Tag: Yaacob Ibrahim

Malays are Holding Key Appointments in MINDEF and SAF

https://twitter.com/RyhanHusainni

https://www.facebook.com/ryhanhusainni

There still exist, in e larger community, the misconception that Malays do not hold Key Appointments in e Military. And Malays are passed over when it comes to Promotion and consideration for sensitive appointments.

In many cases, all these hearsay is from baseless tongue wagging unverified claims.

Today as I go to work, I know I’m sitting in a position that affects how our soldiers train, the facilities they will use in future, the way we carry out our business.. And yes I am Malay and I am doing what most people in my community think, is a job that Malays will never sit in.

At the same time, my fellow Malay friends and seniors are sitting in Key positions of Command as well in offices in e Ministry of Defence, doing again, what most people in my community think, Malays will never do.

The organization that I have gladly served for the past 14 years, has never been biased nor have never judged me based on my race. It’s who best fits the job.. And if there is someone who fits e job better than me, I will gladly let him have the job.

Henceforth, please eradicate all notions that Malays will never go far in e Military. Because I work with people everyday, who prove this theory wrong.

We succeed because of e values and ethics we hold..
And if we fail, it will be because we didn’t try hard enough.. And not because of e color of our skin.

Cheers..

Authored by Ryhan Husainni

Source: https://www.facebook.com/ryhanhusainni/posts/659126227515602

EDITOR’S NOTE

We are glad to see more and more Muslims opening up and sharing their life experiences with fellow Singaporeans especially on issues that are generally swept under the carpet. Seems like people in the civil service don’t really brag about their work and what positions they hold. Maybe they are not allowed to do so or perhaps it is in the SOP.

Well, it takes few brave ones to clear misconception and make the general public more aware of the real situation.

Rilek1Corner would like to wish Ryhan Husainni all the best in his future endeavours.

YOUTUBE: youtube.com/user/rilek1corner

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/rilek1corner

TWITTER: twitter.com/Rilek1Corner

WEBSITE: rilek1corner.com

EMAIL: [email protected]

FEEDBACK: rilek1corner.com/hubungir1c/

June 26, 2014
PAP Malay MPs Fail to Speak Up for Community

Credit: Osman Sulaiman

It is high time that our Malay community ask what’s the contribution of the Malay PAP MPs so far.

We know they failed to speak up for the Malay Muslim community about the hijab issue. They placed the sole burden of responsibility on the shoulder of our Mufti. In fact, they went underground and agree with the gov’s position contrary to the very people that they are supposed to represent.

They have also fail to persuade the gov to stop the discriminatory practices against the malays in RSAF from the time the PAP swept into power. Many PAP Malay MPs have come and gone. 49 years long. It’s a slap on our faces to be supporting such incorrigible practices and then propose to be given fair chances.

When the opposition MPs, Faisal Manaf and Pritam Singh raised these issues in parliament recently, it was quickly shot down by the “eager-to-please-our-master” Zainal Sapari and Zainnudin Nordin as though discrimination was non-existent.

Its unbelievable that while our community has heard, seen, felt and gone through the dreaded discriminatory policies of the ruling government, our elected ‘salary-paid-by-tax-payer’ Malay PAP MPs continue to be oblivious to the situation.

Why were they elected in the first place if they are much divorced from the reality on the ground? It is time we scrutinized and take these under performing Malay PAP MPs to account. Until the thorn is removed from the flesh, we will continue to feel the pain mentally and emotionally. Our votes for them have been betrayed.

Authored by Osman Sulaiman

June 9, 2014
Time For SG Muslims To Break Free from MUIS

Credit: Guardian

Dear R1C,

I have been keeping watch on the recent developments in the Muslim community pertaining to several important issues like the halal certification matters, MUIS’s flaccid performance on hijab issue, and zero counter measures on Pink Dot SG event this 28 June 2014 which coincidentally falls on the first day of Ramadhan. As a result of the indifference of MUIS towards taking action in the interests of the Muslim community, this has further pushed Muslims into losing faith in the secular fabric of the country.

