Rilek1Corner

Tag: Singaporeans

  • Don’t Let ISIS Divide Us

    Don’t Let ISIS Divide Us

    As i entered the lift two middle aged women seems shocked, i was in my normal islamic garb as i was heading to my lecture. I gave them a smile press close and face the door. From my back i heard a conversation in a language i didn’t understand but i could only recognized the word ‘PARIS…PARIS…PARIS’. Little they knew that i could see their reflection from the lift’s window, they where pointing to me a few times between the conversation. Trying to be hopeful that it is not what i think they might be talking about, as the lift opened i hold the door and gave them the biggest smile of the day. i walked away and my heart sank.

    | 17 NOV 2015 | 1030AM |

    After paying for my petrol i headed out to a heated shouting from two men, one of them was wearing a songkok (muslim headgear). Not knowing why they are fighting i could only hear cursing been thrown around. The muslim guy then drove away. As i was walking pass the other shouted the four letter word and said this “lian**** you isis! go and bomb yourself!”. I just kept silent and went away, my heart sank again.

    To my brothers and sisters,
    If you keep your conspiracy theories stories to your walls, you will just build walls not bridges. I sincerely hope that these two encounters of mine are isolated cases. I have beautiful friends from other faiths and cultures and i believe that to defend our homeland is a collective effort.

    It is our responsibility to not let hatred hit our shores.

    Your Singaporean brother from another mother
    Muhammad Zahid
    Humanitarian Worker

     

    Source: Muhammad Zahid Mohd Zin

  • Walid J. Abdullah: ISIS IS Not Only Muslim Problem

    Walid J. Abdullah: ISIS IS Not Only Muslim Problem

    As a Muslim, I have been called to ‘own’ the ISIS problem and apologise for it. I have been doing some soul-searching and i think those people do have a point.

    So on behalf of all Muslims, i would like to apologize for ISIS.

    But my soul-searching did not stop there. On top of being Muslim, i am also a male Singaporean of Indian descent who stays in Simei. And therefore, i have to apologize for more stuff i did not do.

    ——

    Donald Trump called Mexicans ‘rapists’. On behalf of all males, i apologise for his racism.

    A former Nominated Member of Parliament from Singapore has urged the killing of children to stop terrorism. On behalf of all Singaporean males, i apologise for his stupidity.

    Rick Santorum believes climate change (due to man-made activities) is a myth. On behalf of all males who may have told a lie or two before, i apologize for his ignorance.

    The NTUC at Eastpoint Mall is located on the fifth floor, making it difficult for the elderly to make their purchases. On behalf of all residents of Simei, i apologise for this error in calculation.

    Not too long ago, a group of apparently ‘drunk’ workers started a riot in Little Indian. As an Indian, i apologize for them drinking the alcohol.

    I saw a guy beat the red light at the junction of Simei Street 3 and Simei Road some time
    back. As a male, Singaporean, road-user, and resident of Simei, i apologize for his misdemeanour.

    Sharon Au made a racist joke against Indians recently. As a Singaporean and product of the same education system, i apologize for her insensitivity (can you hear how ludicrous this sounds? An Indian apologizing for racism towards Indians is the same as Muslims apologizing for ISIS when most of its victims are Muslims).

    President Obama has used extrajudicial drone strikes, which have inadvertently killed many innocent people. On behalf of all brown men everywhere, i apologise for his mistakes.

    If there are any more problems that i can ‘own’, please do tell!

     

    Source: Walid J. Abdullah

  • Alfian Sa’at: Outrageous To Suggest Muslims Should “Own” The ISIS Problem

    Alfian Sa’at: Outrageous To Suggest Muslims Should “Own” The ISIS Problem

    I don’t know how to ‘own’ this problem of ISIS.

    And the simple reason is that ISIS has not, does not, will never own my allegiance. This is stating the obvious but there are people too thick to figure this out by themselves.

