Blog

Anti And Pro LGBT Activists Can Co-Exist In Singapore

So gay activists are not very happy about IKEA’s decision to continue promoting Pastor Lawrence Khong’s magic. They are throwing tantrums like pampered kids in an indoor playground, because their parents can afford $20 for them to get out of the sun. I agree with IKEA’s decision, because what do you expect Pastor Lawrence Khong to be?

He’s a Christian pastor and the bible explicitly frowns upon gay/lesbian relationship. He is merely doing his duty as a soldier of God to warn his flock and others (whoever wants to listen) about the dangers of same-sex relationship according to the Bible. The pastor even has gay dancers in his magic show but I am sure he has quiet word with them, urging them to stop doing it the wrong way.

We even have a prominent gay Muslim playright/author/poet lecturing IKEA how to conduct their business, like as if he has ran a big MNC himself. He even tells IKEA not to get involve with “contentious and controversial” people like Lawrence Khong. Pot calling the kettle black I would say, because that term isn’t far off when used to describe the very person who wrote it. Don’t get me wrong. As a Muslim, I am not a fan of Lawrence Khong. He can be quite an attention-seeker with his leather gear and annoying self-righteous statements. If you remember, he even tried to sack a heavily pregnant FCBC staff and refuse her fair compensation because the baby was borne out of an extra-marital affair. Most of all, I am definitely not a fan of prosperity gospel and their proselytizing methods because one does not simply join a religion to get rich.

But, at the same time I do not violently reject Lawrence Khong, nor do I try to block his every initiative online by trying a fit on social media, because he is free to carry out his activities within certain rules of our democratic society. If one day, IKEA was to promote a musical or a play written by a gay/lesbian, should the conservative Christians likewise attack them on social media? Let’s be more mature, civil and not resort to cyber militancy. Lawrence Khong and the gay activists can both co-exist in Singapore. They should both have the space to espouse their ideas. If you don’t agree with any of them, it wouldn’t hurt if you would just turn away.

SS

April 23, 2015
SR Nathan: A Survivor During The Japanese Occupation

When the Memorial to the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupation (“The Cenotaph”) was spray painted with graffiti, many were howling and baying for blood about the sacrilege of the war dead. Some of those outraged may be blissfully unaware of two living individuals who used to cosy up to the Japanese occupiers of World War II.

One answered an advertisement in the Synonan Shimbun and went to work for the Japanese propaganda department called theHodobu. His job, deciphering intercepted cables from Reuters, UP, AP, Central News Agency of China and TASS, may have contributed to the capture, torture and death of many a freedom fighter. One of the editors, George Takemura, was pal enough to drop in in the evening and give him a packet of Japanese cigarettes from his own rations.(“The Singapore Story”, pg 63,64)

The other met his Jap buddy by helping him to buy fish and vegetable at the market. Soon he became errant boy of second lieutenant “Amaya-san” for pineapples and papayas (no mangoes, this was way before Michael Palmer’s time). Amaya’s boss, lieutenant Kokubu, treated him to miso soup and Japanese pickles. He even helped them build the Bakri memorial for Japense soldiers who died fighting there, the last major stand of British and Allied troops. Before long he was made an inspector in the Japanese police department, who hunted down the Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA).

No wonder, after the Japs were finally kicked out, and he was looking for a new job, one Major McLean made clear he disapproved of the fact he was an interpreter during the Occupation and accused him of being a collaborator. McLean explained that the MPAJA had fought side-by-side with the British, fought many running battles against the Japanese throughout the Occupation. In SR Nathan’s mind, the MPAJA were the bad guys, and the Japs the nice fellows. Worse, he told McLean he would carry a gun for the Eskimo rather than carry anything for the British.

*Extracted from “An Unexpected Journey, Path To The Presidency”, SR Nathan, page 122)

Source: http://singaporedesk.blogspot.sg/

April 23, 2015
SR Nathan Recovering Following Stroke

Former President of Singapore S R Nathan suffered a stroke on Apr 14, his family said in a statement on Wednesday (Apr 22).

The statement reads as follows: “Former President S R Nathan suffered a stroke last Tuesday 14 April and was admitted to hospital. He is recovering and is now undergoing therapy.”

Mr Nathan, 90, is now recovering at the Singapore General Hospital.

On Wednesday evening, Dr Tony Tan shared on Facebook that he and his wife “were both very concerned” when they learnt that Mr Nathan was warded last Tuesday for “haemorrhage in the brain”.

“We are relieved that his condition has since stabilised. When we visited him at the hospital earlier this week, we were happy to see that he was in good spirits and looking forward to being discharged,” he added. “We wish Mr Nathan a speedy and full recovery and the very best of health.”

Mr Nathan was the sixth and longest-serving President in Singapore, and was in office for two terms from 1999 to 2011. He officially stepped down as President on Aug 31, 2011 after announcing that he would not seek a third term in office. He was succeeded by President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

After stepping down as President, Mr Nathan took up appointments as Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and at the Singapore Management University’s School of Social Sciences.

Prior to becoming President, he held key positions in the civil service, in security, intelligence and foreign affairs. He was appointed as Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia in 1988 and later Singapore’s Ambassador to the United States of America from 1990 to 1996.

He also served as Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large, and later pro-chancellor of the National University of Singapore.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

April 23, 2015
Confessions Of A Minah Tudung: Disappointed At The Script For Beer Chugging Antics On Stage, Sadder That Muslim Friend Cheered Them On

Admin jangan marah saya nak luahkan perasaan sikit.

Tak tenteram fikiran saya. Satu malam tak boleh tidur dibuatnya.

Semalam, saya dan another four of my girlfriends pergi tengok concert The Script at the Indoor Stadium. Kita dah lama kenal each other…sejak dari madrasah dulu. We all buat lain pekerjaan sekarang. Satu masih lagi studying in private uni – lets just call her M.

