Tag: Singaporeans

Former NYJC Student: I Was Some Of Schoolmates First Malay Friend

The school’s name, Nanyang, refers to the lands south of China, which were in the Chinese sphere of influence for centuries.

And the members of Nanyang Junior College’s (NYJC) school management committee were all Chinese.

But the Serangoon school’s Chinese roots did not deter Ms Nur Fazlina Arzami, now a 22-year-old sociology undergraduate at the National University of Singapore, from choosing to go there after she left Tanjong Katong Girls’ School (TKGS) in 2011.

“After the O levels, my friends and I visited many open houses. When I went to NYJC, it had a very vibrant environment… There were even performances by Malay dancers, and I didn’t feel any ‘Chinese-ness’ when I went there.”

She ended up listing the school as one of her top choices as she wanted to get out of her comfort zone.

She said: “From the school name and the location alone, I knew that there would not be as many Malays in the school compared with TKGS. But instead of going to another JC where there would be many of my former schoolmates, I wanted to try making new friends.”

During Ms Fazlina’s time at NYJC, many schoolmates told her that she was their first Malay friend.

One reason for this, she later found out, was that many of them were from Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools, including Chung Cheng High School (Main), which is affiliated to NYJC.

There were fewer than 30 non-Chinese students in her cohort. But Ms Fazlina said that friendships developed naturally during interaction in class and co-curricular activities.

She saw this as a chance for both sides to learn more about each other’s cultures.

“My non-Muslim friends have become familiar with my routines, such as me praying regularly in the day. When we go out, I will have to take a break and they just wait for me – it’s become very comfortable.

“Sometimes, they call me a ‘closet Chinese’, which is a bit problematic because it shows that we still have stereotypical views of what constitutes a Malay or a Chinese.”

NYJC, which was under principal Kwek Hiok Chuang for more than a decade until he retired last year, had a very “open and welcoming” environment, recalled Ms Fazlina.

But while the number of non-Chinese students has increased – ranging between 50 and 100 in the JC2 cohort of about 700 students – she thinks that it would be helpful if students from SAP schools had an earlier opportunity to mix with those of other races, instead of waiting till JC.

She said: “(Given how) I’m the first Malay friend for many students, perhaps SAP schools should be open to applicants of other races, providing Malay or Tamil language classes even as they keep their Chinese heritage.

“There’s a lot of benefit to be gained from interacting with people who are different from you.

“The world is more globalised now, and you may have to go overseas and adapt to situations…

“It will help develop you into someone who can talk to various people from different backgrounds.”

Source: www.straitstimes.com

February 20, 2017
Ismail Kassim: World Cannot Remain Neutral On Israel Oppression Of Palestine

With the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu today for an overnight visit, let’s give him a warm welcome and also take the opportunity to look at the ME conflict in perspective and set the record straight.

By now, it has become clear – to those who want to see – that the Israelis prefer to seize captured land rather than peace and have no compunction of oppressing the Palestinians and treating them as a conquered people.

Under the circumstances, to stay on the side lines and to insist on being neutral is tantamount to supporting the aggressor.

Let’s look at the record:

1. By now, the Israelis have killed more innocent Palestinians than IS, Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups have killed non-Muslims.

2. More Muslims have died at the hands of IS and gang than non-Muslims.

3. The main beneficiary of IS bloody rampage is Israel.

4. The biggest losers everywhere are Muslims.

5. I cannot rule out the possibility that this so-called IS Caliph is actually a Mossad and CIA agent.

6. IS suicide volunteers have blown themselves up in vain.

7. The Caliph and his followers can do the world no better favour than to blow themselves up.

8. Hitler oppressed the Jews for about7 years but Israel have ill-treated and lorded over the Palestinians for more than 50 years.

Should the world continue to stay on the side lines and remain neutral, satisfy only in making empty appeals, to both parties to resolve their conflict peacefully?

Source: Ismail Kassim

February 20, 2017
Jealous Person Threw Paint On My Bike, I’ll Get The Culprit

To whoever bitch that does this to my bike im gonna catch u real soon .

ive already done my part by lodging a report followed up by police to investigate my case .

too bad but i think i kno who does this . orang kalau mata merah cat pon ikut merah .

