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  • Wakaf Philantropher: Syed Mohamed Bin Ahmad Alsagoff

    Wakaf Philantropher: Syed Mohamed Bin Ahmad Alsagoff

    Salaam Friends,

    Wakaf (Islamic endowments) in Singapore are typically properties bequeathed for a charitable purpose by a philanthropist. Our pioneering wakifs such as Syed Sharif Omar Ali Aljunied, Syed Mohamed bin Ahmad Alsagoff and many others left behind significant assets that are still benefiting our community today.

    We will be sharing with you “info bites” of some of these great philanthropists in the upcoming days. We hope you get to learn more about our forefathers and their contributions to our country.

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    Philanthropist #1: Syed Mohamed bin Ahmad Alsagoff
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    Born of royal parentage and a respectable Arab clan, Syed Mohamed bin Ahmad Alsagoff engaged in the export of Straits produce and Malayan tin to Arabia and Europe. From his vast assets, Syed Mohamed bequeathed a portion of his estate to Wakaf SMA Alsagoff.

    Together with other pioneers, he also set up the Muslimin Trust Fund Association (MTFA) in 1904 to look after the welfare of poor and underprivileged Muslims. In his last will just before his death, he had stated that a school be built to teach Islamic knowledge, Arabic language as well as English for the Muslim community. The school, Madrasah Alsagoff Al-Arabiah was later opened in 1912.

     

    Source: MUIS

  • Myanmar Lulus Undang-Undang Rancang Keluarga Etnik Rohingya

    Myanmar Lulus Undang-Undang Rancang Keluarga Etnik Rohingya

    NAYPYIDAW (MYANMAR), Selasa – Etnik muslim Rohingya terus ditekan kumpulan pelampau Buddha dengan terbaru, dihalang menghantar anak ke sekolah, tidak boleh membuat perjalanan di antara kampung ke kampung, dan memulakan perniagaan kecil.

    Kerajaan Myanmar memberi tempoh sehingga 31 Mei ini sebagai tarikh akhir kepada warga Rohingya untuk menyerahkan ‘kad putih’ yang diberi sebelum ini.

    “Tiada pergerakan bermaksud tiada perniagaan, tidak ada peluang untuk kehidupan yang lebih baik, tiada wang.

    “Ia akan menyebabkan keadaan menjadi terdesak dan akan melarikan diri,” kata Shwe Maung, salah seorang daripada dua anggota Parlimen dari etnik Rohingya.

    Etnik minoriti Muslim Rohingya juga berdepan dengan undang-undang perancangan keluarga baru yang telah ditandatangani oleh Presiden Thein Sein beberapa hari yang lalu.

    Undang-undang baru itu menarik kemarahan beberapa kumpulan hak asasi dan aktivis di seluruh dunia.

    “Kami berkongsi kebimbangan bahawa rang undang-undang ini boleh memburukkan lagi perpecahan etnik dan agama,” kata Timbalan Setiausaha Negara Amerika Syarikat, Antony Blin Ken.

    Kekejaman pelampau Buddha terhadap muslim Rohingya semakin teruk sejak akhir-akhir ini sehingga memaksa etnik minoriti itu melarikan diri dengan bot kecil, meminta pertolongan dari negara Asia lain.

    Penghijrahan terdesak di laut itu telah menyebabkan ratusan mati dan beribu-ribu terkandas, menyebabkan satu krisis pelarian paling teruk di dunia dalam beberapa dekad.

    Pelampau Buddha terus menerus menanam kebencian agar memerangi umat Islam Rohingya, yang turut disokong kerajaan kerajaan apartheid Myanmar.

    “Mengapa mereka sanggup lari ke laut dengan bot? Mengapa mereka mengambil risiko mati di laut? Kerana kewujudan mereka (pelampau Buddha), dan masa depan yang buruk,” kata Penny Green, Pengarah Inisiatif Jenayah Antarabangsa dari Queen Mary University of London.

    Rohingya disenaraikan oleh PBB sebagai etnik paling tertindas di dunia.

    Selain berdepan ‘penghapusan etnik’, mereka juga dinafikan hak kewarganegaraan sejak pindaan undang-undang negara itu pada tahun 1982 yang menyebabkan mereka dilabel pendatang haram di negeri sendiri.

    Kerajaan Myanmar dan juga majoriti Buddha enggan mengiktiraf istilah “Rohingya”.

    Antara 2012 dan 2013, serangan Buddha telah mengakibatkan ratusan muslim Rohingya terbunuh dan 140,000 lagi dipindahkan dari rumah mereka.

     

    Source: www.ismaweb.net

  • Jobless Breadwinner With Master’s Degree Wants All EPs To Stop Immediately For PMET Vacancies

    Jobless Breadwinner With Master’s Degree Wants All EPs To Stop Immediately For PMET Vacancies

    Transitioning: First of all, thanks for allowing us to interview you online and can you provide us with some background information about yourself?

