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MUIS To Disburse $1.74 Million To Poor And Needy In Ramadan

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) will disburse about S$1.74 million to the poor and needy this Ramadan. The sum is a 20 per cent increase compared to last year, MUIS announced on Friday (Jun 26).

A total of S$1.28 million will be disbursed to 12,624 recipients, and S$448,600 for programmes in Ramadan for zakat-receiving families as well as gift hampers for Hari Raya celebrations.

MUIS said it has been able to offer the Ramadan bonus to more recipients as there is an increase in families and individuals who qualify for financial assistance from the revision of the 2014 Per Capita Income qualification criteria review.

Chief Executive of MUIS Hj Abdul Razak Maricar said that each recipient will receive between S$100 and S$200, depending on family size.

“MUIS also extends the Ramadan bonus to Muslim residents of 27 children homes and homes for the aged. This Ramadan disbursement is also used to fund mosque support programmes for the poor and needy throughout this month.”

This year’s Ramadan bonus will be paid out from Jul 7.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

June 27, 2015
23 SCDF Officers Face Varying Punishment For Wrecking Dorm

Nine regulars and 14 National Service full-time (NSF) officers will face varying punishments for their involvement in an incident where Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers were captured in two video clips thrashing a dormitory.

In a media release today (June 26), the SCDF said its investigations showed that these officers were attending a Section Commander course when they were found to be misbehaving and damaging property in a dormitory at the Civil Defence Academy on April 24.

The two short video clips, which attracted much criticism from members of the public after they were widely circulated on social media, show a trashed dormitory where SCDF personnel sporting close-cropped hair were flouting rules, such as smoking.

According to the SCDF, the nine regulars, which are facing Civil Service disciplinary actions, are liable for punishments ranging from letter of warning to dismissal, depending on their extent of involvement in the incident.

The 14 NSFs, who have been charged under the Civil Defence Act, are liable for punishments ranging from a fine to detention and demotion.

Another five SCDF regular officers with supervisory roles in the course “are facing disciplinary actions with a view to letters of warning or advice”, it added.

The SCDF said it deeply regrets the misconduct of its officers and takes a very serious view of it.

“Such behaviour does not reflect the culture and discipline expected of all SCDF officers. We expect all SCDF officers, whether regular officers, NSFs or NSmen, to demonstrate exemplary personal and professional conduct in line with our core values of Pride and Care,” it said.

Source: www.todayonline.com

June 27, 2015
Hazel Poa Appointed Acting Sec-Gen Of The National Solidarity Party

Ms Hazel Poa has been appointed as the Acting Secretary-General of the National Solidary Party (NSP), following a meeting by the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) on Thursday (Jun 25).

In a statement on Friday, NSP President Sebastian Teo said the decision was made not to appoint a new Secretary General “in view of the need to focus on preparations for the next General Election”.

“The CEC felt this would not be an appropriate time to call for a Party Congress to elect a new Secretary-General,” Mr Teo said.

In the meantime, Ms Poa will carry out the duties of the Secretary General. She held the role from 2011 till September 2013 before resigning, citing health concerns.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

June 27, 2015
Saudi Arabia Rubbishes Calls For Gay Rights

JEDDAH: There would be no rights granted to gay people in the Kingdom, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

In a post on its Twitter account, the ministry stated that it supports human rights principles proposed by international bodies as long as they are in line with Islamic law. It also slammed those questioning the Kingdom’s rights record.

It said that freedom of expression does not mean demeaning the beliefs of Muslims; and condemned those who continue to ridicule the Prophet, peace be upon him.

The ministry said it rejected terrorism and urged united international action to tackle all forms of extremism because these ideas violate the teachings of the world’s religions.

There has recently been intense debate on Twitter about gay rights in Saudi Arabia. One blogger said “all religions reject this perversion which is why God created man and woman.”

On Monday in Geneva at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, Faisal bin Hasan Trad, the Kingdom’s permanent representative to the UN, said Saudi Arabia would not tolerate criticism of its human rights record, and that it rejected a proposal to grant rights to gays.

Trad said the Kingdom was one of the first countries to support the UN human rights charters, in accordance with Islamic law. Trad said that even though the Kingdom had made its position clear, some were attempting to portray the country in a bad light.

He accused those behind the reports of double standard, of professing to respect the sovereignty, culture and beliefs of other people, but doing the exact opposite on public platforms.

Trad said the calls for the country to recognize gay rights, to change certain Islamic laws, and criticism of the nation’s judiciary, was “flagrant interference in its internal affairs, and absolutely unacceptable.”

Trad said the Kingdom also condemns those continually attacking Islam and the character of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, under the pretext of freedom of expression, or as a reaction to the terrorist acts of groups that claim falsely to represent Islam.

He said it was not acceptable for people to insult the beliefs of more than 1.5 billion people. Islam stood for peaceful coexistence with others, rejected chaos, and attempts to divide people, he said.

Source:www.arabnews.com

June 27, 2015
Malaysian Muslims Seem To Have Very Weak Faith

I have been fasting in full every Ramadan for many years now and I admit, I do feel hungry and thirsty during the day and it isn’t totally comfortable all of the time.

But of course, like anything you do, if you put your mind to it and persevere, it eventually stops being a problem.

You get used to fasting and it actually makes your body feel good. But I won’t be talking here about the benefits of fasting on your health and well being.

What I do want to talk about is the fact that there are so many weak Muslims in Malaysia who can’t take fasting. I’m usually not one to judge, but well, this time I am going to!

We have a teacher in a school who asks his non-Muslim students to go to the toilet to drink during Ramadan, just so Muslim students won’t see them drinking.

It is ridiculous how some school canteens are instructed to close during the fasting month because it would mean non-Muslim students eating in view of Muslim students.

This issue of non-Muslims having to go out of their way, in the name of being respectful to those who are fasting, crops up every time Ramadan comes around.

I don’t understand how this is respect. All I can conclude from this is that some Malaysian Muslims are just too weak, and when they see someone drink water, their will to fast disappears.

I have many non-Muslim friends and I accompany them for lunch or even just for a drink at the mamak, even when I’m fasting, just so we can hang out and have a chat.

I see them eat and drink but I don’t get tempted. Sometimes, they tease me too and pretend to order for me a glass of teh ais and we all have a good laugh. But I still fast. No problems.

This fasting month, although only a week has gone by, I’ve even been accompanying my wife for lunch at restaurants whenever we are out and about.

She is in the final trimester of her second pregnancy and she needs the food and nutrition. So she doesn’t fast. We sit and chat as she has her meal and I still fast. No problems.

I’m not trying to say that I’m a perfect Muslim here. No way. I am far from that. What I am trying to say is that some Malaysian Muslims need to take a step back and look at their faith.

Fasting is an‘ibadah’and it is suppose to be challenging (although not torture!). And aren’t challenges suppose to make your faith and fast count for even more?

So technically, Malaysian Muslims should welcome people to eat and drink in front of them, and then resist, so they can collect more‘pahala’, right? Funny, isn’t it?

But no. Malaysian Muslims are just too weak. They fast but they can’t take it when they catch a glimpse of someone eating or drinking. Their faith starts to waver.

They can’t even take it when when non-Muslims use the word ‘Allah’ because they start getting confused and all with their own faith. Malaysian Muslims. What a weak bunch they are.

Source: http://english.astroawani.com

June 27, 2015