The Karyawan — July 2022 Issue

PUBLISHED BY: AMP SINGAPORE • VOLUME 17 ISSUE 3 • JULY 2022 • MCI (P) NO: 057/05/2022 • ISSN NO: 0218-7434

FIRST AMONG EQUALS:

LAWRENCE WONG AS PRIME MINISTER AND WHAT LIES AHEAD

CONTENTS JULY 2022

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EDITORIAL BOARD

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK COVER STORY First Among Equals: Lawrence Wong as Prime Minister and What Lies Ahead

by Dr Walid Jumblatt Abdullah

02

Mitigating the Impact of Rising Inflation Rates in Singapore

by Dr Faizal Yahya

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Strengthening the Role of Singapore Muslim Professionals in Community Advocacy

by Nor Lastrina Hamid

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From Integration to Inclusion: Reconstructing the Minority Narratives

by Mysara Aljaru

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The Role of Malay-Muslim Fathers in the Family

by Dr Shamsuri Juhari and Jeanne Tan

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From Kampung to Crypto: Empowering our Malays in Tech

by Ainul Md Razib

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Humanism in Community Advocation

by Ahmad Ubaidillah Mohamed Khair

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Making Sense of Jihad Today and its Relevance to Singapore

by Sheikh Mohamad Farouq Abdul Fareez

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Making A Plastic-Lite Society A Reality

by Sofiah Jamil

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Embracing A Career Change Abroad with Kefri Ismail

by Nur Diyana Jalil

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Book Review: Singa-Pura-Pura is Present, Plural and Problematises Tradition

by Solihin Samsuri

SUPERVISING EDITOR Dr Md Badrun Nafis Saion EDITOR Mohksin Mohd Rashid EDITORIAL TEAM Nur Diyana Jalil Ruzaidah Md Rasid Sheikh Mohamad Farouq Abdul Fareez Winda Guntor 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 AMP Singapore.

It is published in association with our research subsidiary, the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA).

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Surveillance Capitalism’s Social Problems: Progressive Orientation Helps the Most

by Faris Ridzuan

The views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of AMP and its subsidiaries nor its directors and The Karyawan editorial board. © AMP Singapore. 2022. All rights reserved.

Permission is required for reproduction.

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

On 6 June, Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong announced changes to the Singapore Cabinet, which included the appointment of Mr Lawrence Wong as Deputy Prime Minister. Mr Wong was first vested as leader of the fourth generation of ministers from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in April. This was after Mr Heng Swee Keat decided to step aside to make way for a younger person with a longer runway to lead the country.

Mr Wong’s appointment, effective 13 June, solidifies the nation’s political succession even while it remains unclear on whether he will be leading the party in the next general elections.

Together with the 4G leadership, Mr Wong will face challenges that come with the shifting aspirations of the younger electorate. This would include a rethinking of our nation’s founding principles like meritocracy and multiculturalism. Political analyst, Dr Walid Jumblatt Abdullah explains more about the appointment of Mr Wong and the key issues his team will be facing on Page 11.

We hope you’ll find this issue an insightful read.

DR MD BADRUN NAFIS SAION SUPERVISING EDITOR

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MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF RISING INFLATION RATES IN SINGAPORE

BY DR FAIZAL YAHYA

The recovery phase from the COVID-19 pandemic has been slowed by several external shocks to the world’s global value and supply chain. Already one of the most expensive cities to live in, Singapore’s headline consumer price index or overall inflation reached 5.4 percent year on year in April 20221. The core inflation (excludes accommodation and transport) also accelerated to 3.3 percent, the highest in a decade when core inflation reached 3.5 percent in 2012. The increase was driven by higher inflationary pressures for food (4.1 percent), retail (1.6 percent), and gas and electricity prices (19.7 percent)2. This is a global phenomenon as prices are rising the world over.

This article will briefly examine the causes and impact of rising inflation rates in Singapore and policy measures to mitigate their adverse effects. In particular, it will focus on the impact of rising inflation on businesses and households.

in wheat, 20 percent for corn, mineral fertilisers, and natural gas, and 11 percent for crude oil3. These caused disruptions to the supply chains that were not able to satisfy the pent-up demand from the market4.

RISING INFLATION IN SINGAPORE There are several contributing factors to rising inflation. The Russia-Ukraine conflict had created new negative supply shocks for the global economy just when some of the supply chain challenges appeared to be receding as economies recover from the pandemic. Russia and Ukraine are major suppliers in the commodity markets. Together, they accounted for 30 percent of global exports

In relation to business, Russia and Ukraine are sources of inert gases like argon and neon, used in the production of semiconductors and large producers of titanium sponges used in aircraft.

In addition, Russia is a key supplier of palladium used in catalytic converters for cars, and nickel used in steel production and manufacture of batteries5.

Disruptions to these suppliers will adversely impact the global value chain.

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1 Andres, G. Singapore’s April core inflation rises to 3.3%, fastest in more than 10 years. CNA. 2022, May 23. Available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/singapore-cpi-inflation-mas-mti-increase-record-april-2022-fastest-10-years-2700456 2 Ibid OECD. Economic and Social Impacts and Policy Implications of the War in Ukraine. OECD Economic Outlook, Interim Report. 2022, March. Available at: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/4181d61b-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/4181d61b-en# 4 Leow, A. Stagflation risk rising, but growth in Asia is still the base case scenario. The Business Times. 2022, May 24 OECD. Economic and Social Impacts and Policy Implications of the War in Ukraine. OECD Economic Outlook, Interim Report. 2022, March. Available at: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/4181d61b-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/4181d61b-en#

However, prior to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the global economy was recovering faster than expected partly due to the stimulus measures, but these were not curtailed by governments and partly contributed to inflationary pressures6.

Then, central banks were more concerned about stagflation, but now drastic measures were required to reduce rising inflation7. Singapore’s headline inflation reached 4 percent in December 2021, and in response, the government appreciated the currency and introduced new property cooling measures, to reduce demand for private housing8.

In Singapore’s case, being a tradedependent economy, it uses a monetary exchange rate policy rather than interest rates to maintain price stability and sustained growth. An open trading economy, Singapore’s export to gross domestic product (GDP) is 175.89 percent and import to GDP is 147.63 percent, which highlights its vulnerabilities to external shocks, and renders using interest rates less effective as a tool to mitigate inflationary effects. Instead, managed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the monetary exchange rate is the policy lever used to maintain price stability in the following ways.

First, given that Singapore imports most of what it consumes, and domestic prices are sensitive to world prices, the exchange rate directly acts to dampen imported inflationary pressures. In periods of escalating global commodity prices, the exchange rate acts as a buffer against external price pressures which contributes to medium-term price stability9.

Second, indirectly, the exchange rate tackles domestic sources of inflation.

A stronger currency moderates the external demand for Singapore’s goods and services, which eases the demand for factor inputs to ensure more modest rises in wages. This, in turn, reduces the domestic demand for non-tradable goods and services and puts downward pressure on prices10.

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SINGAPORE’S EXCHANGE RATE SYSTEM In April 2022, the MAS recentred the mid-point of the exchange rate policy band known as the Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (S$NEER) at the prevailing level and increased slightly the rate of appreciation of the policy band11. This is the first time since 2010 that the MAS has used both policy tools simultaneously underlining concerns over price instability.

The exchange rate system in Singapore comprises the basket, band, and crawl (BBC) system as described below.

First, the Singapore dollar is managed against a basket of currencies of its major trading partners. This feature reflects Singapore’s diverse trading patterns and makes its currency less volatile than if it was to be pegged to a single currency.

Second, the Singapore dollar is managed by a floating regime where the tradeweighted exchange rate is allowed to fluctuate within a policy band. This mechanism enables the MAS to accommodate short-term fluctuations in the foreign exchange markets and permits flexibility in managing the exchange rate.

Third, the slope of the exchange rate policy band is reviewed regularly. This is to ensure that it remains consistent with the economy’s underlying fundamentals. This crawl feature enables the exchange rate to be adjusted by the MAS12.

These features in the monetary framework have provided stability for Singapore’s incredibly open economy and enhanced confidence in the Singapore dollar.

MITIGATING IMPACT OF INFLATION Industry Business opportunities could also mitigate the impact of inflation. In existing contracts where prices have

In April 2022, the MAS recentred the mid-point of the exchange rate policy band known as the Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (S$NEER) at the prevailing level and increased slightly the rate of appreciation of the policy band. This is the first time since 2010 that the MAS has used both policy tools simultaneously underlining concerns over price instability.

not been indexed, besides front-loading the spending, companies should request a clawback on unindexed contracts that cover periods when commodity prices fell13 .

Using digital tools and analytics, spreadsheet analysis could be enhanced to ascertain the true costs of large purchases which enable managers to

Goh, T. Global measures to tackle inflation may cause recession, but must be taken: PM Lee. The Business Times. 2022, May 24 Ibid Agarwal, S., and Chua, Y. H. Commentary: Why is this inflation so hard to control? CNA. 2022, Feb 15. Available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/inflation-taxes-rising-costs-living-supply-chains-singapore-budget-2022-2492451 Ong, C. T. An exchange rate centred monetary policy system: Singapore’s experience. BIS papers, no. 73. 2022, January 13 Ibid Singapore tightens monetary policy to fight inflation as growth slows in the first quarter. CNBC. 2022, April 13. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/14/singapore-tightens-monetary-policy-to-rein-in-inflation-as-growth-slows.html Ong, C. T. An exchange rate centred monetary policy system: Singapore’s experience. BIS papers, no. 73. 2022, January 13 Ibanez, P., et. al. How to Deal with Price Increases in this inflationary market. McKinsey & Company, BIS papers, no. 73. 2022, January 13. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/how-to-deal-with-price-increases-in-this-inflationary-market

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quantify how inflationary prices are affecting prices. Supplier and buyer collaboration could also drive joint efficiencies to look beyond price such as changes to quality or specifications or using fewer materials. Companies could also increase collaboration between the pricing and procurement teams to evaluate inflation’s impact on prices that the company charges to its customers.

Other technical levers to mitigate inflation include adjusting batch sizes, accelerating value-added engineering, and addressing the volatility in the short-to-medium-term. Optimising supplier footprints could also have better control over coordination, costs, tariffs, and inventory. Longer-term measures to mitigate volatility include strategic inventory stockpiling, relying more on vendor-managed inventory, and expanding cross-industry collaboration to share commodity exposures.

Second, transfer some risks downstream by including in the contracts certain terms and conditions to adjust the timing of contract expiration and risk exposure.

Price collars could be used to restrict price changes to a specified range or match contract terms with those of suppliers’ contracts to help structure risks and allocation fairly. In exchange for reduced prices and or other concessions, customers might be willing and or able to absorb some degree of risks.

Third, companies could collaborate with other companies on shared objectives and transfer risks externally. For example, if a manufacturer could gain access to raw materials overseas through a contractual swap or by sharing this source with another manufacturer, this enables both to reduce costs and provides them with the flexibility to reduce supply chain risk.

The government has also brought forward measures such as the disbursement of the Small Business Recovery Grant which Companies, as buyers, could prepare for provides up to S$10, 000 for SMEs most negotiations by using short-and long-term affected by the pandemic. commercial and technical levers14. Price Households increases could be considered but only For households, the government has after cost and other fact-based tools had brought forward the disbursement of been utilised to determine its fairness. several household support measures In the event a price increase is necessary such as vouchers totalling $100 for each given prevailing market conditions, household for groceries and rebates for alternatives could be made available utilities equivalent to a month’s cost for to minimise the cost increase’s effect. those living in four-room HDB flats.

New suppliers could also be explored In the past, lower-income families have by reassessing the vendor matrix and also been provided transport vouchers opportunities. This shift in companies’ response will have an immediate impact, and Goods and Services Tax (GST) Vouchers15. The government has also and a review process could help to ensured the diversification of food identify non-incumbent suppliers or import sources that helps to maintain suppliers for other areas that might be the price competitiveness of food items able to provide better costing or service. and reduces its vulnerabilities to large price fluctuations globally16.

Businesses First, companies could transfer inflationary With rising prices, it gets even harder risks upstream by employing a range of to save and invest. In a survey among sourcing and contracting techniques to Singaporeans by SJP Asia in 2021, just reduce exposure to increased costs. It over half (52 percent) considered inflation could be possible to collaborate with in their financial plans and its impact on suppliers to share supply-chain risks by their savings17. using a long-term fixed-price contract.

14 Ibanez, P., et. al. How to Deal with Price Increases in this inflationary market. McKinsey & Company, BIS papers, no. 73. 2022, January 13. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/how-to-deal-with-price-increases-in-this-inflationary-market Lim, V. Amid rising costs, Singapore government aims to maintain wage growth and diversify food imports: Low Yen Ling. CNA. 2022, January 11. Available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/inflation-rising-costs-singapore-wage-growth-diversify-food-imports-2427296 16 Choo, Y. T. S’pore does not expect persistent, accelerating inflation; measures to mitigate impact: Low Yen Ling. The Straits Times. 2022, January 11. Available at: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/spore-does-not-expect-persistent-accelerating-inflation-measures-in-place-to-mitigate-impact-low-yen-ling 17 Harvey, G. Commentary: Too few in Singapore understand the impact of inflation on investments and savings. CNA. 2022, February 16. Available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/inflation-impact-investments-tips-best-assets-appreciate-2499061 Jenner, A. GST increase will help Singapore generate the revenue needed to invest in people, social infrastructure: Lawrence Wong. CNA. 2022, February 9. Available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/budget-gst-increase-help-singapore-generate-revenue-invest-people-infrastructure-2487706 15

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Individuals For individuals who are investing, rising inflation adds to the increased costs of living which impact savings and investments. To mitigate inflation risks, investors could consider investments that could be hedged from rising inflation.

For example, on equities, examining data on historical returns for high and low inflation periods from 1992 to 2021, it indicated that the S&P 500 (S&P Dow Jones Indices) had posted an annualised return of 8.1 percent after adjusting for inflation18.

While it has been shown that the annualised inflation-adjusted return on stocks had outpaced the rate of inflation, it is also prudent for investors to manage risks by diversifying across different sectors. This strategy helps to reduce overexposure to areas that are out of favour with investors. In addition, investors could also reduce their portfolio volatility by investing in assets that are uncorrelated or having low correlation with inflationary pressures.

CONCLUSION Singapore imports nearly all its required resources and has an open trading regime.

Rather than leveraging on interest rates, the monetary policy is the main policy tool used to stabilise prices during strong inflationary pressures. Rising inflation leads to higher borrowing costs, wages, and materials which in turn compels businesses to raise their prices and pass these onto their consumers. Increases in the GST will worsen the impact of rising inflation and if the inflation rate keeps increasing, other measures such as a Supplementary Budget may be required to mitigate its adverse impact on businesses and households.

Dr Faizal Yahya is a Sen ior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies.

He completed his PhD at the University of Sydney. His area of res earch interests includes human capital development, business transformation and trade linkages.

STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF

Singapore Muslim Professionals IN COMMUNITY ADVOCACY

BY NOR LASTRINA HAMID

To address how the role of Singapore Muslim professionals in community advocacy can be strengthened, there are three things to consider. First, where we are now and what we have done well. Second, where we fall short and what the challenges are.

Finally, how we can work together to

further strengthen our role in community advocacy.

In the context of this article, Muslim professionals refer to individuals who are successful in their respective fields with the capacity to advocate, support, and give back to meet the needs of the

community, while community advocates are individuals who are prominent in speaking on issues and causes relating to the community locally. It is not a requirement that these individuals or groups be attached to any Malay/Muslim organisations, and can be doing this via their own ground-up initiatives.

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WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE WELL The first step to take when considering how the role of our professionals as community advocates can be strengthened is to assess the current state of things and areas we have done well in. To do this, we need to look at Muslim professionals who have actively engaged in community advocacy.

Muslim professional engaging in community advocacy can look like.

On the ground, there are many more Muslim professionals with full-time jobs or family responsibilities, who are also speaking up on issues relating to the Muslim community locally and doing something about it.

a Muslim professional, or a professional in general, without involving any religious aspect.

