Tag: malay

Nine New NMPs Named

Ismail Hussein – The only Muslim chosen as Nominated Member of Parliament 2014

SINGAPORE — A social entrepreneur, an architect and a corporate lawyer diagnosed with peroneal muscular atrophy were among the nine picked to be Nominated Members of Parliament (NMP).

A total of 36 individuals had put themselves up for consideration to chime in with alternative voices in the House, including law don Eugene Tan and businessman R Dhinakaran, who were seeking second terms, but after about two months of deliberation, the Special Select Committee of Parliament went for a slate of fresh faces.

Explaining their decision in a press statement yesterday, Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob, who chaired the committee, said: “We looked for eligible candidates who had distinguished themselves through their contributions to society or to their respective fields, and who could bring their specialised knowledge to add to the depth and breadth of debates in Parliament.”

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who is Leader of the House and one of the eight committee members, said the search was for new NMPs “who could add to discussions of issues facing Singapore in this term”.

He listed a raft of issues, including ageing, economic restructuring and a better living environment. “We believe the new NMPs will help Singapore deal with these challenges,” he added.

The NMP nomination process began in April, drawing 14 proposal forms submitted by the seven functional groups invited to nominate NMPs, namely, business and industry; labour; the professions; tertiary education institutions; social service organisations; civic and people sector; and the media, arts and sports organisations; and 22 by members of the public by the time nominations closed a month later.

After informing elected parliamentarians of the list of candidates, the committee, which included Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang, went about its assessments, including meeting some candidates face-to-face and asking MPs for feedback.

After their 12th meeting on July 31, they agreed on the nine, whose term will commence after they are presented the Instruments of Appointment by the President on Aug 26.

One of the newly appointed NMPs, social entrepreneur and co-founder of The Thought Collective, Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, told TODAY that while plenty of attention had been given to social enterprises, it was important to “broaden the definitions of what social entrepreneurship is and look into the current subsidies available for small and medium enterprises, which social enterprises could also tap”.

Another newly appointed NMP was lawyer and Society for the Physically Disabled president Chia Yong Yong, who has been a wheelchair user for the past 20 years due to peroneal muscular atrophy.

Asked whether her nomination would pave the way for more people with disabilities to enter Parliament, Ms Chia said she hoped it would “encourage persons with different limitations to know they too can serve society and that they have the same opportunities to step up”. “It is also an indication of the Government’s openness to have a wider range of views in Parliament,” she added.

Ms Chia’s appointment — she is the first parliamentarian with physical disabilities in recent years — is a step in the right direction, said political analysts. Former NMP Siew Kum Hong said: “This recognises her accomplishments and also demonstrates that disabled persons are able to participate in public life just as much as able-bodied people.”

Mr Zulkifli Baharudin, also a former NMP, said it showed the committee recognised that Ms Chia could contribute as much as anyone else. He added that the current slate of NMPs is also “reflective of current thinking”, where increased focus would be placed on social issues. “Society is changing and I think the leadership must change to reflect this too.”

However, Mr Siew noted that while the choices all seemed to be established individuals, “they do seem safe”. He was disappointed that there were no appointments from civil society and the arts community — the only candidate was Drama Box artistic director Kok Heng Leun. “The arts community’s process is probably the most bottom-up, transparent and grassroots-driven of all the processes for surfacing nominees. So it’s disappointing that the committee did not select the nominee with probably the most legitimacy in terms of representing a functional constituency.”

When contacted, Mr Kok, 48, expressed disappointment, but said “the advocacy for the arts will not stop”. “We probably have to start thinking about finding and creating more legitimate spaces to talk about arts policies and important arts issues. Maybe, we should start thinking about forming NGOs to look at arts advocacy work,” he said.

Besides Mr Kok, other nominees not selected included Singapore Kindness Movement secretary-general William Wan, Paralympian William Tan and blogger Roy Ngerng.

