Rilek1Corner

Tag: politics

  • FAQ On The Current Jerusalem Issue

    FAQ On The Current Jerusalem Issue

    (1) “So sekarang Jerusalem/Baitulmqadis tu Israel punya kah?”

    TIDAK. Bila Trump kata Jerusalem itu ibu negara Israel, bukan bermaksud secara automatik Jerusalem terus jadi hak milik Israel. Trump bukan hakim dunia. Dia hanya Presiden US. Di dunia kita sekarang, hanya Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (United Nations – UN) saja yang boleh beri kata putus bahawa wilayah ini milik siapa, wilayah itu milik siapa. US hanya salah satu daripada 5 kuasa besar dunia (selainnya ialah Rusia, China, UK dan Perancis) yang boleh membuat keputusan di UN melalui kuasa veto mereka di Majlis Keselamatan. Sehingga sekarang, UN masih menganggap pendudukan Israel ke atas Jerusalem Timur tidak sah dan Israel perlu berundur ke sempadan asalnya sebelum tahun 1967. Kalau guna bahasa undang-undang antarabangsa, Israel hanya ada kawalan “DE FACTO” ke atas Jerusalem Timur. Pendudukan Israel ke atas Jerusalem Timur tidak diberi pengiktirafan “DE JURE” oleh komuniti antarabangsa.

     

    (2) “Ya Allah! Kiamat makin dekat! ”

    Baitulmaqdis tidak jatuh ke tangan Israel bermula semalam. Al-Aqsa (di Jerusalem Timur) telah pun jatuh ke tangan Israel 50 tahun yang lalu lagi, selepas kekalahan Jordan (penguasa asal Jerusalem Timur) dalam Perang Enam Hari 1967. Tanda kiamat dah mula pun sejak 50 tahun yang lepas. Apa yang korang buat selama 50 tahun lepas lah wey.

     

    (3) “Ibu negara Israel kat mana sebenarnya?”

    Sejak 1950, ibu negara Israel ialah Jerusalem Barat iaitu tempat terletaknya Parlimen, Mahkamah Agung dan Pejabat PM Israel. Selepas Israel menawan Jerusalem Timur pada 1967, Israel meluluskan Jerusalem Law pada tahun 1980 yang menyatakan “the complete and united Jerusalem is the capital of Israel”. Maksudnya Israel nak menyatukan Jerusalem Barat dan Jerusalem Timur sebagai ibu negaranya. Perjanjian Oslo 1993 yang dipersetujui oleh Yitzhak Rabin (Israel) dan Yasser Arafat (Palestin) mengatakan status Jerusalem Timur harus ditentukan melalui perundingan bersama Israel-Palestin. Ini menyebabkan Rabin dibunuh oleh ekstremis Zionis kerana ia bakal menggadaikan pemilikan penuh Israel ke atas Jerusalem Timur. Perundingan damai Israel-Palestin asyik gagal disebabkan politikus right-wing di Israel seperti Netanyahu tidak mahu berkompromi dalam isu Jerusalem. Jadi, NO, Israel tidak perlu memindahkan ibu negaranya susulan kenyataan Trump.

     

    (4) “Kenapa Trump nak mengiktiraf Jerusalem sebagai ibu negara Israel?”

    Gimik politik. Mid-Term Election dah nak dekat. Trump pernah berjanji semasa kempen tahun 2016 bahawa dia akan mengiktiraf Jerusalem sebagai ibu negara Israel, satu strategi untuk mengambil hati Yahudi Zionis dan Kristian Evangelis (tak semua Yahudi pro Israel, jangan pukul rata). Sama seperti Obama yang pernah berucap semasa kempen tahun 2008 bahawa “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided”. Apa yang Trump buat adalah lebih kepada prosedur standard Presiden. Pada tahun 1995, Kongres US telah meluluskan Jerusalem Embassy Act yang mengiktiraf “undivided Jerusalem” (merangkumi Jerusalem Barat dan Jerusalem Timur) sebagai ibu negara Israel dan mengarahkan Department of State (Kementerian Luar) untuk memindahkan kedutaan US ke Jerusalem.

