- Joined
- Oct 30, 2014
- Messages
- 36,768
- Points
- 113
My method is simple; if she won't eat pork, ask too much questions about halal, she's been radicalized. Maid is maid, she don't have the privilege to ask too much questions about the halal-ness of the food. Not happy, can always go back home or go back to the agency. John Tan won't stop her.
I used to have an indon maid. She was friendly and hardworking. She ate whatever we ate, not our scraps but warm food from our portions. Sometimes she ate with us, sometimes she ate before us, but never after us. It is not polite to serve people leftover scraps, even if she is a maid. But we had a rule; my family is not muslim, so even though the maid stays with us, we are not going to alter our habits to suit her. It also applies if the maid is a vegan. We eat pork, we serve pork at our meals. She is expected to prepare pork dishes when we buy fresh pork from the market.
The maid quite enjoyed our pork dishes. She didn't give us trouble throughout her employment and from the way she ate and looked happy with us, it is quite easy to tell that during that period, she wasn't radicalized. I can't vouch for her behaviour now, after she returned to Indonesia. Her no-pork diet and the widespread beliefs of intolerance there may have warped her simple mind since.
I used to have an indon maid. She was friendly and hardworking. She ate whatever we ate, not our scraps but warm food from our portions. Sometimes she ate with us, sometimes she ate before us, but never after us. It is not polite to serve people leftover scraps, even if she is a maid. But we had a rule; my family is not muslim, so even though the maid stays with us, we are not going to alter our habits to suit her. It also applies if the maid is a vegan. We eat pork, we serve pork at our meals. She is expected to prepare pork dishes when we buy fresh pork from the market.
The maid quite enjoyed our pork dishes. She didn't give us trouble throughout her employment and from the way she ate and looked happy with us, it is quite easy to tell that during that period, she wasn't radicalized. I can't vouch for her behaviour now, after she returned to Indonesia. Her no-pork diet and the widespread beliefs of intolerance there may have warped her simple mind since.
Singaporeans have been urged to bring to the attention of the authorities any family member or friend they suspect of being radicalised or planning terror activities.
But what about domestic helpers? We need to be concerned about them too. A recent report has stated that there have been nine cases of radicalised maids detected here since 2015 (Two new cases of radicalised maids in S'pore; July 5).
Family members and close friends are in the best position to notice signs of radicalisation within their circle.
But how would employers do so with their maids, given that most maids are engaged to look after either the elderly or young children while the employers are at work?
All the maids in the report were radicalised through social media.
Given that most maids today possess smartphones, would employers have the right to check those devices for signs of radicalisation or extremism?
Some tips from the authorities on how and what employers can do would be helpful.
Priscilla Poh Beng Hoon (Ms)
http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/how-to-spot-signs-of-radicalisation-in-maids
Last edited: