Rilek1Corner

Tag: Islam

  • Rehashing the Hijab Movement in Singapore

     

    NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing. Credit: Google Images
    NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing.
    Credit: Google Images

    SINGAPORE, Mar 14 (Campus Eye) – Debates concerning the ban on the hijab for Muslim women wearing uniforms in the civil service continue between the Singapore government and lobbyists, after having been reignited in late 2013.

    This issue resurfaced following the creation of the Singapore Hijab Movement, a Facebook group that amassed more than 20,000 likes within weeks of being set up. The group ceased operations on Nov. 14, 2013.

    Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Yaacob Ibrahim, said in a statement released on his Facebook page following closed-door discussions in November 2013 with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that Malay ministers from the People’s Action Party and civil society leaders in the Malay-Muslim community must “manage and balance the diverse needs of our multi-racial and multi-religious society,” and that “accommodation and compromise by all parties” is necessary.

    Lobbyists for the cause are dissatisfied with this seemingly ambivalent government response.

    One such reaction came from Walid J. Abdullah, a tutor in National University of Singapore (NUS) Political Science department and active participant in the ongoing debate.

    “One of the things we are afraid of is dialogue and debate about religion in Singapore. On all sides, there needs to be more openness, more engagement,” he said.

    “Have discussions, for example, with the nurses who want to wear the hijab,” Walid added. “Get to know them, get to know what their intentions are.”

    This sentiment was echoed by NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing.

    Read more here

    Written by Sharifah Nursyafiqah

    Source: Sharifah Nursyafiqah, Campus Eye NUS, Afiqah Kamel

     

    MORE HIJAB RELATED ARTICLES HERE

  • Chinese Convert Don’t Want to be Labeled as Malay

    Google Images
    Google Images

    Dear R1C

    I am a muallaf. Chinese guy who embraced Christianity when I was in Sec Two. Met the love of my life who is a beautiful Malay woman when I was 28. Embraced Islam wholeheartedly when I was 30 and married my lovely wife. Proud to be a Muslim and appreciate the beauty of Malay culture.

    I often come across many Singaporeans who now calls me a Malay. In reality I am still a Chinese. I speak fluent Mandarin. Before I take up Islam, I used to eat pork, I drank alcohol. I gambled like crazy during CNY. Now, I stopped all that already. Islam has brought new meaning to my life and I am much happier now.

    BUT…

    Oh boy, calling me a Malay, that pisses me off big time. Haven’t they noticed that race and religion are two separate issues? I don’t understand why would people ask me questions like:

    “Why do you want to be a Malay?”

    “Your family members are still Chinese?”

    “You are now a Malaylah, is it?”

    “Do you miss pork? Let’s eat bak chor mee now?”

    “Must have been terrible for you to fast for a month, right?”

    “Really Malay pray 5 times one ah?”

    “Do your Islam God accept only Arabic language or you can say prayer in English or Mandarin?”

    “Is your boss okay about you going to prayer in many times in a day time?”

    “Amazing you can keep a beard when you are Chinese!”

    “What happen to your Chinese family line? You have any other siblings to carry on the family name?”

    “Do you have to cut kukujiao?”

    “So now you have join the rilek clan?”

    “How can you eat Malay food high in cholesterol!”

    “As long no pork, mean you can eat already lor, right”

    #

    In Singapore, Malay and Muslims don’t always come in a package. Not all Malays are Muslims. Muslims can be Indian, Chinese, Caucasian, Eurasian, and the list goes on. I noticed many times the local media and even the Malay community themselves often confused the two terms together.

    Perhaps it is the lack of education and awareness about race and religion that made them form such distasteful mental picture of Islam and Malays?

    Time to clear these misconceptions- starting from the media. Stop using the term ‘Malay-Muslims’.

     

    Joshua Tan aka Syafiq Abdullah

     

    letters to R1C

     

     

    Submit your letters to Rilek1Corner or R1C through our contact form or email us at [email protected].

  • WP New Faces: Firuz Khan and Leon Perera

    firuzkhanFB
    Credit: Firuz Khan Facebook

    SINGAPORE — A former civil servant who became a corporate high-flyer has reportedly joined the ranks of the Workers’ Party (WP).

    In what some analysts have described as a tit-for-tat response to the tactics of the People’s Action Party (PAP), Mr Leon Perera was out and about in WP colours under the full glare of the media last Sunday.

    Mr Perera, 44, who is chief executive of Spire Research and Consulting, was among party volunteers and members handing out food rations and daily necessities to elderly residents in the Paya Lebar division.

    Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao identified Mr Perera and Mr Firuz Khan, 48, who works in the banking and retail industry, as the opposition party’s potential candidates for the next General Election due by January 2017.

    In recent weeks, the PAP has exposed to the public eye its potential candidates for the next GE — a move analysts felt was a significant departure from its practice of keeping its cards close to the chest as far as the identities of potential candidates were concerned. Analysts noted that the party had learnt from the 2011 GE that voters need time to familiarise themselves with new candidates.

    Unlike Mr Khan, who has been with the WP for several years and was on the council of its youth wing in 2007, Mr Perera is a new face in the WP’s ranks. When contacted, Mr Perera declined to comment. The WP was also tight-lipped about his involvement.

