Amrin Amin
Singapore
“The Police have taken this very seriously and have taken stern measures. The law is quite strict on this and I think it is adequate deterrence for those who persist in such conduct. We have, in addition to the law, also taken complementary measures such as advisories and various other measures.”
“The Police take a serious view of all reports of falsehoods regarding the COVID-19 situation, including those that claim “partial lockdown”, as these may cause public alarm. The Police will investigate such cases and take firm action against the culprits.”
“The offences under the Miscellaneous Offences Act and POFMA while similar, involve different elements which the prosecution is required to prove. Every case of communication of false message is assessed based on the findings rising from investigations and the Public Prosecutor exercises his discretion on the most appropriate charge.”
“Police operational deployments are confidential and are driven by an assessment of the law and order situation. The Police deploy a significant number of Auxiliary Police Officers and Security Officers to patrol Little India during peak periods such as weekend nights, eve of Public Holidays and Public Holidays.”
“The Government has announced legislation that will allow entities, including societies, to adopt prescribed alternative arrangements so that meetings can be conducted in a manner compliant with the safe distancing measures announced on 24 March 2020.”
“Patrol deployment plans are calibrated based on the crime trends as well as the crowd footfall. We note the Member's feedback but just to let the Member know, the patrol team does patrol common areas as well as specific areas of concern.”
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“The Pre-Marriage Long-Term Visit Pass Assessment was implemented on 1 January 2015. Last year, a total of 4,159 applications were received, and to date, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has completed processing 3,764 cases. Of these, 2,481, or about 66%, were issued with a Letter of Long-Term Visit Pass eligibility.”
“The competition is fierce, but we are not easily cowered. Today, we are equipped with better education and better skills so that we can address future challenges wisely and stoically. Page: 21 Our Malay community is well known for our polite demeanour, our elegant language and our immense fighting spirit. This generation will ensure that our community will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other communities in Singapore and in the world. With one voice, the Malay community will be united, with a noble and new spirit, together we proclaim – Majulah Singapura! (In English): Mdm Speaker, Singapore is never resting on its laurels. Tomorrow will be better. A people moving ahead with determination to claim our place in history, to build a truly remarkable Singapore. President Tony Tan's Address echoes a familiar call – a call to action for Singaporeans to unite and renew our hopes for a brighter Singapore. This is a call familiar to generations of Singaporeans across time. From the Samsui women and the dock-side coolies who toiled under the sun, to our tireless Pioneers who built this nation; from our children in schools and madrasahs; our men and women defending our nation; to leaders, the likes of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Generation after generation, year after year, there was never a doubt – "Singapore will survive". Mdm Speaker, we will build an inclusive home in our Singapore, a home for all ages, people from all walks. Many hearts with one beat, the Singapore heartbeat. We will renew and strengthen our vibrant economy using our best minds in Singapore. We will perfect our living environment with our hands. We will nurture a caring society with our hearts. And we will protect and defend our Singapore with our lives. Mdm Speaker, I support the Motion. [Applause.] 2.42 pm”
“The determination to work hard and the Singapore spirit is alive and well in our community. Yes, we are sons and daughters of Singapore! Mdm Speaker, the community's success did not happen by accident and in the blink of an eye. This success comes from our hard work and the community's strong support for Government policies that provide opportunities and ensure security, prosperity, harmony and progress for the nation. Our community's solidarity cannot be taken for granted. We are able to perform our obligations as Muslims peacefully without any interference from anyone. This is in contrast to certain countries where members of the Muslim population were harassed by neighbours or colleagues, just because they are Muslims. This situation is worsened by the ideologies of terrorists who mis-use the holy name of Islam to create havoc in their countries. Islamophobia will divide our community. We must protect our country from such a situation by having a moderate stance, in line with a multi-racial and multi-religious Singapore. We must help to spread the message of compassion, peace, and respect for one another, regardless of religion or race. There are still many challenges facing our community. Apart from the threat of terrorism and radical beliefs, there are also challenges like drugs and crime, as well as a level of achievement that has not fully reached the potential of our community. We can overcome these problems and challenges together. Every member of the community, working hand in hand with the Government. Mdm Speaker, there are many challenges. But as they say, Malays never fear from facing challenges head on. Today's battlefield is in the economic arena, in educational institutes, in sporting arenas and in the artistic stage.”
