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Galaxy Trio and Get-Rich-Quick Schemes Are Scams
Credit: Singapore Police Force

Credit: Alfie Romeo, https://www.facebook.com/galaxytrioterbaik

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=251EOwBSvgY

If you see fraud, and you do not call fraud, you are a fraud.

Recently I have noticed a large number of ‘get-rich-quick’ (GRQ) schemes that seem to target the Malay community such as Galaxy Trio.
Galaxy Trio claims that (directly taken from a promoter’s post):

● Not a business, Investment or MLM

● No monthly maintenance
● Low risk
● Highest return
● Safest concept
● Achievable by all
● NO SELLING REQUIRED
● Not a Ponzhi or pyramid Scheme
● A proven platform
● Training and full guidance provided

And that by signing up for this program you can turn your initial investment of $2k into $11k.

These above claims are FALSE. These schemes are merely referral schemes which involve a new member (coughing up S300-$2000) being required to find NEW referrals in order to recoup the initial investment and gain something out of this scheme.

Organisers of such schemes claim it is ‘low risk, high return’. How is it low risk when there is no possible way of refunding the initial investment? How can it be the ‘safest concept’ to making money?

If the deal seems too good, it probably isn’t. Such GRQ schemes show our fellow Malays with ‘fans’ of money in order to attract new members. No advertising on the actual product being sold or even a product list, just flamboyant displays of money fans.

This is perhaps the worst and most unethical form of marketing available: selling hope. These schemes sell the hope of making quick fast money with no downside and that manyfold returns are ‘achievable by all’. Worst of all, these schemes target the Malay community for their scams, with the knowledge that they might be more susceptible to the BS of GRQ schemes.

Credit: Berita Harian SG

MUIS has recently released an irsyad on MLM and the like. I think that the irsyad underplays the nature of such schemes.

I hope this has shed some light on what these schemes actually do and their inequitable nature and pray that members of our community do not get scammed any further.

Read more on Hariz Bastion Junid’s perspective here

Source: Hariz Bastion Junid

EDITOR’S NOTE

More and more readers are writing to Rilek1Corner to share information about the Get-Rich-Quick scams. We thank you for the contribution and we assure you that identities will be kept secret. We were also informed that readers who had openly share their grievances/concerns were harassed and threatened. We urged those affected parties to contact the authorities immediately. If you are uncertain on how to go about doing it, please do contact Rilek1Corner and we will gladly be of assistance to you. Otherwise you can do so by:

You can lodge a complaint with the Department either in writing or in person:

Written Complaint

Complaint in Person

Complaint via Electronic Police Centre

Written Complaint

The complaint letter may be submitted to:

Director
Commercial Affairs Department
391 New Bridge Road #06-701
Police Cantonment Complex Block D
Singapore 088762

The following information should be contained in the report:
- An account of the relevant facts;
- Copies of the relevant documents, if available; and
- Your name, NRIC / passport number, contact number and address.
Complaint in Person

You may appear in person at the above address. To avoid any inconvenience, you are advised to call the Department at 1800-325 0000 (Toll-Free) to make an appointment. Our office hours are as follows:

Monday – Friday (8.30am to 5.30pm)

Complaint via Electronic Police Centre

Alternatively, you may lodge an online complaint via the ePC at the following web-site:

http://www.spf.gov.sg/epc/

In order to lodge an online complaint, your NRIC Number, Date of Birth and Email Address are required.

READ MORE ON GALAXY TRIO AND PONZI/MLM/GRQ RELATED ARTICLES HERE
May 1, 2014
Brunei’s Syariah Penal Code Order Starts 1 May 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYsqIA6vAdI

HIS Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam today announced that the enforcement of phase one of the Syariah Penal Code Order in Brunei will commence with effect from tomorrow, May 1, 2014.

The first phase of the Order covers general offences set by the state, including disrespecting the month of Ramadhan and not performing Friday prayers. General offences are punishable by fines, imprisonment or both.

Corporal punishment such as whipping and amputation of limbs for crimes such as theft will not be enforced until the second phase. The death penalty will come into force in the third phase.

Source: The Brunei Times

May 1, 2014
Rehashing the Hijab Movement in Singapore

NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing.
Credit: Google Images

SINGAPORE, Mar 14 (Campus Eye) – Debates concerning the ban on the hijab for Muslim women wearing uniforms in the civil service continue between the Singapore government and lobbyists, after having been reignited in late 2013.

This issue resurfaced following the creation of the Singapore Hijab Movement, a Facebook group that amassed more than 20,000 likes within weeks of being set up. The group ceased operations on Nov. 14, 2013.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Yaacob Ibrahim, said in a statement released on his Facebook page following closed-door discussions in November 2013 with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that Malay ministers from the People’s Action Party and civil society leaders in the Malay-Muslim community must “manage and balance the diverse needs of our multi-racial and multi-religious society,” and that “accommodation and compromise by all parties” is necessary.

Lobbyists for the cause are dissatisfied with this seemingly ambivalent government response.

One such reaction came from Walid J. Abdullah, a tutor in National University of Singapore (NUS) Political Science department and active participant in the ongoing debate.

“One of the things we are afraid of is dialogue and debate about religion in Singapore. On all sides, there needs to be more openness, more engagement,” he said.

“Have discussions, for example, with the nurses who want to wear the hijab,” Walid added. “Get to know them, get to know what their intentions are.”

