terrorist groups reach out to impressionable minds by seducing them into believing that their brand of ideology is right, and violence for the cause is therefore justified. Moreover, cyberspace also exposes young people to like-minded communities, as was the case with one of the teenagers who was arrested. Also, the promise of salvation may strike a chord with certain youths who are not familiar with the actual teachings of Islam.

So how do we combat youth radicalisation?

The Ministry of Home Affairs has articulated the following: “Religious institutions and teachers have an important role to play in engaging young Singaporeans when they have questions on religious matters, and steering them in the right direction.”

I agree with this wholeheartedly as young people should be taught to tell the difference between the actual teachings of Islam and the false promises that terrorist groups make.

Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), formed in April 2013, is an example of such a group whose primary aim is “countering the ideological misunderstanding of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members through counselling.

Their centre has five zones. Each zone elaborates on a different point like how extremists have distorted the meaning of Islam to advocate violence and the ways the RRG counters that. It also talks about how Singapore has been affected and the importance of promoting a vigilant society and expressing our commitment to peace.

Support and supervision from family and close friends make a huge difference as well in protecting these youths from the dangers of radicalisation.

Finally, I would like to say that when harrowing issues such as youth radicalisation are brought to the fore, the first course of action should be to protect the youths from further entrapment and provide them with all the assistance they need to free themselves from the web of radicalisation — instead of making assumptions about the religion itself.

Source: http://inconvenientquestions.sg

July 5, 2015
7 Things Your Muslim Husband Won’t Tell You
What’s Going Through Your Muslim Husband’s Mind?

Ever wish you could read your husband’s mind? Western culture encourages husbands and wives to talk to each other and discuss things.

However, in many Muslim cultures, men are raised to be stoic and tight-lipped. Muslim husbands are very often (not always) reluctant to talk about certain things with their wives.

Part of the problem is also that sometimes it is hard to actually formulate our thoughts into the right words.

The only thing more difficult than translating thoughts to words is translatingfeelings to words.

So, a lot of Muslim men and women go through their marriages with very little communication and never really knowing what the other person is thinking.

This quick list is for the Muslim sisters in my audience. This list will give you good idea of some of the things your husband thinks about, but just doesn’t know how, or want, to tell you.

1. Above All, He Desires Your Respect

I spoke about this in my article “Love or Respect: Which Do You Prefer?”.

In this article, I explained that women want to know their husbands love them, and men want to know their wives respect them.

It’s important that Muslim women understand the value of respect for men, especially Muslim men. In Islam, men are taught from a young age that they are supposed to be the bread-winners and caretakers of their families.

You can imagine how frustrating it would be for a man, who tries his best to care for his family, to be married to a woman who doesn’t respect him. She may declare that she loves him, but without her respect, he will quickly fall out of love with her.

This idea is put forward in the Quran where Allah says:

Men are in charge of women by what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband’s] absence what Allah would have them guard.

Chapter 4, Verse 34

If you fear there is a problem in your marriage sisters, I would suggest you start here.

2. He Desires Your Loyalty

This goes hand in hand with respect.

There’s nothing that will ruin a marriage quicker than the idea that your spouse is not loyal. The idea, that he or she is not going to stick by you.

I’m not talking about infidelity. This is what usually comes to mind when people talk about loyalty in a marriage.

What I’m talking about is knowing that the person whom you’ve chosen to spend the rest of your life with is going to be there for you when you really need them.

Most men won’t admit it, but we do need women. And we do need your support.

And it’s very troubling to be married to a woman who may not be around when the going gets tough.

If you are constantly threatening divorce or separation or Khula (Islamic divorce initiated by the wife), you can expect your marriage to fizzle out very quickly.

Your husband needs to know that you’re going to be by his side if:
- He loses his job and the money gets tight.
- He tries to do something (like start a business or go back to school) but fails at it.
- His reputation is tarnished or his honor is attacked.
You should be loyal to your husband before everything else except Allah and His Messenger (pbuh).

If you’re loyal to your husband, than rest assured he’ll be loyal to you.

3. He Wants To Have Sex More Often

Let’s get this right out into the open.

