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Lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam Apologised For Contempt Of Court

Eugene Thuraisingam, the 41-year-old lawyer who represented the late Muhammad Ridzuan Md Ali, has apologised to the court and the public yesterday for contempt of court.

Muhammad Ridzuan, 31, was a heroin trafficker and hanged on 19 May at Changi Prison, and following his demise, Thuraisingam has posted on his Facebook page that insinuated that the ministers, judges and lawyers have, because of financial gain, turned a blind eye to what he deemed as “cruel and unjust” death penalty laws.

On Monday, Thuraisingam, who is an outspoken critic of the death penalty, wrote on Facebook that he unconditionally apologised for making the statements and unequivocally withdrew them.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

June 6, 2017
Hazrul Azhar Jamari: Malays In Businesses Have To Overcome Plenty Of Racial Biases

There are many startups that do no have any Malay founders. Some of them are my friends. Had a colleague once whom I managed and reported to me. They happen to be 2 Chinese guys who start a really cool startup. They attract attention, VCs, and it’s not that difficult to raise simply because of the privilege they possess.

There are some startups that are founded by Indian guys. I had an intern once. Brilliant chap. Went on to found his startup with other Indian dudes. They’re pretty successful.

And here we are. Malay chaps. Didn’t go to any of the big schools. Just trying to make it big in this world. We outdid ourselves last year. We have very limited resources. We started out much later in life because we have responsibilities at home. We never got to be on 30 people under 30. We’re all over 30, married and have a lot of responsibilities today. We have a mortgage. We have our health issues. We have our families to take care of. We have our colleague’s families to provide for. We don’t have privilege. We never started on an equal footing.

But when it comes to running a company, the amount of bias we get is just astounding. It’s no longer shocking. Team dynamics they say. As if one’s skin colour makes a difference.

It is a little bit like Primary 6. Football is often a Malay dominated sport. This time, there were 3 Chinese players that joined the school team. Football is a team sport. Every one played their part. I don’t remember my 3 Chinese school mates scoring in that final, but every player’s job was equal. That was a team because no one was big headed. That’s why we won the final that day and the entire P6 cohort witnessed a piece of school history. But lo and behold, the next day, my Chinese principal, singled out the 3 Chinese players in front of the whole school. No, he did not ask the entire team to stand before the school. Just these 3 Chinese players. For making the school proud. For winning a Football final that apparently 8 other players on the field weren’t as responsible for.

It’s really funny how for a community that detests the racial quota, it doesn’t seem to be a problem when a team filled with the other has to open up a spot to make that team, acceptable, for them to support.

How about if that spot becomes available, the right person with the right credentials get in? Irrespective of race. How about we actually live by our nation’s values for once? Support us irrespective of race. How about that?

Against the backdrop of all the racial issues that have cropped up recently, it’s really funny how this sounds so familiar. But we cannot let ourselves feel sensitised with all this. Not anymore. We must change because it needs to. We cannot accept it just because that’s the way it is.

This is a team. We will win. Against all odds. By God we will.

Bismillah.

Source: Hazrul Azhar Jamari

June 6, 2017
A Young Mother’s Lament: Malay Parents Must Be Fair, Treat Daughters And Sons Equally

My apologies if you feel that I’m talking about you but I’m not so please refrain from negative feelings.

I honestly, am sick and tired of our Malay parents whom are gender biased.
(I say ours cuz majority are doing this to their children and I hate it. I hate it to the bones.)

Yes, I dare say it cuz I’ve a son now, and it totally opened my eyes and mind as well, as to how badly our girls are treated in families where there are mixed gender siblings.

The sons are treated well and parents give them face and MANJA them too much.
The son is placed on a pedestal and feels like a KING no matter what he does.

Don’t talk about religion to me cuz I know damn well what a son is supposed to do in the family.

You give so much to your son, treat him like he’s a freaking prince, yet your daughter is treated like a freaking maid having to be responsible for paying the bills, clean the house & whatever else they are supposed to do.

You let your son escape his responsibilities and act like a hooligan, yet you condemn your own daughters when they make a slight mistake?

You mollycoddle him til he can manipulate your freaking mind, until one day he starts to be so rude to you but you don’t have the heart to piss him off cuz you’re scared, then when it’s too late, end up your daughter has to clean up his crap?

