Monday 24 January 2011

MM

Well, my response as both a Malay and a Muslim in Singapore is that we still have Integrity in being a Minority, thank u very much.

You old folks should just meet up & continue your elitists politics in the grave already lah before becomin worse Malicious Morons! Grr


Malaysia's Mahathir Mohammed's view on us

taken from: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_540409.html

KUALA TERENGGANU - MALAYS in Malaysia could end up as a weak minority if they remain politically divided, said former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, comparing them to Malay Singaporeans.

Even though Malay Singaporeans enjoy the benefits of a more developed country, they had to 'kowtow' to others, he claimed yesterday, returning to a rhetoric he often espoused as prime minister.

Dr Mahathir addressed some 1,000 Malay activists at a Malay rights rally in the capital of Terengganu state. This was well below the expected turnout of 5,000, and organisers blamed this on the World Cup, reported The Star newspaper.

Dr Mahathir said: 'The position of the Malays (in Malaysia) is in deep crisis and precarious. If they do not think deeply and act wisely, one day, we could become like Malay Singaporeans, a group without power who have to terbongkok-bongkok (kowtow) before others.

'We do not want others to kowtow before us, but we want a fair distribution of power and wealth.'

Tun Dr Mahathir's speech came amid fears among some in the community that Malays will lose their dominant status in Malaysia, especially with the increasing influence of opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat and its focus on multiracialism.



Singapore's very own Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew view on us

taken from: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/51920
By Philip Lim

SINGAPORE, Sunday 23 January 2011 (AFP) -- Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew has urged local Muslims to "be less strict on Islamic observances" to aid integration and the city-state's nation-building process.

Singapore has a predominantly Chinese population, with minority races including Muslim Malays and Indians, and Lee has always stressed the importance of racial harmony.

"I would say today, we can integrate all religions and races except Islam," he said in "Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going," a new book containing his typically frank views on the city-state and its future.

"I think we were progressing very nicely until the surge of Islam came and if you asked me for my observations, the other communities have easier integration -- friends, intermarriages and so on..." he stated.

"I think the Muslims socially do not cause any trouble, but they are distinct and separate," Lee added, calling on the community to "be less strict on Islamic observances."

During the book's launch on Friday, the self-described "pragmatist" warned Singaporeans against complacency, saying the largely ethnic Chinese republic was still a nation in the making.

Describing Singapore in the book as an "80-storey building on marshy land," Lee said it must contend with hostility from larger Muslim neighbours.

"We've got friendly neighbours? Grow up... There is this drive to put us down because we are interlopers," he said, citing alleged Malaysian and Indonesian efforts to undermine Singapore's crucial port business.

Singapore was ejected from the Malaysian federation in 1965 in large part due to Kuala Lumpur's preferential policies for ethnic Malays, and has since built up Southeast Asia's most modern military to deter foreign aggression.

Turning to local politics, Lee said the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), which has been in power since 1959 when Singapore gained political autonomy from colonial ruler Britain, will someday lose its grip on power.

"There will come a time when eventually the public will say, look, let's try the other side, either because the PAP has declined in quality or the opposition has put up a team which is equal to the PAP... That day will come."

"In the next 10 years to 20 years, I don't think it'll happen. Beyond that, I cannot tell."

Lee said that despite a survey showing the contrary, he believed Singaporeans were not yet ready for a non-ethnic-Chinese prime minister.

"A poll says 90 percent of Chinese Singaporeans say they will elect a non-Chinese as PM. Yes, this is the ideal. You believe these polls? Utter rubbish. They say what is politically correct," he stated.

He also defended the policy of promoting marriage between highly-educated Singaporeans, a policy seen by critics as a form of social engineering, and dismissed the notion of love at first sight.

"People get educated, the bright ones rise, they marry equally well-educated spouses. The result is their children are likely to be smarter than the children of those who are gardeners," he said.

"It's a fact of life. You get a good mare, you don't want a dud stallion to breed with your good mare. You get a poor foal."

People who are "attracted by physical characteristics" may regret it, he said.

Lee also revealed that he had donated to charity all his earnings of S$13 million ($10 million) since stepping down as prime minister in 1990 after 31 years in power.

Singapore's cabinet ministers are the highest paid in the world as part of a strategy to prevent corruption and attract talent from the private sector.

