Tag: malay

Tudung Issue: In Defence Of Faisal Manap

A motion on the achievements of Singapore women took a drastic turn when Minister Masagos had an intense exchange with WP MP Faisal Manap in Parliament over the tudung issue yesterday.

The exchange took place in a middle of a debate on supporting the aspirations of women in Singapore, after Faisal Manap had raised the tudung issue in an earlier speech.

In a nut shell, Masagos was taking Faisal Manap to task for constantly raising “divisive” issues such as the tudung issue, role of Malays in the SAF, and Palestine etc. You get the drift. Difficult issues that tend to put the government in a spot. That might drive a wedge by making these issues into what Masagos called a “state vs religion” matter.

Why keep focusing on such issues, Masagos asked, instead of focusing on issues that matter most to the Malay-Muslim community – education, housing, jobs. Why not focus on issues that are more important and constructive?

Now, Faisal Manap is a politician at the end of the day. While I’m sure that issues such as tudung, role of Malays in the SAF and Palestine do matter to many Malay-Muslims, I am also sure that Faisal Manap specifically raised these issues precisely because these were tough issues that would put the government in a spot. And to gain some political mileage out of it too by playing to the gallery. i.e. Faisal Manap is just being a politician.

E.g. remember the photo of him praying before a GE rally in 2015, which appeared on social media?

Like what many other politicians do actually. Including PAP ones. Just that sometimes they are lousier at it – e.g remember. Koh Poh Koon helping an old auntie to carrying 32kg of old newspapers.

Yet, three points in defense of Faisal Manap:

1) Sole Malay Opposition MP

Now, the PAP is accusing Faisal Manap of raising “divisive” issues on a regular basis. The thing is, if not him, then who? There aren’t any other Malay-Muslim opposition MPs, so the onus is on him to raise certain issues that members of the Malay-Muslims want answers to.

Perhaps Faisal Manap wouldn’t need to raise such issues if Malay-Muslim PAP MPs have the guts to raise them in Parliament in the first place.

2) If not in Parliament, then where?

Masagos said that the government does not discuss such issues in public forums, such as Parliament, as they are sensitive and potentially divisive, and can be easily misunderstood because they are complex and difficult to resolve. Instead, Masagos said, the government addresses these issues behind closed doors with community leaders.

Not that we can’t discuss behind closed doors at times, but honestly, what’s so wrong about an elected representative raising issues that matter to his constituents in Parliament? And if we can’t have an open debate in Parliament, then where is a right platform for law makers to debate sensitive, but important stuff?

At least Parliament is a public forum where everything that’s said is recorded into the Hansard – so we know what exactly is said. As opposed to doing things behind closed doors all the time, where the public wouldn’t know what’s going on.

When can this society have an honest conversation about things, rather than sweep them under the rug?

3) Point about Zulfikar was a red herring

In his speech, Masagos raised the point about Zulfikar (remember the dude who was detained under the ISA last year for promoting violence and ISIS?) and Faisal Manap being at an event at the same time.

That was a classic red herring that is completely irrelevant to the topic at hand:

Somewhat insinuating something else also. Which is an ad hominem:

Nope. Not cool at all, Masagos.

That is all.

The end.

Source: www.thoughtssg.com

April 5, 2017
Masagos Zulkifli: Faisal Manap Constantly Bringing Up Race & Religious Matters Is Divisive

Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli criticised an opposition MP’s tendency to raise divisive issues relating to the Malay/Muslim community in Parliament on Tuesday (Apr 4).

At the debate on supporting the aspirations of women in Singapore, Workers’ Party MP Faisal Manap (Aljunied GRC) called for Muslim nurses and uniformed officers in the Home Team and armed forces to be allowed to wear the tudung, or headscarf, at work.

He said countries like Australia and the United Kingdom had allowed this, and asked when Singapore would take a similar step.

Responding, Mr Masagos said he found Mr Faisal’s approach “worrisome”, as he had used the motion “to focus on differences instead of rallying people to be united”.

“He dwells on issues that can injure or hurt the feelings of the community rather than inspire them. In fact, Mr Manap has used many occasions to raise potentially discordant issues in this House,” he added.

