SDP’s Jufrie Mahmood slams Dr Yaacob for not doing more to help Malay community

December 15, 2009 by admin  
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Written by Our Correspondent

SDP CEC member Mr Jufrie Mahmood had slammed Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim for not doing enough to help the Malay community in a hard-hitting article on the SDP website.

Mr Jufrie said he was sad and amused over a recent report that Dr Yaaco does not know what to do to solve the perennial problems besieging the Malay community in Singapore.

“I am not at all surprised if he is not even aware of some other problems that have already beset the community and their root causes.  But how can he not know when he seems to be in close touch with every single institution within the Malay/Muslim community? Can it be that he has also surrounded himself with the proverbial inner circle of the emperor that dares not tell him that he has no clothes on?” he quipped.

Mr Jufrie queried if Dr Yaacob is aware of the problems in the first place such as the high rate of teen marriages and divorces, drug abuse and loss of homes due to financial distress.

He also criticized the Malay community leaders for not having the courage to tell the truth:

“It is no exaggeration to say that some of the problems that beset the community got to do with the climate of fear which haunts the so-called community leaders. When people fear you they don’t normally tell you the truth. They don’t lie but they just don’t tell the truth.

Perhaps they dare not tell you that the influx of foreign ‘talent’ is adversely affecting the livelihood of not only the lower income Malays but also those in the middle rung as well. When people lose their jobs they add to the problems of the community and to the nation. When wages are depressed people lose heart and productivity falls.”

Mr Jufrie Mahmood is an opposition veteran who garnered a respectable 47.3 per cent of the valid votes during the 1991 elections under the banner of the Workers’ Party when he was labeled as a “Malay chauvinist” by the PAP and the state media.

Eunos GRC was subsequently “dissolved” and absorbed into neighboring GRCs in the 1997 election.

The support of the Malay community is critical to the PAP’s continuous stranglehold on power.

During the 2006 elections, the PAP managed to win Aljunied GRC by a comfortable margin on the back of strong Malay support.

It is unsure how the Malays are feeling about the rapid “sinicization” of Singapore with the relentless influx of mainland Chinese.

The only Malay-based party in Singapore, PKMS, was embroiled in controversy of late when its members were charged in court for rioting over a disputed election.

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15 Comments on "SDP’s Jufrie Mahmood slams Dr Yaacob for not doing more to help Malay community"

  1. sturmtruppen on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 5:25 pm 

    I am chinese…but to be blunt i see myself as singaporean 1st…to my malay, indian, eurasian, baba etc etc friends…i always see them as singaporeans 1st.

    ONLY small dick-heads RACISTS will see the skin of a person 1st.

    They forgot when you cut a person of any skin/creed…his/her blood bleed red just the same.

    In PAP singapore….the malays [not all of them] seems to be always have obstacles put in their paths….damn shameful way of inhibiting the growth of any human being to be all he/she can be.

    And it is everyone’s loss.

    Look no further then albert einstein…he is a jew and he left germany in 1937 due to Nazi genocide policies…and he contributed much to america.

    No wonder local talents of different race/creed are also leaving singapore.

    Except for those who are trapped in the provety cycle which is created by others who wanted to protect the status quo at all costs.

    And these others still can walk around on 2 legs and act like human beings & profess they are better then other fellow human beings of all races/creed…and this is based on what…the rules they created or cheated to keep the status quo…pui… they are just pigs in disguise as human beings just like animal farm. Self serving at their best else too greedy at their worst.

    Sick.

    Sad.

  2. True Singaporean on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 6:22 pm 

    “First they came for Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.

    Rev Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984)

    It was local Malays first.Than local Indians.Now local Chinese.–SPEAK UP NOW .

  3. Malay Solidarity on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 7:02 pm 

    the Malay MPs, together with MUIS, Mendaki, Warees and their counterparts in ISD operate like a large mafia network to control the Malays and other Muslims in Singapore.

    1) everything is a default no

    when anyone approach MUIS, MENDAKI, WAREES, MALAY MPS to implement anything to improve the community, the default answers are CANNOT, NO, NOT NOW, IMPOSSIBLE….

    2) systematically control mosques

    up to the sermons delivered in the mosque is controlled by ISD and MUIS. what in the world do intelligence officers know about theology or religion?

    who manages the mosques are controlled tightly by MUIS and ISD. if anyone that they dont like is elected to be part of any mosque committee, they will remove them. if anyone during the course of term as mosque committee member fall out with MUIS or ISD, will be forcibly removed or not allowed to re-run.