    Patrick: I am a Singaporean PMET with many years of IT experience. I have a wife and a two-year-old child.

    We live in our HDB flat and trying hard to have a happy life.

    Growing up in Singapore was much more better times that it is now.

    Looking at how things are now, I am often worried about how it will be when our child grows up.

    I am usually an optimistic person and consider myself quite intelligent and solving problems.

    However, this is one problem that I am quite frustrated about as I can’t seem to find the solution.

    Transitioning: What was  your last occupation and you have told me that you were unemployed for a few months, can you tell us more about this and  also  your job search experience?

    Patrick: My last job was as a permanent employee with an IT MNC where I was in charge of implementing large scale IT projects. However, after my last project was successfully completed, I was retrenched as part of their global restructuring program. They did acknowledge that I was a good performer and that it was not due to my performance but due to the Global restructuring.

    I had put in a lot of effort and time during my project and sacrificed my family time for the sake of the company success. I had been putting in 16-17 hours daily for more than 6 months and sometimes on Saturdays too.

    As a result the project was a success. However, shortly thereafter, I was retrenched.

    Therefore for the first couple of months after my retrenchment, I spent a lot of time with my family to make up for the earlier time lost.

    I started looking with more vigour since January this year and have submitted hundreds of applications for relevant jobs.

    I did have a handful of interviews, but they were all unsuccessful.

    I found that employers themselves aren’t sure of what they want to do. For example, some employers interview, but do not take any action for months or put the position on hold.

    Others have said that they decided to hire/promote internally or the worst is they give absolutely no update at all.

    Transitioning: You have told me that you are currently jobless for more than six months, what did you do in order to survive? Did you also approach the CDC for assistance?

    Patrick: Luckily I have been good at saving all these days, and am now eating into my savings. Hopefully, I can find a job before my savings finish. I have not approached CDC for financial or other help.

    Transitioning: Did you attend any interviews  during the past few  months  and why do you think you are unsuccessful so far?

    Patrick: Yes, I have attended interviews, but as mentioned, the companies themselves aren’t sure what they want to do and end up not selecting any candidate. I have also lowered my expectation to below market standards, and agencies question me why so low.

    I do not think that I am being choosy in terms of salary, location of even workload. However, I do have a strong feeling that employers are spoilt for chose and they are the ones who are being choosy these days.

    I think the basic reason is that employers are being choosy.

    Transitioning: Tell us abit more about what you have learnt from your jobless experience and how it has impacted your family.

    Patrick: Jobless experience is not very good. It does affect the family life and causes unnecessary friction as both husband and wife are worried about the future.

    As the sole breadwinner, I am constantly under pressure to provide for my family and to keep the roof over our head.  It is very frustrating to apply for jobs in Singapore.

    There seems to be nothing much that anyone can do. I have approached many people and seeking help from them. But no luck. My only avenue is job portals and job agents. Both are not much help.

    There are some good points as well to being jobless, in that I get to spend more time with my child and help my wife with the household chores. I also enjoy a little gardening, going to the library to catch up on my reading and sometimes if its not too hot I go to the nearby park to fly my kite.

    Transitioning: What do you think you could have done to shorten the unemployment period?

    Patrick: I have no idea. If i did, I would have done it already and not be unemployed for so long.

    Transitioning: Do you think that Singapore is now a more difficult place to make a living?

    Patrick: Yes, its very difficult for Singaporeans to make a living in Singapore. Its quite ironic that we find it difficult in our own home whereas newcomers seem to have it easier.

    Transitioning: What do you think the government can do to alleviate the current employment situation?

    Patrick: Immediate (should start by July):

    1. Stop issuing all EP’s for PMET jobs immediately.
    2. Enforce a rule that makes it necessary for employers to look at the unemployed Singaporeans first.
    3. Start a database of all unemployed PMET’s in Singapore that the employers can tap on for immediate hire.
    4. For those employers who are looking for a specific skill, WDA can provide free/subsidised training for the candidates who come close to the requirement but missing one or two skills. Employer could also provide OJT for such candidates.
    5. Provide clear & transparent statistics on unemployed PMETs to the general public. The statistics could include things like Age, Gender, Race, Qualification, Duration of Unemployment (1-3months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months >1 year, >2 years). I believe right now if you are unemployed more than 6 months you are considered”retried”. Currently the statistics says that Singapore unemployment rate is 1.9%. I don’t think this takes into consideration people who are jobless for more than 6 months. I feel that the unemployment rate might be much higher. Lets be transparent about how many are really unemployed.

