Over the years, some Muslims in Singapura blame Yaacob Ibrahim for the hijab ban.
They assume that Yaacob’s personal belief is a major reason for our Muslim sisters not being allowed to wear hijab in school and in several professions.
Some of them look towards Masagos Zulkifli as a potential saviour.
Masagos comes from a religious family and is seen to be more Islamic than Yaacob.
When Masagos Zulkifli became a Minister of Environment, some of these Muslims were happy.
They were hopeful that it is another step towards Masagos becoming Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs and helping to remove the discrimination against Muslims.
What many do not realise is that it does not matter how Masagos used to be.
It does not matter if he used to be religious (or is still religious in his personal life).
When someone joins the PAP, they adopt and accept the PAP’s values.
They will be socialised to the PAP’s views. norms and goals.
They will speak the language that the PAP expect them to.
Take the hijab ban for example.
Last night, Masagos justified the ban by equating it with gay sex ( in defending the ban, he said the government not only disallow the hijab but also gay sex).
He then claimed “we have remained as a harmonious society not because every community is given its rights, but because each community has sacrificed something that is very precious to them for the sake of that harmony.”
The question of course, is why would the wearing of hijab affect harmony?
The PAP claim to be the best party in managing interracial relations.
Yet after more than 50 years in power, the harmony they claim to have built can be destroyed because some Muslim women wear hijab?
And coming from a Muslim Minister who is supposed to believe that the hijab is a religious obligation…
he prioritizes his party’s ban over Allah’s commands?
Masagos is a classic example of a politician who has been socialised by his party.
It does not matter how you were prior to joining the PAP.
It does not matter whether you pray, fast, go to haj in your personal lives.
When you join a party that is based on racism and Islamophobia…
You will speak, think and behave like them too.
