Rilek1Corner

Tag: fair

  • Muar’s ‘Muslims-Only’ Laundromat: Racism, Inciting Division Or Strictly Business Owner’s Rights?

    Muar’s ‘Muslims-Only’ Laundromat: Racism, Inciting Division Or Strictly Business Owner’s Rights?

    A self-service laundromat in Jalan Junid, Muar, which caters only to Muslim patrons, has sparked controversy on social media.

    Photographs of the shop’s signboard with the words – “For Muslim customers only. Muslim-friendly. Leave your shoes outside” – placed at the laundromat entrance have gone viral on Facebook.

    Netizens were divided in their opinion. Some praised the move, saying that it was done for the benefit of Muslim customers concerned given possible mixture of ‘najis’ (impurities) in the wash loads, while others criticised it as being unfair.

    Facebook user Zachary Arshad said he was disappointed at what the laundromat is doing as it could divide the community.

    “I’m Muslim, and this is completely overrated and unacceptable. Islam does not teach this. Islam is for all, Islam is to unite the people, not divide. This will only cause further divide among the people,” said Zachary.

    Others however felt that the owner’s actions were justified.

    Facebook user Suresh Pandian agreed with the laundromat’s owner’s move.


    Above: A photograph of the shop’s signboard with the words – “For Muslim customers only. Muslim-friendly. Leave your shoes outside” – placed at the laundromat entrance have gone viral on Facebook. Photo: New Straits Times

    “Well, if the owner is a Muslim and wants to run it in a Muslim way , I don’t think there is anything wrong with it . That is his right.”

    “Why are there a lot of negative comments here? (He) hasn’t mentioned anything racist,” said Suresh on the ‘Persatuan Gaya Hidup Sihat Pelabuhan Klang’ Facebook page.

    Indra Aditya, meanwhile, urged people to look at the issue positively.

    “A majority of his customers may have complained about being uncomfortable in sharing the usage (of the equipment) with non-Muslims.

    “This is not about being racist or about any religion…this is business,” said Indra Aditya.

    The religious authorities, meanwhile, believe that the owner is acting within his rights.

    Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim said there was nothing wrong for the owner of the laundromat in imposing such a restriction as it was his right as a business owner.

    “Non-Muslims should not worry because there have options to patronise other laundromats elsewhere.

    “As Muslims who live in a multi-racial society, we cannot be too rigid in upholding such matters, but at the same time, should not belittle this effort taken by the operator of the laundromat either,” Mutalip told the New Straits Times.

    He said the state government has no plans to impose any such regulations statewide, and he urged people to better understand the concerns of Muslims in such issues.

    Johor Mufti Tahrir Samsudin said he welcomed the initiative taken by the business owner because some Muslims were doubtful in using self-service laundromats.

    “If someone wants to do it, then it is a good thing because some Muslims hold doubts over laundromat services.

    “It is better for Muslims to be free of such doubts when it comes to cleanliness as it will help Muslims fulfil religious obligations,” said Tahrir.

    Asked about the concept of laundromat services in Islam, Tahrir said that such a service should make sure that clothes are cleaned from minor and severe impurities.

     

    Source: http://www.todayonline.com

  • Fair Or Unfair?: Some Public Officers In Civil Service Can Get Extra Day Off In Celebration Of NS50

    Fair Or Unfair?: Some Public Officers In Civil Service Can Get Extra Day Off In Celebration Of NS50

    Some public servants will be receiving an extra day off this year to mark 50 years of National Service (NS50) in the Republic.

    The day off, which has to be taken between Aug 1 and Dec 31 this year, is meant for employees who have served as full-time National Servicemen or uniformed regulars in the Singapore Armed Forces and the Home Team, according to one statutory board.

    Rumours of the extra day off for public servants first surfaced on online forum hardwarezone late last week, with users asking if it was true.

    Checks by TODAY revealed that employees of some statutory boards have received an internal memo or email from their Human Resources department earlier this month.

    But it seems the benefit may not be rolled out to all public officers as employees at some other ministries and statutory boards said they have yet to receive word of the extra day off.