Lee, who holds the special title Minister Mentor, now serves as an adviser to his son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who came to power in 2004.

Amid all the hard-edged talk, Lee showed his tender side when asked about his late wife Kwa Geok Choo, who died aged 89 in October last year.

"It means more solitude. No one to talk to when the day's work is done," Lee said in the book, the result of exclusive interviews with journalists from the country's leading daily, The Straits Times.


37 comments :

  1. I'd say ignore tat old bugger and move on. Like Alfian said, "LKY has only managed to reveal how obsolete and irrelevant he has become." Altho I disagree on the old man's views, honestly wat can do abt it? We are clearly the minorities here. And the Chinese are too scared to go against him. To be brutually honest, an example, malay people are eating readily at eateries which are not halal certified or owned by muslims. Isn't tat "be less strict on Islamic observances."?

    Lets not waste time on this ok? Too much angst in FB oready. We're working in Lee Pte Ltd not Tun Sdn Bhd. No need to suck up to the bosses. Just right ear in, left ear out. LLST.

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  2. Yeah, i'm juz puttin it down for history, they are no longer Officially in charge of runnin the country nowadays anyways. BOTH are becomin so obsolete.

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  3. I just do not understand why Mahathir has to compare ML Singaporeans to the Malaysians? In terms of historic background, true, we share the same history and even the king who founded Malacca. (Sorry, unable to spell his name lah...)
    Singapore & Malaysia are poles apart. We are the minorities but they are the bumiputras. Being bumiputras, they have ample opportunities, they can do & get whatever they want, thus the slogan 'Malaysia Boleh!' ...
    The political power is in their hands yet many of them misused it, if the Malaysians are swayed to the opposition parties, Mahathir has to sit down wif his people & discuss what goes wrong! Comparing us will only make them believe they are mightier than us. As a result, failed to drive his point!
    Though I hv to admit tt Mahathir stern warning does make sense ....

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  4. ahh yes i thought so too.
    i feel like the way he's sayin things abt us Singapore Malays, make the Malays up north naik lemak & besar kepala instead of makin them wake up.
    The Tun has valid points BUT always put them in a tersasar way lah. heh.

    thanx for sharin ur view sis!

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  5. Dr M and our dear old LKY will always have their issues.

    Let them bertekak all they want. At least while they still can. Kubur dah memanggil.

    At the end of the day, it doesnt matter, minority ke, majority. We all answer to one being.

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  6. MUIS' response to the Integration issue (in Malay)

    1. Muis telah menerima beberapa pertanyaan tentang kedudukan keagamaan masyarakat Islam di Singapura dan soalan ini menjurus kepada sama ada ajaran agama Islam yang di amalkan di Singapura menyekat masyarakat dari berintegrasi dengan masyarakat lain di negara majmuk Singapura.

    2. Masyarakat Islam Singapura telah sekian lama turut serta di dalam arus pembangunan negara. Proses integrasi diterima oleh masyarakat Islam sebagai bahagian penting dalam pembangunan dan kemakmuran yang dihasratkan oleh setiap warga Singapura. Ini dapat dilihat melalui penglibatan orang-orang Islam di dalam kehidupan seharian masyarakat majmuk di dalam negara ini, samada di peringkat individu mahupun institusi.

    3. Kesungguhan masyarakat Islam untuk berintegrasi tidak hanya didorong oleh impian untuk merealisasikan pembangunan dan kemakmuran Singapura, seperti yang termaktub di dalam ikrar negara. Ia sebaliknya turut didasari oleh kesedaran masyarakat Islam yang mendalam bahawa hidup bersama sebagai sebuah masyarakat majmuk yang berintegrasi merupakan satu kewajipan agama Islam

    4. Banyak ayat al-Quran yang membicarakan tentang kewajipan ini. Panduan hidup Muslim yang dianjurkan oleh Nabi Muhammad melalui hadith dan perjalanan hidup beliau juga mengukuhkan kefahaman ini.

    5. Sebagai usaha merakamkan dan seterusnya membudayakan pendirian Islam terhadap kewajipan mengutuhkan kehidupan bersama ini, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura telah melancarkan gagasan Identiti Muslim Singapura sejak tahun 2005. Namun, hakikatnya, gagasan ini telah di amalkan oleh masyarakat Islam dalam kehidupan beragama sejak sekelian lama. Gagasan ini menekankan bahawa seorang Islam yang taat kepada agamanya juga merupakan seorang warga negara Singapura yang baik. Gagasan ini telah diterima dengan baik oleh masyarakat Islam Singapura, kerana ia bukan satu ciptaan baru dalam pemahaman Islam. Sebaliknya, teras gagasan Identiti Muslim Singapura ini adalah ajaran sebenar Islam yang murni, seperti yang terkandung di dalam tradisi Islam yang sebenar.