WORKING TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN THE ROLE OF SINGAPORE MUSLIM PROFESSIONALS IN COMMUNITY ADVOCACY WHERE WE FALL SHORT AND To strengthen the role of Singapore WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE Muslim professionals in community One such example is Hazlina Halim, While there are Muslim professionals advocacy, there are three suggestions the a well-known media and journalism in community advocacy in Singapore, writer would like to make. The first two personality, who moved to a different there exist barriers hindering more of suggestions require structural changes sector three years ago and is now working them from doing so. A number of factors by Malay/Muslim organisations in as a Public Affairs Advisor at the U.S. contribute to this; two will be discussed Singapore. The writer believes that with Embassy in Singapore. In December 2020, in this article. these structural changes, the individual she also became the President of Singapore Muslim professional’s role in community Muslim Women’s Association (PPIS), an Firstly, professionals are required to adhere advocacy can be strengthened even organisation where she has been a to company policies or expectations, and further in the long run. member and volunteer since 2012. as such, it is a risk for Muslim professionals Among other things, Hazlina set up a when community advocacy involves First, on a foundational basis, there is a research and engagement department speaking up on Muslim-related social need to develop a plan for advocacy. and led the team in PPIS’ first Online or political issues, even outside of work.

There are already several frameworks out Conversations on Women Development for In this scenario, there is a structural there such as the Advocating for Change the Muslim Community. obligation and community context one module by Community Tool Box1. Briefly, has to adhere to, and so, a way to still the module sets out a guideline such as Another example is singer-songwriter allow for community advocacy is to the need to research on a relevant issue, Art Fazil, who has been writing songs ensure there is active communication be clear on the goals and advocacy tactic since he was a teenager, made a career between the Muslim professionals and to be used, and understanding the in London, and won music awards in their employers on what their boundaries stakeholders including allies. The writer Singapore and the United Kingdom. Art are. The challenge, nevertheless, could be is suggesting this as a first step based on does not speak on issues relating to the that even when boundaries are discussed personal observations on efforts to bring Malay community but he sings them or a safe space is provided for, one is Singapore Muslim professionals together through poetic lyrics. It is through his always at risk of overstepping the in community advocacy, be it with Young songs that he promotes Malay music and boundaries or be seen as an instigator, AMP, the youth wing of AMP Singapore, 3 culture, which are appreciated by people even if that was not the intention. or M , a collaborative effort between not just in Singapore, but also in the MUIS, MENDAKI, and MESRA, to build a Nusantara and the world.

Community of Success; a community that Secondly, Muslim professionals may has the three Cs: character, competence, not be conversant with holding critical Third is Aida Azlin, a Singaporean and citizenry2. While these organisations dialogues that involve Islamic values, based in Morocco, who has built a strong especially when they are not sufficiently work to serve the community in their social media presence and brand in knowledgeable on these values or own ways and have their own networks of the past years, amassing over 180,000 comfortable to be part of conversations Muslim professionals they engage with, followers on Instagram, over 144,000 of such nature. In this scenario, which more can also be done to engage Muslim followers on Twitter, and writing online is more of an individual knowledge and professionals, not within their networks, newsletters she calls ‘Tuesday Love personality factor, one way to increase especially in the implementation phase Letters’, to over 80,000 subscribers. Aida the capacity to continue discourse that of their advocacy efforts. incorporates Islamic values actively in integrates Islamic values would be the her writings, and brings with her, not access to a healthy ecosystem for the Second, with a wider base of Muslim just the Singapore Muslim community sharing of such knowledge and nodes to professionals comes the need to develop closer to God, but the international other Muslim professionals. That said, the and train this pool with specific skillsets. community too. challenge here could boil down to the These Muslim professionals would have individual themselves; how they identify accumulated certain industry experience The above examples are public figures as a Muslim, how Islamic they perceive and bring with them a wealth of that the Muslim community in Singapore themselves to be, and if they even want acknowledge. While the Malay/Muslim can refer to, to help visualise what a to pursue the discourse from the angle of organisations in Singapore do have their

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1 Community Tool Box. 10. Advocating for Change. Available at: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/advocating-change Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Speech – Investing in our community of success. 2020, March 6. Available at: https://www.mccy.gov.sg/about-us/news-and-resources/speeches/2020/mar/investing-in-our-community-of-success

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The writer is suggesting this as a first step based on personal observations on efforts to bring Singapore Muslim professionals together in community advocacy, be it with Young AMP, the youth wing of AMP Singapore, or M3, a collaborative effort between MUIS, MENDAKI, and MESRA, to build a Community of Success; a community that has the three Cs: character, competence, and citizenry. own induction programmes and support systems that serve their own agenda and community needs, when it comes to community advocacy, one way to strengthen the role of Muslim professionals in community advocacy is to improve the collective skillsets.

This includes having a standardised training programme that encompasses foundational Islamic values or Malay conversational etiquette, which may come in handy when engaging with the elderly population, and how to leverage social media, especially in this day and age of digital advocacy.

A third way to strengthen the role of Singapore Muslim professionals in community advocacy is for the Muslim professionals themselves to be active volunteers in the first place. Volunteering allows one to be exposed to various causes and community profiles, and through this volunteering journey, the Muslim professional may find a gap they can address or may start to find ways around their schedule so they can pursue the cause further and advocate for it.

Platforms such as the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) and SG Cares, a national movement to guide those in Singapore to better help those in need, may help kickstart the community advocacy journey for more Muslim professionals.

WHAT IS OUR PLACE IN SINGAPORE AS A MUSLIM PROFESSIONAL IN COMMUNITY ADVOCACY? While universal values like responsibility, accountability and being a ‘good’ person exist, what distinguishes a Muslim community advocate is the reverence to God, and thus, in the advocacy work they do, there is also an element of accountability to God and the Hereafter.

In this regard, a reminder could be that our place in Singapore as a Muslim professional in community advocacy is, while we do what we can to the best of our ability to serve the Muslim community locally, perhaps what might sustain us in this journey in the long run is to remember the Quran chapter 3, verse 110: “You are the best community ever raised for humanity— you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah…”

Having organised com munity events and working with youths and volunteer groups in the past 10 years, Nor Lastrina Hamid has built an interest in clim ate issues and how people respond to clim ate impacts. In 2015, Lastrina co-founded Sin gapore Youth for Climate Action (SYCA) to engage youths in climate action or environ ment-related volunteerism. Aside from being an active volunteer, in 2022, Las trina is also part of a team org anising a regional programme for youths in Southeast Asia and Timor-Leste.

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FROM INTEGRATION TO INCLUSION:

Reconstructing the Minority Narratives

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With Singapore opening up after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, it almost feels like the country is back to how it was pre-pandemic. Log on to social media or switch on the news, we’ve been flooded with stories of resilience, stories of perseverance, and also stories of love and support. However, we also had to confront an ugly truth – are we as harmonious as we like to say we are?

At the start of the pandemic, news of racist attacks toward Asians in the West drew concerns in our part of the world. The Stop Asian Hate movement drew support both offline and online, as demonstrations, protests, and rallies were held to condemn violence targeting Asians, especially Asian Americans. Social media were filled with support for Asians as people protested against the racism they faced.

In Singapore, while support towards Asian Americans grew bigger, we were also faced with our own cases of racism that have happened over the course of the pandemic.

Unlike before, these incidents have been recorded and gone viral on social media.

In May last year, a man was charged for physically attacking an Indian woman and was also accused of using racial slurs against her. Not long after, another woman was charged for making racist remarks in the MRT towards minorities, while recording them on her handphone. A polytechnic lecturer was also recently charged for making racial remarks at an inter-ethnic couple. A common theme of these incidents: the existence of minorities, many of whom are just going about their day, are seemingly being questioned.

Whether it’s going for a walk, taking the MRT to work, or going on a date with a significant other, the existence of minorities seems to be an issue for some people.

As some have raised, is this a new phenomenon of racist incidents that arose from the pandemic situation, or are these incidents a call for us to relook at how we understand racial dynamics in Singapore?

Channel NewsAsia recently televised a follow-up of a race-related documentary, titled Regardless of Race. In the follow-up that was hosted by Senior Minister of State

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Dr Janil Puthucheary, it was stated that important are findings that there has been an increased investigation microaggressions lower the standard of of racial incidents. Comments on the short living of people of colour and create extraction of the documentary on inequities in employment, education and YouTube had people sharing their own health care.” 1 encounters with racist incidents, with others voicing out that more investigations Not long after such incidents, Singaporean should be taken as a good sign. minorities have taken action to share their own experiences of racism they have faced The question on people’s minds remains: on social media. Accounts such as Minority are these cases really merely one-off? And Voices were also created as a platform for why are we only seeing them now? minorities to gather and share their lived experiences. More conversations and POLITICS OF EXISTING AND THE dialogue have also been conducted to BURDEN OF PROOF tackle this issue.

With smartphones, capturing such incidents has made it easier for them to But is it enough? be shared on social media. For many minorities, these incidents have also RECONSTRUCTING THE MINORITY become evidence for them, as the burden NARRATIVE of proof often falls on the victims. With Many activists have long argued about the such evidence, it becomes harder to deny existence of Chinese privilege in this the existence of racism in the country. country. The term has been met with However, there are some that would still resistance and backlash from a wider argue that such incidents are merely community, with many arguing that the one-offs, or even attempt to downplay the term was merely coined from the term experiences of the victims. On the other ‘White privilege’ and that adopting end, some would only consider an incident Western identity politics into the local as racist if there is proof of physical attacks sphere can cause more harm than good. and physical abuse faced by the victim.

While it is true that we need to start Such mentality, that one has to be coining our own language from our own physically attacked for an incident to be understanding of racial dynamics in our considered racially motivated, causes more own country, denying the existence of harm. It implies that other forms of racism such privileges does nothing to solve the such as microaggressions are less harmful problem as well. It also discredits the work and should be tolerated. and experiences that have been pointed out by activists, scholars, and everyday Derald Wing Sue, a professor of counselling people who have had to bear the brunt of psychology at Columbia University, discrimination just because of the colour argues that microaggressions cause real of their skin. psychological harm to the marginalised and stated that psychologists have deemed Critiques of the term do point out a valid microaggressions as “death by a thousand concern about transposing other minority cuts”. He wrote: experiences outside of Singapore onto ours.

But while such critiques are important in “Far from being harmless and benign, ensuring we are able to have our own microaggressions have a macro impact on discourse, they should not steer the targets. A whole body of research supports conversation away from the important this conclusion. They increase stress in the issue that has been raised. lives of people of colour, lower emotional well-being, increase depression and negative We must move from a culture that is only feelings, assail the mental health of reactionary to one that listens. Many recipients, impede learning and important points are drowned by problem-solving, impair employee accusations that such narratives only serve performance and take a heavy toll on the to disrupt the peaceful utopia as the physical well-being of targets. Equally majority might know the country as. This

Sue, D. W. Microaggressions: Death by a Thousand Cuts. Scientific American. 2021, March 30. Retrieved from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/microaggressions-death-by-a-thousand-cuts/

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Building narratives to understand and include the marginalised will break the idea that there should even be an ‘other’. Only from there can we break any stereotypes and build empathy for one another. We should move from integration to inclusion; then, can we also accept one another regardless of any differences. The acknowledgement of privilege should not be a debate point, but a point to understand where the gaps are and opportunities to ensure that everyone gets the same opportunity and help without any fear of rejection.

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creates a vicious cycle and in turn, causes tension that the state has long been trying to avoid.

moment. It is based on the fear of being persecuted, rather than care and understanding for another fellow person.

There also needs to be an acknowledgement that such bias affects more than a minority’s emotions but also their daily life, and even has affected things such as income. In the follow-up of Regardless of Race, the documentary stated that an average Malay earns $3,228 less yearly than a Chinese person. The documentary also showcased a social experiment, where minority people do not get opportunities merely by their name despite having the same resume. In a country where we thrive off the narrative of meritocracy, how do we address this problem? And how does this affect how minorities are viewed in this country, and how do we minorities view ourselves?

Breaking down narratives as we know them and being honest with policies that might have caused harm towards how we see minorities is important in building relations and including what we might know as ‘the other’. Building narratives to understand and include the marginalised will break the idea that there should even be an ‘other’. Only from there can we break any stereotypes and build empathy for one another. We should move from integration to inclusion; then, can we also accept one another regardless of any differences. The acknowledgement of privilege should not be a debate point, but a point to understand where the gaps are and opportunities to ensure that everyone gets the same opportunity and help without any fear of rejection.

INTEGRATION: HOW DO WE MOVE FROM HERE? Growing up in Singapore, we often hear the word ‘integration’ being used often. As a multi-cultural country, there is a need for everyone to integrate. However, I would argue that integration would not work if implicit bias and racism in the country are not tackled first. Harmful narratives that we hear as minorities continue to perpetuate how we think of minorities, including the often-forgotten ones, such as migrant workers.

Encouraging people to integrate into society, while the intention may be good, has to be relooked. When we talk about integrating into society, who gets to define what society is? From whose lens are we understanding it? If we are looking at integration from the lens of the majority, are we setting ourselves up for failure?

Will there be people who do not fit into the mainstream idea of being Singaporean?

Before we can get to integration, we should look at inclusion and deconstruct what we understand narratives as. In Problematic Singapore Malays: The Making of a Portrayal, Dr Suriani Suratman explores the portrayal of the Malays by the government, as found in the mainstream media in Singapore.

Such works are key in understanding how the mainstream media and state influence how minorities are viewed. This is key in breaking stereotypes and biases. Laws, while important to protect minorities, only tackle the basic necessity of that

Mysara Aljaru is a Singaporean creative and writer. She researches and explores the issue of class, race, and gender.

FIRST AMONG EQUALS:

LAWRENCE WONG AS PRIME MINISTER AND WHAT LIES AHEAD

BY DR WALID JUMBLATT ABDULLAH

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The much-awaited question has finally been answered: Finance Minister Lawrence Wong will succeed Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong as the leader of the Fourth Generation (4G) of People’s Action Party (PAP) leaders, and thus, as the next Prime Minister of Singapore.

The announcement made in April should be welcomed by all Singaporeans: for far too long, there was too much speculation about the identity of the next PM, with three candidates – Ministers Chan Chun Sing and Ong Ye Kung being the other two – talked about as potential leaders. The speculation even led to rumours about discord and jostling within the party for the coveted position. For a party renowned for its remarkable unity, such theories were most definitely not useful, and it is good for all involved – the candidates, the party, and most importantly, the country – that the issue is now resolved, and everyone can focus on moving ahead.

But what exactly does Minister Wong’s appointment mean, and what are the key issues he would have to deal with?

UNDERSTANDING PAP’S PARTY STRUCTURE There is a tendency among Singaporeans to overly focus on personalities in discussing politics. Of course, this is not unique to Singapore: personality politics is more intriguing and much simpler to analyse.

It is easy to attribute everything to just a person’s abilities and charisma. Easy, but not quite accurate. However, by excessively focusing on individuals, we often miss out on other equally, if not more important, factors which affect political outcomes, such as institutions. The PAP’s party structure is one such institution.

The point remains that there is no internal election to choose the next Secretary-General.

The combination of these two features means the following: the PAP is ideologically coherent, making it less likely for splits to occur based on ideological grounds; and that the PAP reproduces itself since successive generations are always similar in thought to the earlier leaders.

Therefore, the differences between the three individuals – Ministers Wong, Chan, and Ong – are, in reality, not that acute.

Yes, there would be personality differences, because ultimately, no two human beings are ever completely the same. However, ideologically, there is not much difference between the three of them: if there were, they would not have been key Ministers coming from a party with such a structure in the first place.

This closed structure and ideological homogeneity, like everything else, has its pros and cons. As mentioned above, the party is more immune to splits than others, at least along ideological lines. At the same time, the party is unlikely to have change agents who come from within.

With that, we should manage expectations about Minister Wong’s future premiership.

Minister Wong rose to prominence almost out of nowhere, as his assured public fronting of the COVID-19 crisis put him at the top of the pecking order. It must be remembered that prior to the pandemic, Minister Chan was the proposed number two of then-PM-in-waiting, Heng Swee Keat. COVID-19 gave Wong more exposure to the public and evidently, he did well enough for his party to put faith in. Wong was perhaps a typical PAP choice: one who is safe and does not rock The PAP can be described as a cadre party. the electoral boat since he is palatable to There are two features to this type of party. the general public. While Wong and his First, membership is restricted. Unlike a team will undoubtedly move with the mass party, you cannot sign up unsolicited times, as any leader does, it is not reasonable to be a member. Instead, you need to be to expect him to naturally desire to invited. This way, the party is able to radically alter the state of political affairs. control the selection process and admits individuals who are ideologically aligned WHAT LIES AHEAD: CHALLENGES with its core values. Secondly, leaders are Yet, ironically, Wong and his team’s selected, not elected. Technically the biggest challenge may involve precisely Secretary-General of the party (who is the that: a rethinking of certain fundamental PM) can choose his successor. In PM Lee’s underpinnings of governance. The two, case, like his predecessors, he allowed the which are most relevant here, are 4G team to choose their own leader. meritocracy and multiracialism.

