The Karyawan — January 2021 Issue

PUBLISHED BY: AMP SINGAPORE • VOLUME 16 ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 2021 • MCI (P) NO: 078/07/2020 • ISSN NO: 0218-7434

FOOD DELIVERY WORKERS: Riding the Waves of Uncertainty

CONTENTS JANUARY 2021

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EDITORIAL BOARD

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK 29 COVER STORY Commentary: Food Delivery Workers – Riding the Waves of Uncertainty

by Nabilah Mohammad

City of Stars or City of Tears?: A Questioning of Singapore’s Development

by Liyana Nasyita Shukarman

SUPERVISING EDITOR Dr Md Badrun Nafis Saion

EDITORIAL TEAM Muhammad Faris Alfiq Mohd Afandi Nabilah Mohammad Nur Diyana Jalil Ruzaidah Md Rasid Winda Guntor

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The ‘WFH Revolution’: How to Work from Home (WFH) without Losing your Head

by Michael Chua

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Together Apart: Holidays Without Travelling, 2020 Edition

by Sharifah Norashikin

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Raffles in the Age of Fallen Heroes

by Prof Syed Farid Alatas

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Behind the Technology with Nadia Ahmad

by Nur Diyana Jalil

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A Long-Term Outlook on Women’s Issues at Work and with their Families

by Norhanna Yumi Ibrahim

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Muslim Womanhood and Hierarchical Gender Relations in Southeast Asia

by Dr Humairah Zainal

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Nikah Batin: Beyond the Deviance

by Muhammad Zahid Mohd Zin

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Branding Islam: Beyond the Halal Market

by Muhammad Faris Alfiq Mohd Afandi

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Mapping Regional Memories: Book Review of Erni Salleh’s The Java Enigma

by Dr Nuraliah Norasid

EDITOR Zarina Yusof

We welcome letters, comments and suggestions on the issues that appear in the magazine. Please address your correspondence to: Editor, The Karyawan AMP Singapore 1 Pasir Ris Drive 4 #05-11 Singapore 519457 T +65 6416 3966 | F +65 6583 8028 E corporate@amp.org.sg

The Karyawan is a publication of the AMP Singapore. The views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of AMP and its subsidiaries nor its directors and The Karyawan editorial board.

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Grappling with Terror: How France Can Tackle Radicalisation

by Ahmad Saiful Rijal Hassan

© AMP Singapore. 2021. All rights reserved.

Permission is required for reproduction.

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

The way we work in today’s world is changing. Modern technology has affected workers in different ways. While some are more productive with the aid of sophisticated software, in other instances, the process of automation has replaced many traditional jobs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the economy, leading to many losing their jobs.

However, at the same time, it also brought about opportunities within the labour market. For instance, driven by the increasing demand due to shifts in consumer behaviour and technological advancements, there has been a surge in the number of food delivery workers in Singapore. In fact, these workers were an integral part of the essential services Singaporeans relied upon during the Circuit Breaker period.

Understanding the reality of food delivery workers in Singapore, however, is no simple task.

For this purpose, our research team at the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA) recently conducted a qualitative study on these workers in Singapore. The study also addresses the opportunities and challenges faced by them in an unpredictable and uncertain job market. You can read more about the findings from the study shared by researcher, Nabilah Mohammad, on Page 9.

We hope the study will provide valuable insights into the diverse needs of our food delivery workers and ensure good employment outcomes for them given their growth in the workforce.

We wish you a good year ahead. Happy reading!

DR MD BADRUN NAFIS SAION SUPERVISING EDITOR

THE ‘WFH REVOLUTION’: How to Work from Home (WFH) without Losing your Head

BY MICHAEL CHUA 02 T H E K A R Y A W A N © AMP SINGAPORE. PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCTION.

A CRAZY YEAR 2020. Wow, what a crazy year that was – one which we will remember for a very long time.

• 66 percent cited about practical constraints, inadequate space, distractions at home; • 47 percent found an inability to gain access to office resources and tools.

COVID-19 has impacted the way we live, work, study and play. We have all gone When we work from home, that study through the Circuit Breaker period, Phases room or desk suddenly becomes our 1 and 2. And now, we are in Phase 3. workspace. We now bring work home, and experience blurred boundaries Events took place at breakneck speed, and between work and family life. It makes we had to adapt to either ‘swim or sink’. life a tad stressful, and these are the We had to adjust our work schedules, our reasons why: children had to adapt to home-based and online learning. And the fear of unemploy- • Devices – You will find it hard to log out ment became very real for many. of work accounts like emails and WhatsApp. Two big factors often play on our mental • Do – You will be doing work outside health: change and the unknown. The ability your usual working hours or putting in to adapt to changes can be easy for some longer hours than normal. but to many others, this could be a • Detach – You will experience feelings of nightmare. If one were to have a certain detachment towards your work and/or a Type A personality or fixed mindset, lack of support. it will make it doubly harder for them to • Disconnected – You will experience the accept changes. feeling of being isolated or working solo.

• Distractions – Having family members The fear of the unknown often attracts around can be challenging if you have panic attacks and anxiety. The combinachildren and seniors at home, as they tion of these two factors is known to have have the tendency to reach out to you increased some levels of stress where if at the wrong time. experienced over a prolonged period, may lead to a state of distress and eventually The three factors above – the uncertainty burnout. that change brings, the mystique of the unknown and the 5Ds – put our mental WORKING FROM HOME AND strength to the test. If we do not focus, ITS IMPACT we will lose our heads.

Here are some findings on the top complaints about working from home Let me share some practical ideas that you (WFH) from a survey that was conducted can apply to your daily lives. by crowdsourcing platform OPPi1: HOW CAN YOU WFH WITHOUT LOSING • Longer working hours or working YOUR HEAD? outside of their usual office hours; • Distractions from children or family Space members; We need space. Don’t have much? Then, • Difficult to convince bosses of their make some. productivity.

Create your workspace at home. This is a Another survey conducted by tech wonderful chance to personalise your start-up, Engage Rocket, echoes similar workspace and make it as comfortable as results (response from parents only)2: you can. Best is to have a room where you can shut the door, so that you can • 68 percent said they were putting in minimise distraction. longer hours than normal;

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Ritual Create a ritual when you start the day (morning coffee, breakfast, turning on the laptop, etc.) and end work (changing out of your work clothes, preparing for dinner, etc.). You would need to know which activities mark the start of a workday at home, and which end it.

Ensure that you transition from homemode to work-mode back to home-mode again. This will help you shift your mindset and let others know where you are at.

Control your Devices Devices make you accessible on work matters 24/7. So, it is important to know when to shut them off.

Having devices make you potentially work longer than usual. If your boss is a workaholic or one who micromanages and lacks trust in his staff’s productivity, well, that is going to be hard. Unless your work requires 24/7 access, it is better to shut off work at the same time every day and log off.

By settling on a ‘shut off time’ and keeping to it on a daily basis, you are actually giving your brain and body much needed relaxation and rest to be ready and fresh the next working day.

Toggle your tabs More often than not, we open multiple tabs on our computers when we work.

We juggle between them, opening the main tab and minimising others. Same approach when we WFH – do know when it is work and when we have to execute family roles and responsibilities.

Here are some tips: • Communicate your work plans with your family members, especially when you are starting a virtual meeting.

• Teach your loved ones when and how they can get your attention while you are working; use post-it pads.

• Create a list of things to do for the day with your children.

• Ensure you have lunch and tea breaks with your family members. That way, you can still keep tabs on them.

LAI, L. 8 IN 10 IN SINGAPORE WANT TO WORK FROM HOME OR HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY. THE STRAITS TIMES. 2020, OCTOBER 12. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM/SINGAPORE/8-IN-10-IN-SINGAPOREWANT-TO-WORK-FROM-HOME-OR-HAVE-MORE-FLEXIBILITY YIP, W. Y. SINGAPOREANS ARE ADJUSTING TO WORKING FROM HOME, NEW POLL SHOWS. THE STRAITS TIMES. 2020, AUGUST 17. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM/SINGAPORE/SPOREANS-AREADJUSTING-TO-WORKING-FROM-HOME-NEW-POLL-SHOWS

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The positive results from this WFH experiment get me thinking: if we, as a company, have been functioning so well while working remotely, why shouldn’t we be doing this permanently? Or why shouldn’t any company, for that matter?

HOW LEADERS CAN SUPPORT WFH STAFF Here are some tips how supervisors can help their staff:

Being intentional about creating community helps develop a corporate culture that inspires connection, which can result in increased productivity.

Trust your Team Sometimes, companies are not willing to embrace WFH because there's an uncertainty over the staff’s level of productivity. To combat this notion, set up WFH guidelines such as emails must be responded to within a certain amount of time, use WhatsApp or texts for urgent or quick turnaround matters, and enforce a ‘no-call’ practice with staff unless extremely necessary.

Establish Close Bonds, Support Frequently Empathise and appreciate their life by discussing family, commonalities and shared beliefs. For the management, show you are supportive of their success by using inquiry to help them achieve their goals rather than check on their progress and numbers each time you call.

Make it Inclusive WFH is basically working solo. For the most part of it, there is a lack of social support and the nearest one to socialising is during virtual meetings. So, as much as possible schedule face-to-face virtual meetings with your teams: weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. This form of interaction and engagement will help staff feel inclusive and supported.

Sharing from Staff After two weeks of working from home, I think I can say for the entire team that there has been no change in the way we operate. If there were, it is because we have been more productive and engaged in our work.

Stay Focused on Goals, Not Activities It is important to manage expectations and stay focused on the goals set when embracing a remote workforce. Don't worry about what is being done; instead, focus on what is being accomplished. If we meet our targets, then great. It is all about accomplishment, not the activity.

Use Technology Tools to Build Community Use technology to create dedicated spaces for celebrating special days like birthdays, recognition of staff’s good work and service milestones such as years of service.

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The world had experienced an industrial revolution that transformed rural societies into urban ones and impacted the way people work.

Today, we face another revolution – the ‘WFH Revolution’. The future of work is here. This revolution is an opportunity for the human tribe to be better.

Be safe. Be strong.

who has Michael Chua is a Therapist/Coach unity been involved in social and comm ed at service work since 1995. He has work a wide various social services agencies with des range of clients. These days, he provi , talks, work ental lopm deve and cy ultan cons work dual indivi and p grou and s, workshop y or focusing on psychoeducation, famil hing, parenting life, education and coac y personal leadership and mind-bod wellness.

THE FUTURE OF WORK – WFH OR BACK TO OFFICE?

Drafts are coming in before deadlines.

People are volunteering to attend events to – gasp! – network and maintain relations.

The positive results from this WFH experiment got me thinking: if we, as a company, have been functioning so well while working remotely, why shouldn’t we be doing this permanently? Or why shouldn’t any company, for that matter?

According to a Gallup poll, 54 percent of office workers say they would leave their jobs for those that offer flexible work time3. This sentiment is shared by many in Singapore. A 2018 Ministry of Manpower report stated that not having flexible work arrangements is one of the biggest factors in employee resignation4.

HICKMAN, A. AND ROBISON, J. IS WORKING REMOTELY EFFECTIVE? GALLUP RESEARCH SAYS YES. GALLUP, INC. 2020, JANUARY 24. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.GALLUP.COM/WORKPLACE/283985/WORKING-REMOTELYEFFECTIVE-GALLUP-RESEARCH-SAYS-YES.ASPX 2 MINISTRY OF MANPOWER. REPORT: CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT 2018. 2019, JANUARY 16. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://STATS.MOM.GOV.SG/PAGES/CONDITIONS-OF-EMPLOYMENT-2018.ASPX

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Raffles in the Age of Fallen Heroes

BY PROF SYED FARID ALATAS

JANUARY 2021

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THEY HAVE FALLEN The first half of the 21st century may very well be known in future as the age of fallen heroes. Perhaps the most well-known case with a global reach is the Rhodes Must Fall post-apartheid protest movement that began on 9 March 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa. The movement was originally directed against the statue of Cecil John Rhodes, the British mining magnate and coloniser of Africa, and symbol of colonial oppression and racism.

The statue was located at the upper campus of the University of Cape Town (UCT), Africa’s highest ranked university.

On that day, a UCT student, Chumani Maxwele, flung faeces at the statue1.

By the first quarter of 2015, the Rhodes Must Fall movement dominated discussions at the UCT. Finally, on 9 April 2015, after a prolonged protest by students and a UCT Council vote the previous night, the statue was pulled down from its plinth at the university. This movement, however, was not merely about a decadesold statue. It has to be seen in the context of the continuing critique of the legacies of apartheid and the related question of the decolonisation of education2.

More recently, protesters in Oxford called for the removal of their Rhodes statue at Oxford University. Chanting, “Take it down!”, they then held a moment of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, in memory of George Floyd – the same length of time a white police officer was seen to kneel on his neck3. The protest coincided with George Floyd’s funeral in Houston, Texas.

The funeral came two weeks after Floyd was killed while in the custody of the Minneapolis police. His death had resulted in furthering the cause of the Black Lives Matter protests against anti-black and anti-brown racism throughout the United States and the world4.

Some days before the Oxford protests, Bristol saw the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston by Black Lives Matter demonstrators. Colston was a 17th century English merchant and slave trader. He was at one time a deputy governor of the Royal African Company and oversaw the transportation into slavery of some 84,000 Africans5. Also recently in the United Kingdom, a statue of Sir Winston Churchill erected in Parliament Square, Westminster, had been sprayed with graffiti during a Black Lives Matter protest6. Days before that, people gathered around the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, Virginia, on 4 June 2020, during protests over the death of George Floyd7. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced the statue will be removed.

colonisers who are still being featured as dominant and proud on their pedestals.

No doubt this has a lot to do with the growing discontent of marginalised and oppressed peoples along racist lines, which began in the colonial period. The most recent expression of this is the Black Lives Matter series of protests around the world, provoked by the murder of George Floyd.

The growing anti-racism has also taken the form of the politics of toppling, literally or figuratively.

THE CASE OF RAFFLES In most countries, the idea of nominating an imperialist as the founder of a newly independent state would have been considered “outrageous and most definitely reactionary”10. But, for a long time the dominant view in Singapore was Even before the murder of George Floyd there had been calls for the removal of the that it was inadvisable to search for a “golden past” in the pre-colonial era as statue of Thomas McKie Meriwether, a history prior to 1819 was one of “ancestral white man honoured in North Augusta, South Carolina, for being killed in an 1876 ghosts” and should be forgotten11. K. G. Tregonning (1923–2015), formerly Raffles riot. Seven black men were also killed in that riot but were not similarly honoured8. Professor of History at the University of A statue of King Leopold II of Belgium Singapore, had this to say: “Modern was taken down in Antwerp on 9 June Singapore began in 1819. Nothing that 2020 after it was vandalised by protesters occurred on the island prior to this has because of his brutal rule over the Congo, particular relevance to an understanding which he held as his personal property of the contemporary scene; it is of from 1885 to 1908. During that time, he antiquarian interest only.”12 subjected its people to forced labour which led to a genocide involving millions of Thus, history began after 1819 and Raffles, deaths9. Like the other fallen statues, as the prime mover, was elevated to a that of Leopold was a symbol of racism “Great Man” of history, not only by colonial targeted by Black Lives Matter protesters historians, but also officially by the following the death of George Floyd in the post-colonial state13. It was stressed that United States. history after 1819 was something that all Singaporeans could identify with Anti-colonial sentiments that emerged in because of the collective memories that the late colonial period and then expressed Singaporeans of all races had and shared. since political independence by activists, The mistake would be to regress into scholars and statesmen throughout the the past. The then Foreign Minister, 20th century are now continuing with S. Rajaratnam, said that “[t]he more we renewed efforts and a “new” decolonial were inspired by our past, the greater politics aimed at overthrowing the our awareness of our differences and

1 A. VERBAAN. UCT STUDENT IN POO PROTEST. CAPE TIMES. 2015. ACCESSED 2019, AUGUST 10: HTTP://WWW.IOL.CO.ZA/CAPETIMES/UCT-STUDENT-IN-POO-PROTEST-1829512.

2 R. CHANTILUKE, B. KWOBA AND A. NKOPO, EDS. RHODES MUST FALL: THE STRUGGLE TO DECOLONISE THE RACIST HEART OF EMPIRE. LONDON: ZED BOOKS, 2018.

M. RACE AND N. BRIANT. CECIL RHODES: PROTESTERS DEMAND OXFORD STATUE REMOVAL. BBC NEWS. ACCESSED, 2020, JUNE 10: HTTPS://WWW.BBC.COM/NEWS/UK-ENGLAND-OXFORDSHIRE-52975687.