    6. Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura merasa syukur melihat kesedaran beragama di dalam masyarakat Islam Singapura semakin meningkat. Kami yakin bahawa peningkatan yang terserlah di dalam pangamalan agama berdasarkan kefahaman yang tepat menghasilkan umat Islam yang terus progresif di dalam membuat sumbangan ke arah pembangunan negara yang makmur dan sejahtera.

    Irwan Hadi Mohd Shuhaimy
    Ketua Pejabat Mufti
    Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura

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  7. Whn I read MM's comments on us refusing to eat wif the non-Muslims; I found his views baseless bcoz it was totally untrue.
    At the same time, I felt fear & recalled what our Rasulullah went thru. The impact on our youths, faith & believe will be affected after this... Maybe others may dismiss my fear as paranoia but there is possibility something will be 'carved out' in order to 'integrate' the Muslims & non-Muslims...

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  8. perhaps the "carvin out" is already takin place sis but we must have Faith & soldier on to keep it :)

    so far about the makan2 comment, i too find it kinda ridiculous. sure we Muslims have to eat Halal food, but it doesn't mean we cannot share the same table as those who don't eat Halal food. And is there really a Halal & Non-Halal segregation in schools nowadays? I'm only aware tt there is segregation for utensils, not people.

    Well i dunno if we have to take his words seriously(i prefer to shrug it off actually), but i do believe it signals a greater challenge for us here to practise our Deen. May we all be shown the right path to take, gain more knowledge & be blessed with more patience to tread wisely ahead, Insya Allah. And may Allah open the hearts of those who try to corrupt & put us down, to the way of our beautiful Deen. Amin :)

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  9. what are the singaporean malay response. ignore and go on with life or do something about it? :)

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  10. U want us to bring the old men to court for instigating racial/religious disharmony ah?

    I think better put our resources n time for our community's good use la. Their days are numbered anyways. Like theirs, there will always be voices putting Us Malays or/and Muslims in negative light, intentionally or not.

    For me, i'd rather strive on with life n continue building good ties with others, fellow Singaporeans or not, dispelling the old folks' senile remarks. Protesting n rioting proves nothin.

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  11. not bring him to court but as a nation tell him off. Get the Malays to be proactive and join hands with the others in getting it right. Sophie, hes been spouting nonsense about the Malays since the 80's. was he senile then? I doubt so.

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  12. masya Allah, I am really learning so much from these responses... I especially liked the response from Ust Abdul Halim, (thks so much Sis Sophie for re-producing his response here for the benefit of MP users) as well as the other responses too. May Allah protect us all from all those trying "to corrupt & put us down, to the way of our beautiful Deen (way of life)". Ameen.

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  13. Amin!

    it's my pleasure sis...i feel the same as u too...i'm also learning from tis issue & the responses, hope tt there will be more Malay Muslims organisations coming forward to refute the MM's comments, as how Emi suggested above!

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  14. can start a facebook page! LOL. will we get into trouble?. i say title. 'Singaporean Malays disappointed with LKY discriminatory remarks since 1980's.'

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  15. dia tak sayang nyawa eh orang tua ni. no one throw shoe at him when he said all these ah?

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  16. HAHAHAHA!!!!!! HEHEHEHE!!!! LOL! (pardon me the sista who made these comments and host sis sophie, just can't stop laughing at the comments... They are HILARIOUS!)

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  17. I have a better idea...lets throw soiled diapers at him...muahaha!

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  18. Gosh i dunno! BUT we can BOYCOTT his latest book!
    dun let him earn our Muslim/Malay money!

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  19. no worries sis, it IS hilarious hahaha ;b

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  20. Taken from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1107603/1/.html

    MM Lee's comments about S'pore Muslims "unfair": PERDAUS
    By Qiuyi Tan | Posted: 28 January 2011 2346 hrs

    SINGAPORE : Local association of Muslim scholars, PERDAUS, has described the comments made by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on Singaporean Muslims as "unfair and unacceptable".

