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Tag: Muslims

  • Normal Practice For Ministers To Be Given Expedited Clearance At Checkpoints: ICA

    Normal Practice For Ministers To Be Given Expedited Clearance At Checkpoints: ICA

    It is normal practice for the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to give expedited clearance to ministers, ICA said on Tuesday (July 19) in response to media queries.

    ICA also confirmed that Minister for Family and Social Development Tan Chuan-Jin was travelling with 20 bus loads of people, who were his residents and grassroots leaders, on Sunday (July 17) when he, his security officers and the other passengers in his bus were given clearance, without having to queue, at the Tuas Checkpoint at around 9.20pm.

    The passengers in the other 19 buses were cleared through the normal channels, ICA added.

    “It is normal practice for ICA to give expedited clearance to Ministers, on both sides of the Causeway as well as members of the Malaysian royalty,” ICA said.

    “Where they travel with others in a group, ICA officers will use their judgment on the clearance process,” it added.

    ICA’s response came a day after Workers’ Party MP Png Eng Huat commented on his Facebook that he was “dismayed” to see a lane for immigration clearance specially opened for Mr Tan and his residents. Mr Tan is MP for Marine Parade GRC.

    Mr Png said in a post on Monday (July 18) afternoon that the Singapore customs was “overwhelmed” when he and some residents were returning from a one-day trip to Desaru on Sunday. Mr Png is MP for Hougang SMC.

    “Many tired travellers were relieved to see another counter opened but to their dismay, it was only to allow Minister Tan Chuan-Jin to clear as he had joined his residents for a day of outing and fun too,” he said.

    He said that most people probably did not mind this, as “being a minister does come with privileges”, but he noted that some others in the group with Mr Tan also did not have to queue.

    “An entourage of grassroots leaders and members with shopping bags in tow also enjoyed the privilege of fast clearance… No one else could use that counter,” he said.

    Mr Png added that an 89-year-old resident in his group, and one who was injured during the tour had to wait in line.

    “The chaos, anger and confusion at the Tuas Immigration check point certainly made us forget how bad the durians were yesterday, and how bad the system needs to change,” he concluded.

    According to ICA, records show that Mr Png was at the checkpoint for about 30 minutes, and was cleared through immigration.

    When contacted,  Mr Png said that the issue was not about Mr Tan given expedited clearance, but the fact that the grassroots people travelling with him were also given special treatment. “ICA sees it fit to state that I waited about 30 minutes to clear customs. I am sure the Minister would not mind waiting 30 minutes for the rest of his travelling companions to clear customs as well”, he added.

    Another Workers’ Party politician, Kenneth Foo, also wrote about the incident on his Facebook page.

    Mr Png’s post had been shared more than 600 times by Tuesday morning.

    Netizens debated the incident in the comments under the post, with some defending Mr Tan and others saying that grassroots leaders should not be given special treatment.

    Meanwhile, Facebook group Fabrications About The PAP gave an explanation for the incident.

    It explained in a Facebook post on Monday night that Mr Tan was on a semi-official trip. He then chose to join his residents for a Johor Baru tour and take the bus with them instead of driving in.

    “It was a semi-official visit and his security officers carried firearms. Thus, his whole bus of residents was cleared at the same time,” said the post.

     

    Source: The Straits Times

  • Learning To Appreciate Islamic Thought In Modern Context

    Learning To Appreciate Islamic Thought In Modern Context

    A programme for aspiring Islamic religious leaders to better understand religious teachings in the context of contemporary, plural societies was launched yesterday.

    A total of 40 recent graduates and final-year undergraduates from universities in the Middle East and South-east Asia are attending the Islamic Thought in Context: Living in Plural Societies series at the Singapore Islamic Hub over 10 days this week and the next. The sessions are organised by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore’s (Muis’) research and education arm, Muis Academy, together with the Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University.

    They cover such topics as syariah in a modern context, and diversity and Islam in modern Singapore.

    On Friday, Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim announced plans to study the feasibility of setting up an Islamic college here to provide a higher quality of religious education that is better tailored to the local context.

    Dr Yaacob also told reporters over the weekend that such a college could have its first cohort in, say, five years, but a full-fledged institution might need a longer timeframe of between 15 and 20 years.

    In the meantime, sessions like this month’s aim to help equip local religious teachers with an appreciation of current trends, and skills to better teach the religion today.

    Sessions will be taught by lecturers from both RSIS and the Muis Academy, as well as international scholars such as University of Melbourne Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies Abdullah Saeed, and University of Notre Dame Professor of Islamic Studies Ebrahim Moosa.