4 E. LEVENSON, G. LEMOS AND A. VERA. THE REV. AL SHARPTON REMEMBERS GEORGE FLOYD AS AN 'ORDINARY BROTHER' WHO CHANGED THE WORLD. CNN. ACCESSED 2020, JUNE 20: HTTPS://EDITION.CNN.COM/2020/06/09/US/GEORGE-FLOYD-FUNERAL-TUESDAY/INDEX.HTML. 5 D. OLUSOGA. THE TOPPLING OF EDWARD COLSTON'S STATUE IS NOT AN ATTACK ON HISTORY. IT IS HISTORY. THE GUARDIAN. ACCESSED 2020, JUNE 10: HTTPS://WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM/COMMENTISFREE/2020/JUN/08/EDWARD-COLSTON-STATUE-HISTORY-SLAVE-TRADER-BRISTOL-PROTEST. 6 “WHY WAS CHURCHILLS’ STATUE DEFACED” BBC NEWS. ACCESSED 2020, JUNE 10: HTTPS://WWW.BBC.COM/NEWS/AV/UK-ENGLAND-LONDON-52972531/BLACK-LIVES-MATTER-PROTEST-WHY-WAS-CHURCHILL-S-STATUE-DEFACED. 7 L. VOZZZELLA AND G. S. SCHNEIDER. RICHMOND JUDGE HALTS REMOVAL OF ROBERT E. LEE STATUE FOR 10 DAYS. WASHINGTON POST. ACCESSED 2020, JUNE 10: HTTPS://WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM/LOCAL/VIRGINIA-POLITICS/RICHMOND-JUDGE-HALTS-REMOVAL-OF-ROBERT-E-LEE-STATUE-FOR-10-DAYS/2020/06/08/A3224DF2-A9F0-11EA-9063-E69BD6520940_STORY.HTML. 8 S. LEBLANC. NORTH AUGUSTA MAYOR ADDRESSES CONTROVERSIAL HAMBURG MASSACRE MONUMENT. SAVANNAHNOW. ACCESSED 2020, JUNE 10: HTTPS://WWW.SAVANNAHNOW.COM/NEWS/20181112/NORTH-AUGUSTA-MAYOR-ADDRESSES-CONTROVERSIAL-HAMBURG-MASSACRE-MONUMENT. 9 M. PRONCZUK AND M. ZAVERI. STATUE OF LEOPOLD II, BELGIAN KING WHO BRUTALIZED CONGO, IS REMOVED. ANTWERP, NEW YORK TIMES. ACCESSED 2020, JUNE 10: HTTPS://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2020/06/09/WORLD/EUROPE/KING-LEOPOLD-STATUE-ANTWERP.HTML. 10 “RAJA TELLS WHY WE STILL HONOUR RAFFLES’ NAME”. THE STRAITS TIMES. 1983, MAY 25.

11 S. RAJARATNAM, “UNTITLED SPEECH”, IN CHAN HENG CHEE & OBAID UL HAQ, EDS., THE PROPHETIC AND THE POLITICAL: SELECTED SPEECHES AND WRITINGS OF S. RAJARATNAM, SINGAPORE, GRAHAM BRASH, 1987, P. 140; S. RAJARATNAM. “S’PORE’S FUTURE DEPENDS ON SHARED MEMORIES, COLLECTIVE AMNESIA”. THE STRAITS TIMES. 1990, JUNE 20.

12 K. G. TREGONNING. “THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND”, IN OOI JIN-BEE & CHIANG HAI DING, EDS., MODERN SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE: SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1969), P. 14.

13 C. G. KWA. “INTRODUCTION”, IN KWA CHONG GUAN & PETER BORSCHBERG, EDS., STUDYING SINGAPORE BEFORE 1800, SINGAPORE: NUS PRESS, 2018, PP. 1–26, PP. 3–4, 201.

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separateness and the greater the chances of post-colonial nations adopted an a multiracial society collapsing through extremely critical approach towards racial fears and violence.”14 colonialism and the colonial figures who ruled over them.

The coloniality of such a perspective is all the more glaring when we take into Colonial administrators and imperialists consideration the growing critical like those whose statues have fallen and literature on colonialism in the form of Raffles should make us think about the post-colonial theory and decolonial meaning of colonialism. Colonialism was thought. Nevertheless, scholarship on not only about political-economic Singapore’s history has progressed. No domination and control. Colonialism did longer is Singapore history said to have not only take the political economic begun in 1819. It is now known that it destiny of whole peoples out of their own began 500 years before in 1299 as the hands but was also responsible for both seaport of Temasek15. The authors of the physical and cultural destruction of Singapore: A 700-Year History state that peoples’ lives. their book differs from other works on the history of Singapore by providing a Of course, it must be recognised, as noted long-sighted view of the past, dating the

by Rajaratnam, that the rule of Raffles as start of Singapore’s history with the arrival an imperialist in Singapore was not of Seri Tri Buana from Palembang, about “marked by terror and savagery”18. But, colonialism was always violent; often in a 500 years before Raffles arrived here16. physical way, but always in a non-physical What has not changed, however, is Raffles’ sense. The difference between different position as a “Great Man” of history. In historical cases of colonialism was the post-colonial Singapore, Raffles is to this impact on the coloniser. In some cases, day a canonised figure. Boulger laments colonisation led to revolution. But in all that Raffles was “unlucky in that his cases, colonisation was founded not only achievements were far from recognised in on political economic imperialism but his own lifetime”17. This was to be also on the culture of the colonised. One of the devastating effects of colonialism overcompensated for in post-colonial Singapore where his name lives on here in is racism. a variety of forms. First and foremost are The British image of the native was the two statues. The first is a 19th century founded on colonial racism. Various bronze statue that now stands in front of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall. The deficiencies and incapacities associated with the natives were explained in racist second was cast in the 1970s, and can be found on the south bank of the Singapore terms. British colonial officers such as Raffles and John Crawfurd regarded the River. Several landmark buildings, Malays as being rude and uncivilised in businesses, highly ranked educational character, of feeble intellect, and at a low institutions, prestigious clubs, and transport facilities have been named after stage of intellectual development, indolent, submissive, and prone to piracy. FurtherRaffles. The world’s largest flower, the more, the backwardness of the natives and Rafflesia, a genus of parasitic flowering their various negative traits were blamed plants, is also named after him. on their religion, Islam19. Alatas emphasised that it was not just the petty officials, Raffles had been presented by the small traders, adventurers and politicians, independent Singapore state as a hero of but the best representatives of European sorts, one of the rare instances in the history of a colonial administrator serving civilisation that were responsible for colonial racism20. as a national icon, in a world where most

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For Alatas, the lasting and devastating legacy of colonialism in the Malay world is the internalisation of the British image of the native by the natives themselves. The concomitant development of an inferiority complex among them is a serious consequence of colonial rule and a defining feature of post-colonial society and politics21. In the post-colonial period, this auto-racism is the condition of coloniality without colonialism.

Alatas’ Thomas Stamford Raffles: Schemer or Reformer?22 is an example of what Edward Said referred to as “revisionist” scholarship; that is, works that “set themselves the revisionist, critical task of dealing frontally with the metropolitan culture, using the techniques, discourses, and weapons of scholarship and criticism once reserved exclusively for the European.”23 In Thomas Stamford Raffles, Alatas presents a critique of the philosophy of Raffles at a time in Singapore scholarship when there was hardly any critical assessment of the man. Alatas’ task was to present a critical and balanced, not Eurocentric or Anglocentric account of the thought and deeds of Raffles.

There was a need for this because of the ethnic bias of British historians and biographers in their treatment of Raffles.

In their bid to present Raffles as a progressive statesman and humanitarian reformer, there is a virtual absence of a critical treatment of Raffles’ ethnically prejudiced views of the different Asian communities, his involvement in the Massacre of Palembang, the corruption case known as the Banjarmasin Affair, and other questionable acts, all of which should be put in the proper context of British imperialism and the ideology of colonial capitalism.

With respect to the Massacre of Palembang, Alatas leans towards the view that Raffles was complicit in the events that led up to the murders of 24 Europeans

S. RAJARATNAM. “NATIONAL VALUES OF SINGAPORE”, SEMINAR FOR PRE-UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. 1974, JUNE 17–22. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, SINGAPORE. THE SINGAPORE BICENTENNIAL WEBSITE: HTTPS://WWW.BICENTENNIAL.SG/ABOUT/ C. G. KWA, T. Y., TAN, AND D. HENG. SINGAPORE: A 700-YEAR HISTORY – FROM EARLY EMPORIUM TO WORLD CITY. SINGAPORE: NATIONAL ARCHIVES, 2009. SEE ALSO THE IMPORTANT WORK OF KWA CHONG GUAN & PETER BORSCHBERG, EDS., STUDYING SINGAPORE BEFORE 1800.

D. C., BOULGER. LIFE OF SIR STAMFORD RAFFLES. LONDON: CHARLES KNIGHT, 1973, P. XI. “RAJA TELLS WHY WE STILL HONOUR RAFFLES’ NAME”. THE STRAITS TIMES. 1983, MAY 25.

ALATAS. THE MYTH OF THE LAZY NATIVE. PP. 38–41.

F., FRANTZ. BLACK SKIN, WHITE MASKS, TRANS. CHARLES LAM MARKMAN. NEW YORK: GROVE PRESS, 1967, PP. 90–1.

ALATAS. THE MYTH OF THE LAZY NATIVE. P. 132.

S. H. ALATAS. THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES: SCHEMER OR REFORMER?, WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY SYED FARID ALATAS, SINGAPORE: NUS PRESS, 2020. FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1971 (SYDNEY: ANGUS & ROBERTSON), ALATAS ARGUES FOR A MORE CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF RAFFLES. S. EDWARD. CULTURE AND IMPERIALISM. NEW YORK: VINTAGE, 1993, P. 293.

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and 63 Javanese at the Dutch fort in Palembang, comprising soldiers and civilians24. On the Banjarmasin Affair or Banjarmasin Enormity, Alatas suggested that Raffles engaged in a suspicious acquisition of a territory along the Borneo coast by his friend, Alexander Hare, which involved corruption and forced labour25.

Raffles’ supporters and admirers, as noted

by Alatas, have generally remained silent about his questionable views and activities.

A proper study of Raffles is at one and the same time a study of the crimes of the powerful as well as the criminality of the colonial state32.

Kwa notes perceptively that the idea of 1819 as the beginning of Singapore’s history presents three categories of historiographical problems. One is attributing to Raffles the foreknowledge to recognise the strategic importance of Singapore, resulting in his elevation to a “Great Man” of history and the subsequent focus on generations of “great men”.

History is explained through the impact of great men. The second category of problems is that it possibly aggravated Singapore’s post-1965 identity crisis by depriving it of its origins as a 14th century Malay state. The third category of problems is that it distorts our perspective on the Raffles had also supported the opium trade role of the Malay sultans and their courts in Singapore, suggesting that they were and was concerned about how licensing not active subjects in their own history33. would affect the East India Company’s revenues. Viewing Singapore’s function as To this we may add a fourth category of problems, that is, our attitude towards an outlet for the distribution of opium colonialism. throughout the region, he made every effort such that the Company’s opium The critical anti-colonial spirit is not trade be “protected and offered every completely absent in Singapore, as can be facility”29. Raffles took for himself a five percent commission on each opium seen from Singaporean poet, Suratman licence30. The British opium trade out of Markasan’s poem, “Balada Seorang Lelaki di Depan Patung Raffles” (The Ballad of a Man Singapore that Raffles sanctioned Before the Statue of Raffles), a few lines of constituted Singapore’s largest single source of revenue from 1824 until 191031. which are reproduced below: During the brief period of British rule over Java, Raffles was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Java (1811–1816). It was during this tenure that he was directly involved in the terrible events of 21 June 1812, the rape of Yogyakarta26, the cultural capital of Java, that ended in the killing of hundreds, and its looting and sacking27.

Said to have been the first time an indigenous court was taken in this manner by a European army, the Yogyakarta kraton was stormed, damaged and looted by the British, with much of the contents of its archive stolen by Raffles28.

Raffles smiles rigidly the man who has lost his mind grumbles “I’ve said it a thousand times you deceived my grandparents totally you seized their properties until it’s gone, greedily you gave it away to your friends, enemies do you hear, Raffles? Do you hear?

I should have brought you to face justice at the UN office in New York but unfortunately the judge has no clout34 To note that Raffles was a product of his time and was informed by the dominant ideology of his age, that is, imperialism, is to state the obvious. In our assessment of him today, though, that recognition cannot be an excuse to allow the embarrassing facts of the colonial adventure to disappear.

ssor of rid Alatas is Profe Professor Syed Fa l University of na tio Na the at y Sociolog Singapore.

24 ALATAS. THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. P. 33FF. 25 ALATAS. THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. PP.76FF. C. PETER. THE POWER OF PROPHECY: PRINCE DIPANAGARA AND THE END OF AN OLD ORDER IN JAVA, 1785–1855. LEIDEN: BRILL, 2007, CHAPTER 7.

27 THE BARBARIC NATURE OF THE ATTACK ON YOGYAKARTA WAS CONVENIENTLY LEFT OUT BY RAFFLES HIMSELF IN HIS THE HISTORY OF JAVA, 2 VOLS., LONDON: PRINTED FOR BLACK, PARBURY, AND ALLEN, BOOKSELLERS TO THE HON. EAST-INDIA COMPANY AND JOHN MURRAY, 1817.

28 M. C. RICKLEFS. A HISTORY OF MODERN INDONESIA SINCE C. 1200, 4TH ED. HOUNDMILLS: PALGRAVE MACMILLAN, 2008, PP. 137–8.

29 RAFFLES TO MACKENZIE. 1819, DECEMBER 20. ENCLOSED IN RAFFLES TO DART, 1819, DECEMBER 28. VOL. 50, SUMATRA FACTORY RECORDS, EAST INDIA COMPANY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE; INDIA OFFICE LIBRARY AND RECORDS. LONDON: RECORDAK MICROFILM SERVICE. 1960. MONASH UNIVERSITY. CITED IN NADIA WRIGHT, “FARQUHAR AND RAFFLES: THE UNTOLD STORY”, BIBLIOASIA 14, 4(2019). ACCESSED 2019, OCTOBER 5: HTTP://WWW.NLB.GOV.SG/BIBLIOASIA/2019/01/21/FARQUHAR-RAFFLES-THE-UNTOLD-STORY/#EASY-FOOTNOTE-BOTTOM-24-12942.

30 JENNINGS TO FARQUHAR. 1820, AUGUST 15. L. 4, SSR; ACCOUNTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE. 1826, MARCH 8. VOL. 71, JAVA FACTORY RECORDS, EAST INDIA COMPANY, LONDON, RECORDAK MICROFILM SERVICES, 1956. MICROFILM, MONASH UNIVERSITY. CITED IN NADIA WRIGHT, “FARQUHAR AND RAFFLES: THE UNTOLD STORY”, BIBLIOASIA 14, 4(2019). ACCESSED 2019, OCTOBER 5: HTTP://WWW.NLB.GOV.SG/BIBLIOASIA/2019/01/21/FARQUHAR-RAFFLES-THE-UNTOLD-STORY/#EASY-FOOTNOTE-BOTTOM-24-12942.

31 C. TROCKI. SINGAPORE: WEALTH, POWER AND THE CULTURE OF CONTROL. LONDON: ROUTLEDGE, 2006, P. 20. CITED IN NADIA WRIGHT, “FARQUHAR AND RAFFLES: THE UNTOLD STORY”, BIBLIOASIA 14, 4(2019). ACCESSED 2019, OCTOBER 5: HTTP://WWW.NLB.GOV.SG/BIBLIOASIA/2019/01/21/FARQUHAR-RAFFLES-THE-UNTOLD-STORY/#EASY-FOOTNOTE-BOTTOM-24-12942.

32 SEE MOOSAVI’S IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THIS IDEA IN HIS “DECOLONISING CRIMINOLOGY: SYED HUSSEIN ALATAS ON CRIMES OF THE POWERFUL.” CRITICAL CRIMINOLOGY, 2018. RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1007/S10612-018-9396-9.

33 C. G. KWA. “FROM TEMASEK TO SINGAPORE: LOCATING A GLOBAL CITY-STATE IN THE CYCLES OF MELAKA STRAITS HISTORY”, IN IN KWA CHONG GUAN & PETER BORSCHBERG, EDS., STUDYING SINGAPORE BEFORE 1800, SINGAPORE: NUS PRESS, 2018, PP. 179–205, PP. 201–3.

34 S. MARKASAN. “BALADA SEORANG LELAKI DI DEPAN PATUNG RAFFLES – THE BALLAD OF A MAN BEFORE THE STATUE OF RAFFLES,” IN SURATMAN MARKASAN: PUISI-PUISI PILIHAN – SELECTED POEMS OF SURATMAN MARKASAN, SINGAPORE: NLB, 2014, PP. 18–29.