Some women might think men are narrow-minded brutes for this, but it’s the truth.

Men desire sex. Men really desire sex.

So when you give him the following excuses:
- “I’ve got a headache.”
- “I’m not feeling good.”
- “Can’t it wait till the weekend? I’m really not in the mood.”
Know that your husband is going to go to sleep a little upset with you, even if he doesn’t show it.

And do this often enough, he’s going to start resenting you. And that resentment will build up and may lead to him being unnecessarily mean to you or losing some love.

Please keep the following hadith in mind:

When a man calls his wife to his bed, and she does not respond and he (the husband) spends the night angry with her, the angels curse her until morning.

Bukhari and Muslim.

Something to think about.

4. He Thinks About Other Women

Okay, first of all, calm down. Don’t unsubscribe from my mailing list just yet. Let me explain this.

All men think about other women.

It doesn’t mean he’s going to cheat on you.

It doesn’t mean he’s thinking about taking a second wife.

It doesn’t mean he’s fantasizing about another woman.

It just means that all (straight) men do, at some point in their lives, consider having another woman (i.e. wife).

You’re better off coming to terms with this and accepting it than having false, purile notions about men.

The best way to combat these thoughts are to apply the advice given in the first three secrets:
- Respect him.
- Be loyal to him.
- Give him physical love when he wants it.
Does this mean he’ll never take a second wife if you do these three things? Of course not.

But it will raise your value in his mind relative to other woman and he’ll be all the more reluctant to look for those three things (respect, loyalty, and sex) elsewhere.

5. He Wants To Make You Happy

Why do you think men work so hard to make money?

Why do you think men are willing to leave their jobs and risk starting a business?

Why do you think men like buying women gifts?

Because deep down, we really just want to make you happy.

Sometimes we screw it up and forget our anniversary. But we really would prefer to remember because we know it would make you happy.

So when your husband buys you a gift, accept it, rejoice over it, thank him profusely, and use it as often as possible.

If he buys you some jewelry, wear it.

If he buys you a new smartphone, use it.

If he buys you a car, drive it.

And don’t be so quick to nag him about the things he doesn’t do right. Because then he’ll start feeling that you don’t respect (there’s that word again) the things he does do for you.

6. If You Nudge Him, He Can Be A Better Muslim

Nobody’s perfect.

Perhaps your husband isn’t a Muslim scholar. Perhaps he’s not the best Muslim in the world.

You can nudge him to make him better. But you can’t force him.

Do little things to get him to improve his Islam.
- Offer to wake him up for Salaatul Fajr.
- Encourage him to make Salaah at the Masjid.
- Tell him how much nicer he’d look if he grew his beard.
This takes deliberate words, a soft touch, and careful action. No one likes to be preached to.

But if you do this right, you’ll be getting a double reward:

The reward that comes with living with a righteous husband. And the reward in the next life for encouraging your husband to the truth.

Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.

Chapter 103, Verse 3

7. He Loves You, Even If He Doesn’t Always Show It

I know, this one may be kinda hard to swallow. But it’s true (usually).

Men are just not that good at showing emotion (unless we’re talking sports or politics).

We don’t tell our wives “I love you” often enough.

We’re not perfect. And constantly comparing us to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ain’t helping.

Of course, we are supposed to emulate him (pbuh) as much as we can. And for most of us, we are doing the best we can.

But we just can’t treat you the same way he (pbuh) treated his wives. Similarly, it’s unfair for men to expect their wives to behave like Aisha (RA) and his other wives (RA) did.

Just because your husband doesn’t treat you in the way (you think) the Prophet (pbuh) treated his wives, doesn’t mean your husband doesn’t love you.

It just means he’s human.

It is very important that you understand this.
- If he’s doing his best to take care of you.
- If he doesn’t abuse you or sleep around.
- If he sincerely tries to solve your problems and helps you in the best way he can.
Then chances are he loves you. A lot.

Now move from in front of the television and go make me a sandwich.

JUST KIDDING!

Source: https://islamicreflections1.wordpress.com
July 5, 2015
44 Year Old MOE-Trained Teacher Terminated By Employer Without Assistance From TAFEP/MOM

Dear Gilbert

I am grateful to Richard for providing the linkage. I went to your website – was very touched by the people you helped.