This sentiment was echoed by NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing.

Read more here

Written by Sharifah Nursyafiqah

Source: Sharifah Nursyafiqah, Campus Eye NUS, Afiqah Kamel

MORE HIJAB RELATED ARTICLES HERE

April 30, 2014
Chinese Convert Don’t Want to be Labeled as Malay

Google Images

Dear R1C

I am a muallaf. Chinese guy who embraced Christianity when I was in Sec Two. Met the love of my life who is a beautiful Malay woman when I was 28. Embraced Islam wholeheartedly when I was 30 and married my lovely wife. Proud to be a Muslim and appreciate the beauty of Malay culture.

I often come across many Singaporeans who now calls me a Malay. In reality I am still a Chinese. I speak fluent Mandarin. Before I take up Islam, I used to eat pork, I drank alcohol. I gambled like crazy during CNY. Now, I stopped all that already. Islam has brought new meaning to my life and I am much happier now.

BUT…

Oh boy, calling me a Malay, that pisses me off big time. Haven’t they noticed that race and religion are two separate issues? I don’t understand why would people ask me questions like:

“Why do you want to be a Malay?”

“Your family members are still Chinese?”

“You are now a Malaylah, is it?”

“Do you miss pork? Let’s eat bak chor mee now?”

“Must have been terrible for you to fast for a month, right?”

“Really Malay pray 5 times one ah?”

“Do your Islam God accept only Arabic language or you can say prayer in English or Mandarin?”

“Is your boss okay about you going to prayer in many times in a day time?”

“Amazing you can keep a beard when you are Chinese!”

“What happen to your Chinese family line? You have any other siblings to carry on the family name?”

“Do you have to cut kukujiao?”

“So now you have join the rilek clan?”

“How can you eat Malay food high in cholesterol!”

“As long no pork, mean you can eat already lor, right”

#

In Singapore, Malay and Muslims don’t always come in a package. Not all Malays are Muslims. Muslims can be Indian, Chinese, Caucasian, Eurasian, and the list goes on. I noticed many times the local media and even the Malay community themselves often confused the two terms together.

Perhaps it is the lack of education and awareness about race and religion that made them form such distasteful mental picture of Islam and Malays?

Time to clear these misconceptions- starting from the media. Stop using the term ‘Malay-Muslims’.

Joshua Tan aka Syafiq Abdullah

Submit your letters to Rilek1Corner or R1C through our contact form or email us at [email protected].

April 30, 2014
WP New Faces: Firuz Khan and Leon Perera

Credit: Firuz Khan Facebook

SINGAPORE — A former civil servant who became a corporate high-flyer has reportedly joined the ranks of the Workers’ Party (WP).

In what some analysts have described as a tit-for-tat response to the tactics of the People’s Action Party (PAP), Mr Leon Perera was out and about in WP colours under the full glare of the media last Sunday.

Mr Perera, 44, who is chief executive of Spire Research and Consulting, was among party volunteers and members handing out food rations and daily necessities to elderly residents in the Paya Lebar division.

Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao identified Mr Perera and Mr Firuz Khan, 48, who works in the banking and retail industry, as the opposition party’s potential candidates for the next General Election due by January 2017.

In recent weeks, the PAP has exposed to the public eye its potential candidates for the next GE — a move analysts felt was a significant departure from its practice of keeping its cards close to the chest as far as the identities of potential candidates were concerned. Analysts noted that the party had learnt from the 2011 GE that voters need time to familiarise themselves with new candidates.

Unlike Mr Khan, who has been with the WP for several years and was on the council of its youth wing in 2007, Mr Perera is a new face in the WP’s ranks. When contacted, Mr Perera declined to comment. The WP was also tight-lipped about his involvement.

A former assistant head of the Economic Development Board’s Enterprise Development Division, Mr Perera graduated from Oxford University with double first-class honours. He is also an adviser for The Independent news website and vice-president on the board of the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics. Last Sunday, Mr Perera was photographed by Lianhe Zaobao beside WP’s Aljunied GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Chen Show Mao.

Political analysts previously noted that the PAP was taking a leaf out of the WP’s book by having potential candidates work the ground early. Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said the opposition party is now, in turn, responding to the PAP as well.

“The WP realises that they need to also demonstrate a sense of urgency and informally introduce their potential candidates early,” said Associate Professor Tan, who is also a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP). Agreeing, former NMP Siew Kum Hong said the WP was “following PAP’s playbook”.

Assoc Prof Tan, who was Mr Perera’s classmate in junior college, said he was not surprised to learn of the latter’s political involvement. Adding that it was a natural transition for Mr Perera as an activist, he said: “Leon has always been politically conscious and has very strong ideas about government and politics in Singapore.”

So far, five potential PAP candidates have been identified. Most recently, corporate lawyer Amrin Amin, 35, was described last Saturday to reporters by Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education and Manpower) Hawazi Daipi — who is also an MP for Sembawang GRC — as “someone who has the potential to be a candidate”.

Mr Perera is the latest in the line of former civil servants who have joined the opposition. Others include husband-and-wife pair Tony Tan and Hazel Poa, who are with the National Solidarity Party.

Mr Siew said: “It’s just a natural state of things as politics in Singapore normalises. You are going to see good candidates going to both sides.”

Source: TODAYOnline, Firuz Khan

April 30, 2014