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RAFFLES TERSENYUM KAKU LELAKI HILANG KEPALA MENGGERUTU “TELAH KUKATAKAN SERIBU KALI KAU MENIPU DATUK-NENEKKU HIDUP MATI KAU RAMPAS HARTANYA PUPUS-RAKUS KAU BAGIKAN KEPADA KAWAN-LAWAN KAU DENGAR RAFFLES? KAU DENGAR? SEHARUSNYA KAU KUBAWA KE MUKA PENGADILAN DI PBB KOTA NEW YORK TAPI SAYANG HAKIM TAK PUNYA GIGI FOR ANOTHER CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE SEE ALSO THE WORK OF THE SINGAPOREAN WRITER, ISA KAMARI, AND HIS NOVEL, DUKA TUAN BERTAKHTA (SADLY YOU RULE), KUALA LUMPUR: AL-AMEEN SERVE HOLDINGS, 2011.

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COMMENTARY:

FOOD DELIVERY WORKERS –

Riding the Waves of Uncertainty

BY NABILAH MOHAMMAD

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In the past couple of years, the gig economy – specifically the food delivery sector – has experienced a burst of demand as a result of fundamental shifts in consumer behaviour. The delivery boom has also created a massive new sector of employment that has pulled in a diverse demographic of workers from various backgrounds.

the car rental company, even if he is on a short-term employment contract.

The driver is deemed to be under what is termed as ‘contract of service’ (note the word ‘of’). However, if one provides a service in return for a fee without entering into any employer-employee relationship, and is not overly constrained by conditions imposed by the platform owner or service buyer, then one is a freelancer; this is termed as ‘contract for service’.

socioeconomic outcomes – especially when the industry, market and consumer trends do not work in their favour all the time.

The RIMA study also points out that more often than not, these workers are youths, housewives, middle-aged, retirees, ex-offenders and the disabled. This trend is made especially possible by how easy it is Food delivery workers are now part of to be a food delivery worker. Almost a growing workforce comprising contractanyone can apply without going through a selection process. The cost of capital – for-service workers (who have clientcontractor relationships) instead of Given their relationship with the companies bicycles, personal mobility devices (PMDs) one that is between an employer or power-assisted bicycles – is also that own food delivery platforms, food and employee. delivery workers are actually gig freelanc- affordable to many, given the various schemes available to acquire them. ers. They are known as own- account While food delivery is not a new concept, workers in the Manpower Ministry’s the development of this industry is OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES labour force surveys. They are also unique – delivery personnel are directed FOR FOOD DELIVERY WORKERS considered self-employed persons (SEPs) and engaged by digital platforms with by the CPF and Inland Revenue Authority The RIMA study also cited several pull and limited human interactions and inputs. push factors why people join the food of Singapore.

The reorganisation of work processes, delivery business: attraction to its in conjunction with unprecedented flexibility, a growing preference for According to former Member of Parliacontractual arrangements today, has ment, Mr Zainal Sapari, workers providing autonomous work arrangements, reliable resulted in novel work regimes. The payment methods and monetary services for ride-hailing firm, Grab, and traditional framework of full-time stable food-delivery service provider, Deliveroo, incentives, peer influence, low barriers to work is now being challenged by entry, and utilising free time and personal for example, are not employees; instead, on-demand freelance hire. they are independent contractors, who are vehicle. not entitled to statutory or other benefits2.

When asked about their future in food EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF THE FOOD delivery, the participants’ responses were DELIVERY WORKER Independent contractors like the food varied. Those who have been in the mix There are misconceptions about the delivery workers are, therefore, not longer have seen incentives declining over relationship between food delivery riders covered by the Employment Act, and time. They are less optimistic about how and the platforms they work for. Some statutory benefits such as working hours earnings from food delivery work will fare hold the mistaken notion that they are gig and leave entitlements do not apply to in the longer run. economy workers, who are employed by them. Thus far, the impact of these companies that supply goods or services developments in Singapore has been the workers deliver. subjected to limited empirical investigation. However, there are also those who feel that the industry will remain stable. While they acknowledge the possibility of In his 2017 speech on the Central The Centre for Research on Islamic and technology displacing their roles, the Provident Fund (CPF) and the gig Malay Affairs (RIMA) conducted a participants believe that it will be a long economy, former Manpower Minister, qualitative study on 60 food delivery time before human deliverymen will be Mr Lim Swee Say, elucidated the distinction workers in Singapore from August 2019 displaced from their jobs. between gig workers and freelancers1. to August 2020. This study aims to seek He said gig workers can be employees or clarity on the different types of food Do they plan to leave the industry in the freelancers. He cited the example of a delivery workers, the reasons why they near future? Well, the responses were also joined the business, and how they utilise private car driver, who joins a transport mixed. While some are satisfied with the and enjoy the perks, and overcome the company with an employment contract job, others opt to stay as long as the gig is perils that come with the job. while taking on jobs offered via apps. around due to a lack of alternative employment opportunities. Among those In such instances, while the driver is in the More importantly, it also expounds on how food delivery workers view long-term who view food delivery work as a gig economy, he remains an employee short-term prospect, the majority of them employability and what actions are protected by labour laws because there is an employment contract between him and typically taken to ensure that they do not also see it as a milestone in their career.

They also think that it is fine to turn to descend into a vicious cycle of adverse 1

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MINISTRY OF MANPOWER. SPEECH ON CPF AND GIG ECONOMY BY MR LIM SWEE SAY, MINISTER FOR MANPOWER, AT COS 2017. 2017, MARCH 6. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.MOM.GOV.SG/NEWSROOM/SPEECHES/2017/0306-SPEECHBYMIN-LIM-ON-CPF-AND-GIG-ECONOMY-AT-COS-2017 2 CHENG, K. PROTECT FREELANCERS UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ACT, MPS URGE. TODAY. 2018, NOVEMBER 21. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.TODAYONLINE.COM/SINGAPORE/PROTECT-FREELANCERS-UNDEREMPLOYMENTACT-MPS-URGE

With a larger number of food delivery workers in the business, their well-being in terms of financial health, and long-term employability and career progression become matters that need to be treated with greater urgency. Failure to find solutions to ensure a good work platform would increase precarity and insecurity for these workers. It is, therefore, critical to address these issues to prepare adequately and plan good outcomes for them, as well as general workers, in advance.

For instance, food delivery work may not necessarily be bad for all groups; thus, there is a need to recognise the diversity among them and understand their needs and calibrate interventional measures accordingly. There is also a need to protect those wanting to stay as SEPs by compensating those wishing to upgrade. food delivery work as an interim source of income while searching for something more permanent to come along.

When it comes to challenges, many of the participants share similar concerns. Most of the issues centre on the food delivery company and/or the workers themselves.

In these cases, the participants shared the difficulties in managing the expectations of customers and merchants, delay in responses from management, the changing terms and conditions of incentives, and the allocation of trips by food delivery companies.

3

study suggests, there are concerns expressed by the food delivery workers about the working conditions that they are subjected to, and the challenges they experience when delivering food.

The nature of the work, for instance, does not help them build skills over time; thus, their longer-term employability is a major concern. The industry itself is also fraught with uncertainty. While it is hard to foresee such work being displaced by technology in the immediate term, it is worth noting that it all began with a single innovation i.e. an application, and there is no telling if another innovation will render food delivery work redundant.

In addition, food delivery is also largely dependent on the market’s volatility and consumer trends. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, a shock could change any industry’s configuration considerably. As other sectors are grounded to a standstill, the demand for food delivery business has increased by about 20 to 30 percent since a ban on dining outside started on 7 April 2020; many flocked to the business for income3.

While one may argue that this is only a temporary reorientation, many consumers who are not accustomed to using an app to place orders for food now have learned of its convenience. Likewise, many workers who entered the food delivery business at the height of the pandemic now have acquired its benefits. These experiences are likely to induce lasting changes in consumer and market trends.

Other concerns include a lack of flexibility and accessibility for riders like the disabled, an absence of basic benefits such as medical leave, and the recent restriction of using PMDs on footpaths.

With a larger number of food delivery workers in the business, their well-being in terms of financial health, and long-term employability and career progression become matters that need to be treated with greater urgency. Failure to find FOOD DELIVERY WORK: solutions to ensure a good work platform GOOD OR BAD? would increase precarity and insecurity for The food delivery industry has helped these workers. It is, therefore, critical to open new doors of employment with some address these issues to prepare adequately of the biggest beneficiaries including and plan good outcomes for them, as well individuals who normally have limited as general workers, in advance. access to conventional jobs and are less capable of accepting traditional work For instance, food delivery work may not arrangements. However, as the RIMA necessarily be bad for all groups; thus,

TOH, T. W. FOOD DELIVERY SECTOR BOOMS IN A TIME OF CORONAVIRUS. THE STRAITS TIMES. 2020, APRIL 26. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM/SINGAPORE/TRANSPORT/SECTOR-BOOMS-IN-A-TIME-OF-CORONAVIRUS

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there is a need to recognise the diversity among them and understand their needs and calibrate interventional measures accordingly. There is also a need to protect those wanting to stay as SEPs by compensating those wishing to upgrade.

Social service agencies should also reach out to food delivery workers in unconventional ways. They could organise dialogues on the workers’ future, and help introduce bridging programmes to help those with lower educational attainments or who find learning curves too steep.

Indeed, the food delivery platforms are providing flexible opportunities to earning income, helping many workers achieve economic security and greater control over their working hours.

For some, it is often riskier but a more lucrative pursuit compared with other available jobs.

For others, who are desperately seeking an immediate income, it can be a lifeline.

Nabilah Mohammad is a Senior Research Analyst at the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA). She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Specialist Diploma in Statistics and Data Mining.

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A Long-Term Outlook on Women’s Issues at Work and with their Families

BY NORHANNA YUMI IBRAHIM

EMBEDDING DEEP-SEATED VALUES I was pleased when the Singapore government announced that it will be conducting a review on shaping mindsets on how girls and women are to be regarded and treated. What is more heartening is that the review will take a more philosophical approach in embedding deep-seated values that ultimately shape the minds, attitudes and behaviours of Singaporeans on women-related matters.

This paper is a reflection of my aspiration for women at the workplace and at home with their families despite the fact that gender gaps, stereotypes and biases in other domains remain. They say, “No one is an island”. Thus, ensuring that women are given their due rights, consideration and respect in private or public will definitely lead to a positive impact that will uplift families and societies in general.

I hope the review will take into consideration the entire system of shifting mindsets of not just individuals but communities, corporations and the government itself. The basis of this mindset change is in how we view shortand long-term gains which will inevitably change how women are treated at work and within families. My hope is that the review will eventually lead to an overhaul in our mindsets, policies, conventions,

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systems and structures in order to achieve programmed to conceive, gestate a foetus, a value-laden society. give birth and immediately nourish the baby by breastfeeding, just as nature THE INCULCATION OF VALUES intended. Adding to that, a woman has to First, let us review the circle of life and keep up with paid and unpaid work how values are developed. Values are without missing a beat! formed from birth where the infant internalises the values and behaviours Mothers who choose to stay at home of his caregivers. Marriage and family are frowned upon. The choice to forgo are the most vital social-educational financial independence in order to raise a institutions for children where virtues family is considered selfish, and they are such as respect for everyone including questioned about their contribution to women, are instilled. society. How ironic!

In the first three years of a child’s life, his brain forms one million neural connections per second (Babysparks, 2019). During this time, social and emotional competences develop.

Constant and quality interactions and loving relationships with parents or caregivers provide a stable platform for the child. It is not just quality but quantity that counts in the building block years.

This is a long-term gain worthy of our immediate attention.

STANDARDS OF LIVING & WORK ENVIRONMENT The steep costs of living in Singapore have made it harder for couples to start a family on a comfortable financial footing. It is almost unthinkable for a parent to be home with their child for the first few months after childbirth, much less the first few years.

In the second most overworked city in the world, employed mothers in Singapore not only face stressful work environments but constantly battle work-family conflict that result in guilt, anxiety and depression.

Single women fare no better in motherhood. Having put off marriage and childbearing to build up their careers and increase their savings, they face the likelihood of decreasing fertility and increasing pregnancy risks as they age.

Singapore’s current employment landscape does not meet the needs of women’s child-bearing and -rearing years.

There are a few reasons.

Firstly, many employees are subjected to Singapore’s workaholic culture leading to poor work-life balance and job stressors, which can adversely affect one’s physical The competitive economic impact and mental health. In a country that has on society today has seen the rise of been ranked among the bottom tier under dual-income families. Career advancements work-life balance (TODAY, 2019), women and financial pursuits are key factors in Singapore have increasingly defined attributing to women marrying later, professional success as having work-life overriding the desire to get married and balance over money (CFO Innovation start a family. One main motivation Staff, 2013). driving the return of women back to work after a career break is also the financial Secondly, while many find themselves aspects (Robert Walters, n.d.). seeking flexible working arrangements (FWAs), there is an implementation gap The social implications of being a wife, in the provision of flexi-work options – mother and a member of the labour force be it in the domain of the workplace, are very challenging. More women are work hours or workload (Straughan & working today as reflected in the labour Tadai, 2016). Low-income women who force participation rates. usually engage in casual work often cannot enjoy FWAs. They continually However, despite their paid employment struggle to find work where their status, there is a lack of change in the own working hours complement the proportion of unpaid household and operating hours of childcare centres or caregiving responsibilities towards alternative care arrangements, for children and the elderly, which women instance (AWARE, 2018). continue to bear. Women are biologically 14 T H E K A R Y A W A N © AMP SINGAPORE. PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCTION.

Professional women, too, are left with little choice but to exit the workforce as there are few to zero opportunities to contribute in the same professional capacity – whether in a part-time or flexi-work arrangement. According to Employer Alliance (2011, 2013) cited in Straughan and Tadai (2016), “The prevalence of traditional work patterns (8am-6pm x 5 days every week), significance of face time, and the expectation of overtime continue to cast suspicion on non-conventional work patterns in Singapore…”

Thirdly, when those who have taken a hiatus from work try to re-enter the job market, they are faced with discrimination due to perceived skill deterioration and being not “up-to-date” (Robert Walters, n.d.). Hence, women who had stayed at home for a few years remain hesitant to go back to work, or those who consider staying home dismiss the thought of a career break almost immediately.

GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS Singapore’s marriage and fertility rates have been dipping over the years. Our fertility rates are at an all-time low of 1.14 total births per woman in 2019 (Department of Statistics Singapore, n.d.) – making it one of the lowest globally.

Experts have cited that the long working hours in Singapore is a major factor why Singaporeans have fewer children (Tang, 2018).

Most employees are not just physically preoccupied with work but mentally and emotionally as well. The highly intense work culture in Singapore inadvertently leads an employee to neglect family duties. Time spent at work by both parents is time away from family and precious opportunities to bring the child up with an ideal set of morals, values, attitudes and behaviours.

In the grand scheme of things, are our material successes more important than building the nation and raising good human beings with strong values? After all, our children will constitute the labour force of the future. Society needs to be an honest critic of itself before beginning any reformation process.

MY WISH LIST My wish is to see a firm mindset change favouring long-term gains over short-term goals. This is imperative for a favourable shift in our values and overall system, particularly with respect to women in their reproductive years.

Firstly, the mindset change on the importance of both parents being actively engaged in raising their children cannot be emphasised enough. Men and fathers have crucial roles to play in inculcating values and fostering positive mindsets of the young through active fathering, sharing of household, caregiving and parenting duties as well as adopting fair and respectful treatment towards girls and women.

It is widely known that active fathering has a positive impact on a child’s social and emotional development. According to the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (n.d.), “Studies suggest that children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behaviour, and avoid high-risk behaviours including drug use, missing school and criminal activity”.

Sharing of household chores, too, encourages a sense of responsibility in children.

Those whose fathers display affection, respect and kindness towards their spouses are more likely to treat their future spouses the same way (Rosenberg & Wilcox, 2006).

It is also true that husbands who help with childcare duties contribute to increasing their working spouses’ morale (Hoffman et. al., 1999). The ever-lasting benefits of positive male role models on future generations speak for themselves.

Hence, it is crucial that men, too, are able to disconnect psychologically from work, and be physically and emotionally present at home.

Secondly, there must be a mindset change in the form of societal acknowledgment that women are biologically different from men. Pregnancy affects women in various ways – while some may experience minimal symptoms, others face major complications, illnesses, discomforts, and even miscarriages. After which, they go through one of the most extreme pains ever evaluated – the pain

of labour (Beigi, Broumandfar & Abedi, 2010). Most mothers then choose to breastfeed whenever possible as breastmilk is the ideal nourishment for an infant.

