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Tag: religion

  • Muslim Group Wants Body To Be Set Up To Handle Discrimination Cases

    Muslim Group Wants Body To Be Set Up To Handle Discrimination Cases

    Expressing concern over what seems to be an increase in the number of discriminatory practices against minority races and foreign communities in Singapore, the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) has called for a central body to be formed to resolve, mediate and prevent such incidents.

    The AMP’s board of directors issued a statement on this suggestion on Wednesday (May 4) noting that there is currently no publicly available data tracking such cases or how they are resolved eventually.

    Incidents of discrimination can cause “irreparable tears to our social fabric”, not least when anecdotal reports of cases get circulated on social media, which can “quickly elicit views and reactions that may polarise various segments of our society”, it added.

    AMP’s statement came after a Malay woman said last week she was discriminated against when she applied for a job at PrimaDeli bakery. According to the woman, an employee of the bakery had made racist remarks about Malay people. She added that the employee also asked her if she could speak Chinese because it was how most of the workers communicated.

    The company subsequently sacked the employee responsible for the discriminatory act.

    In response to queries, the AMP said its suggestion was not a direct response to that incident, nor was it only concerned with job-related incidents or cases involving the Malay community here. Rather, it felt that collecting data on such incidents and the consequent reparative actions taken are important for coming up with ways to reduce or eliminate similar incidents.

    Otherwise, when informal accounts of such incidents, which can be outside of job-related matters, such as in education or social interactions, are circulated widely on social media, people may sensationalise the issues and cause polarisation of views, it added.

    AMP suggested that its proposed central body to deal with discrimination matters can comprise stakeholders from the Government, private and independent bodies.

    In the meantime, the Government could also give existing organisations such as the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) and OnePeople.sg more powers to deal with discriminatory practices and actions.

    “It is critical for the issue of discrimination to be swiftly managed and for preventive strategies to be developed,” AMP said. “This will ensure that the racial and religious harmony we have so carefully preserved over the last five decades will not be disrupted, which may otherwise cause long-term concerns for our society.”

    Responding to TODAY’s queries, TAFEP said the AMP’s proposal stems from a desire to create a more inclusive society, which is “aligned with TAFEP’s mission to promote the adoption of fair, responsible and progressive employment practices”. It said besides educating employers on how to have fair employment practices, it also advises and helps individuals who have encountered workplace discrimination.

     

    Source: TODAY Online

  • Zulfikar Shariff: Should Malays Accommodate Other Communities, Or Should We Assimilate?

    Zulfikar Shariff: Should Malays Accommodate Other Communities, Or Should We Assimilate?

    A few years ago, I had a discussion with an Australian expert on history and politics in the Malay world.

    He asked me what I thought about racial relations among the Chinese and the indigenous communities in Malaysia and Indonesia.

    Specifically, he asked whether the Chinese in Malaysia is happier than those in Indonesia.

    While in Malaysia, the Chinese community is able to run their own schools, media, religious institutions, political associations and parties and maintain their identity, in Indonesia they had to fully assimilate, give up their Chinese names, culture and at times even their religion.

    He argued that it appears the Chinese community that has largely assimilated and become part of Indonesian society is happier and better adjusted than those that are given their rights and ability to maintain their identity in Malaysia.

    While the claim need to be tested, it does indicate how the Malays could have demanded full assimilation for better race relations among the communities.

    Instead, they try to accommodate other communities, even if some of them may not appreciate the accommodation

     

    Source: Zulfikar Shariff

  • PrimaDeli Owns Up, Says “Serious Disciplinary Action” Taken Against Racist Employee

    PrimaDeli Owns Up, Says “Serious Disciplinary Action” Taken Against Racist Employee

    It has been brought to our attention that a staff member has made discriminatory remarks to a potential candidate during a job interview. We have since made personal contact to offer our sincere apologies.

    We would also like to apologise to the wider community with regards to the circumstances. We take a very serious view and have zero tolerance for such behaviour hence, serious disciplinary action has been imposed on the said employee after an immediate investigation was conducted.

    At PrimaDeli we believe in fair and equal rights for all at our company; We assess performance and suitability based on merit and achievements.

    Yours sincerely;
    The Management at PrimaDeli

     

    Source: PrimaDeli

  • Myanmar Monk Builds Pagodas In Church And Muslim Areas

    Myanmar Monk Builds Pagodas In Church And Muslim Areas

    A Myanmar Christian leader appealed for calm Wednesday (Apr 27) after an influential Buddhist monk built pagodas within the compound of a church and near a mosque, in a country beset with religious tensions.

    The incursions began last month when supporters of the monk Myaing Kyee Ngu erected a religious statue and planted a Buddhist flag on the church’s grounds in the eastern state of Karen.

