Blogs

"In Washington DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1167373/1/.html
SINGAPORE: Of the six full-time madrasahs, four have met the PSLE benchmark this year set by the Ministry of Education.

Makalah berikut diterbitkan di Berita Harian Singapura pada 18 November 2011.
 
Oleh Maarof Salleh  
 
RAMAI ibu bapa, terutama generasi lama, tentu menyambut baik hasrat Menteri Pendidikan Heng Swee Keat menjadikan pembinaan watak antara matlamat utama sistem pendidikan negara ini.
 
Mungkin ada orang menganggap ini bak kata pepatah Inggeris, better late than never (biar lambat asal jangan tak ada).
 

 Young PAP member quits over offensive remarks on Facebook - Channel NewsAsia

A Young People's Action Party (YP) member who posted 'insensitive' remarks - in his own words - on his Facebook page has resigned, following an online furore.
  http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1166078/1/.html
Veteran PAP Member of Parliament Charles Chong told TODAY that it would be "difficult" to vet those joining YP or PAP.

"They may profess to have the same ideology as the party and have a clean record, but even with psychometric tests, there is a small possibility of mistakes or missteps," said Mr Chong.
 

 My response:
 The YPAP, like the PAP itelf, prides itself in its stringent recruitment criteria to catch the 'best of the crop'. What those criteria are are a closely guarded secret and we must take their word that they are stringent indeed.

 
Makalah berikut diterbitkan di Berita Harian Singapura pada 4 November 2011.
Oleh Maarof Salleh
 
UMAT Islam sekali lagi menyambut Aidiladha. Sekitar 2,180 orang jemaah Singapura yang berangkat ke tanah suci bagi menunaikan fardu haji tentu berasa beruntung terpilih menjadi tetamu Allah.
 
Bagaimana pula dengan sekitar 600 orang yang terkandas hajat mereka dek gagal mendapatkan visa? Umumnya pasti hampa.
 
Namun, ada yang melihatnya secara positif sebagai ujian Allah agar membuat persiapan lebih rapi.
 

Makalah berikut diterbitkan di Berita Harian Singapura pada 28 Oktober 2011

Oleh Maarof Salleh
 
SEORANG rakan menulis agar masyarakat Islam menolak konservatisme, tetapi memberi pentafsiran liberal dalam berdakwah demi memanfaatkan suasana pragmatik di sini.
 

By Ismail Kassim
 
Long have I heard of this talented potter and dreamt of meeting him, but it was not till years later when our paths crossed on the Road to Tehran that I finally caught up with him, and discover the man behind the craft.
 
Act 1: early 1960s, the back room of 62 Monk’s Hill Terrace
 
As a trainee- level teacher, I discovered Omar Khayyam and through his delightful quatrains was introduced, aside from the delights of the grapes, to the world of the potter and his pots of clay.
 

Makalah berikut diterbitkan di Berita Harian Singapura pada 14 Oktober 2011
 
Oleh Maarof Salleh
 
MEMPUNYAI niat atau tujuan yang jelas penting dalam melaksanakan sesuatu pekerjaan.
 
Jika anda berada di sesuatu tempat dan jelas tujuan atau arah mana yang hendak dituju, anda akan lebih pasti memilih cara paling mudah dan selamat menuju ke destinasi anda itu.
 

 By Ismail Kassim
 
I just met a girl named Hidayah Amin, or Cik Idah in short, who possesses the three Ps -- passionate, persistent and plucky or rather pushy, depending on one’s frame of  mind -- in great abundance.
 

Makalah berikut diterbitkan di Berita Harian Singapura pada 7 Oktober 2011.
 
Oleh Maarof Salleh
 
MENGAPAKAH masih terdapat kekeliruan atau salah faham yang ketara terhadap beberapa ajaran dan gagasan Islam?
 
Ini bukan sahaja berlaku pada kalangan penganut agama lain, malah di kalangan umat Islam sendiri, termasuk cerdik pandainya.