amplified issue 30 [final issue] — april 2016

The Last Issue

Thank you.

© ASSOCIATION OF MUSLIM PROFESSIONALS. PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCTION © ASSOCIATION OF MUSLIM PROFESSIONALS. PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCTION

A Quarterly Newsletter by the Association of Muslim Professionals

MICA (P) 090/11/2015 ISSN 1793-8694

30APR I L 2016

Supervising EditorMohd Anuar Yusop

EditorWinda Guntor

SubeditorRuzaidah Md Rasid

ContributorsAbdul Shariff Aboo KassimMariam MustaffaNabilah MohammadNoraqilah Mohd KambaliNorizan NohDr Nuraliah NorasidRuzaidah Md RasidShiffa Khumaira Abdul KhaliqSiti Nurshafiqah Ashur A.KadirWinda GuntorYassemin Md Said

PhotographyAdicentric PicturesE-Ventions International Pte LtdFadlun KematNorizan NohNur Diyana JalilRuzaidah Md RasidShiffa Khumaira Abdul KhaliqSuziyana Hamid

For advertising enquiries, please email [email protected].

We welcome feedback, comments and suggestions on the articles that appear in AMPlified. Please address your correspondence to [email protected].

Re-examining Entrepreneurship1Dealing with Infidelity3New Leadership in AMP4Nurturing Entrepreneurship5Youths Speak Out6Ray of Hope7Pillars of Support 8Buku Tiga Lima 9Nurturing Future Professionals10

Starting Anew13The Last Issue15

Risk-Proofing the Family11

Marketplace & Highlights17

APRIL 2016 C O N T E N T

E D I T O R I A L L I N E - U P

W H AT ’S I N S T O R E


Dear Readers

When I first joined AMP as Executive Director, one of the first things I oversaw was the publication of the AMP newsletter, known as news@AMP back then. Almost 11 years have passed since then, and the newsletter has seen periodic changes in content, quality of articles, number of pages (from 4 pages to 20 pages), and its name (from news@AMP to AMPlified).

The newsletter is a source of information for our members, donors, public, media, and other key stakeholders of AMP. Over the years, we have published a total of 44 issues of the newsletter, which roughly translates into 148,000 copies that we have printed thus far. However, the demand for hard copies of publications is swiftly decreasing, with many preferring online articles and publications.

As such, the team at AMPlified has made the decision to cease publication of the newsletter with this 30th issue being the last issue of AMPlified. Instead, our readers who wish to be kept updated of our activities can head on down to our Facebook (AMPSingapore), YouTube (AMPSingapore), Twitter (AMPSingapore) and Instagram (AMP_Singapore) pages and our website, where we will offer real-time updates of our events and the latest news and happenings in AMP.

Through this multiple platforms, we hope to share more than we were able to before, and also interact with you more. Thank you for your feedback and support for AMPlified and AMP through the years and we hope to continue engaging and interacting with you on our digital platforms.

Till then, we hope you enjoy the final issue of AMPlified.

MOHD ANUAR YUSOPExecutive Director

E D I T O R ’ S N O T E


o obtain a holistic perspective of the state of Malay/Muslim entrepreneurship and prospects for progress through key players of the business ecosystem, the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA), in collaboration with its parent organisation, AMP, organised its annual Community in Review (CIR) seminar. Themed

Re-examining Malay/Muslim Entrepreneurship: Perceptions, Realities and Hopes, the seminar, held on 19 March at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, was also supported by the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Co-operative Limited and Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SMCCI). The seminar, which featured two panels comprising both academics and business owners, was graced by Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), Mr S Iswaran. In his speech, Mr Iswaran spoke about the impetus for entrepreneurship and areas of opportunity for business growth to ensure the continued growth and success of the Malay/Muslim community. Prior to his speech, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Vice-Chairman of AMP Group, also delivered the opening speech on the effectiveness of entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic change and innovation, as well as highlight the progress of the Malay/Muslim community in entrepreneurship. The first panel comprised four academics – Professor Zhou Min, Tan Lark Sye Chair Professor, and Head of the Sociology Division at the Nanyang Technological University; Dr Johan Sulaeman, Assistant Professor of Finance at the National University of Singapore; Dr J Casey Hammond, Senior Lecturer from the Humanities Arts and Social Sciences Cluster at the Singapore University of

