Tag: Singapore

Janil Puthucheary: Racial Harmony Cannot be Taken For Granted

At the sidelines of the Orange Ribbon Run 2015 that marked 50 years of racial harmony in Singapore, Chairman of OnePeople.sg, Dr Janil Puthucheary shared with Popspoken that he feels racial harmony in Singapore is “really quite exceptional” but “is not something to be taken for granted”. A whopping 7,000 people participated in the third edition of the Orange Ribbon Run – an event organized by OnePeople,sg, a national body that promotes multiracialism in Singapore. The event saw the support of Team Singapore athletes including former Olympian, Mr. C. Kunalan, SEA Games 2015 athletes and players from the Football Association of Singapore.

When we probed further on how racial harmony could be promoted, Dr Janil replied, “There’s no one single approach… We organise different types of dialogues, debates and discussions about the issues of racial harmony, religious harmony and moving beyond this, tolerance and trust is our mission. So we are talking about it. We are talking about it, and we are encouraging people to think about it and to believe that this is something worth fighting for, worth standing for.”

On how rising racial tensions in neighbouring Malaysia affecting Singapore, Dr Janil noted, “Well, you know, our political structure in Singapore is such that we can’t play racial politics. That was something that was set up in 1965, very deliberately. And I think it’s something most Singaporeans – almost, I believe, all Singaporeans – believe it’s a strength that we have in our nation. That people are not going to get support if they try to feed into racial anxieties, if they try to stir up racial tensions, and it amounts to some degree of agitation.” He believes that our political structure is mature enough to move away from a model of having to “appeal to, engage with, and serve the broad middle ground of most Singaporeans, if not all Singaporeans.”

We all share a common humanity: DPM Teo

Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs graced the event.In his speech, heCREDITED the government for progress made in the sphere of racial harmony.

He touched upon the government’s success of deliberate policy making (e.g. bilingualism, common education system, integrated housing, fairness in the workplace etc), which has succesfully resulted in cohesively integrating people from different backgrounds.

DPM Teo also rallied the crowd to open their hearts and minds, and come together as one people. He believes that reaching out to another to understand someone better, will definitely bring people closer together. At the same time, he cautioned against people with their own “agendas” who try to “accentuate” differences.

Everyone sharing a ‘common humanity’,was to him, something worthwhile to celebrate. It is hence imperative for us to think about how we can enlarge the existing areas we have in common “and not allow anyone who wants to accentuate differences to succeed in dividing us,” said DPM Teo.

Source: http://popspoken.com

September 8, 2015
Sehari Bersama Yaacob Ibrahim

SETIAP hari, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim bangun sekitar 5.15 pagi.

Biasanya, bapa dua anak itu menyiapkan sarapan bagi keluarganya, menunaikan solat dan menghantar mereka ke stesen MRT.

Sabtu lalu, Berita Harian menjejaki kempen Dr Yaacob, di sekitar GRC Jalan Besar bagi pilihan raya umum ini.

Beliau menemui aktivisnya di Ariff Restaurant, sebuah kedai kopi 24 jam di Kallang Bahru, untuk bersarapan roti perata sekitar 7 pagi.

Antara perkara pertama yang dilakukan ialah membincangkan rancangan serta strategi untuk hari itu.

Sekitar 8 pagi, Dr Yaacob dan aktivisnya tiba di pasar Blok 29 Bendemeer Road menemui pegerai dan penduduk.

Di sana, beliau disertai anggota lain pasukan GRC Jalan Besar – Encik Heng Chee How, Cik Denise Phua dan Dr Lily Neo.

Pada 10 pagi, mereka meneruskan lawatan ke pasar di Sims Place pula.

Di situ, mereka bertembung dan berjabat tangan dengan pasukan pesaing Parti Pekerja (WP), yang bertanding di kawasan itu.

Rata-rata, sambutan penduduk semasa lawatan di kededua pasar itu mesra.

Dari masa ke masa, ada juga penduduk yang meluahkan rasa tidak puas hati atau memberi maklum balas, termasuk seorang penduduk yang rasa kecewa kerana tidak mendapat baucar cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST).

Kegiatan berkempen diteruskan dengan lawatan rumah ke rumah di sekurang-kurangnya empat blok di Sims Drive hingga sekitar 12 tengah hari.

Dr Yaacob dan pasukannya bergegas dari rumah ke rumah untuk meminta sokongan penduduk.

“Strategi kami adalah bertemu seramai mungkin penduduk di rumah dalam tempoh berkempen ini,” ujarnya.

Menurutnya, ramai penduduk sudah mengenalinya kerana beliau pernah mengadakan lawatan rumah ke rumah sebelum ini.