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On this front, the 4G team and Wong have already demonstrated their willingness to move leftwards economically, a trend which really started in the aftermath of the 2011 General Election. As evinced from the 2022 Budget, which Wong delivered in the capacity of Finance Minister, the government is willing to slowly, but surely, implement policies which are considered more redistributive, such as increasing the income tax rate for the highest earners. Obviously, these changes are not radical – it is not in the nature of cadre parties to be revolutionary – but they are significant, nonetheless.

Since the publication of Associate Professor Teo You Yenn’s This is What Inequality Looks Like in 2018, the issue of inequality has acquired a level of prominence not previously seen in local discourse. As citizens witness inequality at a quotidian level, the demand for more welfarist polices and economic justice would naturally intensify. On this front, the 4G team and Wong have already demonstrated their willingness to move leftwards economically, a trend which really started in the aftermath of the 2011 General Election. As evinced from the 2022 Budget, which Wong delivered in the capacity of Finance Minister, the government is willing to slowly, but surely, implement policies which are considered more redistributive, such as increasing the income tax rate for the highest earners.

Obviously, these changes are not radical – it is not in the nature of cadre parties to be revolutionary – but they are significant, nonetheless.

think differently about race. While the government is wary of open public discussions on racial issues as it believes they could jeopardise racial harmony, it recognises that the younger generation feels differently. Indeed, we have witnessed vibrant racial discourses online in the past three to four years. The discussions on the existence of Chinese Privilege, for instance, has garnered so much traction that PM Lee himself felt a need to address the matter in the 2021 National Day Rally. What we can expect is that there will be more of a thirst for such discussions among the young: having grown up in a completely different environment as compared to older Singaporeans, the younger generation does not feel as afraid to articulate their thoughts on race. It is true that at times, debates which take place online are influenced by American discourses, but that is pretty much inevitable considering the interconnectedness of the world due to social media, the effects of American popular culture, and the fact that Singapore But tackling inequality may require more is English-speaking. It is important to not than these subtle changes. It may also throw the baby out with the bathwater – involve taking a closer look at meritocracy, just because there is American/Western a core principle upon which Singapore influence in a particular discourse does not was founded. As Michael Sandel, the automatically negate its utility. Each idea American philosopher based at Harvard, must be debated on its own merits. cogently argues, inequality is the logical outcome of an unflinching belief in The 4G leadership must contend with meritocracy. Beyond expanding the idea these changing desires of the younger of merit, even class-based affirmative electorate. At Minister Wong’s landmark action should be considered as plausible speech at the IPS-RSIS Conference on courses of action. Already, we see some Identity in November 2021, he was mild forms of this being instituted: the attempting to strike a delicate balance National University of Singapore between affirming the government’s announced earlier this year that incoming traditional stance of treating racial students with a per capita household harmony as delicate and acknowledging income of lower than $1,000 do not need the aspirations of more Singaporeans to to pay tuition fees. More of such creative be part of the conversation. policies can be implemented, as long as we have the audacity to rethink even what Moving forward, this is an area in which were previously thought to be the most the government may need to recalibrate its basic building blocks of our society. approach. More conversations on the state of racial affairs are not only what many The other, perhaps bigger, challenge younger Singaporeans want but may involves multiracialism. The government also be what is needed to improve and has always adopted an interventionist strengthen racial harmony. After all, approach toward managing racial and more honest discussions would lead to religious relations. It does not leave things more understanding and empathy, and to chance, prodding good ties between the sweeping emotions, feelings and issues various racial groups while not hesitating under the carpet may be unhealthy for to use draconian measures against those society as a whole. who are deemed to have crossed the line. However, as admitted by PM Lee and Minister of Law and Home Affairs, K. Shanmugam, younger Singaporeans

CONCLUSION While it is true that PAP’s party structure is not conducive for major departures from its existing ideologies, the government should realise that these are different times. Indeed, Minister Wong has already alluded to this, saying that no electoral victory is guaranteed for his party from now on. Since the times have changed because the electorate has differing demands, the government must similarly adapt. The impetus to change will not come from within the party, because of its ideological homogeneity, but rather, from a recognition that Singaporeans today have different aspirations – in some areas – than previously.

Assistant Dr Walid Jumblatt Abdullah is an Global Professor at the Public Policy and nological Affairs programme at Nanyang Tech relations, University. He works on state-Islam with and political parties and elections, Malaysia. particular focus on Singapore and

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THE ROLE OF

Malay-Muslim Fathers IN THE FAMILY

BY DR SHAMSURI JUHARI AND JEANNE TAN

The White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development that was submitted to Parliament last month outlined the various challenges that women experience – from issues relating to caregiving work to the notion of a glass ceiling at the workplace. While the paper acknowledges positive developments for women over the years, there remains several unfavourable gender norms that are entrenched in Singapore society, such as the belief that women are, by default, the caregivers of the family and men, the breadwinners1. In 2021, Jamiyah Singapore organised a virtual event to gather views on ways to uplift the status of mothers. They reported that several female participants faced difficulties

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arising from preconceived notions in Malay culture where mothers are expected to take on the caregiving responsibilities of their children and the elderly2. The prevalence of such unequal gender roles in the family are said to be partly attributed by men in the family who see themselves as the ones liable for taking up the family’s breadwinner responsibilities. These beliefs become root causes that inadvertently make real the stereotypes.

Across Asia and the Pacific, the International Labour Organisation reported that in 2018, women spend 4.1 times more time in unpaid care work than men3. Taking a closer look at our

society, the 2013 Survey on Social Attitudes of Singaporeans commissioned by the Ministry of Social and Family Development revealed that more than 50 percent of women indicated that they took on more caregiving and homemaking responsibilities compared to their male counterparts4.

The White Paper subsequently highlighted that men must play a key role in encouraging mindset shifts in society.

This can be done with them challenging gender stereotypes and being role models for others by taking on a more active role at home. At the same time, they should be championing for more equal opportunities for women at work. The

Singapore Together. White Paper on Singapore’s Women’s Development. 2022, March. Available at: https://www.scwo.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/White-Paper-on-Singapore-Womens-Development.pdf 2 Ng, C. Gender roles, expectations need to change to better support mothers: Sim Ann. The Straits Times. 2021, June 13. Retrieved 2022, June 2 from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/gender-roles-expectations-need-to-change-to-better-support-mothers-sim-ann 3 International Labour Organization (ILO). Care Work and Care Jobs for the Future of Decent Work. International Labour Office – Geneva: ILO. 2018. Available at: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_633135.pdf 4 Shah, S. Z. Overcoming the challenges women face in the wake of Covid-19 and digital disruption. TODAY. 2021, March 8. Retrieved 2022, June 2 from: https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/overcoming-challenges-women-face-wake-covid-19-and-digital-disruption

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wider implication, nevertheless, is that for Singapore to move to a higher plane of social progress, a whole-of- society effort is required where organisations, community partners, families and individuals play their part.

THE NEED FOR FATHERS TO BE EFFECTIVE PARENTS According to the Singapore Fatherhood Public Perception Survey conducted by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) in 2010, 97 percent of Singaporeans are of the view that fathers play an important part in their children’s lives5. This sentiment is further affirmed by a 2013 study of juvenile delinquents by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Singapore Prison Service (SPS), which found that at the national level, about half of young offenders were from divorced, single or reconstituted families and were reported to have had poor relationships with their fathers6.

Aside from ensuring positive outcomes in their children’s development, greater involvement of fathers in parenting work also benefit their spouses on several fronts such as improvements in the latter’s physical and mental health, increased gender socialisation, as well as enabling them to pursue their education and work goals. In the same way, women’s participation in the workforce not only adds to the family’s overall financial stability, it also affords these wives with a sense of financial freedom and security.

Finally, involving men in caregiving work will also provide husbands with opportunities to relate their experiences with that of their wives and children.

should they delegate this responsibility entirely upon their wives. By their own admission, the need for “freedom of time” to devote to their family should be a priority regardless of work demands.

primary decision maker in the family.

Overall, the changing worldviews have enabled wives to take on roles that were previously the exclusive domain of fathers.

Interestingly, though unsurprising to the community, the findings on MalayMuslim fathers show that Islam is regarded by participants as the main source of knowledge, which they defer to when seeking guidance on parenting practices. However, while Friday sermons consistently exhort the value of equity in gender roles in the household, some Malay-Muslim fathers still find difficulty in seeing themselves as similarly suited for childcare as their wives. Still, they have expressed their desire to take on a more equitable share of family responsibilities with their spouses and are moving towards the direction set out by the Women’s Development White Paper. This includes allowing for dual income in the family and dedicating as much of their free time to parenting their children. Although such aspirations cannot yet be said to represent the views of all fathers who participated in the study, these sentiments reveal changes in the social construct of gender ideology whereby both parents are now willing to take on a more equitable share in the upkeep of the family.

CHALLENGES TO EFFECTIVE PARENTING FACED BY MALAY-MUSLIM FATHERS IN SINGAPORE Despite these positive developments, it appears that Singaporean Malay-Muslim fathers continue to see themselves as the de facto income-earner in the family. In placing their trust behind the ideology associating role and gender, a number of Malay-Muslim fathers are still reluctant to entertain the idea of sharing the responsibility of providing for the financial needs of the family with their spouses, let alone thoughts of relinquishing it altogether if a situation develops. Gender roles, to them, are clear-cut and absolute.

When these fathers go out to work, they expect their stay-at-home wives to take up the role of caring for their children.

Such beliefs in the exclusivity of gender-based division of labour within the family unit unfortunately take away opportunities for them to spend time with their children.

In addition, many fathers admit to not being able to effectively communicate with their spouses and children. While Some fathers also voiced their appreciation many have successfully navigated of their wives’ efforts in transforming complex issues during their parent-child them into better dads, such as correcting conversations, there are some topics their beliefs regarding gender roles in that remain out of reach. These include their family. A respondent, for instance, discussions on themes that cover matters explained how as a result of learnt of romantic relationships, expectations behaviour, his notion of an effective of the future and personal beliefs. It father had been one that dictates and translates into a certain awkwardness expects total obedience from his family. in their ability to initiate genuine Over the years, this view was slowly conversations with their loved ones.

In April 2022, we published the findings ‘chipped away’ by his wife, resulting in a What results is often emotional for our study on Challenges to Effective changed attitude and behaviour that have distancing and, in the case with children, Parenting Experienced by Malay-Muslim made him the better dad that he is today. the proverbial generation gap develops.

Fathers. The Institute of Policy Studies research project revealed that Singaporean The study revealed that wives are also part of the driving force in creating this LOOKING AHEAD Malay-Muslim dads do recognise the importance of being present and spending change, as they now play an increasingly While fathers are contributing more as equitable role in their households while caregivers of their children, the scope quality time with their children7. They are aware of the negative consequences still acknowledging fathers as the of their involvement remains largely

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Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Singapore Fatherhood Public Perception Survey. 2009 Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Singapore Prisons Service. Study on the Profile of Young Offenders. 2013 Juhari, M. S. Knowledge, Attitude & Practice: An Exploratory Investigation of Parenting Challenges Facing Malay-Muslim Fathers in Singapore. Centre for Fathering. 2022, February. Available at: https://fathers.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/MM-Fathering-Project-Report-version-22-Feb.pdf

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For a start, fathers need to be instilled with knowledge on how to be a good parent.

The research tells us that social networks can provide an important source of fathering know-how for Malay-Muslim fathers. The closest of these networks comprise immediate family members and friends. These networks provide a strong influence, which can have an impact on the attitude and behaviour of its members.

It goes without saying that fathers in need of the correct parental knowledge should be introduced to social networks that will have the capacity to mould them into better dads. The idea of support groups such as MENDAKI’s Family Excellence Circle is a model worth emulating. limited. The ability for men to take on the role of an active father is constrained by challenges at the individual, community and policy levels.

For a start, fathers need to be instilled with knowledge on how to be a good parent. The research tells us that social networks can provide an important source of fathering know-how for Malay-Muslim fathers. The closest of these networks comprise immediate family members and friends. These networks provide a strong influence, which can have an impact on the attitude and behaviour of its members. It goes without saying that fathers in need of the correct parental knowledge should be

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introduced to social networks that will have the capacity to mould them into better dads. The idea of support groups such as MENDAKI’s Family Excellence Circle is a model worth emulating8.

As far back as 2012, there was talk within the Malay-Muslim community of establishing a parents’ school where mothers and fathers could learn various strategies to perform their roles better9.

Though the idea has not taken off, it is still worth diving into. There are some organisations, such as the Centre for Fathering, which have been pushing for the materialisation of this idea.

Yayasan MENDAKI. Family Excellence Circle (FEC). Retrieved 2022, June 2 from: https://www.mendaki.org.sg/programmes/family-excellence-circle-fec/ AMP Singapore. 3rd National Convention of Singapore Muslim Professionals Journal: Social Panel Paper. 2012, pp. 67-84. Available at: https://www.amp.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/7-Section-4_Social.pdf Arivalagan, Y. “Stay-at-home” fathers and their families: What lessons for policymakers? Institute of Policy Studies. 2020, January. Available at: https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/ips/stay-at-home-fathers-and-their-families-what-lessons-for-policymakers.pdf

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For men to become more effective caregivers, support at the individual and community level is insufficient.

What is further required are policies and programmes that challenge unequal gender norms and promote gender equality. For instance, interviews conducted during the aforementioned IPS study on Malay/Muslim fathers indicate that many respondents are apprehensive about the stigma they will face in the workplace should they chose to place higher priority for childcare responsibilities over their work. In fact, an earlier IPS study conducted in 2020 focusing on stay-at-home fathers reported that when fathers make such life choices, they experienced “acute stigma” not only from society, but also family members and friends10. A suggestion is for the government to promote the creation of a supportive workplace environment that normalises fathering traits that pursue a balance between work and family responsibilities. This is one way to signal to society that fathers who show aptitude at caregiving work are valued. Such policies will not only encourage men to be more involved in parenting, they also bode well for gender equality in the workplace.

There is still much to learn about the ways in which fathers can contribute to caregiving responsibilities in the household. Nonetheless, the importance of their role in nurturing their family is indisputable. Likewise, as with all fathers, our research has shown that Malay-Muslim fathers aspire to be good parents. With the change in attitude indicated by the study, they may well be on their way to becoming the ideal father they aspire to be.

Dr Shamsuri Juhari is Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Stu dies, National University of Singapore . Jeanne Tan is Research Assistant at the same institute.

From Kampung to Crypto:

Empowering Malays in Tech

BY AINUL MD RAZIB

In the past decade, we have seen the world grow exponentially with technology.

Our larger community has become increasingly dependent on smartphones and computers to power our fast-paced lives. Within Singapore, this has sparked a slew of government-supported tech skills training initiatives – from SkillsFuture-claimable tech bootcamps like those by Generation Singapore to government partnerships with tech employers like the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA). Yet we find very few Malays working in the tech industry, an industry that has a lower barrier of entry while also paying relatively higher salaries than most others. Our Malay community is no stranger to the tech world, yet we seem less involved in building it.

ARE MALAYS NOT INTERESTED IN TECH CAREERS? Some critics argue that like many

minorities, Malays could be unmotivated to work in tech due to a lack of exposure to tech careers, as well as a lack of representation in the tech space. Many Malays do not see themselves working in the tech industry, so they write off tech as a potential field they could work in.

To tackle the first factor on a community level, the Singapore government has implemented initiatives like IMDA’s Digital for Life programmes, and partnered with tech skills training providers to make tech careers more accessible. Malay community organisations like Yayasan MENDAKI and AMP Singapore, as well as ground-up initiatives like The Codette Project, have run annual programmes to promote tech career opportunities, spotlighting Malay tech professionals to share their experiences. Yet still few Malays enroll in tech training opportunities, be it for tech certificates or traineeships.