As Muslims, we are fully aware eating halal and tayyib food is an important as a matter of worship of God where general principle what is lawful and what is good (Tayyib) should be followed. The food service sector is deemed to be the final link in the entire food industry supply chain and as this industry experiences a rapid growth, the duty of ensuring the food is halal has been shifted to restaurant operators and this can be seen through the introduction of halal standard. However, many restaurant operators did not comply with this halal standard and led to halal fraudulent practices. Reports on halal fraudulent decrease the confidence level amongst the Muslims. What’s more saddening is the tacit approach taken by MUIS and its entirely owned Halal consultancy company known as Warees Halal.

When it comes to hijab issue, attempts to resolve the tudung/hijab issue by the MUIS and the government remained unsatisfactory. Religious attires do not contribute to social disharmony and disunity and the wearing of headscarves definitely does not contribute to social disintegration. Since late last year, there has been ongoing debate on how the Government should review its stand of not allowing the tudung for certain uniformed public sector jobs, to fit the community’s aspirations. Tudung is an important religious obligation and one which symbolises a woman’s dignity and decency. There is a growing number of the grievances of fellow Muslims who face difficulties in fulfilling the religious obligation in covering the aurat due to the tudung restriction in some workplaces. The Muslims in Singapore appreciate the willingness by some government agencies for allowing Muslim women to fulfill this religious obligation. Such flexibility should be extended to all government agencies as it will reflect the government’s effort in promoting multiculturalism, and be made an example for the private sector. In alignment with the principles of individual rights and religious freedom, Muslim women who are wearing the tudung should be given equal opportunities and treatment in their workplace or in finding employment. We heard murmurs from MUIS and PERGAS, but what has been done so far? The hijab issue has been swept under the carpet again.

While Muslims celebrate the coming of blessed month Ramadhan, unfortunately many Muslims will also celebrate with the LGBT during their annual PinkDot party at Hong Lim Park. If Muslims continue to sit back in our state of docility, the PinkDot movement will keep on pushing their agenda. However, this does not mean that Muslims must ostracize the strayed homosexual Muslims. Instead, Muslims should come together and take the steps to make them understand Islam even more, and create the necessary avenue or platform for them to interact with true Muslims who love Allah and strive to make amends to improve themselves. Without such avenue/platform, Muslims are alienating these pro-LGBT supporters and activists from any of our outreach efforts. It will be a tumultuous journey but we pray that the families and friends involved are taking steps in the right direction to help their strayed loved ones. We need help from a group of professionals to help these strayed Muslims, but who do we turn to when every single action needs authorization and clearance from the MUIS and the Government?

After such a long drawn out jihad on these issues with insignificant outcome, it is high time to call for the set up of a new independent ulama body that closely oversees matters of Muslims in Singapore. Something that works like PERGAS but free from government influence and control. Indeed, the Muslim community, has fallen into unIslamic ways and needs clerical leadership in order to return to the fundamentals of the faith.

Authored by Mohd Firdaus Samad

June 4, 2014
Rehashing the Hijab Movement in Singapore

NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing.
Credit: Google Images

SINGAPORE, Mar 14 (Campus Eye) – Debates concerning the ban on the hijab for Muslim women wearing uniforms in the civil service continue between the Singapore government and lobbyists, after having been reignited in late 2013.

This issue resurfaced following the creation of the Singapore Hijab Movement, a Facebook group that amassed more than 20,000 likes within weeks of being set up. The group ceased operations on Nov. 14, 2013.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Yaacob Ibrahim, said in a statement released on his Facebook page following closed-door discussions in November 2013 with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that Malay ministers from the People’s Action Party and civil society leaders in the Malay-Muslim community must “manage and balance the diverse needs of our multi-racial and multi-religious society,” and that “accommodation and compromise by all parties” is necessary.

Lobbyists for the cause are dissatisfied with this seemingly ambivalent government response.

One such reaction came from Walid J. Abdullah, a tutor in National University of Singapore (NUS) Political Science department and active participant in the ongoing debate.