“Kempen macam peperiksaan. Kami tidak mampu membuat persiapan saat akhir,” ujar seorang aktivis beliau.

Selepas lawatan itu, Dr Yaacob pulang untuk bersiap menghadiri Majlis Anugerah Muis di Istana yang berlangsung hingga sekitar 4 petang.

Beliau meneruskan kegiatan berkempen pada sebelah petang dan biasanya berakhir sekitar 10 malam.

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

September 8, 2015
Foreign Worker Issue Is Beyond Economics And Politics

Many of my Brothers (compatriots) feel the stress of foreign workers in Singapore.

When we discussed this issue at a deeper level, I realize its goes beyond economics and politics.

Its about jobs and emotions.

Its also dilemmatic.

Their beef isnt towards Work Permit holders but S-pass and EP holders.

S-Pass come here with a minimum wage, thereby making them cheaper to employ, very good indeed for SMEs.

Our government deserves credit for imposing quotas. SMEs and MNCs alike must now employ x number of citizens first before they could bring foreigners here.

And indeed, our government has visibly reduce their numbers , especially after 2011 GE.

At an emotional, we see a few of S-Pass holders displaying uncivil acts and forming social clusters.

FEW PRC Chinese blast their lungs in the public transports , Few Hindu Indians try to bring the cast system and Hindi language over and FEW Filipinos do not mix with people other than their own kind.

Yet Singaporeans like me cannot afford to see them go. Why? Who else would remain to rent our HDB flats. And mind you, rental income is one way to offload kids’ burden of providing for his/her aging parents.

EP holders come and reside in uptown. Their men, mostly whites, come and attract both local and foreign women. Just look at any Match-making sites and see how many Japanese ladies here are seeking White men. And black and white women rarely depends on local Singaporean male to hit on them.

It is a stereotypical view that many Asian men hardly hit on any women , a phenomenon i cannot understand and have never experienced. Yes, I do hit on Black and White women boldly. If you a Black or White female, drop me a PM.

Singaporean men feels the pressure of trying to start a family. And when they see all these unfolding their very eyes, they feel disgruntled , which escalates to xenophobic mindsets.

We need to address this at an emotional level, no doubt.

Source: Faisal Maricar

September 8, 2015
Syed Danial: Damanhuri Abas Has The Moral Courage To Be Upfront On Issues Affecting The Malay-Muslim Community

The GRC concept has attained its goal of ensuring minority representation in parliament. In the sense there are roughly a proportionate representation of the SG population in parliament that belongs to the minority races.

But that’s where it ends.

For decades now, we see the phenomenon of minority candidates riding on the coattails of ministers n getting into parliament. Oftentimes not even having to go through the baptism of fire of the hustings during election, as they are part of uncontested wards.

Before election, they promise the world. They will fight for this n that rights. They will champion our causes. They will be our voices in parliament.

And when they finally get there, you see a completely different reality. They do not fight for our rights. When we start pushing for them, eg the hijab, we get the tiring response of they are doing ‘all they can’ behind closed doors. The community needs to be patient. There are other interests at stake.’ The good ol song and dance.

They have become effectively the MPs that champions rights. But not our rights. They serve with distinction. For the Prime Minister. And their party.

To an extent they no longer fulfill the functional role that they’ve been elected to do. They r there not to fight for our rights. They are there to explain govt policies to the community. Essentially they r there as the govt’s representatives to the people. Not our representatives to fight for our causes.

And it’s not just the backbencher MPs. The greatest fulfiller of this role is the Minister in Charge of Muslim affairs. Dr Yaacob has consistently shown when push comes to shove, he takes the position of the govt.

Not the community.

He should be renamed Minister in Charge of Explaining Government Policies to Muslims.

And then there’s the second Malay full Minister. Mr Masagos has also shown consistently he’s there to do the bidding of the govt. So he was used to make policy pronouncements that are beneficial to the govt. But are against the wishes of the community. Case in point joining the coalition to bomb Iraq and Syria. The community is against Islamic State. But there’s a HUGE difference between being against IS and being part of a coalition that bombs more Muslim countries. A vast majority in the MMC is against joining. Yet Minister Masagos toes the govt line. He explains govt polices, rather than champion our causes.

I could go on n on. But I think the point is made.

Our minority MPs represent the govt and their party.

Not us.

Then comes bro Damanhuri.

He has come across as a candidate who has the moral courage to speak his mind on issues close to the hearts of Malay Muslims in SG. His rhetoric captures our imagination. Beyond just speeches, he has an excellent trek record of service to the community.

So he comes across as genuine.

The real deal.