The truth behind the continued lack of Malays entering the tech industry is that we are often hesitant and afraid to stand out as the ‘first’ in our community to do so. We struggle to take pride in our success and set a precedent for the better of the Malays entering the tech industry after us.

WHY DO MANY MALAYS HESITATE TO BE THE ‘FIRST’?

The first problem lies in how our community tends to question showcases of diversity. We question whether an extraordinarily successful minority is disadvantaged enough or serves as a tool for institutions to showcase their commitment to diversity. We cry foul when our own communities are excluded from initiatives benefiting a specific minority group, rather than acknowledge the effort to close a significant opportunity gap. For the Malay community – which has commonly been perceived as being lazy and unambitious – we dread being

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seen as a symbol of diversity. When we do so, we expose ourselves to the scrutiny of being a worthy investment or being sufficiently disadvantaged to deserve acknowledgment.

The reluctance to be a minority advocate is also tricky, especially when one is in a toxic or hostile workplace. As a minority, we are often the first batch of people hired from our community. We somehow become responsible for setting the precedent of how other people at work perceive our community. At the same time, we are also expected to encourage a more inclusive and sensitive workplace, without being too demanding or provocative. In short, when we work in an industry as the minority, we have to take on the lofty duty to cultivate a more inclusive work environment for our successors. For many people, this is too big a task when we already have to keep up with our work and life commitments.

Most of us are familiar with how technology has made our lives easier and richer. With the internet, it is easier to find resources, stay updated on news, and communicate with others beyond geographical boundaries. Smartphones and their apps have made this even more accessible. With government initiatives like the Digital Access Programme that empower low-income households and the elderly with subsidised digital devices, our local community has and will become more tech-savvy. Therefore, it is also crucial to create more inclusive tech products and services that better reflect the needs of our diverse community.

also open up similar efforts to welcome other minority communities as well.

SO HOW DO WE SUPPORT MALAYS IN TECH? To date, the government and Malay community organisations have done a great deal to digitally empower our community. However, we can still do more to get more Malays into tech careers, beyond equipping them with digital devices and expanding their interest in the tech industry. We can build an even more involved and active community of Malays in tech.

Think of pouring something through a For our Malay community, having more sieve: a more viscous liquid would leak Malays in tech could encourage the through the holes slower. When we apply creation of more inclusive tech catered to this analogy to supporting Malays in tech, our increasingly tech-savvy Malay we need to not only encourage more community. In the last decade, the Malay Malays to enter the tech field (i.e. ‘pouring Language Centre published educational the liquid’), we also need to nurture our apps teaching the Malay Language (i.e. existing Malay tech workers to avoid Pintar Kata, Pintar Peribahasa) and Malay losing our bright Malay tech talent (i.e. culture (i.e. Legenda Singapura) to young ‘liquid leaking through the sieve’).

Our struggle with owning our Malay students in Singapore. Apps like achievements as a minority could also Building and nurturing minority come from our Malay values of humility. these foster greater appreciation and access to our rich culture and history, communities is crucial to continually Throughout my life, my elders have without getting left behind in an address the lack of Muslims in tech. always reminded me to be humble and increasingly tech-empowered world.

Beyond sharing learning resources and thankful because “our blessings can be opportunities in the tech industry, taken away at any moment”. While communities like these serve as sources humility and gratefulness are undeniably Having more Malays in tech careers would also encourage better utilisation of hope and inspiration. Malay Muslims great qualities to have, many Malay of tech tools by our Malay community. in Tech, MSOCIETY, and The Codette professionals struggle to set different When more Malays are encouraged to Project are great examples of how Malays boundaries on our careers. We may be with a shared passion for the tech industry hesitant to ask for more as an individual, pursue tech careers, our community is better equipped to follow the world’s swift can come together. Fostering support and even if it could benefit our larger Malay community. What if we ask for too much, progress through digital technology. This active participation in such communities would also inspire a more self-reliant could include organising or simply and destroy the chance to ever do so Malay community that can initiate our attending community-organised events. again while losing the privileges we own development programmes.

More importantly, we do so to remind already have? ourselves that our community exists and We cannot ignore the relatively higher that we should keep nurturing it.

In spite of these challenges, fostering a earnings of tech employees. With a greater and stronger community of rapidly growing demand for digital Another important approach is to have Malays in tech is crucial. As our world builders, tech employees are some of the more open discussion forums featuring becomes more tech-savvy, the need to most well-paid people in our economy.

Malays in tech careers. Other than empower more Malays to pursue tech For our Malay community, having more showcasing the bright Malay talents careers becomes increasingly urgent so that our Malay community does not lose Malays working in the tech space would already working in the field, it allows increase the resources we can spare our fellow Malays to seek advice and out on the world’s progress. to give back to our community. This encouragement from other people with similar interests. Being more open with DO WE NEED MORE MALAYS IN TECH? could in turn lead to a snowball effect where money and other resources are sharing our concerns and advice is pivotal When we have more Malays working in to start exploring solutions to address the tech industry, we not only encourage continually reinvested into the Malay community, and further grow our opportunity gaps. the creation of more inclusive tech network of Malays in tech. products and services, we also empower To expand upon the previous two points, a more diverse and inclusive community On a community level, cultivating a more it is also essential that we are genuine in as a whole. inclusive workplace for Malays would sharing stories of Malay success in tech.

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Building and nurturing minority communities is crucial to continually address the lack of Muslims in tech.

Beyond sharing learning resources and opportunities in the tech industry, communities like these serve as sources of hope and inspiration. Malay Muslims in Tech, MSOCIETY, and The Codette Project are great examples of how Malays with a shared passion for the tech industry can come together. Fostering support and active participation in such communities could include organising or simply attending community-organised events.

More importantly, we do so to remind ourselves that our community exists and that we should keep nurturing it.

For better context, we often witness institutions capitalising on events like International Women’s Day and receiving diversity awards to showcase their diverse workforce. This could come off as ingenuine because diversity and inclusion require a long-term continual effort.

Therefore, both institutions and the community should be consistently sharing minority success and normalise doing so. For our Malay community, we can do more than highlight the impressive stories of Malay success in tech. We should also share stories of progress, where Malays share what motivated them to embark on their learning and career journey. Diversity and inclusion is more than having exemplary minorities, but being more welcoming of minorities at every stage of their career.

Finally, institutions must take responsibility for maintaining safe and inclusive spaces for minorities. Despite numerous programmes to increase new minority tech talent, our tech space still struggles to retain existing minority talents. In turn, the improvement in diversity and inclusion of minorities in tech is minimal. Often, this happens due to minorities feeling unsupported and disrespected, with instances of workplace harassment being downplayed.

Institutions such as schools and workplaces must not only set policies that protect every member, but also ensure these policies and protocols are implemented appropriately. Every member should be well-informed of these measures in order to better protect themselves and their community, and be empowered to report unfair discrimination practices. Instances of harassment against minorities must be

taken seriously while protecting those who report them.

At the same time, there should also be opportunities for institution members to collaborate and connect with one another. Policies and protocols should not make people feel constantly anxious or fearful of making unintentional microaggressions or offensive communication mistakes, but rather guide their behaviour for the better. In this way, minorities can contribute their talents with dignity and respect, without being forced under the spotlight as some symbol of diversity and inclusion.

MALAYS IN TECH: MORE THAN A COMMUNITY Ultimately, fostering a bigger community of Malays in tech is no easy feat. Our diversity initiatives must go further than equipping our Malay community with easier access to digital skills. They must also empower Malays to get actively involved in the tech industry, knowing their career growth will be supported.

Our Malay community has always been an indispensable part of Singapore's progress; our involvement in the tech industry is no different. Each and every Malay individual has the potential to build and influence our digital future.

However, we must work together as a community and unite in our continual efforts to expand and sustain our community of Malays in tech for the long term.

Ainul Md Razib is an edu cational content creator (@AinLovesCode) in Singapore. As a full-time software develop er at a global tech consultancy, she shares advice on coding and working in tech with thousands all over the world.

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SURVEILLANCE CAPITALISM’S SOCIAL PROBLEMS:

PROGRESSIVE ORIENTATION HELPS THE MOST

BY FARIS RIDZUAN

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BEFORE DATA FULLY TAKES OVER: SOCIAL PROBLEMS The world is moving from modernisation to dataisation, from religion as we know it now to dataism, from capitalism to surveillance capitalism, and from all classes being useful to capitalism to the emergence of a class “useless” to it. With the onslaught of these seismic shifts, we need to sociologically and philosophically re-evaluate our orientations, including political or religious orientations, and determine which one best allows us to adapt to the new dataist political economy, while inculcating values that guide us to alleviate inequality, poverty, and social problems.

family problems” in view of an increase in capitalists in this new dataist political the number of Malays living in rental flats 4. economy. Even governments are playing the game “as the intelligence agencies and When we examine the roots of all these other powerful forces in Washington and social problems, the negative effects of the other Western governments were more current capitalist political economy, as disposed to incubate and nurture the well as the adverse consequences of the surveillance capabilities coming out of the economic ideology of neoliberalism have commercial sector” 7. often been highlighted as prime structural causes. But we need to keep up to date Surveillance capitalism differs greatly with the times and the rapid technological from its predecessor in terms of what and scientific advances. When Karl Marx ordinary workers can do about the provided his critique of capitalism, he exploitation that comes with it. During studied the scientific and technological the Industrial Revolution, the Luddites advances of his time – steam engines revolted against the machines, but more and machines that would be rudimentary specifically, the industrial capitalists who by our modern-day standards. We are owned the modes of production in 1812 moving towards a new type of capitalism, England. They threatened the authorities How will the social problems of the which requires a thorough study of the so much that 14,000 soldiers were Muslim community, comprising mostly technological and scientific advances that dispatched to the heart of England to quell Malays, fare in the political economy in are now beginning to dominate as the the revolt 8. Closer to us today, taxi drivers the years to come? Malays had been modes of production. These advancements from Paris to Jakarta revolted against Uber portrayed as lagging behind with doubtful include artificial intelligence, dataisation, and Grab due to their livelihoods being loyalty by the end of the 1990s 1. The Malay/ automation and bio-technological threatened by the first surveillance Muslim community was highlighted as an inventions. capitalists in the transport-sharing market. ethnoreligious community besieged by an Measures were taken against the drivers, array of social problems vis-à-vis other These new scientific and technological but compromises were made in the drivers’ communities 2. The “Malay Problem”, advancements have enabled a new form of negotiations with capitalism. But the 1812 which was a blanket term for an array of capitalism – surveillance capitalism.

Luddites and modern-day taxi drivers were social problems that the Malay/Muslim Surveillance capitalism as a “new form of only a threat with compromises made community faced, was first brought up information capitalism aims to predict and because they were still useful to capitalists.

by Malay leaders in 1971 in a seminar modify human behavior as a means to The day will come in surveillance on Malay Participation in National produce revenue and market control” 5. capitalism when workers’ pleas to Development organised by Majlis Pusat Zadler, who came up with the concept of negotiations, whether peaceful or violent, Singapura together with the Community surveillance capitalism, explained it as can be substantively ignored (although Study Centre 3. Among the problems “the unilateral claiming of private human they might quell the violence) because highlighted during the seminar were experience as free raw material for workers have devolved from being a educational underachievement, drug translation into behavioural data” which ‘useful’ class to a ‘useless’ class, no longer abuse, disadvantaged and dysfunctional are then “computed and packaged as serving any use for the surveillance families, poor socio-economic standing, prediction products and sold into capitalists. and low skills of Malay workers. Some of behavioural futures markets” 6. It is also these problems are long-standing issues FROM MODERNISATION TO deeply akin to colonialism. Like the till now. Problems recently highlighted by colonisers who declared the lands they DATAISATION: THE PLIGHT OF THE the government, commentators, and the “USELESS” CLASS landed on as theirs, from which to Malay intelligentsia include “radicalisation, exploitatively extract value upon its Syed Hussein Alatas wrote that more professionals losing their jobs and a establishment, Google declared the surplus “[m]odernisation is the process by which significant over-representation of Malays data produced by Google users as theirs to modern scientific knowledge covering in crime and drug statistics as well as the reap profit and to use to control the new all aspects of human life is introduced at prison population”, the “drug scourge” to markets produced by the extraction and varying degrees, first in the Western be fought by the community, and the processing of the data. Facebook, Twitter, civili[s]ation, and later diffused to the “possibility of a permanent underclass of TikTok and many other tech giants and non-Western world, by different methods two to three generations with multiple smaller players are the big surveillance and groups with the ultimate purpose of

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1 Suratman, S. “Problematic Singapore Malays”: Sustaining a Portrayal. Leftwrite Centre, 2010. p. 1 Abdul Rahman, N. A. Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the Prospect of Development of Muslim Personal Law in Singapore. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 2014. p. 48 3 Ahmat, S., and Wong, J. Malay Participation in the National Development of Singapore – Seminar on Malay Participation in the National Development of Singapore. 1970 Heng, J. More Malay families living in rental flats. The Straits Times. 2016, May 11; Toh, Y. C. Shanmugam says job loss, crime and drug use among key issues. The Straits Times. 2017, April 2; M. Yusof, Z. Malay/Muslim community leaders call on Community to fight Drug scrouge. The Straits Times. 2017, April 30 5 Zuboff, S. Big Other: Surveillance Capitalism and the Prospects of an Information Civilisation. Journal of Information Technology 30, no. 15. 2015. pp. 75-89 6 Laidler, J. Harvard Professor Says Surveillance Capitalism Is Undermining Democracy. The Harvard Gazette. 2019, March 4. Retrieved from: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/03/harvard-professor-says-surveillance-capitalism-is-undermining-democracy/ 7 Ibid 8 Klein, C. The Original Luddites Raged Against the Machine of the Industrial Revolution. HISTORY. Accessed 2022, May 18 at: https://www.history.com/news/industrial-revolution-luddites-workers

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QUESTIONING THE RELEVANCE OF metaverse, take on multiple gender, ethnic, OSSIFIED OR REVIVALIST RELIGIOUS national, or even religious identities, ORIENTATIONS: PROGRESSIVE beyond just one Islamic identity?