I am 44, a trained former MOE teacher. I have since taught in X and a few other private schools.

I have stayed in a private school, ABC International teaching mainly PRC students for about four years.

Later I moved on to XYZ School thinking it was much the same since it is also a private school.

There, I faced lots of problems with the HOD of English who felt threatened by the fact that I was also NIE-trained and experienced like herself.

Many of the older staff were untrained or foreign-trained.

Since then she has made life very difficult for me and has criticized me unfairly.

Things came to a head when they ‘terminated’ my two-year contract in February this year and I was served with a three-month notice.

I attempted to seek redress with TAFEP and MOM but they told me that employers generally had a right to terminate when they see fit.

I accepted my ‘fate’ and ventured out by applying to lots of many other different positions.

I was sending in at least 20 applications via Jobstreet, JobsDB, Indeed.com, Jobsbank.

I am fortunate to be offered a full-time position at an enrichment centre teaching creative writing and I also fill in the other hours during the day with relief teaching as well as teaching classes at night.

I know that I should be grateful and I am.

However I would like to seek a full-time position that offers me regular hours as this enrichment centre requires me to work full day on Sat and Sun and that’s eating up my family time as I have two young kids.

I am attaching my resume for your kind perusal.

I am an active job seeker and I would always use the internet to search actively. I understand that it is a numbers’ game out there for job seekers.

A few days’ back my husband was also served with a one-month notice at his workplace.

I am also helping him to apply for different jobs. He is in Logistics/Supply Chain and Shipping. I attach his resume as well.

I am so grateful for your kind assistance in this matter.

Sincerely

Jennifer

Editor’s note: we will keep a look out for suitable jobs for the writer.

Source: www.transitioning.org

July 5, 2015
Singapore Botanic Gardens A UNESCO World Heritage Site

BONN, Germany: The Singapore Botanic Gardens is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after it was inscribed at the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee in Bonn, Germany on Saturday (July 4).

The decision was met with cheers from a jubilant Singapore delegation, led by Culture, Community and Youth Minister, Lawrence Wong. Others in the Singapore delegation included chief executive of the National Heritage Board Rosa Daniel and CEO of the National Parks Board, Kenneth Er.

In his thank you speech, Mr Wong said he was “deeply honoured” to have the Singapore Botanic Gardens inscribed as the nation’s first World Heritage Site. He added: “This is a very humbling experience … and I thank the Chairperson and all the members of the World Heritage Committee for the unanimous and wholehearted endorsement of the recommendation.”

“A great Jubilee year gift to Singaporeans,” said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his Facebook page. “The Gardens played an important part in making Singapore a Garden City. Besides supplying shrubs and trees for our parks and roadsides, the Gardens also trained horticulturalists in the school of ornamental horticulture.”

Mr Lee congratulated the National Heritage Board, NParks, and Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth which had worked hard for the successful inscription.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens has made it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site! A great Jubilee year gift to Singaporeans….

Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday, July 4, 2015

The 156-year-old Singapore attraction joins more than 1,000 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in some 160 countries. It is the third Botanic Gardens to be listed as a World Heritage Site, after Kew Gardens in England and the Padua Gardens in Italy and Singapore’s first World Heritage Site.

Singapore’s bid was the fifth to be discussed on Saturday, after China, Iran, Mongolia and South Korea.

The inscription comes almost five years after a feasibility study by the authorities found that the Botanic Gardens was Singapore’s best candidate to achieve UNESCO World Heritage status.

Singapore officially submitted the Gardens’ nomination dossier to UNESCO in January last year.

Last September, a technical assessor from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) visited the Gardens. In May, ICOMOS recommended the Gardens to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, saying it was an “exceptional example of a British tropical colonial botanic garden in Southeast Asia”.

Still, the final decision lay with the 21-member UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Before he left for Bonn, Minister Wong said he was optimistic about the bid, and said the World Heritage status would strengthen conservation efforts at the Gardens.

The Botanic Gardens spans 74-hectares and includes the National Orchid Garden which has over 1,000 orchird species and 2,000 hybrids on display.