Meanwhile, other NMPs appointed outlined issues they would raise. Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Thomas Chua, 60, said he would voice the concerns of businesses, in particular SMEs. Veteran unionist and National Trades Union Congress vice-president K Karthikeyan said workers’ welfare and cost-of-living issues the “sandwich” class faced would be his areas of concern. These are also issues close to the heart of banker Mohd Ismail Hussein, who is director of the Association of Muslim Professionals.

SIM University associate professor Randolph Tan said education training and economic productivity would be on his agenda, while Changi Sports Medicine Centre senior consultant Benedict Tan said he would focus on sports “to ensure our society fully leverages on benefits of sports, exercise and physical activity as a whole”.

The other two appointed NMPs, architect Rita Soh and historian Tan Tai Yong, could not be reached for comment at press time.

Source: http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/all-new-slate-nmps-named

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August 12, 2014
Sekolah Larang Pakai Hijab Pada Sambutan Hari Kebangsaan Walaupun Tidak Beruniform

Assalamu’alaikum…. haaaahhh…. hari ni saya nak luahkan perasaan sedih… Hari ni adalah hari sambutan hari kebangsaan singapura (sengaja xmo letak caps) di semua sekolah.

So, hari ini semua pelajar boleh pakai fesyen apa sahaja asalkan merah dan putih. So anak saya pakai lah T shirt merah dan putih berserta seluar panjang putih dan tudung putih. Masa assembly, ada satu teacher cina tu, suruh dia bukak tudung dgn alasan tudung tak dibenarkan di sekolah.

Persoalannya, saya faham, tudung is not part of the school uniform. Anak saya tak pakai school uniform pun… baju luar… merah dan putih… Free Fashion…. tahun lepas pun sama tapi tak ada masalah pun… form teacher pun tak suruh bukak…

Saya dah email pada sch principal mintak teacher ni difahamkan … saya tanya sekali.. ni teacher ada masalah ke dengan Malay Muslim…

Saya harap perkara ni dapat diselesaikan dengan tenang… saya cuma curhat je di sini… tak paham ah bangsa mereka ni… Free Fashion pun nak control ke???

The sch name is Zhenghua Primary… En Zainal MP dah bantu saya speak to VP. VP was not aware of this… saya reply, saya tak kisah lah kalau sekolah tu bagi surat, bagitau dgn parents no head gears is allowed. ok fine… anak saya pakai uniform je kalau gitu kan… mcm nurse … saya dulu pun gitu, gi sekolah bertudung sampai sekolah bukak lah pakai uniform… tak der masalah pun… saja je teacher bangang agaknya.

VP baru call… dia apologize.. kisahnya sebenar, this Mdm Teng Litan ni, waktu she demanded my daughter to take off her tudung, ada satu lagi teacher intervene asking her to refer to Mr Faisal sbb Mr Faisal ni is the in charge of the Muslim Affair student kt sklh tu… but she did not do that… so bila MP called to inform the school, she peng story kata, she tak demand cuma request je… i snubbed back la… kalau request, suara tak kan tegas garang sampai budak tu takut lalu bukak tudung… I asked the VP, so if Insyirah did not take off her tudung, will Mdm Teng take disciplinary action against her? That was the implication she gave to my daughter… The VP apologize banyak banyak kali.

I also mentioned that kalau tak mo bagi pakai head gear, then tulis surat clearly state that no head gears are allowed. Saya akan suruh anak saya pakai uniform je… lagipun saya cakap, head gears utk anak saya tu, sbb kan dia suka fesyen bertudung… tak der kena mengena dgn agama pun… saya galakkan je lah.. lagipun dah kebetulan satu tuntutan agama… so tak payahlah saya nak nasihat kan dia suruh pakai tudung kan…

Sumber: Nur Aisyah

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August 8, 2014
Why I Decide to Wear the Hijab?

Credit: Nura Fieza

Let me tell you a little story on why I decide to have them (hijab) on.