    Participant Muhammad Ashraf Anwar, 23, said the series would help him better understand current issues facing the community. Said the final-year Islamic theology student at Al-Azhar University in Cairo: “In Egypt, we learn traditional Islam from credible sources, but the community in Egypt is very different. We have to learn how to contextualise what we study to better serve the community here.”

    Muis Academy’s vice-dean, Ustaz Mohammad Hannan Hassan, said: “The programme was created to help students consult the Islamic tradition and place it within the context of Singapore’s plural society.” He added: “This contextualisation is not something outside of Islam, it’s an established part of our tradition.”

    As for an Islamic college, SRP Head of Studies Mohammad Alami Musa said it would benefit madrasah graduates, who are now not able to pursue higher religious education locally. A pool of some 15 asatizah (religious teachers) with master’s and doctoral degrees could be part of the faculty, he said.

    Other community leaders also welcomed the college. Managing director of education group SimplyIslam Mohamed Nassir Abdul Sukkur said it was “long overdue”.

    Mr Alami said: “It has been a dream of asatizah from the pioneer generation to have an Islamic college here.”

     

    Source: Berita MediaCorp

  • Proposed Kelantan Cinema, Its First In 26 Years, Sparks Protests, Excitement

    Proposed Kelantan Cinema, Its First In 26 Years, Sparks Protests, Excitement

    The Kelantan Youth wing of opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) has delivered a memorandum of protest against the opening of the first cinema in the east coast state since the Islamist party took over in 1990, but it is unclear what exactly it is rallying against.

    The memorandum submitted last week is believed to be against Paragon Cinema which was supposed to open this month at the KB Mall in Kota Baru, but the cineplex’s launch is still on hold as its operators await licence approval from the local municipal council and the Kelantan state government.

    However, the PAS-led state government has denied receiving any licence application from any cinema operators so far, despite a posting on the mall’s official Facebook page claiming that Paragon’s doors will open this month.

    “There has been no application made at all as of this moment,” Kelantan’s local government, housing, youth and sports committee chairman Abdul Fattah Mahmood told Malay Mail Online when contacted on Monday (July 18).

    However, he refused to comment when asked about the status of Paragon Cinema, which was reportedly nearly completed.

    PAS Kelantan Youth Chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who led the protest, told Malay Mail Online on Monday that he was afraid the opening of cinemas would cause the state government to deviate from its strict rulings on entertainment outlets.

    “We asked for the government to be stricter with the enforcement of the enactment if they are going to allow it,” he said.

    “We are worried that it won’t follow the enactment at all and this might lead to problems in the future.”

    KB Mall’s leasing executive Mohd Ashrul confirmed the plan to open a cinema is still in the pipelines, but said an opening date has yet to be set as no licence has been issued so far.

    “The construction is still on-going. There is no actual date on the opening yet,” he told Malay Mail Online on Monday.

    When asked for elaboration on the licence application, Mr Mohd Ashrul revealed that the mall is still negotiating with Paragon Cinema’s top management about adhering to the strict restrictions set by the state authorities.

    “About the licence, we are still negotiating on the application details. We are waiting for an answer from the top management,” he added, but refused to confirm whether an application has been lodged.

    Since PAS took over Kelantan in 1990, several cinema outlets including Rex, Odeon and Lido were closed down as they did not adhere to the Entertainment Control Enactment 1998.

    PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who is also Kelantan’s Deputy Chief Minister, told The Star over the weekend that the state is willing to consider the return of cinemas, even after the staunch protest from PAS Youth wing.

    Mr Mohd Amar said however cinema operators would still be subjected to stricter guidelines which include gender-segregated seatings and restricted screenings during Muslim daily prayer times.

    The Paragon Cinema complex, said to offer eight screening halls, stoked the excitement of Kelantan folks after its opening was announced on KB Mall’s Facebook page. The Facebook post has since been deleted.

    According to Mr Mohd Ashrul, the cinema is a joint-venture between the mall operators and an outside investor looking to open the first cinema there, where entertainment outlets are a thorny topic. 
Meanwhile, PAS’ Youth Wing on Monday objected to a concert by Selena Gomez in Shah Alam next week, claiming that the “sexy” American pop singer taints the Muslim month of celebration.

    The Islamist party wing’s missionary bureau chairman Hafez Sabri said Ms Gomez’s concert on July 25 coincides with the 20th day of Syawal, the month of Aidilfitri.