Nestled in the heart of Singapore, the Botanic Gardens is the only English-style garden in the tropics. It was also the site where crops were developed for commercial use in Singapore and the region.

Dr Nigel Taylor, director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, said: “The trial of various crops, including rubber, was done behind closed doors. Nowadays, we can go into these areas of the Gardens and see ancient trees that are part of the plants tested for their timber or latex or other properties, and realise that these remnants of this once great economic garden are actually a testimony to the economic survival of the region.”

It was once home to a host of animals, including a sloth bear, emus and a leopard.

The Gardens is also home to Burkill Hall, a colonial house which was built almost 150 years ago. “It’s an example of a very rare architectural form, possibly the last surviving example anywhere of what we call the Anglo-Malay plantation-style house,” Dr Taylor said.

Next to Burkill Hall lies one of the Gardens’ most popular sites – the National Orchid Garden. It was officially opened in 1995 and home to thousands of orchid species including 2,000 hybrid orchids, which are also Singapore’s goodwill ambassadors.

More than 200 orchid hybrids are named after celebrities such as Jackie Chan, and foreign dignitaries such as Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher.

Beyond heritage, the Gardens is also a place that has been intricately woven into Singapore’s social fabric. On weekends, friends and families enjoy a stroll at the Gardens, or watch musical performances at the Symphony Lake – a long-standing tradition that dates back to 1861.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

July 5, 2015
Postings By Han Hui Hui Shows That Roy Ngerng Wanted To Aggravate Libel (For Asylum)

So the 3 day drama in the High Court ended today with Roy Ngerng doing what he does best, misleading and being insincere in offering his apology. Senior Counsel Davinder Singh underlined this, as this Channel News Asia report shows:

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/roy-ngerng-has-not-been/1958428.html

To quote SC Singh:

“As you were incurring these expenses and filing fees, you were aware that if you continued to aggravate the injury, there was a risk that the damages could be increased,” the Drew & Napier lawyer said. “The sensible thing to do was to stop aggravating.”

“He is continuing to attack the plaintiff (Mr Lee) for improper motives,” he told the court.

Roy had no qualms in misleading the public to donate to his ‘legal fund, yet in the end he blew all of that, not only gallivanting around the world’ but even taking funds from foreign sources. Only to come to court to again say ‘he’s sorry and had no intent to defame.’ In the end what did that $110,000 from 1200 donors achieve when he discharged his latest lawyer, George Hwang last week and defended himself with Ms Han Hui Hui appointed as his ‘co-counsel?’ Under misleading remarks of fighting for people’s CPF return, he took $110,000 which could have helped many of those very CPF members with debts or in dire need of them. He could have settled the matter very early on by agreeing to the demands in the letter and apologising unreservedly. He would have walked away with a ‘moral victory,’ made the PM to look like a big bully and then continued to fight for the people without a need to waste $110,000. In doing so, he now has made crowd-funding for those who really need it more difficult. Take a look at his advice to Amos Yee, who also crowd-funded $20,000, which also wasn’t required as his lawyers were doing his case pro-bono.

Senior Counsel Davinder methodically and systematically ripped Roy’s arguments to shreds proving time and again his deceit – saying 1 thing and doing another.

Simply put, Roy has no qualms in blowing away money and teaching others likewise on how to obtain it with misleading remarks and not coming clean. Some people ask me why I continue to attack him and the rest of the Looney Fringe – well this is why – lying and being untruthful. Until then, I was a fellow supporter – I was encouraging him and Ms Han, thinking they were doing it for selfless reasons – fighting for a cause, being true activists. It all changed when I found the ulterior motives and I first raised the alarm in this blog post on him seeking asylum.

Until today Han Hui Hui and Roy Ngerng are asking money from the public, if not from their personal pages then via their Empowering Singaporeans FB page. Both are working in tandem and in concert to deceive the public that they are ‘fighting for them,’ yet both have no qualms in going abroad and telling lies to their selected audiences. They want fame at all costs, yet do not work, do not go out to help the needy, rather chose to play ‘victim’ at every stage. Heaven forbid if they are elected – they’ll squander all the public funds they get their hands on and blame somebody else for it.

