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Tag: MUIS

  • Yaacob Ibrahim: No Such Thing As Freedom Of Expression Without Limits

    Yaacob Ibrahim: No Such Thing As Freedom Of Expression Without Limits

    Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said he appreciates a decision by a local printer of The Economist not to reproduce a page with the latest cover of the Charlie Hebdo magazine depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

    “We have no doubt that there’s no such thing as freedom of expression without limits. As I have said before, the right to speak freely and responsibly must come together,” Dr Yaacob said to the media on the sidelines of the JFDI.Asia Demo Day on Friday (Jan 16),

    Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs said the circulation of the cartoons will not be allowed in Singapore. He later posted on Facebook that “there are longstanding laws against causing offence to our races and religions” in Singapore.

    The page in the Singapore edition of The Economist was replaced with a statement informing readers that the magazine’s “Singapore printers” declined to print it. The magazine hit local newsstands on Friday.

    “I think Singaporeans understand the sensitivities and we must continue to protect our racial, religious harmony. So I appreciate the sensitivities shown by the printer and I commend them for the decision,” said Dr Yaacob.

    “All in all, it’s been a good outcome for us, because people understand that we must continue to work together to preserve the racial and religious harmony in Singapore,” he added.

    Dr Yaacob said the Malay/Muslim community is “by and large offended” by the latest Charlie Hebdo cover. “But I think they also understood that we need to act rationally and I am quite impressed at how the community has come together to respond to this particular episode,” he said.

    “But at the same time, we recognise that this may not be the last time that it will happen and we have continued to build up our resilience. And on our part we should also continue to try and spread the message of peace and tolerance across all communities here in Singapore.”

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • MUIS Should Publicly Criticise Offensive Charlie Hebdo Cartoons And The Need For Responsible Freedom Of Speech

    MUIS Should Publicly Criticise Offensive Charlie Hebdo Cartoons And The Need For Responsible Freedom Of Speech

    MUIS and our Mufti should make a public statement on the Paris shootings.

    They could distance themselves from whomever were responsible for the ‘acts of terrorism.’

    At the same time, it is a golden opportunity to handle the issue of disparaging our Beloved Rasulullah SAW by distancing themselves from the offensive and despicable cartoons.

    And it would be exactly in line with the government stand. Freedom of speech is not absolute. It does NOT extend to freedom to offend any religion.

    A press statement as well as an FB posting on the official MUIS site would be very much appreciated.

    The ball is in MUIS’ court. We hope they would sieze this golden opportunity and strike while the hammer is hot.

     

    Source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Singapore-Muslims-for-an-Independent-MUIS/

  • Skim Pengiktirafan Asatizah (ARS) Akan Dipertingkat

    Skim Pengiktirafan Asatizah (ARS) Akan Dipertingkat

    Beberapa peningkatan dan pembaikan dalam Skim Pengiktirafan Asatizah (ARS) akan dilaksanakan sepanjang tiga tahun mulai tahun ini hingga 2017.

    Antaranya termasuk pengumpulan mata yang fleksibel, masa kursus dan medium penyampaian kursus yang pelbagai variasi, serta menaik taraf sistem portal dan pangkalan data ARS.

    Demikian menurut Mufti Negara, Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram, dalam majlis menjunjung budi bagi menghargai sumbangan para anggota Lembaga Pengiktirafan Asatizah (ARB), yang turut dihadiri oleh Menteri Bertanggungjawab bagi Masyarakat Islam, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, di Akademi Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) hari ini.

    Menurut Mufti, skim yang diperkenalkan sedekad lalu untuk memperkasa asatizah dengan ilmu pengetahuan itu, perlu dipastikan terus berdaya saing.

    Beliau berharap ARS akan menjadi satu skim yang boleh dijadikan model di rantau ini dan di benua lain. Menurut penelitian beliau, skim itu telah mencapai ke tahap sekarang ini dengan kesungguhan anggota-anggota ARB.

    Tambah Mufti: “Cetusan untuk menginstitusikan skim ARS ini, merupakan satu keputusan yang sangat tepat. Ia dilihat memberi manfaat yang sangat besar, bukan hanya untuk golongan kepimpinan agama sahaja, (tetapi juga) para asatizah yang merupakan kumpulan sasaran. Malah manfaatnya dapat diraih juga oleh seluruh masyarakat Singapura.”

    Pengerusi ARB, Ustaz Haji Ali Mohamed, juga berpendapat skim itu perlu diperbaiki dari masa ke masa sesuai dengan keperluan. Beliau berharap dalam jangka panjang, skim ARS boleh memainkan peranan besar dalam membangunkan potensi asatizah setempat.

    Sehingga bulan ini, lebih 1,750 asatizah berdaftar di bawah skim ARS.