Before this I’ve been neglecting my prayers. Just like other young adults, I feel like I have the time of my life. Sitting and laying on my bed alone thinking about all of the bad things I’ve done, all the prayers I’ve missed.

Fear of the sins I’ve made in life. I’m not sure myself how sudden it was for me to feel all that at once when I did not really think of them as much as I did before the years. I also had strange feelings, mostly fears.. Like what if I don’t have much time to ask for forgiveness from my Creator. But the most terrifying feelings I felt was Death. I have no idea how it came about but in my mind it was always the thought of death. I can’t sleep at night. I couldn’t sleep, kept tossing and turning but the thought was always there that one day I stood up and tell myself; That’s it. I need to do something.

Could clearly remember that I rushed to the toilet, take my Wudhu, recite every Du’a I could and begged for forgiveness. I’m scared upon the punishments. I need guidance. I feel like I missed HIM and I tell myself that I want to get closer to HIM. Maybe the thought of my sins makes me realized how sinned I am as a person for not doing my Salah (Prayers).

I’m not proud of who I was before so instead of pondering of the things I wish I could redo, I start back on my prayers and asked for guidance in life as well as forgiveness from my Creator. Then I realized maybe it’s a sign from Him, my Creator to bring me back to the path that I’ve been out of line from. I promise you, I had never felt this feeling before.. I felt peace. I felt a-new. The feeling I’ve never felt before and can’t explain how beautiful it was. I feel like I have company even when I’m lonely like I am all the time.

In every Du’a I prayed and I thanked Allah for the blessings and the guidance/light he had showed me. Which is to show me the right path. The right way of becoming a better Muslim, and a better child. Inshallah.

The thoughts of wearing Hijab is always been lingering on my mind but I feel that I’m still not ready because I feel that I’m still not good enough. But after weeks, Du’a and during the holy month of Ramdhan itself that I finally feel that I’m ready to take the next step. And I’m a Hijabi now. 🙂 I love the person I am now. I feel much respected. Alhamdulliah.

To continue reading Nura Fieza’s story, click on the link http://nurafieza-s.blogspot.sg/2014/07/may-peace-be-upon-you.html

Authored by Nura Fieza

To continue reading Nura Fieza’s story, click on the link http://nurafieza-s.blogspot.sg/2014/07/may-peace-be-upon-you.html

Authored by Nura Fieza

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August 8, 2014
Diari Seorang Guru: Pengalaman Pahit Dijadikan Tekad Untuk Berjaya

Credit: NOOR Hasnah ADAM

Dahulu aku pelajar miskin. Aku selalu didera oleh cikgu aku bernama Ms Seow semasa darjah dua. Aku dianaktirikan. Walaupun aku pandai, Ms Seow kata aku meniru. Ms Seow tidak percaya semua yang aku buat adalah hasil kerja aku sebab aku sering tidak menjawab soalan-soalannya dalam kelas. Aku diarah duduk dalam bakul sampah setiap hari. Barang-barang dalam beg sekolah aku akan dihumban ke seluruh kelas setiap hari. Sesiapa berani kutipkan barang aku akan ditengking. Aku tak diizin belajar bersama-sama dengan pelajar lain. Ms Seow juga selalu memburuk-burukkan aku kepada guru-guru lain. Cikgu Sal turut benci pada aku dan melarang anaknya bergaul denganku.

            Kenapa cikgu-cikgu benci sangat pada aku? Mungkin sebab aku budak miskin. Baju aku buruk lusuh bekas turun-temurun kakak-kakak aku. Mungkin sebab aku tak sebersih budak-budak lain. Mungkin sebab kepalaku berkutu kerana banyak bermain longkang dan hutan. Mungkin sebab kasut turun-temurunku koyak rabak walau dijahit dan dikapur berkali-kali. Bagaimanalah aku mampu menjadi pelajar yang berpakaian rapi dan bersih, aku terpaksa berjalan kaki jauh dari rumah ke sekolah berulang-alik setiap hari. Pada waktu rehat, aku jarang ada duit untuk makan. Aku hanya mampu menelan air liur melihat pelajar-pelajar lain makan.

