Singapore Chinese Muslim stunned by Halal dietary question in job application
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-...050755708.html
“You don’t eat pork, right?”
Singapore Chinese Muslim Heidi Heng was shocked when she was asked the question when she tried to find out more about an opening for an administration position.
At first, she said, she was mistaken for being a non-Chinese because she was seen wearing a headscarf. Then, she was told that her Halal diet would be an inconvenience to other employees especially when it comes to company events.
Heng was responding to job application queries sent via Whatsapp messages on her phone when she was confronted by questions that involved her race, religion and dietary option. She was corresponding with someone who appeared to be the human resource staff of an unnamed company. A screen grab of the conversation was posted on Facebook on Tuesday, and has since garnered more than 1,000 shares and nearly 100 comments.
Facebook screen grab of racist conversation.
Facebook screen grab of racist conversation.
The conversation had taken place over Whatsapp when Heng was asking for the appropriate email address to send her resume to.
Heng seemed disappointed at how the conversation had panned out, even labeling the comments that the staff member made as “racist”.
“Work is work, food is food. I can eat Halal food, (you) can eat (your) non-Halal food. Just (wanted) a simple admin job, end up get a racist comment… Admin job got event every month meh (sic)?” she said.
Most of the commenters on Facebook have shown support for Heng while criticising the company.
“I don’t see why one’s dietary preference will hinder the productivity of the admin job… what if the candidate is a Chinese vegetarian?” said a Bob M Fauzi.
One commenter even offered Heng a job and is awaiting her reply.
http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/20...taken-for-pig/
Malaysian Muslims stupidly mistake Wombats for pigs in Hari Rays Ad and got upset
Servcorp which featured a wombat.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — An electronic billboard in Bukit Bintang has purportedly been retracted after it upset some Muslims who mistook the wombat featured in a songkok and baju Melayu as a pig.
News portal Mynewshub said the billboard by Australia-based company Servcorp, a serviced office and virtual office provider, that featured a Selamat Hari Raya greeting by the company’s mascot, Sydney the Wombat, could “confuse” Muslims even though the animal featured was not a pig.
“Mynewshub understands that DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) has ordered the company to retract the billboard as it was put up without approval,” Mynewshub reported today.
Malay Mail Online was unable to reach Servcorp Malaysia as it is the weekend, outside the company’s business hours from Monday to Friday.
Some Facebook users also slammed Servcorp Malaysia on its Facebook page, with one called Ajoy Yusof saying: “do you know that pig is haram (forbidden) to Malay/Muslim….please change it or we will report your company to authority and sue your company for making fun of the Muslim and Malays”.
A Facebook user called Farah Annesa, however, said in reply: “Dear All, please note that the animal depicted in the advert is an Australian Wombat. It has been an official mascot for Servcorp for years. Kindly do your research first. Selamat berpuasa everybody”.
The consumption of pork is forbidden in Islam and the pig is considered offensive to many Malay-Muslims in Malaysia, with former sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee even being charged with sedition in 2013 for posting on Facebook a mock “Selamat Berbuka Puasa” (breaking of fast) greeting on Facebook featuring “bak kut teh”, a soupy pork dish.
The Friends of BN — Barisan Nasional Facebook page said today that the Servcorp billboard was “disrespectful” to Muslims and posted that the advertisement has been retracted.
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36 arrested on suspicion of vice-related activities in HDB units
SINGAPORE: Two men and 34 women, aged between 21 and 48, have been arrested for their suspected involvement in vice-related activities in residential areas in Singapore, said police on Thursday (Jul 9).
Preliminary investigations revealed that the women had advertised their sexual services online and carried out vice-related activities in various residential areas, said police.
Police conducted raids at locations including Woodlands, Sembawang, Sengkang, Jurong West, Yishun, Chinatown and River Valley in a two-day operation which ended on Wednesday. During the operation, police seized items such as boxes of condoms, lubricants, mobile phones, cash, contraband cigarettes and work documents which were believed to be forged.
Police will also investigate the premise owners, and they will alert the Housing and Development Board on the units believed to have been used to facilitate the vice-related activities.
A person found guilty of being a tenant, lessee, occupier or person in charge of a brothel, or those who manage or assist in managing a brothel could be fined up to S$10,000, be jailed for up to five years, or both. Additionally, those who live wholly or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person could be jailed for up to five years and be fined up to S$10,000.
