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Tag: government

  • Commentary: Is MUIS The Problem Or The Solution? Are They ‘Really There’?

    Commentary: Is MUIS The Problem Or The Solution? Are They ‘Really There’?

    Is MUIS the problem or the solution?

    While the world express vociferous objections towards Donald trump for his blatant acts of provocation, our beloved MUIS is seen as being indifferent and muted towards the situation.

    MUIS, for the longest time, has not been the representative of the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore.

    It is not capable of expressing the sentiments and advancing the aspirations of the community. Its fecklessness is due to 2 crucial factors.

    1. It receives funding from the gov.

    2. The leadership of MUIS is not elected by the community but rather installed and approved by PAP gov

    MUIS is the highest governing body for the Muslims in Singapore. We placed our hope that it acts for the best of our interest. Yet, MUIS has been found wanting on numerous occasions.

    There are many instances where MUIS has taken on the narrative of the gov and became part of the state propaganda.

    It has no organizational backbone to have views contrary to the state. It operates as if it has to take directives from the gov and wait for instructions on views deemed sensitive. This shows a clear lack of autonomy and of a weak leadership.

    Frequently, the views or statements from MUIS mirrors those of the gov. In doing so, it runs the risk of being seen as subservient to a secular gov. It often uses weak justifications and rationale to which this PAP gov is known for.

    Ive not read any statements from MUIS that are different from those of the PAP gov. Issues like;

    – Tudung
    – The banning of Mufti Menk
    – Yusof Estes being denied entry
    – The discrimination faced by our community in the workforce
    – The Rohingyas
    – The Palestinians

    The list goes on. The near absence of the Malay/Muslim political voice in Singapore is reflected in how MUIS conducts itself on a national level.

    If MUIS continues to be emasculated, and act only for its self-interest, then it will not be a surprise should one day, it becomes irrelevant to the very community it is supposed to serve.

    If that happens, there’s a high chance that the community may seek other avenues for its spiritual consumption and with it, comes the real chance of radicalization slowly growing its base.

     

    Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman

  • American-Muslim Preacher Yusuf Estes’s Views Not A Threat To Social Harmony

    American-Muslim Preacher Yusuf Estes’s Views Not A Threat To Social Harmony

    As a Christian, I do not see how the views of American-Muslim preacher Yusuf Estes denigrate the Christian faith or “damage social harmony”, by claiming that it is “not part of Islam to celebrate other people’s holidays” or questioning the religious basis for Christmas. (“S’pore blocks American-Muslim preacher from entering to preach on Islamic-themed cruise”, Dec 2)

    A Muslim is fully entitled to refrain from participating in religious festivities of other religions.

    Article 16(3) of the Singapore Constitution guarantees that no person shall be required to receive instruction in or to take part in any ceremony or act of worship of a religion other than his own.

    In a 1999 case, the Singapore Court of Appeal explained that this is meant to protect a person’s right to choose his own religion. For example, a Muslim cannot be “required to take part in” a Christian ceremony such as the Holy Communion.

    Furthermore, Estes’ view that Christmas was ‘from the Solstice celebration, and had been going on for hundreds of years before the time of Jesus’, is neither new nor offensive.

    It is a widely known among many scholars that Jesus Christ was not born on Dec 25 of 1 AD.

    Historians and Christian scholars alike recognise that the ancient Roman Empire celebrated Saturnalia, a winter solstice festival, at or about the time of Dec 25 each year.

    According to Sam Moorhead of the British Museum, after the Roman Empire embraced Christianity as its official religion, Saturnalia was incorporated as a Christian holy day.

    While many Christians celebrate Christmas, there are also those who do not.

    The discussion is an ongoing one, among Christians and non-Christians alike, as to the origins of Christmas or whether it is acceptable to “redeem” such ancient Roman festivals. This is a natural and reasonable exercise of freedom of speech and religion.

    However, it is quite another thing for the Government to stifle the discussion by deeming certain perspectives as offensive or denigratory.

    In order to promote respect for religious freedom and harmony, the right of every person to pursue religious truth and live in line with his conscience should be respected and upheld. Short of real threats to public order, health or morality, the Government should respect the right of every person to profess, practise and propagate his religion.

     

    Source: todayonline

  • Commentary: Singapore Government Is Wasting Taxpayers Money!

    Commentary: Singapore Government Is Wasting Taxpayers Money!

    Before the gov raise taxes and burden the citizens with higher cost of living, they should ensure that they curb their spending on superfluous items for their ministries.

    While Singaporeans grapple with high cost of living, unemployment, competition brought about by cheap labour, stagnating wages, homelessness, fulfilling 3 meals a day, our taxpayers monies are spent on –

    1. excessive cabinet ministers’ salaries

    2. Each ministry buying designer chairs. One chair costing as high as $650 each.

    3. Paying exorbitant consultancy fees for a bin centre

    4. Hosting of F1 spending millions just to put Singapore on the world map

    5. Military spending. Excessive procurement of equipment

    6. Bad investments that wiped out billions of tax payers money

    7. Spending hundred millions of dollars for foreign students to reside and study in Singapore and most of them ultimately leave the country breaking their bonds or after serving it.