            Ms Seow selalu cakap aku bodoh dan jahat. Dia selalu cubit dan tampar aku. Benci betul dia pada aku. Aku dijadikan tempat Ms Seow pukul bantai melepaskan perasaan. Anak cikgu Sal yang bernama liza tetapi tidak pandai, sering dipuji-puji. Anak orang kaya sering dimanja. Aku pula sering disisih, dimaki dan dianiaya. Pernah sekali, aku menyemak kerja rumah aku dengan menggunakan pena merah sebab Ms Seow tidak mahu menyemak kerja rumah aku. Ms Seow mendapat tahu dan begitu marah. Apabila aku katakan aku ingin menjadi guru, Ms Seow telah menghina aku. Dia kata aku hanya layak jadi pengemis.

               “Ada hati nak jadi cikgu konon. Cerminlah muka tu dulu!” Kemudian, buku aku dia koyak-koyakkan dan campak ke belakang kelas. Ms Seow kata aku meniru dan buku aku tak layak disemak. Kemudian aku disuruh duduk di dalam bakul sampah yang sarat dengan sampah. Aku masih terbayang derai tawa kawan-kawanku. Kawan-kawan ikut pandang rendah pada aku. Kawan-kawan sekolah rendah suka bercerita tentang aku kepada kawan-kawan Madrasah. Konon aku jahat dan bodoh serta sering kena marah cikgu. Kawan-kawan sekolah rendah menghasut kawan-kawan madrasah supaya tidak berkawan dengan aku. Aku biarkan sahaja. Namun aku tetap dapat nombor 3 dan sering menduduki 5 tempat terbaik di madrasah. Malangnya, apabila aku mendapat nombor 3 di Madrasah, kawan-kawan menuduh aku meniru. Mereka kata aku sudah biasa meniru di sekolah rendah jadi tidak mustahil aku meniru di madrasah. Aku biarkan juga. Mak aku tidak pernah mengajar aku biadab. Mak aku tidak pernah mengajar aku maki-hamun orang. Mak aku cuma mengajar aku bersabar dan bersabar. Sekarang apabila aku kenangkan semula, rupanya budak-budak, kecil-kecil lagi sudah ada unsur gosip dan fitnah untuk menjatuhkan orang.

                  Waktu kecil itu, aku takut nak mengadu. Kalau beritahu mak abah tentang Ms Seow, pasti kena pukul lagi. Justeru aku sering berdiam diri tanda protes walau disoal bertalu-talu. Walau aku tahu jawapan Matematik, aku sengaja tidak mahu menjawab. Aku sentiasa sengaja mahu membuat Ms Seow berang. Suatu hari Ms Seow panggil mak aku ke sekolah. MS Seow tidak pandai berbahasa Melayu. Dia cakap Inggeris dan ceritakan semua keburukan aku. Konon aku jahat dan bodoh. Mak aku tak pandai berbahasa Inggeris. Jadi ada seorang budak Melayu disuruh menterjemah secara langsung kepada mak aku setiap ayat yang Ms Seow ucapkan. Nama dia Siti Zalinah. Aku ingat sampai bila-bila betapa bangganya Siti Zalinah dipilih menjadi penterjemah untuk menghina aku di hadapan mak aku. Matanya menjeling dan tersenyum sinis pada aku setiap kali dia terjemah butir-butir perkataan yang berbisa. Kemudian, Ms Seow bercakap di hadapan aku dan mak betapa puasnya dia dapat beritahu mak aku bahawa aku jahat dan bodoh.