    3) refuse to tackle the problems and issues in community

    a high ranking Malay official who headed one of the Malay government bodies told me how none of the Malay MPs care to improve the situation in the malay community

    4) refuse to create opportunities for the community

    for last 50 years, they have created ZERO opportunities for the community

    5) cryonism and nepotism

    if you look at the hiring practices at MUIS, MENDAKI, WAREES, AMP etc, they like to hire people they know or people who is known to their friends. if you look at how tender awards are decided, its almost always kawan kawan considerations that will influence final decisions

    6) mismanagement

    if you look at how they run their organizations, they are notorious for inefficiencies and laziness. however they are always going on expensive retreats. Their events are held in country clubs. MUIS holds its annual lecture in Ritz carlton.

    7) radical secularism

    these fellas are also the opposite of Taliban. unlike the Taliban who force people into religion, MUIS, MENDAKI, WAREES, ETC like to force people out of religion. Tony Tan once announced a decade ago that Singapore will follow Turkish Secular Model. Why does a chinese guy decide what the Muslim community be like? Cant the muslim community imagine for itself? once the Chinese PAP leaders cast their vision, these Malay MPS, MUIS, ISD, WAREES, MENDAKI simply spring into action implementing it. thanks to their Turkish Secular Model, we have seen a rise in Muslim extremism in Singapore.

    8) Malays not allowed to have their own leadership

    Goh Chok Tong launched at the Malay community with such rage and force when the community asked for an alternative leadership. Malays are simply not allowed to have their own leaders. It has to be chosen by PAP Chinese leaders.

    conclusion

    these Malay MPS and those Malays who work in those agencies such as ISD, MUIS, MENDAKI, WAREES, AMP have betrayed the Malays and the country. they have sold the community to preserve their jobs and pay checks. they have chosen to use any means necessary to force Malays in Singapore to listen to them. they are indeed tyrants, oppressors, cruel and wicked betrayors. One day in history either sooner or later, they will be found guilty of treason.

  4. fair and square on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 7:49 pm 

    it’s is time we call ourselves “SINGA”poreans,let’s not get mixed up wth “outsiders”..they too have chinese,indians,malays and others.
    In all actuality and NECCESSITY,the gahMEN should consider we,the locals,in everything and every time, as the TOP PRIORITY,NOT(NOT!) just merely whisper “sweet=nothings” like
    a casanova and goes for “flings” afterwards!!!
    all singas, young and old,boys and gals,if you are loyal and faithful,how would you feel whne your lover who wooed you go uncaringly for flings later and “NO HUE” YOU?
    Choose your MPs wisely like you would wanna choose your lover
    if you them to “be faithful”.

  5. Singapura Cina on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 8:01 pm 

    I can confidently tell you that many local feel the same way as the Malays, Indian, Chinese. Many of us, chinese are very frustrated with all these influx of mainland chinese. Their culture, behaviour, mindset and mentality are completely different from the chinese here. They are best at taking advantages of others. Tolong ! tolong! tolong! Vote for alternative party(S). And please don’t differentiate among Malay, Indian, Chinese….together We are the REAL Singaporeans!

  6. True Singaporean on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 9:20 pm 

    Dear Singapura Cina,

    May I respectfully ask everyone this.Our Malay brothers bore the brunt for the last 45 years.Did any Chinese spoke for them?..Than the Indians had it in the last 25 years.Mandarin campaign caused havoc for minorities.Classified ads were rampant which openly asked for MANDARIN SPEAKERS ONLY..PRC FT in SG speaks Mandarin.But you realize that they are not one of your own even if PRC do speak Mandarin.Did anyone of us asked why our National Language,which is Malay,never promoted?….Now MM tells us that his biggest mistake is Bi-language policy aka Mandarin campaign!!!

    The question which largely looms in the minds of minorities is; what happens after PAP?…Will the history repeats itself again? 75% is a large majority by any standard .How sure are you that Malays will not suffer again !

  7. newdawn on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 10:19 pm 

    The present immigration policy is clearly at the expense of the Malay community here in terms of employment opportunities and suppressed wages. What we are now witnessing are only some minor symptoms. If the present policies remain it can only lead to more suffering and eventually an eruption (amok, bersek).
    The winners will then be the JI and the Teleban

  8. fair and square on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 10:34 pm 

    True Singaporean
    i don’t know who or what colour are you?
    but i do know i did share my plate of mee-siam
    with my malay soccer kaki and also my cheena tow-huay-chwee.
    we understood what was “halal” by using different spoons,no need to waste money on signboards too.
    but i can appreciate if you bear some past grudges against some cheena singas too? why? i don’t know.
    people in the past,they quarrelled but we always shake hands too.
    you harbour so much inside you… how can we all singas vote for you?
    you must understand that this is the new singapore and by the way, i spoke up for my malay colleages…the gahmen people would be happy that you got so caught up in their play-acting too…they are trying to break us up and it would not do any cheena.melayu,indian or mr “pereira” or d’souza any good .