ORIENTATIONS IN A DATAIST POLITICAL ECONOMY It is the progressive orientation which will achieving a better and more satisfactory Religion has always played an important adapt the most in this new dataist political life in the broadest sense of the term, as part in guiding us with its values and economy and spark important questions accepted by the society concerned” 9. But we have moved on from modernisation to played a part in alleviating social problems, to ask. Traits of the progressive orientation poverty and inequality. But Hariri goes on include epistemological and methodological dataisation, which I define as the process to say that dataism will threaten to replace openness and fluidity, emphasis on socioby which human behaviour, personality, religions as we know them now 11. Religion historical and contextualist approaches to thoughts and feelings are converted into data to be processed, analysed and used to is the worship of God. Secular humanism Islamic texts, social and gender justice, worships humans. Dataism worships data. non-patriarchal hermeneutics, solidarity predict and influence the behaviour, In the past, those of us who are religious with marginalised and oppressed thoughts and feelings of those who might turn to asatizah (religious scholars) communities, and engagement with the interact with data, consequently who mediate interpretations of religious plurality of critical and progressive agendas converting data to other forms of capital from different cultures and traditions in a such as economic, social and psychological sources such as the Quran and hadiths for guidance in making decisions. For those critical, creative and dynamic manner 12. capital, but not necessarily for the The progressive orientation results in well-being of individuals and community. who are not religious, they may turn to their inner secular feelings and mental and emotional dexterity and agility, consciousness of being human to make as well as a humility that will spur In this process of dataisation, the social those decisions. But now, inhuman data adaptability in the new dataist political problems that affect many marginalised intelligence helps us make decisions and economy and alleviate social problems. individuals and communities may exponentially worsen. Inequality between race to know us better than we know the surveillance capitalists and their allies ourselves. Think of the time when you are The progressive orientation in the Islamic tradition also emphasises Sufi ethicowho own or administer the new modes of going on a holiday and the travel app moral philosophy, or Islamic humanism, production, that is, the processing, use and recommends hotels for you to book. Or, analysis of data in surveillance capitalism, when you are looking for a life partner and premised on the identification with the the dating app matches you to potential full humanity of all human beings – where and the rest of us will widen. Many will suitors according to the data the platform all members of the human race have this fall into what Yuval Noah Hariri calls gathers about you. same intrinsic worth because each of us the “useless” class. Artificial intelligence, has the breath of God breathed into our automation and dataisation will render But I disagree with Hariri. It is not being: wa nafakhtu fihi min ruhi 13 14. Islamic many ordinary workers “useless” in the religions which will remain irrelevant, humanism will spur proponents to alleviate new political economy. Think, for but certain religious orientations. For social problems and inequality in the era example, of the Grab driver who will be the traditionalists, who see traditions as of surveillance capitalism as Islamic replaced with self-driving cars which can humanists strive to uphold the God-given communicate with each other and reduce rigid or static, and seek to maintain traditionalistic order and ideology despite right to dignity and intrinsic worth of the accidents due to the removal of human being detrimental for society’s well-being, underprivileged and less fortunate. error. Furthermore, they are no longer a consumer, user or producer, but a product, and for revivalists who seek to overhaul the existing order in a utopian bid to Progressives are also very different from every single time they interface with Islamise institutions and the state, dataism liberal Muslims in that liberal Muslims are data touchpoints such as Google or does render them irrelevant for progress not critical of modernity and “display an Instagram, or even government and and well-being. Why go for traditionalistic uncritical, almost devotional identification non-governmental applications. More and more people will join the ranks of the asatizah, who generally do not have a deep with modernity, and often (but do not understanding of the latest scientific and always) [bypass] discussions of colonialism “useless” class and as “AI continues to technological advancements affecting and imperialism” whereas progressive improve, even jobs that demand high Muslims are critical of modernity and intelligence and creativity might gradually their congregation (much less produce disappear” 10. The cognitive and emotional scientific or technological knowledge and colonialism15. creations), when advanced algorithms can stamina needed to continually learn new offer the best way forward for the Progressive Islam can also be defined as skills and adapt to the exponential decisions you have to make based on big “an orientation in Islamic beliefs and automation and artificial intelligence data? Why participate in the revivalist practices that is conditioned by and results revolution will wane in the onslaught of Islamisation project when data allows you in moderation” and where this moderation these structural processes, increasing is “founded on the balance between inequality and exacerbating social problems. to traverse virtual realities in the 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Alatas, S. H. Religion and Modernization in South-east Asia, in Modernization and Social Change: Studies in modernization, religion, social change and development in South-east Asia. Sydney: Angus and Robertson. 1972. p. 22 Harari, Y. N. Why Technology Favors Tyranny. The Atlantic. 2018, August 30. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/10/yuval-noah-harari-technology-tyranny/568330/ Hariri, Y. N. Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. Penguin Random House UK, 2015. pp. 366-369 Duderija, A. The Imperatives of Progressive Islam. New York: Routledge, 2018. pp. 4-9; Abdelgafar, B. Thriving in a Plural World: Principles and Values of the Singapore Muslim Community. Singapore: MUIS Academy, 2018. p. 51 Duderija, A. Progressive Muslims – Defining and Delineating Identities and Ways of Being Muslim. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. 2010. pp. 127-136 Safi, O. What Is Progressive Islam. ISIM Newsletter 13, 2003. pp. 48-49 Ibid

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Traits of the progressive orientation include epistemological and methodological openness and fluidity, emphasis on socio-historical and contextualist approaches to Islamic texts, social and gender justice, non-patriarchal hermeneutics, solidarity with marginalised and oppressed communities, and engagement with the plurality of critical and progressive agendas from different cultures and traditions in a critical, creative and dynamic manner. The progressive orientation results in mental and emotional dexterity and agility, as well as a humility that will spur adaptability in the new dataist political economy and alleviate social problems. extremes”16. The progressive orientation is found when the balance between two extremes is maintained, such as the balance between knowledge-practice, nativism-Orientalism, internal-external, inclusive-exclusive, tradition-modernity, exoteric-esoteric, worldly-otherworldly and freedom-coercion17. This moderation is achieved by “drawing not only from classical and modern Islamic tradition but also other civilisational and religious traditions, particularly those that are critical and liberation, that speak truth to power, and that operate in a decolonial mode of knowledge”18. This epistemological plurality coupled with an attitude of criticality and liberation will drive those with a progressive orientation to diagnose and solve social problems which include inequality and poverty brought about by surveillance capitalism and a data-centred political economy.

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With the above traits, progressive and humanistic religious orientations will thrive in the onslaught of dataism, dataisation, and surveillance capitalism, and produce contextualised, socio-historically relevant knowledge, practices and creation. This orientation’s religious humanism also amalgamates interdisciplinary fields due to its epistemological pluralism, which can attend to the social dimension of religion in alleviating social problems, inequality and poverty.

orientations thriving to adapt to the new dataist political economy. Algorithms are racing to know us better than we know ourselves to the profit of surveillance capitalists. We have to know ourselves better and faster than them. We need to beat the negative effects of surveillance capitalism with spiritually inspired progressive and humanistic orientations of Islam. Only then can religion, as an institution, and its adherents, as agentic changemakers, remain relevant in a new world of dataism, dataisation and surveillance capitalism, and serve as a bulwark against the aggravation of social problems brought about by the new dataist political economy.

Faris Ridzuan is a research officer at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. He had previously worked as a policy officer in public service and a policy manager in a leading tech company. He graduated with first class honours in Sociology with a minor in European Studies from the National University of Singapore. He volunteers and participates actively in the social service sector and civil society.

BEATING ALGORITHMS WITH SPIRITUALLY INSPIRED PROGRESSIVE AND HUMANISTIC ORIENTATIONS We must avoid the trappings of technological determinism and let technology determine our fate and strive with spiritually empowered agency to keep our progressive and humanistic

Alatas, S. F. The Meanings and Objectives of Progressive Islam, in Alternative Voices in Muslim Southeast Asia, by Saat, N. and Ibrahim, A. Singapore: ISEAS Publishing, 2020. pp. 97 17 Ibid, pp. 98-101 18 Ibid, p. 113

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Humanism in Community Advocation

BY AHMAD UBAIDILLAH MOHAMED KHAIR

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Community advocation is a term that is of much relevance today – it signifies a continuous and laborious activity with the intention of implementing positive change based on a specific worldview. It is therefore reformistic in its essence. With the advent of social media that brings much exposure to both knowledge and current happenings of the world, it is to be expected that man with his gifts of criticality and creativity would feel called upon to seek change. But creative intellect is not the only factor in the psyche of man for him to willingly bear this responsibility. Such a burden can only be borne by a being that possesses a moral conscience. Though the intellect defines for man what is right or wrong for his heart and soul, it is the conscience that pushes his mouth and limbs to seek change.

upon the importance of humanistic ethics, and subsequently its difference between authoritarian ethics. If I may say so, it is fundamental for us to distinguish between humanistic advocation and authoritative advocation. By adopting either one, it shapes the purpose and medium of our advocation.

reaching common ground. We should not seek for the collective to adopt a common definition of positive change, for different worldviews of what is positive and negative for society are an unchanging part of reality.

Nevertheless, despite the difference in defining what is a positive change, The purpose of humanistic advocation humanistic advocation means there would would be to seek positive change through be certain common values based on this resonating with an individual’s humanism ideal. A humane advocation in society will and humane gifts of intellect and lead to civility and tolerance. It will also conscience. Therein lies the value of hope lead to the drawing of boundaries, whose in advocation – to believe that an individual transgression will rightfully be or community is capable of positive condemned by advocates alike. change through their humane gifts.

Authoritative advocation seeks no such One point I would like to emphasise is thing, for its production is not based on that humanistic advocation is one that hope. Rather, it is based on ego and fear, is entrenched with Islamic values and and therefore, it seeks to dictate change teachings. Though there have been several Even so, this conscience may be defined as through the eradication of an individual’s types of advocation, it is important for a part of an inherent value that defines humanism and humane gifts of intellect those of us with care and knowledge to man, which is the powerful humanism and conscience. In other words, highlight the fact that humanistic values that we possess, that colours our sight to authoritative advocation is a process that are a part of the Islamic faith and tradition. the point that we seek goodness for not dehumanises the subject of its advocation. Strong parallels can be made between only ourselves but for those around us as humanistic philosophy and certain well. Regardless of its subject, community With these differences, the medium of strands of Islamic philosophy, such as advocation should be a deep manifestation advocation becomes contrasting. As the Mu’tazila and the Maturidi that place of a person’s humanism that taps into the humanistic advocation seeks to resonate an emphasis on the potential of human roots of a human soul while utilising his with the humane gifts of intellect and rationality. unique gifts. conscience, the medium is therefore ethical, engaging, and participative. Due to It is from my understanding of Islamic Before we go further, allow me to state its humanistic position which I stated values and teachings, as espoused by what I mean by humanism in this context. above, advocates would honour both their contemporary Muslim scholars such as Fromm wrote, humanity and the recipients’ with time Khaled Abou El-Fadl, Buya Shafi Maarif, and effort.

Buya Hamka, Nurcholish Madjid, Gus “The humanistic position is that there is Dur, Sahal Mahfudh, M. Natsir, Quraish nothing higher and nothing more dignified The opposite can be said for authoritative Shihab, Jalaludin Rakhmat, that I hold than human existence.” 1 advocation, which would be unethical, onto the importance of being humane dismissive, and one-sided. Though the in our advocation. To be humane means “Humanist philosophy can be characterized cost and labour of humanistic advocation to acknowledge that the reality of man as follows: first, belief in the unity of the would be much higher due to its nature, is made of his individual gifts and human race, that there is nothing human the impact of such a medium would experiences, social structures, and which is not found in every one of us; second, emanate in not just one strand of an historical elements. For this reason, the emphasis on man’s dignity; third, the individual’s life as it would be more I wish to elaborate on the characteristics emphasis on man’s capacity to develop and impactful and comprehensive. Humanistic of humanistic advocation in three perfect himself; and fourth, the emphasis on advocation would aim for an unearthing different social structures: the individual, reason, objectivity, and peace.” 2 and unshackling of man’s conscience and community, and society. intellect, which would lead to an ethical HUMANISTIC VERSUS and empathetic worldview.

AUTHORITATIVE ADVOCATION HUMANISTIC ADVOCATION FOR MAN It is therefore the position of humanism For advocation today, due to the To base our advocation upon humanistic that man’s individual existence, interwovenness of man, community, and values means to harbour love in the heart experience, and the gifts he bears, would society, like leaves, branches, and roots, for our fellow man. And to love means to allow him to reach his true potential. It is it is only appropriate that we take each trust in the potentiality of man. This trust for this reason that Fromm expounded into consideration for the purpose of does not indicate that advocates should 1 2

Fromm, E. Man For Himself. London and New York: Routledge Classic. 1947. p. 9 Fromm, E. A Global Philosophy of Man. The Humanist, Ohio: American Humanist Association, Vol. 26. 1966. p. 117

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abandon their activity in trust that man will eventually conform to their individual worldview that defines positive change.

But rather, if they do love man, then they should seek to engage with their intellect and conscience through advocation, in hopes that man will come to share the same view with the advocates and be part of the positive change they seek.

To have individuals in a community who are unable to be critical and creative can never be defined as a positive change.

HUMANISTIC ADVOCATION FOR COMMUNITY With regard to humanistic advocation from a communal perspective, the importance lies in recognising and acknowledging the culture and traditions A manifestation of this would be to base that define a community. As to how an our advocation on love, hope, criticality, individual possesses his own nature and and creativity, not on hate, fear, irrationality, character, so does a community. To and dogmatism. Unfortunately, advocation advocate in a way that seeks to deny and of the latter does exist today. We see their diminish a community’s traditional values advocation dripping with authoritative would mean to dehumanise a community. rhetoric, with hate and fear for those who do not share their worldviews, with However, in recognising a community’s irrationality based on their own warped culture and tradition, it does not equate to observation of reality or even religious accepting all values and practices despite scriptures. their conflict with the positives and negatives of our worldview. Certainly, There is relevance in M. Natsir’s traditions are subject to change. History elaboration on the term, Mawaddah has proven that it is possible to advocate Fil-Qurba (Love for the Kindred). He stated for the reformation of traditions. The point eloquently that advocation can only be I would like to emphasise is the emanated into the hearts of the subjects importance of carrying this out humanely, when it originates from love. He wrote with love, empathy, and knowledge. that there are two ways for an advocate to Synonymous with the act of loving is relate to his subjects: seeking to understand the ‘other’, as how a spouse would seek to understand their “The first (knowledge) is about technique and partner. To love a community would be to tactic, while the second (love) is about being seek to empathise and understand the emotionally connected. Here lies the source importance and formulation of certain of strength for an advocate in carrying out traditions. spirited advocation: trusting and respecting the values and dignity of man, while also It is only when we view a community rejecting all forceful and regiment from a humane perspective, as a living techniques and blind discipline.” 3 organism influenced by social and historical factors, would we be able to As I have written above, humanistic truly understand it. It is from this advocation will undoubtedly shape the understanding that our advocation would nature of our advocation. Humanistic be shaped humanely. Never would we seek advocation for man would also be communal reform blindly, trampling participative in nature. As the process of upon cultural and traditional values, if we advocation should be humanising, it understand the nuances of culture and means to engage and interact with the tradition. Practically, advocation of this innate gifts of man, which would be his nature would only lead to setbacks. A intellect and conscience. Humanistic humanistic advocation would be advocation towards man would not be communal and collaborative in nature. authoritative in nature, and by this, I mean to seek blind trust and be irrational in In KH Sahl Mahfudh’s Social Nuances of advocation. This is an insult to the nature Fiqh, he elaborated upon the importance of man that is gifted with intellect and of collaborative advocation: conscience, which would result in a dehumanisation of the individual to the “A collaborative approach requires the target point that he is unable to think for himself. of advocation to be involved in planning,

especially in exploring problems and needs.

This is where new ideas will grow, where the advocates act as guides for the emerging discourses in search of alternative solutions to problems.” 4 Within this principle of collaboration contain two other elements that are of importance: compromise and communication. If we adopt a humanistic element in advocation, then it should be accepted that advocation should not result in an obliteration of individuality where the subjects would change to a worldview in totality. It would be humane for advocates to not only realise but emphasise that a community should retain an individualistic element in advocation. After all, a humanistic advocation does not seek to obscure the culture and traditions of man, but to engage with them.

This principle of collaboration is best exemplified by advocates in Java, known as the Wali Sanga. Their incorporation of traditions in their advocation signifies their humane understanding of Islamic teachings. It is also a form of compromise and communication, as their actions signify that advocation should be a two-way discourse.

HUMANISTIC ADVOCATION FOR SOCIETY Building upon the importance of knowledge regarding the subject of our advocation, how can we hope to reach a deep and nuanced understanding of society if we do not study it from a humane perspective? To advocate without factoring in social and historical factors would mean to deny the humane elements of a society. It would be synonymous with thinking that a society is not a living organism influenced by its surroundings, that it is a mere static entity in a vacuum to whom we should blindly advocate.

This type of advocation runs the risk of being disconnected with the reality it lives in. It risks ruining the social fabric of society as it might lead to a dissonance between man and his surroundings, which would only lead to a negative change in an individual. Without being humane would lead to a misunderstanding of society and

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3 M. Natsir. Fiqhud-Da’wah. p. 228 Mahfudh, K. H. S. Nuansa Fiqh Sosial. Yogyakarta: LKIS, 1994. p. 123

advocation. Humanistic advocation, in its The purpose of humanistic advocation recognition of man’s gifts and experiences, should strive to be grounded in contextual would be to seek positive change through local needs and challenges. Though one may be inspired by a foreign-based resonating with an individual’s humanism advocation, it is best for advocates to that no society is identical. To be and humane gifts of intellect and conscience. recognise humane means for us to be critical in our to realise that our advocation Therein lies the value of hope in advocation – advocation, should be shaped by local social context.

Azhar Ibrahim mentioned, to believe that an individual or community “A transplanted reformistic discourse can is capable of positive change through their never take root, no matter how efficacious humane gifts. Authoritative advocation the reform agenda is. Instead, a decent and humble reformistic initiative has more seeks no such thing, for its production is not potential to be developed especially if it is able to grow organically within the local based on hope. Rather, it is based on ego community.” and fear, and therefore, it seeks to dictate Therein lies my intention for this writing.

