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Tag: harmony

  • Tampines Pork-Throwing Neighbour Still Terrorising Widow Despite Court Action

    Tampines Pork-Throwing Neighbour Still Terrorising Widow Despite Court Action

    Marliah Jonet, a 62 year-old widow, has faced daily harassment from a neighbor, 63 year-old Lee Dji Lin, however there appears to be nothing the authorities can do about the belligerent neighbor, who was diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.

    According to Marliah, she has called the police to her flat over 6 times this month alone at Block 247, Tampines Street 21, but the situation has not improved. Even a district judge’s 2 year mandatory treatment order has not helped. Lee had been sentenced to mandatory treatment in June by a District Judge after Lee had been caught for throwing pork at another Malay neighbor in Tampines. Lee, who lives directly below Marliah’s unit, was charged for wounding the religious and racial feelings of her neighbor and harassment.

    Now that the court case is over, Lee has returned to her usual abusive ways. She shouts out insults in a mixture of English, Malay and Hokkien several times a day at Marliah. She has even hit hard at Marliah’s own personal tragedy, calling Marliah “a Satan who ate her husband and duaghter”. Marliah lost her daughter to a virus in 2006 while her husband died of a heart attack in 2012.

    Lee has also shouted insults claiming that Marliah is “bored and whoever wants to have fun (with Marliah) can do it for free”.

    Reporters who staked out at Marliah’s house have attested that Lee would suddenly start shouting the insults intermittently throughout the time they were there. When reporters approached Lee’s gate, the woman refused to come out and speak with them.

    Marliah is not Lee’s only victim. A Chinese family who used to live in the unit opposite of Lee moved out after she destroyed their altar and threw a chopper at the corridor outside their unit a few years ago.

    “She took a broomstick and hit their altar until it was destroyed. They were my friends (for a long time)…we were among the first to move into this block. But because of her, they had to move away,” one neighbor lamented.

    Another neighbour, who is a property agent, said, “She fought with the (Chinese) neighbour almost everyday. She also once took a chopper and threw it outside the neighbour’s place.” The agent spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of facing trouble from Lee.

    “She also threw urine and water from her kitchen, and no one dared to hang out their clothes. When she was away in the IMH (Institute of Mental Health), everyone dared to hang out their clothes.”

    Another neighbor, who said she enjoyed an amicable relationship with Lee’s family in the past, said that Lee turned nasty when their family was seen speaking to the police, who were interviewing neighbors over the pork throwing incident. Since then, Lee has been pouring dirty water at their doorstep and shouting at her children. Lee has even made a false report to the residents’ committee that the family were illegal tenants.

    Complaints made by all the neighbors affected by Lee to the Housing & Development Board and the police have fallen on deaf ears.

    “This is harassment and I’ve suffered for seven long years. How can anyone take this? It hurts a lot when she brings up my husband and my second daughter. It took me three years of crying to get over her,” Marliah told police officers who arrived to settle yet another disturbance from Lee in the presence of reporters. She burst into tears as she spoke.

    Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

  • Ismail Kassim: Prioritise Muslim Unity Before All Else

    Ismail Kassim: Prioritise Muslim Unity Before All Else

    Who liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders? Of course, all Muslims know it is Saladin, the magnificent, the courageous, the benevolent.

    How many realise that Saladin is a Kurd by ethnicity. How many know that the Al-Sauds and the Wahhabis nowadays regard all Kurds as heretics.

    I am both angry and sad at ignorant Muslims who, having been fed poison and misled by their respective teachers, are quick to condemn other Muslims as heretics.

    They are free to practice their narrow-minded and pedantic form of Islam, but they should refrain from bad-mouthing other Muslims.

    Just think why Trump is supporting the Saudis. Is it because he loves Islam or is it because he likes Sunnis more than the Shias.

    Or is he encouraging the bloodshed among Muslims to enrich himself and his army of arms manufacturers
    and US industry.

    Remember how the Saudis and the US instigated the megalomaniac Saddam Hussein to attack Iran.