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RE–EXAMINING

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Technology and Design; and Dr Ameen Talib, Senior Lecturer at UniSIM College and Principal Consultant of Ameen Talib and Associates. The panel was moderated by Dr Ab Razak Chanbasha, a Director of the RIMA Board. The academics presented their views on the sociological significance of ethnic entrepreneurship, the existence of biases and ways to mitigate them, some historical and cultural observations of Malay/Muslim entrepreneurship and understanding the nuances of the community to be able to foster entrepreneurship. The second panel, which was moderated by Dr Ameen Talib, comprised four business practitioners – Mr M Nazri Muhd, Group Chief Executive Officer and Global Head of Advisory Services at Vector Scorecard; Mr Ridjal Noor, Managing Director at PullupStand.com; Mr Samuel Ang, Assistant Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre at Temasek Polytechnic; and Ms Tasneem Noor, Director of Fika Swedish Cafe and Bistro. The practitioners shared their perspectives on what Malay/Muslim businesses should be like in the future and provided recommendations on how to achieve socioeconomic objectives of a business, as well as how to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit among students. The audience also listened to personal anecdotes from Mr Ridjal and Ms Tasneem on their business endeavours. A total of 89 participants comprising academics, community leaders, business owners and practitioners, as well as other individuals attended the seminar.

JANUARY 2016 E V E N T

ABOVEProfessor Zhou (left, standing) presented her insights on the relationship between entrepreneurship and socioeconomic well-being of ethnic minorities.


o obtain a holistic perspective of the state of Malay/Muslim entrepreneurship and prospects for progress through key players of the business ecosystem, the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA), in collaboration with its parent organisation, AMP, organised its annual Community in Review (CIR) seminar. Themed

Re-examining Malay/Muslim Entrepreneurship: Perceptions, Realities and Hopes, the seminar, held on 19 March at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, was also supported by the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Co-operative Limited and Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SMCCI). The seminar, which featured two panels comprising both academics and business owners, was graced by Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), Mr S Iswaran. In his speech, Mr Iswaran spoke about the impetus for entrepreneurship and areas of opportunity for business growth to ensure the continued growth and success of the Malay/Muslim community. Prior to his speech, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Vice-Chairman of AMP Group, also delivered the opening speech on the effectiveness of entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic change and innovation, as well as highlight the progress of the Malay/Muslim community in entrepreneurship. The first panel comprised four academics – Professor Zhou Min, Tan Lark Sye Chair Professor, and Head of the Sociology Division at the Nanyang Technological University; Dr Johan Sulaeman, Assistant Professor of Finance at the National University of Singapore; Dr J Casey Hammond, Senior Lecturer from the Humanities Arts and Social Sciences Cluster at the Singapore University of

RE–EXAMINING

ENTREPRENEURSHIPBY NABILAH MOHAMMAD

Technology and Design; and Dr Ameen Talib, Senior Lecturer at UniSIM College and Principal Consultant of Ameen Talib and Associates. The panel was moderated by Dr Ab Razak Chanbasha, a Director of the RIMA Board. The academics presented their views on the sociological significance of ethnic entrepreneurship, the existence of biases and ways to mitigate them, some historical and cultural observations of Malay/Muslim entrepreneurship and understanding the nuances of the community to be able to foster entrepreneurship. The second panel, which was moderated by Dr Ameen Talib, comprised four business practitioners – Mr M Nazri Muhd, Group Chief Executive Officer and Global Head of Advisory Services at Vector Scorecard; Mr Ridjal Noor, Managing Director at PullupStand.com; Mr Samuel Ang, Assistant Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre at Temasek Polytechnic; and Ms Tasneem Noor, Director of Fika Swedish Cafe and Bistro. The practitioners shared their perspectives on what Malay/Muslim businesses should be like in the future and provided recommendations on how to achieve socioeconomic objectives of a business, as well as how to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit among students. The audience also listened to personal anecdotes from Mr Ridjal and Ms Tasneem on their business endeavours. A total of 89 participants comprising academics, community leaders, business owners and practitioners, as well as other individuals attended the seminar.