Another long-overdue measure is the provision of a suite of flexible and part-time work arrangements, as well as extended unpaid leave made available to both men and women. This is in addition Breastfeeding provides the child antibodies, to the right to request for such options, and offers the mother a host of health without penalty, to balance work with benefits. It also gives the mother a surge household and caregiving responsibilities. of oxytocin – the hormone responsible It is a win-win situation for companies to for maternal bonding – each time she offer FWAs. breastfeeds. This is one reason behind women’s natural predisposition in caring Approximately 90 percent of married for children. It is a given that some respondents in a 2016 Marriage and women may need the extended time to Parenthood Survey agreed that FWAs recuperate and care for their children, would attract and retain them in an especially during their formative years. organisation (Strategy Group PMO, 2017).

A vast number of them also concurred Thirdly, a mindset change such that that “FWAs would make/have made it public policies support women is easier to start a family (87%) and have absolutely vital for a sustained progressive more children (79%)” (Ibid). The difference in societal values and norms. additional time that employees get to A reform in governmental financial spend with their children also allows for assistance and schemes is needed to the cultivation of good and strong values. further support lower- and middle-income FWAs and the right to request for them families to provide families with a viable establish a better work-life balance. option of a stay-at-home parent. PolicyThese measures would not only improve makers could also tighten the existing women’s well-being, but afford men scheme by imposing a mandatory cash or more time to participate more actively CPF top-up by the working family member in household, caregiving and parenting to boost the retirement savings of the duties. caregiver in the family.

Two ingenious proposals to encourage Fourthly, while legislations are key, there increased male presence at home are must be a corresponding mindset change extending exclusive paternity leave and in employers to agree to implement introducing a paternity cover policy changes to the work culture, policies and where a contract staff is hired to cover the practices that will provide a better staff on paternity leave (Arivalagan, n.d.). work-life balance. FWAs should be implemented where possible and the At the same time, a commitment by the prevention of unfair treatment and state and market to allow women longer discrimination must be strictly enforced. time off for pregnancy, childbirth and child-rearing and not penalise them when Legislations play a key role in normalising they apply for leave from work, take a changes to social and employment career break or have a late start in their customs. It is important to seal a career, needs to come to fruition. Women transformation of the mind through should not be hurried back to work on the public and corporate policy. This translates pretext of contributing to the economy, into real benefits and consequences, i.e. should they choose to stay home and raise time, money, job availability and security. their children. Enforcing stricter There needs to be a consistent messaging non-discriminatory and anti-harassment from the top ranks to those at the bottom. employment practices would promote fair workplace environments for both men The French example demonstrates how and women, encompassing recruitment, crucial legislation is to improving salary, performance appraisal, career work-life balance. The labour laws in progression and training opportunities.

France have given employees the “right Protection against wrongful dismissals is to disconnect” once work has ended imperative but in and of itself, inadequate.

(Petroff & Cornevin, 2017) where work communication and the obligation to respond stops when employees clock out.

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Still, a mindset change needs to be initiated by employers to willingly welcome this rash of proposals and establish a sustained change in Singapore’s work culture. The mindset change refers to recognising the family as a vital social institution that cannot be compromised – employees belong to families and should not be working long hours to meet bosses’ unrealistic expectations.

Employees should not be penalised for taking time off or for requesting for FWAs for family reasons. The biological make-up of women is different from men; it requires a different systemic approach.

The institution of improved work-life balance, FWAs and exclusive paternity leave will result in the curtailing of workplace discrimination and harassment against pregnant women, new mothers, returners and those who opt to work fewer hours. For now, those women are perceived to have lower competence and commitment to their work, despite delivering results.

MINDSET CHANGE A mindset change by everyone in the system is perhaps the most fundamental and difficult aspect required to address women’s issues. However, once it is met, the process of embedding deep-seated gender-equalising values and realising fair treatment towards girls and women will be eased in a joint effort among families, communities, corporations and the government.

Family upbringing, policies, practices and systemic changes are fundamental to shape a societal mindset. The reverse is true as well once these factors are met: • the criticality of active male involvement at home • the acknowledgement that women are biologically different from men • the need for further government support • the urgency of changes to work culture, policies and practices.

It seems logical to assume that domestic, work and systemic-related stresses and anxiety experienced by women will be substantially reduced with the above changes. The low marriage and fertility rates we are experiencing today will see a positive turnaround. When women are 16 T H E K A R Y A W A N © AMP SINGAPORE. PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCTION.

rightfully accorded the space, time and ease of mind to have and raise children, the impact from the private and familial spheres to the professional and public domains will benefit all fronts.

er and has Norhanna Yumi Ibrahim is a moth Manager close to five years of experience as nt of PPIS’ Research and Engageme en Department which looks into wom and matters. She holds a BBM from SMU ive BIRKH (Islamic Theology & Comparat opinions Religion) from IIUM. The views and expressed in this article are her own.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ARIVALAGAN, Y. “STAY-AT-HOME” FATHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES: WHAT LESSONS FOR POLICYMAKERS? INSTITUTE OF POLICY STUDIES, LEE KUAN YEW SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE. (N.D.) RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://LKYSPP.NUS.EDU.SG/DOCS/DEFAULT-SOURCE/IPS/STAY-AT-HOMEFATHERS-AND-THEIR-FAMILIES-WHAT-LESSONS-FOR-POLICYMAKERS.PDF AWARE. “WHY ARE YOU NOT WORKING?” LOW-INCOME MOTHERS EXPLAIN CHALLENGES WITH WORK & CARE. 2018. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://D2T1LSPZRJTIF2.CLOUDFRONT.NET/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/ADVO CACY-REPORT-WHY-ARE-YOU-NOT-WORKING-UPDATED-2-APRIL-2019.PDF BABYSPARKS. THE FIRST THREE YEARS: A CRITICAL WINDOW FOR DEVELOPMENT. 2019, FEBRUARY 11. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://BABYSPARKS.COM/2019/02/11/YOUR-CHILDS-RAPIDLY-DEVELOPIN G-BRAIN/#:~:TEXT=THE%20ARCHITECTURE%20OF%20THE%20BRAIN&TEXT= MAKE%20IT%20HAPPEN.-,DURING%20THE%20FIRST%20THREE%20YEARS%2 0OF%20LIFE%2C%20A%20CHILD%20DEVELOPS,OF%201%20MILLION%20PER %20SECOND.&TEXT=THIS%20PROCESS%20OF%20%E2%80%9CPRUNING%E2 %80%9D%20NEURAL,EFFECTS%20DURING%20THE%20EARLY%20YEARS BEIGI, N. M. A., BROUMANDFAR, K. & ABEDI, H. A. WOMEN’S EXPERIENCE OF PAIN DURING CHILDBIRTH. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY RESEARCH, 2010, 15(2): 77-82. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV/PMC/ARTICLES/PMC3093177/ CFO INNOVATION STAFF. SINGAPORE’S FEMALE PROFESSIONALS CHOOSE WORK-LIFE BALANCE OVER WEALTH. 2013, MARCH 5. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.CFOINNOVATION.COM/SINGAPORE-S-FEMALE-PROFESSIONA LS-CHOOSE-WORK-LIFE-BALANCE-OVER-WEALTH DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS. STATISTICS ON MARRIAGES AND DIVORCES REFERENCE YEAR 2019. DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MINISTRY OF TRADE & INDUSTRY, REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE. 2019. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.SINGSTAT.GOV.SG/-/MEDIA/FILES/PUBLICATIONS/POPULATIO N/SMD2019.PDF DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS. UNDERSTANDING AGE-SPECIFIC FERTILITY RATE & TOTAL FERTILITY RATE. (N.D.) RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.SINGSTAT.GOV.SG/MODULES/INFOGRAPHICS/TOTAL-FERTILIT Y-RATE HINGORANI, S. COMMENTARY: IF MUMS ARE AMAZING, WHY DO SOME WORKPLACES DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PREGNANT WOMEN? 2020, MAY 15.

RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.CHANNELNEWSASIA.COM/NEWS/COMMENTARY/COMMENTAR Y-IF-MUMS-ARE-AMAZING-WHY-DO-SOME-WORKPLACES-12728728 HOFFMAN, L. W., YOUNGBLADE, L., COLEY, R. L. & FULIGNI, A. S. MOTHERS AT WORK: EFFECTS ON CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1999.

INSTITUTE OF POLICY STUDIES. PERCEPTIONS OF SINGLES ON MARRIAGE AND HAVING CHILDREN. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE. 2013. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://LKYSPP.NUS.EDU.SG/DOCS/DEFAULT-SOURCE/IPS/POPS-6_REPOR T_0812.PDF LONG, B. C. & KAHN, S. E. (EDS.). WOMEN, WORK AND COPING. MCGILL-QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1993.

MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE. (N.D.) RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.WHO.INT/TEAMS/MENTAL-HEALTH-AND-SUBSTANCE-USE/M ENTAL-HEALTH-IN-THE-WORKPLACE MINISTRY OF MANPOWER. WORK-LIFE GRANT (WLG) FOR FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS. (N.D.) RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.MOM.GOV.SG/EMPLOYMENT-PRACTICES/GOOD-WORK-PRACTI CES/WORK-LIFE-GRANT NATIONAL RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD CLEARINGHOUSE. FATHER PRESENCE. (N.D.) RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.FATHERHOOD.GOV/FOR-DADS/FATHER-PRESENCE

PETROFF, A. & CORNEVIN, O. FRANCE GIVES WORKERS RIGHT TO DISCONNECT FROM OFFICE EMAIL. 2017, JANUARY 2. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://MONEY.CNN.COM/2017/01/02/TECHNOLOGY/FRANCE-OFFICE-EMAIL -WORKERS-LAW/ ROBERT WALTERS (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD. A GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS: UNDERSTANDING EMPLOYERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS WOMEN RETURNING TO WORK. (N.D.) RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.ROBERTWALTERS.COM.SG/CONTENT/DAM/ROBERT-WALTERS /COUNTRY/SINGAPORE/FILES/WHITEPAPERS/ROBERT-WALTERS-WOMEN-R ETURNING-TO-WORK.PDF ROSENBERG, J. & WILCOX, W. B. THE IMPORTANCE OF FATHERS IN THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, ADMINISTRATION ON CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES, CHILDREN’S BUREAU, OFFICE ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, 2006. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.CHILDWELFARE.GOV/PUBPDFS/FATHERHOOD.PDF STRATEGY GROUP SINGAPORE, PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE. KEY FINDINGS FROM MARRIAGE AND PARENTHOOD SURVEY 2016. 2017, JULY 8.

RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRATEGYGROUP.GOV.SG/MEDIA-CENTRE/PRESS-RELEASES/ ARTICLE/DETAILS/KEY-FINDINGS-FROM-MARRIAGE-AND-PARENTHOOD-SU RVEY-2016 STRAUGHAN, P. T., & TADAI, M. E. ADDRESSING THE IMPLEMENTATION GAP: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO FLEXI WORK ARRANGEMENTS IN SINGAPORE. ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCES, 2016, 1-20. AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://INK.LIBRARY.SMU.EDU.SG/CGI/VIEWCONTENT.CGI?ARTICLE=3456& CONTEXT=SOSS_RESEARCH TANG, L. THE BIG READ: BREAKING SINGAPORE’S WORKAHOLIC CULTURE. 2018, DECEMBER 24. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.CHANNELNEWSASIA.COM/NEWS/SINGAPORE/BREAKING-SIN GAPORE-WORKAHOLIC-CULTURE-LONG-WORKING-HOURS-ALWAYS--11058104 THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS – ESTABLISHING THE FOUNDATIONS. 2018.

RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.PREVENTION.PSU.EDU/UPLOADS/FILES/RWJF444708-SELFOU NDATIONS.PDF THE WORLD BANK. FERTILITY RATE, TOTAL (BIRTHS PER WOMAN). (N.D.) RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://DATA.WORLDBANK.ORG/INDICATOR/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN?LOCATIONS=SG TODAY. SINGAPORE RANKS 32 OUT OF 40 FOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE, SECOND MOST OVERWORKED CITY. 2019, AUGUST 8. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.TODAYONLINE.COM/SINGAPORE/SINGAPORE-RANKS-32-OUT40-WORK-LIFE-BALANCE-SECOND-MOST-OVERWORKED-CITY WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE. (N.D.) RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.WHO.INT/TEAMS/MENTAL-HEALTH-AND-SUBSTANCE-USE/M ENTAL-HEALTH-IN-THE-WORKPLACE

Muslim Womanhood and Hierarchical Gender Relations in Southeast Asia

BY DR HUMAIRAH ZAINAL

THE MORAL DISCIPLINING OF MUSLIM WOMEN Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor is a popular actress, television host and entrepreneur from Malaysia. She is also the founder of NH Prima International Sdn Bhd, a fashion business hijab empire known for selling chic headscarves under the brand name Naelofar Hijab. Her hijab line is sold in 38 countries, including London’s upmarket Chelsea district. In 2017, Neelofa made it to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list under the retail and e-commerce category. She was also appointed as French beauty brand, Lancome’s first hijab-wearing ambassador.

Lancome Malaysia saw her career success, confidence and vivacious personality as the perfect embodiment of femininity.

Indeed, her accomplishments, and image of the ‘modern’ Muslim woman, have made her an inspiring figure for many.

Nonetheless, as with any celebrity, especially in a country with a huge entertainment industry, Neelofa is not free from controversies. In February 2018, she incurred the wrath of local Muslims for launching her new headscarf collection in Zouk, a renowned nightclub in Kuala Lumpur. What had sent netizens abuzz was the choice of venue, which was seemingly at odds with the Islamic virtues that the hijab is supposed to symbolise.

The sight of hijab-wearing Muslim women dancing in the club to Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You had also caused a huge furore among her female detractors. Although it was an all-women’s event and did not transgress the Islamic ruling on gender segregation in the socialisation of Muslims, it was highly criticised by the public.

Responding to media reporters, Neelofa initially commented that she was unfazed by the negative public reactions. Hosting the event elsewhere would have her paying eight times more. Moreover, Zouk’s lighting with neon effects, LED displays, and other facilities were necessary and aligned with the event’s theme. However, netizens continued to criticise Neelofa, whom they regarded as a hijab icon, on social media. One fan was so upset that she burnt six scarves and two inner scarves that she had purchased from Naelofar Hijab as a symbolic protest to the launch.

Male religious authorities were quick to weigh in on the issue. Musa Awang, the

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President of the Malaysian Sharia Lawyers’ Association, warned that Neelofa, the organiser and the guests could be charged under the Sharia Criminal Offences for insulting Islam and bringing disrepute to a religious symbol. Muftis from the states of Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and the Federal Territories, also issued open letters to Neelofa.

While the intervention by the male authorities was expected given the high manifestation of patriarchy in Malaysia, Malay women too internalised the moral policing of females by men. Some had even urged her, who was still single, to “settle down quickly so that a man could lead her to the path of righteousness”.

Fellow female artistes such as Erma Fatima advised her to heed the Muftis’ advice. A month later, Rizalman Mokhtar, a leader of political party, UMNO, was arrested during a police raid at a karaoke centre in Kuala Lumpur in the wee hours of the morning, after being allegedly tested positive for drugs. Being a married man with children, he had drawn criticisms towards his late night activity. Interestingly, the public reaction towards his arrest paled in comparison to the Neelofa saga, and died down after Rizalman held a press conference in which he clarified matters and maintained his innocence.

Religious leaders did not condemn his behaviour despite speculations that he was contesting for a parliamentary seat in the 14th Malaysian General Elections.

The backlash against Neelofa subsided when Noor Nabila Mohd Noor, Managing Director of NH Prima International Sdn Bhd, who is also Neelofa’s sister, issued a statement of apology. Nabila assured that they had taken the necessary precautions to ensure that products deemed haram (impermissible in Islam), such as alcoholic drinks, were removed from Zouk before the event. Access to the bar was sealed, and smoking was prohibited during the event.

They had also engaged a halal food caterer.

Nabila promised that they would consider the religious and cultural sensitivities of Muslims in their future plans, and hoped that everyone would give them a chance to improve themselves.

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FROM ‘MODERN’ HIJAB ICON TO NIQAB ‘ROLE MODEL’ In October 2020, Neelofa made the headlines again when she posted photos of herself wearing the niqab or face veil, and loose outfit, on her Instagram. She explained her new image as a form of hijrah, or journey towards becoming a better Muslim, adding that she was willing to sacrifice what she had loved, which is worldly beauty, for the sake of the hereafter. Following this decision, her Instagram posts were replete with religious-oriented messages that urged Muslims not to be obsessed with worldly pursuits and to focus on the afterlife instead. Female fans expressed admiration for her new appearance.

another better and discuss the next steps to take. Her sister, Nabila, also shared that Neelofa’s ideal qualities of a husband included the ability to give a tazkirah or short sermon every Friday evening, to lead her to Paradise, and one who keeps a beard.

The latter is perceived as a trait of a pious man since it is a sunnah of the Prophet.