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=551512
olice-cordon-off-low-yat-plaza&Itemid=2
Najib ploy rumors as Umno groups look to stir trouble: COPS CORDON OFF LOW YAT PLAZA
UPDATED KUALA LUMPUR - As political crisis continued to grip Malaysia following shock corruption allegations that have seriously shaken Prime Minister Najib Razak’s hold on power, a scuffle that took place in a downtown mall has taken on a sinister form.
Speculation is swirling that Najib’s supporters might be using the incident to deflect attention from his woes.
According to Malaysiakini, police cordoned off Low Yat Plaza after about 200 people gathered in front of the building in reaction to a brawl which had occurred inside the building on Saturday.
The group of protesters, which claims to represent Malay NGOs linked to Najib’s Umno party included Persatuan Kebajikan Islam dan Dakwah Islamiah (Pekida), had gathered outside the plaza at 6.30 pm.
They tried to enter the main entrance at aout 8.35pm, but were stopped from doing so.
Low Yat Plaza was shuttered by about 9pm. Police eventually cordoned off the area with yellow tape to prevent the group from gathering.
Looking for ‘justice’ or trouble?
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma...igion-among-ut
News of probe reaching Pluto sparks debate on science and religion among Utusan readers
KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — The conflict between science and religion took centre stage earlier today, as readers of Utusan Malaysia took to the Malay daily’s Facebook page to duke it out over whether or not yesterday’s news of a NASA probe reaching Pluto was true.
Proclamations that NASA’s announcement was “poyo”, a Malay slang word for stupid, was a recurring theme on the comments section of Utusan Online’s snapshot of its page that carried the story, with some even claiming that the footage from the New Horizons probe was simply made using a green screen.
“Mdarat di bulan pn tipu ,ni kan pluto,” wrote one Facebook user who went by the name AntiPilak Iju.
(They lied about landing on the moon, what more pluto.)
Another Facebook user by the name of Hairul Hilman went on a lengthy tirade against the US and science, arguing that the only reference needed is the Quran which details seven layers of the sky that are guarded by angels that do not eat or sleep.
He added that the Americans’ claim of having reached Pluto cannot be trusted as even the Russians and Chinese with “more advanced technology” are nowhere near achieving such a feat.
Facebook user Uchiha Fiq questioned how it is even possible for the NASA probe to have reached the furthest end of the solar system.
“Pluto tu berjuta2 kilometer maybe bilion kilometer,bersamaan 10 ribu tahun cahaya,mustahil.maaf silap.sempena hari raya ni minta maaf la oi,” he said.
(Pluto is millions of kilometres maybe billions of kilometres, equivalent to 10 thousand light years, impossible.I’m sorry it’s a mistake. In conjunction with hari raya just apologise.)
There were, however, many on the thread who hit back at the naysayers, with some even taking the trouble to correct some of the claims made.
Uchiha Fiq’s post alone drew 39 replies, most of which listed out facts and explanations on calculating the distance between Earth and Pluto to disprove his claim that it spans 10,000 light years.
Others either drew conclusions that the comments slamming the US and NASA as liars is a result of lack of learning, or chose to poke fun at the whole situation.
“This is why we cant be a developed country,” wrote Afif Rais.
Navah Ruban posted; “Lol NASA Penipu? Poyo? Rip brains”
(Lol Nasa Liar? Stupid? Rip Brains)
“Orang yang malas belajar, Tak minat sains, Mereka inilah yang melariskan pasaran ubat ajaib, Ditipu, Kerana kebodohan itu modalnya penindas,” wrote Fahmi Mustaffa.
(Those who are lazy to learn, Not interested in science, They are the ones who buy out the market for miracle drugs, Cheated, Because stupidity is the capital of the oppressor.)
NASA’s New Horizons probe made its closest approach to Pluto on Tuesday, 10 years after it was launched on the mission.
The US space agency is now working on conducting a series of experiments to study the planet’s atmosphere and photograph its night-side using light reflected off its primary moon Charon, according to newswire Reuters.
It will take about 16 months for New Horizons to transmit back all the thousands of images and measurements taken during its pass by Pluto. By then, the spacecraft will have travelled even deeper into the Kuiper Belt, heading for a possible follow-on mission to one of Pluto’s cousins.
