Photo Credit: Abdul Malik Mohammed GhazaliCredit: Abdul Malik Mohammed Ghazali
EDITOR’S NOTE
Rilek1Corner would like to remind all our readers about the importance of observing good netiquette on the Internet, including on Rilek1Corner’s website, Twitter and Facebook Page.
Online posts are easy to dash off and virtually impossible to retract once published. Many people don’t realise the potential consequences of making fun of others especially public figures on social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
Netiquette is important as it reflects your character when using the web, thus affects the first impression people have on you when they see you on the web. When posting something on the web, ensure that there is no vulgarities/obscenities/any inappropriate content as that would cause people to think you are uncivilized and uneducated.
As Muslims and Malays, we are all well-known for being polite and courteous. Let’s continue to maintain our good image, shall we? 🙂
If we ever have that strong itch to slam and say nasty words to someone, think again about what happened to our friend who became famous for the wrong reason, landed himself into big trouble with the law, and became unemployed overnight.
I used to work in the public sector and several years ago I graduated with a UniSIM degree. After an extremely long wait and several email exchanges with the HR department, they finally got back to me with the news.
Yes, I was not given any upgrade and remained as a junior officer.
I recall Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in the National Day Rally 2012, announced that Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and SIM University (UniSIM) will become the republic’s 5th and 6th universities. Both institutions will participate in the Government’s plan to increase the number of publicly funded full-time university places.
As we already know SIM collaborates with foreign universities in some of their degree courses. UniSIM also confer their own degrees and I obtained my degree from there.
It appears that there is no standardization in the public service. I asked around and found that only certain stat boards and ministries fully recognized UniSIM degrees. Not all stat boards or ministries share the same vision as PM Lee, let alone ready to offer better remuneration package to those who managed to graduate from their part-time degrees.
For people like me who wanted upgrade themselves and take up part-time degrees from so called recognized universities like UniSIM, it takes a lot of perseverance, sacrifices and determination. I have two young children, the youngest is 7 months old and another one in primary school. Besides juggling work commitments and studying, I have to be a father and husband. Not forgetting, that I have to manage my relationship with my parents who are old and unwell.
At that time, my wife also wanted to pursue her part-time degree but she had to put that plan on hold until I completed my studies. This is to ensure that the children don’t feel left out or neglected when our other half is busy studying. Alhamdulillah, my wife is currently pursuing her part-time degree in UniSIM.
Except for several ministries and stat boards, UniSIM graduates working in public service are offered lower starting pay as compared to NUS/NTU/SMU graduates. Some I heard are offered upgrades but no jump in pay or change in career progression.
I really enjoyed what I did in the public sector. Unfortunately, I cannot find any more good reason to continue this path. I found a job opportunity in private sector which offered me the same pay but better career prospects. As the cost of living is increasing in Singapore, I need to think about my family and our future. No one can make the change except ourselves.
I do hope that part-time graduates will be treated more fairly especially in the government sector.
NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing. Credit: Google Images
SINGAPORE, Mar 14 (Campus Eye) – Debates concerning the ban on the hijab for Muslim women wearing uniforms in the civil service continue between the Singapore government and lobbyists, after having been reignited in late 2013.
This issue resurfaced following the creation of the Singapore Hijab Movement, a Facebook group that amassed more than 20,000 likes within weeks of being set up. The group ceased operations on Nov. 14, 2013.
Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Yaacob Ibrahim, said in a statement released on his Facebook page following closed-door discussions in November 2013 with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that Malay ministers from the People’s Action Party and civil society leaders in the Malay-Muslim community must “manage and balance the diverse needs of our multi-racial and multi-religious society,” and that “accommodation and compromise by all parties” is necessary.
Lobbyists for the cause are dissatisfied with this seemingly ambivalent government response.
One such reaction came from Walid J. Abdullah, a tutor in National University of Singapore (NUS) Political Science department and active participant in the ongoing debate.
“One of the things we are afraid of is dialogue and debate about religion in Singapore. On all sides, there needs to be more openness, more engagement,” he said.
“Have discussions, for example, with the nurses who want to wear the hijab,” Walid added. “Get to know them, get to know what their intentions are.”
This sentiment was echoed by NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing.
Today, I sent an email to the CEO of CGH enquiring on the discriminatory hiring practices employed by them. Hope to get a satisfactory reply.
