Rilek1Corner

Tag: malay

  • Damanhuri Abas: Normalise, Celebrate Cultural And Religious Diversity

    Damanhuri Abas: Normalise, Celebrate Cultural And Religious Diversity

    There is a viral post going around about a particular lady that seems to have posted a racially disparaging remark about the Malay language on her FB. I was also informed that this was the same lady that labeled me early in the election campaign as Taliban or ISIS for some strange reason.

    I choose to ignore her posting but wishes to highlight the following.

    I am convinced that Singaporeans mostly are not racist. There will always be that 10% and I hope lesser in any racial community that has this strange concept of racial superiority, which in essence goes against the grain, and teaching of all religion and cultures.

    I believe in the maturity of most Singaporeans that have lived 50 years together, and mixed very well too in the region, which similarly is made up of people of many races, cultures and religion.

    On this conviction, I decided to run as a candidate to allow me the opportunity to also engage the mainstream majority Chinese community on issues that are close to the heart of my Malay community.

    I am heartened by the many more occasions when my Chinese brothers and sisters proudly declare their support for what I explained as discriminatory practices that still exists in Singapore that must be stopped. All the while reasoning that by championing issues of my community in no way mean that I am undermining other communities. These open and dignified dialogues strangely don’t happen often enough, which could have resolved many so-called sensitive issues much earlier.

    I am glad that the things I openly said during rallies and in engagements with many people of all races have assured me of the ingrained value of universal brotherhood that is in all our hearts.

    Let us strive to normalize the diversity that exists in our country into a true celebration of cultural and religious openness with mutual respect and goodwill that will breed genuine tolerance between us. It is unnatural policies driven by suspicion and distrust that hinders such progress towards unity. Nature and its wondrous diversity displays unparalleled beauty as a Sign and lesson for mankind from the Creator on unity in diversity.

    For the lady in question, I do hope we forgive her, as clearly she doesn’t represent the majority of us and probably needed some form of help.

     

    Source: Damanhuri Abas

  • Zulfikar Shariff: Discussion Of The Singapore System Will Open Minds, Helps Uncover Better Solutions For Malay-Muslim Community

    Zulfikar Shariff: Discussion Of The Singapore System Will Open Minds, Helps Uncover Better Solutions For Malay-Muslim Community

    A common response made against activists who operate on social media is to tell them to stop discussing on these platforms and instead to do something.

    There are several misconceptions exhibited in such suggestions.

    First, it assumes that social media discussions, especially those that involves substantive exploration and interrogation of ideas is not doing something.

    Our understanding of the world, of systems that are created and sustained in our political system, policy choices and preferences, are all based on ideas.

    The government does not craft policies independent of their values, preferences, beliefs or interests. All these ingredients of policy formulation are based on ideas.

    So is the system we live in. The rules that define what we can or cannot do, who represent us, the platforms we are allowed to use, the actions we can take, are all based on ideas.

    To challenge, clarify and develop ideas is to do something that will have a much greater impact than simply acting without clarity.

    We should acknowledge, embrace and celebrate the role of ideas and its formulation in our community.

    Second, before we act, we need to know why we act, know how to act, what the scope and limits of our action.

    Too often, we act without knowing the why, how and what. We assume to know what we do but do not understand what defines our behaviour.

    I have seen so many Muslim leaders discuss engagement with the government to modify policies.

    And yet, they do not understand the context of the policy. They do not know the values, preference and interests that not only allow but create the conditions for the policy to exist.

    So they engage, in expectation of a change, while being constrained by the very system they exist in.

    The policies, (whether hijab, imposition of leadership, domestic and international preferences) are based on a system that defines what can be done and the preferences of the elites.

    To assume that all we need to do is engage on policy is to ask for a meal while trapped in a well.

    Understand the system. Understand what creates the preferences.

    And then we can understand what we can do.

    And these understandings can only be gained when we discuss ideas.

    Whether it is done in a classroom or social media, these discussions have to take place.

    Social media provides amazing access to activists. We can reach out to hundreds or thousands of followers and friends.

    Unlike using the mainstream media, our voice and opinions do not need to be filtered. There are no gatekeepers to decide what we can say or how we can say it.

    We can develop and share ideas.

    We can explore, provide clarity, impart knowledge and mobilise.

    Every discussion is an opportunity shift a position.

    An effective discussion will create new understanding or solidify old ones. Or create perceptual drifts.

    Social media discussions, even if limited, can change society.

    And that is more substantive than what many realise.