It is my belief that advocation should be change through the eradication of an imbued with humanistic values. It should be borne out of man’s humanism and individual’s humanism and humane gifts resonate with man’s humanism as well. act of advocation is a noble one. It is of intellect and conscience. In other words, The a responsibility that not many would willingly assume, despite the wealth of authoritative advocation is a process that resources at their disposal. The reason is dehumanises the subject of its advocation. because it is the humanity in advocates 7

its members as there is no willingness to emphasise and understand others. This means that their worldview is one that dehumanises those who are different as it strips others of their humanity, honour, dignity and rights. Once our advocation is one that is dehumanising, the fruits of the effort are those bearing animosity and discord.

It is therefore important that advocates seek to understand the social factors that shape society. To do so would mean to incorporate the knowledge of social sciences in our advocation. Regardless of worldview, the utilising of social sciences would imbue advocation with empathy and sensitivity, although the desired outcome of advocates varies. Azhar Ibrahim enunciated this point well: “Third, reform ought to be infused with and affirmed by a strong social philosophy and informed critically by diagnostic social sciences. But the openness to critical 5 6 7

perspectives is never incarnated into theorymania, …without thinking of the context where they emerge and the relevancy to the local context and challenges.” 5 For advocates that seek a positive change in society, a humanistic advocation would utilise historical knowledge in their advocation. If we perceive a society humanely, then just like how the current state of man is shaped by his past experiences, this is also applicable to society as well. As how man is formed through parental authority, so is society formed through authoritative institutions.

To seek positive change, humanistic advocates would attempt to understand a society’s past for them to make an impact in its present. Therein lies the value of Ibn Khaldun’s words, ‘The past resembles the future more than one drop of water resembles another.’ 6

that pushes them to love and care for others. With this being said, the desired outcome does not validate the means. To be authoritative and dehumanising in advocation brings harm to man, the community, and the society. It is therefore important for advocates to instil the same humane spirit that spurred them into their advocation.

Ahmad Ubaidillah Moham ed Khair is a graduate from Yarmouk University, Jordan.

He is a Sahabat Sastera under the Majlis Bahasa Singapura and has presented works of Nusantara poetry for Poetry Festival Singapore. He has also published writings on platforms such as Mu slim.sg, Wasat Online, The Karyawan and ELEVEN.

The study of historical factors is part of an effort to be socialistic and contextual in

Ibrahim, A., ed. Alatas, S. F. The Idea of Religious Reform: Perspectives of Singapore Malay-Muslim Experiences. Muslim Reform in Southeast Asia, Singapore: MUIS. 2009. pp. 84-85 Ibn Khaldun, tr. Rosenthal, F. The Muqaddimah. Princeton, 2015. p. 12 Ibrahim, A., ed. Alatas, S. F. The Idea of Religious Reform: Perspectives of Singapore Malay-Muslim Experiences. Muslim Reform in Southeast Asia, Singapore: MUIS. 2009. pp. 85

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Making Sense of Jihad Today and its Relevance to Singapore

BY SHEIKH MOHAMAD FAROUQ ABDUL FAREEZ

The command to wage jihad (meritorious struggle or effort) and the reminder against neglecting it appears in many verses of the Quran and the Prophetic traditions. Some consider disregarding this injunction as blasphemous and worthy of humiliation and scorn from Allah swt. As a result, we are witnessing groups such as the Islamic State (IS) who have sanctioned their ‘eye for an eye’ campaigns by instrumentalising concepts within the Islamic tradition such as jihad and recruiting others to join them.

More recently, it was reported that a 29-year-old Singaporean man who worked as a mover at a logistics company was detained in April 2022 under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for wanting to take up arms in support of the Black Flag Army (BFA)1. The BFA is prophesied to be a Muslim army emerging from Khorasan (covering parts of modern-day Afghanistan and northeast Iran) carrying black flags claiming to be the saviour of Muslims. The detainee, Radjev Lal, at various points in time, believed that the IS, Al-Qaeda and Taliban were possible 1

manifestations of the BFA and was committed in using violence in the name of Islam to substantiate his intent to wage jihad and die as a martyr for such groups. A natural question that begs to be asked is, what drives such individuals to commit extreme acts of ugliness? Against this background, this article will first analyse the understanding of jihad as promoted by IS, and attempt to identify the factors behind the appeal of this complex concept particularly to Muslim converts and ‘born-again’ Muslims. Due to the limited scope of the article, it will only focus on the IS although the weaponisation of jihad is a common phenomenon among other terror groups.

The article will conclude by suggesting the need to rethink the Islamic tradition as dynamic and lived, not fossilised and impositional. A discursive and eclectic tradition would be significant in reclaiming the concept of jihad from the ignoramus in the modern age.

IS AND JIHAD The Islamic State is one of the most notorious terrorist organisations that

have emerged in the 21st century. The advent of IS has reshaped the jihadist landscape as it could penetrate both the physical and virtual space in ways that its predecessors could not actualise. It was recorded that IS mobilised an estimated 60,000 recruits from 120 countries to Syria and Iraq to fight for an Islamic caliphate and establish Allah’s rule on earth2. The perceived oppression and persecution of Islam and Muslims in the Syrian conflict have also been used as a beacon to attract young impressionable Muslims to take up arms believing that this is part of their obligatory jihad.

Jihadist sympathisers such as Radjev tend to wrongly believe that they are doing a service to Islam by getting involved in this conflict even if they are not directly affected by it. However, it is crucial to understand that the IS and Radjev’s claims of jihad do not automatically qualify them to be legitimate and in line with Islam. The call to jihad that the IS wages disregards all the guidelines stipulated by the Quran and the Prophetic traditions. Rather than a jihad based on the right intention and a just cause, the IS self-styled jihad is rooted in hatred,

Ministry of Home Affairs. Press Release – Updates on Cases under the Internal Security Act. 2022, May 10. Retrieved from: https://www.mha.gov.sg/mediaroom/press-releases/updates-on-cases-under-the-internal-security-act/ 2 Hassan, H., and Gunaratna, R. Countering Islamic State Ideology: Voices of Singapore Religious Scholars. Singapore: Pergas. 2021. p. 8

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theology engages in a civilisational bifurcation to identify ‘one’ against the ‘other’. Fadl maintains that this has more to do with one’s anxieties rather than an accurate account of the ‘other’.

Fabricating the ‘other’ as an antithesis provides one control to construct normative beliefs that are seemingly unadulterated, Islamic, and devoid of the precarious ‘other’7. In the case of the IS, the ‘other’ is often associated with Western imperialism, although its jihadist thought includes sectarianism proclivities. This defensive mode of PURITANISM AND SIEGE MENTALITY thinking is disassociated from the Islamic The puritan orientation incorporates a civilisational experience that is rich and variety of normative religious assumptions diverse8. Unsurprisingly, it reduces Islam to a single facet: power. An aggravated that are exceptionalist at its core and siege mentality prevails, which leaves no radically diverge from the ethical values of Islam. Their reading of the sacred texts room for analytical and creative thought, and impoverishes the Islamic intellectual (i.e. the Quran and Prophetic traditions) tradition9. This, accordingly, creates against world politics contracted time and extrapolated the pre-modern into the favourable conditions for the global flood of misinformation and conspiracy theories. modern world. From their perspective, the situation of Muslims in modern ZEAL OF THE CONVERT geopolitics mapped perfectly onto the The vast majority of converts to Islam are circumstances of pre-modern Muslim societies’ call to wage jihad. The extremists’ peaceful people who are open to plurality and inclusion. However, there have been understanding of jihad found scriptural studies to indicate that converts are footing in an unmediated reading of the sacred texts5. It is thus essential to analyse more vulnerable to extremism as they can be overzealous to emphasise their the historical circumstances in which commitment to the new religion10. A specific concepts such as jihad were negotiated in previous Muslim societies. simple explanation for this phenomenon Disregarding this factor would result in a is that this group of converts are more willing to express their new faith in every puritanical reading of the text that is way possible because it is a ‘new meaning anachronistic and perverse. system’ that has replaced a previous one, which has failed to adequately explicate Moreover, according to the renowned the complexities of modern life. In their Muslim thinker Khaled Abou El Fadl, in the age of postcolonialism, Muslims have minds, the status quo is broken due to Western secular values and Islam, had to confront social and political accordingly, provides a one-size-fits-all realities that have inevitably pushed them to be preoccupied with attempts to solution to all the world’s problems. Thus, naturally, the puritan orientation appeals remedy a collective feeling of powerlessto them as it helps make sense of their ness by engaging in what he calls a surroundings in a simple yet superficial “theology of power”6. This theology relies heavily on unsubstantiated claims about way. For this reason, it is not surprising that Radjev had a keen interest in the characteristics of a particular set of conspiracy theories and was radicalised values and classifies them as either by the teachings of Imran Hosein, an ‘Western’ or ‘Islamic’. As a result, this bloodlust and military adventurism resulting in the killing of noncombatants, women and children who were defenceless3. Hence, the loud ostensible calls for jihad by the IS and its proponents are misleading and false.

Nonetheless, one of the underlying reasons behind this fixation for jihad is due to the upward surge of a theology of intolerance4. It is born out of a puritanical reading of religious texts (i.e. the Quran and Prophetic traditions) to fulfil nescient messianic beliefs.

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eccentric Muslim preacher from Trinidad and Tobago. Hosein’s works are mostly centred on interpretations of apocalyptic texts from the Quran and Sunnah that deals with the end of times11. A close reading of his works reveals ideas that are misleading and dangerous particularly when dressed in garb of religious certainty. He infamously likened Singapore as the little Israel in Asia and called on Muslims in Singapore to make the hijrah (migration) or face the impending wrath of its ‘Muslim neighbours’ in the region. He also believes in popular anti-Semitic myths that are widely held by right-wing extremist groups such as the global Jewish conspiracy. His segregationist views should be rejected not only because it threatens the social fabric that we have tirelessly built, but more notably it is disengaged from objective truths and engenders paranoia, which paralyses the mind from any possibility to creatively and critically respond towards the realities of the world. It is easy to understand why Hosein’s views are popular today as we are living in a world mired in relativism and rejection of expertise. Moreover, in the face of uncertainties that characterises a post-truth world, Imran Hosein’s apocalyptic tendencies serve as the opiate of those who are alienated and do not feel in control of their lives.

VINDICATING ISLAM AS A DISCURSIVE TRADITION The notion of Islam as a discursive tradition attempts to delineate the dynamic interplay between the past, present and future. Talal Asad explains that this dynamic interplay does not treat the tradition as nostalgic. It conceptually relates to a past when the practice was instituted and studies how it was transmitted. It then links to a future that forecasts how the practice can be practically tenable and evaluate whether it should be reformed or omitted through present-day practices and

Halimi, M., and Alam Shah, M. S. Detentions in Singapore: IS Supporters’ Misreading of Islam. RSIS commentary. 2019, April 9. Retrieved from: https://www.rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/icpvtr/detentions-in-singapore-is-supporters-misreading-of-islam/#.YdWADmhByMo This theology is a reaction to feelings of disempowerment and alienation due to the traumatic experience of colonialism and the intrusion of secular liberalism. It comprises a distinct sense of ‘holier than thou’ towards the anaemic ‘other’; whether the other is the West, non-Muslims or even Muslims who do not subscribe to the same hermeneutics.

Brown, J. Misquoting Muhammad. London: Oneworld. 2014. pp. 123-124 El-Fadl, K. A. Injustice in God’s name: The corruption of modern Islam. ABC. 2014, September 24. Retrieved from: https://www.abc.net.au/religion/injustice-in-gods-name-the-corruption-of-modern-islam/10100290 El-Fadl, K. A. Which clash? What civilisations? ABC. 2011, May 16. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2011/05/16/3218247.htm El-Fadl, K. A. Injustice in God’s name: The corruption of modern Islam. ABC. 2014, September 24. Retrieved from: https://www.abc.net.au/religion/injustice-in-gods-name-the-corruption-of-modern-islam/10100290 Ibid Azani, E., and Koblentz-Stenzler, L. Muslim Converts Who Turn to Global Jihad: Radicalization Characteristics and Countermeasures. Studies In Conflict & Terrorism, 45(2), 2019. pp. 173-199. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2019.1657304 Sinanovic, E. The Treachery Of Spreading Bosnia Genocide Denial In The Muslim Community. MuslimMatters. 2020, July 23. Retrieved from: https://muslimmatters.org/2020/07/23/oped-the-treachery-of-spreading-bosnia-genocide-denial-in-the-muslim-community/

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In short, jihad consists of the effort to do something good, and prevent or oppose evil. A more profound meaning of jihad is to restrain the self from committing inhumane acts, and reform our surroundings to achieve peace and justice. Hence, any struggle to establish both moral values is jihad, and it is not reserved for warfare per se. The struggle to establish peace through harmonising the soul with its entities is jihad. The struggle to end global poverty is jihad. The struggle to achieve peace at home through forging respect amongst the individuals in the family institution is jihad.

It is the most profound expression of faith that seeks to express balance and peace.

Ultimately, it disqualifies the jihadists’ fixation on jihad, which in their mind equates to violence and martyrdom. institutions12. Accordingly, it makes Islam a ‘living tradition’ that constantly unfolds and challenges narratives driven by a set of historically extended norms without dislocating the tradition to shape the future. Ebrahim Moosa regards this as a reconstructionist approach towards the Islamic tradition. It involves a strenuous engagement with the tradition and the present without completely breaking with the past13.

The discourse on jihad in the Islamic tradition should be approached in this light. Having said that, how can or should jihad be understood today?

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UNDERSTANDING JIHAD TODAY Today, the term jihad has come to be used as a slogan for fanaticism and Islam’s allegedly inexorable hostility towards the West. However, jihad has multiple resonances and associations like other religious and political concepts. The literal meaning of jihad is to strive or to exert effort.

In today’s world, we should see jihad as the struggle of the intellect and pen, a struggle to reform Muslim societies and play an active role in shaping a better world. In short, jihad consists of the effort to do something good, and prevent or oppose evil. A more profound meaning

12 Asad, T. The Idea of an Anthropology of Islam. Qui Parle, 17, no. 2, 2009. p. 14. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.5250/quiparle.17.2.1 Moosa, E. The Dilemma of Islamic Rights Scheme. Journal of Law and Religion, 15, no. 1, 2000. p. 187. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.2307/1051518 14 Ramadan, T. Islam, the West and the Challenges of Modernity. Leicester: The Islamic Foundation, 2004. pp. 59-66 15 Fadl, K. A. E. Islam and the Theology of Power. Middle East Report, 221, no. 18, 2001. pp. 28-29. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.2307/1559337 16 Abdul Fareez, S. M. F. Book Review: Countering Islamic State Ideology: Voices of Singapore Religious Scholars. Wasat. 2021, August 1. Retrieved from: https://blog.pergas.org.sg/wasat/book-review-countering-islamic-state-ideology-voices-of-singapore-religious-scholars

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of jihad is to restrain the self from committing inhumane acts, and reform our surroundings to achieve peace and justice. Hence, any struggle to establish both moral values is jihad, and it is not reserved for warfare per se. The struggle to establish peace through harmonising the soul with its entities is jihad. The struggle to end global poverty is jihad.

The struggle to achieve peace at home through forging respect amongst the individuals in the family institution is jihad. It is the most profound expression of faith that seeks to express balance and peace14. Ultimately, it disqualifies the jihadists’ fixation on jihad, which in their mind equates to violence and martyrdom.

Thus, it is crucial in our time to counter this perception and vindicate a humane and transformative concept of jihad in Islam.

Religious texts or concepts do not function in a vacuum as their functionality depends on the discerning capacity of its readers. It assumes that readers will bring a pre-existing, innate moral sense to the text. Hence, the texts or concepts will morally enrich the reader, provided the reader will morally enrich the texts or concepts. Our understanding of the texts or concepts should not be defined purely by the literal meaning of their words, but it also has to be determined by the reader’s moral construction15. Without this moral construction, it will inevitably produce intellectual lethargy and radical belligerency16. In addition, our epistemological framework should not be grounded on messianic beliefs that engender fear and paranoia. Instead, it should be built on knowledge that is centred on human flourishing.

Sheikh Mohamad Farouq Abdul Fareez is a Research Analyst at the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affa irs (RIMA). He holds a Master’s degree in Islamic Thought and Applied Ethics. His area of interest involves issues concer ning religion, human development and ethics.