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Dear Ms Lilian Chew
RE: DISCRIMINATORY HIRING PRACTICES
I would like to bring your attention to a recruitment exercise that was conducted by Changi General Hospital on Thursday, 27 March 2014 at Tampines North Community Centre.
Prior to the recruitment exercise, a seminar was conducted on Tuesday, 18 March 2014 at Northwest CDC Woodlands Civic Centre, by Health Management International and Institute of Health Science in collaboration with Changi General Hospital (CGH), Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and National University Hospital (NUH).
I was informed by a friend that she had signed up for a Therapy Assistant course during the seminar and subsequently was called up to attend an interview on 27 March 2014.
What happened next was no doubt an appalling experience no person should be made to go through. The first and only question the interviewer asked her was “Are you willing to remove your hijab?” When she replied no, the interviewer said, “Then there’s no point we continue this interview. You fail immediately.” Not being a confrontational person, she proceeded to leave the interview room.
Therefore I would like to seek clarifications from you on a few matters;
1) What is the hospital’s policy regarding recruitment of candidates wearing the hijab?
2) Was the interviewer acting on his personal whims and fancies or is it the hospital’s policy to exclude and deny enrolment/recruitment to students/candidates wearing the hijab?
3) Why candidates were not informed during the seminar that anyone wearing hijab is not welcomed to participate? So that potential candidates need not waste time, effort and money attending the interview just to get discriminated on.
4) Why is the hospital discriminating against people who put on the hijab, the opportunity to learn and to seek knowledge?
As an established organization that seeks to be a world class healthcare service provider, surely this kind of discrimination should not have existed if any.
Singapore prides itself on a meritocratic system as highlighted by our prime minister on numerous occasions. To make an unjust or prejudicial distinction in the treatment of people is unacceptable.
As a public hospital funded by tax-payers, it is in the interest of the public that the hospital make known of its hiring practices.
I look forward to your reply on the above enquires.
Jakarta -Ketahanan energi Indonesia sangat rapuh, selain tidak punya cadangan Bahan Bakar Minyak (BBM), stok minyak mentah hanya cukup 4 hari, stok operasional hanya 21 hari. Bila Indonesia perang, Indonesia hanya mampu bertahan 4 hari saja.
“Ketahanan energi Indonesia dibilang rapuh memang iya, kita pernah rapat di Kemenko (Kementerian Koordinator), kalau kita perang misalnya lawan Singapura atau Amerika Serikat, pertahanan kita hanya mampu bertahan 4 hari saja,” ungkap Direktur Pembinaan Hulu Migas, Direktorat Jenderal Migas Kementerian ESDM Naryanto Wagimin, di acara Forum Energi: “Masa Depan & Tantangan Industri Migas Nasional”, di Hotel Four Seasons, Kuningan, Jakarta, Selasa (18/2/2014).
Naryanto mengungkapkan, Singapura sudah membuat komitmen dengan Amerika Serikat (AS) untuk menjadi terminal BBM di Asia Tenggara.
“Singapura mempunyai storage (stok) minyak dan BBM sangat besar sekali, mereka akan menjadi terminal terbesar di Asia Tenggara. Kita ingin bangun storage, memang harusnya dibangun oleh negara, tapi pendanaannya tentu tidak mudah. Kita mau bangun kilang minyak saja diskusinya sangat panjang, uangnya dari mana, namun ujung-ujungnya diberikan ke pihak swasta,” ujarnya.
Tidak bisa dipungkiri, Indonesia saat ini sangat bergantung kepada pasokan BBM dari Singapura.
“Kita impor BBM tetap dari Singapura, minyak mentah impornya lewat dari Singapura, kalau elpiji memang masih dari Timur Tengah. Singapura memiliki kilang minyak kapasitasnya hampir 1,5 miliar barel,” katanya.
Seperti diketahui, stok minyak Indonesia saat ini hanya ada 9 juta barel, namun yang dapat diangkut hanya 3 juta barel, 3 juta barel tersebut hanya cukup kurang dari 3-4 hari, Indonesia juga tidak memiliki stok BBM seliter pun. Sementara Indonesia hanya punya stok cadangan operasional BBM selama 21 hari yang tersebar di depo BBM dan SPBU di seluruh Indonesia.