    “The appearance of the American born artist who has been synonymous with a sexy appearance would tarnish the nobleness of the month of Syawal that is celebrated with gratitude and penitence by Muslims … (It) promotes the culture of hedonism among the younger generations in this country,” he said in a statement.

     

    Source: TODAY Online

  • Imam Shafie: For The Little Ones

    Imam Shafie: For The Little Ones

    Carrying a cardboard box, 42-year-old Mohd Shafie Mohd Hanapiah made his way to a room in the Pusara Aman Mosque at Lim Chu Kang Road.

    When he entered the room, Shafie placed the box on a table and carefully took out its contents, laying them out in front of him on a stainless steel slab.

    The box contained four foetuses and a few other surgical remains which he collected earlier from Changi General Hospital.

    After reciting a quick prayer, Shafie began to carefully wash each foetus and each of the surgical remains. A sombre mood hung over the room.

    Shafie said that he treats the foetuses as if they were his own.

    “Sometimes when we do our duty and cleanse the foetuses, I will talk to them and say that they are like my children,” he said.

    Working with an assistant, Shafie proceeded to carry out the necessary Islamic rites before shrouding the foetuses and surgical remains, then putting them back into the cardboard box to transport for burial later.

    As an Imam with the Singapore Muslim Casket (SMC), it is Shafie’s responsibility to cleanse, shroud and bury unclaimed foetuses and surgical remains in accordance with Islamic ritual.

    “It is wajib (compulsory) in Islam to wash, shroud and bury the foetuses. We cannot just dispose of them anyhow,” said Shafie.

    Unclaimed bodies handled by SMC and MTFA

    Working together with the Muslimin Trust Fund Association (MTFA), the SMC handles the burial of miscarried and aborted foetuses, surgical remains and unclaimed Muslim bodies in Singapore.

    MTFA pays for the burial services for the burial of unclaimed Muslims bodies who have passed away in Singapore, as well as those whose next-of-kin are unable to pay for the burial rites. The services also include burying foetuses and surgical remains.

    MTFA said the number of burials that includes unclaimed bodies, surgical remains and unclaimed foetuses varies from month to month.

    In 2015, the association buried 27 bodies, 239 foetuses and 489 surgical remains. The number of foetuses rose by 15 per cent to 239 in 2015 after declining in the previous two years.

    Unmarked graves

    A former Company Sergeant Major with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Shafie has been preparing the foetuses, bodies and surgical remains for burial for the past 28 years. He started volunteering to cleanse and shroud Muslim bodies when he was 14.

    The bachelor sees it as his responsibility to ensure that the unclaimed bodies, especially foetuses, are given proper burials.

    “According to Muslim laws, even a small part of the body needs to be buried. We cannot just anyhow put the remains (foetus or body parts) at any plot of land. It has to be buried in a cemetery,” explained Shafie.

    Shafie takes about 40 minutes to cleanse and shroud each foetus before they are brought to an unmarked piece of land at Lim Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery for burial.

    Each plot is divided into two parts, and up to 20 foetuses are buried in each part, he said. At the cemetery, another quick prayer is recited after the foetuses and remains are buried.

    There are no tombstones to mark the area.

    Despite doing this job for almost 30 years, Shafie admits that burying a foetus is always heartbreaking.

    “The feeling of sadness is there. We do have feelings for it (the foetuses) and it is not an easy task to do but we still have to proceed with it,” he said with tears welling up in his eyes.

    Source: Yahoo News

  • Walid J. Abdullah: Amazing That Muslims Are Still To Blame For Terrorism

    Walid J. Abdullah: Amazing That Muslims Are Still To Blame For Terrorism

    It is truly amazing that some people still want Muslims to apologize for terrorist attacks, despite countless statements by Muslims denouncing terror.

    It is truly amazing that Muslims are blamed for such attacks, especially considering that Muslims suffer on two counts: 1) they are usually equally likely to be victims (terrorists do not ask who is a Muslim first, and in any case, the ordinary Muslim is usually not Muslim enough for them) and 2) they suffer the backlash.

    It is truly amazing that some people still show selective outrage, preferring to condemn some attacks on innocent lives, and not others.

    It is truly amazing that no matter what the evidence is – whether or not the data show that terrorists are usually people who do not have proper religious training – there would be some people who would advocate that Islam be ‘reformed’.

    It is truly amazing that people who have perennially condemned terrorism, have an utter disdain for the killing of innocent lives and have articulated it many, many, many times before, are still asked: ‘so what do you think about these attacks?’

    It is truly amazing times indeed.

     

    Source: Walid J. Abdullah