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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Faishal Ibrahim agrees with ex-Israeli PM that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza
Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim speaking to the media at an event at Changi Airport to send off 44 pilgrims to the annual Haj in Mecca in Saudi Arabia, on May 31. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN Faishal Ibrahim agrees with ex-Israeli PM that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza SINGAPORE – Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim on May 31 said he agreed with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza. 'It pains me to say this, considering Israel's contributions to Singapore in our early years,' Associate Professor Faishal told reporters at an event at Changi Airport to send off 44 pilgrims to the annual haj in Mecca in Saudi Arabia. 'But I think we need to be frank. I fear an increasing number of people worldwide will agree with Mr Ehud, including myself.' On May 27, The Guardian reported on an opinion piece Mr Ehud had written for the Israeli newspaper and website Haaretz. The 12th prime minister of Israel, from 2006 to 2009, had said Israel was committing war crimes in Gaza, with thousands of innocent Palestinians and many Israeli soldiers being killed. Mr Ehud said the government of Israel was waging a war without purpose, without goals or clear planning and with no chances of success. 'What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: the indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians... Yes, Israel is committing war crimes,' Mr Ehud wrote. Prof Faishal had been asked about a statement by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on May 30 that Israel may be in breach of international law by restricting the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. He reiterated that the Singapore Government believes Israel's actions are likely to be in breach of international humanitarian law. 'PM Wong spoke about the situation in Gaza yesterday, he said plainly that Israel has gone too far,' said Prof Faishal, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs. 'In particular, the restrictions it has imposed on the delivery of humanitarian supplies to Gaza are completely unacceptable.' PM Wong had said that while Singapore had always said Israel had the right to defend itself, it had gone too far and its actions had caused a terrible humanitarian disaster. He and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke on the Gaza conflict at a joint press conference to announce the upgrading of both countries' relationship across several domains including defence, intelligence and nuclear power. Mr Macron had said France could harden its position on Israel if it continued to block humanitarian aid to Gaza, and France may consider applying sanctions against Israeli settlers. Prof Faishal said the Singapore Government has joined many countries to strongly urge an immediate cease fire, the protection of civilian lives, the return of hostages and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. He added: 'If you reflect, Zulhijjah is a month where most Muslims turn their eyes to Mecca as millions perform their haj. That's what we saw today. However, in recent years, the focus in the Middle East has been Palestine.' The situation there, especially in Gaza, is deeply painful, he added. He said: 'The suffering of the Palestinian civilians in occupied territories, including children, is unbearable. 'As we increase our worship during this sacred month of haj, please pray for the safety of our haj pilgrims and remember the Palestinians who are in pain and are suffering. Let's also be thankful for the peace and cohesion we have enjoyed in Singapore for decades.' Prof Faishal added he was particularly thankful that leaders like former president Halimah Yacob have spoken about the crisis in Gaza and have helped all Singaporeans think of the tragedy with compassion and grace. Since March 2, Israel has imposed a near-total blockade on humanitarian aid and commercial supplies to Gaza after the breakdown of a two-month ceasefire. The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas' October 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Out of 251 hostages seized during the attack, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on May 29 that at least 3,986 people had been killed in the territory since Israel ended the ceasefire on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 54,249, mostly civilians. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
New Paper
20-05-2025
- New Paper
Mum of autistic twins shares pro tip: Don't be afraid to travel, just plan ahead
Travelling with a child who has special needs can be daunting - even more so when the journey involves a completely new environment, a plane ride or unpredictable crowds. So it's no surprise that many parents quietly shelve the idea of taking their children with special needs on holiday. But for Madam Nor Hafizah Abdul Ghani, a 52-year-old mother of five whose 14-year-old twins are on the autism spectrum, that has never stopped her from showing them the world. In fact, she says, it became the reason she made travelling a family habit - whether by land or air. "Although my twins were diagnosed with autism, I believe they're just like any other children - they just need more help," Madam Hafizah, a beauty business founder, told Berita Harian. "They deserve the chance to see the world, too. I don't want to be selfish and go on holiday without them just because they're autistic." So far, she has travelled with her twins overseas six times by plane and 15 times by road. However, she admitted that it took serious planning. Preparations often began as early as six months before the trip. That included choosing the most suitable flight times, crafting an itinerary that's not too packed, and factoring in her sons' preferences and sensitivities. She also prepared visual aids like the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to help her communicate with the twins, Yousef Asir Zulkefli and Yousef Asif Zulkefli, both of whom are minimally verbal. PECS cards prepared by Madam Hafizah to help her twins communicate during their trip to Japan. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) uses picture cards to support individuals with speech or communication difficulties. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN "I took them to Changi Airport before the trip and explained the process so they could anticipate what would happen," she said. She also counted down the days with her twins months in advance, to help them prepare mentally, as autistic children often struggle with spontaneity. On their most recent family trip to Japan in December 2024, she also informed the airline in advance using the Disabled Passengers with Intellectual Disabilities or Developmental Needs Assistance (DPNA) code - a special request code for passengers with intellectual or developmental disabilities. With the code activated in her booking, the airline arranged for priority boarding, airport assistance and a smooth, stress-free journey. "I want the cabin crew and passengers to know I'm flying with children with special needs - in case they cry or need help. And with the DPNA code, the service was amazing, beyond what I expected," she praised. From the moment they passed through customs to collecting their luggage, everything moved quickly. Airport staff even escorted them like "bodyguards", she joked, to help them avoid long queues and stressful delays. In addition, Madam Hafizah emphasised the importance of children with special needs wearing lanyards that clearly indicate their condition. Her twins wear the green sunflower lanyard, known as the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, which serves as a discreet yet recognisable signal that they have non-visible disabilities. Attached to the lanyard is their identification card from the Developmental Disabilities Registry (DDR), administered by SG Enable. Twins Yousef Asir Zulkefli (left) and Yousef Asif Zulkefli (right) exploring Japan with their mother. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN "I'm not ashamed. It's not about labelling my children. It's about their safety," she said She also packed noise-cancelling headphones to help the twins regulate sensory input, especially loud or unpredictable sounds, which can trigger meltdowns. Even with all the prep, she admitted it's not easy. But she's confident that the effort was worth it - not just for her twins, but for the whole family. "It strengthens our bond. It teaches my other three children how to care for their siblings and it shows them that inclusion starts at home," she said. To parents who are nervous about travelling, she offers this advice: "Don't be shy. Don't feel like you can't do it. Take it step by step. The important thing is to keep an open mind - treat the trip as a way to better understand your child." Tips for travelling with a child with special needs:
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Indonesia eyes cut in fuel imports from Singapore in favour of US as part of tariffs negotiations
Indonesian energy minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the country could shift as much as 60 per cent of its total fuel imports from Singapore to the US in the early stages. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN Indonesia eyes cut in fuel imports from Singapore in favour of US as part of tariffs negotiations JAKARTA - Indonesia plans to change the source of some of its fuel imports from Singapore to the United States as part of negotiations over steep tariffs, its energy minister said on May 9 . The United States has imposed a 32 per cent tariff on Indonesian goods, but like other countries, implementation has been paused until July to make room for negotiations. Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the change of some fuel imports away from Singapore would happen gradually. Indonesia could shift as much as 60 per cent of its total fuel imports from Singapore to the United States in the early stages, he said. 'It is almost certain that we will take other fuel imports from other countries, not from that one (Singapore),' he told reporters, adding the shift could happened in the next six months. Increasing fuel imports from the United States is part of a wider proposal that Indonesia has made to Washington to address the tariffs. The government has said that it wants to increase US energy imports by about US$10 billion (S$13 billion) , which also includes buying US fuel, crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas. Mr Bahlil has said that as part of the negotiations, Indonesia wants to import 10 times more US crude than now. At present, about 4 per cent of its crude imports are from the United States. State energy firm Pertamina has said that it will be ready to execute the plan and might need to increase its fuel storage capacity in order to store US fuels. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Why we shouldn't let Noor Deros bring race and religion into politics
Noor Deros, a religious teacher, is bringing his views on Islam into the political sphere, arguing that it should shape who Malay/Muslim Singaporeans vote for. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN FILE Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - Recent remarks by a religious teacher, seeking to be an influencer in this general election, worry me. Noor Deros may not be a name familiar to many. By way of background, he was the Muslim religious teacher who started the Wearwhite movement in 2014, a pushback on the Pink Dot rallies. Two years later, it was led by a Christian pastor, who argued that the movement was about promoting traditional family values. Noor denied his involvement in the campaign that year, saying he was focusing on education. But he is back, this time bringing his views on Islam into the political sphere, arguing that it should shape who Malay/Muslim Singaporeans vote for. Noor draws a clear line in the sand. He says Muslims should only vote for candidates who agree with his interpretation of religious responsibilities. Among other things, he says the candidates should not advocate for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Writing his posts in a mix of Malay and English, he also says Muslims should only support the political party and candidate who agree to end diplomatic ties with Israel over the Palestine-Israel war, and change the narrative on the War on Terror to blame the United States and Israel for their role in conflicts in the region. He writes like an academic, peppering his comments with religious passages to remind his followers of their responsibilities. But the postings are inflammatory - there is no room for compromise, he says. While he speaks of seeking out people willing to sit down for a debate or discussion, he makes it clear he will not budge. Noor is now bringing his views into the political sphere in the midst of a general election. It is by design. Noor says a Muslim candidate is only worthy of his vote if the candidate is aligned with his hardline views on the role religions play in politics. Muslim Singaporeans should pick a candidate along the same lines, he argues. This Us vs Them scenario can result in serious blowback. I saw first-hand while I was in Sydney when Australia held the Indigenous Voice referendum in 2023. The referendum sought to weave into