    Long term (should start by Jan 2016):

    What should happen is that employers should have to demonstrate that there is a shortage of the specific skills/PMET in Singapore and so needs to hire from overseas. The EP should only be given after a 3-6 months of exhaustive search locally. Exhaustive mean that they should keep all records of those people they interviewed and have a clearly detailed report on why that person was not suitable.

    Their search should not be limited to job agents and job websites, but they should also work with WDA, MOM etc to find suitable locals. Companies can only apply for EP if such a skill is not found locally (SG/PR). MOM needs to review the report made by the employer and cross check with the candidates, WDA and job agents to ensure the authenticity of the report. During the review if a suitable local candidate is found then the employer will not get an EP approval.

    We should also have an absolute limit to the number of EP’s per year, just like the US does with its H1B. So for example if Singapore adds 50K PMET jobs annually, then only about 10-15K EP’s will be set aside for that year. Once the EP’s finish, no more EP for that year. Try next year!

    Employers need to plan their future needs properly and those who are good planners will not face issues even if they need to wait 6 months for foreign hires/EP. These days, employers tend to be short sighted and not able to plan properly at all. They are too spoilt and need to be reined in by controlling the EP’s! This will also increase the chances of local talent to get employment.

    Transitioning: Many people have blame foreigners for competing jobs with us, what is your view on this?

    Patrick: When I was employed, we used to often invite friends and family over to our home for dinner. These days we have completely stopped as we are trying to cut down on our costs. To me, its the same at the national level. When you have unemployed people in your own home, you should not be inviting others to come in. It’s like you have hungry mouths to feed in your home and you invite outsiders for dinner.

    I don’t blame the foreigners, they are coming in because we let them in/invite them. Its a policy and implementation issue. There is no policy that forces employers to hire locals first (guideline is not a policy/law its just a suggestion, not compulsory); so employers will do whatever they are allowed to in order to maximise their profits.

    We locals are losing out to corporates who just want to save some money. We lose out as we are not protected by our own people.

    Transitioning: Lastly, whats your advice for those who are still jobless and feeling down?

    Patrick: My basic advise is to stay strong, don’t give up. You probably heard this a million times, but its true, its hope that keeps us going. We need to keep the hope. Sometimes we feel like the situation is hopeless, and nothing can be done etc. Every morning I wake up with new hope, that maybe something will happen today. Every evening I go to bed angry and frustrated that nothing happened. But I wake up again next morning and I try something a little different.

    Its like we’re trapped in this maze, in order to get out, we must 1. Not give up. 2. Keep trying different paths. You WILL get out of this mess.

    That what I am hoping for myself and I hope for you too.

    Editor’s note: any employer keen to review Patrick’s resume please let us know by emailing [email protected].

     

    Source: www.transitioning.org

  • HK’s Umbrella Revolution Student Leader Joshua Wong Deported From Malaysia

    HK’s Umbrella Revolution Student Leader Joshua Wong Deported From Malaysia

    KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong was detained by Malaysia’s Immigration officers and subsequently deported shortly after landing at the Penang International Airport today, sources confirmed.

    Richard Chin, a member of the committee in charge of organising a series of talks Wong was scheduled to speak at, confirmed that he was detained and sent back to Hong Kong, but did not disclose any additional information.

    “It’s true,” he said in a brief phone interview with Malay Mail Online, when asked if Wong was detained by immigration and sent home.

    Wong was the face of the “yellow umbrella” revolution in Hong Kong which occupied some of Hong Kong’s busiest streets for 79 days as a means of civil disobedience, calling for electoral reforms.

    At a press conference later this afternoon, Chin explained that Wong had arrived in Penang at 11.55pm but was stopped and told at the immigration counter that he would be deported.

    “The authorities only told him that the government gave orders for him to be deported back to Hong Kong,” Chin said during the media conference at the airport.

    Chin also played a recorded telephone conversation between him and Wong that purportedly transpired as the latter was being escorted to Dragon Air flight KA 634 that departed at 12.55pm.

    In the brief two-minute conversation, Wong can be heard saying that he was being escorted to the flight by several immigration officers.

    “They told me I have to go back, they are dragging me along,” Wong said in the phone call before pausing to yell “don’t use violence, I’m talking to my friend here.”

    “What can I do now? They are quite firm about getting me on the flight back,” he then added.

    Chin then advised him to do as the authorities said for his own safety and that they will keep in contact.

    Chin, who is a member of the organising committee of the forum titled “Uprising of Youth and New Social Activism in Singapore and Hong Kong”, said Wong, together with another youth activist Han Hui Hui, from Singapore were supposed to speak about peaceful activism at the forum here tonight.

