What’s the difference between Malaysia and Singapore? That’s the age old question ever since the island state decided to opt out from being a part of Malaysia.
Actually, it isn’t hard to see that there are many obvious differences between the two countries and among the main ones is food.
I have to admit that the food in Malaysia, especially the street hawker kind, is just far superior from what you can find in Cheen Chia Poh.
We make better lontong, better mee goreng, better nasi beriyani, better murtabak, better sup tulang, better prawn mee, better bak kut teh and even better Singapore fried meehoon.
Then there is the law that we have to abide to in Singapore, which are almost borderline mental asylum-style rules and regulations.
No eating chewing gum! No crossing the street! No watching TV! No talking! No breathing! No winking! No no no no no no!!
But one thing that they are encouraging is sex! Everyone should have sex and procreate whether you are a man, woman, married or single. Play your role in saving the population!
Then, of course, there is the issue about media control. If we Malaysians think that we have it bad with our media censorship and licensing, then we haven’t seen anything yet.
However, these are all differences that we can see on the surface. Look a little bit deeper and we might discover that we all aren’t that different anyway.
Recently, the issue regarding Singapore’s banning of the tudung (hijab) by women working in certain governmental organisations and in school came in to the limelight.
Many Singaporeans are against this saying this it is racist and discriminatory. There is even a Facebook movement started called ‘Singapore Hijab Movement’.
However, the island’s government says that since Singapore is a multiracial society, the ban is required to maintain the country’s overall social harmony.
Sure. Then why don’t you just have an atheistic communist society where everyone believes in nothing, have no individualism and are conformist drones.
Or better yet, just build efficiently programmed robots and fill up the country with them. Oh wait a minute, that really is the objective, isn’t it?
What I find shocking is that the Minister in charge of Muslim affairs, Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, says that Muslims need to be understanding and patient, quoting from his Facebook post:
“But some professions require uniforms which do not include the hijab. Most Muslims recognise that if we allow employees or officers to modify their uniforms for religious reasons, particularly for the police and the military, it would be very problematic. We do not allow police officers or SAF servicemen to wear or display conspicuous religious symbols on their uniforms or their faces. Nor do we allow Muslim police women officers to wear the hijab on duty. But when they are out of uniforms, they are free to wear the hijab, as indeed many do going to and from work.”
Isn’t it better and more conducive for a harmonious and multiracial country to actually promote diversity so that the society will be more understanding and open-minded?
Oh well. Who am I to say? I am after all a Malaysian, and deep down inside, Malaysia is as similar to Singapore as a durian and a durian.
Didn’t we Malaysians just decide that an Arabic word which has no origin in the Malay Archipelago is now owned by the Malay Muslims and no one else can use it?
You say po-tay-to, I say po-tah-to. You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to. You say harmonious and multiracial, I say racists and bigots.
Zan Azlee
Thu Nov 14 2013
UAE lancar kempen derma lebihan makanan sepanjang Ramadan
Emiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE) menerusi UAE Food Bank melancarkan kempen menderma lebihan makanan sepanjang ramadan kepada mereka yang memerlukan.
Pelapor Khas PBB terima ugutan
Pelapor Khas Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB), Francesca Alabanese mendedahkan menerima ugutan ketika cuba mengumpulkan bukti genosid dilakukan Israel di genting Gaza.
Pentadbiran Biden arah semua agensi persekutuan AS lantik ketua pegawai AI
Pentadbiran Presiden Joe Biden telah mengarahkan semua agensi persekutuan negara itu melantik seorang ketua pegawai Kecerdasan Buatan (AI) untuk menyelia semua teknologi berkaitan.
Gempur: Masalah lambakan kereta usang membelenggu penduduk
Lambakan kereta tersadai di kawasan flat Sri Pantai menyebabkan penduduk berdepan masalah kekurangan parkir. Ada yang sudah berbulan malah ada yang bertahun tersadai sehingga menyebabkan kesesakan di kawasan parkir. Walaupun beberapa kali pihak berkuasa menunda kenderaan, tetapi masalah ini terus berulang.