    Dr Mohammad Hannan Hassan, Naib Dekan Akademi MUIS, juga berharap peningkatan terhadap ARS akan menjadikannya lebih berwibawa dan dapat terus memperkasa para asatizah.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

  • Osman Sulaiman: MUIS Perlu Ambil Sikap Terbuka Dengan Masyarakat Demi Kebaikkannya Sendiri

    Osman Sulaiman: MUIS Perlu Ambil Sikap Terbuka Dengan Masyarakat Demi Kebaikkannya Sendiri

    Baru2 ini, saya ada mengetengahkan beberapa isu tentang pengendalian Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). Sayangnya, ada juga rintangan dari sesetengah pihak, Ini saya anggap normal. Setiap perbuatan kita, akan ada yg tidak berapa senang atau setuju. Tapi malangnya, bantahan mereka tidak ada asas yg kukuh.Sebagai umat Islam di Singapura, saya berhak mendapat ketelusan dari MUIS. Walaupun MUIS ialah badan yg tertinggi di Singapura untuk mengendalikan hal2 ehwal Islam, sebagai individu, saya juga mempunyai tanggungjawab atas apa yg berlaku kepada MUIS.

    Isu2 yg di bangkitkan dari sosial media bukannya hanya khabar angin atau sangkaan semata. Banyak juga isu dapat di cungkil dari penyata kewangan MUIS tahun 2013. Sayangnya MUIS tidak mahu respon kepada komunitinya. Ia cuma mengeluarkan iklan di suratkhabar tetapi tidak menjawab soalan2 penting yg di utarakan.

    Ramai yg telah menghantarkan email kepada MUIS sama ada mahu berjumpa untuk mendapatkan duduk perkara, ataupun mengutarakan isu2 untuk mendapat keterangan. MUIS tidak menjawab dan memberi jawapan.

    Antara isu2 yg harus diperjelaskan ialah:

    1) Perihal MUIS berurusan dgn riba.

    2) MUIS is a gov stat board tapi ia membayar gaji perkerjanya dari duit Zaka

    3) Kepimpinan MUIS dilantik oleh pemerintah dan bukan komunitinya

    Dari 3 perkara diatas, saya berpendapat yg ianya penting supaya MUIS menjawab atau memberi keterangan untuk perkara2 tersebut. Pengendalian MUIS harus transparent dan accountable.

    Jatuhnya MUIS bukan dari orang yg mempersoalkan pengendaliannya, tetapi jatuhynya MUIS akan datang dari orang yg taksub dan berduduk diam apabila retakan2 kecil mula berlaku.

    Saya harap tidak ada yg mencumuh saya hanya kerna saya bertanyakan soalan2 ini kepada ‘kuasa tertinggi’ Islam di Singapura. Ini hak saya dan tanggungjawab saya sebagai umat islam. Wasaalam.

     

    Osman Sulaiman

  • MUIS Staying Silent Despite Calls For Greater Transparency On Its Accounts

    MUIS Staying Silent Despite Calls For Greater Transparency On Its Accounts

    There have been some disclosures made about MUIS on this page recently.

    Whether it is turning away the needy, the use of zakat to pay MUIS staff salary, lack of transparency in waqf or riba, there are real concerns in how MUIS is conducting itself.

    For instance, is MUIS dealing with riba with its own subsidiaries?

    According to MUIS annual report, MUIS charges 3.75% interest on a $29,528,837 loan to its subsidiary.

    Why is MUIS, supposedly the highest Islamic authority in Singapore dealing with riba?

    When Allah has declared war against anyone who are involved with riba.

    We emailed MUIS last Friday and did not even receive an acknowledgement.

    MUIS Accounting

    Nevertheless, we will like to remind our brothers and sisters to reserve judgement until there is full disclosure.

    And reserve judgement until we hear from MUIS.

    We are raising questions. We have contacted MUIS to gain clarification.

    MUIS has refused to respond.

    This is one of the problems we face as a community. MUIS does not respond to the community. It is a statutory body that reports to the government.

    Not to us.

    And yet, they are supposed to be the highest Islamic authority.

    This is where the problem lies. It demands the authority to lead us but refuse to explain itself or its decisions.

    Not even the Khulafah Ar Rasyideen behaved in this way. The Khulafah accepted being questioned and corrected in public.

    MUIS refuse to even respond. Instead, they took out advertisement to tell the community a half truth.

    Insha Allah we will reveal a lot more issues concerning MUIS. Until they respond, we suggest that while all of us recognise the problems, let us continue to reserve judgement.

    May those granted amanah live up fully to it.

    May those who lead us gain the courage to truly lead.

    And May we be a community that is always on haq.

     

    Source: Singapore Muslims for an Independent MUIS Facebook Group