    A former assistant head of the Economic Development Board’s Enterprise Development Division, Mr Perera graduated from Oxford University with double first-class honours. He is also an adviser for The Independent news website and vice-president on the board of the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics. Last Sunday, Mr Perera was photographed by Lianhe Zaobao beside WP’s Aljunied GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Chen Show Mao.

    Political analysts previously noted that the PAP was taking a leaf out of the WP’s book by having potential candidates work the ground early. Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said the opposition party is now, in turn, responding to the PAP as well.

    “The WP realises that they need to also demonstrate a sense of urgency and informally introduce their potential candidates early,” said Associate Professor Tan, who is also a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP). Agreeing, former NMP Siew Kum Hong said the WP was “following PAP’s playbook”.

    Assoc Prof Tan, who was Mr Perera’s classmate in junior college, said he was not surprised to learn of the latter’s political involvement. Adding that it was a natural transition for Mr Perera as an activist, he said: “Leon has always been politically conscious and has very strong ideas about government and politics in Singapore.”

    So far, five potential PAP candidates have been identified. Most recently, corporate lawyer Amrin Amin, 35, was described last Saturday to reporters by Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education and Manpower) Hawazi Daipi — who is also an MP for Sembawang GRC — as “someone who has the potential to be a candidate”.

    Mr Perera is the latest in the line of former civil servants who have joined the opposition. Others include husband-and-wife pair Tony Tan and Hazel Poa, who are with the National Solidarity Party.

    Mr Siew said: “It’s just a natural state of things as politics in Singapore normalises. You are going to see good candidates going to both sides.”

     

    Source: TODAYOnline, Firuz Khan

     

     

  • Gay Malay Teacher Offer Guidance to Sexually Confused Student

     

     

    Google Images
    Google Images

    Dear R1C,

    When I was in school, I had a major crush on my teacher. I didn’t tell anyone about it and kept it to myself. I wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to feel because I am a guy. Besides, I wasn’t sure if what I am feeling was wrong towards the society, my family and my religion. As a Muslim raised in a conservative family, I am torn in between my feelings and other people’s expectations.

    But what if this feeling is the right kind of wrong? What if it is not wrong after all?

    Because my actions were obvious and all gays have something called ‘gaydar’ or ‘gay-radar’, my secret feelings were exposed when my teacher confronted me one day. He confessed that he understood my needs and knew how sad it was to be perceived as ‘weird’. From that day onwards, there was no hiding between us because our feelings were mutual. He was my confidante, my good friend and a lover. Although we had a relationship for 3 years and broke up only when I left for poly, I am truly thankful for the guidance my ex-teacher had given me. I would not have been able to survive this harsh world if not for his emotional support.

    I am thankful to God because I found someone who truly cares about me and showed me the importance to love myself and be who I really am when faced with oppositions. My ex-teacher told me I deserved to be happy. When I turned 22, I left home to lead my own life and stayed with my partner. Occasionally, I would return home only to see my mom who was deeply disappointed by my ‘queer’ preference. My dad has disowned me.

    Now, I have become a teacher myself. A similar experience had happened to me as well. I spotted one student who had the same reaction whenever I looked at my ex-teacher. Instantaneously, I knew what I had to do.  Guidance and be a role model.

    To those who hate the PLUs, let it be known that everyone deserves to be happy. We live once and we have the right to choose the kind of life we want to lead for the rest of our lives. It doesn’t make me a lesser Muslim just because I prefer men. You simply can’t force anyone to eat something he don’t like.

     

    Sofian Ryan

     

    letters to R1C

     

     

     

     

     

    Submit your letters to Rilek1Corner or R1C through our contact form or email us at [email protected].

  • Muslimah Failed Job Interview Due to Hijab

    1656420_841504222532752_1874394816_n 1622675_841504219199419_1710576101_n

    Yesterday, i received this in my inbox. It is one of the many i received for these kind of situations.

    “Salaam Osman…
    I have something to share which angers me.

    My daughter just ‘failed immediately’ in an interview for not willing to remove her Hijab even though she has the necessary requirements.
    Allaahul musta’aan.”

    I enquired further and gotten to know that the interview was for a therapist course. He then continued;

    “Theres this course for therapist, admin staff and etc at CGH. The interviewer was very blunt. The first question was ‘are u willing to remove yr hijab’ and when she reply no, they replied, ‘If u are not, u failed immediately’ – this is the exact reply.

    She is a type not arguing which people….she just left the place. A course which guarantee a place in any hospital upon passing and completing.

    What appalled me wes that, on the 18th march she attended the seminar they held…no problem. They have her record. Then applied, they called her for interview today…but today lain pulak jadinya.”

    —————————–

    Im always very much affected reading such messages. Firstly, discrimination has no place in any society. It creates an ill will between people and it has a negative effect on the victim.

    They feel isolated. Feels humiliated, angry. Develop low self esteem. Suffer humiliation. It can also contributes to depression, poor quality of life etc.

    On top of that, it denies someone their human rights to be able to participate fully in our society.

    Not only are they denying the hijab wearing women employment, but it goes to the extend of denying them the chance to learn.

    As a society, we should be working towards creating a culture that respects n values each other’s differences and recognizes that diversity is a great asset to our community.

    This PAP gov has shown time and again their outright blatant disregards for the minorities. To be denied equal opportunities in our own country shows a lack of respect by the ruling gov towards its own people.

    I urged my community to turn their backs on the PAP. It is high time that we elect other ppl who can respect and accord us with equality.

     

    Source: Osman Sulaiman