    Tapi akta tersebut turut memberi peruntukan “waiver” di mana Presiden boleh menangguhkan perpindahan tersebut. Sejak 1995, Clinton, Bush dan Obama telah pun menandatangani waiver tersebut walaupun ada di kalangan mereka yang pro-Israel. Waiver itu perlu renew setiap 6 bulan. Kali terakhir Trump menandatangani waiver adalah pada 1 Jun 2017, jadi waiver itu dah expired pada Disember 2017 dan Trump mengambil kesempatan ini untuk membuat kenyataan. Tak pasti Trump sudah atau belum menandatangani waiver tu. Kalau ikut sumber ini, Trump sebenarnya dah menandatangani waiver. Jadi kali ini Trump sekadar sembang, sebab election dah dekat.

    Pada 23 Disember 2016, Majlis Keselamatan UN 2015-2016 telah meluluskan Resolusi 2334 yang mengatakan pendudukan Israel ke atas Jerusalem Timur tidak sah. Resolusi tersebut dapat diluluskan kerana US tidak menggunakan kuasa vetonya. Obama saja nak kenakan Netanyahu sebelum habis tempoh jawatannya sebagai Presiden. Kalau sekarang Israel dan US nak mengusulkan sebarang resolusi untuk menjadikan Jerusalem sebagai ibu negara Israel pun, ia tetap akan diveto oleh Rusia dan China yang telah lama menyokong Palestin dalam hal ini. Jadi kenyataan Trump kali ini tidak akan mengubah keputusan tersebut. Ia cuma dapat menyelamatkan sedikit air muka Netanyahu.

     

    (5) “So kalau tak ada apa-apa effect, buat apa nak bantah?”

    Sebab US sebagai penimbangtara proses perdamaian Israel-Palestin, ia harus menghormati Perjanjian Oslo 1993 dan menjaga perasaan Palestin. Kenyataan Trump seolah-olah memberi sokongan moral kepada Israel dan membelakangi resolusi-resolusi UN yang jelas mengecam klaim Israel ke atas Jerusalem Timur.

     

    Kadang kala kita perlu menguasai pengetahuan asas hubungan antarabangsa sebelum meninggalkan komen-komen yang tidak matang di merata media sosial. Trump tengok komen korang pun rasa WTF. Kurangkan karut, satukan hati. Insya Allah, Palestine will be free.

    (p/s: my brothers and sisters, the Jerusalem issue is not a religious issue. It is an universal humanitarian concern over Israel’s illegal occupation of East Jerusalem and its continued defiance of international law. Don’t let the extremists from both sides lure you into choosing side based on your faith).

     

     

    Source: Ayman

  • Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak To Issue Statement On US Recognition Of Jerusalem

    Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak To Issue Statement On US Recognition Of Jerusalem

    MALAYSIA will make an official statement on the United States’ decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a move that is certain to have repercussions in the Middle East.

    Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Prime Minister would be making an announcement on the matter.

    He told reporters this after a 30-minute meeting with Hamas Political Bureau member Dr Maher Salah on the sidelines of the Umno general assembly here yesterday.

    Dr Maher said such a move would cause more concern among the Arabs and asked the Organi­sation of Islamic Cooperation to intervene.

    “This move is in contravention with international laws and the rights of the Palestinians. Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine and belongs to Islam.

    “I laud the Deputy Prime Min­ister’s stand on this issue,” he added.

    It was reported that US President Donald Trump would be declaring a formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move its embassy from Tel Aviv.

    Later yesterday, Dr Ahmad Zahid launched the Home Ministry’s booth at the Putra World Trade Centre for the assembly.

    The booth will offer services from all agencies under the ministry, including the police, Prisons Dep­artment, Immigration Depart­ment and National Registration Department.

    He also unveiled a 238-page book on the ministry’s achievements and performance since he became Home Minister.

    Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also Umno vice-president, took time off to sit in debates at the Umno Youth, Wanita Umno and Puteri wings.

  • Reserved Presidential Elections: The Challenges And The Opportunities..

    Reserved Presidential Elections: The Challenges And The Opportunities..

    Mdm Halimah is now the President of Singapore. Elected on a technicality for the only one candidate meeting the set requirements for this year’s RPE. The Government has urged the people to move on and acknowledged the bitterness over elements leading up to the RPE. There are still lingering sentiments of unhappiness from the people. But overtime all this will die down as the reality of life in our sunny Island catches up.

    Below are a summary of issues for our reflections in moving forward.

    1. Race

    – Race was upfront and personal in this RPE. It was ugly at times but overall it was a good exercise for everyone to see the raw issues in public space. It is not as bad as we pictured.

    – Singapore has indeed grown up somewhat and from the spectrum of views and commentaries from all segments of society, we can see that it gave a fair variety, capturing feelings and thoughts representatives of quite a good number of us, Singaporeans.

    – The letting off steam period will soon pass and we will pick up the pieces so to speak and honestly we came off not as bad as we might have. A testimony of our collective growth and vigour. We differ strongly on views and adamantly stood our grounds but at the end of the day we all have to move on. The bruises are part and parcel of growing up as a nation.

    – Much can therefore be picked up and learned to continue the engagement from where this RPE have left us to reach the needed rapprochement across the stereotypes and divide. We should all see this as a welcome process of our maturing society.

    – I may be against the RPE but I do see the benefits that this truly unexpected move the Government took for reasons that is best left for now, as all sentiments have been expressed.

    – The Government has a vital role to address the soreness of the RPE but it has the vantage view of where we are truly at by taking a pretty back seat so far to its credit. But the next move it makes will be the game-changer. It can choose to ignore or capture the moment to offer us a fresh new deal which Singaporean clearly are keen to learn about.

    2. Politics

    – Putting aside the unfortunate vitriols of all kinds, there has been many more reasoned and intellectually worthy discourses from netizens. Several online forums platform do provide critical and constructive analysis offering good sound bases for further political explorations.

    – Citizen’s has shown genuine concerns on processes and changes to our constitution. The Government should consider the people’s desire for engagement in politics and have their questions answered, instead of sticking to rigid clinical executions ignoring the people.

    – This RPE stood right in the middle of the 5-year term of parliament and should have an impact in the next election. Depending on which way the Government again choose to lead, the opportunity for widening the political space is there for the taking.

    – Singapore politics clearly has so much room for improvement and the Government should cease the day and begin the process of political reform.

    3. Democracy

    – This word has too often been taken for granted and it is high time that society and citizens learn more about what democracy is about. The Government for reasons it chooses to keep to itself adopts a very measured and slow progress in teaching democracy to us. Now is the right time for the Government to embrace the spirit of strengthening our democracy.

    – For this, the Government can begin to reduce its excessive control on the media and public spaces for political discourse. It should not be overly sensitive and show more confidence which it actually has, as not all political discourse including opposition’s views are automatically detrimental to the Government.

    – In fact, it will benefit the Government by allowing more diverse ideas and plurality of political viewpoints. It has enough buffer to take a robust political engagement than it realises. However, it has to restrain its army of online supporters which often time discredit the Government more than any short term good it does. The online troops adopts a shallow approach in engaging netizens that contributes little in content and substance but focuses on sarcasm, emotions and fears. It is hampering our citizen’s political growth and education.

    4. Singaporean Identity

    – The Government has thrown race into the political machine that it has carefully avoided in the past. It has open up a can of worms but on the flip-side it actually forced a nationwide wakeup. It now has the golden chance to reconfigure the race discourse as it chooses to. It should do so together with the people.

    – The stakes are high but it is worth taking as the benefits truly outweighs its downside. This is about the Singaporean identity project that now requires a deeper soul searching exploration.

    – There has been many opinions about race but most are stale uninspiring tales of the political past. However there has been thought provoking but reasoned views calling for a relook at our ethnic divide.

    – Race realities are more fluid and the struggles over the definition of race for the RPE should suffice to tell us reform is a must, as indeed society has moved on and policies on race may be past its dues.

    – We are more united and race blind in form than we view from the emotional lenses of ourselves. It is an exciting window to be opened by the Government to offer us a review of what our multi-racialism today is truly all about.

    Finally, we can see the less savoury, somewhat polarised race divide that this RPE has caused. The Government by its decision for the RPE has calculated and has said clearly that it is prepared to take the risk. It must now listen to the voices of the people expressed in frustration not out of any hate, but an emotional pouring of love for this nation that we truly care about. The Government is truly poised to take the higher road and address this divide with the grace of leadership foresight or chooses to do otherwise. The nation awaits to see what it does.

     

    Source: Damanhuri Bin Abas

  • Damanhuri Abas: Yes, I Am Driven By My Religion And Am A Rookie Politician

    Damanhuri Abas: Yes, I Am Driven By My Religion And Am A Rookie Politician

    I have deleted my previous post and relinked to the original source post instead of the other link coming from another FB page.

    Scary siah!!! Sereemmmm!!!

    An article online (see below) apparently was posted accusing me of using religion to incite some untoward things. Firstly, the basic rule of academic rigour is to at least have the integrity to pay for a Malay writer if one intends to comment on an article in that language (jgn kasi malu melayu lah). I guess it suffice to merit the writer to its appropriate class for googling a lazy translation.

    So let me reply.

    1. Yes i m deeply driven by my religion. What is wrong with that? Our constitution recognised the importance of religion and defend the freedom and the right for anyone to profess and practice his or her religion unhindered. If you are not driven by religion surely something else must be driving you in life. It is in-built into our humanity to believe in something. In case the writer do not know, there is a nice little word called conscience to remind and guide a persons life. Even an atheist believe in his or her own atheism. We should respect that and not ridicule.

    2. Now referenced to my post in Malay where I mentioned the principle in Islam that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught Muslims the value of striving to do good and forbid evil. There are 3 modes to do so he (the Prophet) explained. First with your hands (authority/power) if you have the means, second with your words (reminding/warning/etc.) if you can only do so, third with your heart (conscience) by dissociating yourself from it, the third being the least one can do he said, and, in the category of faith, is the weakest.

    3. I have explained in my many other posts why I am of the opinion that this reserved PE is an elaborate government effort to prevent the people from voting a popular President who would be independent in performing his or her primary Presidential role of being the Guardian of our National reserves as well as to safeguard our meritocratic value for top public officers that the President is tasked to do. There are numerous opinion pieces that gave very clear arguments that mirrors my opinion. Even Ministers themselves are quoted to acknowledge its problem. One may disagree but in a democracy one have no right to deny another his right to intellectual discourse. Especially for such a dignified office as our President who everyone of us, swear upon our enlistment, to defend together with our constitution, with our life. But sadly no one can also deny someone of his choice to be less than intelligent.

    4. The article seem so desperate and hell-bent to smear me as a religious firebrand (or fanatic) for living the values that I learned from my parents, believed in and preached to my children as a Muslim. This believe guides my principle and action in life such as responding to this Reserved PE episode, as well as made me stop a stray chicken I came across the other day from crossing a very busy road and killing itself.

    5. The article stopped shot of discussing my other points which I will now elaborate. I mentioned the issue of fate and wisdom in responding to the Reserved PE. In my religion (Islam), fate is a concept that is part of the 6 articles of faith. First is believe in God, second is believe in the Prophets (Abraham, Moses, Jonah, Jesus, etc.), third is believe in the Books that God sent in history (Torah, Psalms, Bible, Qur’an, etc.), fourth is believe in the Angels (with their respective roles), fifth believe in Judgment Day (Heaven and Hell), sixth is believe in fate and predestination.

    6. Fate and predestination for a Muslim is to believe that God provides, and everything that happened, do so, with God’s will (both good and evil) as God ultimately allowed it. Wisdom is our ability to then use the endowment of reason that God bestows upon us to analyse the lessons behind that which happened, both good and bad as both are lessons for our life journey towards the end goal of the hereafter. Simply put, don’t blame God for the dead chicken for your failure to act in time to stop it from crossing the busy road. Wisdom is to learn from it and not repeat the same mistake twice. God has given you the mind to think and act freely and you will be responsible for its consequences. For Muslims, consequences are both on earth and in our afterlife. On this basis, I placed my opinion urging us Muslims to reflect and think about what this Reserved PE is about.