The minister cited issues Mr Faisal raised in past sittings, such as the need for halal kitchens in Navy ships and the perceived discrimination of Malays in the armed forces.

He asked: “Is it his or his party’s position that these issues are the top concerns of the community?”

The minister said Mr Faisal’s approach needled the community’s sensitivity “subtly and frequently”.

“It leaves a lingering feeling of (something) unsolved and unsolvable, and impatience that one day I believe will explode. Is that what Mr Faisal wants?” he asked.

Mr Masagos noted the Government had responded to Mr Faisal’s queries before, and said he would not elaborate except to emphasise “we are in a multiracial society and we all have a role to play to enlarge our common space”.

Religion is important, he said. “I too want to see progress in the tudung issue and religious matters that are dear to Muslims,” he added.

But he noted that Government and community leaders of all races and religions had been discussing such deeply emotive matters behind closed doors.

“There is a right time, a right place and right way to discuss this.”

“The way to make progress is gradually and quietly, working under the radar to strengthen mutual trust and understanding among Singaporeans so that we can move forward step by step,” he added.

In contrast, championing issues “in a higher-profile way like the member always does once in a while, using them to score political points, will not strengthen trust.”

“It will only raise the temperature and actually make the problems harder to solve,” Mr Masagos said.

He cited an old social media post by Mr Faisal, in which he posed for a photo during the Wear White campaign in 2014 with Zulfikar Shariff, who was arrested under the Internal Security Act last year for his support for ISIS. Mr Masagos said: “It makes us wonder whether it is Mr Faisal who is supporting Mr Zulfikar or Mr Zulfikar supporting Mr Faisal, or are they together in this because of a common cause.”

Mr Faisal replied he was there only to support Wear White, which opposes homosexuality: “I’m not so sure what’s behind minister’s mind when he tried to link me to Zulfikar and I’m a bit distraught by his effort to paint me negatively.”

He also disagreed he was sowing discord and said as an elected MP, he had the right to voice concerns of his community in Parliament.

Mr Masagos said Mr Faisal was “not repentant or apologetic”, and “insists his strident approach is the correct way”, although it puts Singapore’s multiracial harmony at risk.

“If each community pushes its own claims aggressively, there will be pushback, there will be animosity,” said the minister.

Mr Faisal replied all he had been asking since he was elected was for the Government to address the issue: “How does that cause divisiveness and discord?”

Mr Masagos pointed to his “practice of subtly and frequently bringing issues that are sensitive to the community, knowing (they are) not easy to resolve and cleverly turning it into a state versus religion issue.”

“These are all very dangerous moves. I actually wonder whether the WP and its leadership are committed to the racial and religious harmony which underpins the security of this country,” he added.

“Do you want to go back to the politics of race and religion of the 1960s, the politics we wanted to avoid when we left Malaysia? If we don’t want that, why do we let a member constantly raise these issues to stir the community?”

Source: www.straitstimes.com

April 5, 2017
Perkasa: Singapore Minister’s Remark An Insult To King, Government

Malay right-wing group Perkasa wants Wisma Putra to send a letter of protest to Singapore for comments attributed to a senior minister comparing Singapore Malays with Malaysian Malays.

Singapore Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam had been reported as saying that Singapore Malays are better off in terms of education standing, skills and wealth than those of similar ethicnicity in Malaysia or Indonesia.

Perkasa deputy chairman Sirajuddin Salleh said the statement made by Shanmugam was uncalled for.

“I am concerned about the statement. It is not diplomatic and is an insult to the King and the government of Malaysia,” he told FMT when asked to comment on Shanmugam’s statement.

Sirajuddin said Malaysia and Singapore were close neighbours and there should be greater diplomacy between both countries.

“I hope Wisma Putra will issue a strong protest letter. To me, the remark is not good. I will not touch on the content because it is very subjective.

“It is just like if he comes to my house and says something that is not nice. Whether he is right or not, that is subjective, but in this case, it is not very nice,” Sirajuddin said.