Credit: NOOR Hasnah ADAM

               Aku rasa sangat terhina tetapi aku diam sahaja. Mak pun diam. Aku rasa mak malu dapat anak macam aku. Aku lebih sedih lukakan hati mak. Tapi aku tahu aku teraniaya. Aku tak jahat. Aku tak pernah meniru. Aku tak suka maki-hamun. Aku tak pernah aniaya orang. Cuma Ms Seow sahaja yang tak suka pada aku. Apa sahaja aku lakukan salah di mata dia. Sebab itulah aku turut dihina dan ditertawakan rakan-rakan sekelas. Walau aku lulus cemerlang, markah aku diubah pada buku rekod. Aku dimasukkan ke kelas 3C untuk pelajar lemah.

                 Waktu aku darjah tiga, mak mengandung lagi. Mak kata Siti Zalinah pandai dan bijak. Jadi dia namakan adik perempuan aku yang baru lahir, Siti Zalinah. Aku rasa sebal. Tapi aku biarkan. Siti Zalinah rakan sekelas aku memang bijak, tiap tahun dapat nombor 1. Tapi dia suka pandang rendah pada aku dan suka gelar aku ‘bodoh’. Aku tak tahu apa jadi pada dia sekarang. Mungkin dia dah berjaya dalam bidangnya

               Sejak usia 8 tahun itulah aku bertekad. Aku akan berjaya suatu hari nanti. Aku nak dikenali di negara aku supaya suatu hari orang-orang yang pernah menghina aku sedar…. “ohhh inikah NOOR Hasnah ADAM yg pernah duduk dalam bakul sampah di kelas setiap hari? Sudah berjaya rupanya!”

                Walau macam manapun, pengalaman pahit ini sentiasa aku gunakan dari sudut positif, sebagai tekad untuk berjaya. Aku berbangga kerana berjaya merealisasikan impianku. Kini aku adalah seorang guru. Terima kasih pada pengalaman semalam.

Sumber: NOOR Hasnah ADAM

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August 6, 2014
Award-winning writer, editor and former lecturer Muhammad Ariff Ahmad

Cikgu Muhammad Ariff Ahmad was awarded Singapore’s highest literary honour, the Cultural Medallion, in 1987 — ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

For photo gallery, click here.

Credit: Cikgu Muhammad Ariff Ahmad

A literary giant in the Malay community in Singapore and the region, Cikgu Muhammad Ariff Ahmad is not letting two accidental falls last year stop him from doing what he loves best: writing.

He uses a wheelchair to get around and is no longer able to write with a pen or type on a computer keyboard. But the 89-year-old taps gently on his iPhone whenever inspiration strikes, storing his ideas in an e-notebook.

An author and poet, Mr Ariff was awarded Singapore’s highest literary honour, the Cultural Medallion, in 1987. Six years later, he took home $5,000 in cash when he won a top Malay literary prize in Singapore, Anugerah Tun Seri Lanang.

He also founded regional Malay language writers’ group Asas 50 and has led many conferences on the Malay language. But it is the almost 40 years he spent in the teaching profession that stand out, as he is widely and affectionately known as Cikgu, or teacher in Malay. He taught Malay in primary and secondary schools for nearly 20 years before moving to lecturing trainee teachers at the then-Institute of Education.He retired in 1979.

His wife Sarinah Haniff, 84, is a retired teacher. They have two sons and two daughters, between the ages of 49 and 60. But only the third child, Ms Shahrulbariah, 51, has followed in her parents’ footsteps. She is a primary school teacher.

Mr Ariff, a grandfather of six, was born in Singapore in 1924. He is the second child among two sons and two daughters of a housewife and odd-job worker. At age 24, he got his teaching diploma in Perak, Malaysia, from what is now known as the Sultan Idris University of Education. It awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2006.

He has written almost 60 children’s books, novels, grammar textbooks as well as articles on culture and literature for magazines and newspapers in the region.

Today, he gives advice on literature, language and culture every week in a column in Berita Minggu, a Sunday Malay newspaper.

Source: http://www.singapolitics.sg/supperclub/celebrated-writer-respected-educator

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August 6, 2014