Making A Plastic-Lite Society A Reality

BY SOFIAH JAMIL

From mid-2023, major supermarkets in Singapore will be required to charge at least 5 cents for a disposable carrier bag 1.

The rationale goes beyond the need to reduce single-use plastic waste; producing plastic bags itself is resource-intensive.

Reports suggest that approximately 37 million kilograms (kg) of crude oil and 12 million kg of natural gas have gone into the production of three billion plastic bags, all of which were used by Singapore residents in a year 2. In the macro scheme of climate change and other environmental challenges, these immense extractions of fossil fuels and production of carbon emissions for an item that very quickly finds its way to landfills, incineration plants, or worse into the ocean, are certainly wasteful.

Yet, the use of disposable bags is a systemic issue. As I had mentioned in a previous commentary 3, rubbish chutes, which have been a means of ensuring “proper” waste disposal and hygiene in HDB estates and private apartments, are now the Achilles’ heel of Singapore’s domestic waste management efforts. It is not uncommon to hear the man in the street talk about how he “needs” plastic bags to dispose his rubbish. Indeed, what has worked well in the first 50 years of Singapore’s development, may not work for the next 50 years.

Before I belabour about the systemic issues, I would like to highlight possible scenarios that could occur by adopting a bring your own bag (BYOB) policy in supermarkets. The first scenario is convenience trumps all, where consumers struggle to work through the changes, with some resorting to convenient alternatives. The second scenario is what I call the ALDI experience, i.e. a German supermarket chain that has effectively implemented its reusable bag policy in its domestic and international outlets. I then conclude this article with some thoughts on what else needs to be done in Singapore’s attempt to be plastic-lite, if not plastic free.

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Lim, V. Large supermarkets to charge minimum 5 cents for each disposable carrier bag. CNA. 2022, March 7. Available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/plastic-bag-charge-5-cents-minimum-disposable-carrier-bags-large-supermarkets-2544651 Paulo, D. A. The monstrous scale of plastic bag wastage in Singapore. CNA. Updated 2021, August 24. Available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/cnainsider/monstrous-scale-plastic-bag-wastage-singapore-charge-recycle-827566 Jamil, S. Refusing a Culture of Convenient Consumption. The Karyawan. 2019, July 15. Available at: https://karyawan.sg/refusing-a-culture-of-convenient-consumption

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SCENARIO ONE: CONVENIENCE TRUMPS ALL In this scenario, consumers prioritise convenience above all else. As a result, they do not understand, or worse, prefer to ignore, the significance of bringing their own reusable bags. Rather, they perceive it as an inconvenience to their shopping routine. While some may bite the bullet and pay the additional charge for plastic bags, others may opt for online grocery shopping, which would circumvent the charge on plastic bags.

With online shopping having gained traction since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers now have several options to choose from, ranging from online stores of the major supermarkets, online marketplaces such as Shopee Supermarket and RedMart, to neighbourhood minimarkets and convenience stores, many of which have an online presence via delivery apps such as Grab and foodpanda. Whichever platform that is chosen, the result is largely the same – limited curtailing of the use of plastic bags.

SCENARIO TWO: THE ALDI EXPERIENCE The second scenario is the ALDI experience, which demonstrates how a disposable bag-free shopping experience is possible. As someone who has lived in Australia and Germany for several years, I have personally experienced this – both as a struggling graduate student and homemaker respectively.

In Germany, it has become the norm to see shoppers bring their own reusable shopping bags to the supermarket, or even store their purchases in their backpacks. In the event a shopper forgets to bring a bag, there has been, until recently, the option to purchase a biodegradable plastic bag for about 20 to 30 cents, which costs more than the proposed 5 to 10 cents in Singapore. In fact, in 2018, ALDI took a further step by announcing that it would discontinue the sale of disposable carrier bags. This has thus left shoppers with the option of either purchasing a reusable cloth bag for 1 Euro or making a conscious effort to bring one’s own bag. Opting for the That said, it is worth noting that the latter often constitutes minor lifestyle online grocery shopping experience is adjustments, such as planning designated largely limited to a specific section of days for grocery shopping and permanently society; individuals who are placing reusable bags in their car or in computer-savvy and have access to digital their handbags for ad-hoc purchases. payments. Senior citizens, for example, would still likely patronise the Another, rather more informal, option in supermarkets, given the convenience for some German supermarkets is reusing them to do so; a chance to get out and carton boxes that are found within the about, and the liberty to choose the best supermarket. For example, in ALDI, it is produce available on the shelves, and take not uncommon to see some shoppers advantage of their weekly senior citizen picking a cardboard box found at the discounts. Households that are often collection point for recyclable paper recipients of supermarket vouchers products to carry their groceries home. would also continue to patronise the major supermarkets. Ultimately, it is the This brings me to another point, whereby most vulnerable sections of society that the use of reusable bags is reinforced are most compelled to adapt to the new through complementary recycling rules on disposable carrier bags; more out services. Most notably, major of necessity rather than increased supermarket chains in Germany are environmental consciousness. Those with equipped with the Pfand deposit system, the means would have the privilege of whereby used aluminium drink cans, living in their convenience bubbles. glass bottles, and single-use plastic bottles can be traded-in for 15 to 25 cents per item and used as a voucher to offset grocery costs. These Pfand machines are

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located at the entrance of supermarkets, therefore making it a seamless process for shoppers to deposit their used bottles (often carried in their reusable bags), collect their Pfand vouchers, and proceed with their grocery shopping.

In its international expansion, ALDI keeps to its policy of not providing single-use plastic bags. When it opened outlets in Australia in 2001, it was way ahead of other major Australian supermarket chains in going plastic-bag free. The latter, namely Woolworths and Coles only stopped providing single-use plastic bags in 2018.

Banning disposable carrier bags is only the start of more to come. With its success in implementing a BYOB culture, ALDI is now taking a step further by substituting their plastic bags for fruits and vegetables with knot bags made from renewable raw materials, and charging a symbolic 1 cent for every bag 4. As for Australia, in addition to the major supermarkets’ ban on plastics, the nation’s federal states have progressively implemented a ban on single-use plastic for all retailers – starting with South Australia in 2009, and New South Wales (NSW) being the last state to do so this year 5. NSW will expand the ban on single-use plastics in November to include straws, coffee stirrers, cutlery, plates, cotton buds, polystyrene cups and containers, and cosmetics containing plastic microbeads.

These efforts to phase out single-use plastics have, of course, not been without resistance. Some small business owners in NSW have criticised the government of providing late notice of the ban and inadequate public education programmes, thereby leaving little time for businesses to purchase alternative packaging 6.

In addition to these teething issues, the results of single-use plastic bans are mixed. According to Australia’s National Retail Association, the supermarket ban on plastics has led to an 80% drop in plastic consumption nationwide 7. That said, the sale of plastic bin liners has dramatically increased, as seen from a

packaging-360.com. Aldi charges 1 cent for fruit and vegetable bags. Available at: https://www.packaging-360.com/en/current-topics/aldi-charges-1-cent-for-fruit-and-vegetable-bags/ 5 NSW Government. Single-use plastics banned under new law. 2021, November 16. Available at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/news/single-use-plastics-banned-under-new-law 6 Leonard, O. Labor MP says NSW small businesses blindsided over plastic bag ban. 2022, May 30. Available at: https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/politics/labor-mp-says-nsw-small-businesses-blindsided-over-plasticbag-ban/news-story/32dd5f6178a041a08ece49746b644bd7 7 The Guardian. Supermarket ban sees '80% drop' in plastic bag consumption nationwide. 2018, December 2. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/02/supermarket-ban-sees-80-drop-in-plastic-bag-consumption-nationwide

review in South Australia.

As for plastics, it is crucial to think about There is no doubt that government No doubt this would be the case for them in the context of the circular disposal of domestic waste. economy. There are already successful pursuing a plastic-lite hygienic However, a UK study has suggested that examples of upcycling plastics into other these heavier bin liners are actually worse useful materials such as fabrics, and society in an urban for the environment than the lightweight materials for insulation, construction, setting would require single-use bags . Given these circumstances, and roads. In addition, there are also it would seem that the jury is still out as processes to convert waste plastics back to whether a plastic-lite society is possible. to their raw material, oil, which can then us to “give up” be used as a source of fuel . Despite conveniences that THE MISSING PIECES TO THE the availability of such technology, PLASTIC PUZZLE it ultimately boils down to whether we have long been To be clear, a ban on single-use plastic is companies are keen to invest in them, only one part of a holistic set of solutions price-points remain affordable for accustomed to. to our plastic addiction. In fact, in the new consumers, and governments are willing normal, we have seen a rise in plastic and to incorporate this mammoth task into But these minor medical waste, primarily in the forms of their developmental plans.

COVID-19 test kits, masks, and disposable inconveniences are food packages from food deliveries. This There is no doubt that pursuing a thus raises the importance of addressing society in an urban setting nothing compared to systemic challenges. One of which, as plastic-lite would require us to “give up” conveniences had alluded to earlier, is our urban waste that we have long been accustomed to. the inconvenient truth Imanagement systems. Conventional But these minor inconveniences are rubbish collection still requires durable nothing compared to the inconvenient of climate change plastic bags to ensure hygienic disposal, truth of climate change and environmental and recycling has yet to be at an optimal degradation that many choose to ignore. and environmental level. In Singapore, not only is the degradation that recycling of household waste at a dismal rate of 13%, items that are placed in many choose to ignore. recycling bins are often not washed 8

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or decontaminated, which then contaminates the other material in the respective bins 9.

Composting as an alternative method of rubbish disposal would potentially reduce the waste that ends up in incineration plants and landfills but has yet to be a practical option for apartment dwellers. Implementing a community-led composting initiative will need much deeper planning in making composting part of everyday life. Tampines Hub is perhaps a microcosm of what we can expect to have; food waste from the food court is composted in digestors and used as fertiliser for the rooftop community garden. Produce from the garden is then harvested to create meals for senior citizens at the care centre. In this regard, waste is not simply disposed, but recycled and repurposed to support other social and environmental sustainability needs.

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bills: Sofiah Jamil is the co-founder of Horn boutique Concepts and Communications, a ultancy. public relations and research cons e as With more than 14 years’ experienc to d turne has she st, analy cal a politi impact entrepreneurship to create greater ent in human and sustainable developm matters.

Australian Food Timeline. 2018 Single-use plastic bags banned. Or not. Available at: https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/single-use-plastic-bags-banned Muruganathan, K. What it takes to boost household recycling rates in Singapore. TODAY. Updated 2022, May 9. Available at: https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/what-it-takes-boost-household-recycling-rates-singapore-1890516 Beston Group. Plastic To Oil Process. 2015, October 10. Available at: https://plasticpyrolysisplants.com/plastic-to-oil-process

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EMBRACING A CAREER CHANGE ABROAD WITH

KEFRI ISMAIL

BY NUR DIYANA JALIL

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Vital Signs. Which industries are creating or losing jobs? 2019, August. Available at: https://www.vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/jobs-industry

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It is no secret that the Bay Area in San Francisco is a mecca for tech companies.

With thousands of firms employing over 3.9 million workers1, the Bay Area has become the largest tech talent labour pool in the US which continues to attract the brightest and best minds in the tech industry from across the globe. Individuals who are hoping to land a role in this competitive job market will be competing against a pool of global talent.

At a time when he wanted a change in his career, Kefri Ismail challenged himself to work with the best in the tech industry.

He was determined to land a job in the Bay Area despite having his work visa to the United States (US) declined twice.

He successfully secured the visa and started his first job in the US in 2013.

Currently working for a tech company that develops property management software, he regarded this move as one of his career highlights.

Kefri Ismail and his family in the Bay Area

Kefri spoke to the Karyawan team on how he worked his way up in the tech industry in Singapore and later in the US.

Q. What made you decide to move to the US? Was your family supportive of your decision?

Q. Could you tell us more about yourself Kefri: It was at a time when I wanted to embrace change and new personal and your family? experiences. From a career perspective, I challenged myself to work with the best Kefri: I’m currently residing in the San Francisco Bay Area with my family. I have and the brightest in the industry. My two beautiful kids – a boy and a girl named mindset at that time was if it did not work out, I would have no regrets. My older Cassius Kefri and Indah Alice, together brother was really supportive of my with my supportive, smart and strong decision to move to the US. American wife, Kelly, whom I met while working for the same company back in Q. What were some of the challenges Singapore in 2011. you faced when you first moved to the US? How has your wife helped you in I grew up as an orphan after my father passed away when I was really young. My adapting to the new environment? mother raised me and my older brother Kefri: Funnily enough, the first real single-handedly, while working multiple cleaning jobs and a lot of side hustling. We challenge was getting a US work visa. I had stayed in a single room rental flat and had my work visa declined twice! You would think it would be straightforward even help from organisations like Darul Ihsan when a company sponsors you. I was that provided basic daily staples like rice determined and was eventually successful and also money to buy school textbooks in my third attempt. I had to submit a and supplies. We were not well off but to be honest, we did great. It has helped shape write up and justify why I should be employed over other candidates from the who I am today. pool of talent here in the US, especially in the Bay Area. I remembered working on I didn’t really do well for my A-Levels as my work visa application day and night.

I was neither motivated nor interested in I was very thankful to my boss and the the subjects that I took in junior college. organisation at the time that stood by me, As I entered national service (NS), I was as well as my wife who is always supportive really clueless about what to do after NS. of me.

A good friend of mine roped me in to attend some part-time computer courses When I finally moved here, the lack of and I found that I was good at it. At the a Malay community was a big challenge. same time, I was doing part-time work at It was kind of weird because the Bay Area several places to pay for my courses and is really diverse and there is a big while I figured out what I wanted to do. representation of Southeast Asians. But One of the places I worked at was at a there are very few Malays and I couldn’t company called CNET Networks (now speak the language to anyone or have known as CBS Interactive). Fortunately, Malay food. Sadly, not many Americans I had very good bosses at CNET and know about the Malay people. The most learned the ropes that eventually helped similar cuisine is Indonesian and even me advance in my career. then, there are few and far between.

Because of this and, more recently, Sadly, through the early stages of my COVID-19, I had to learn how to cook Malay career, my mother passed away from food. Ingredients were really hard to come breast cancer. It crushed my motivation by at first and I had to build up a list of for a while and really changed the course stores in the Bay area that carry them. of my life. My older brother carried a lot Even then, I have not found some of the burden through this time. He went from ITE to doing a part-time diploma and ingredients like daun kunyit (turmeric leaf).

My wife finds me to be a good cook and a Bachelor’s degree, while working and supports my newfound passion by raising a family at the same time! encouraging me to cook often. She also follows me on my hunt for ingredients and being on the constant lookout for anything Singaporean (or similar), be it events or restaurants.

Q. Is there any American culture or lifestyle that you are still trying to adapt to?

Kefri: A funny thing I’ve needed to adapt to is using a fork when eating rice dishes here. Americans don’t often offer you a spoon unless you ask for one!

American’s fascination with guns is surprising and definitely a concern for me, with both my children Cassius, 6, and Indah, 3, being in school every day. It’s something that has been at the forefront of our family conversations lately, especially with current events. Living in California, we’re definitely better off than, say, in Texas as each state enforces their own laws which has also been an adjustment for me – it can feel like we’re living in separate countries within the US. California is most aligned to my views and I love the diversity here. In a nutshell, I’m still adapting!

Kefri Ismail

Q. What drew you to a profession in the tech industry?

Kefri: I think it’s being at the edge of innovation. In the tech industry, we are always innovating and looking out for the next big thing. Technology has the power to share knowledge, solve problems, and connect. Working in the tech industry means playing a direct part in creating digital experiences that are useful, meaningful, and enjoyable. It’s nothing short of rewarding.

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Q. What does your job entail?

Kefri: I’m currently employed as a Marketing Data Manager for a technology company called AppFolio that develops property management software. My role helps drive the outcomes of marketing for my company through the power of data, automation and integration. I just started this new role at the end of March 2022.

Previously I was employed by CBS Interactive, a media company for almost 17 years and worked my way up from being a part-time contract staff. It was also through this company that I was given the opportunity to move to the US back in 2013.