  9. Jentayu on Tue, 15th Dec 2009 10:52 pm 

    I am sure Jufrie is fully aware of the need to act as one. The PAP has always tried to tar him as a Malay chauvinist but have always failed in their attempts. It surely cannot be missed that he is a member of a multi racial SDP. I am sure that by his statements over the years he subscribes fully to multiracialism.

    Being a Malay he understands the Malays better. Does raising issues pertaining to the Malays make him a chauvinist? By the same token when Chinese political leaders, including those from the PAP, raise issues concerning the Chinese community they cannot be acused of being chauvinists, can they?

    Lately Jufrie has been complaining a lot about the influx of of what the PAP called foreign talent. He surely is not complaining only on behalf of the Malays. His concern is for all locals.

    He is always seen in the company of his Chinese and Indian friends and business associates. And don’t forget,the SDP is a truly multi racial set up.

    So please do not fall for the PAP’s trick. They and their kakis will not stop in potraying Jufrie as a Malay chauvinist.
    Remember, whoever is against the PAP is either a communist, a communalist, a terrorist or a psychopath, destined for the IMH.

  10. singaporean observer on Wed, 16th Dec 2009 6:19 am 

    when the Malay Community in Singapore is affected and a Malay leader stands up to talk about it then how can it be chauvanistic? if that is the case then Gandhi is an Indian chauvanist, Martin Lurther King is a black chauvanist, Sun Yat Sen will be a Chinese chauvanist, Aung San Su Chi will be a Burmese chauvanist, Nelson Mandela will be a black chauvanist.

    the people who say such things are pure racists who want Malays to suffer. they do so by casting, those who speak about the sufferings of Malays, in poor light.

  11. jolly on Wed, 16th Dec 2009 11:15 am 

    of late i really noticed many singapore malays set up homes in malaysia. from this i gather that perhaps they are being marginalised by the influx of excessive foreign talents. at least they still can go to malaysia and are welcome there. and i think soon the singapore chinese may want to settle down in china or taiwan. and that is not a bad idea after all. this is call survival. if the present establishment do not treasure and look after its people, do not blame anybody when the ship sinks.

  12. Cina Nasi Lemak on Wed, 16th Dec 2009 3:58 pm 

    We ( The Malay, The Indian and The Chinese ) are frustrated with the influx of mainland chinese. We should fight as ONE to tackle this problematic issue keep arising…tell each of your own race that we be should UNITED AS ONE to change the goverment because they are the party allowing so many Aliens into the country !!!

    I am a Chinese too but our culture, attitude, behaviour, mindset are completely different from the mainland. The PRC never do NS, we ( the malay, indian and chinese are doing the country the service. ) and yet they have the type of ” THICK SKIN ” to tell others they hold the pink IC and they are singaporean too…SHAME ON THEM…….and a betrayal to their own country, China.

    I think we should distance ourselves from all these mainland chinese and make them feel NOT WELCOME !

  13. Jentayu on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 6:08 am 

    This is what Jufrie wrote in the SDP website:-

    Jufrie – Thu 17 Dec 2009 1:15 AM I have by and by been accused by some quarters of being one who subscribes to NATO.

    But my record in politics speaks for itself. At the very least I have stood up in defence of democracy.

    Now I will briefly talk about solutions that I feel can work to improve the lives of Singaporeans as a whole.

    This will necessarily also address the problems afflicting the Malay Muslim community. They may appear simplistic but can be further elaborated and improved. Everyone, BryanT included, can give his or her input should they wish to.

    To my mind some of the solutions are:-

    1. Revamp the entire electoral system by a)setting up an independent body to run the elections; b)doing away with the GRC and reverting to the single ward system; c)giving ample notice of at least 3 months from the date of the elections; d)doing away with the counting of votes by precinth; e)justifying the redrawing of electoral boundaries if there is a genuine need to and make it transparent; f)ensuring fair news coverage for all contesting parties;g)reducing the election deposit to not more than $5,000 per candidate and last but not least, h)stop alarming the gullible by threatening to call in the army should the governing party looses the elections.

    2. Free the media from the shackles of the PAP and encourage free competition by allowing others to print newspapers and set up radio and tv stations.

    3. Start building a genuine multi racial nation by abolishing all forms of discrimination based on racial backgrounds so as to enhance the self esteem of the minority races.This will go a long way towards building up confidence within the community and spur them towards finding solutions to their problems.