     

    Source: Zulfikar Shariff

  • Malay Kuehs Should Not Be Rebranded As Peranakan Kuehs

    Malay Kuehs Should Not Be Rebranded As Peranakan Kuehs

    “These are Malay kuih, not Peranakan. If you click the link, you’ll see that a vast majority of these kuih are those that you see so many Malay women sell to get by.

    “In an accompanying note, he explained that the illustrations were a part of a “proposal” he did for a Peranakan restaurant (which one could it be?). He went on to say that his illustrations for each kueh had led to the “discovery” of more kuehs he “never knew”.”

    Wow, ok. You discovered a racial cuisine of a country you’ve been living in for…. How long now? “Discovery”. “Never knew”. Rebranding Malay kuih to Peranakan kueh. Hmmm. Getting serious colonial vibes here.

    Peranakans want to claim it’s theirs and commodify it. What else are you going to claim yours? All of Malay cuisine? The Malay language? Fxxx off.”

    Editor’s Note: Sangeetha Thanapal posted the above comments by Zarifah Anuar, on Facebook.

     

    Source: Sangeetha Thanapal

  • Workers’ Party: Set Up Committee To Address Persistent Perceptions Of Racial Discrimination

    Workers’ Party: Set Up Committee To Address Persistent Perceptions Of Racial Discrimination

    The Workers’ Party welcomes the signing of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) on October 19, 2015 and its expected ratification in 2017. The Workers’ Party strongly believes in the aspirations laid out in the National Pledge, and Singaporeans should continually better the realisation that we are “one united people, regardless of race, language, or religion.” Acceding to and ratifying ICERD is an important step towards our national vision.

    All societies have room to improve on the treatment of racial minorities. Singapore is no different. Even as we celebrate the achievements of our multiracialism, Singaporeans should be mindful of areas where we can do more. It is important for a multiracial society like Singapore to ensure that racial minorities recognise that they can always be confident of a safe, inclusive environment where they are accorded the human dignity each and every person rightly deserves.

    A specific area that Singapore can work on as a society is to examine structural factors and institutional practices that may reinforce persistent perceptions of discrimination among racial minorities in Singapore. We are mindful that conditions fuelling such perceptions might not have been purposefully established or maintained. This makes it all the more important for Singaporeans to examine what we can all do to live up to the spirit of our National Pledge and the ICERD in eliminating all forms of racial discrimination and preserving our national pillar of multiracialism.

    The Suara Musyawarah Committee Report on the concerns and aspirations of Malay-Muslim Singaporeans, published in July 2013, highlighted persistent perceptions of discrimination that would be, in the long run, unhealthy for our racial harmony. In May 2014, Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap proposed the formation of a committee made up of government representatives, Members of Parliament and community leaders to address these perceptions of discrimination among Malay-Muslims.

    In light of the signing of the ICERD, the Workers’ Party believes the formation and functioning of a multiracial committee is the best way forward to study and address persistent perceptions of discrimination among all minority communities. If the committee finds these perceptions to have some basis in institutional practices, then the findings will inform the Government to take the necessary action to rectify these practices. If these perceptions are found to have no basis, then the findings will allow the Government to work with affected communities to correct the perceptions. The committee will also serve as a useful national platform for inter-cultural conversations to promote mutual understanding and respect.

    Singapore has made significant strides in multiracial integration and countering racial discrimination over the decades. Such steps are especially important for a highly diverse and multiracial society where physical space is limited and population density is rising. These conditions also mean that Singaporeans should constantly look to work on success in addressing racial discrimination and perceptions of discrimination, while conscientiously seeking to address shortcomings to strengthen our multiracialism.

    Links:
    The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
    The Suara Musyawarah Committee’s Report
    Transcript of Mr Muhamad Faisal’s speech and debate in Parliament on 26 May 2014

    Dr Daniel Goh 
    Chair, Media Team
    The Workers’ Party

    27 October 2015

     

    Source: www.wp.sg

  • PRC Waitress At Tang Tea House Takes Effort To Speak Malay To Malay-Majority Clientele

    PRC Waitress At Tang Tea House Takes Effort To Speak Malay To Malay-Majority Clientele

    It is sad that there are still people who don’t recognize that Malay is our National Language. And worse still, they insist the minorities should learn Mandarin instead of the majority picking up the National Language.

    It is also sad that there are some foreigners who don’t want to learn English.

    I went to Tang Tea House for lunch just now. These days even Halal food outlets employ PRC. There was this waitress. She spoke with a Mainland accent. But what struck me was that she made the effort to learn Malay and took my order in Malay. I am a very happy customer. I patronize Tang Tea House because they trained their staff very well especially the foreigners.

     

    Source: Hazrul A. Jamari