    The forum will be held at 8pm at Auditorium A in Komtar today and will also be held in Ipoh tomorrow, in Johor Bahru on Thursday and in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

     

    Source: www.themalaymailonline.com

  • Why Are More And More Singaporeans Complaining About Their DBSS Flats

    Why Are More And More Singaporeans Complaining About Their DBSS Flats

    As you open the door to your brand new DBSS flat, the scent of fresh flowers hits you. You look through the window and see a dazzling meteor shower rain down from the sky. You take a deep breath and step into your new paradise.

    Ha. Yeah right. In real life, one Singaporean couple opened the door to their new DBSS flat only to find the floor covered in faeces. Nice.

    HDB’s DBSS (Design and Build Scheme) allows private developers to build flats to be sold under the banner of HDB. They generally cost more than regular HDB flats, but many people go for them because they’re supposed to be more luxurious.

    However, in the past few months there’ve been a ton of complaints from DBSS purchasers. Here are the most common.

    Flooding

    I’m not sure whether they’re making their pipes out of toilet paper rolls these days, but it seems like there’ve been tons of complaints of flooding lately, the worst reported case being that of thePunggol flat that was covered in crap. Some purchasers of units at the Trivelis in Clementi have also complained about flooding in the common corridors after rain and water seeping into the units, which sounds to us like lousy design. The crappy thing about flooding is that it can also ruin any renovation work that’s been undertaken on the flat.

    When viewing the completed flat, you really want to check for puddles of water / water stains in unusual places ie corners, behind shelvings,  in between floor laminates

    Lousy quality

    DBSS flats are supposed to look a little more glamorous than the average BTO flat. But it seems they’re a lot like goods on Taobao. They look nice in the pictures, but when you see the finished product you realise they used the cheapest quality and shoddiest workmanship they could find. Buyers have complained about rust on their dish racks, glass panels threatening to shatter and scratched floor tiles.

    Be prepared that the materials used may not be of the highest quality, they may look decent but not last very long. Buyers need to be prepared for this.

    Layout issues

    You would think that a private developer would be able to give slightly better design than BTO flats would, right? After all, that’s precisely what people are paying a premium for. However, it seems that some of these private developers have hired designers who are seriously lacking in common sense. From bedrooms with awkwardly placed doors, shower stalls that can’t keep the water inside, kitchen cabinets that, uh, can’t handle the heat and kitchen areas with dimensions too small to accommodate a standard-sized oven, the gaffes are getting more and more ridiculous.

    Buyers should not be complacent about layouts and dimensions, less you be surprised by how the new bed you bought basically cannot fit in the room unless you forgo certain other things…. Like DOORS or wardrobes. Its not just about whether you can squeeze it all in but whether its ergonomic and functional in the long run.

    Not as described

    So you’ve seen the showflat, and it looked pretty. But when you move into your new place, it looks like a lousy imitation. One purchaser at the Trivelis complained that his flat came complete with garishly visible sanitary pipes and water heater, none of which appeared in the pictures. While not quite on the level of the condo purchasers who were befuddled as to where their infinity pool was when they moved into their units, it still sucks when you realise you got suckered by a pretty brochure.

     But then this is something that every buyer needs to be aware of. The brochure is a photoshopped work of art that is not reflective of how things are in reality, most if the time. Water down your expectation from the brochure and you’ll start to be able to see things more objectively.

    Think about lighting and daylight and how it plays a part. When selecting a unit, visualize how installed lighting could help and where the daylight comes in from for most of the day.

    What to do?

    We bet you didn’t read the sale and purchase agreement you signed because it was so thick and boring. But if you had, you would have realised that there’s a one year defects liability period, which means that the developer is obliged to rectify any defects you might find within one year.

    One year starting from when, you might ask? This is where things get tricky. The one year begins from the day you receive the Notice of Vacation Possession (ie. The letter telling you you can come collect your keys). This applies even if you were overseas or otherwise busy and could only collect your keys months weeks or months later. So clearly, the earlier you move in the better, as some defects take time before you discover them.

    Instead of trying to contact the developer on your own, you might want to get the lawyer who’s handling the purchase for you to do so on your behalf. So long as it doesn’t escalate into a big dispute, your lawyer may do this at no extra charge. Be prepared to email your lawyer lots of pictures and a detailed description of the defects.

    The developer is ignoring me. What do I do?

    The defects are supposed to be rectified within one month from the day the developer is notified. If one month has passed, you can actually just notify the developer that you’re going to repair the defect yourself, tell them the estimated cost and then give them 14 days to decide if they want to get their asses moving or not. If they don’t respond, you can technically get your own workmen to rectify the defect and then ask to be reimbursed by the developer.

    Again, if you have a lawyer handling the purchase you might be able to get him or her to write a few fierce letters free of charge, so don’t be afraid to ask.

    Have you ever had to deal with a defective DBSS flat? Share your experiences in the comments!

    Image Credits:
    Soapstar D’lux

    Source: http://blog.moneysmart.sg

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