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http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma....8RviJhOa.dpuf
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/ma...c-dreams-not-d
Despite ‘aurat’ criticism, Farah Ann tells fashion spread Olympic dreams not dashed
KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — After receiving flak for purportedly exposing her “aurat” during the recent SEA Games, gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi has emerged on the cover of a magazine in a one-shoulder dress with an assurance to fans that the episode has not dampened her Olympic ambition.
In her interview with the Malay-language online magazine “Pepatung”, the sports star, who was featured wearing a midnight-blue dress, said she has not wavered from her goal.
“Negative criticisms will not dampen my spirits to achieve my aims and dreams in this field,” Farah Ann, 21, told Pepatung in an interview published today.
“Gymnastics helps individuals become stronger, more flexible and enables us to learn new things,” added the young woman with Malay and Canadian blood.
Pepatung also reported that Farah Ann, who won gold at the recent Singapore SEA Games, hoped to compete in the Olympics next year and that she would have to first shine at the World Gymnastics Championships at Glasgow, Scotland, in October.
Farah Ann has reportedly suffered fractures in the knee, backbone and fingers, as well as torn ligaments throughout her 18 years in gymnastics.
“Honestly, I did think of withdrawing from this sport. Besides injuries, less satisfactory results in competitions have also weakened my resolve. Luckily, my interest conquered everything and has managed to last until today,” said the young woman.
Farah Ann was accused of exposing her “aurat” when she was featured at the SEA Games wearing a leotard, as all female gymnasts do, despite winning two gold medals, a silver medal and three bronze medals.
Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and even Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, however, have come to her defence.
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Swindling is part of Chinese trading culture, Muslim group claims
UALA LUMPUR, July 14 — While emotions remain raw over the weekend riot in Low Yat Plaza, a Muslim group yesterday accused ethnic Chinese traders of adopting swindling as part of their business “culture”.
The Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) claimed that ethnic Chinese businesses regularly cheat Malay consumers as a legitimate way for them to get extra profit.
“We don’t deny that it is really their practice, it has become their culture even in trading,” PPIM president Datuk Nadzim Johan said as quoted by the website of Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma).
“What more, they feel that with swindling they can earn. Unfortunately, those who always got conned are the Malays,” he added.
He did not provide any data or statistics to back up his assertion.
The police said yesterday that eighteen people have been arrested over their involvement in the riot and alleged theft of a smartphone at Low Yat Plaza over the weekend.
They also stated that there was no truth to rumours that the incident was triggered by cheating, and stressed that the case began with the alleged shoplifting attempt.
Despite that, Isma is adamant on its website that the scuffle was caused by dishonest traders in the popular gadget mall instead.
Yesterday, Isma information chief Mohd Hazizi Ab Rahman said the melee and vandalism at Low Yat Plaza this weekend was the angry response towards “diaspora chauvinists” who insulted and ridiculed Islam and the Malay community.
Isma asserted that it is only natural for Malay youths to release their anger on the Chinese traders in the popular tech mall as the Malays are known for running amok, and they would not have done so if they were not provoked by what the Muslim group claimed to be chauvinists.
Hazizi did not specify who or what the “diaspora chauvinists” are, but Isma has previously used the word to refer to non-Muslims, especially the ethnic Chinese and the DAP.
The riot came after a 22-year-old man was reportedly handed to the police for allegedly stealing a mobile phone Saturday, after which his accomplice contacted their friends who then assaulted workers from a mobile phone store and caused an estimated RM70,000 in damage.
Rumours had spread on social media after the alleged theft that the Chinese trader had sold the Malay man a counterfeit phone, leading to calls for boycotts of “cheating” Chinese traders and the complex itself.
Yesterday, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said he has ordered the arrests of those who spread such rumours.
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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...n/2012464.html
Mustafa Sultan Ali
tried to make his way to Syria from Turkey in order to “participate in armed violence by fighting alongside ISIS”, says the Ministry of Home Affairs.
SINGAPORE: A 51-year-old Singaporean has been arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) after he tried to join the terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday (Jul 28).
In late May, Mustafa Sultan Ali left Singapore and went to an unnamed regional country before flying to Turkey. He had taken that travel route in the hopes of hiding his tracks, MHA said, adding that he had planned to cross into Syria from the Turkish border.