Source: Nursabahrina Razak

February 20, 2017
Goh Meng Seng: Politicians Beware – Politics Is Dirty

Thought of the Day – Dirty Politics

Politics are dirty, many people say. I always reply that it is only as dirty as the politicians.

There are numerous political assassinations in history along with persecution by means of false accusations made against political opponents in all era.

The most recent assassination of the half-brother of North Korean paramount leader is another prime example that such ruthless dirty politics still exists.

Some of the most common tricks in the “more civilized” way of “fixing” the political opponents involve planting incriminating “evidences” that could be used against them.

In the 20th century, we have also witnessed outright assassination of politicians and this include the supposedly most liberal place with full democracy installed, i.e. the assassination of JFK.

Ironically, USA’s CIA and British MI6 which come from supposedly “democratic” countries, were and still are involved in covert operations which include political assassinations as well.

Thus, dirty politics of political assassinations aren’t exclusive to communist regimes or dictatorship.

Although in Singapore, there is no record of bloody political assassinations, but framing political opponents and potential threats had happened and will happen still. Right from 1960s throughout 1980s, the use of detention without trial under ISA was rampant. The Power that be did not need to justify their brutal abuse of ISA in detaining their political opponents and such detention had lasted not only years but decades for some.

Apart from that, there were also records of falsifying of evidences by the ruling party to falsely accuse potential political threats. The most prominent one is none other than Tan Wah Piow’s case which he was falsely accused of rioting with false evidences planted by the shamed Phey Yew Kok.

Personally, I have told my dear wife, right from the very first day I stepped into Singapore’s opposition politics, I am prepared for the worse to happen to me. Whatever happens to me, I told her to stay away from Singapore and never come back.

For many of the politician wannabe out there, be warned of the dire consequences of dirty politics. If you cannot afford the heavy price of dirty politics, please keep away from it. It would be naive to believe that there is such thing called “benevolent politicians or dictatorship”.

One of my comrade announced to my group, “Congrats all. We are now officially on Mossad’s hit list..” after our People’s Power Party has issued our Press Statement in protest of Israel PM’s visit to Singapore. Well, this may be made in jest but there is always possibility of dirty politics everywhere, especially from those who don’t respect Human Rights. Especially so for the Zionists.

We shall constantly remind ourselves that we must be ready to face the ultimate persecution of dirty politics, death.

Goh Meng Seng

Source: Goh Meng Seng

February 20, 2017
People’s Power Party: Standing In Solidarity With Palestine, Singapore Must Urge Israeli To Respect International Law And Human Rights

Protest against Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Visit to Singapore

The People’s Power Party expresses our dismay and disappointment on the account that the Republic of Singapore is hosting a state level visit with Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. On grounds dear to us, we elect to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people who have until now, been deprived of a rightful independent statehood, and the very fact that Israel’s current hostile policy has put the much awaited Two-States solution into a stalemate. It is without doubt that under the watch of its current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the State of Israel continues to brutalise its position as the unforgiving occupying power over Palestinian territories. Palestinian lands and private properties continues to be confiscated and forcefully vacated to make way for illegal settlements, violating international law and stands in contradiction against various UN charters and resolutions. The latest, being UN Resolution 2334, has been met with obvious defiance from PM Benjamin Netanyahu who once again demonstrated his will not to abide by the Security Council’s mandate. This is indeed a call for concern.

Under Benjamin Netanyahu’s watch, Israel continues to choke West Bank and Gaza from getting open access to commerce and trade, freedom to travel, adequate humanitarian aids and necessities and within that wider overview, been a resultant force that has stagnated the economic growth and opportunities of the occupied Palestinian population. The state of this occupation, conducted by aggressive military force that reeks of brutality are indeed acts that are deplorable which has been condemned at international level. Without any withdrawal in sight in view of its occupation policy, any indication from Singapore to host such high level meeting serves to endorse Israel’s disparaging acts.

The Israeli government continues to affirm its illegal stance, calling Jerusalem, a city of shared sanctification by the three Abrahamic faith, as its eternal capital. This violates another UN resolution who has long viewed that such pronunciation are to be rejected outright .

