Tag: multiracial

PM Lee: Why Didn’t Malay Candidates Come Up In PE2011? Cause They Knew Non-Chinese Have No Chance

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made it plain that he knew the reserved presidential election would be unpopular and would cause the ruling party to lose votes, but said it had to be done because it was the right thing to do.

Addressing the unhappiness over the election for the first time at a dialogue last Saturday (Sept 23), he said: “Did I know that this subject would be a difficult one? That it would be unpopular and would cost us votes? Yes, I knew. If I do not know that these are sensitive matters, I cannot be in politics.”

“But I did it, because I strongly believe, and still do, that this is the right thing to do,” he added.

The candid remarks were the first by the Prime Minister, since Madam Halimah Yacob was declared President in a walkover at the election reserved for Malay candidates.

PM Lee was speaking at a People’s Association Kopi Talk dialogue with about 500 grassroots leaders last Saturday, and the Prime Minister’s Office released an edited transcript on Friday (Sept 29).

During the dialogue, he spoke about race, multiracialism, terrorism and the elected presidency, and gave a stout defence of why constitutional changes were made to reserve elections for groups that have not held the presidency for some time.

Acknowledging that there was “some unhappiness” over the election, PM Lee said: “I can feel that; you don’t have to tell me.”

He noted that the Government had spent nearly two years preparing to make changes to the Constitution, and had discussed and debated the issue continually since he first raised the subject in January 2016 during the opening of Parliament.

“But it is only now that people are seized with it, after a reserved election in which only one candidate qualified,” he said.

PM Lee added that while some people think “we may be going backwards towards racial politics”, the reality “is the opposite”.

In fact, he said, ensuring that minorities are elected president from time to time will strengthen Singapore’s multiracial system.

The current state of affairs, where Singaporeans of different races and religions live in harmony, is not a given, he said.

“There is nothing natural about where we are – multiracial, multi-religious, tolerant and progressive. We made it happen, and we have got to protect it, nurture it, preserve it, and never break it.”

Referring to the recently-concluded reserved election, Mr Lee said that three Malay candidates had put themselves up for the presidency, of whom two did not qualify.

“But they came forward,” he added.

In the 2011 presidential election, there was not one Malay candidate, he noted.

“Was there a Malay candidate? Where were the Farid Khans and the Salleh Maricans? Why didn’t they come? It did not cross their minds? No. So why didn’t they come? Because they knew that in an open election – all things being equal – a non-Chinese candidate would have no chance,” he said.

Citing President Halimah, who said when she was sworn in that she looked forward to the day when reserved elections are no longer needed, Mr Lee said: “I too hope that we will eventually not need such a mechanism to ensure minority representation.”

But he said it would take time to work towards this ideal state.

“In climbing towards that ideal state, we need guide-ropes and guard-rails to help us get there and to prevent us from falling off along the way. The reserved election for the President is one such guard-rail,” he added.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com

September 29, 2017
Recognisably Malay, Tudung-Clad Lady Experienced ‘Casual Racism’ Likened To Controversial Reserved PE

I was at the fitness corner at Bishan Park doing my workout and minding my own business when a senior citizen remarked jokingly and loudly, “Halimah coming! Halimah coming!” I was the only ‘Malay’ there.

I just gave him a smile, and continued my workout. He then went over to his friends who were seated at a bench to my right. They were conversing in a mix of Mandarin and English about the controversial election. The lady in the group commented loud enough for me to hear, “We are multiracial. Multiracial why must reserve the election for them?” The emphasis was on the word “them”.

To this I turned to her, and quipped to their surprise, “Why don’t you ask our PM Lee? It’s him, not us who came out with this Reserved Election. We never asked for it. Go and ask him, since you’re paying him millions to do his job anyway.”

The man who previously ‘likened’ me to our President probably because I was recognisably Malay, being tudung-clad and all, feebly attempted to mitigate this potentially touchy debate on ‘race’ by changing the subject, “Aiyah, no holiday. I was hoping for a holiday. Everyone was looking forward to it.” The man continued, “Now if you live there, they ask for your IC.”

“You stay in the same block as our President?” I asked.

He replied laughingly, “No. no. Just saying only.”

The lady, probably taking the cue, then mentioned, “Now like North Korea.”

I responded, “Well, he kept quiet about his siblings’ allegations of his abuse of power. You go and speak with him lah. Why tell me? I never asked for this. I don’t sit in Parliament.” And I went off for my breakfast.

Source: Yurni Irwati Mohamed Said

September 20, 2017
Khan Osman Sulaiman: Singapore Is Multiracial, Multi-religious Society Yet Debate On Racial Issues @ Speaker’s Corner Not Allowed

Writ for the Reserved Presidential Election has been issued by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday and preparations had been made to carry out our speech at Hong Lim Park this coming Saturday to voice our concerns over the racialised Presidential Election.

However, we are informed last minute by the National Park that we will require police permits to speak because the topic touch on racial issues.

It is absurd that the government doesnt allow citizens to discuss/speak/debate on race issues at the speaker’s corner but at the same time, passing a bill that has created much distress on the populace.

In reserving a Malay candidate for the presidential election, it is inevitable that race will be part of the subject matter should we want to openly call out on the government’s policy. Hence, it can never get debated publicly by citizens due to existing regulations.

Even when matters are brought up in parliament, we have seen how it will be swiftly shot down as playing racial politics.

In an open societies, the government is expected to be responsive and tolerant. Its political mechanisms are said to be transparent and flexible.

To the international community, Singapore is a multiracial and multi-religious society which has enjoyed many years of relative peace. A facade that has been perpetuated by the government.