    They returned on Saturday to erect a pagoda, according to local Anglican Bishop Saw Stylo. The supporters have since moved on to build a pagoda near a mosque in a Muslim-majority village in the same township of Hlaingbwe, he said.

    “That is why I asked all local young people, whether they are Buddhist, Muslim or Christian, not to do anything wrong,” said Saw Stylo, who oversees Karen state, Mon state and Tanintharyi region.

    Myanmar, which was stifled for decades under military rule, has long bristled with religious tensions between majority Buddhists and minority groups.

    These surged sharply after a 2012 outbreak of violence in the western state of Rakhine between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya left scores dead. Tens of thousands of Rohingya remain trapped in bleak displacement camps.

    Buddhist nationalists have grown increasingly strident since then and their influence has been credited with swaying Aung San Suu Kyi’s party against fielding a single Muslim candidate in last year’s election, which swept her pro-democracy movement into power.

    It is not clear what is behind the recent pagoda construction in Karen state. But the office of local MP Saw Chit Khin told AFP that Buddhist authorities had already written to the monk to urge him to cease building.

    Images in local media showed dozens of people praying around the newly-erected white stupa.

    “We feel very worried and sensitive about it. This might be political as well as religious,” said Saw Stylo.

    “I am very interested in how the new government will bring Myanmar to a brighter future. That is why I requested everyone to stay calm in this case,” he added.

    Christian communities in ethnic minority areas have for years complained of encroachments by zealous Buddhists, particularly through the presence of the military.

    Christians and Muslims are each thought to make up over four percent of the population. But updated figures from a 2014 census in Myanmar – its first in three decades – have not yet been released amid fears that any perceived increases could further stoke animosity.

     

    Source: ChannelNewsAsia

  • Zakir Naik Punca MB Terengganu Hilang Semua Darjah Kebesaran?

    Zakir Naik Punca MB Terengganu Hilang Semua Darjah Kebesaran?

    Mungkinkah ‘hadiah’ berupa tiga pulau di Tasik Kenyir yang diberikan kerajaan negeri Terengganu kepada pendakwah terkenal, Dr Zakir Naik, punca sebenar semua darjah kebesaran yang dikurniakan kepada Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman, dilucutkan?

    Akhbar China Press mendakwa demikian dalam laporannya hari ini (27 April), menurut laman Free Malaysia Today.

    China Press, yang menukil sumber-sumber tertentu, melaporkan bahawa pemberian ‘hadiah’ yang murah hati oleh Encik Ahmad Razif mungkin membangkitkan kemarahan istana Terengganu.

    Menurut laman Free Malaysia Today, Menteri Besar itu menyambut Dr Zakir dengan amat mesra ketika penceramah kontroversil dari India itu mengadakan lawatan ke Malaysia untuk menyampaikan ceramah agama baru-baru ini.

    Encik Ahmad Razif juga mengumumkan bahawa kerajaan Terengganu akan memberikan tiga pulau di Tasik Kenyir, yang popular dengan pelancong, kepada Dr Zakir supaya beliau dapat menubuhkan sebuah pusat kajian Islam di rantau ini.

    Sementara itu, Encik Ahmad Razif kelihatan tenang ketika mempengerusikan mesyuarat mingguan Exco kerajaan negeri Terengganu pagi tadi di Wisma Darul Iman.

    Mesyuarat itu berlangsung seperti biasa, di tengah-tengah khabar angin bahawa seorang tokoh politik akan mengambil alih kedudukan Encik Ahmad Razif sebagai Menteri Besar tidak lama lagi.

    Bahkan, Bernama melaporkan, beliau kelihatan ceria dan turut menyapa wartawan yang menunggu sejak 8.30 pagi.

    Bagaimanapun, Encik Ahmad Razif enggan mengulas mengenai kedudukannya sebagai Menteri Besar setakat ini.

    Anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Seberang Takir itu berkata segala hal berkaitan kedudukannya sebagai menteri besar diserahkan sepenuhnya kepada Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

    Pada Isnin lalu, Sultan Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin secara mengejut melucutkan semua darjah kebesaran yang dikurniakan kepada Encik Ahmad Razif berkuatkuasa hari Jumaat (22 April).

    Datuk Seri Najib dijangka bertemu dengan Sultan Terengganu berhubung isu pelantikan Menteri Besar yang baru, lapor Free Malaysia Today.

    Menurut laman itu, dua calon yang berpotensi bagi jawatan itu ialah Anggota Parlimen Telemong, Datuk Rozi Mamat dan AP Permaisuri, Datuk Mohamad Jidin Shafee.

    Source: Berita Mediacorp