So when you, as a parent, pass on, have you equipped your son with the preparations of your death?
Does he know what needs to be done?

Or is everything supposed to be settled by your daughter AGAIN.

Yes, you can manja and give alot of support for your son.
YES, he will be the Imam for the family and other very important duties of which I do not wish to mention.

But please remember that you have other daughters whom are in need of your attention and love.

Please don’t forget that they have feelings, too.

Respect your daughters.
Be firm with your son or sons and raise them to respect women.
Don’t let them learn to manipulate and have control over women JUST because of their gender and status.

Don’t EVER let them abuse their authority as husbands and fathers.

I am nursing my son as I type this down.

It saddens me to hear tons of stories about selfish sons and abusive sons..

Also, daughters being neglected cuz they’re just..
Daughters.

Had enough of this crap.

Really.

Just..stop it, please.

Source: Siti Nur Aisyah

June 6, 2017
Group of 130 Imams Condemn London Bridge Attacks, Refuse To Perform Funeral Rites

A group of 130 imams and religious leaders have refused to perform the traditional Islamic funeral prayer for the London Bridge attackers.

The leaders said they would not carry out the ritual that is normally performed for every Muslim, regardless of their actions.

In a statement on social media, the group said: “Consequently, and in light of other such ethical principles which are quintessential to Islam, we will not perform the traditional Islamic funeral prayer over the perpetrators and we also urge fellow imams and religious authorities to withdraw such a privilege.

The statement added: “This is because such indefensible actions are completely at odds with the lofty teachings of Islam.”

Religious leaders of all backgrounds have condemned the attack which killed seven and injured 47 on Saturday evening when three men rammed a rental van into pedestrians then randomly stabbed revellers in bars and restaurants near Borough Market.

A panel of speakers at the East London Mosque said they would work to combat extremists’ “twisted narrative and their perversion” of religion.

Source: www.independent.co.uk

June 6, 2017
Mohd Khair: Don’t Forget Essence Of Iftar, Iftar With Non-Muslims Is Encouraged, Halal Food Is A Must

“Potluck Iftar”

Someone shared this photo in one of the comments to a posting on my wall.

We certainly applaud the move to encourage neighbourliness in the month of Ramadhan among residents regardless of race, language or religion to have dinner together, which in this case was done in conjunction with Iftar by Muslims neighbours.

Nevertheless, there is a need to also recognise that Iftar is not just dinner, ordinarily.

Iftar is the time when Muslims break their fast. And Muslims who fast, break their whole-day fasting with only halal foods.

Having a potluck Iftar event is acceptable. In fact it is very much encouraged in Islam to share foods with others, what more during Iftar.

However, the inclusion of non-halal foods in the Iftar could have been an oversight on the part of the event organisers. Appropriate advice should have been given earlier.

Iftar is not just another dinner. Iftar has its special meaning to Muslims, and there is decorum associated with that special meaning.

And decorum associated with certain terms is nothings new. There is decorum in the way the National Flag is to be handled, for example.

The National Flag is not just a piece of cloth having red and white colours with a crescent and 5 stars on it. There is a Statute governing conduct with regards to the National Flag [See SINGAPORE ARMS AND FLAG AND NATIONAL ANTHEM ACT (CHAPTER 296, SECTION 2) and SINGAPORE ARMS AND FLAG AND NATIONAL ANTHEM RULES].

Hence, just like the National Flag, there are certain decorum that needs to be accorded to Iftar too. And one of them is the provisioning of halal foods.

Non-Muslims are free to join in Iftar with Muslims. We see that happening in Singapore at many Iftar events organised by Mosques and other Muslim organisations throughout Ramadhan. Nevertheless, since it is an Iftar event, decorum for the event should also be observed. Halal foods should be presented to all in any Iftar event because Iftar is for Muslims to break their fast. Non-Muslims are always welcomed to join in the Iftar, where only halal foods are served.

Perhaps more needs to be done to help our non-Muslim neigbours understand the meaning of Iftar, and the associated decorum that needs to be observed when Iftar is organised as part of neighbourliness for all to come together regardless of race, language or religion.

Ramadhan Mubarak

Source: Mohd Khair

June 6, 2017