“One of the things we are afraid of is dialogue and debate about religion in Singapore. On all sides, there needs to be more openness, more engagement,” he said.

“Have discussions, for example, with the nurses who want to wear the hijab,” Walid added. “Get to know them, get to know what their intentions are.”

This sentiment was echoed by NUS Nursing undergraduate Afiqah Binte Kamel, who started the Singapore Nursing Hijab Movement aimed at representing nurses and the specific issues surrounding wearing the hijab in nursing.

Read more here

Written by Sharifah Nursyafiqah

Source: Sharifah Nursyafiqah, Campus Eye NUS, Afiqah Kamel

MORE HIJAB RELATED ARTICLES HERE

April 30, 2014
MUIS aims to improve social service accessibility and religious education

SINGAPORE: Malay-Muslim families who receive social assistance from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) will soon be able to get help under one roof.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said MUIS is working with community self-help group Mendaki and six mosques to launch a new initiative called “Nadi Khidmat” this year.

The aim is to improve accessibility to social services for Malay-Muslim families through the mosques.

In addition, families receiving help from MUIS will also be able to access Mendaki’s educational and employment help in the same place.

Nadi Khidmat officers will also guide families to other national agencies for other forms of help.

On to the topic of social tolerance, Dr Yaacob reiterated the importance of tolerance in the face of diversity.

He warned against “extreme views”, and using labels with “pejorative undertones” to judge those with different views.

He added that the accessibility and spread of misinformation on social media will continue to pose a threat.

MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Zainal Sapari wanted to know what can be done to encourage a conducive climate for discussions both online and offline.

Dr Yaacob said that ethics and respect are important in any discourse and added that there is a role for community leaders to step forward and to establish norms.

He said: “Looking at the recent experiences, I’m quite happy there are rational voices — especially online — that have stood up against those who have been rabid (and) irrational.

“So we need more of such voices and I hope we can encourage such leaders to step forward to do so… because as far as we are concerned, differences are not the problem.

“How we manage these differences and how we agree to disagree on those differences is really what matters and we can set the right tone. I think that’s the way going forward for our community.”

To help the community strengthen religious knowledge, MUIS will roll out new initiatives to improve the accessibility of religious education, such as expanding the “aLIVE” religious programme — which is specifically catered to students — by 7,000 places by 2015.

MUIS will also work more closely with private players in the religious education sector, particularly in training and accreditation.

“We must remain united as a community that is committed to the principles of meritocracy and multiracialism. These principles have served us well,” said Dr Yaacob.

He added: “Going forward, we must also lend our voices to the discussion of how these principles can serve a Singapore that is facing new and complex challenges.

“We must remain true to our faith. We should guard against divisive forces taking root — to preserve racial and religious harmony within our own community and with other communities too.”

On the issue of the haj, Dr Yaacob said uncertainties remain in the yearly haj quota for Malay-Muslims who wish to undertake their pilgrimage this year.

This is due to massive redevelopment works in Mecca and Medina which have resulted in cuts to the quota to ensure the safety of all pilgrims.

He said Singapore may not receive additional haj places this year.

But authorities here will continue to appeal to their Saudi counterparts to increase Singapore’s official haj quota from 680 to 800 and to seek additional places once the redevelopment works are completed.

Last year, Singapore’s official quota of 680 was initially cut by 20 per cent to 544 places in June, but it was restored late in September.

As for the korban ritual carried out during the haj period, Dr Yaacob said MUIS continues to work with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) to look for alternative sources of livestock — such as from countries like Canada, France and Ireland.

Australia remains Singapore’s primary source of livestock, but a new regulatory framework set down by the Australian government last year resulted in a reduction in the supply of livestock from the country.

On the issue of rising costs due to importing livestock from non-traditional sources, Dr Yaacob said MUIS “should not be subsidising the costs”.

“While MUIS is mindful to keep fees as affordable as possible, there is a limit because these are driven in part by market forces and the costs ultimately should be borne by those who choose to perform these religious obligations,” he said.

Source: ChannelNewsAsia

March 12, 2014