    The result one million Muslims died on the battlefields and thousands of Americans became billionaires.

    To me, I am a Muslim; not Shia, not Sunni and faithful only to the Prophet of Islam and to no other.

     

    Source: Ismail Kassim

  • Nicholas Fang: Tackling Exclusivism Imperative In Dealing With Terror Threat Here

    Nicholas Fang: Tackling Exclusivism Imperative In Dealing With Terror Threat Here

    The refrain of the possible inevitability of a terror attack here has become almost as ubiquitous as the description of Singapore as a multiracial and multicultural society, where inclusivity and tolerance are key watchwords for social stability and harmony.

    Inclusivity can act as a necessary ballast against divisive ideologies that prey on a particular group or individual’s sense of alienation, marginalisation and oppression.

    Such ideologies aim to lend credence to the idea that they have to be different from others in all aspects of life and that there cannot be common ground with other faiths.

    The measures to address these and other threats like cyberattacks and the vulnerability of the youth especially to digital propaganda and online recruitment by terror groups, have ranged from hard physical measures such as strengthening protective infrastructure and response forces, to online countermeasures and psychological operations.

    These are no doubt important efforts and should continue. But there also needs to be work done to address the root philosophical and psychological causes of the terror phenomena, besides dealing with the physical manifestations and symptoms.

    Much of the rationale and motivation for recent terror attacks stem from interpretations of religious texts and teachings that emphasise exclusivism.

    Exclusivism is the practice of being exclusive by disregarding opinions and ideas other than one’s own, or by organising entities into groups by excluding those which possess certain traits.

    Religious exclusivism asserts that one religion is true and all others are in error. Such values are often, if not always, antagonistic and they denigrate the beliefs held by other faiths while asserting absolute superiority of their worldview.

    Exclusivism based on belief systems is not a new phenomenon, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece. Modern day examples have taken on a more violent streak, with death to non-believers, even those from within the same religion but whose practices are different, becoming a goal or requirement for true believers.

    It should be pointed out that religious leaders across virtually all faiths have highlighted that such violently exclusivist beliefs are not actually part of the teachings of any true religion.

    But thanks to the rise of social media and technology, growing sophistication among extremist groups, and disenchanted and disaffected youth around the world offering fertile recruitment grounds for perpetrators of terror, exclusivist tendencies have been spreading around the world.

    With so-called “lone wolf” attackers being encouraged to commit atrocities on social media or in the dark spaces of the Internet, the potential for more future attacks anywhere in the world, with little or no warning, is immense.

    Tackling exclusivist sentiments would seem like the logical starting point for dealing with the issue. But for a country like Singapore, it is an imperative.

    Singapore is widely recognised as being among the most religiously diverse nations in the world. Our history and societal make-up have seen the embracing of a tolerant and respectful attitude towards religious and cultural diversity, with the government playing a key role in promulgating and encouraging such an approach at all levels of society.

    A cornerstone of this approach has not been to encourage uniformity, but to foster appreciation of the inherently diverse nature of our country, and recognising the benefits therein.

    We should continue to uphold progressive religious values that encourage awareness and respect for cultural diversity and equality, while establishing common ground to forge harmonious relationships.

    It’s not hard to see why a country whose citizens understand, respect and appreciate each others different beliefs and attitudes, will enjoy peace and hence stability.

    But in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world, this stability may become essential to ensuring the survivability and success of any nation in the future. Inclusive values will also ensure solidarity, cohesiveness and resilience for the “day after” scenario, given the inevitability of an attack.

    Singapore’s Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Grace Fu, said in the wake of the latest announcement of the country’s first female detainee for radicalism, that all Singaporeans should stand united and not allow our society to fracture, as this would mean a victory for terrorists.

    The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore also said it would work with its partners to safeguard against exclusivist and extremist ideas from taking root in the community.

    The concepts of understanding and tolerance should not be required of any single religious group, but should be embraced by all religions and communities throughout society.

