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Tag: reserved EP

  • Ismail Kassim: Singapore Needs A White Knight To Save Country From PAP’s Reserved EP Mess

    Ismail Kassim: Singapore Needs A White Knight To Save Country From PAP’s Reserved EP Mess

    The coming EP (Reserved only for Malays) election has placed the PAPpies in a shit-pot from which they could not climb out without considerable loss of face.

    So, rather than reverse course, they would rather ram through it, even at the risk of turning the next EP into a symbol of disunity, and the fount for all kinds of embarrassing jokes, for the next six long years.

    Is there a way out of this mess that could satisfy all sides and result only in a small loss of face for the ruling party? In such a case, the PAPpies might just accept it.

    Is there such a White Knight lurking round the corner?

    Let’s not give up yet. There is still a needle point of hope – even at this late stage – that something could happen that will put our little red dot on the right path.

     

    Source: Ismail Kassim

  • Lack Of Credible, Capable Candidates In Presidential Race A Worrying Sign

    Lack Of Credible, Capable Candidates In Presidential Race A Worrying Sign

    The Malay community in Singapore should stop bickering about the “Malayness” of the three potential candidates for September’s presidential election.

    What is of greater concern is that despite the election being reserved for Malay candidates, only two – Salleh Marican and Farid Khan – have stepped forward to announce their intentions to run. The third, Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob, has only hinted that she is looking to run for the nation’s highest office.

    The fact that only two individuals from the private sector have announced their intentions is indeed worrying for the Malay community. Could this be seen as the Malay community being incapable of producing enough potential leaders to serve our country?

    To be fair, the requirement for private-sector candidates to have been heads of companies with paid-up capitals of $500 million in shareholders’ equity on average over three years immediately disqualifies most Singaporeans, regardless of their race.

    This issue aside, I have been talking to community leaders to better understand if there really is a dearth in potential Malay leaders here. Most of them pointed out that there are successful individuals who are more than capable of performing the duties of a president.

    Names such as Shafie Shamsuddin, CEO of PT Trans Retail, which operates the Carrefour supermarket in Indonesia, and Bahren Shaari, CEO of the Bank of Singapore, were brought up. Former Members of Parliament such as Zainul Abidin Rasheed and Abdullah Tarmugi were also mentioned.

    To date, however, none of these individuals has stepped forward to announce an interest to contest the election.
     
    Community showing signs of progress

    But are they the only Malay candidates capable of competing in the election?

    The Malay community has made tremendous progress since independence. There are more Malays now holding important roles in the Singapore Armed Forces. We have successful Malay businessmen and scientists. The number of Malay graduates has been increasing throughout the years. We even have two full ministers in the Cabinet heading important ministries.

    But despite all these achievements, I think it is a shame that, thus far, only two members of the community have stepped forward to throw their hats into the ring.

    It is like looking for a top striker to play in our national football team. Despite all the efforts made, the team have been unable to find someone capable of filling Fandi Ahmad’s boots.

    I have heard of complaints from the community that Singapore should have a Malay president again.

    “It is time. I think a Malay president should be elected as it is a symbol of our community’s success throughout the years,” said a friend of mine a few years ago.

    She pointed out that it is only fair that a Malay is given a chance to head the republic, pointing out that since the country’s first president Yusof Ishak, there have been three Chinese, two Indians and an Eurasian holding the post.

    Then again, do we elect a candidate into the Istana just because he or she is Malay? Or are voters going to choose the best person for the job?

    Potential Malay leaders out there but…

    I recently had a discussion with a community leader on Malay leadership in Singapore. He pointed out that there are potential leaders out there who have been identified for future roles in shaping the country.

    However, he also noted that these people may be contented with their jobs and are therefore reluctant to step forward to serve the nation.

    “There are Malays out there who can (do the job as president) but they are unwilling to do so. They have their reasons. Privacy is one of them and you have to understand this is not any job. This is the presidency we are talking about,” he said.

    Another veteran community leader whom I met said that the times have changed and that the younger generation of Malays are driven more by personal success in the private sector. Hence, there is a lack of interest in community service or public service at the highest levels among them, he added.

    “Do you think that they have time to give back to the community? I don’t think so!” he said.

    He has a point. Personally, I have friends who have successful careers in the private sector and are unwilling to give back to the community.

    “I contribute to Mendaki every month. That should be enough,” is the common answer I get whenever I ask them about serving the community.