He was detained by local authorities in Turkey and subsequently deported to Singapore in June, MHA said. In July, Mustafa was issued with a two-year Order of Detention.
Investigations showed that Mustafa had been “deeply radicalised by the terrorist ideology of ISIS and other radical ideologues he had come across online”, MHA said. He tried to make his way to Syria in order to “participate in armed violence by fighting alongside ISIS”, and was prepared to carry out ISIS-directed terrorist attacks against Western establishments in Singapore, it added.
In May, a 19-year-old Singaporean M Arifil Azim Putra Norja’I was detained for participating in terrorism-related activities and planning to carry out violent attacks in Singapore. Another radicalised 17-year-old Singaporean was also arrested in May under the ISA for further investigations.
MHA urged members of the public who may be aware of any involvement in terrorism-related activities to inform the Internal Security Department (1800-2626-473) or the Police (999).
“The Government takes a very serious view of any form of support for terrorism, including but not limited to the use of violence, and will take firm and decisive action against any person who engages in such activities,” it said.
PHOTOS OF CHEATING WIFE FOUND IN TAMPINES VOID DECK
Posters written by a married woman warning a man that his wife has been having an affair with the woman’s husband were found in void decks in Tampines. The posters, which carried the photo of the alleged ‘homebreaker’, were trying to tell the man that his wife has been cheating on him for the past 9 years.
Shin Min news reported that such posters have been appearing at the void decks of blocks 878 to 880, Tampines Ave 8, for the past two weeks. The posters were in English and Chinese along with a photo of a woman in sporting attire.
Residents said that the posters at block 880 have been torn down, leaving only the photo of the alleged ‘homebreaker’. It is unclear who had put up the posters and photos.
- More at AllSingaporeStuff.com
http://www.allsingaporestuff.com/art...ines-void-deck
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The poster addressed one ‘Mr Lee’ and is written by an anonymous married woman. The woman said that her husband is having an affair with the wife of Mr Lee and this has been going on for 9 years.
“I discovered the shameful affair about 2 years ago, my husband and I have quarreled, fought and I really feel like giving up this marriage, but my husband told me it is your wife that doesn’t want to let go and continues to pester him,” the poster wrote.
The author claimed that she will call the ‘homebreaker’ every three months to plead with her to leave her husband, but the ‘homebreaker’ was unwilling saying that he was a nice man with no temper.
The author also said that the ‘homebreaker’ would fetch her husband to his workplace every morning and they would have lunch together. There was even once when their maid chanced upon the ‘homebreaker’ and the husband in Geylang.
There was once when the author went to the ‘homebreaker’s’ office to talk things through, but she found out that the entire office already knew that ‘homebreaker’ has another boyfriend besides ‘Mr Lee’. The author also went to the Lee residence, but only the daughter was at home, and the daughter said her mother only loved to dance.
When the author confronted the ‘homebreaker’, she was told by the ‘homebreaker’ that they shouldn’t fight over a man and that they should be good friends. She said that the husband of the author was penniless and that she was giving money to him.
The author urged Mr Lee to rein in his wife and to stop bothering her husband. She said both the families have children and she doesn’t wish the children to grow up without a father or mother.
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VIETNAM DEMANDS TO KNOW WHY VIETNAMESE WOMEN TURNED AWAY BY ICA
Last week, Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority raised a query with Singapore after the island-republic turned away several Vietnamese women who came to Singapore on different occasions dating back to last year.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has responded to the query, stating that the women did not meet entry requirements. It added that Singapore welcomes all visitors of all nationalities, but noted that “every visitor’s entry into Singapore is neither a right nor automatic, and e
- More at AllSingaporeStuff.com
http://www.allsingaporestuff.com/art...urned-away-ica
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entry is considered on its own merits.”
ICA said visitors can be subjected to additional interviews and checks, adding: “The granting of visit passes to visitors is assessed and determined by the ICA officers at the Singapore checkpoints upon their arrival.”
Vietnam News Agency reported Vietnamese officials as saying that the women were turned away because they were found to be using different passports, with one woman reportedly having three passports with three different identities. The women were reportedly also unable to explain to officers why they wanted to enter Singapore.
Editor’s Note:
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