    Only then can we truly begin to tackle the terror threat in a comprehensive and systematic fashion which will hopefully produce long-term success.

     

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

    Nicholas Fang is the executive director of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and oversees the institute’s Global Citizenship Singapore programme, which aims to broaden awareness of key international issues amongst young professionals and the public.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Respect! Famous Ah Boy Motorbike Apparel Shop Donates To Angullia Mosque For Ramadan

    Respect! Famous Ah Boy Motorbike Apparel Shop Donates To Angullia Mosque For Ramadan

    Bagi mereka yg bermotosikal pasti pernah pergi ke kedai Ah Boy. Oleh kerana aku datang daripada keluarga bermotosikal, kita anak beranak (aku, ayah dan adik-beradik) memang selalu pergi kekedainya. Ini tokehnya, Lim Ah Boy (kiri), yang baru selesai sesi iftar dan mendermakan $10,000 kepada Masjid Angullia.

    Ini rupanya rahsia dia untuk berjaya. Dia seorang yang dermawan. Respect sama lu lau pan.

    During this Ramadan period, would like to seize this opportunity to thank all our customers and dealers’ unwavering support and help shown towards. Because of your support, we are able to donate part of our profits to give back to the community.

    Our boss, Lim Ah Boy has since represented us as a company to donate $10,000 to Angullia Mosque.

    We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the staff and people at Angullia Mosque for inviting our boss to join you.

    Lastly we would like to wish all muslims a blessed and peaceful Ramadan.

    Gambar diambil dari laman Regina Specialties

     

    Source: Dzar Ismail

  • Police Question Actor Shrey Bhargava After Reports Lodged Over Viral FB Post

    Police Question Actor Shrey Bhargava After Reports Lodged Over Viral FB Post

    Freelance actor Shrey Bhargava – whose Facebook post on his experience auditioning for local film Ah Boys To Men 4 (ABTM4) had gone viral and sparked widespread debate – had been questioned by the police over reports lodged concerning him.

    In response to TODAY’s queries, the 21-year-old confirmed that he met with officers at the Tanglin Police Division on Wednesday (May 31) and was questioned on “the intentions behind (his) post”, among other things.

    He said: “Yes, I was called by the (police) for questioning. I was informed there that there were police reports made. I was not informed for what or by whom, that was kept confidential.”

    Mr Bhargava said the police told him “not to worry about anything as I had done nothing wrong”, but also advised him to “be cautious about what I post online as people may misinterpret me and my intentions to my detriment”. He was also advised to contact the police if hate speech and abusive comments against him worsen.

    “The Investigation Officer and I agreed that I am absolutely against racial violence of any sort and, instead, was only seeking a healthy and productive discussion for the betterment of Singapore’s media landscape and society. Specifically, I wanted Singaporeans to engage in dialogue regarding the inclusion of minorities in the media, as well as to tackle the issue of casual racism in order to create a more inclusive and harmonious Singapore,” he said.

    ABTM4 will be jointly produced by J Team Productions and MM2 Entertainment, and directed by Jack Neo.

    Approached by the media, J Team Productions had issued a statement saying that the casting director was testing Mr Bhargava on his “versatility” as an actor, and had asked him to perform the scene in various ways, including one as a “full blown Indian man”.

    However, Mr Bhargava disputed this: “This is not true. I was asked to do the scene only twice. The first time I did without direction. The second time, I did after being given the direction ‘be more Indian’ and to do it again as a ‘full-blown Indian man’… The J Team’s statement has misrepresented the facts… It has painted me in a damaging and deceptive light. It seems as though I over-reacted, or worse, that I lied.”

    Contrary to its claims, the J Team had failed to test for versatility, Mr Bhargava argued. “Instead, they defined for me what being Indian ought to mean and that is the crux of the matter… What did they mean by “Be more Indian”? Do they have a premeditated idea of what it means?… And why is being ‘more Indian’ supposed to be ‘funny’,” he questioned.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com