    In a statement, the association said Mr Lee's call for Singaporean Muslims to be "less strict" in their practice of Islam was akin to calling Muslims to compromise on their faith.

    Mr Lee made the comment in his recently published book "Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going".

    PERDAUS said it regrets the minister mentor's perceptions of the state of the Muslim community in his book.

    It added that it disagrees that the perceptions are "hard truths" in today's context.

    The association said the Muslim community in Singapore actively promotes communal harmony, in line with Islam's emphasis on harmonious living in a multi-racial society.

    But alongside these efforts, PERDAUS added that Muslims must still uphold key teachings of Islam.

    It said integration will be a never-ending challenge for Singapore, and promoting harmony is an obligation for everyone, especially Singapore's leaders.

    PERDAUS is a voluntary welfare organisation focusing on community development and education.

    - CNA/al

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  21. LoL!! then we can see if his reflex is better than Bush's or not eh!

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  22. Thanks Mr Prime Minister, but tis better not be for the sake of simply winnin votes at the next General Election.

    LOL

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  23. crap, that reply is supposed to quote you! .
    "Thanks Mr Prime Minister, but tis better not be for the sake of simply winnin votes at the next General Election."

    Good one.

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  24. apa dah...forgot to highlight the quote eh?
    heh i dun wanna speculate u noe, but it feels like *cover mouth*

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  25. Woots Jazakallahu Khair Ustaz Hasbi!

    Response from Persatuan Guru-Guru Agama Singapura
    (Again in Malay)
    Taken from: http://cyberita.asia1.com.sg/msingapura/story/0,6879,181053,00.html

    30 Jan 2011

    SINGAPURA

    Pergas: Semakin kuat kefahaman agama orang Islam, semakin gigih usaha ke arah integrasi

    PENINGKATAN kefahaman agama masyarakat Islam di sini, secara tidak langsung semakin menyumbang ke arah integrasi dengan masyarakat dari bangsa dan agama lain.

    Ini jelas dapat dilihat dari segi kegiatan anjuran masjid-masjid dan badan-badan Islam setempat yang mesra masyarakat, serta beberapa inisiatif yang dapat mendekatkan dan meningkatkan pemahaman masyarakat bukan Islam tentang kaum Muslim di sini.

    Demikian dinyatakan Presiden Persatuan Ulama dan Guru-guru Agama Islam Singapura (Pergas), Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Hassan, dalam satu kenyataan yang dikeluarkan malam tadi.

    'Sebagai badan yang mewakili para asatizah dan ulama di sini, Pergas ingin menegaskan bahawa kenyataan Menteri Pembimbing, Encik Lee Kuan Yew, adalah kurang tepat dan tidak benar. Malah, ia sama sekali tidak menggambarkan ajaran Islam yang sebenar,' kata Ustaz Hasbi

    Para pemimpin bukan Islam turut diharap agar mendapatkan pengetahuan tentang Islam daripada pihak yang benar-benar berkelayakan untuk berbuat demikian.

    Ustaz Hasbi memberi contoh, kegiatan iftar yang dianjurkan di peringkat akar umbi, serta penubuhan Pusat Harmoni dan Yayasan Rahmatan Lil Alamin oleh Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis) telah membantu merapatkan ikatan berbilang kaum di sini.

    Malah, kata Ustaz Hasbi, Pergas juga tidak kurang aktif dalam usaha tersebut.

    Sebagai contoh, melalui penganjuran Konvensyen utama bertema 'Kesederhanaan Dalam Islam Dalam Konteks Masyarakat Islam Singapura' pada tahun 2003, dan juga penglibatan anggotanya dalam usaha memulihkan para tahanan yang terlibat dalam kegiatan radikal dan ekstrem agama melalui Kumpulan Pemulihan Keagamaan (RRG), serta para tahanan penjara melalui Prison Muslim Fellowship (PMF) dengan kerjasama Kementerian Dalam Negeri (MHA).

    'Dengan ini, jelas sekali bahawa kenyataan MM bahawa Islam tidak dapat berintegrasi adalah tidak tepat, dan wujud dari hasil pengamatan dan kefahamannya yang kurang menyeluruh terhadap ajaran agama Islam yang sebenar.