The Palestinian struggle and resistance have taken various shapes and actions. While we do not endorse nor condone acts of deliberate terrorism that hawks on human lives to achieve political aims, the response put forth by Israeli’s military has been grossly outweighing in scale. It reeks of vengeance and often undertaking punitive and collective punishments to families of suspected resistant fighters which destroy their homes and places of residence indiscriminately. In effect, Israel seeks to achieve its existence through means that spells acute and deliberate terrorising.

Without doubt, Benjamin Netanyahu, in his capacity as the country’s Prime Minister, has overseen the continuation of such operations. Benjamin Netanyahu’s defiance in response to the latest Resolution 2334’s passing was all too obvious that he is repulsively defiant. His intention to downgrade ties with countries which have been historically friendly with Israel, but had voted for the very resolution, shows the very obvious how far he would go to disregard peace as the ultimate solution to the Palestinian issue. The reactions subsequent to the passing of the resolution from him and his government so far ought to be condemned and reprimanded. Hence, it is ethically wrong for our government to demonstrate a higher level of friendship with a country that perversely downplays, lest disrespect, mandated UN resolutions.

We should not host Benjamin Netanyahu, given the continuing human rights violation and breach of International Law as well as his defiance of UN resolution under his Premiership. We run risk of destroying our warm relationship with our neighbours and contradicting our international standing as a small open country which has championed the Rule of Law, upholding the International Law and an active advocate of the legitimacy of United Nations resolutions. His visit could create an air of distrust and scepticism towards the Singapore’s consistency in our diplomatic commitment in promoting Rule of International Law.

Singapore also prides itself as the bastion of religious and cultural diversity, with its people enjoying a high level of communal integration. Our values in accepting differences among its religious communities have allowed us to prosper as a nation in peace, within ourselves and with our neighbours. Benjamin Netanyahu and his government’s apparatus and apartheid rule at present, do not share the same value which we hold dearly. Granting him a state visit could well undermine the very values we have been accustomed to in achieving peaceful coexistence.

PM Lee Hsien Loong should seriously review its relationship with Israel. We hold the innate view that Singapore should continue its neutrality, befitting to humanistic principles, towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without the need to break existing bilateral ties with the State of Israel. On that note, we applaud our government’s effort and diplomatic engagement in finding ways to seek a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Palestinian occupation. We acknowledge our relationship with Israel spanned from the time our armed forces was in its foundation stage. However, we should not turn a blind eye to Israel’s unacceptable conduct and stance with regards to its Palestinian Occupation. These are namely:

1) Disregard of United Nations Resolutions which call upon Israel to carry out the agreed Two-States peaceful resolution to the Palestinian Occupation.

2) Facilitating and initiating ILLEGAL settlement on Palestine land.

3) Supporting and legalising Land-Grab policy in Palestine which grossly and blatantly in breach of International Law with respect to Occupation.

4) Effecting apartheid rule on Palestinian land.

5) Carrying out systemic human rights abuses, terrorising and condone the atrocities carried out by its armed forces in the Occupied land.

All these issues need to be put forth in concessionary stages before Singapore alleviates its bilateral relationship with Israel. The vehemently continuous terrorising nature of Israel towards its occupying residents in Palestine runs contrary to our strong resolve in wanting to eradicate terrorism. Hence it is crucial at this stage that we rescind any invitation that we may have extended to Israel’s Prime Minister.

We should instead persuade Israel to honor its earlier agreement to peaceful establishment of the Two-States resolution. We should continue to persuade Israel to end military hostilities and withdraw immediately all the illegal settlements that continues to be constructed in occupied Palestinian territories. It is all too important that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government shows full intention and commitment in abiding with past resolutions to entrench trust in the international community by fostering and pursuing peaceful end of occupation hostilities. Until Benjamin Netanyahu shows his intention to conduct this wilfully, any engagement that we conduct at this level would only deliver an impression that we are in tacit approval of Israel’s condemning actions towards the illegally occupied Palestinian territories.

Goh Meng Seng
Secretary General
People’s Power Party Singapore
For CEC

Source: Goh Meng Seng

February 20, 2017