the Australian constitution a body that would advise the Federal Parliament and executive government on policies affecting Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander peoples. It was extra privileges most Australia disagreed with, based on the outcome of the vote. The campaign split the country into the Say Yes groups against the Say No campaigners, with tensions close to boiling over. A report by the University of Technology Sydney found that there were more than 400 validated reports of racism directed at First Nations People as a result of the referendum. More than a third of the reports involved physical violence, hate speech, threats, intimidation, verbal abuse, bullying and property damage. The report also noted that influencers, including media personalities, were the driving force of mis and disinformation that fuelled the pushback. Noor, the influencer, is throwing religion into the Us vs Them mix. History tells us when religion is drawn into politics in Singapore, there can be dire consequences. I was involved in the writing and editing of five books that traced tumultuous events in Singapore post-WWII. One of the books looked at the race riots in Singapore in the 1960s. On July 21, 1964, about 20,000 Malay-Muslims from political parties and religious organisations gathered at Padang to mark the Prophet's birthday. Speakers at the event delivered speeches that reminded attendees of their religious obligations, and the failings of rival organisations. The speeches were filled with inflammatory language, designed to stir the crowd. Soon after, the crowd marched towards Kallang gasworks and violence erupted, prompting a curfew which was only lifted in August. Simmering tensions continued, with bloodshed and violence returning to Singapore in September. In total, more than 20 people were killed and more than 400 suffered injuries. Noor is working to influence the election and politics in Singapore not as a Singaporean Muslim, but as a hardliner insisting on dragging religion into the political sphere, never mind the consequences. But he does it from a safe distance - he preaches in Malaysia. Noor's comments about PAP MPs not being Malay or Muslim enough echo comments made before the 1964 race riots by an extremist chief of UMNO. In a fiery speech, Syed Ja'afar accused all Malay PAP members of being un-Islamic, anti-Islam, anti-Malay, and traitors to their own community. He worked the crowd into such a frenzy that chants of 'Kill him!... Kill him!... Othman Wok and Lee Kuan Yew' resonated through the theatre. Othman Wok was the Singapore Minister for Social Affairs then. While he claims to be a religious teacher, I understand that Noor had applied to be a certified religious teacher in Singapore but this was not accepted. Either way, his intentions should be exposed. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
S'pore religious teacher says he had talks with WP, urged party to prioritise rights of Malay/Muslim community
Mr Noor Deros claimed he had spoken to all the Malay candidates from the Workers' Party. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN FILE S'pore religious teacher says he had talks with WP, urged party to prioritise rights of Malay/Muslim community SINGAPORE - A Singaporean religious teacher based in Malaysia has said that he has spoken with WP candidates contesting the upcoming election and urged the opposition party to prioritise the rights and concerns of the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian reported on April 26 that in a series of Facebook posts, Mr Noor Deros claimed he had spoken to all the Malay candidates from the WP. He also claimed that the party had agreed to take up the concerns raised by the asatizah, or religious teachers, regarding the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. According to the BH report, he said the WP had taken seriously his call for the party to raise in Parliament issues surrounding the control and regulation of Islam's practice in Singapore, citing the Administration of Muslim Law Act and institutions such as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. Mr Noor also claimed that he had urged WP and other election candidates to reject the normalisation of LGBTQ+ issues, take a strong stance against Israel, and recognise the state of Palestine. In another post, Mr Noor criticised Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, accusing him of failing to defend the rights and aspirations of the Malay/Muslim community. He compared Mr Masagos with WP vice-chairman Faisal Manap, pointing to Mr Faisal's efforts in raising the tudung (headscarf) issue in Parliament referring to how in 2021, the Government lifted former restrictions on the headgear for Muslim staff in healthcare settings. Mr Noor called on his followers, particularly those in Tampines GRC, to vote for Mr Faisal, who is contesting in the constituency at the May 3 General Election. Mr Noor's posts are among a number of online messages by Singaporeans that have surfaced during the election period, which the authorities said contained racial and religious undertones. On April 25, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Elections Department (ELD) issued a statement warning that foreigners must not direct, fund or in any way influence Singapore's elections. The statement said: 'Singapore's politics must be for Singaporeans alone to decide.' This was after three foreigners, including an ex-ISA detainee, were found to be attempting to interfere in the election. One of them is a Facebook user under the name of 'Zai Nal'. He had shared Mr Noor's posts and accused Malay/Muslim Members of Parliament (MPs) of failing to represent the interests of the Muslim community. He said the community did not need 'another Malay MP who does not represent their views'. The user was identified as Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff, an Australian citizen who renounced his Singapore citizenship in 2020. Zulfikar was previously detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 2016 for promoting terrorism and praising the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) online. He had also posted criticisms of Malay/Muslim MPs regarding the tudung issue. His posts were subsequently reshared by Mr Mohamed Sukri Omar, the Selangor Youth Chief of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). The other two foreigners identified are Mr Mohamed Sukri Omar and Mr Iskandar Abdul Samad, national treasurer of PAS. On April 25, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) issued a correction direction to Meta, requiring the tech giant to disable access for Singapore users to several of these Facebook posts. The posts have since been blocked. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