Videos of PU Riz delivering a sermon to her female family members at their home went viral thereafter. Netizens also expressed hope that PU Riz could advise Neelofa’s sisters, who are not wearing the hijab, to cover their aurat. It remained unclear if PU Riz was influential in Neelofa’s decision to don the niqab – he might have. Implicit in these statements are the taken-for-granted assumption of male authority and superiority over The practice of wearing the niqab is hardly women, which entails a sense of entitleuniversal in Islamic societies; it is more ment to guide and discipline the latter. closely associated with the Arab states The climate in which male religious than the Muslim communities in authorities dominate state policies on the Southeast Asia. By framing her new image family and public life legitimise hierarchias a form of hijrah, she had conflated cal gender relations within Malay families cultural norms with religious requireand the community. ments. In their research on female Muslim cultural identities centred on the headscarf, PU Riz shot to fame in 2016 as a contestant Williams and Kamaludeen (2017) of the fourth season of ‘Pencetus Ummah’, a highlight that Malaysian Muslims are local Islamic reality programme that increasingly subscribing to the latest and features young male contestants in the chic fashion trends while continuing to pursuit of finding the most competent and cover their aurat (parts of the body that charismatic winner. He has since built his normative Islamic law requires Muslims career as an actor and motivational to cover out of moral decency). As an speaker. Outwardly religious men such as educated woman, Neelofa should have PU Riz are not without controversies known that the definition of aurat either. Shortly after the merisik ceremony, constitutes all part of the body except for his former girlfriend of five years, Amal the face and palms for Muslim women.

Syahmina, attributed the end of their Her female fans too should have been relationship to a ‘third party’. Netizens more discerning and critical in interpretrallied behind her and expressed hope that ing her rationale for wearing the niqab. she would find someone better than PU Riz. This was not the first time that a HIERARCHICAL GENDER RELATIONS seemingly pious man left his partner for AMONG MUSLIM FAMILIES another woman. Earlier in 2020, another On 1 November 2020, speculations of preacher from the same reality Neelofa dating a freelance religious programme, PU Abu Sufyan, divorced his preacher, Haris Ismail, also known as ‘PU first wife who was seven months pregnant Riz’ (‘PU’ stands for ‘Pencetus Ummah’), after she refused to practise polygamy two were confirmed when her mother, Noor months after his second marriage.

Kartini, uploaded a photo of them on Instagram. She was grateful that Allah had MAKING SENSE OF EDUCATED granted Neelofa a soulmate who could WOMEN’S INTERNALISATION OF “lead her”. The photo was taken at a marital PATRIARCHAL IDEOLOGIES tradition in Malay society known as One may wonder how educated and merisik, where the man and his family visit ‘modern’ women like Neelofa could submit his potential bride’s family to express his to patriarchy. It can be argued that their intention of marriage, to get to know one internalisation of patriarchal ideologies is

partly attributed to transformations of authoritative forms of religious authority brought about by popular forms of Islam, at least in the Malay world of Southeast Asia. Religious-oriented television programmes and social media sites featuring more youthful religious leaders or ustaz who embody chic Islam that merges elements of piety and global consumerism has not only challenged the status quo of the older and more conservative generation, but has fed into a public fascination with charismatic and young male religious leaders. Unlike ustaz from the older generation, these younger ustaz do not necessarily don outfits that resemble those worn by Muslims in the Middle East, such as the robe and turban.

Instead, they put on outfits that are more congruent with the sartorial norms of local Muslims. Additionally, they actively tap on social media platforms to proselytise Islamic messages, especially to the youth. This persona has made them figures whom society perceive as embodying traits of the ‘ideal’ Muslim man, and whom young and single Muslim women valorise and aspire to marry.

still prefer male religious authority over female, and regard their legal interpretations as more authoritative. Nurhaizatul’s Singaporean Muslim female interviewees did not reject patriarchal religious leadership either (Nurhaizatul, 2016).

GENDER EQUALITY WITHIN AN ISLAMIC FRAMEWORK Though there are many empowering verses in the Quran about gender equality, they seldom form the source of values to frame the relationship between men and women because classical interpretations of the text, as well as discourses on gender relations, have been monopolised by men to their advantage. Hence, it is important to raise society’s awareness of egalitarian family laws and values within an Islamic framework, and bring Islamic thought into conversations with feminism. This will pave the way towards transcending ideological dichotomies such as ‘Western’ and ‘Islamic’ feminism. Progressive gender narratives can be promoted at various levels. The private realm of the home would be a good launchpad to advocate notions of equality within Islam since the home is where patriarchal ideologies are Other reasons for the conformance to deeply embedded. These include upholdpatriarchy lie in male religious elites’ ing gender egalitarian figures such as invocation of religious concepts to justify Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), their moral authority, women’s uncritical and highlighting the general Islamic acceptance of such concepts, and their principle for leadership that necessary longstanding preference for men to day-to-day tasks should be fulfilled in the assume the role of religious authority. My most efficient manner by the household research on Malay-Muslim women’s member best suited for the tasks rather interpretation of polygamy in Malaysian than by gender. Although gendered and Indonesian films and drama series division of labour has worked out for shows that women too can uphold some Muslim families, it does not have patriarchy, especially when discourses on explicit Quranic ordinance. So is the gender relations are masked under the notion that men are natural leaders. At the guise of religion (Humairah, 2019). Those community level, conversations on gender who accept polygamy in their lives would equality and women’s rights should be often conflate the terms ‘sharia’ and ‘fiqh’. extended to men since gender discourses Their lack of understanding of the and issues affect everyone in society. One difference between ‘sharia’, which means way to normalise discussions on gender is ‘path’, and is divine and eternal, and ‘fiqh’, by framing the struggle for women’s rights which is the human understanding of the and gender equality as part of a broader Quran, and is therefore dynamic, explains struggle for human rights rather than their unquestioning attitude towards the women’s rights per se. Studies have shown norms surrounding polygamy. Such that when men are able to realise the attitudes are not unique to Malaysia. Kloos broader structural issues at stake, they are and Künkler’s (2016) study on female more likely to embrace notions of social Islamic authority in contemporary Asia responsibility, and be willing partners highlights that despite permissiveness for with women in the fight against sexism female juristic expertise in Islamic law, and unfair treatment. In addition, there Muslim believers, be it men or women, needs to be a greater commitment towards

initiating reforms on positive gender relations in public spaces especially at the workplace. This would include fostering collegial and respectful relationships between men and women, and encouraging men to take a public stance at the workplace, such as calling out sexist behaviour and policies that discriminate against women, for the sake of women’s empowerment and gender equality.

REFERENCES: HUMAIRAH ZAINAL. INTERSECTIONAL COSMOPOLITANISM: MUSLIM WOMEN’S ENGAGEMENT WITH POLYGAMY ON MALAYSIAN AND INDONESIAN SCREENS, CULTURE AND RELIGION, 2019, 20(2): 151-168.

KLOOS, DAVID AND KÜNKLER, MIRJAM. STUDYING FEMALE ISLAMIC AUTHORITY: FROM TOP-DOWN TO BOTTOM-UP MODES OF CERTIFICATION. ASIAN STUDIES REVIEW, 2016, 40(4): 479-490.

NURHAIZATUL JAMIL. “YOU ARE MY GARMENT”: MUSLIM WOMEN, RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND SELF-TRANSFORMATION IN CONTEMPORARY SINGAPORE. ASIAN STUDIES REVIEW, 2016, 40(4): 545-563.

WILLIAMS, PATRICK JAMES AND KAMALUDEEN MOHAMED NASIR. MUSLIM GIRL CULTURE AND SOCIAL CONTROL IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: EXPLORING THE HIJABISTA AND HIJABSTER PHENOMENA. CRIME MEDIA CULTURE, 2017, 13(2): 1–18.

Dr Humairah Zainal is a Research Fellow at Singapore General Hospital. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA).

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Nikah Batin:

Beyond the Deviance

BY MUHAMMAD ZAHID MOHD ZIN 20 T H E K A R Y A W A N © AMP SINGAPORE. PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCTION.

Oftentimes, whenever the term “nikah batin” (spiritual solemnisation) is mentioned, most of us will relate it to the idea of sexual intercourse.

This practice does not cause any concerns as it is done after the ijab and qabul (lawful solemnisation), and in accordance with Islamic rulings.

We then conjure up in our minds a crude fantasy of a deviant spiritual leader who takes advantage of his or her devout followers, and we start to categorise them all under one umbrella: a deviant sect of Islam.

NON-SEXUAL SPIRITUAL SOLEMNISATION One aspect that we should not ignore is that there are those who believe that this practice of spiritual solemnisation without sexual intercourse is done to spiritually bind two individuals, or the teacher and his/her followers.

SPIRITUAL SOLEMNISATION IN ISLAM This article does not discuss the rulings of spiritual solemnisation as there are a lot of readily available fatwas by Muslim scholars globally that forbid the act.

Those who practise this believe that the purpose of this spiritual solemnisation is to connect spiritual relations between Personally, I feel there are bigger motivations two humans no matter their gender or reproductive systems. that have arisen from forbidding nikah batin. There might be more individuals They do not engage in any sexual and groups that will take advantage of intercourse and this solemnisation is not their own understanding of “spiritual solemnisation”. Thus, to curb any form of bound by any Islamic rulings on marriage.

The question then is: why are there still deviance from taking place, it is a better those who believe in such religious claims? option to come to a consensus and forbid the act altogether.

The reasons may be as follows: Nonetheless, based on my readings and 1. They are influenced by “exclusive” understanding, those who claim that teachings, which differ from the spiritual solemnisation is a part of Islamic conventional teachings of Islam. teachings base their arguments from the 2. It is a form of escapism from real-life solemnisation of Prophet Muhammad reality. (peace be upon him) with Sayyidatina 3. They are manipulated by those who Zainab. Now, this is different from a are taking advantage of others. conventional solemnisation. This was recorded in the Quran, in surah Al-Ahzab Our community is particularly interested verse 37. in teachings that are considered to be “exclusive” and unique. Important opinions The argument put forth by this group, that are considered to be “normal” are not which is to allow solemnisation to take place without any wali (guardian) or enough to pique their interest as compared to information that may not be useful but witnesses, was dismissed by the majority what they may find peculiar. of scholars as the solemnisation between Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Let’s face it: typical religious lectures, Sayyidatina Zainab was considered to be which do not contain any “interesting” a Khususiyyat, or a specific act that was pointers are ignored whereas teachings allowed by Allah solely for the Prophet. that do not make any sense in the eyes of This is in accordance with the views of Islam get the attention of the masses and Imam As-Suyuti. chosen to be the Conversation of the Day. CUSTOMARY SPIRITUAL In the case of the latter, the ‘teachers’ are SOLEMNISATION Even so, the act of spiritual solemnisation not ‘typical’. They often have information has traditionally been practised by a small that is not ‘typical’, do not have ‘typical’ community within the Nusantara region. capabilities and have knowledge sourced from ‘non-typical’ sources.

It is important to note, however, that this spiritual solemnisation only takes place after a lawful solemnisation has happened; Based on my past experiences of having engaged these ‘teachers’ or ‘leaders’, it is it is merely a symbolic act of a couple my opinion that the way to counter their coming together spiritually as one.

arguments is not by engaging them in an intellectual discourse as their beliefs are not based on intellectual knowledge but rather their misinterpretation of Quranic verses driven by their own motivations.

If we take a look at the profile of their followers, the usual question we ask ourselves is, “why were they influenced by these teachings?” We need to look beyond faulting them and instead attempt to understand the real reasons why they were influenced.

One of the reasons may be due to a sense of escapism from reality. This can be derived from several factors: unstable marriages, lack of attention in a marriage or domestic issues that are very complex.

Hence, the presence of a stranger (in this case, the ‘teacher’ or ‘leader’), who is understanding, a source of happiness and offers attention, is seen as a reprieve from one’s family life that is often frustrating and distressing.

This relationship is not based on sexual urge or need, as there are those who insist that there is no form of intercourse involved.

These cases are more complicated as compared to the ones where the leader of a deviant sect had clearly manipulated his/her followers. This is because what they do is not necessarily considered to be “deviant”, and without proper evidence, it would be difficult to accuse someone of something that has been denied by his/her followers.

Due to this, they are often advised first, and when concrete evidence surfaces, it will then be discussed and referred to local religious scholars for a course of action to be proposed.

CHALLENGES OF CLAIMING OTHERS AS DEVIANT To claim that someone is a ‘kafir’ (nonbeliever) or accuse him of spreading deviant Islamic teaching is something the community does nonchalantly at times; but it is not the same for religious scholars.

In fact, there is an opinion shared by some scholars that if there is an accusation that someone has become kafir by multiple sources but if only one other source says otherwise, it is mandatory for us to hold

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To claim that someone is a ‘kafir’ (non-believer) or accuse him of spreading deviant Islamic teaching is something the community does nonchalantly at times; but it is not the same for religious scholars. In fact, there is an opinion shared by some scholars that if there is an accusation that someone has become kafir by multiple sources but if only one other source says otherwise, it is mandatory for us to hold on to the latter’s view to protect the accused’s faith.

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on to the latter’s view to protect the accused’s faith.

Even if there is sufficient evidence that points towards deviancy, they will be guided to seek forgiveness from God first and return to the correct path.

The Islamic principles that we receive as part of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah in this region are based on the concepts of rahmah (mercy) and moderation; rahmah in assessing issues or conflicts, and to be moderate when having to make difficult decisions.

Let not hatred be the reason why we act unjustly towards one another.

“You who believe, be steadfast in your devotion to God and bear witness impartially: do not let hatred of others lead you away from justice, but adhere to justice, for that is closer to awareness of God. Be mindful of God: God is well aware of all that you do.”

Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 8, translated by M.A.S Abdul Haleem.

Muhammad Zahid Mohd Zin completed his studies at Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah and Abu Nour Institute in Damascus, Syria.

He is Co-Founder of Muslim Youth Forum and Co-Owner of Shepherds Digital Media.

If you have ever watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix, you will realise how corporations use data as a bargaining chip to fuel their algorithms and influence consumers to purchase certain goods. This is marketing and advertising, and they are ever-present on our social media feeds.

Marketing is a common tool that influences potential customers to firstly, take an interest in, and eventually, purchase those goods. On social media, this takes various forms – from paying influencers for reviews to the use of attractive visuals to entice buyers.

An industry that benefits from a huge amount of marketing and advertising is the halal economy. It continues to grow exponentially in the global arena with more products becoming Muslim-friendly as the market leverages on this to pull its customers.

The purpose of this article is to explore the different dimensions of marketing and advertising under the veil of Islam, and to consider the ethical concerns and underlying reasons in the marketing process.

THE HALAL ECONOMY Islam does not hinder business and trading activities as long as they adhere to its ethical and religious principles. Why, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself was a trader with his wife, Sayidatina Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her).

BRANDING ISLAM:

Beyond the Halal Market

BY MUHAMMAD FARIS ALFIQ MOHD AFANDI

1

In Islamic jurisprudence, there is a section on muamalah, which is rules governing business dealings and transactions. So, as long as we run our businesses in accordance to the tenets of the religion, we should be fine.

So, what makes a business halal? Many goods and services are deemed permissible but increasingly, just about any product or service that are universal in nature are being promoted as halal and Islamic.

Murmurs from some quarters have it that they are deemed such – just to gain traction among Muslim consumers. Here’s where the problem starts.

Let’s take the practice of cupping for instance. Cupping has its roots in ancient

NASEEM AKHTAR QURESHI, ET. AL. HISTORY OF CUPPING (HIJAMA): A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF LITERATURE. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, 15, NO. 3, 2017, PP. 172-181. AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1016/S2095-4964 (17)60339-X

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Egypt and China1. While the practices differ in both countries, it has nothing to do with Islam – except that it is considered a Sunnah as the Prophet (pbuh) practised it in the past. The consumption of honey is another example. While it is universally accepted as good for human consumption, no Islamic script lends credence to this assumption.

Thus, is it fair then to tag such products as halal for the purpose of promoting it in the market?

RELIGION FOR SALE Malaysian cleric, Ustaz Wan Ji Wan Husin, is a renowned and vocal opponent of such promotions. In fact, in his book, Penunggang Agama: Menjual Untuk Islam @ Menjual Islam, he objected such calls and the framing of products as halal.

He also discussed the nuances of ‘prophetic food’ or more commonly referred to as ‘makanan sunnah’ within the Malay-Muslim world. To Ustaz Wan Ji, there is no such thing as ‘prophetic food’; it only comes into existence as a “form of branding to make the product sellable”2.

Which begs the question then: Is this form of branding acceptable in Islam?

While the branding of goods and services as ‘Islamic’ might not be legally wrong within Islamic jurisprudence, there are ethical considerations that need to be reconsidered before labelling them.