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ABOVEA group shot of the panellists, directors of the AMP Board and former Chairman of AMP Group, Mr Azmoon Ahmad (centre, in white).


n addressing infidelity – the second most difficult relationship problem, surpassed only by domestic violence – in its different forms, as well as the

adverse effects it has on marriages and the parties involved, AMP’s Marriage Hub kicked off its Counsellors’ High Tea series for the year with the theme, Surviving Infidelity. Held on 4 March at the AMP Auditorium, the session was attended by more than 40 counsellors, as well as social and welfare officers, from various social service agencies. Psychotherapist and family therapist, Ms Choo Siew Noi, who runs a private practice in marital therapy, was invited to speak to the audience. She touched on the different types of infidelity, and the impact on families, marriages and children. The session also covered various learning techniques that are important in the healing process in the aftermath of infidelity. Participants benefited from the shared concepts, theories and therapy model, giving them the confidence to engage with clients who are facing issues of infidelity and in their recovery.

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DEALING WITHINFIDELITYBY YASSEMIN MD SAID

ABOVEInvited speaker, Ms Choo Siew Noi, has more than 25 years of clinical experience working in family service centres and hospitals.

APRIL 2016 E V E N T


AMPhe AMP Board of Directors appointed Mr Abdul Hamid Abdullah on 31 December 2015 to be its Chairman after Mr Azmoon Ahmad retired from the position in the same month. Mr Abdul Hamid

is the Association’s ninth Chairman since its inception in 1991. Mr Abdul Hamid, 60, is an auditor in the public sector and has more than 10 years of experience serving on the AMP Board. He was Vice-Chairman of AMP from 2008 to 2009.

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New Leadership in

BY RUZAIDAH MD RASID

The AMP Board also appointed Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, 35, a lawyer, as Vice-Chairman. Mr Zhulkarnain will be supporting Mr Abdul Hamid and assume his duties when he is absent. Both Mr Abdul Hamid and Mr Zhulkarnain are also supported by eight other members of the Board – Dr Bibi Jan Mohd Ayyub, Dr Md Badrun Nafis Saion, Mr Mohd Azmi Muslimin, Dr Mohd Nawab Mohd Osman, Mr Muhd Nazzim Muhd Hussain, Mr Muhd Shamir Abdul Rahim, Mr Othman Marican and Mr Phiroze Abdul Rahman.

ABOVEMr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim

DEALING WITHINFIDELITY

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ABOVEMr Abdul Hamid Abdullah


n 5 March, some 40 individuals from less privileged and middle-income families looking to boost their household income attended an orientation session for the AMP Micro Business Programme. They

were briefed on the programme details, after which they were individually assessed based on their level of skills and business acumen, as well as their readiness and commitment to the programme. This year, the programme is offering two new areas of skills training, namely, bread making and electrical maintenance. Together with SME Centre @ SMCCI and Batam Pos, AMP is also introducing a new two-day business training-and-matching programme at Batam this year for past graduates of the Micro Business Programme. The AMP Micro Business Programme hopes to provide a platform for the participants to achieve self-reliance through developing and sustaining a home-based business as an

O

ABOVEParticipants were briefed on the programme details and expectations during the orientation session.

BY MARIAM MUSTAFFANurturingEntrepreneurship

alternative or additional source of income. AMP wishes success to the new batch of participants for the Micro Business Programme and hopes that it will be a fruitful journey for them.



s a prelude to a national youth convention slated to be held later this

year, AMP collaborated with five other organisations, National Youth Council, Legal Matters, Majulah Community, Project Ilham and The Green Apple Project, to organise a discussion session with some 50 youths and individuals on issues like xenophobia, class, racism and Islamophobia, while exploring the meaning of social cohesion. The rise in these issues, based on anecdotal evidence, had sparked an interest within the organising committee to bring together youths, who play

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BY RUZAIDAH MD RASID

BELOWThe insights shared during the discussions will be used to generate ideas for AMP’s upcoming national youth convention later this year.

YOUTHS SPEAK OUT

a significant role in charting the future of the nation, to discuss how the issues have affected communal bonds. The discussion focused on four themes – Are you Singaporean?, Skin colour still matters? #wayangkulit, Muslims. You Terrorists!, and The rich just gets richer. The session witnessed participants of various religious and ethnic backgrounds contributing towards meaningful conversations among themselves and sharing insights on preserving and promoting social cohesion in Singapore.

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Rayof Hope

aking on the theme Hidupkan Pelita Harapan, AMP’s month-long telepoll campaign in aid of the Adopt a Family & Youth Scheme (AFYS) this year had garnered more than $139,000 in donations.

In collaboration with MediaCorp Malay radio station, WARNA 94.2FM, the campaign hit the airwaves from 27 January, culminating with the final talk show segment on 28 February.