Ramai serbu Jalan TAR tapi belum cukup meriah
Saban tahun, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) meriah tatkala menghampiri Hari Raya Aidilfitri namun tahun ini, selepas lebih dua minggu Ramadan, suasananya masih belum cukup meriah berbanding tahun-tahun sebelumnya.
Kerajaan digesa buat semakan undang-undang atasi 'lanun digital'
Kerajaan digesa untuk membuat semakan undang-undang bagi mengukuhkan kuasa penguatkuasaan dalam membantu mereka bertindak dengan lebih pantas demi kedaulatan digital Malaysia.
Tambahan 300 kaunter fizikal seluruh negara
DOSM menambah 300 kaunter PADU secara fizikal di seluruh negara.
[INFOGRAFIK] Sistem e-Dereg
Berikut adalah sedikit infografik berkenaan Sistem e-Dereg. Sila klik video untuk berita selanjutnya.
Dialog Tiga Penjuru: Dah Daftar PADU?
Apa cara nak yakinkan dan beri jaminan kepada orang ramai berkaitan pendaftaran PADU adalah selamat daripada ancaman serangan siber?
Pindaan Akta Perlindungan Data Peribadi memperkukuh kawalan keselamatan data peribadi, mencukupi?
Dialog Tiga Penjuru, Khamis 8.30 malam
Pindaan Akta Perlindungan Data Peribadi memperkukuh kawalan keselamatan data peribadi, mencukupi?
Dialog Tiga Penjuru, Khamis 8.30 malam
Kerja ganti paip lama di Seluruh Sarawak bermula tahun ini
Sarawak akan memulakan kerja-kerja penggantian saluran paip lama sepanjang 2,740 kilometer di seluruh negeri itu bermula tahun ini.
Iran lulus undang-undang hijab kontroversi
Peraturan itu, yang belum berkuat kuasa, memperuntukkan hukuman berat bagi mereka yang tidak mengendahkan kod berpakaian.
Peraturan berhijab: Iran tutup ibu pejabat peruncit dalam talian
Sebelum itu, tersiar foto sekumpulan kakitangan Digikala, termasuk beberapa wanita tidak berhijab.
Pelakon Iran ditahan kerana kritik syarat pemakaian hijab
Seorang pelakon ditahan di Iran selepas mengkritik penguatkuasaan ketat pemakaian hijab dalam kalangan wanita, lapor Agensi Berita Jerman (dpa).
Pemakaian hijab wajib di Iran di sebalik 'serangan yogurt' ke atas wanita - Presiden
Berlaku peningkatan trend kaum wanita tempatan Iran yang tidak endah peraturan mengenakan hijab.
[KOLUMNIS] Membanteras rasuah muncul sebagai identiti Muslim di Malaysia - Chandra Muzaffar
Oleh kerana Islam dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia dikaitkan dengan identiti negara ----- Islam adalah agama Persekutuan (Fasal 3) penilaian terhadap peranan Islam harus dilakukan dari perspektif tersebut.
Protes memuncak di Iran susulan kematian wanita ditahan kerana hijab
Amini, berusia 22 tahun, meninggal dunia pada Jumaat lalu selepas koma berikutan penahanannya di Tehran awal minggu lalu.
90,000 helai koleksi tudung terbaharu Wawa Zainal habis terjual, raih RM2.5 juta
Wawa mendedahkan jualan kumpulan pertama koleksi itu dianggarkan membawa keuntungan sekitar RM2.5 juta.
Kacukan Melayu-Cina-Punjabi, Anzalna Nasir makin cantik berhijab
Tahun lalu, finalis Dewi Remaja ini gigih mencari seorang penjual nasi lemak yang tidak mempunyai kedua-dua belah tangan mencari rezeki.
Fazura manis berhijab, itulah doa Fattah Amin untuk isteri
Pelakon Fazura yang juga ibu kepada cahaya mata comel, Nur Fatima Aisya semakin manis berhijab.
Mahkamah Austria batal undang-undang larang kanak-kanak Islam berhijab
Undang-undang itu dikatakan sengaja dibuat untuk orang Islam dan dianggap melanggar hak kebebasan beragama.