Tag: MINDEF

Why Sikhs Can Keep Beards But Muslims Cannot in SAF?

Meet 3SG Jagrnjeet Singh, a regular Infantry specialist who just graduated from the 15/13 Specialist Cadet Course. As a junior commander, he is looking forward to leading his men and giving them a positive time in the SAF. He elaborated, “I am in this not for the money but for my passion. I want to give a different experience to my men and show them that there is much more to National Service than the two years. Having been a trooper before in 4 SIR, I understand how troopers feel and want to make a positive impact on their time in NS”. Very inspiring words, 3SG Singh! — with Jagrnjeet Singh Sidhu.

During my 4th ICT, I have a corporal posted into my unit. He’s a Muslim with facial hair just like our Sikh friend in this picture. Not trying to stir any racial/religion issue here. But upon in pro, he was asked to rid of his facial hair without any second chances.

In Islam, Muslim men are encouraged to keep beards. But how is it that our dear Sikh brothers are allowed to keep facial hairs but our Muslim brothers are not allowed. This shows that the SAF is cultivating double standards.

The organization is being biased towards Muslim practising their rights in the SAF. As a Muslim, I am upset that after 40years of developing Asia’s best army, this MAJOR issue has yet to be ironed out.

Also, the serviceman has a letter from MUIS to allow him to wear track pants instead of the standard issue PT shorts. Sadly, he was not allowed to perform his IPPT due to his attire. Reasons were compromise of safety/possible heat injuries etc. We all know that it can be done but they just want to suppress our rights.

Harap maaf kerana mengguna bahasa english. Serviceman tersebut adalah FCruz. Saya adalah CSM beliau.

Authored by Izzat

EDITOR’S NOTE

Followers of the Sikh religion are allowed to keep beard, and wear a turban while still donning military uniform. They do not need special permission in the SAF.

MINDEF explained the allowance for Sikhs was passed down from British colonial times.

What is your view on this beard issue and what do you think is the best way to resolve this matter?

June 18, 2014
Askar Malaysia Makan Haiwan Haram Ketika Latihan Darurat di Hutan

Credit: Facebook Listen Listen Original

Sebuah laman Facebook Listen Listen Original pada 31 Mei lepas mempersoalkan beberapa keping gambar yang memaparkan beberapa anggota tentera yang dipercayai dari negara Malaysia menikmati pelbagai juadah makanan di dalam hutan.

Menurut Facebook berkenaan, anggota tentera berkenaan mungkin dari Malaysia berdasarkan pakaian seragam mereka dan dilihat menjalani latihan memakan benda ‘haram’ sebagai latihan ketika darurat.

Gambar itu dikatakan dipaparkan pada mulanya di laman web maahadsas.edu.my mengatakan bahawa para anggota itu diberi latihan kelangsungan hidup atau bagaimana cara untuk menangkap, memasak serta memakan.

Di status Facebook berkenaan turut dipaparkan persoalan apakah tujuan sebenar latihan sebegitu diadakan dan ia dirujuk pula kepada kemungkinan latihan seorang ibu yang terdesak masalah kewangan untuk menjadi pelacur.

Selepas puas memberikan soalan berbaur provokasi baru laman Facebook itu memohon pencerahan daripada Jawatankuasa Fatwa Kebangsaan dalam isu gambar anggota tentera memakan haiwan yang pelik-pelik yang didakwa haram itu.

Sumber: Facebook Listen Listen Original

EDITOR’S NOTE

Isu-isu sebegini juga ada tempiasnya di Singapura dan ianya juga menimbulkan tanda tanya tentang askar-askar kita yang beragama Islam: apakah mereka boleh memakan haiwan-haiwan yang boleh dikategorikan sebagai haram atau binatang liar ketika LATIHAN DARURAT?

Mungkin ada baiknya kita renungkan bersama. Antara agama dan juga negara ketika latihan darurat seperti ini.

Semoga kita akan mendapatkan penjelasan daripada pihak yang lebih ahli supaya masyarakat umum tidak membuat simpulan sendiri yang tidak berasas dan kurang bernas.

Selama ini, isu-isu sensitif seperti ini tidak dibicarakan secara terbuka. Inilah masanya.

