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Imam Shafie: For The Little Ones

Carrying a cardboard box, 42-year-old Mohd Shafie Mohd Hanapiah made his way to a room in the Pusara Aman Mosque at Lim Chu Kang Road.

When he entered the room, Shafie placed the box on a table and carefully took out its contents, laying them out in front of him on a stainless steel slab.

The box contained four foetuses and a few other surgical remains which he collected earlier from Changi General Hospital.

After reciting a quick prayer, Shafie began to carefully wash each foetus and each of the surgical remains. A sombre mood hung over the room.

Shafie said that he treats the foetuses as if they were his own.

“Sometimes when we do our duty and cleanse the foetuses, I will talk to them and say that they are like my children,” he said.

Working with an assistant, Shafie proceeded to carry out the necessary Islamic rites before shrouding the foetuses and surgical remains, then putting them back into the cardboard box to transport for burial later.

As an Imam with the Singapore Muslim Casket (SMC), it is Shafie’s responsibility to cleanse, shroud and bury unclaimed foetuses and surgical remains in accordance with Islamic ritual.

“It is wajib (compulsory) in Islam to wash, shroud and bury the foetuses. We cannot just dispose of them anyhow,” said Shafie.

Unclaimed bodies handled by SMC and MTFA

Working together with the Muslimin Trust Fund Association (MTFA), the SMC handles the burial of miscarried and aborted foetuses, surgical remains and unclaimed Muslim bodies in Singapore.

MTFA pays for the burial services for the burial of unclaimed Muslims bodies who have passed away in Singapore, as well as those whose next-of-kin are unable to pay for the burial rites. The services also include burying foetuses and surgical remains.

MTFA said the number of burials that includes unclaimed bodies, surgical remains and unclaimed foetuses varies from month to month.

In 2015, the association buried 27 bodies, 239 foetuses and 489 surgical remains. The number of foetuses rose by 15 per cent to 239 in 2015 after declining in the previous two years.

Unmarked graves

A former Company Sergeant Major with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Shafie has been preparing the foetuses, bodies and surgical remains for burial for the past 28 years. He started volunteering to cleanse and shroud Muslim bodies when he was 14.

The bachelor sees it as his responsibility to ensure that the unclaimed bodies, especially foetuses, are given proper burials.

“According to Muslim laws, even a small part of the body needs to be buried. We cannot just anyhow put the remains (foetus or body parts) at any plot of land. It has to be buried in a cemetery,” explained Shafie.

Shafie takes about 40 minutes to cleanse and shroud each foetus before they are brought to an unmarked piece of land at Lim Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery for burial.

Each plot is divided into two parts, and up to 20 foetuses are buried in each part, he said. At the cemetery, another quick prayer is recited after the foetuses and remains are buried.

There are no tombstones to mark the area.

Despite doing this job for almost 30 years, Shafie admits that burying a foetus is always heartbreaking.

“The feeling of sadness is there. We do have feelings for it (the foetuses) and it is not an easy task to do but we still have to proceed with it,” he said with tears welling up in his eyes.

Source: Yahoo News

July 19, 2016
‘Tipah Tertipu’, Suamiku Rupa-Rupanya Wanita!

Siapa yang akan menyangka suami yang sah dinikahi rupa-rupanya seorang wanita.

Namun itulah hakikat pahit yang terpaksa ditelan seorang wanita dari Boyolali, Jawa Tengah, lapor laman Jakarta Post.

Wanita yang dikenali sebagai Heniyati, 25 tahun, hanya mengetahui identiti sebenar suaminya, Efendi Saputra, 40 tahun, setelah tiga bulan meniti kehidupan sebagai pasangan suami isteri.

“Dia (Efendi) memalsukan semua dokumen untuk perkahwinan itu. Dia merubah nama dan jantina daripada wanita kepada lelaki. Keluarga saya dan saya sudah ditipu. Kami berasa malu,” kata ahli keluarga terdekat Heniyati seperti dilaporkan Jakarta Post.

Pasangan itu bertemu pada hujung tahun 2015 dan sepanjang pertemuan itu Efendi, atau nama sebenarnya Suwarti, mendakwa bahawa dirinya merupakan seorang anggota polis.

Heniyati mempercayainya kerana paras rupa Efendi persis perwatakan seorang anggota polis.

Setelah bercinta selama enam bulan kedua-duanya memutuskan untuk melangsungkan pernikahan.