In reality, our freedom of speech, freedom of association, are curbed by an invisible hand that are always ready to put us away should we cross the line.

Such community will never be able to achieve its full potential and will lose it cognitive development over time.

At the present moment, we have incompetent leaders that are preoccupied with a single cause. Economic satisfaction for its people. They are incapable of solving a nation’s hunger for a multi fold development. We already retard our progression by reserving a Malay candidate for high office.

My hope is that Singapore will elect a leader that will advocate for change and truly work for the betterment of its people holistically.

Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman

August 30, 2017
A Different Perspective, An Ally To The Cause: Non-Muslims Showed Greater Understanding And Respect

Among netizens that responded to the non-halal issues of the bazaar at Geylang Serai include of course our non-Muslim friends too.

If we did not care to notice, our Malay brothers and sisters may not have seen the way non-Muslims view the matter. Which is actually very heartening.

For Geylang bazaar in Ramadan to be free of non-halal food, the cause may be closer to the hearts of Muslims, however for the non-Muslims the issue do concern them too and this is what some have came out to say.

They showed greater understanding and respect for halal requirements. Salute!

As such, there exist the need to observe halal dietery requirements of bazaars operating in the month of Ramadhan targeting at Muslims. And these are indeed prime examples of how diversity should be celebrated in our multi religious and multiracial society in Singapore.

Best of all, most Muslims and non-Muslims share this common believe.

Rilek1Corner

June 12, 2017
HCRS: Bazaar Ramadhan, As The Name Implies, Should Be Targetted At Muslims In The First Place

Salaam,

Singapore indeed comprises a multiracial and multireligious society.

Because it is multiracial, it has places called Chinatown, Little India, Geylang Serai and Kampung Glam

. Prevously, there was even Kampung Melayu.

Bazaar Ramadhan all over Singapore have been organised in conjunction with the month of Ramadhan where Muslims fast. It’s link to fasting cannot be understated. And as the name implies, Bazaar Ramadhan, when sellers sell food, should be targetted at Muslims in the first place. If it’s not targetted at Muslims to patronise, then it should not be called Bazaar Ramadhan.

When Bazaar Ramadhan are meant for Muslims to patronise, they should also cater to the dietery needs of Muslims. The foods sold must be halalan toiyyiban.

The most basic is that the stalls should be MUIS halal-certified or Muslim-owned. Placing tudung-clad women alone does not make a non-Muslim-owned stall become halal. Neither does using halal-certified food products makes a non-Muslim-owned stall ‘automatically’ halal.

However, as Bazaar Ramadhan all over Singapore are mainly commercially driven, it would be a challenge to really make every stall to fulfill the basic halal toiyyiban criteria. Understandably, profit-making is the major driving force.

Some members here have expressed their views of how the basic character of Bazaar Ramadhan in Geylang has changed over time. Fundamentally, they see an erosion of the basic Malay character of the Bazaar Ramadhan in Geylang Serai area. This is similar to views on how the historical character of Kampung Glam area has suffered from the presence of many watering holes or eateries selling liqour or alcohol (see https://www.facebook.com/kgglamalcoholfree/).

Traditionally and historically, Geylang Serai has been closely associated with the Malay ethnic group. Previously, Kampung Melayu shopping area was even placed at the Geylang Serai area. Now an even more sophisticated version of that Kampung Melayu is being developed in Geylang Serai.

When views expressing the eroding Malay identity of the foods sold and of the profile of sellers in the Bazaar Ramadhan are being shared, they should not at be seen as being racist. Even the Government has previously expressed views of the eroding Chinese identity within the Chinese ethnic group in Singapore. The SAP schools have since been established in Singapore to address that concern.

And some have dismissed such expression of eroding Malay identity in Bazaar Ramadhan at Geylang Serai area as alienating other non-Malay Muslims. Historically, Malays have been, by and large, Muslims. Expressing views on the erosion of the Malay identity in those Bazaar Ramadhan is by no means alienating other non-Malay Muslims. Traditionally, there were more Malays, who were Muslims, who ran stalls selling foodstuffs during Ramadhan in the Geylang Serai area. And the foodstuff that they sold were all meant for Muslim consumption in the month of Ramadhan and also during Hari Raya. But when the profile of sellers changed, what more when the status of halalan toiyyiban of such stalls was also unclear or ambiguous, raising concerns should not be seen as alienating non-Malay Muslims. It is in fact addressing the concerns of all Muslims with regards to the halal status of foodstalls at such Bazaar Ramadhan.

It is a valid and legitimate concern for all Muslims if the halal status of foodstalls in Bazaar Ramadhan cannot be clearly ascertained, when such stalls are neither MUIS Halal-Certified nor Muslim-owned.

Yes, we need to be mindful of the multiracial and multireligious character of our nation and the importance of upholding the principles of racial and religious harmony. However, that does not mean and entail the suppression of views on the importance of preserving and conserving the ethnicity and religiosity of each group. We also need to recognise the need to help ethnic and religious groups maintain the respective core characteristics and celebrate the ensuing diversity that each group brings and contributes to Singapore’s heritage and overall development.

Otherwise, no point having Chinatown, Little India, Kampung Glam and Geylang Serai.

Otherwise, no point calling the bazaar in the month of Ramadhan as Bazaar Ramadhan if they are no different from any other bazaar in any other months of the year, and no different from bazaar set up in Chinatown for Chinese New Year and in Little India for Deepavali.

Let’s maintain and celebrate the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity by bringing out the true character of each group rather than making them all the same. Only then would Singapore be a truly vibrant world-class city able to showcase the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity that it manage to hold together in harmony.

Admin HCRS
3 Ramadhan 1438
29 May 2017

Source: Mohd Khair

May 29, 2017