According to Ustaz Wan Ji, Islam focuses on the intent of an action. Hence, what is key here is if the “products sold and services rendered are of a good quality and there is no fraud involved.”3 Another factor that must be considered when trading is “…the connection to the sacred.”4 This is because when one connects the Islamic branding to a particular product or service, he or she is relating the product to the perfection of God. We have to acknowledge that as humans, unfortunately, we are bound to be flawed.

A case in point is the furore over the beverage, Jus Al Sunnah, in 2018. It was

While the branding of goods and services as ‘Islamic’ might not be legally wrong within Islamic Another well-known food and often regarded as ‘prophetic’ is honey. Honey is jurisprudence, universally thought to contain properties there are ethical that can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It is regarded as a considerations ‘prophetic’ food because there are hadith and even Quranic verses that describe it as that need to be somewhat a miracle cure. However, to brand it as an Islamic product is taking it a reconsidered before little too far. It is immoral to use Islam to drive up sales. labelling them.

In his book, Ustaz Wan Ji added that there According to Ustaz were narrations that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) loved to eat meat and bread. The Wan Ji, Islam focuses writer wondered why meat and bread are not considered prophetic foods as well. on the intent of an action. Hence, what Branding a product using Islamic/Arabic terms like “Al Sunnah” could be deemed is key here is if the fraudulent. “products sold and BEYOND SALES Apart from marketing and advertisements, services rendered the religion has also been used as the foundation of Malaysian and Indonesian are of a good quality television programmes. There were some serials that were popular with Singapoand there is no fraud rean viewers. However, questions were raised on the impact this has created, and involved.” the supposed creation of an ‘ideal’ Muslim given an Islamic/Arabic twist to its name, and it would have easily enticed gullible Muslims. However, as it turned out, this drink contained high levels of steroids that could cause Cushing’s syndrome5; the Health Sciences Authority even felt compelled to send a media advisory urging consumers not to consume it.

community6.

Literature is another form of art that has infiltrated the market riding on Islamic influences, and traditions. And not to be outdone, political parties too! This is clearly evident in the thrusts and manifests adopted by these parties.

Unfortunately though, one wonders if the focus is really Islamic in nature.

A RESPONSE TO A RESURGENT MOVEMENT Let’s take a step back now to analyse: What has happened? Why has this

WAN JI WAN HUSSIN. PENUNGGANG AGAMA? MENJUAL UNTUK ISLAM @ MENJUAL ISLAM. BATU CAVES, SELANGOR: PUTEH PRESS, 2019, P. 54.

3 IBID, P. 54.

4 IBID, P. 63.

5 REI KUROHI. HSA WARNS AGAINST BUYING AND CONSUMING JUICE DRINKS FROM MALAYSIA THAT CONTAIN STEROIDS. THE STRAITS TIMES. 2018, SEPTEMBER 27. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM/SINGAPORE/HSA-WARNS-AGAINST-BUYING-AND-CONSUMING-JUICE-DRINKS-FROM-MALAYSIA-THAT-CONTAIN-STEROIDS 6 MOHAMED, S., ET. AL. THE ISLAMIZATION OF THE MALAYSIAN MEDIA: A COMPLEX INTERACTION OF RELIGION, CLASS AND COMMERCIALIZATION. INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE, 2018, 26(2), 635–658.

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phenomenon occurred? Why are businesses using Islam as a vehicle to forward their business interests? After all, it seems using the Islamic label is trending.

As Malaysian academic Shaharuddin Maarof points out in his book, Religion and Utopian Thinking among the Muslims of Southeast Asia, the use of Islamic labels on literally every aspect of our lives today including business, TV programmes and even political parties, is the result of a resurgence in Islamic ideology7.

This Islamic resurgence otherwise known as “the dakwah movement”, occurred in the 1970s as a socio-political response in the Middle East and Western communities8. In this part of the world, as academic Chandra Muzaffar opined, this resurgence was due to the widening gap between the rich and poor Malays, influences of Salafism from Saudi Arabia, the Iranian Revolution and the rapid pace of globalisation9.

In his book, Islamic Resurgence in Malaysia, Chandra wrote that Muslims in the 1970s worked towards preserving their identities by Islamising every domain of their lives10. This included their social, political, economics, health and even entertainment life.

He gave a depiction of this resurgent movement as: “…the endeavour to re-establish Islamic values, Islamic practices, Islamic institutions, Islamic laws, indeed Islam in its entirety, in the lives of Muslims everywhere. It is an attempt to re-create an Islamic ethos, an Islamic social order, at the vortex of which is the Islamic human being, guided by the Quran and Sunnah.”11

of the resurgent movement is the fixation with labels that are deemed Islamic in nature but lesser focus on its content. She explained how this is different to what is deemed as “secular”12.

In one way or another, it seems that the branding of Islam on products and services is not only for the purpose of garnering a higher profit margin or attracting a wider pool of consumers. The underlying reasoning behind this is the idea of a resurgent movement permeating through.

The narrative in this article started by exploring businesses that use Islam as a vehicle for branding and marketing purposes. It is used as a means to cultivating profits. However, a deeper analysis into this phenomenon is suggesting that it is not just for the purpose of making profits, but the emergence of an underlying trait of a resurgent mentality.

The Muslim resurgent movement that started in the 1970s is still prevalent and strong up till today and it seems that one of its strongest influences is the business sector.

Muhammad Faris Alfiq Mohd Afand i is a Research Analyst at the Centre for Research on Islam ic and Malay Affair s (RIMA). He special ises in the discours e on Islam in Singapo re, Malaysia and Indonesia, sociolog y of Islamic law, and political Islam. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Malay Studies from the Nationa l University of Singa pore (NUS).

Similarly, Noor Aisha Abd Rahman also made an important point on the phenomena of religious resurgence. In a chapter entitled Religious Resurgence among Malays and Its Impact: The Case of Singapore in the edited volume Alternative Voices in Muslim Southeast Asia: Discourse and Struggles, she reflected that one of the traits SHAHARUDDIN MAARUF. RELIGION AND UTOPIAN THINKING AMONG THE MUSLIMS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA. SINGAPORE: DEPARTMENT OF MALAY STUDIES, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE, 2001, PP. 4-7.

CHANDRA MUZAFFAR. ISLAMIC RESURGENCE IN MALAYSIA. PETALING JAYA: FAJAR BAKTI, 1987, P. 2.

IBID. 10 IBID, P. 3.

11 IBID, P. 3.

12 NORSHAHRIL SAAT AND AZHAR IBRAHIM. ALTERNATIVE VOICES IN MUSLIM SOUTHEAST ASIA: DISCOURSE AND STRUGGLES. SINGAPORE: ISEAS YUSOF ISHAK INSTITUTE, 2020, P. 42 7 8 9

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Grappling with Terror:

How France can Tackle Radicalisation

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While the world faces a huge battle against COVID-19, a series of terror attacks in France have sent shockwaves of fear and anguish into the minds of the French public.

On 16 October 2020, a middle-school history teacher was decapitated in a suburb north of Paris. He had shown caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, during a class discussion on the freedom of expression. This later incited anger among their local Muslims1.

RADICALISATION – A CONUNDRUM The attacks have spurred scholars and observers to address the root causes of the terrorist scourge in France. One may argue that what motivated the attackers to commit such atrocities was due to the blasphemous cartoons.

Although many Muslim leaders and scholars have denounced the gruesome attacks, there are those who view that blasphemy is still punishable by death under the norms of medieval Islamic period4. Here is where contemporary Muslim scholars must directly address the fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) texts related to blasphemy.

The victim’s 18-year-old attacker, Abdoullakh Anzorov, was shot and killed by the police in the aftermath. He was a refugee of Chechen origin who grew up in France. Many French Muslim youth also fall prey to radicalisation due to factors like He was also known to be active on socio-economic marginalisation and extremist social media sites. And accord“ghettoization” – a term used by Macron ing to his Twitter account, he was on a himself to describe the plight of Muslims mission to look for those who have living in the ghettos. Experts have pointed offended Islam. out that social conditions in these ghettos Less than two weeks later, a teenager went are the primary reason why Muslim youths there favour extremism and on a knife rampage in a church in Nice, become vulnerable to radicalisation. leaving two people dead through stab wounds and one partially beheaded. The In one of his studies, Matthew Moran, Tunisian-born attacker, Brahim a Professor of International Security and Aouissaoui, was shot by the police and Co-Director of the Centre for Science and taken to hospital in a life-threatening Security Studies at King’s College London, condition. Although the motive behind this attack is unknown, the authorities are argued that the experience of Muslims living in ghettos “fosters confusion and treating the case as an act of terrorism2. frustration, and contributes to an identity crisis, which, in turn, creates space for the These attacks have been described as cognitive openings that can open the door responses to the republication of to radicalisation and ultimately violent controversial cartoons, which reignited extremism.”5 the debate about Islam and freedom of expression in France. When he was BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS asked to respond to the waves of attacks, In the event of an adversity especially after President Emmanuel Macron put the blame on ‘Islamism’. Before the attacks, he a terror attack, the responsible approach had described Islam as a religion “in crisis”, for governments would be to rally the population together and stand firm against prompting an outrage in the Muslim any threat. But it was different for France. world3. His rhetoric inevitably led to Its government seemed to shift the blame France’s social instability and aggravated and direct its rhetoric towards stigmatising the problem of radicalisation that is still its own Muslim population. grappling France today.

France’s hard-line Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, indirectly referred to Muslims as “enemies from within”6. He was also quoted to instruct police raids on Muslim individuals and organisations, who “were not linked to the investigation but to whom [they] are clearly willing to send a message.”7 Such statements show that the French government has failed to protect its own citizens and have made Muslims scapegoats.

By stoking the flames of Islamophobia, radicalisation will continue and escalate.

This fans ISIS and other like-minded groups’ rhetoric – that the ‘infidels’ are waging a crusade against Muslims. And France has inexplicably fed to the same radical narratives championed by ISIS who had praised Anzorov’s action as an act of martyrdom – no less than in its editorial, Al-Naba’8.

An excerpt from the article reads that the killing of the “crusader criminal gladdened the hearts of Muslims by protecting the honour of the Prophet.”9 ISIS also calls for its supporters to attack Western entities in their countries of residence.

By now, France should have realised that apart from hard power tactics, countering radicalism is ultimately a battle for the hearts and minds. The ability to understand how radicalisation processes work is paramount to effectively find solutions to the problems that they are facing now.

PROPOSALS FOR TACKLING RADICALISATION Eradicating radicalism and extremism has proven to be very difficult, and a long-term fight that requires continuous efforts from governments and the local communities.

Apart from addressing the socio-cultural divide that separates those living in the ghettos from the mainstream society, there are other key steps that the French government should consider.

1 FRENCH POLICE FATALLY SHOOT MAN WHO BEHEADED TEACHER NEAR A SCHOOL. THE STRAITS TIMES. 2020, OCTOBER 17. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM/WORLD/EUROPE/MAN-STABBED-IN-THE-THROAT-IN-PARIS-SUBURB-SUSPECT-SHOT-BY-POLICE FRANCE RAISES SECURITY ALERT TO HIGHEST LEVEL AFTER KNIFEMAN KILLS 3 IN CHURCH. THE STRAITS TIMES. 2020, OCTOBER 30. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM/WORLD/EUROPE/ONE-PERSON-KILLED-AFTER-KNIFE-ATTACK-IN-FRENCH-CITY-OF-NICE-MEDIA 3 MACRON SAYS ISLAM ‘IN CRISIS’, PROMPTING BACKLASH FROM MUSLIMS. AL JAZEERA MEDIA NETWORK. 2020, OCTOBER 2. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.ALJAZEERA.COM/NEWS/2020/10/2/MACRON-ANNOUNCES-NEW-PLAN-TO-REGULATE-ISLAM-IN-FRANCE 4 AKYOL, MUSTAFA. YES, ISLAM IS FACING A CRISIS. NO, FRANCE ISN’T HELPING SOLVE IT. FOREIGN POLICY. 2020, NOVEMBER 20. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://FOREIGNPOLICY.COM/2020/11/20/ISLAM-FACING-CRISIS-MACRON-FRANCE-LAICITE-SECULARISM-NOT-HELPING-SOLVE-IT/ MORAN, MATTHEW. TERRORISM AND THE BANLIEUES: THE CHARLIE HEBDO ATTACKS IN CONTEXT, IN MODERN & CONTEMPORARY FRANCE, VOL. 25, NO.3, 315-332. AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1080/09639489.2017.1323199 6 MEHEUT, CONSTANT. AFTERMATH OF TERROR ATTACKS: MUSLIMS WONDER ABOUT THEIR PLACE IN FRANCE. DT NEXT. 2020, OCTOBER 31. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.DTNEXT.IN/NEWS/TOPNEWS/2020/10/31030452/1259491/AFTERMATH-OF-TERROR-ATTACKS-MUSLIMS-WONDER-ABOUT-THEIR-.VPF 7 DIALLO, ROKHAYA. AFTER ANOTHER TRAGEDY, FRANCE SHOULD BE COMBATING TERRORISM, NOT CRIMINALIZING MUSLIMS. THE WASHINGTON POST. 2020, OCTOBER 31. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM/OPINIONS/2020/10/30/FRANCE-NICE-KNIFE-ATTACK-SAMUEL-PATY-MURDER-CRIMINALIZING-MUSLIMS/ 8 SPOTLIGHT ON GLOBAL JIHAD, OCTOBER 22-28,2020. THE MEIR AMIT INTELLIGENCE AND TERRORISM INFORMATION CENTER. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.TERRORISM-INFO.ORG.IL/EN/SPOTLIGHT-ON-GLOBAL-JIHAD-OCTOBER-22-28-2020/ 9 IBID. 2

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Winning the battle against extremism and radicalism will require revolutionary thinking on reforming the very French idea of secularism, and creating an environment that will dissuade disgruntled French Muslims to reconsider their position on supporting radical or extreme narratives espoused by terror groups.

The first is to understand the pathway of radicalisation in France’s context. What are the root causes and why are people engaging in violence? This way, policymakers can work with the religious communities – especially the scholars – to make informed decisions to counter extremism and radicalism.

France also needs to avoid disaggregating acts, appearances and practices in assessing radicalism. This was the case when its former Home Affairs Minister, Christophe Castaner, while speaking at a hearing before the Law Committee of the National Assembly, listed some indicators that should trigger a thorough investigation by the police such as the growing of beard, rigid religious practices particularly during Ramadan and the wearing of full-face veil10. Contrary to countering radicalism, such ‘indicators’ may even encourage the marginalisation of Muslims and make them vulnerable to radicalisation.

And third, France needs to create social conditions that are conducive for harmonious multi-religious living where treatment of religions and positive civic relations among its societies are equal. As the world changes with modernisation and globalisation, the political system and system of governance need to evolve. While secularism has been accepted as a system of governance for centuries in France, it is important to relook at the understanding and reinterpret secularism based on today’s socio-political context.

Take Singapore, for instance; it is a secular state and it is obliged to treat all individuals as equal citizens regardless of religion.

The freedom to practice religion is protected.

SEA OF CHANGE It is clear that the task at hand for France will require a sea of change in how the government addresses these issues. It will no longer be viable to craft a national counter-radicalisation policy when the Second, when discussing about identifying issues of marginalisation and Islamophobia have not been addressed thoroughly. vulnerable individuals, French Muslims must be assured that they are not being targeted at or viewed in constant suspicion Winning the battle against extremism and radicalism will require revolutionary by the government. They can focus on building capacity and strengthening social thinking on reforming the very French idea of secularism, and creating an resilience to improve general conditions environment that will dissuade disgruntled on the individual and societal levels. The French Muslims to reconsider their government should also provide credible position on supporting radical or extreme alternatives for disenfranchised Muslims narratives espoused by terror groups. to voice their grievances.

10

an Associate Rijal Hassan is Ahmad Saiful ational Centre rn te In e th at w Research Fello orism rr Te d an e lenc of for Political Vio atnam School jar Ra S. , ch g Resear (RSIS), Nanyan ies ud St al his Internation . He completed ity rs ive Un al Technologic Islamic in ee gr De ts Bachelor of Ar University from Al-Azhar ce in Jurisprudence ien Sc of r te his Mas . He and obtained IS RS m fro Relations the International counsellor in s iou lig re a ary serves as Group, a volunt n tio ita bil ha g tin ita Religious Re bil s towards reha outfit that work d h detainees an iya am Isl h aa apore.