Namun, setelah berkahwin, Heniyati mula mencurigai suaminya memandangkan dia enggan melaksanakan tanggungjawab sebagai suami dan menjalinkan hubungan intim.

Lantas, Heniyati cuba mencari maklumat mengenai suaminya, sehingga beliau membongkar dompet Efendi dan mendapati kad pengenalannya tertera nama seorang wanita bernama Suwarti.

Heniyati bersama keluarganya kemudian membuat aduan polis, menurut.

Menurut Jakarta Post lagi, Ketua Polis Boyolali, Agung Suyono mengesahkan aduan yang dibuat dan Efendi sudahpun ditahan untuk siasatan lanjut.

“Siasatan awal mendapati Suwarti memalsukan semua dokumen peribadinya untuk urusan lesen perkahwinannya,” kata Encik Agung.

“Kami masih menyoal beliau untuk mengetahui tujuan perbuatannya itu,” tambah beliau sambil menambah bahawa Suwarti akan didakwa atas kesalahan penipuan dan pemalsuan dokumen.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

July 18, 2016
Damanhuri Abas: The Turkey Failed Coup Exposes Western Hypocrisy On Democracy

The failed coup in Turkey exposes again (but conveniently ignored in mainstream discourse) western hypocrisy. It can be deduced from western mainstream media as the coup unfolds, their inclination to see Erdogan go. Shamelessly discarding their mantra of the defender of democracy. They were probably hoping that like Morsi in Egypt, to just let another of this ‘Islamist’ disappear ‘into the night’ quietly.

By the Grace of God, the people of Turkey unlike the Arabs in Egypt, stood together as one united people in denouncing the Military (most probably western backed) coup. Even the so-called secularist had the integrity to see through the game being played and stood by the democracy they believed in where differing opinions are discussed and debated and where disagreements do not mean hatred for each other.

This coup also exposes the conniving hypocrites in the ranks and file of state institutions in Turkey who instead of addressing grievances through the ballot box, had the audacity to resort to non-constitutional means to overthrow an elected government.

There is a lesson in all this for everyone who shout so much about rule of law, that when it comes to their own interest/preference (even in Singapore), they are likewise guilty of fanning this hypocrisy by rooting the illegal coup ‘quietly’ wishing for the overthrow of Erdogan. When will we grow up to behave like mature adults to debate and discuss and differ too but respect the rule of law to ensure justice for all within the democratic process. Or are we in truth only pretentious and not so civilized after all.

Integrity is the true test of character and sadly in the aborted coup event in Turkey, in our instinctive response, exposes our severe lack of it. Failure in our collective consistency to always follow agreed rule of law (local or international) but instead flip-flopping shamelessly, has led to the mess in the middle east when western powers since the time of colonization until today, deemed it their strange privilege to decide leaders of countries justified by their own self-interest ignoring the wishes of the indigenous population.

We will continue to allow this injustices on earth through our selective conscience so long as we choose to look the other way when our comfort zone, our people, our religion, our heritage, our civilization, our guy is doing the bad thing.

Instead we who claimed to be educated, modern and the so-called proud believers in democracy must raise our collective voices in praise of the success of the people of Turkey in fighting back and defying rogue elements of the Turkish military with their lives. In truth, the Turks in the streets of Ankara and Istanbul last Friday are fore runners in moving humanity forward in the spirit of defending civilization than all of us put together.

Walk the Talk people!!!!

Source: Damanhuri Abas

July 18, 2016
Family Upset About Caterer’s No-Show For Hari Raya Eve Dinner

Lontong, rendang, and sambal prawns – that was what she was looking forward to serving her extended family at a special meal on July 5, the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

But the food, which cost her $600, did not appear on the dining table.

Ms Darniyati Majid, 46, is among several customers of a catering company who claim they did not receive what they ordered and also did not get refunds.

Attempts by The New Paper to contact the owners of the company several times last week were unsuccessful.

A search with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) shows that the business is still listed as a live company.

Ms Darniyati, a quality inspector, said: “My mother is not feeling well, so I wanted to order a feast for her to host 30 to 40 family members visiting on Hari Raya eve.”

On July 4, a day before the delivery, she sent a Facebook message to the company to confirm the delivery timing, but there was no reply.

Ms Darniyati said she was “so worried I could not sleep” so on the morning of July 5, she contacted another catering company to order food for the dinner. It cost her $300.

Later that day, someone from the catering company sent her a message via Facebook, promising to refund her for the non-delivery, but she did not get a refund.