Earlier Channel News Asia quoted Shanmugam as saying that “with a stable, strong political system, with a strong government, with a guarantee for the minorities … with this framework, we can become the community that Muslim societies in other countries look towards and say, this is the example.”

Shanmugam had also suggested that Malay, Indian and Chinese PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians) from Singapore were better off than those of the same race, respectively, in Malaysia.

However, the minister had cautioned that while Singapore was doing better compared with many parts of the world, “within Singapore there is still a gap” and they were no longer just competing with Malaysia or Indonesia, but instead competing with the world.

He said the proportion of Malay Primary 1 students who go on to post-secondary education had doubled from 45% in 1995 to 93% in 2015. Those who eventually receive polytechnic diplomas, professional qualifications or university degrees have “gone up over a five-year period to 21%.”

Shanmugam added that the proportion of Malays working as PMETs increased to 28% in 2010 and their median real monthly income per capita had doubled since 1990.

Nearly 90% of Malay households in Singapore own their own homes, according to Shanmugam.

However, he singled out three challenges facing the Malay-Muslim community in the country – radicalisation, loss of jobs and the over-representation of Malays being caught for crimes and drug abuse.

Citing a Pew Research Centre study which showed that 10% of Malaysian Malays had a favourable opinion of Islamic State (IS), and that nearly one-quarter were not prepared to come out and say that IS is wrong, Shanmugam said that Singapore Malays must not get to that level.

“A key part of that depends on you, the leaders of the Malay community, and whether you can make sure that the right religious values are put forth. We have to work hard at this because the influences are on the internet,” Shanmugam reportedly told a seminar organised by the Association of Muslim Professionals in Singapore.

On drug abuse, Shanmugam had said 53% of those arrested for drug abuse last year were Malays. This is an increase from 10 years ago when the proportion of Malays arrested for the same was 32%.

Source: freemalaysiatoday

April 3, 2017
SG Malay-Muslim Community Can Be The “Beacon For The Rest Of The World”

The Malay-Muslim community in Singapore has made concrete progress in the areas of education, jobs and wealth, said Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam yesterday.

However, it also has to take a hard look at three challenges facing the community – radicalisation, more professionals losing their jobs and a significant over-representation of Malays in crime and drug statistics as well as the prison population.

He called on Malay-Muslim organisations such as self-help group Mendaki, the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore to step forward and help tackle these issues. The roles that such groups can play include counselling former offenders and supporting their families, as well as turning those who are at risk away from crime and drug abuse, said Mr Shanmugam, who is also Law Minister.

He was addressing about 140 community leaders and volunteers at an annual seminar organised by the AMP. In his speech, he highlighted the significant social and economic progress made by the Malay- Muslim community over the years.

For instance, the proportion of Malay Primary 1 pupils who go on to post-secondary education has doubled from 45 per cent in 1995 to 93 per cent in 2015. One out of every five Malay pupils who enters the education system will eventually obtain a degree or diploma, he said.

And while the proportion of Malays who are professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) was 28 per cent in 2010, “I am sure it has gone up more by now”, he noted. On housing, he said nearly 90 per cent of Malay households own their own homes, with 70 per cent of them living in four-room Housing Board flats or bigger.

“A Singapore Malay today in educational standing, in terms of skills and wealth, is better off than a Malaysian Malay or an Indonesian Malay,” he said. “The same goes for the Indians, and for the Chinese, in Singapore.”

The Government will continue to provide support to all Singaporeans, with additional help given to Malay-Muslims, he noted. The support includes financial help when infants are born, subsidising childcare and school fees, cash grants to buy HDB flats and healthcare subsidies.

But while the progress made by the community is encouraging, he warned of dangers posed by radicalisation and exclusivism. He cited a study by US-based Pew Research Centre on Malaysia, which showed 10 per cent of Malaysian Malays had a favourable opinion of terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and nearly a quarter were not prepared to denounce it. “We have to make sure that we do not get there,” he said.

On the jobs front, a committee led by parliamentary secretaries Amrin Amin and Faishal Ibrahim is being set up to help Malay-Muslim PMETs hit by job losses, he said.