Jem ividuals in Sing ind d ise al dic self-ra

BOUREKBA, MOUSSA. PREVENTING VIOLENT EXTREMISM IN FRANCE: FROM A SOCIETY OF VIGILANCE TO A SOCIETY OF SUSPICION?. BARCELONA CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS. NOVEMBER 2019. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.CIDOB.ORG/EN/PUBLICATIONS/PUBLICATION_SERIES/OPINION/SEGURIDAD_Y_POLITICA_MUNDIAL/PREVENTING_VIOLENT_EXTREMISM_IN_FRANCE_FROM_A_SOCIETY_OF_VIGILANCE_TO_A_SOCIETY_OF_SUSPICION

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to us the daily sufferings of the socio-economically marginalised in the society.

CITY OF STARS OR CITY OF TEARS?: A Questioning of Singapore’s Development

When development comes to mind, it is almost instinctive to relate it to economic achievements, capital accumulation or profit maximisation of a society or country.

However, when understood as a discourse, development is indeed a vast subject, which is not limited to purely economic terms. Since independence, the dominant discourse on development in Singapore has remained largely focused on economic and physical advancements. Of late, however, there has been a reassessment of the development model in this country.

From the recent 2020 General Elections, for example, growing rumblings of dissatisfaction from the ground regarding cost of living, unemployment and widening income gap in Singapore are clear.

However, the problematising of development has been done much earlier by many Singapore Malay literatis such as Mohamed Latiff Mohamed. As early as the 1970s, Latiff has been producing works, calling the society to inspect the costs of economic development and emphasised the need to pay attention to the human and social aspects of development too.

One of his prominent works is Kota Airmata1, or ‘City of Tears’, a novel set against the resettlement period of 1970s from kampungs to flats in Singapore. It is in this novel that we could see Latiff problematising the notion of development and progress. While these two ideas, dominantly associated with comfortability and advancements, are willingly and

BY LIYANA NASYITA SHUKARMAN unquestionably embraced, Latiff presents

1 2 3

THE SUFFERING OF THE MARGINALISED In this novel, the harsh life faced by Ani, a female teenager living in Singapore is apparent through the perpetual pressure and strain to keep her stomach filled and worrying about her unsettled school fees.

Ani’s family is dysfunctional – her father is an unemployed drunkard, and her siblings are either missing or imprisoned for crimes. Ani only relies on her mother's occasional earnings from laundry services for financial sustenance and Siti, her schoolmate for emotional solace.

The story of Ani is a representation of a community grappling with capitalism amidst a rapid, burgeoning economy. In trying to fit in and keep up with the demanding system, Latiff shows how there are many, especially in the Malay community, who become socio-economically displaced because they are consumed and racked by the rigorous capitalistic structure.

The non-negotiable task of the Malay community to keep up with development so that they do not ‘lag behind’ could be seen as the coercion of the community into the larger ideology of capitalism and pragmatism2 instituted by the state. This has been very well encapsulated by Latiff as he illustrates how the Malays are held responsible for their failure in being progressive. In Kota Airmata, he questions the dominant discourse on Malay underdevelopment that has been mostly centred on cultural deficit explanations, rendering other ideological and institutional factors less important in explaining the socio-economic malaise faced by the Malays.

For example, Ani's inability to pay her school and examination fees was seen by her teacher as a ‘Malay problem’: “Our people usually can’t afford school fees of $4.00 but can afford watching movies in the cinema…”3 However, Ani's disadvantageous socio-economic circumstances were not paid attention to by her teacher.

MOHAMED LATIFF MOHAMED. KOTA AIRMATA. SINGAPURA: COKELAT, 2013.

VELAYUTHAM, SELVARAJ. RESPONDING TO GLOBALIZATION: NATION, CULTURE AND IDENTITY IN SINGAPORE. SINGAPORE: ISEAS, 2007.

MOHAMED LATIFF MOHAMED. KOTA AIRMATA. SINGAPURA: COKELAT, 2013, PP. 10-11.

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THE COSTS OF ECONOMIC models, which writers like Latiff have DEVELOPMENT proposed.

Another work where he criticises development in Singapore is his short While Francis Fukuyama11 has argued that prose, Nostalgia yang Hilang7. This prose capitalism is inevitable, we cannot lose tells a story of the narrator, who reunites hope and have to continue to think of a with his brother who migrated to London recourse to economic development, for 30 years. In the conversations between “where the final horizon is the wellbeing of Latiff also highlights the ignorance towards the existence of the economically these two siblings, we will be able to glean people and the survival of nature.”12 Latiff’s questioning on the very idea or Overhauling our ideas and definitions of marginalised in a city like Singapore, definition of development: “Does progress progress and development is a tedious which is deemed by Ani’s teacher as one process but it is not impossible. If, in this that is developed: “…in Cikgu Majid’s mind, mean that we destroy or demolish everything that is old? Moral and cultural highly competitive society, stars have everyone lives comfortably like him… He always been marked by economic and does not believe that there are poor people development must be on par with economic growth too.”8 academic achievements, there must be a like Ani in a city like this…”4 way to build a city of stars where the Ani’s story in Kota Airmata unfortunately For Latiff, therefore, development does not stars – ambitions and aspirations of the people in this city – are not just made of ends in a tragedy. The dreadful predicament equate to progress. For him, economic development should not be the only dollars and signs, but moral and humane she was confronted with worsened aim of a society. Resettlements, values too. when she got pregnant after getting constructions of high-rise buildings, and raped. The narration ends with Ani great infrastructure do not suggest and committing suicide because of the immense shame, pressure and depression guarantee the development of thought and er of values of a society. For him, development that she experienced.

Liyana Nasyita Shukarman is a Mast of rsity Unive nal Natio the in should not just be denoted by material idate Arts cand ies.

Singapore Department of Malay Stud Through this novel, Latiff highlights to us terms, it should be an ideal and an literature, Her research interest is in Malay objective that permeates the moral and the immense suffering and vicious cycle culture and society. that the socio-economically displaced are value spheres. trapped in, specifically because of the capitalistic ideas on development that the While on one hand, dominant state state has adopted. More significantly, Ani's narratives celebrate the move towards death was not given a second thought. The economic growth and development, works

by Malay literatis like Latiff present to us city dwellers of Singapore continue with the tears of people living in a city like their busy lives after reading the report Singapore. He sheds light on the human of Ani’s suicide in the newspapers5. Here, Latiff is emphasising the unfeeling nature dimension of development, specifically highlighting the cost of this material of the Singapore society, as they do not pursuit. Through his writings, Latiff question the reason for this suicide, as calls upon our society to think of though they are desensitised by news alternative models of development, which like this. is synonymously argued by intellectuals like Walter Mignolo9. Mignolo argues that Being cognisant of the rights and dignity of the economically marginalised like Ani, societies based on economic growth and Latiff brings to light their sufferings which development first have continued to have been silenced by the larger, dominant disregard the consequences of achieving these goals. Economies based on a Western narratives of development and progress. capitalistic model “[have] continued to Writers like Latiff urge the society to pay create increased economic inequality, wars attention to the human aspects of to secure natural resources and [have] development, such as the welfare and incited people to believe that happiness psychological needs of the marginalised like Ani. To him, because of development, consists of acquiring commodities.”10 It is therefore pertinent that societies come up life in Singapore has made the society with other, more balanced and sustainable ruthless and lack humanity6.

Instead, the blame was entirely put on Ani and her family. No regard was given to the fact that only Ani's mother is supporting the family with her meagre earnings and that Ani did not manage to receive any bursaries.

4 IBID, P. 12.

5 IBID, P. 83.

IBID, PP. 13-14.

7 MOHAMED LATIFF MOHAMED. NOSTALGIA YANG HILANG IN ANTOLOGI CERPEN PENULIS-PENULIS SINGAPURA, ED. SURATMAN MARKASSAN. KUALA LUMPUR: DEWAN BAHASA DAN PUSTAKA: 1987, PP. 130-139.

8 IBID, PP. 136-137.

9 WALTER MIGNOLO. NEITHER CAPITALISM NOR COMMUNISM, BUT DECOLONIZATION: INTERVIEW WITH WALTER MIGNOLO (PART I). CRITICAL LEGAL THINKING. 2012, MARCH 21. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTP://CRITICALLEGALTHINKING.COM/2012/03/21/NEITHER-CAPITALISM-NOR-COMMUNISM-BUT-DECOLONIZATION-AN-INTERVIEW-WITH-WALTER-MIGNOLO 10 IBID. 11 FRANCIS FUKUYAMA. THE END OF HISTORY AND THE LAST MAN. HARMONDSWORTH: PENGUIN, 1992.

12 WALTER MIGNOLO. NEITHER CAPITALISM NOR COMMUNISM, BUT DECOLONIZATION: INTERVIEW WITH WALTER MIGNOLO (PART I). CRITICAL LEGAL THINKING. 2012, MARCH 21. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTP://CRITICALLEGALTHINKING.COM/2012/03/21/NEITHER-CAPITALISM-NOR-COMMUNISM-BUT-DECOLONIZATION-AN-INTERVIEW-WITH-WALTER-MIGNOLO 6

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Together Apart: Holidays Without Travelling, 2020 Edition

BY SHARIFAH NORASHIKIN

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I remember being a child and looking forward to what a marvellous year 2020 was going to be. It was filled with lofty dreams of all the things I had wanted to accomplish – I will be wearing strappy high heels that will softly clickety-clack as I glide along my swanky office, and pulling my chic bag as I rush to the airport for a business trip to New York City.

Fast forward to December 2020, my hopes and plans for the year (and my life) have been modified again and again. Here I am, sitting at home in my less-than-glamorous yoga pants, yelling at the children to do their chores so I can finally let them have their screen time, which will in turn afford me a few hours’ reprieve to do my work in peace.

January saw my family planning to visit Krabi and Bali in 2020; the latter we managed to visit in March, only to be slapped with an extended 14 days holiday upon our arrival home (read: Stay Home Notice). Krabi was supposed to be our June holiday destination – we thought we would put it off until December, when things are a little bit better. Looks like we now have to KIV our Krabi plans indefinitely, to December of some other year.

We don’t have a set itinerary, so we’re just going to wing it The COVID-19 pandemic has frozen travel plans of many people around the world.

News sources and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) are projecting that air travel will not rebound to pre-COVID levels until about 2023.

While some countries are slowly opening up domestic travel, being in Singapore where there is no domestic travel, what options are there for the travel-starved?

My dad is fond of joking, “Where are you off to now: the living room, the bedroom, or the capital city – the kitchen?”

Since global air travel is non-existent, now is an opportune time to rediscover our own backyard, it seems, and even more so with the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers being distributed.

I for one realised just how little I have explored my own country. So off I went recently, on my maiden trip to Pulau Ubin, riding a bike for the first time in two decades.

Surprise, surprise – I did not know that one has to board the ferry from Changi Village to get there. Also, I did not know Pulau Ubin was in the far eastern part of Singapore.

A bigger surprise was just how crowded it is outside now. During our half-day Pulau Ubin trip, I bumped into at least three separate groups of friends, also cycling with their families.

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But I try to see the silver lining in situations. It is heartening to see more people exercising – whether it is jogging, cycling, or hiking. Besides the lockdown on travel and there being limited things to do, a pandemic too is a reminder to prioritise our health.

Just a year ago, I saw mostly the elderly strolling along the jogging paths near home. Today, the path is filled with more and more of the younger generation.

My social media feed too is filled with people posting their latest running and cycling routes and records, and I have joined a couple of online hiking and cycling group trips.

A treat for us was the sight of a sounder of wild boars. Until then, I’d often heard of wild boars roaming about freely in Pulau Ubin. I can’t believe I really did see them, roaming about freely in Singapore! This elicited the comment that I was a “rusa masuk kampung”1 from my better half, who used to go camping at Ubin before I robbed Taking part in strenuous exercise is, of course, also the perfect excuse to be him of any adventurous spirit he might allowed to take your mask off outdoors. have had.

While I used to spend long weekends and random Saturday evenings across the border, my family and I have since found other pastimes. To date, we have joined a weekly cycling group, started running regularly, visited the Singapore Zoo twice in two weeks, and even dragged our walking-averse children on several hikes, much to their chagrin.

The only nation I’m visiting this holiday is my imagi-nation I have been spending an extraordinary amount of time on Instagram looking at travel pictures, while consuming copious amounts of coffee and cake – you know, just planning my #revengetravel for 2023.

For a couple of years now, our family has been talking about our first big family And we are not the only ones who have holiday. While we usually travel to nearby adopted these healthier habits. If you have Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand, we were not already done so, try running or cycling thinking of venturing to Europe one day. along East Coast, Marina Bay Sands or the many park connectors past 10pm. You will Our firstborn, who will be sitting for his Primary School Leaving Examinations be surprised to find many people milling about – also running and cycling – at that (PSLE) in 2022, was hoping to go to hour! As our homes have now turned into England, and to specifically set foot in schools and offices, and we can’t travel out Anfield Stadium. Yes, he is a Liverpool fan. of Singapore, it seems that parks are the After years of arduous assessment books next best places to go to. revision to prepare for the PSLE, his biggest wish is to watch a football match there. The imagination of a ten-year-old With so many people out and about, I sometimes feel like I should stay home allows him to envision his favourite players inviting him down to the pitch to instead – there are just too many people take a penalty kick, before taking a selfie outside. On the upside, I feel safe jogging alone anywhere even at 11pm. with him for having scored the winning goal of the match. They then offer to sign

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Jogging and hiking trails are just as crowded too. A friend, who is a seasoned trail biker, recently commented that the trails are like pasar malam now. Sorry, my friend – us, former non-cyclists, don’t have many options these days.

RUSA MASUK KAMPUNG IS A MALAY PROVERB ON THE FASCINATION AND CONFUSION ONE FEELS WHEN ONE ARRIVES IN A NEW PLACE.

him on, as the youngest ever professional player in the English Premier League.

Look how far you can travel, with the power of imagination.

Our workaround is to allow him to stay up late these school holidays, to catch the late night or early morning football matches.

Using what we saved from not actually travelling, we have installed an airconditioner in the living room so we can pretend we are in a hotel room on a vacation somewhere.

Since global air travel is impossible now, the power of imagination and Instagram travel pictures have allowed me to embark on my new hobby, #armchairtravel, and then bookmarking them as #dreamnowvisitlater. My children urge me to bring them when I ‘travel’ on Google Earth, which has allowed us to climb mountains, explore iconic cities and even learn about biodiversity and conservation through exploring wildlife parks around the world. All you need is a computer, Wifi connection, and for the kids to be less boisterous during your ‘travels’.

If life gives you melons, you might be dyslexic With all the lemons and curveballs this year has thrown at us, it has taught me to be more thankful. It made me realise just how much I have taken for granted.

I remember them to be – I have taken their place as makcik-pakcik, while they in turn have been upgraded to nenek-datuk.

I smile behind my mask when I see acts of kindness – when neighbours look out for each other and share their food supplies, or order food for those affected by pay cuts and job losses, among others. I have spent time getting to know my children’s friends at the street soccer court, and they now know I am my boys’ mother and not their “auntie” (read: domestic helper).

Many among us have been affected by the impact of COVID-19; from depression and loneliness brought about by the isolation, loss of income, being separated from loved ones, family members passing away overseas, and so much more.

Some miss the camaraderie of big gatherings and celebrations, and being together with family and friends. For some, not being able to partake in large gatherings is a setback. But for an introvert like me, it is a relief.

More than a year has since passed since COVID-19 first reared its ugly head into the world.

As we close the chapter on 2020 and welcome 2021, it seems like a propitious time to re-evaluate our priorities and goals.

2020 was rife with the good, the not-soThe Circuit Breaker months reminded good and the downright crazy. Let's pray many of us of the importance of family – that this beginning of a new year brings a people have turned to FaceTime and Zoom fresh wave of hope for us all. calls to see a familiar face again, especially those who live alone and celebrated birthdays, Hari Raya, and other special days in isolation.

Anecdotally, we all have friends who have family overseas and have been separated for almost a year. Some of them missed their baby’s milestones. Others have to heartbreakingly stay here in Singapore for work, and leave their children at home across the border, as they can no longer do the daily commute.

her When she is not trying to chase after is n shiki Nora ifah Shar , boys three to women passionate about issues relating (both and family, parenting, and education hopes mainstream and special needs). Her ty, where are for greater inclusivity in socie to excel each person is given opportunity as much and live a fulfilling life; and to eat weight cake as one wants without gaining (or developing diabetes).

It is also a grave reminder of our mortality and to appreciate those around us. When my youngest uncle, at 60 years young, was put on temporary leave from work due to his age and susceptibility to the virus, it reminded me that my relatives are no longer the healthy 40-year-olds that

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BEHIND THE TECHNOLOGY WITH

NADIA AHMAD

BY NUR DIYANA JALIL

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here. The biggest challenge for me is the It is well known that the global technology industry is dominated by men, but it is lack of reliable public transportation slowly taking steps to improve this gender system. imbalance.