Apart from calls for donations, the campaign also aimed to raise awareness of the underprivileged families under AFYS by highlighting their struggles and determination in uplifting their family’s socio-economic status and achieving self-reliance.

AMP would like to express its deepest appreciation to its partners and radio deejays for their unfaltering support in raising donations towards AFYS, as well as the generous contributions from big-hearted members of the public. The kind support will truly assist in meeting the needs of these families.

Do continue to lend your support by calling:

1900 112 4020 for a $20 donation1900 112 4050 for a $50 donationOur telepoll lines will remain open until 17 July 2016.

For more details on AFYS, visit www.amp-afys.sg.

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BY SHIFFA KHUMAIRA ABDUL KHALIQ

94.2FM

STEREO



PILLARS OF SUPPORT

he Ready for School (RFS) Fund Pledge Card Drive held from

September to November 2015 saw a total of 680 students from the six early childhood centres of AMP’s subsidiary, MERCU Learning Point, raising more than $21,300 to lend a hand to their peers who are from low-income households.

AMP expresses its utmost gratitude to the six centres and the top three collectors (pictured).

AMP hopes that their compassion towards the plight of their peers, as well as their spirit in helping other needy students will continue to flourish.

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BY NORIZAN NOH

Iman Nawwarah Mohd Saruashikin

Iman Nurhadi Mohd Saruashikin

Iman Nurhariz Mohd Saruashikin

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BUKU TIGA LIMABuku Tiga Lima, is a five-episode TV series by AMP that explores the issue of debt through the real-life stories of five individuals who have sought AMP’s assistance through its Debt Advisory Centre. Through re-enactments and interviews with professionals, the series will explore factors that contribute to debt, impact of debt on the debtor and his/her family, and possible solutions for debtors.

S C H E D U L E & S Y N O P S I S

1 5 A P R I LRosli, a father of four, uses his credit cards as a primary mode of payment for all of his family’s expenses. Things get out of control when he loses his job and he starts borrowing from moneylenders to make ends meet.

2 2 A P R I LRecently divorced with three teenage kids, Rafeah is saddled with mortgage arrears while single-handedly juggling her family’s expenses. What started from a small loan from a tailong ended with her behind bars.

2 9 A P R I LFarhan leads a lavish lifestyle and indulges in football betting regularly. He is unfazed when he starts incurring debt because he knows his mother will bail him out in times of trouble. However, his debts pile up and he loses his mother’s support. His troubles soon catch up with him.

6 M A YNurul is young, loves to shop, and has her eye on the latest fashion trends. However, in her never-ending quest to buy the latest ‘it’ thing, she often overspends. Eventually, she resorts to borrowing from moneylenders and the harassment begins.

1 3 M A YAbdul Karim is a gambling addict. He gambles away his hard-earned money and borrows from moneylenders and tailongs to feed his addiction. He eventually files for bankruptcy, but that does not stop him from gambling. The aggressive tactics of the debt collectors cause his family to live in fear.

AMP’S BRAND NEW TV SERIES ON SURIA!PREMIERES FRIDAY 15 APRIL 2016, 8.30PM



ince its launch in 2013, the Singapore Muslim Education Fund (SMEF) has received a record total of $118,000 in donations. The tenfold growth from the initial $11,500 in its coffers stems from

increased awareness and support from the community through various initiatives, including a pledge card drive in 2015. On 21 January 2016, a total of six recipients of the SMEF Bursary were invited to a High Tea-cum-Disbursement session in AMP, which gave them the opportunity to interact with each other, as well as the SMEF committee members, after the bursaries were disbursed.

ABOVEThe medical and law students, who received the SMEF Bursary, were each awarded $5,000 and $3,000 respectively.

S The Committee shared their hopes and vision for the Fund, while the recipients recounted their overseas studies experience as well as future aspirations. There were also discussions about the present landscape of the medical and law fields in Singapore and how they may change in the future. The intimate session turned out to be truly enriching and fruitful for those present.

