Chitchat Some insights on our 1st Dude in the Istana

[scroobal]

Spoke to some members of our local Arab community on the 1st Dude. He is described as a nice decent guy and quiet by nature. Never relished any publicity and this is a challenge for him. In his younger days was active in the Arab Association and looked after youth matters. Collegiate in his dealing with the Association.

Guy is now being hazed in a light hearted manner by his Arab breathen for allowing his woman to walk in front of him and bringing disrepute to their tribe. As some of you aware that Malays especially those from Minangkabau extract are matriarchal while the Arabs are fiercely at the other end of the spectrum. Also found out the Singapore Arabs have kept their core traditions intact while those in Malaysia and Indonesia have been malayanised.

Guy loves big bikes and used to do the runs on one.

Like many Singapore Arabs he has been managing investments for a very long time.

 

[bobby]

Arabs like to enter asshole....Halimah huat ah!

 

[zhihau]

Tales of the Istana - Par Deux

 

[glockman]

yes, the Arabs are proud of their heritage and will be quick to tell you they are not the same as the southeast asian muslims.

 

[Lizzert]

Arabs like to enter asshole....Halimah huat ah!

Abang selalu masuk dari Istana South Gate

 

[gatehousethetinkertailor]

Spoke to some members of our local Arab community on the 1st Dude. He is described as a nice decent guy and quiet by nature. Never relished any publicity and this is a challenge for him. In his younger days was active in the Arab Association and looked after youth matters. Collegiate in his dealing with the Association.

Guy is now being hazed in a light hearted manner by his Arab breathen for allowing his woman to walk in front of him and bringing disrepute to their tribe. As some of you aware that Malays especially those from Minangkabau extract are matriarchal while the Arabs are fiercely at the other end of the spectrum. Also found out the Singapore Arabs have kept their core traditions intact while those in Malaysia and Indonesia have been malayanised.

Guy loves big bikes and used to do the runs on one.

Like many Singapore Arabs he has been managing investments for a very long time.

The local Yemeni Arabs are as similar to other Arabs as you are to your Chinese ancestors - they are anything but - they don't speak Arabic (a few words like afwan, habibi does not a speaker make), cook kabsah and they have no genuine understanding of their cultural heritage as it is actually practiced in Yemen (the most tribalised society on the Arabian peninsula). So as much as they like to distinguish themselves ethnically, they are just singkies now who happen to be descended mostly from Hadramuti Arabs.

There has been a recent generational attempt to restablish their identity through language classes but again the reality is their Yemeni culture has already been diluted by their place within the Malay culture. But they will insist on marrying only within their community (just like the Sindhis) and that is probably their last defence against absolute integration.

Interestingly in the last 10/15 years in particular there have been more Arabs from Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon who have arrived in Singapore and married into predominantly Malay families. These are direct immigrants who still have a distinct Arab outlook and perspective.

I recommended placing the two distinct groups in a room to witness the inter-group dynamics. The recently arrived Arab immigrants will be more at ease chatting to each other than our Hadramuti Arabs despite being from different Arab backgrounds - they will have a common bond as Arabs and often view the locals as curious anomalies. Its very similar to the Indians from Indian who do not have anything in common with the mostly Tamil singkie Indians.

By direct comparison, I have heard that even the local Sikh temples have a distinct cleavage between the those who are here directly from Punjab and those local sibgkie who are decendents - iroinically despite even speaking the same language and largely homogenous culture (unlike the varied Arabs) they struggle to find commonality because singkies are just singkies and they have a very distinct reference point - the varying experiences.

Ethnic and cultural identity is not just about a surname.

 

[halsey02]

For 1 million dollars....you can select which race you want to be, as long as the money is good. Why we bother with this Arab etc thing??...for money....you can buy anything!

 

[halsey02]

Through the years, we have the President of Singapore, a man, now we have this Halimah. I noticed the head of state that visited Singapore, the Emir of?..forgot which Emir. In the Halimah Times, I saw the picture of a "short hobbit" shaking hands with the Emir..usually, the President will shake hands with the dignitary & the wife is next to him...but this President, the husband is missing!!!

 

[scroobal]

I am picking up as I go along the way. Appreciate the insight.

In the course of the conversation, they did tell me the PAP's Land Acquisition Act and the Rent Control Act hit them hard where they had to give up 90% of the landholdings for a song. It brought the community together.

The local Yemeni Arabs are as similar to other Arabs as you are to your Chinese ancestors - they are anything but - they don't speak Arabic (a few words like afwan, habibi does not a speaker make), cook kabsah and they have no genuine understanding of their cultural heritage as it is actually practiced in Yemen (the most tribalised society on the Arabian peninsula). So as much as they like to distinguish themselves ethnically, they are just singkies now who happen to be descended mostly from Hadramuti Arabs.

There has been a recent generational attempt to restablish their identity through language classes but again the reality is their Yemeni culture has already been diluted by their place within the Malay culture. But they will insist on marrying only within their community (just like the Sindhis) and that is probably their last defence against absolute integration.

Interestingly in the last 10/15 years in particular there have been more Arabs from Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon who have arrived in Singapore and married into predominantly Malay families. These are direct immigrants who still have a distinct Arab outlook and perspective.

I recommended placing the two distinct groups in a room to witness the inter-group dynamics. The recently arrived Arab immigrants will be more at ease chatting to each other than our Hadramuti Arabs despite being from different Arab backgrounds - they will have a common bond as Arabs and often view the locals as curious anomalies. Its very similar to the Indians from Indian who do not have anything in common with the mostly Tamil singkie Indians.

By direct comparison, I have heard that even the local Sikh temples have a distinct cleavage between the those who are here directly from Punjab and those local sibgkie who are decendents - iroinically despite even speaking the same language and largely homogenous culture (unlike the varied Arabs) they struggle to find commonality because singkies are just singkies and they have a very distinct reference point - the varying experiences.

Ethnic and cultural identity is not just about a surname.

 

[halsey02]

I am picking up as I go along the way. Appreciate the insight.

In the course of the conversation, they did tell me the PAP's Land Acquisition Act and the Rent Control Act hit them hard where they had to give up 90% of the landholdings for a song. It brought the community together.

The Yemeni's have a 'relative' here in the PAP...it is called "shake Yemeni"...otherwise known as " Shake Your Money"..ha ha ha

 

[zhihau]

PAP's Land Acquisition Act and the Rent Control Act

Mrs Ivy Singh Lim could share a tale or two on her next episode of Coffee and Whiskey :p:p:p

 

[gatehousethetinkertailor]

I am picking up as I go along the way. Appreciate the insight.

In the course of the conversation, they did tell me the PAP's Land Acquisition Act and the Rent Control Act hit them hard where they had to give up 90% of the landholdings for a song. It brought the community together.

Here are three reasons why our local singkie Yemenis are not the "real deal" but deluding themselves in their fantastical notion of being "distinct" because of their ancestral heritage - Kalashnikov, Qat and Jambiya:

 

[gatehousethetinkertailor]

 

[gatehousethetinkertailor]

 

[gatehousethetinkertailor]

 

[halsey02]

The majority of the voters in Singapore, don't need Qat, they chew on, "you on already know what" since 1959 & they are ecstasy all day long.

The British used to govern this place since the 1800's, it was formerly known as Aden, Aden Protectorate.

 

[Leckmichamarsch]

Arabs like to enter asshole....Halimah huat ah!

arabic cocks are huge!! god saves the pundek