And he has redefined for us the role of minority representation in a GRC. The minority MP is there to voice the concerns and interests of the community. To champion our causes to the govt. And he hits the hammer on the head when he says we need to put such people in parliament. Else, we can shout till we’re hoarse outsider parliament. It will just be ignored. Worse still, token statements of
Reassurances given that they would ‘work behind close doors’ to solve the issues.

It is my fervent desire bro Daman gets elected. And I hope residents of MarsilingYT rise to the occasion.

In the longer term, I think Pandora’s box has been opened. I call it the ‘Damanhari effect’.

Henceforth, that will be the prototype of the archetypical minority MP.

One with outstanding credentials of service to the community. Not Juz hi academic ability but completely out of touch with the community. We have such people in parliament now.

Beyond a trek record of service, the moral courage to fight for our rights.

To be our champions in parliament.

Not there to merely explain policies to us

‪#‎yourDamanhuri‬

Source: Syed Danial

September 8, 2015
#GE2015 Day 7 Diary: The Rise Of Chee Soon Juan

He was once described as a “near psychopath”, but is now received at political rallies like a rockstar. The Singapore Democratic Party’s (SDP) rallies are now drawing larger crowds; ever since his first rally speech in 15 years was shared around on social media, people have been turning up just to hear Dr Chee Soon Juan speak.

It’s been a sea change to behold – the man who once shuttled in and out of prison, who was bankrupted, demonised and totally written off as unelectable, is now the biggest draw at rallies every night, and even at a lunchtime rally on Monday afternoon. His speeches have been described as rational, emotive and passionate. Coming back to the rally stage after 15 long years of being barred from three general elections, no one can say that he hasn’t shown grit and determination.

“If I leave, there will be one less voice against the government,” he said at one rally. “If PAP wins, the people will lose. …I was born Singaporean. I was raised Singaporean. And I will die Singaporean.”

People might not agree with everything he says, or even approve of all of the SDP’s policies in their current form, but Chee has nevertheless made an impact on rallygoers and even beyond, as recordings of his speeches pass from one Facebook timeline to another. Twitter has reported that he was the second most mentioned politician in the first week of the election campaign, behind the incumbent Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Every night after the rally he autographs books and takes photos with admiring Singaporeans – volunteers of The Online Citizen reported that it took him one-and-a-half hours on Monday night to complete his book-signing session.

His calm demeanour and impassioned speeches are also being compared favourably to the performance of his opponents, who have occasionally resorted to fear mongering and personal attacks.

Vivian Balakrishnan, the leading People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate for the four-member Holland-Bukit Timah team, claimed that the SDP’s policies would put Singapore on the “road to Greece” by increasing social spending without being up front about how the money would be raised.

But at least that criticism was engaging in some way with policy; many of the other comments made by Balakrishnan and running mate Sim Ann simply veered into character assassination.

“The impression that this Dr Chee gives me is that they are very good at ‘chut pattern’ [putting up a show or pretence],” said Sim Ann in a Mandarin speech on Monday evening that was described as having “dripped sarcasm”. “I feel that in the whole of Singapore, if Dr Chee claims to be second-best in “chut pattern”, no one would dare claim to be number one.”

At the SDP’s lunchtime rally in UOB Plaza on Monday, Chee played to the demographic by focusing on the lack of accountability for poor investment choices made by Singapore’s sovereign wealth funds.

“The Government accuses us (SDP) of coming up with policies of tax and spend, but what they will do is take our reserves and make failed investments,” he said, pointing out large amounts that had been plowed into companies like the debt-ridden Olam International and Thai conglomerate Shin Corp, as well as banks like Citigroup, Merill Lynch and Barclays during the 2008 financial crisis.

Standing directly under towering bank building in the heart of Singapore’s financial centre, Chee called out wealth inequality and described the widening income gap as a problem that “harms the common good, erodes cohesiveness, and corrodes the values that fosters social cohesiveness”.

“Priorities!” he declared, echoing his party’s message of adjusting state expenditure to focus more on social goods such as healthcare and education to cheers and applause from the crowd.

It is unclear how many of those who gathered in UOB Plaza on Monday afternoon were persuaded by the SDP’s arguments, or how many of them would actually be voting in areas contested by the party. While Chee expressed the belief that even the well-to-do in the Holland-Bukit Timah constituency – where he is contesting – care about redistributive policie and social justice, the fact remains that the SDP only polled 39.9 per cent in the last election, meaning that they now have to convince about 16,000 people to vote differently from before. It’s a daunting challenge with no guarantees.

But win or lose in Holland-Bukit Timah – or any of the other constituencies in which the SDP is contesting – one victory has already been won: after years of being slammed, criticised and demonised in public and the mainstream media, Chee has succeeded in rehabilitating his image, and cannot be described as an unelectable “psychopath” any more.

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

September 8, 2015