    9. I ended the post by asking ourselves to ponder about our believe as Muslims, that God provides. We are challenged to voice our opinion when we see a wrong in society and then feeling worried that it may ruffles someone feathers and may impact our livelihood if we do so.

    10. Of course the article also took cheap swipes at me for my political rookie-ness. I don’t deny I am a rookie politician. It painted many unsavoury unsubstantiated allegation of my subversive intentions to use religion to further my political ambition. May God forgive whoever this (hungry) ghost writer is for his or her ignorance of who I am and what i have done in life for my fellow Malay countrymen challenged with all the problems listed in the article, before i joined politics. I wish the same was asked of our PAP government and their Malay MPs for such a poor performance to show for the same pathetic outcome of the Malay community for the last 52 years under their watch.

    11. As usual it seems that the society boxing game knows no end to this supporters of the establishment. They only learned and know the Machiavellian art from their political masters. From their lazy responses, clearly they skipped the more important chapter on democracy.

    12. We all love this country and have lived here and for a huge majority of us, this is only what we have. It is incumbent upon us to contribute ideas and work to improve our living here as part and parcel of our citizenry. Leaders and government are servants of the people and not our masters. Their position are trust held in check by us the people. The check and balance, which is a vital mechanism of governance is undermined today in our country and we as loyal patriotic citizens should be concerned and do our utmost to protect it.

    13. Finally, i have expected this tirade to come as the political pattern of things here are just too predictable. But sad that it comes from someone who has no courage to put a name to what was written. But the low quality, my God, explains why the writer should be shameful of his or her own writing and would rather hide.

    So this begedil (nice malay potato patty served in mee soto) has decided to honour this sloppy piece of cheap unauthored article the dignity of a response. I leave it to the readers to solicit any untoward evil fanatical islamic intent by me, for reminding fellow Muslims to live their values that we profess to believe in life. Our beautiful religion teaches us, the end never justify the means.

     

    Source: Damanhuri Bin Abas

  • Poem For Singapore’s State Of Affairs

    Poem For Singapore’s State Of Affairs

    I just wrote this poem for my dearest family and friends. Like if you enjoyed reading it. Look the other way if you didnt.

    LIFE’S GOOD. JUST LOOK THE OTHER WAY

    It’s easy to lead a good life
    One that is not filled with strife
    Hop along go where the wind blows
    Richly adorned by things that glows
    Queue for your food and chope your seats
    Trust the government and praise their feats
    Look the other way when they cheat
    Because if you see it will mean defeat
    Convince yourself that it’s not all gloom
    Sleep tight and embrace the moral doom
    Change the laws to suit the government
    Of course to the people’s ultimate detriment
    You are so busy giving your life to make money
    You forget that living life is sweet as honey
    At elections your support leaves them humble
    But in real life costs continue to double
    Always silencing the disenting voices
    Stripping you of your democratic choices
    Let’s go on many fancy holidays
    One of many enjoyable getaways
    Why do we care how the country is run
    Just make sure my BTO is done
    Power corrupts ordinarily
    Absolute power corrupts absolutely
    The pride of a nation in sports is bought from abroad
    To our foreign friends welcome aboard
    We the citizens won’t mind
    We just say nevermind
    Small rights are gradually stripped
    Aiya, it’s better to keep your mouth zipped
    Why do you care what the government does?
    I really don’t see what’s the big fuss
    Pay more for water and anything on the shelve
    You don’t need much space for everything else
    Accuse your citizens of being racist
    Then let off lightly a foreign rapist
    Send the small fries to the gallows
    Wine and dine with the rich fellows
    Our world class transport system is plagued by signal fault
    Alamak this month instalment I cannot default
    Foreign students take loans to study here
    Runaway with unpaid loan without fear
    Must sue if integrity questioned
    But if brother, lets keep this unmentioned
    We are champions of the small things
    Oblivious to the injustices life brings
    There is only one thing left to do
    Best you start preparing without much ado
    Come on man, steal your neighbour’s lunch, they say
    Easy. because most of us are always looking the other way

     

    Source: K.P.