In addition, Malay-Muslim groups can work with the Government to tackle the problem of “significant over-representation” of Malays in crime, drug and prison statistics, the minister noted.

He is optimistic that the Malay- Muslim community can overcome the challenges it faces, and be a “beacon for the rest of the world” – one that is confident, modern, vibrant and integrated.

AMP chairman Abdul Hamid Abdullah said the association can work with the Government to reach out to more families. “Community groups are in a better position to reach out to Malay families because we are on the ground,” he noted.

On the Malay community becoming an example for other countries, he said: “This is motivating. We can be an example of how a minority community can thrive in a multi-racial country.”

Source: ST

April 3, 2017
Pesta Perdana 2017 – Rahimah Rahim Terima Anugerah Perdana Emas

enyanyi veteran Rahimah Rahim, dijulang dengan anugerah besar yang kedua bulan ini, apabila beliau nobatkan sebagai penerima Anugerah Pencapaian Sepanjang Hayat Pesta Perdana, iaitu Anugerah Perdana Emas.

Anugerah tersebut diberikan semasa majlis anugerah gilang gemilang Pesta Perdana ke-14, yang berlangsung malam ini tadi (31 Mac).

Baru seminggu lalu (24 Mac), Rahimah Rahim dijulang ke dalam senarai Dewan Wanita Masyhur Singapura (SWHF) oleh Majlis Pertubuhan Wanita Singapura (SCWO). Ini sebagai mengiktiraf sumbangan beliau dalam bidang hiburan dan seni tempatan.

Rahimah kelihatan terharu apabila berada di atas pentas dan berkata beliau “rasa menggigil’ sehingga terpacul dari mulutnya perkataan ‘nak cakap apa eh?’.

Yang pasti, banyak yang sudah beliau sumbangkan kepada persada seni tempatan sehinggakan SURIA memilihnya sebagai penerima Anugerah Perdana Emas yang berprestij itu. Anugerah untuk mereka yang sudah menyumbang begitu banyak untuk dunia seni Melayu.

(Gambar: BERITAMediacorp)

RAHIMAH RAHIM – LEBIH 50 TAHUN DALAM DUNIA SENI HIBURAN

Rahimah Rahim yang kini berusia 61 tahun, sebenarnya sudah berkecimpung dalam dunia seni dan hiburan selama lebih 50 tahun – bermula sebagai pelakon kanak-kanak pada usia enam tahun.

Pada usia 19 tahun, Rahimah Rahim menjadi juara pertandingan adu bakat Kimi Koso Talentime di Tokyo, sekaligus mengharumkan nama Singapura di persada antarabangsa.

Seorang penyanyi jelita semasa zaman kegemilangannya, Rahimah Rahim pernah berkongsi pentas dengan gergasi-gergasi nyanyian antarabangsa seperti Leslie Cheung dan Alan Tam, selain membuat persembahan di banyak negara luar.

Sebagai seorang penyanyi, beliau sudah menghasilkan sebanyak 17 buah album, dengan albumnya yang terakhir diedarkan sekitar 10 tahun lalu.

Rahimah kemudian meninggalkan dunia seni selama lebih 10 tahun bermula tahun 1990, sebelum memasuki semula pentas hiburan pada tahun-tahun 2000.

Yang pasti, beliau seorang yang semula jadi dalam industri hiburan dan tidak mempunyai sebarang masalah untuk kembali mewarnakan dunia hiburan tempatan.

Di akhir ucapannya semasa menerima trofi anugerah anugerah khas Pesta Perdana, Rahimah sempat menyanyikan bait-bait bermakna daripada sebuah lagunya. Begini bunyinya:

Jalan ke puncak seni, beronak dan berliku, mencabarkan pendakianku,

Namun tetap kugagahi, jiwa seni ku ini, demi hasrat yang suci…

Kini, nama beliau sekali lagi dijulang dalam ‘Oscar Melayu Singapura’ dan Rahimah Rahim diberikan ‘standing ovation’ selaku penerima Anugerah Perdana Emas.

Source: www.beritaharian.sg

April 1, 2017