I was a bit lazy then to upload the Facebook messages between me and Ms Han, but now that the case is over in court, let me share them. Since then I’ve been proven right each and every time, the words and actions by them have shown them to be what they truly are – opportunists with misguided notions of self importance. Note these are not words by a casual observer – it’s by Ms Han, Roy’s very own right hand ‘woman.’ Her actions are done with his blessings and in concert with him. And so here they are in sequence:

1) Me chiding HHH for upping the ante with postings on her FB page.

2) HHH claiming it was Roy who asked to up the ante.

3) Buttressing the PM’s case of making the slander worse by aggravating it.

4) She claims that this is what Roy, Leong and Ravi wants.

5) At that point of time, I was under the impression that his lawyer M Ravi was behind this too. I later found out (and confirmed by SC Singh) that Ravi was in the dark about all of this.

6) She voluntarily mentions asylum the 1st time. I wasn’t taking it seriously then and made a joke about it.

7) All this transpired before the Monday deadline, the earlier conversation took place on Saturday May 24th 2014. Thinking Roy was being badly advised, even by M Ravi, I volunteered to go meet him at Ravi’s office on Monday.

8) Then on Monday May 26th, SC Davinder sent a fresh notice rejecting Roy’s supposed ‘apology’ after it was revealed he not only made a new video but disseminated it (and the blog post he was to take down) to lots of people at home and abroad (as stated in the CNA article above). I was angry at those actions and told Ms Han off. She responded by stating again voluntarily – he was doing this for asylum.

9) This time I took it more seriously and probed further and she explained:

So there you have it – from the mouth of Roy’s best pal and confidant – his true intentions. Now before you say she’s making this up, do consider that at that point of time, we were friends – I genuinely believed that Roy and her were fighting for justice, they were passionate about the CPF issue, a bit misguided but their hearts were in the right place. Then this bombshell – all this was just a mere gimmick, telling the public and supporters 1 thing but doing another.

Of course since then Ms Han has either blocked me or closed this account in the hope it won’t come to light. Furthermore it shows here as Facebook user – so was it really her or me making this up? Fortunately I did a screenshot of this conversation where her name is shown. Here’s 2 examples:

Proof from Points 6 & 7 above that it was Ms Han Hui Hui and no one else who volunteered this information on the motives of Roy Ngerng to aggravate the libel.

Conclusion.

So Roy can go and deny in court and especially to his foreign supporters that he is being bullied and tormented. He can lie to hard-core opposition supporters that he’s being up front and truthful, but he cannot run away from the fact that his very own ‘co-counsel’ and best friend ‘let the cat out of the bag,’ that all he did was with an ulterior motive. He never had the interests at the people at heart as he claims even suggesting that he writes nothing but the truth in his blog – The Heart Truths. Rather his actions and flip flopping show a different side. He tells a different thing to each of his preferred audiences and conveniently blocks or ignores hard questions about his motives and actions.

In fact we needn’t go so far, at that point in time he had 1 of the best human rights lawyers around, M Ravi, to defend him. Why didn’t he just leave it to Ravi to handle Davinder Singh and the PM? Surely that’s the most logical thing to do when you face a letter of demand and potential lawsuit – leave it to your lawyers. Why do things without consulting him first? Why do things behind his back? Ravi would have complied with the terms laid out by Davinder and worded an apology to the PM’s liking and the matter would have been resolved there and then! He would walk away with a moral victory and could have continued to fight for the people he claims he wants to fight for. But that was never the case was it? No it was all about him and his self interests. It was to gain monies from unsuspecting followers. He’s no hero, he’s just a liar trying to trick unsuspecting people into believing he fights for them and wants to be rewarded with fame and money for his exploits, and possibly asylum. Of course he was too dumb to realise that no country would offer him asylum, so he tries to make himself the consummate victim, in the hope it’ll pay off eventually. And that’s why I termed him ‘The Looney Fringe.’ Anyway let me end with this warning I gave Ms Han then – again I was proven right.

Source: http://anyhowhantam.blogspot.sg

July 5, 2015