“He received a scholarship from SCDF and obtained an engineering degree with first class honours from the University of Glasgow. Fahmy and Azhar's road to success showed their resolve, determination and desire for lifelong learning and continuous upgrading. This is the indomitable spirit of our young Malays. And this is Page: 20 the Singapore that we want, where opportunities to upgrade one's skills, regardless of age, are always available. This is the objective of SkillsFuture, which is to equip our community with the skills in a challenging world that is becoming more challenging. We are now hearing more and more about young Malays achieving excellent results, from PSLE, up to degrees and PhDs. This fighting spirit is not only evident in the academic field, but also in sports and the arts. These excellent results proved that we can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest. Our young talents are not only shining brightly in Singapore, but in other countries too. Sufie Rashid was crowned champion of Akademi Fantasia in Malaysia. During the finals, he had fever with a temperature of 39 degree Celsius. Nonetheless, Sufie managed to give a sizzling hot performance. Arts activist Khairuddin Hori, 40 years old, was recently appointed as the Assistant Director for Programming at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. This is a good example of our young Malays who are confident, able to compete on the international stage and brought honour to our community and nation. In sports, I still remember Nur Alfian who won gold in the silat event at the SEA Games. Although his foot was injured, he never gave up and soldiered on. The sight of him in tears while the National Anthem was playing was touching.”
“We built this country together, we will keep it thriving together and we will continue standing as one people. Mdm Speaker, allow me to speak in Malay before concluding in English. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Recently, I met students from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and the Singapore Polytechnic for a discussion. I am proud of their maturity and confidence in expressing their views on many issues – from housing, employment to national security. The courses that they are studying are interesting – for instance, infrastructural engineering, information technology and communications, aerospace systems, electronic games design and chemical engineering. Our community's future is bright with such a wide range of educational opportunities. Mdm Speaker, I recall my conversation with Mohammed Fahmy Rosly, 26 years old. He received the Outstanding Student Award from 4PM. Fahmy initially did not do well in school, but he turned over a new leaf while doing National Service and, after National Service, Fahmy resumed his studies in the ITE. Initially, Fahmy told me that he felt awkward because many of his ITE schoolmates were younger than him. But Fahmy's determination and resolve to study was strong. His efforts paid off when Fahmy achieved a perfect GPA score of 4.0 and emerged as one of the top Malay/Muslim students in ITE. He is now studying Marine Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic. Another example from our community is Captain Muhammad Azhar Said, 37 years old. He is an officer from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). He was named as the best cadet at the commander's course. Captain Azhar started his career as a Sergeant. Through hard work, Azhar was gradually promoted.”
“Fractures in our community cannot be fixed so readily. The bleak, dark message of extremists contrasts markedly with a vision of our Singapore, a sunny island by the sea, a land of opportunity, a beacon of hope, a magnet for promise and a caring, compassionate society. Mdm Speaker, a crisis can tear our society apart. But so can success, if the fruits of success are not equally accessible to all. We are a meritocratic society. This is a hallmark of Singapore. Where we start in life does not dictate where we will end up. It is our task to ensure that our society provides opportunities for upward mobility. For Singaporeans who want to improve themselves, improve their skills and education – support has been and will continue to be given through a good foundation in our schools, technical institutions and continuous education through SkillsFuture. Our people must know that the stars they strive for are within reach. And if they need a little boost to help cover that extra bit of distance, there is help given. Rich or poor, strong or weak, academically inclined or not, no one gets left behind. An African proverb says, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." This is not a sprint. This is a marathon, and we are in it for the long haul, together, as one united Singapore. We saw how Singaporeans came together this past year in happiness and in sorrow. We mourned for our late Mr Lee Kuan Yew and celebrated our nation's success at SG50 celebrations, SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games. From fighting communism, economic recessions, to SARS. Crisis after crisis, generations of Singaporeans stood as one people. Our strong resolve was never in doubt.”