On July 6, she made a police report. A police spokesman told TNP a report was lodged and investigations were ongoing.

Another customer, graphic designer Zara Samsudin, 37, had ordered iftar (breaking of fast) meals for the entire duration of the fasting month.

From June 7 to June 24, the orders were fulfilled, but from June 27, she stopped receiving any food.

Ms Zara said: “The owner messaged me to say that her cook had been injured (due to an incident involving) hot oil.”

She said the company gave her a full refund of $145 on July 5.

Other customers have not been as lucky.

At least four people, who posted messages online complaining about the caterer, told TNP they did not receive their orders and refunds. They said they could not reach the owners after Hari Raya.

The amounts owed are between $69 and $149, according to their claims.

One of them, housewife Sheree Deen, 28, said: “The owner keeping quiet would not assuage our worries.”

When reporters visited the owner’s flat in Woodlands last week, he was not in. A woman at the flat, who declined to be named, said the catering business had closed down the week before.

PAGE TAKEN DOWN

The company’s Facebook page, which has been taken down since Tuesday night, listed the address of a food stall in Sembawang.

When TNP visited the stall last week, the cooksaid the owner was in Johor Baru.

Mr Seah Seng Choon, executive director of the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), advised that consumers seeking for refunds from a registered business may file a claim with the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT).

Mr Seah added: “If they get a judgment in their favour but the business refuses to pay, they can enforce the judgment by way of a writ of seizure and sale to recover their money.”

Case said no complaints have been registered against the catering company in the past.

Consumers can contact Case for advice on filing a claim at the SCT via their hotline at 6100-0315.

Ms Darniyati said: “I hope caterers won’t take orders if they can’t cope. I would not want this to happen to anyone.”

Source: The New Paper

July 18, 2016
Pelakon Adi Putra Dilapor Senyap-Senyap Nikah Lagi

Pelakon kelahiran Singapura yang sudah menebarkan sayapnya di negara jiran sekali lagi terpalit kontroversi baru-baru ini.

Adi Putra, didakwa sudah bernikah kali kedua secara senyap-senyap, lapor laman Astro Gempak.

Perbuatannya itu terdedah setelah gambar yang menunjukkan beliau bersama seorang wanita berpakaian sedondon dalam sekitaran majlis pernikahan tersebar menerusi aplikasi Whatsapp.

Sebelum gambar-gambar itu tersebar, laporan Harian Metro menyatakan pelakon KL Gangster itu didakwa berkahwin kali kedua dengan seorang janda anak satu baru-baru ini.

Perbuatan Adi Putra mengejutkan ramai orang, termasuk isterinya, Aida Yusof, 41 tahun, yang dikatakan tidak mengetahui berita perkahwinan suaminya itu.

Astro Gempak cuba menghubungi Adi Putra namun tidak berhasil.

Menurut laman mStar, Adi Putra membatalkan majlis Aidilfitri bersama kelab peminatnya, yang dijadual hari ini (17 Jul), pada saat-saat akhir.

Beliau memuat naik gambar di laman Instagramnya memohon maaf kerana terpaksa membatalkan perjumpaan tersebut.

“Assalammualaikum wmb. Saya memohon maaf kepada semua hotlovers kerana perjumpaan raya dan ulang tahun hotlovers esok 17 Julai, harus dibatalkan atas sebab-sebab yang tertentu. Saya sekali lagi mohon kemaafan,” katanya dalam laman sosial itu.

Pada bulan Disember 2013, Adi Putra pernah mencetuskan kontroversi setelah beliau dilaporkan mempunyai skandal dengan isteri orang dari Johor sehingga melibatkan laporan polis dan disiasat mengikut Seksyen 509 Kanun Keseksaan, menurut laporan mStar.

Namun, kes itu ditutup dan diklasifikasikan sebagai “no further action” atau tiada tindakan lanjut.

Rumah tangga Adi Putra dengan Aida sebelum ini juga pernah berdepan dengan masalah apabila beliau memfailkan perceraian di Mahkamah Rendah Syariah Kuala Lumpur terhadap Aida pada 11 Mei 2012 namun membatalkan hasrat itu kemudiannya.

Pasangan Adi Putra dan Aida sudah bernikah sejak 14 April 2006 namun tidak dikurniakan cahaya mata, tetapi mengambil seorang anak angkat perempuan berusia empat tahun, menurut mStar.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

July 18, 2016