    ISIS has killed more Muslims than non-Muslims. Some were killed for refusing to swear loyalty to them. Female Muslim doctors were killed for refusing to wear veils when treating patients. There is a whole catalogue of horrors that they have perpetrated, including the rapes of women and the killing of children. I can’t even bring myself to watch any of their execution videos because just the description sickens me to the core of my being.

    I don’t know how to ‘own’ a problem in which there is every possibility that I will be one of those executed.

    So those of you who insist on telling Muslims to ‘own the problem’, do ask yourself why you are doing it. Does it give you the bully’s pleasure to associate someone with the very worst of (in)humanity? Do you think that there is not enough self-criticism within the Muslim community and having a discussion about ISIS will force some soul-searching? (In which case you really haven’t hung out with enough Muslims.) Or do you just need some ‘moderate Muslims’ to ‘apologise’ so that you can seize the opening to go off on one of your Islamophobic rants?

    I keep hearing all these demands about ‘moderate Muslims’ needing to publicly denounce what the extremist ones are doing. And very often these platforms are subsequently hijacked by those who go on to denounce Islam. So it’s not surprising that many of us would prefer to keep our thoughts–the sorrow at the senseless murder of innocents, the anguish at how verses are interpreted into an ideology we can’t even recognise–private.

    If you know of anyone who endorses what ISIS is doing, then go ahead and ask them to ‘own the problem’.

    Leave the other Muslims alone. We don’t owe you any explanation or statement on something which we can even barely imagine or comprehend, much less condone or justify.

     

    Source: Alfian Sa’at

  • Seven Immigration Offenders Investigated In Connection With Rioting Incident

    Seven Immigration Offenders Investigated In Connection With Rioting Incident

    Seven men suspected to be immigration offenders were arrested in connection to a rioting incident that took place on Oct 16, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Thursday night (Nov 5).

    The seven suspects were arrested on Wednesday in a joint enforcement operation by SPF and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers held in the vicinity of Yew Tee Industrial Estate.

    According to the SPF, the suspects are also believed to be involved in the peddling of duty unpaid cigarettes. A total of 917 packets of cigarettes were seized during the operation.

    Investigations against the suspects are ongoing, the police said. If convicted of rioting, they each face up to seven years in jail and caning.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Damanhuri Abas: Normalise, Celebrate Cultural And Religious Diversity

    Damanhuri Abas: Normalise, Celebrate Cultural And Religious Diversity

    There is a viral post going around about a particular lady that seems to have posted a racially disparaging remark about the Malay language on her FB. I was also informed that this was the same lady that labeled me early in the election campaign as Taliban or ISIS for some strange reason.

    I choose to ignore her posting but wishes to highlight the following.

    I am convinced that Singaporeans mostly are not racist. There will always be that 10% and I hope lesser in any racial community that has this strange concept of racial superiority, which in essence goes against the grain, and teaching of all religion and cultures.

    I believe in the maturity of most Singaporeans that have lived 50 years together, and mixed very well too in the region, which similarly is made up of people of many races, cultures and religion.

    On this conviction, I decided to run as a candidate to allow me the opportunity to also engage the mainstream majority Chinese community on issues that are close to the heart of my Malay community.

    I am heartened by the many more occasions when my Chinese brothers and sisters proudly declare their support for what I explained as discriminatory practices that still exists in Singapore that must be stopped. All the while reasoning that by championing issues of my community in no way mean that I am undermining other communities. These open and dignified dialogues strangely don’t happen often enough, which could have resolved many so-called sensitive issues much earlier.

    I am glad that the things I openly said during rallies and in engagements with many people of all races have assured me of the ingrained value of universal brotherhood that is in all our hearts.

    Let us strive to normalize the diversity that exists in our country into a true celebration of cultural and religious openness with mutual respect and goodwill that will breed genuine tolerance between us. It is unnatural policies driven by suspicion and distrust that hinders such progress towards unity. Nature and its wondrous diversity displays unparalleled beauty as a Sign and lesson for mankind from the Creator on unity in diversity.

    For the lady in question, I do hope we forgive her, as clearly she doesn’t represent the majority of us and probably needed some form of help.

     

    Source: Damanhuri Abas

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