    8. Bringing in Kai Kai and Jia Jia on 10 year loan, spending millions of dollars creating a suitable enclosure for the pandas while some of our people are homeless.

    9. MOM bought a computer system for $432 thousand but left it unused

    10. Building budget terminal only to demolish it 6 years later to make way for terminal 4. Short sighted planning cost tax payers in excess of $50 million

    So before the gov take the easy way out by raising taxes, kindly rectify in-house unnecessary leakages.

     

     

    Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman

  • Commentary: Leaders Are No Longer Chosen On The Basis Of Merit

    Commentary: Leaders Are No Longer Chosen On The Basis Of Merit

    The image of a ponding MRT on its submerged track is iconic and deep with prophetic tell-tale signs of the state we are in as a Nation.

    The admission of a culture of complacency in SMRT by its very CEO has served to expose the parasitic cancer eroding all that we have build as a Nation, when we abandoned what we used to champion, i.e., meritocracy.

    Leaders are no longer chosen on the basis of merit, required expertise and capabilities for the core functions demanded. Political interests to maintain control and power dictates who gets any top jobs. The best gets sidelined for not being correctly aligned politically. The mantra of the best man for the job no longer applies.

    A pervasive culture of silence exist deterring anyone to speak up for the truth which in today’s high salaried pseudo corporate top jobs potentially means foregoing that politically laced iron rice bowl. We are doing everything that the best management gurus warned against. Never to compromise separation of powers to ensure adequate checks and balances as well as non tolerance to conflict of interest situations.

    Now instead, an elitist tight clique safeguards their own vested interest as they run the faltering Singapore Inc. The reminder and caution of pitfalls when government do business is simply ignored. Lessons strangely don’t apply of gross abuse that always happen when the sacred lines on separation of powers that must never be crossed disappears.

    Emblematic of this chronic malaise is the blurring between who is checking who. We are shockingly reminded again of this sickness with the reply Minister Khaw gave to Low’s question in parliament. The information of how checks and balances are ensured between Ministry, Stat boards and Operators are vital and valid and must be clearly answered. Simply brushing aside such queries in parliament with pathetic line of we know what we are doing and can be trusted will not do anymore.

    Singaporeans must remember all these moments and there are surely plenty now to list. Government must never be allowed to get away with excuses instead of explaining why things fail and must take responsibility for their failures which clearly is the case with poor judgement on top executive choices. Poor decisions and bad judgments must have consequences.

    Ultimately, the root of the problem begins in government. This government has abandoned all the lofty ideals of governance that our founding fathers stood for and defended. The government has no checks and in truth we the People made it so. With no real accountability by the government to the people, the inevitable will happen. Remember this image when we next go to the polls and vote wisely.

     

    Source: Damanhuri Bin Abas

  • Najib Razak: Although My Father Or Grandfather Isn’t From Kerala, I Am Known As The Father Of Indian Development

    Najib Razak: Although My Father Or Grandfather Isn’t From Kerala, I Am Known As The Father Of Indian Development

    In what may be another attempt to court ethnic minority voters, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has declared himself a champion of development for the Indian community. He highlighted that he insisted on appointing a senior civil servant to head the Customs Department, despite objections to the candidate’s ethnicity.

    Addressing the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) general assembly yesterday, the Prime Minister said: “Although my father or grandfather isn’t from Kerala, I am known as the father of Indian development.”

    It was a sarcastic broadside against his mentor turned critic Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is now chairman of the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition. The former premier’s lineage includes ancestors from the southern Indian state.

    Mr Najib told the 2,000 MIC delegates that the opposition is merely trying to confuse people by labelling Malaysia a failed state.

    “The question is, what have they (the opposition) done for the Indians compared with what BN (Barisan Nasional) has done, more so after I took over the leadership of the country from Abdullah Badawi,” he said.

    “With his (Mr Abdullah’s) permission, I initiated (a) Cabinet committee on Indian affairs to further develop the Indian community because I realised that without intervention and political will, Indians would be neglected, marginalised and left behind.” The MIC is a component party of the ruling BN coalition.

    Mr Najib said he also prioritised Indians in the selection of the new director-general of Customs. “I do not mind telling you, even the appointment of the new director-general of Customs was difficult. I received petitions not to pick an Indian for the post,” he recounted.

    “I said no, he (Mr T Subromaniam) deserves the post because he is the most senior. I stood my ground.”

    In March, Mr Subromaniam was appointed to head the department. His appointment came despite grassroots efforts to petition for the post to go to a Malay candidate.

    However, some Indian community leaders were sceptical about Mr Najib’s comments. “When he held many important posts in the government prior to becoming the prime minister, what has he done for the Indians? Basically nothing,” said Mr A Rajaretinam, president of Malaysian Indian group Rapat.

    The Premier is believed to have been wooing the Chinese and Indian minorities, fuelling speculation that the general election could be held later this year.

    In July, Mr Najib said the government will study a request from the Indian-Muslim community to be recognised as Bumiputera. Earlier this month, he said he wanted to see a “stronger Chinese representation in the BN government”.

     

    Source: http://www.todayonline.com