“That fateful day, I remember the devastating terrorist attack on The World Trade Center. I remember the horror and shock everyone felt, standing on the streets. But more than that, I remember the amazing generosity and rich spirit of Americans who came together to comfort one another. Americans who stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the streets to cheer the first responders and the tribute sites which sprang all over America. But it was not all rosy. I also remember the sense of fear, people running out of subways and buildings due to false alarms, people exacting revenge on Muslim Americans and those who resemble Muslims, in particular the Sikhs who wear turbans, and vandalism of Muslim-owned shops. Mdm Speaker, even as we stay vigilant against terrorism, we cannot rule out the possibility of an attack in Singapore. The terrorists will keep trying. Even with our best efforts, there is no guarantee that they will never succeed. We have to get it right every single time, all the time. While the terrorists only have to get through once, at any time. Our security agencies will step up their readiness and responses to prevent, deter and deal with an attack. We will work closely with private and public building owners to strengthen the protection of our hard and soft targets. But, at the very heart of it, is the community. We have to involve every single one of us, our people, in our efforts to better protect ourselves from a terrorist attack and its aftermath. Keeping Singapore safe is our shared responsibility. Should the unthinkable happen and a terrorist attack happens, we have to make absolutely sure that the terrorists' agenda to create chaos and sow discord does not prevail. Brick and mortar Page: 19 can be repaired and rebuilt easily.”
“Mdm Speaker, a crisis such as a terrorist attack can tear at our unity if we are not careful. In the past few months, Beirut, Paris, Istanbul and Jakarta were attacked by terrorists. Tomorrow, it could be anywhere, even Singapore. The recent arrest of 27 radicalised Bangladeshi foreign workers in Singapore is a sobering reminder. I was happy to hear in President Tony Tan's Address a call for us to stay strong and united especially when others seek to sow fear and create division. Divisive forces that threaten Singapore are not new. In 1965, President Yusof Ishak spoke about a potent, disruptive group – the Communists who played on communal heart strings. Today, we face another potent, disruptive group – extremists and terrorists motivated by religious extremism. They seek to spread their twisted ideologies and ferment chaos by exploiting our diversity, and sow fear and discord. Mdm Speaker, I support the plans to enhance the safety and security in Singapore. Our borders are our first line of defence and need to be secured. We are working hard at that. Tightening checks at our borders, increasing CCTV surveillance in public areas, and leveraging on technology and upgrading weapons. But it is not just physical borders. Internally, we have to strengthen our mental and emotional borders to ensure they are impenetrable to invidious elements. The key entry points that can tear our social fabric are our hearts and minds. If we learned anything from how we fought the communists in the 1960s, it is that legislation, policies and weapons alone are not enough. We have to involve the community; we have to win hearts and minds; we have to stand as one united people. In 11 September 2001, I was in New York as an exchange student at Columbia University.”
“Mdm Speaker, we live at a time of immense challenge and change to keep us safe and secure, harmonious and prosperous. I will cover two main topics in my speech today. First, true security requires external and internal borders. This is achieved through the unity of hearts, minds and wills. Second, a prosperous, harmonious society must ensure social mobility. From our early days, we got our fundamentals right. The late President Yusof Ishak said in his speech in 1965 at the Opening of the First Parliament of sovereign Singapore: "An industrious and talented people striving to secure their future will surge forward to prosperity and strength if they are given honest administration and effective leadership". Here we are 51 years later, an industrious and talented people united behind a Government with the people, for the people. We have exciting plans for the future, charting our course for the next five years and laying foundations for SG100. Mdm Speaker, our fundamentals have to remain strong. Our plans for the future require stability and good economic growth. We are facing the future from a position of strength – with a strong military and Home Team, a dynamic economy and cohesive people. But for all our progress in the last 50 years, many daunting challenges remain. Our challenges remain essentially the same. I will focus on stability today. We remain a small state with a multiracial and religious people in a turbulent world. Our stability is the result of our unity amidst our diversity of racial and religious backgrounds. But this Page: 18 unity is fragile. It requires constant nurturing and sustained effort. It is a continuing and necessary work-in-progress, a responsibility we all share.”