The AMLA Amendments - Association of Muslim Professionals

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The AMLA Amendments Social Resilience KARYAWAN ‘Sex education at an earlier stage could be considered, perhaps introducing it at the upper primary level. It could be introduced as part of personal hygiene-oriented lessons.’ There are many reasons why teenagers engage in premarital sex. There is no single factor to be blamed for all possible occurrences of teenage sex. In girls more than boys, there is a belief that sex will keep their partner interested in them and will provide the love they crave. Another common cited reason is the media influence such as television and Internet. 26 Another disturbing trend amongst clients who are referred to INSPIRASI@AMP, a dedicated hub for marriage enrichment and preparation for minor couples, is the relaxed or permissive attitudes amongst parents towards their children’s dating activities. Many are not concerned that their children are involved with members of the opposite sex during their early teens. There is no structured monitoring, explanation and boundary-setting to such relationships. There are also times where we see clients cohabiting, sometime with the “blessings” of their parents. Perhaps to address the issue, a more upstream effort needs to be in place. The sex education component introduced in secondary schools is a commendable effort. However; it might not be enough as many are already involved in premarital sex at that age. In addition, from the experience of counsellors at INSPIRASI@AMP, there is also a possibility that many of those who are involved in premarital sex might have missed out on sex education in school as many might have dropped out of school at lower secondary level. Sex education at an earlier stage could be considered, perhaps introducing it at the upper primary level. It could be introduced as part of personal hygiene-oriented lessons; or it could be coupled with some moral education components where students can be taught about looking after their body and protecting themselves from harm and at the same time, instilling positive values. This could then complement the amendments to the AMLA to ensure that the implementation of the amendments will not be seen as just reducing the numbers or the statistics but also to contribute towards the improvement of the Malay/Muslim community as a whole. Zaleha Ahmad is Centre Director of INSPIRASI@AMP, a dedicated hub for marriage preparation and enrichment for minor couples. The views expressed are her own.
KARYAWAN Issues / Community Is Singapore Ready for a Non-Chinese PM OBAMA: What He Means for Singapore Yang Razali Kassim 27 SINCE AMERICA elected its first black president, the Obama tidal wave across the world did not spare multiracial Southeast Asia. Can a minority leader in this region similarly rise to be president or prime minister Will Southeast Asian plural societies break their own taboos and have their own Obama Such chatter rocked not only the Internet but also the mainstream media. Political leaders found themselves having to respond. In Malaysia, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said to the media: “It is up to the people to decide, just as the Americans have done through the democratic process.” Doing the Right Thing In Singapore, the mainstream press, in unusual openness, led the way in the debate. The New Paper carried a front page story on 7 November 2008 asking: Is Singapore ready for a minority PM The writer, Tan May Ping, began with this opener: “Overnight, American voters put us to shame.” The article went on: “Could
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