June 4, 2014
Time for Muslim MPs To Take a Stand on Malay and Muslim Issues

Photo Credit: Yahoo SG

WP MP Faisal Manap raises some concerns of Muslims, as expressed in the Suara Musyawarah Report, in Parliament.

Instead of addressing the issue head-on, PAP Muslim MPs tries to corner Faisal into taking a stand on the issue (which he didn’t, and i think he should have). Later, the MPs were either silent on the issue or tried to skirt it, or even deny it.

Now i have a few questions for the Muslim MPs:

1) Is the Suara Musyawarah Report not commissioned by the government? If so, what is the follow-up?

2) What is the attitude of the Muslim MPs towards the report? Take what you like from it, and ignore what you don’t?

3) If the latter is the case, why have the report in the first place?

4) Even IF those things stated are not true, those are indeed the perceptions of many Muslims. Will you address those perceptions with facts and figures, and reasoned argumentation? Or will those just be dismissed or ignored?

I call upon them to take a stand on these issues/questions, in the name of constructive politics.

Authored by Walid Jumblatt Abdullah

Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, a public-spirited individual, is an ongoing Political Science student of the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is a three-times award recipient of the Graduate Student Teaching (GSTA) Award Honour Roll in 2012. In the recent NUS Commencement Week, he was also selected as the Valedictorian of his cohort.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Seems like both parties cranked up their engines harder this time round with fancy new measures and proposals. The announcement on setting up of WP Malay/Muslim committee to oversee concerns faced by the community should have been done way much earlier. Nevertheless, it’s better late than never. We applaud WP to help the community alongside PAP. Having two different approaches and perspectives to issues will definitely result in expedited progress, only if sole focus is on the community, and not about the respective parties and what’s important to them.

We are glad that more and more Muslims are speaking up for what’s good for their community. This is our country and in a significant way, we have the right to decide our future. As long that discussions are not baseless and no vulgarities involved, someday somehow someone will hear us.

May 30, 2014
Workers’ Party: Set Up Committee to Address Malay-Muslim Concerns

SINGAPORE – Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap of the Workers’ Party yesterday called for the formation of a committee to address concerns of Malay-Muslims over how their loyalty to the nation is viewed.

But in a swift rebuttal, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Manpower Hawazi Daipi deemed his suggestion unnecessary as this was an issue that could be overcome by strengthening inter-racial ties.

The exchange began with Mr Faisal saying that more needed to be done to “address and find solutions” to community concerns highlighted in a recent report. He quoted the findings of the Suara Musyawarah committee, which said Malay-Muslim participants felt left out in certain policies and practices which “question the loyalty of Malays to the country”.

The committee was formed in 2012 to gather feedback on the thoughts, concerns and aspirations of Malay-Muslims. Its report highlighted personal accounts of employers expressing a preference for non-Malay workers and surfaced concerns over exclusion from certain parts of the Singapore Armed Forces.

Mr Faisal acknowledged that progress has been made in terms of opportunities afforded to Malay-Muslims in education and national service, but said the committee’s formation could offer a “quick solution” to achieving a “more inclusive and open Singapore society”.

Responding to his speech, Mr Hawazi and Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) later asked Mr Faisal if the latter had ever felt that his loyalty to the country was questioned, and what his own views on the issue were.

“I’m concerned (that) if we highlight the differences, we will be widening (them) not only among one community but all communities,” said Mr Hawazi, adding that schools and community activities are means to forge greater social cohesion.

In response, Mr Faisal stressed that the issue of loyalty among Malays was surfaced by the Suara Musyawarah report, and not him.

Mr Hawazi then suggested that Mr Faisal had cherry-picked portions of the report, failing to highlight, for example, that Malay-Muslim participants also said they were “very committed” to Singapore on issues that include defence and security.

Maintaining that he was reflecting concerns on the ground, Mr Faisal said: “I have said in my view that I am aware and agree there is progress made, but because there are still many people who say that this issue is present, I, as a voice of the people, would like to voice it out.”

Source: The Straits Times

READ MORE ON WORKER’S PARTY RELATED ARTICLES

May 29, 2014
Malay/Muslim are losing faith in SAF

Handsome gerago, Jason Pereira defends the Singapore Muslims and rejects the idea that the SAF still fails to see anything beyond skin colour. He also claims that Singaporeans are losing faith in the system.

Do you agree with Jason?

Source: Jason Pereira

February 12, 2014