    4. Give independence to communities to organise and manage their own problems as they see best. Ministers should only exercise their governmental responsibiities by providing whatever assistance required and disbursing taxpayers money wherever necessary. The setting up of multi ethnic organisations to look at common problems must be encouraged to facilitate bonding.

    5.Abolish laws that restrict freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. Citizens must be encouraged to speakup and air their grievances without fear of being penalised. Issues can then be debated exhaustively and reduce the chances of formulating ill conceived policies.
    Stop adopting double standards and separate rules for the ruling and opposition parties.
    Government amenities in opposition wards should be made available and accessible to opposition MPs because they don’t belong to the PAP. Singaporeans in those wards can then be better served by their MPs and not be deprived of the use of such amenities.

    6. Enact new laws to tackle threats to the nation’s security following which the ISA must be abolished. This is because it has become abundantly clear that the ISA has been abused to protect the interest of the PAP instead of that of the nation.

    7. Encourage the entry of real talent and send home all others who are masquerading as foreign talent. Real talent create jobs while the fake ones suppress wages and take away our jobs.
    This has brought about lots of problems for Singaporean families.

    8. Implement a minimum wage policy to ensure that citizens who go out to work have a decent income to take home and care for their families.

    Also allow citizens to withdraw all their CPF savings upon reaching retirement age and let them have a free hand to do what they like with their money.

    9. Allow the Malay Muslim community to utilise the funds available to them to build up their resilience. Religious education should be strongly encouraged and actively promoted from young by making it easily accessible.
    Mosques must be made to play a more active role in disseminating the right values. Religious teachers must be appropriately paid with the funds available to enable them to do their jobs well.

    Muslims ingrained with the right religious knowledge will have the moral strengh to resist drugs and normally lead a more responsible lifestyle.

    10.Committees comprising serious minded and dedicated people from different ethnic backgrounds should be formed and put into action on a full time basis to seriously find workable solutions to problems that are responsible for the emergence of dyfunctional families.
    Pretenders who appear only to grace functions must be discarded.

    11. Families which have lost their homes must be given a chance to correct their mistakes. They must be helped by tweaking HDB rules and allowing them to rent flats until they can recover and rebuild their lives. With a minimum wage policy in place and hard work there is no reason why they cannot make a come back.

    12. HDB flats must be made available to Singaporeans at a reasonable price reflecting their real land and building costs. Monthly repayment of their housing loans must not be more than 15% of their income so that they will have money to live on after retirement. Permanent residents and new citizens should be made to pay a levy before they are allowed to buy HDB flats to ensure that prices do not go out of control.

    Locally born and bred Singaporeans should be given priority and allowed to jump Q over the PR wherever necessary.

    Exceptions can be made to real foreign talent (rocket scientists, for example) who have genuinely contributed to the nation’s growth and wealth and well being.

    Foreign sportsmen and sportswomen who dorn Singapore colours masquerading as Singaporeans just for the money are not included. They must be sent home.

    13. Ministers’ exhorbitant salaries must be drastically reduced to bring their feet closer to the ground. This will make them more sensitive to the problems of lower mortals.

    This will also restore pride in the service to the nation.

    14. At least 20% of all profits derived from the investments of our billions of dollars of reserves must be set aside to pay for the medical needs of Singaporeans who cannot afford medical care. With this worry out of their heads Singaporeans will become more productive.

    At the same time the exhorbitant fees currently charged by specialists in private practice and which can wipe out Singaporeans’ medisave must be reviewed, revised and justified. The culture of greed must be checked.

    15. Ministers and officials, including those managing our reserves and government link companies must be made accountable for their actions. Transparency must be a norm.

    16. There must be a genuine and effective separation of powers among the executive, the lagislature and the judiciary. Laws must not only be effectively implemented but must also not be selective.

    The above are some of my suggestions that can make Singapore a better place for Singaporeans, especially the locally born and bred.

  14. jiangbao on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 10:22 am 

    *Remember, whoever is against the PAP is either a communist, a communalist, a terrorist or a psychopath, destined for the IMH.*

    Not sure about the rest but certainly being a communist is not against the PAP. Just see your mainland neighbour and you would know. Or its just important communist is ok but singaporean communist is not ok?

    in future communist would be our leaders and we have to bow to the red book.

  15. shacklem on Thu, 17th Dec 2009 11:43 pm 

    i pity the malay compatriots. most of them, i take it, occupy low to middle level income jobs. these happen to be jobs that are most easily displaced by chinese/indian fts.

    could this be the root cause of the emergence of a malay ultra underclass?

    pls vote sensibly. your votes may prove to be the swingers.