     

    Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

  • Halimah Yacob: Racial Harmony In Singapore Should Be Celebrated

    Halimah Yacob: Racial Harmony In Singapore Should Be Celebrated

    A wushu group and a silat group performed together on stage at a cultural event in Eunos attended by Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob last night.

    The wushu performance was by the Wudang Sheng Hong Health Preservation Centre from the nearby Lorong Koo Chye Sheng Hong Temple.

    The silat performance was by the Si Rumpun Padi group from the Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque.

    Such racial harmony would be unthinkable in some other countries and should be celebrated, Madam Halimah said at the event organised by the People’s Association grassroots groups in Aljunied GRC.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

     

  • Damanhuri Abas: PAP No Champion Of Racial Equality, Malays Marginalised

    Damanhuri Abas: PAP No Champion Of Racial Equality, Malays Marginalised

    This is another ugly truth of how labels are conveniently thrown by them at persons to distract from the issue of contention.

    They are no champion of racial equality. For if they were, there would be no discriminatory practises of excluding the Malays from so-called sensitive positions in the SAF for the last 5 decades sowing the poison of distrust into the minds of Singaporeans towards the entire race, the Malay schools would not have closed down, the Madrasah would have stop ‘begging’ long time ago for a decent premise to educate our children while SAP schools are showered with endless tax-payers money, or would the Malays be systematically marginalised in so many other ways in society. Instead, race have been abused by the PAP to institutionalise deceptive mechanism such as the GRC to their political advantage. And now the EP.

    The fact that after more than 50 years of PAP led Malay leadership in government, the Malays are still behind in education, over represented in drug abused cases, prison inmates, delinquents, divorce, low income, etc., etc., are a damning indictment of the failures of the chosen PAP Malay leadership. The reserved EP is neither our community’s priority, need nor want for a show-puppet Malay President. Its a disgrace.

    We have seen few days ago what parliament has become when 1 party rules and now the last bastion of the people’s defence will simply become another tool of the PAP.

    Come on Singaporeans, lets take back our country from the current double tongue bunch of financially bloated elites that knows no shame oozing out their hypocrisy and taking the entire nation for their joy ride.

     

    Source: Damanhuri Bin Abas

  • Halimah Yacob Does Not Confirm Running For Elected Presidency

    Halimah Yacob Does Not Confirm Running For Elected Presidency

    With eight constituencies and many invitations from different organisations to break fast, Madam Halimah Yacob said her days have been packed all the way till Hari Raya, and time with family has been hard to come by.

    The mother of five children, all in their 20s and 30s, said she is thankful her family “accepts” her schedule.

    “I’ve broken fast at home on only a few days, all the rest of the days have been out,” she said.

    She was quick to add that she does enjoy breaking fast outside, particularly with her residents.

    Madam Halimah said that sometimes she does not even have time to have a proper meal between events.

    During such moments, she shared that she slips into nearby mosques “incognito”.

    “The good thing is that every mosque here provides something to eat, so it’s quite interesting to break fast and then perform my maghrib (evening) prayers before I go off to my event,” she said.

    In 2015, on Polling Day, Madam Halimah’s mother died as she was doing her rounds. This year will be the second Hari Raya that she will be celebrating without her, but it never gets easier.

    Said Madam Halimah: “What I miss about mum is her presence. Sitting there, she used to sit on the sofa, just having her there would mean tremendous comfort because she’s been the pillar of strength for me all the while.”

    Hari Raya is not just a time to celebrate family, but to also remember the loved ones lost, as she pointed out.

    With a laugh Madam Halimah said: “I cook lontong for breakfast every Hari Raya morning. So the children have asked me this year if I am going to cook and I told them I will see how.

    “But no lah, I will make it this year, every year I will cook it.”

    Other than lontong, Madam Halimah is looking forward to having time for herself this festive weekend.

    “That’s the wonderful thing about Hari Raya, at least the first two days will be off limits,” she said.

    When asked if she sees herself becoming busier in the future, on account of the upcoming presidential election which she is widely rumoured to be considering, Madam Halimah laughed, reiterating that she had a lot on her plate.

    “I’ve been very busy actually. My time is really packed and, of course, in Parliament as Speaker the last few years have been very packed,” she chuckled.

    “Our Members of Parliament have been pretty active filing motions and so on, so that has kept me pretty busy.”

     

    Source: www.tnp,sg