Q. How competitive is your work environment, especially given that it is in the Bay Area?

Kefri: I do feel it is competitive but at the same time, most tech companies here value other things aside from just delivering on work goals. For example, we value teamwork, diversity and inclusion, mental wellness, and personal time. It is a really good balance of work and everything else. In my opinion, this balance really sets the tech companies here in California apart from the rest of the US. I love the flexibility of being able to prioritise family over work. A good example is that in my company, we have a thing called, ‘Thank You Fridays’ in summer.

All employees get four Fridays off during summer to rest and rejuvenate.

Kefri with his extended family during his last trip to Singapore in 2019

with multiple degrees from prestigious universities. I take great pride as a Malay person having a successful career in the Bay Area and challenging the stereotypes we, as a community, face back home.

Whenever I have the chance, I try to educate people here about the Malay community and that brings me great pride.

Q. Do you have any advice for the young Malay/Muslim professionals who aspire to have a career in the Bay Area?

Kefri: My advice is to seek out the opportunity. If there is one, no matter how small it may seem, go and seize it.

And never be afraid to fail.

Q. What has motivated you to stay in the The other advice I have is to go beyond industry for over 17 years? your current comfort levels. You may need to adjust a couple of things in order to Kefri: I think my motivation in being be successful. in this industry is the endless growth opportunities and having to continuously learn new things even after all these years. Q. What are your future plans? Do you intend to return to Singapore one day?

Tech companies are always evolving, and there are endless opportunities to Kefri: We are planning to buy a house learn new technologies and in-demand near Los Angeles in Southern California to tools that can be applied in various roles, across a wide range of different companies be closer to my wife’s extended family, this summer. As for returning to Singapore, and industries. there is always a possibility and I have never ruled that out. We try to visit every Q. What are some of the highlights of other year. For now, the kids are really your career or living in the US so far? comfortable here and I value the way the education system here works. It is not as Kefri: I think landing a job in a new stressful as it is back home. Here, they company is my latest career highlight. encourage creativity, and team sports in When you are in the Bay Area trying to school are more accessible. Yet, Singapore land a job in the tech industry, you are will always be home to me. competing with very smart people, often 36 T H E K A R Y A W A N © AMP SINGAPORE. PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCTION.

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

Book Review:

SINGA-PURA-PURA is Present, Plural and Problematises Tradition Singa-Pura-Pura is necessary reading for anyone remotely interested in any given configuration of ‘Singapore’, ‘Malay’ and ‘literature’. From academics more accustomed to poring over manuscripts to even non-Malay neophytes, there is something for everyone to chew on in this especially colourful anthology of short stories. Responding to the dearth of Singaporean Malay authors writing in English, the project as spearheaded by Nazry Bahrawi is said to lay the seeds for a loose, non-organised aliran (movement), anticipating an imminent flood of more bilingually proficient writers.

Framing its thirteen short stories as works of speculative fiction, the carefully curated collection provokes both timely and timeless questions. As an editor, Nazry employs Margaret Atwood’s understanding of speculative fiction as “things that really could happen but just hadn't completely”1. Despite sharing a healthy tolerance for the fantastic with the adjacent genre of science fiction, there is perhaps a preponderance on more pressing, contemporary issues.

BY SOLIHIN SAMSURI

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time and thus invite an equally immediate response. The boundaries between present and future are then blurred too as the problems plaguing these imagined futures are readily familiar now.

Pasidah Rahmat grappling with the loss of “privacy of personal information and freedom of movement”2 in favour of an intrusive “Chip” is well-trodden territory about the cost of technological convenience. Likewise, the pastoral power already exercised by the paternalistic Singaporean state is exacerbated in Ila’s Mother Techno as it reduces matchmaking processes to the pairing of “male and female bodies”3, underscoring the continued primacy of the heterosexual Famili Nuclear. The damaging effects of this existent, hegemonic rhetoric are made explicit as 30-year-old Siti is deemed “biologically impaired… incomplete”4 on account of such a punishing metric.

In spite of Singa-Pura-Pura’s oft-dystopic overtones, one need not look further than the mobile applications weaved into the fabric of modern living to realise that what Siti calls their “algorithm[isation]” of human interactions is the natural PRESENT Specific to Malay experiences in Singapore, consequence of our innately utilitarian relationship with technology (Siti “only the anthology reaches back into a living, breathing past, ponders looming futurities talk[s] to machines so that they can serve all while pointing to societal wrinkles very [her] better”) – one which arguably worsens the uglier tendencies of society. much persistent in the present. Indeed, it is hardly coincidental that half of the short Hassan Hasaa’Ree Ali’s Doa.com also stories adopt the rather marked present tense to detail the trials and tribulations of broaches the tried and tested topic of overreliance on technology but its specific their protagonists. These authors are not writing of a stable past set in stone, but the intersection with ritualistic Islam prompts urgent considerations about memory and events they relay seem to occur in real

Atwood discusses the distinction between science and speculative fiction in addition to her inability to separate utopias from dystopias; refer to: Margaret Atwood: the road to Ustopia. 2011, October 14. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/14/margaret-atwood-road-to-ustopia Bahrawi, N. (ed.) Singa-Pura-Pura. Ethos Books. 2021. p. 72 Ibid, p. 147 Ibid, p. 139

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language. In Hassan’s distant future, the of plural possibilities for what such mode that Bani adopts feels welcoming, underground Pusara Abadi, now in its writings could look like. Between novel allowing for reflexivity (he catches himself fourth iteration, will reportedly be vignettes of mythical revisionism and the “romanticising this episode”) and “entirely air-conditioned” while graves embrace of decidedly more posthuman qualifications (“I might be wrong”) which come furnished with purchasable, imaginaries, the anthology zigzags from tamper the supremacy of the authorial self. pre-recorded supplications: Surah Yasin, one vivid vision to another, forming a Isolated Future #2 aspires towards utopic doa selamat, tahlil, the whole works. For all multivalent mosaic bound to intrigue. inter-species relation9, stretching the limits of human empathy to include these material comforts however, a certain sense of alienation haunts the cemetery For instance, Beginning by nor is a syncretic “spiders [who] would send help messages and Lukman the Muslim-raised character, amalgamation of different origin narratives, when other predators were closing in,”10 whose visits are further adorned with a while also presenting more sensorial primarily combining elements of “fancy grey blazer”, complete with “pricey forms of communication (“if your Abrahamic geneses with their Southeast $300 shoes”5. The commodified doa or Asian counterparts. The folkloric figure of hardware cannot smell, you cannot speak”) Sakatimuna, a “great cosmic snake”, easily as solutions to problems of legibility. supplication still provides a “comforting doubles as the very same serpent who tune” and makes “him feel safe” yet precipitated the banishment of Adam and Additionally, Tuty Alawiyah Isnin physically, he is awkwardly “inert as the tombstones he had erected for his parents”, Eve from the Garden of Eden although in inquires, “What is a robot and how is it different from a human?” in (A)nak (I)bu. this case, it is the progenitor of human unmoved as he is unable to fully inhabit The hubris of anthropocentrism is what “s-s-s-sad[ness]”. When abbreviated as the grief he wants to experience. The fuels the apparent anger of Adam, “Saka”, a loose comparison could be made elderly Wak Paiman who prefers old indignant at the very idea of a robot fashioned cleaning apparatus like the mop to the primordial Javanese legend of Aji psychiatrist. He views it as a disruption to Saka who is said to have introduced and broom, calls this anomaly out, “Why hierarchised labour – “robots have been civilisation and the Javanese script to the aren’t you in tears?”6. Could the fact that southern corner of the Malay Archipelago invented to lighten the menial daily Lukman having “no idea what he was tasks”11 only, not automatically attain – a tale involving a giant snake, too. reciting”7 even as a child have played a Finally, Korma the bumi turtle is a nod part? Wak Paiman sagely argues for a doctorates when “human beings are made democracy in tongues when praying to an to the avatar of the Hindu God Vishnu to struggle through all kinds of tests to unflatteringly relegated to being a shell all-knowing God, but perhaps solely rote attain academic qualifications from the memory was never sufficient to begin with. “formed out of Sakatimuna’s skin”8. Even in ivory tower of educational institutions”12. a diverse, multicultural narrative, it For all the venom he displays however, The artificiality of technology is thus appears inevitable that some stories will Adam still has the capacity to develop a positioned against phenomena that are rise to pre-eminence at the expense of strong, even familial attachment to “Sarah, said to be natural – a prescient and others. Indeed, the creation myth of a robot resembling a female person”13, prevailing anxiety considering how the Sakatimuna in itself is already characterised who fostered him as a child. Considering the human tendency to create things in cerpen (short story) was originally by a brand of syncretism that Beginning our own image, it is both paradoxical and published in 2013. What gets naturalised, clearly takes inspiration from. “Let there predictable how much of technophobia including the significance accorded to be light” is then transformed from revolves around anxieties over artificiality inherited rituals, languages, and the way an imperative made in isolation to a such knowledge is received, warrants collaboration between at least two agents, and the threat of obsolescence at our own hands. re-examinations as well. Simultaneously, revealing that the visible spectrum has the “decrepit” book of supplications which always comprised of a multi-coloured PROBLEMATISING TRADITION Wak Paiman offers Lukman might not be rainbow as well.

Singa-Pura-Pura also takes on the theme as shiny as the slot-machine-equipped grave, but surely there is something to be Further, Singa-Pura-Pura offers a plurality of tradition, but staying true to its title, the collection is not content to blindly said about a corporeal text that passes in perspectives to the extent that it adhere to existing hegemonic structures. through both time and human hands. carves out space for less anthropocentric paradigms. Bani Haykal’s Isolated Future #2: In other words, it engages in storytelling that “do[es] not participate in the process PLURAL MacRitchie Treetops wonders about the If part of editor Nazry’s endeavour is to limited resource that is land in Singapore, of mimicking reality”, opting instead to propose re-imaginings of the familiar shift popular notions of Malay literature envisioning a literal bottom-up that are often barbed with less than away from the mould of social realism restructuring of society which hopes subtle “jabs at contemporary social and any similarly singular thematic to arrive at kinder, more plateaued phenomenon”14, questioning long-held preoccupations, Singa-Pura-Pura succeeds communities whose care extend beyond prejudices in the process. in provisioning readers with an abundance just selfish humanity. The diaristic Bahrawi, N. (ed.) Singa-Pura-Pura. Ethos Books. 2021. p. 60 6 Ibid, p. 63 7 Ibid, p. 60 8 Ibid, p. 21 A parallel could be drawn back to ‘The Chip’, wherein progress is presented as a product of initial inter-species collaboration before devolving into subsequent discrimination and exploitation at the hands of humans.

10 Bahrawi, N. (ed.) Singa-Pura-Pura. Ethos Books. 2021. p. 158 11 Ibid, p. 123 12 Ibid, p. 125 13 Ibid, p. 130 14 Ibid, p. 178 5

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At the centre of Transgression by Diana Rahim is a contestation of MalayMuslimness – an interrogation of the forces that attempt to fortify the hyphen as if a strict delineation can be drawn, clearly distinguishing one from the other. Diana turns her attention to the classical Malay dance of ulek mayang which ironically hails from the conservative Malaysian state of Terengganu. The accompanying narrative usually performed in song tells the tale of a fatal attraction between a sea-princess and a fisherman which culminates in conflict and an eventual separation. In Transgression, the character of Cahaya is the offspring left behind by both parents to contend with the trauma of severance all by her lonesome. Where there is cahaya (light) however, there is also darkness or rather, the shadow of the past which stubbornly attaches itself to or otherwise informs the present. History can neither be denied nor can it be so doggedly pursued that it comes at the price of an extant reality. Cahaya describes the supernatural vestiges of her mother tugging at her as “the feeling of being torn apart from herself”15 symbolic perhaps of a past that is palpably and insistently intertwined with the present. In any case, can maternal love truly be considered transgressive, against “the natural laws”16 or even supposedly religious ones? Like its kuda kepang counterpart, the unsur-unsur (elements) or even pengaruh (influence) of syirik (shirk) is an accusation that is readily lobbed at pre-Islamic traditions like the ulek mayang in a misguided attempt to somehow attain a purified Islam. Regretful of his past, it is telling how the absent Ayah accuses the sea-princess of stealing his “very spirit and certainty paradise”17, before repenting by “begin[ning] to pray consistently,” “fast[ing] on Thursdays and donat[ing] to mosques,”18 as if heaven was ever guaranteed or that his performance of piety is the definitive barometer of Muslimness.

Similarly, Nuraliah Norasid’s Prayers From a Guitar sets its sights on a distinctively patriarchal brand of normative Islam intent on sapping any joy life has to offer by decrying everything (especially in the 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

hands of women) to be sinful. On the surface, the entry’s thorny focal point appears to be the “idolatory of musical instruments” that are reportedly “tribal and base in their nature”19, but the figure of Ustaz Hazrali is really what deserves lampooning, and Nuraliah delivers. The ostensibly pious character is of course a caricature of that one Quran thumping, Zakir Naik-watching uncle everyone knows, whose overbearingness naturally comes from a long line of patriarchs (“Hazrali’s own father had forbidden all music from the household”), proving that it truly is an entrenched problem.

Exhibiting the audacity that only a man could get away with, the good ustaz’s claim that “God forbid he let another impressionable woman lose her path”20, not only points to a self-serving delusion but one that also takes God’s name in vain.

Jurisprudential debates aside, the short story lambasts predominantly male practitioners of an Islam historically inflected by phallogocentrism, meeting their match and possible emancipation in the form of autonomous, unabashed femininity.

On the other hand, Tujuh is Nazry’s own addition to the anthology which challenges an altogether different though no less malicious system of accepted beliefs. The hypothetical For-None-Desk (FND), which aggregates and publishes only “the most popular” news items, mirrors the Singaporean myth of meritocracy and its majoritarian contours.

Cherry-picking news items that are meant for mass consumption and sweeping unsavoury crimes under the rug leads to the death of journalism but against all odds, Eli the fine arts aficionado manages to rise through the ranks. Nevertheless, the acceptance of his highly sought-after position dictates the need for the protagonist to supplant his own cultural identity for something more palatable to the majority – a fact that he is not unaware of, resenting how Malays like him are still said to be “cut from a different cloth, a fabric of inferior quality”21. Living in someone else’s shadow as “the new Chris Kuan,” little wonder then that there is a latent “animality” aroused only during

bouts of feverish sexual release and more appallingly, the string of serial killings wrapped up in esoteric references to various masterpieces of art. Thus, Tujuh warns readers of the symbolic violence it costs to foreground certain stories, discursive fields and even whole groups of people over others.

CLOSING THOUGHTS With the already constraining word limit of this review, one cannot hope to encapsulate the sheer wealth in inquisitive imagination that Singa-Pura-Pura brims with. There is barely space to mention Noridah Kamari’s Nineteen Eighty-Fourinspired meditation or to flesh out the translation of Farihan Bahron’s Emas, Kertas dan Hampas that tackles the gamification of retirement according to market forces, and the value accorded to life’s ephemera namely the accumulation or hoarding of any given form of currency.

If there was ever any doubt, these are all important stories narrated by those who have mostly been relegated to the margins, whose vibrant voices deserve to be foregrounded now and in the future.

A closer reading or three is more than warranted.

Solihin Samsuri is a PhD student at the University of California, Berkeley.

He recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Literature from Yale-NUS College.

His thesis on Salleh Ben Joned examined the intersection between language, Islam, and Mala yness.

Ibid, p. 30 Ibid, p. 31 Ibid, p. 40 Ibid, p. 37 Ibid, p. 46 Ibid, p. 44 Ibid, p. 101

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INDIAN MUSLIMS IN SINGAPORE: History, Heritage and Contributions

by AB RAZAK CHANBASHA

The Indian Muslim community in Singapore evolved from sojourners to settlers, from a transient community who came seeking sustenance to one that became rooted in this land and has developed its identity within the social milieu of the Indian community, the wider Muslim society and the larger population.

Indian Muslims in Singapore: History, Heritage & Contributions provides an overview of the Indian Muslims’ migration history to Singapore from the arrival of the British in Singapore in 1819, the growth of the community, the diversity in language and culture, and their legacy.

The book also pays homage to the life and achievements of prominent individuals, who accomplished outstanding achievements in their professions and their contributions to the development of the community and the Singapore society.

AVAILABLE AT $60 EACH

The book is written in a non-academic style, intended for the general reader interested in the Indian Muslim community in Singapore.

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