    'Ini dibuktikan pula dengan masyarakat Islam yang sejak dari dahulu hingga sekarang sentiasa melakukan usaha integrasi, malah semakin kuat kefahaman agama mereka, semakin gigih usaha integrasi tersebut,' tegas Ustaz Hasbi.

    Melalui hubungan baik Pergas selama ini dengan pemerintah, ia yakin bahawa kenyataan terbaru Encik Lee itu merupakan pendapat peribadi beliau.

    Namun, Pergas berharap pemerintah dapat menjelaskan kedudukannya dalam hal ini.

    Pergas juga mendapati peningkatan fahaman Islam telah membantu menghasilkan masyarakat Islam yang yakin, maju dan berjaya.

    'Ini sekali gus dapat membantu ke arah kemajuan dan kemakmuran negara,' tambah Ustaz Hasbi.

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  26. There is this saying abt old bamboo being hard to shape?

    I'm not pro LKY but I bet no one can deny his past brilliance by building Singapore literally from scratch. With that being said, at the end of the day, he is an old man whose perception of reality was shaped by his past experiences. Outdated as that may be, once upon a time ago it may be true and these views help build our nations. 

    Of course what he said was offensive, but my stance is that as long as the CURRENT government doesn't impose unreasonable "integration policies" by diluting our rights to practice our religion openly, then why get overtly emotional. He can say what we want but don't let our actions justify what we know is not true. Buang yang keroh, ambil yang jernih. 

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  27. i'm with u, glad tt the PM clarified the govt stance but hmm i shall juz give it a benefit of the doubt, we shall move on :)

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  28. Taken from: http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110308-0000206/MM-Lee--I-stand-corrected

    MM Lee: I stand corrected
    05:56 AM Mar 08, 2011

    SINGAPORE - Some two months after his statements - which were contained in the new book Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going - evoked strong reactions from the Muslim community here, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew acknowledged yesterday in a press statement that his view that it was harder to integrate Muslims was "out of date".

    Mr Lee's comments came after the issue of Muslim integration received an airing in Parliament yesterday.

    Pointing out that Hard Truths was "based on 32 interviews over a period of two years", Mr Lee said: "I made this one comment on the Muslims integrating with other communities probably two or three years ago. Ministers and MPs, both Malay and non-Malay, have since told me that Singapore Malays have indeed made special efforts to integrate with the other communities, especially since 9/11, and that my call is out of date.

    "I stand corrected. I hope that this trend will continue in the future."

    Yesterday, five MPs raised the issue of integration of Muslims in Parliament during the debate on the expenditure of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

    Reiterating that integration "is a continuous process", Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim told the House: "Progress by all communities, including Malay-Muslims, has been good. There will occasionally be hiccups and sometimes feelings are hurt when perspectives differ on sensitive issues that we hold dear. But we should not let such hiccups hold us back."

    Dr Yaacob noted that the Malay-Muslim community had "redoubled outreach efforts" following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York on Sept 11, 2001, to "forge even stronger ties with fellow communities".

    For instance, the mosques hosted inter-faith dialogues. Said Dr Yaacob: "These sessions have helped build understanding and respect among various religious communities. As a result, in my considered view, today our integration and mutual confidence between races and religions is stronger, more resilient and more mature than it was a decade ago, before 9/11."

    Dr Yaacob added: "In pursuing integration, we reaffirm our Singaporean Muslim identity which encapsulates our way of life, and our aspirations to be open, forward-looking and successful community."

    Hard Truths is published by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). In the book, when asked to assess the progress of multi-racialism here, Mr Lee said: "I think we were progressing very nicely until the surge of Islam came, and if you asked me for my observations, the other communities have easier integration - friends, intermarriages and so on, Indians with Chinese, Chinese with Indians - than Muslims.

    "I would say, today, we can integrate all religions and races except Islam." He added: "I think the Muslims socially do not cause any trouble, but they are distinct and separate."

    Asked what Muslims could do to integrate, Mr Lee was also quoted in the book saying: "Be less strict on Islamic observances and say: 'Okay, I'll eat with you'.''

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  29. lol my thot exactly...oh well...i'm under his GRC, confirm no need to vote AGAIN.

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  30. actually no matter who u vote, the outcome will still be the same.
    Maybe all these smaller opposition parties might have been created by the white shirt pple themselves.
    The existence of these little opp parties will just act as a minor competition against 'them'

    an election or just a plot...?

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