Kita semua love sangat dengan The Script. They are a mature band and their songs are full of meaning. No contest between them and One Direction.

Tapi yesterday our patience betul kena test. Kata concert start at 8pm tapi the show start lambat. Kita tunggu punya tunggu punya tunggu, tak start jugak. I rasa the concert only eventually started around 930pm gitu. Apa tak darah up?! Tapi kita sabar jugak. Amazingly, other people pun sabar jugak and were having fun among themselves.

Only later they explained ada technical problem dengan he big screen. Hai.

Tapi tu bukan the worst part.

Yang buat kita uncomfortable and disappointed ni, one-third through the show, they stopped to interact with the fans.

Kalau interact je tak kisah lah kan…Tapi the singer, Danny (O’Donoghue), and the guitarist, Mark (Sheehan), ada macam drink-off competition. Diorang minum beer on stage one after another and urge the crowd cheer them on as they try to drink a whole bottle of beer without stopping. Subhanallah.

People around us semua started to cheer and encourage them like it was the most fun thing to do.

Me and my friends tak kena gaya because kita were very uncomfortable by their drinking. What they dd in their personal life is their choice. Tapi kalau they do it at a concert macam gini, it makes Muslimahs like me think twice about attending another concert, even though we love, love, love their music.

Yang lebih mengelirukan, si M pun dengan ghairahnya pun ikut sama cheer diorang minum beer. Awkward sey…I coud feel the may stares we were getting from being this mostly-hijab clad group with another Malay girl boisterously cheering the drink-off.

Tak tau lah if we’ll ever go to another concert again. Even if The Script comes back.

But what’s bugging me now is, how do we tell M that kita tak senang dengan perangai dia?

S is for The Script

April 22, 2015
Going To A Concert In Malaysia? Be Prepared For Separate Seating And No Raunchy Dancing

Attending a concert in Malaysia? Be prepared to sit separately from your friends of the opposite sex and refrain from excessive laughter.

The latest entertainment guidelines by the Department of Islamic Development for concert organizers include ensuring artists who plan to perform in the country have no criminal record and that they sport hairstyles and attire that won’t leave anyone confused about their gender. Singers can forget about raunchy dance moves and comedians about making jokes on serious topics.

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s party has brought in policies to shore up support with itsMalay Muslim base since the ruling coalition’s worst-ever showing in the 2013 election. Rising Islamization in Malaysia is creating friction between those calling for stricter adherence to the religion in the Muslim-majority nation and others who want greater tolerance in a country with a sizable Chinese and Indian minority.

“Race and religion traditionally are convenient tools” in politics, said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. “There is a vocal minority who are occupying positions of influence who are opportunistically inciting” divisive policies, he said.

Muslims make up more than 60 percent of Malaysia’s 30 million population. The Department of Islamic Development, known as Jakim, is a division within the prime minister’s office.

Guidelines, Not Law

Islamic authorities in recent months have criticized young female Muslim fans of South Korean pop stars for kissing or hugging the singers during concerts, calling it public indecency. They’ve also investigated a social activist who organized a dog touching event for Muslims.

The entertainment guidelines are not the law and are instead a point of reference, the Star newspaper reported Monday, citing Othman Mustapha, director-general of Jakim. He commented after Jakim was criticized for the guidelines, which were set out in a 16-pagereport on its website.

“We do not want to curtail any events, we just want to do what’s best for the people,” Othman was reported as saying. “The guidelines are meant to help the entertainment industry as there are more Muslim fans in it now.”

Islam is recognized as the official religion of Malaysia, which Najib describes as a “moderate” Islamic state, and non-Muslims have the right to choose and practice their faith.

Kesha, Beyonce

“Malaysia is a multi-racial, multicultural and multi-religious” country, said Chew Mei Fun, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development and also vice president of the Malaysian Chinese Association. “Any public policy which will restrict movements or alter the normative lifestyle of non-Muslims is unfeasible for Malaysia.”

Malaysia has previously asked foreign performers to cover up or face a ban. In October 2013, singer Kesha’s concert was canceled, BBC reported, while in 2006 the local organizers of a Pussycat Dolls concert were fined for breaking decency laws.

In 2009, Beyonce Knowles canceled her planned concert for a second time after conservative Muslims criticized the pop star for her raunchy stage clothes. In 2004, singer Mariah Carey agreed to dress less provocatively in order for her concert to go ahead, wearing a shirt and jeans throughout her “Charmbracelet” show as a protest.

Rising Intolerance

Signs of rising religious intolerance include Malaysia’s top court in January dismissing a final bid by the Catholic church to use the word “Allah” in its newspaper. Last month, members of Najib’s party joined an opposition Islamic party in supporting a law that punishes adulterers with death and thieves with amputation in the state of Kelantan.

About 50 people in a township near the capital of Kuala Lumpur protested against the placement of a cross on the facade of a building housing a new church, the Star reported Sunday. The protesters said the sight of the cross may sway Muslim youths in the area, and the church later agreed to remove it, the paper said.

Muslim leaders were among those who defended the church’s right to place a cross on the building, and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Monday the protesters may be charged under the country’s sedition laws for stirring religious tensions, the paper said in separate reports.

Malaysians should exercise tolerance and mutual respect with people of different races and religions, and abide by principles that are enshrined in the constitution, Najib said in a statement Tuesday after a discussion of the protest during a cabinet meeting. The police are investigating, he said.

There are signs of greater Islamization in other Southeast Asian nations too.

In Indonesia, a regulation supported by Islamic groups came into effect this month that prohibited the sale of beer at convenience stores and other small shops in the world’s fourth-most populous country.

Source: www.bloomberg.com

April 22, 2015