Rilek1Corner

Tag: tudung

  • Calvin Cheng: Bringing Up Tudung Issue In Parliament Is Divisive Because We Do Not Practice Communal Politics

    Calvin Cheng: Bringing Up Tudung Issue In Parliament Is Divisive Because We Do Not Practice Communal Politics

    Some people have been arguing that Parliament should be the right place to bring up the tudung issue.

    I would like to remind readers about the political history of Singapore: unfortunately, this would also entail a comparison to the Federation of Malaysia, from where we were ejected in 1965.

    Malaysia’s political system consists of political parties that purport to represent a certain race, who then come together to form an alliance. The ruling coalition, the BN, consists of UMNO which represents the Malays, the MCA which represents the Chinese, and the MIC which represents the Indians. There are also smaller political political parties in the ruling coalition, but most of them purport to represent a race, or a religion. The opposition coalition is also broadly the same, but with the exit of PAS, the alliance is broken.

    Malaysia thus practices communal politics.

    Singapore is precisely the opposite.

    The PAP is a multi-racial, multi-religious political party that represents the diverse interests of all Singaporeans. Our major opposition political parties are also the same. The GRC system is set up to ensure minority representation, but all MPs were elected by a diverse electorate.

    We thus do not have Malay MPs championing Malay causes, Chinese MPs championing Chinese causes and so on. Unlike the Malaysian Parliament, our Parliament is not structured this way. Bringing up narrow communal causes in Parliament is thus divisive precisely because our political system, and our Parliament, was designed to ensure that we do not practice communal politics. We elected our MPs to represent us, regardless of our race or religion, not because of it.

    Workers Party MP Faisal Manap was elected by the multi-racial electorate of Aljunied GRC. He was not elected only by the Malays or Muslims. He represents people of all races and all religions in Aljunied GRC.

    He should remember that.

     

    Source: Calvin Cheng

  • Discrimination Against Muslimahs Wearing Tudung Is The Number 1 Factor Inhibiting Them From The Nursing Profession

    Discrimination Against Muslimahs Wearing Tudung Is The Number 1 Factor Inhibiting Them From The Nursing Profession

    AsSalaam’alaikum!

    There is a convoluted reasoning when it comes to the tudung. It is said that those who are calling for the end to the discrimination against tudung clad women are putting pressures upon Muslimah nurses such that these nurses are put into a spotlight thereby somehow such talk of tudung has disadvantanged and discouraged them from doing their work. The reasoning further goes to say that nursing is fardhu kifayah and thus must be encouraged.

    It is as if those calling for a stop to the ongoing discrimination are somehow at fault of inhibiting a fardhu kifayah which would benefit the society of which nursing is a prime example.

    Such a reasoning is flawed and can only be thought of by a muslim PAP cadre member who is trying to be too smart by half. Such reasoning ignores the fact that in the first place, it is the discrimination against muslimahs wearing tudung which is the number 1 factor inhibiting them from the profession which is a fardhu kifayah. Again to be clear, the fact is that those who promote and enforce the current policy of discrimination not allowing muslimahs to don the tudung are the ones inhibiting fardhu kifayah. Not to mention such discrimination against women belongs to the Dark Ages of Europe not the 21st century anywhere in the world.

    The fact is that the ongoing discrimination against women due to them choosing to wear the tudung is the policy denying them all sorts of working opportunities and professions. Such discrimination is totally indefensible. And yet some foolish people persist in their stupidity and indeed they are actually encouraging transgression against the Islamic prescription of covering the aurah. Their argument is invalid and exposes them as defiant of the Commands of Allah swt and the teachings of our beloved Prophet s.a.w.

    And as for the Muslim men who make such convoluted arguments and therefore allow such discrimination to continue, their hypocrisy lies in the fact that their own wives don the tudung in public.

    Allahu Musta’an!

     

    Rilek1Corner

    Source: Ustaz Abd’ Al-Halim

  • When Will Ideals In Singapore Pledge Be Reality For Malay Singaporeans?

    When Will Ideals In Singapore Pledge Be Reality For Malay Singaporeans?

    This is not a religious issue. It is about equality before the law.

    The desire to be treated equally before the law is imbedded in every human soul. It is a universal yearning.

    Even our Constitution refers to the inalienable right of every citizen to equal treatment on all fronts regardless of race, language and religion.

    And therefore PAP leaders should strive to be more understanding of the passions underlying the tudung issue and other issues such as the discrimination in the military services.

    The Malays have been very patient and understanding towards the PAP in the last 50 years.

    Do not make us wait for another 50 years before making the National Pledge a reality to all Singaporeans – please.

     

    Source: Ismail Kassim

  • Why Have GRCs If Minority MPs Can’t Speak Up On Minority Issues?

    Why Have GRCs If Minority MPs Can’t Speak Up On Minority Issues?

    This week, when WP MP Muhammad Faisal spoke up against the ban on the wearing of tudung in certain occupations here, PAP Minister Masagos Zulkifli rebuked him for “subtly and frequently needling” the Malay community with this issue.

    Minister Masagos said that Parliament is not the the platform to discuss such issues. He further implied that MP Faisal is sowing discord and disrupting Singapore’s racial and religious harmony.

    According to the Election Dept, which comes directly under the purview of PM Lee, the GRC system was “established in 1988 to ensure that the minority racial communities in Singapore will always be represented in Parliament”.

    WP MP Faisal was the minority GRC candidate elected by Aljunied residents to ensure that their Malay community will be represented in Parliament.

    So, when MP Faisal is talking about issues related to the Malay community, how is he sowing discord? And why can’t he bring minority issues up in Parliament?

    How is he supposed to “represent” minority racial communities in Parliament? By keeping his mouth shut and not talking about any minority issues in Parliament?

    That being the case, why are we having GRCs in the first place?

     

    Source: www.theindependent.sg

  • Commentary: We Pray Not To Be Misled By You Again

    Commentary: We Pray Not To Be Misled By You Again

    We can gladly say that our Minister Masagos Zulkifli has scored several political points this week (claps for him) and that he will never be the people’s choice or at least the Malay Muslim community’s as the EP of Singapore. Nope, out of the question, never gonna happen. We are disappointed and you have shamed the community. However, we thank Allah SWT for showing us your true colours. We pray not to be misled by you again.

    When you accused WP’s Faisal Manap of attempting to cause division in Singapore’s social cohesion by raising the issue of hijab again, you also made an indirect ad hominem towards him by guilt of association using a picture taken of Faisal Manap and Zulfikar Shariff years ago in a mosque. So what is the Minister implying, that it was tantamount to being radical? Anyone who has a picture taken with Zulfikar must be put under suspicion? That is just low, way low even for minister. Then what about you being in the same picture with Netanyahu or gracing his presence?? Lagi worst kan.

    Instead of character assassinating our MP who is merely representing the minority Malay community in his ward, why don’t you tell him what you can do for the people. A religious debate in parliament where both sides are showing what they have done for an issue. Not one raise, the other sweep it away. Or has it been cast in stone that you’ve washed your hands off us and our issues, Mr Masagos? 🙁

     

    Yusuf Saiful

    [Reader Contribution]