    In an internal memo seen by TODAY, the day off was declared by the staff member’s employer “in support of the Ministry of Defence’s NS50 initiatives”.

    TODAY has written to the Ministry of Defence and the Public Service Division for more information.

    This year, Singapore marks 50 years of National Service, and as part of the celebration, a year-long series of events and initiatives have been rolled out to commemorate the milestone.

    Among the perks given to all past and present national servicemen this year are S$100 worth of NS50 vouchers, which they can use at a wide range of retail and food and beverage outlets. Those currently in service, or have completely their operationally ready NS are also given an additional one-year membership at either Safra or HomeTeamNS.

     

    Source: http://www.todayonline.com

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

    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

  • Alfian Sa’at: The Voice (Nanyang Edition) Debacle A Lesson In The (Lack Of) Equality

    Alfian Sa’at: The Voice (Nanyang Edition) Debacle A Lesson In The (Lack Of) Equality

    Yes, I am tired of stuff like The Voice (Nanyang Edition) cropping up time and again, I am tired of some Chinese people who saw nothing wrong with it, of them seeing no problem when Chineseness is squarely equated with Singapore when it is just one square in the giant patchwork that is Singapore culture, I am tired of them mentioning Shila Amzah any chance they get as if that settles the debate, I am tired of the fact that they don’t see that it’s not just a matter of learning Mandarin to join the contest but that I’m not considered significant enough for the show to be marketed to someone like me, I am tired of having to remind others that I exist too, that my language is not the same as yours, that if I want to choose to learn your language it will be out of my own free will and not because I have to succumb to a monolingual environment that you have shaped in your image, whether out of thoughtlessness or convenience or a demonstration of majoritarian might…

    But I am aware that this fatigue will interfere with my own openness to other cultures, to my curiosity about the beauty and the wisdom contained within them, that I must never close myself to the other even when the other wears the garments of an oppressor, that I will continue to catch the offerings at the Huayi Festival and the M1 Chinese Theatre Festival even if I don’t see a reciprocal gesture of those catching Pesta Raya or the Kalaa Utsavam programmes, that I must always be conscious that in any multicultural society there is a relationship between language and power, that there are those who believe to speak another’s language is to submit to their rule and power (and this is the pathology of the vernacular school system in Malaysia), that however difficult it is to de-link language and power one has to do it because it will otherwise trap your ways of thinking, that there is no such thing as a superior or inferior culture, as there is no superior or inferior language, that though there are dominant languages they do not exist to dominate and though there are minority languages their fate is not to be subordinate, that however foreign a language might be one must always keep faith that it contains the word for ‘patience’, or ‘forgiveness’, or the very concept at the heart of this: ‘equality’.

     

    Source: Alfian Sa’at

  • Walid J. Abdullah: Do Not Forget About The Concept Of ‘Justice’ In Islam

    Walid J. Abdullah: Do Not Forget About The Concept Of ‘Justice’ In Islam

    Lately, people have been emphasising the importance of the concept of mercy in Islam. Personally, i feel this is a great thing. I do wish at times that some Muslims would follow the example of our Christian brethren in underscoring love and mercy in their faith. Gentleness would undoubtedly be a better ambassador than harshness in most cases.

    Yet, one must be cognizant of certain realities. One who constantly talks about love and mercy, but chooses to remain silent when there is a need to speak of justice and condemn oppression, has very little credibility then when he/she champions the former qualities as essential aspects of Islam. It is only natural that people would question what his/her motives are when he reiterates love and mercy, but neglects justice or fairness.

    What, or perhaps whose, agenda is one serving when one engages in such cherrypicking?

    To paraphrase Professor Tariq Ramadan, when people with religious authority condemn acts of violence by the lay people, but are silent when dictators commit oppression, that is a sure way to drive more young people toward the path of extremism.

    It is indeed strange that some people harp on mercy, but ignore justice. Worse still are those who are quick to display harshness when Muslims are aggressors, but somehow suddenly find their merciful side when Muslims are victims, or when powerful people are doing the oppressing.

     

    Source: Walid J. Abdullah