While most expats reside in the San Francisco city, I resided in the suburbs A recent study1 by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Infocomm Media when I first moved to Bay Area. For Development Authority shows that there someone who hails from Singapore and is is an increasing number of women in so used to strolling to the nearest kopitiam, Southeast Asia studying tech-related NTUC Fairprice, MRT station or walk-in degrees, and working in the technology clinic, the lack of accessibility to amenities sector as compared to their global really frustrated me a lot in the beginning.

It made me obtain a driver’s licence in counterparts. order to be more mobile.

These Southeast Asian women make up 32 percent of the region's tech sector Q: What does your job entail? workforce versus the global average of 28 percent. The study also shows that this Nadia: As a Technical Project Manager at a is likely driven by the booming tech membership-based primary care provider, One Medical, I am responsible for industry, which has also attracted people administrating the setup of IT infrastrucfrom non-technology backgrounds. tures and hardware in new medical offices before they are open to public.

Nadia Ahmad’s interest in technology began after watching the movies, ‘Hackers’ and ‘The Net’ back in the 1990s. She I must say it has been a rewarding feeling so far to be able to contribute to the US quickly became fascinated with the healthcare system. cyberpunk movement and later decided to pursue her tertiary education in Q: How do you overcome the challenges Information Technology. of working in a male-dominated Nadia currently works in the Bay Area, San environment?

Francisco, and she shares with the Karyawan team the challenges she faces Nadia: Having grown up around male and the future technology sphere she cousins and being an avid sports fan, I am envisions. pretty used to being in a male-dominated environment. It felt almost natural when Q: Could you tell us more about yourself I first started working in IT operations. and your family?

Now that I have transitioned into project Nadia: I came from a very modest management, there is more gender background, growing up in Bedok North diversity in my current field, which is a and the eastern side of Singapore (shout pleasant change. out to Simpang Bedok and the Blk 85 market!). My mom is a housewife and dad, Q: As the US is one of the most technoa cab driver. I went to neighbourhood logically advanced countries in the schools and received my Bachelor’s degree world, are there any new technologies from University of London. that you have come across that are not available in Singapore?

Q: How long have you been working and living in the US? What was the biggest Nadia: Do Tesla and SpaceX count? Other challenge you faced when you first than that, I would say Singapore is as moved? technologically advanced as the US. Nadia: I have been living and working in the US for eight years now. One of the things that stands out is how big this country is, and how spread out things are

Contrary to popular belief, the public sectors in the US are not as modern when it comes to adopting new technologies. It is the private sector or tech giants such as

Google, Apple and Amazon that are trailblazing. There are a lot of disruptive start-ups and technology trendsetters that come from Bay Area.

Q: You have a deep passion for digital enablement and building smart offices.

How do you envision the future working environment or offices to be like?

Nadia: The pandemic has caused a huge shift in the way we work. While there is a group of people who cannot wait to return to the office, an introvert like me would prefer to partake in a future work environment where one can be productive without having to commute to the office.

Video conferencing would be the way to go for team meetings and collaborations moving forward. And who knows, when the hologram technology becomes more advanced and commonplace, we can all be attending in-person meetings in a virtual office (like that scene in Avenger’s Endgame).

As you can tell, I’m inspired by the way Automattic – the company behind WordPress – runs its business. The company does not have a physical office and its staff collaborate almost exclusively online.

Q: What were some of the challenges you’ve faced while living and working overseas?

Nadia: I had to tone down my British English vocabulary a little because some people didn’t understand what I meant by ‘lift’ (elevator) or ‘lorry’ (truck), for example. Some Americans will not hesitate to correct you on your language or pronunciation; so, yes I had to adopt a bit of an American accent and sprinkle in American metaphors to blend in while conversing. It is different if one is simply visiting the country. I had to quickly assimilate with the locals in order to be better understood.

In the workplace over here, it is taboo to talk openly about politics or question anyone about their gender or religious affiliation. If one is not careful, it could lead to disciplinary action or harassment charges, which could lead to termination from employment.

1 NUMBER OF WOMEN IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA BEATS GLOBAL AVERAGE. THE BUSINESS TIMES. 2020, OCT 20. AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.BUSINESSTIMES.COM.SG/GARAGE/NEWS/NUMBER-OF-WOMEN-IN-TECH-IN-SOUTH-EAST-ASIA-BEATS-GLOBAL-AVERAGE

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Something that continues to bother me is the fact that Americans are allowed to own firearms. To see schools in the US having metal detectors at their entrances to ensure students do not bring guns in, is a foreign concept to me.

Q: Are you able to maintain a work-life balance and how do you spend your free time?

Nadia: Most definitely! Work-life balance is something that is very much advocated and practised widely here. Before the Another challenge is food. While there are pandemic, I spent most of my free time exploring the beautiful national parks and plenty of good Asian food available, it is monuments, taking long scenic road trips hard to find authentic Singaporean fares. and indulging in the culinary world.

And when you do find them, they are pretty costly. For example, a piece of prata During winter, I would take some time off here would cost US$10, a glass of teh tarik will set you back US$4-5 and nasi ayam can to snowboard. Right now, I simply spend my time furnishing and decorating my cost more than US$15. new home that I recently bought with my Q: How different is the working culture significant other and our three kitties! and lifestyle in San Francisco compared Q: What have been the highlights of to Singapore? your career or life in the US so far?

Nadia: Although most Americans are as Nadia: When I was working at BCG in San hardworking as us Asians, they are also Francisco, I was recognised for my hard very respectful of personal time off or work and contributions to the organisation; mental breaks. The culture here leans more towards the honour system, so there I won awards almost every year. That made me feel like it was worth being far is no expectation to produce a medical away from home because as a minority, certificate if you are not feeling well or I know that my work truly matters unable to report to work. because of meritocracy and not the colour When it comes to hiring here in Bay Area, of my skin. there is a big push for diversity. It is truly I attribute part of my success to the work refreshing not to worry whether you are ethic that we Singaporeans have been able to speak a certain language before accustomed to. applying for a job because in the US, it is discriminatory not to hire someone based Q: Do you have any advice for on their religion, ethnicity or spoken Malay/Muslim Singaporean youths who language. plan to take the same path as you?

Q: Is there a Malay community in the Nadia: Regardless of whichever path they San Francisco Bay Area? choose to take, my advice to them is to try to leave their nests and experience living Nadia: There is a small community of abroad. It is such an invaluable life lesson Singaporean Malays in the Bay Area. I that is not taught in school. You will be personally know some of them who are forced to get out of your comfort zone and either thriving in the food and beverage adopt a different perspective in life. industry like Chef Nora Haron and Elly Greenfield from Satay by the Bay, or those There is so much more out there than who have great white-collar jobs in lamenting about train delays or flash reputable companies. floods. I certainly grew to appreciate Singapore a lot more now that I’m We occasionally bump into each other during Singapore Day where Singaporeans overseas. gather to mingle and enjoy local cuisines, while commemorating our National Day.

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utive at Nur Diyana Jalil is currently an Exec and the Centre for Research on Islamic social Malay Affairs (RIMA), managing its media, events and publication.

MAPPING REGIONAL MEMORIES:

BOOK REVIEW OF ERNI SALLEH’S THE JAVA ENIGMA

BY DR NURALIAH NORASID JANUARY 2021

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I have always had a longstanding fascination with old things – illuminated manuscripts, ancient artefacts, monuments from past centuries and millennia, pen and ink, and languages spoken by peoples from a time long past, some already lost and many in danger of being forgotten.

The protagonist, Irin Omar, is a UNESCO librarian who is introduced in the novel aiding a conservation team with cataloguing the many reliefs on the structures that make up the famous Borobudur Temple compounds following the many damages sustained during an earthquake in 2017.

She finds herself running headlong into This fascination has always stemmed from adventure upon receiving news that her the way knowledge is passed, appropriated, beloved seafaring father, or Ayah, has died altered and developed from one generation and that he has left her, as Ong Sor Fern to the next, how it stacks up to form the writes in her own review of the novel, a collective identities and realities that we “cryptic puzzle” in the form of a combinalive in today, how it connects us beyond tion lock1. This then leads her to an the boundaries of modern nationhood and ancient map of the region printed on paper national borders, and the surprising places that “appears to be of Chinese origin” that that we may trace ourselves to as people. predates the earliest European cartographical data2.

For Malay/Muslims in Singapore, a good part of our history involves voyages and Her investigations to uncover the secrets sojourns that connect us from island to behind the map take her across seas and island in the Archipelago, and one that is borders, travelling between Southeast Asia also tied to (then and now) global polities (namely Singapore, Malaysia and Indoneand economies, and the indefatigable sia) and Europe. In the process, she finds spread of diverse religious thoughts and herself trundling deeper into her family’s practices. secrets and tracing the vestiges of her father’s life, adventures and, perhaps in a All of these are aided by the natural ebbs way, his philosophies about the world and and flows of the sea, and the Southeast navigating one’s way within it.

Asian region’s famously regular and predictable monsoons. Our own language She is joined and aided in her quest by is one upon which tongue bears the salt of Noah Bootsma, her father’s old captain and the waters that had carried it, and the long-time friend, and the tall, rugged and mark of other linguistic influences, such as rather grumpy ‘drama’s main-man’ figure, Sanskrit and Arabic, just to name a few.

Frederick Nagel.

Therefore, everything about the region – its people, language, belief systems and Based on the above descriptions alone, we monuments – is ripe with material for can see that travel and movement are fiction, whether speculative or historical, prominent motifs in the novel. Much of its thrilling or mysterious, romantic or tragic. plot progression depends on them just as its underlying philosophy is derived from Thus, I was especially thrilled when Erni the central concept that much of what we Salleh and her book, The Java Enigma, know and have today stem from the came through as one of the finalists in the confluences of cultural and material 2020 Epigram Books Fiction Prize. Early products that have come to this region and later reviewers likened the book to from many different sources and places. other mystery-thriller novels involving submerged histories and protagonists Apart from the transnational travel that chasing clues embedded in historical sites we see Irin embark on, we also see a more and artefacts such as The Da Vinci Code by familiar movement across the Causeway – Dan Brown. They also highlighted the where many Singaporean Malays reside – boldness with which the novel when Irin goes to Kampung Melayu Majidee foregrounds Southeast Asian history and to search her father’s belongings in his its ancient monuments.

Johor house for clues.

Irin’s paternal grandparents were initially from Pulau Bukom, some of the many islanders who found themselves relocated to the main island as part of the government’s resettlement and developmental projects between the 1970s and 1990s3.

The fluidity of these micro or personal movements are particularly interesting especially when we think about the same fluidity of movement that existed between the islands of the Malay world in early history. The novel emphasises this tradition of ‘merantau’ in early Malay society, and the rich and advanced maritime heritage that facilitated it.

We can see an instance of this when the protagonist considers the carving of a “[n]ot Chinese, not European” boat on the Borobudur: It is our people who had built this ship back in the eighth century or even earlier. And if my recall of history served me right, this vessel probably followed the spice route from Java all the way to Madagascar, leaving some of its sailors to settle down so far away from home.4 Moments like these in the novel are particularly exciting to me as they ignite the imagination, conjuring images of vessels and sails cutting waves, and of navigation and lands spotted and found.

It also reiterates the existence of a far more nuanced and mobile society, instead of the static image of a languorous fishing village that, in every nationalistic telling, seems to have been stumbled upon as one might find a lone sock in the back of the washing machine!

ONG, S. F. BOOK REVIEW: ERNI SALLEH'S THE JAVA ENIGMA A DIVERTING ADVENTURE THAT MINES SOUTH-EAST ASIA'S RICH HISTORY. THE STRAITS TIMES. 2020, SEPTEMBER 14. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM/LIFESTYLE/ARTS/BOOK-REVIEW-ERNI-SALLEHS-THE-JAVA-ENIGMA-A-DIVERTING-ADVENTURE-THAT-MINES-SOUTH-EAST 2 ERNI SALLEH. THE JAVA ENIGMA. EPIGRAM BOOKS, 2020, P. 70.

ISLAND NATION PROJECT. ABOUT ISLAND NATION. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://ISLANDNATION.SG/ABOUT/; SEE ALSO WEE, L. LIVES OF RESIDENTS OF SINGAPORE'S SOUTHERN ISLANDS CAPTURED IN DOCUMENTARY. THE STRAITS TIMES. 2015, APRIL 12. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.STRAITSTIMES.COM/LIFESTYLE/TRAVEL/LIVES-OF-RESIDENTS-OF-SINGAPORES-SOUTHERN-ISLANDS-CAPTURED-IN-DOCUMENTARY 4 ERNI SALLEH. THE JAVA ENIGMA. EPIGRAM BOOKS, 2020, P. 49.

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In the Singaporean context, the novel also references her childhood movements from an old HDB flat in Stirling Road, to Choa Chu Kang, before settling in Clementi, its modernity earmarked by the memories of Irin and her younger brother, Daniel, lying on the floor of the flat, enjoying the cool blast from the air-conditioning unit for the first time.

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Furthermore, the novel gives insights into how movement and travel also play an important part in the manner religious beliefs are spread, or how they evolve and become an integral part of life in Southeast Asia. Much like its believers, religion is not static, and draws much from the cultures of the society that it finds its way to.

For a Malay reader, this novel brings with it familiar experiences, most notably in the way the Malay language is used in dialogue. It is incorporated seamlessly within the novel with characters and the novel itself code-switching with ease between Malay and Standard English.

No glossary or footnotes are provided; so, non-Malay speakers and readers will have to glean the meaning through contextual information. At the same time, Malay speakers and readers will likely find themselves immersed in the moment – the words registering without us thinking too much about them.

When Malay is used, it is often between family members such as at the start of the novel when Irin’s stepmother calls to inform the former of Ayah’s death: “[…] Ayah sudah takde… Dia meninggal pagi tadi. Cik kejutkan dia untuk solat subuh tapi dia sudah sejuk!”5 Or between members of the same language, family or community like the scene when Irin converses with a taxi driver in Johor: “Kampung Melayu berapa, Bang?” “[…] Tinggal kat bandar lah ni. Telo Jawa awak tak berape terserlah.”6 This being said, there is also familiar ground for me personally when conversations between Irin and Daniel are conducted in English. It is reminiscent of how, while I can converse fluently in Malay with my parents, makciks and pakciks, the primary language of conversation between my siblings and I is still English – much to the chagrin of our parents.

14 15 16

ERNI SALLEH. THE JAVA ENIGMA. EPIGRAM BOOKS, 2020, P. 7.

IBID, P. 21.

IBID, P. 22.

There are also ‘nod-nod-wink-wink’ moments in the novel where the inherent diversities within and between the Malay communities are expressed and explored, especially when the taxi driver in Johor shows an interest in Irin’s ethnicity: “You Javanese?” That’s the other thing with Southeast Asians. It wasn’t enough to know your nationality, but your ethnicity was a crucial marker as well. For years I had insisted that I was of Javanese descent, as the taxi driver was suggesting. I had the name, the face and the mannerisms of my maternal grandmother, who hailed from Solo, Yogyakarta. But my fiery spirit and the need to wander and explore the world came from my paternal grandfather, a man of Bugis origin but raised in a Baweanese family – combining seafaring prowess with the thirst for adventure.7 Any Malay in Singapore can admit to having this conversation before, whether with others in the community or with themselves. It is a nod towards the reality that the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore is not a monolithic identity and that our ethnic heritage – Javanese, Baweanese, Bugis, even Arabic, Chinese, and South Asian – is the complex tapestry that we wear, proudly and gladly, today.

Furthermore, the novel gives insights into how movement and travel also play an important part in the manner religious beliefs are spread, or how they evolve and become an integral part of life in Southeast Asia. Much like its believers, religion is not static, and draws much from the cultures of the society that it finds its way to.

To conclude, The Java Enigma is a delightful and well-researched work of literary cartography where form, concepts, motifs and content work together to create a cultural map of the Southeast Asian region, its history and communities.

Reading it, I feel serendipitously and serenely represented, for I seem to have discovered, in the words within, the scenic route on a navigational map back home.

r and literary rasid is a write Dr Nuraliah No e graduated Sh in Singapore. arts educator re tu from English Litera with a PhD in rsity. Her ive Un al gic lo no Nanyang Tech alisation of tu ep nc co at the of literacy, thesis looked ium ed m e rough th tive ea marginality th cr e Th . visionism creation and re s since been ha is es th at portion of th tekeeper, e novel, The Ga published as th oks Bo am igr Ep e r th which won he is e Sh .

2016 Fiction Prize in ing on a new currently work s s quiet pursuit novel and enjoy ship an nm pe , ing such as read llecting. and stamp-co

Erin Salleh’s book, The Java Enigm a, is available from the Booksactually online store (https://www.booksactuallyshop.co m/products/t he-java-enigma), the Epigram Book shop (https://epigrambookshop.sg/produ cts/thejava-enigma), and Kinokuniya.

JANUARY 2021

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