Nurturing Future Professionals NORAQILAH MOHD KAMBALIBY

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DR NURALIAH NORASIDBY

APRIL 2016 T H O U G H T

RISK-PROOFINGTHE FAMILY:

INSIGHTS FROM THE ‘SINGAPORE FAMILIES’ WORKSHOP


n Singapore, the family is recognised as the bedrock of a society. In line with the country’s family-oriented values, as well as the respective cultural ones, the Malay/Muslim community and its structures are

making efforts to safeguard the integrity of the family unit through an amalgam of programmes, schemes and policies. In this shared, multicultural space, any policy changes and environmental shifts will affect the Malay/Muslim family inasmuch as that of other groups. Thus, it is important for the community and its stakeholders to be aware of the various changes and ways in which policies can be crafted to cater to them. At the Singapore Families: Risk and Protective Factors workshop1, practitioners and representatives from a number of key organisations provided insight into the changing nature of families in modern day Singapore and the challenges they face. Ms Charlotte Beck from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) noted the rapidly changing structures of family in Singapore, where there is a growing number of childless households and single-person households. The latter is due to rising singlehood and more elderly living alone. As Singapore’s population age and families shrink, the burden of support is borne by adult children. Mr Mark Lin from Montfort Care, cited that 55% of these children are between 45 and 59 years of age. Given the increase in the number of couples marrying and having children later, it can also be discerned that a good number of them would have children of their own; a significant proportion of whom would still be in the primary to tertiary levels. While households in Singapore are more affluent2, it does not necessarily equate to a better quality of physical, emotional, and financial support. Indeed, as more members of the nuclear family are required to work to maintain that very affluence, financial resources see a greater spread across all aspects of support; for example daily child- and eldercare. Even though the Malay community is a relatively ‘young’ population with a higher fertility rate and average number of children per household, they are no less laden by the challenges of maintaining a quality support system. Rather, Malays are recorded to have a significantly higher total dependency ratio (TDR) compared to other ethnic groups3. Overall, the issues lie in available resources being stretched to capacity leading to other concerns, which representative from REACH Youth Powerhouse, Mr Joe Chan, uncovered in the challenges faced by youth. The values of the youth are often that of their parents, albeit with some adjustments from adaptation and other influences. Youth, including Malay youth, cited financial concerns and economic uncertainty to be their biggest life stressors; even those of school-going age are leading “lives of quiet desperation”4 as they move from grade to grade. It, therefore, becomes prudent that youth engagement programmes incorporate alternative education routes to achieving goals and seeking employment opportunities.

I Other challenges cited were transnational marriages and domestic violence; both of which have risky bearings on the integrity of a family unit. The nuclear family, with the married man and woman at the core, still remains the model for family development in Singapore. However, it is worth noting that the concept of family grows ever more complex: single parents, co-habiting unmarried couples with children and elderly to care for, step-families, and foster parentage to name a few. These families are gaining presence in our society and are also in need of resiliency-promoting frameworks. In a community and society where we refer to strangers by familial terms—adik, kakak, auntie, uncle—blood relation or otherwise, it is time that frameworks are also created to cater to a more extended, sometimes not entirely normative, concept of family.

1 Jointly organised by the Institute of Policy Studies’ Social Lab and National

University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, on

29 January 2016. 2 “Households smaller but more affluent”. The Straits Times. 16 February 2011. 3 AMP. The Next Decade: Strengthening Our Community’s Architecture.

30 June 2012. 3rd National Convention of Singapore Muslim Professionals.4 Henry David Thoreau. Walden: Life in the Woods. (1854)

DR NURALIAH NORASID is a Research Associate with the Centre for Research in Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA). She holds a Doctor of Philosophy, with a specialisation in Creative Writing and Contemporary Mythopoesis from Nanyang Technological University. The views expressed in the article are her own.

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In this issue of AMPlified, Mdm Su shared her traumatic experience and how she and her children broke away from the cycle of violence.

AMPlified: How did you cope with the challenges faced then?Back then, my ex-husband was not able to stay in a job for more than three months and did not give his consent for me to go out to work. As a result, food was always scarce at home. We received food rations from time to time, and so, rice with omelette or canned sardines became our staple. I prepared home-cooked meals every day to cut down on our expenses. Despite our efforts, we were still struggling with our finances daily. This then contributed towards the fights between my ex-husband and me. I had to remain strong in front of my children every time my husband hit me in a fit of anger. I constantly assured them that I was not in pain and that the ordeal would soon end. I was determined to not seek a divorce at that time as I did not want to break up our family.

AMPlified: Why did you seek assistance from AMP?I was concerned about my children’s developmental and socio-educational needs. Prior to the divorce, my children’s grades were declining rapidly as they were too emotionally affected to focus on their studies. Under AMP’s Adopt a Family and Youth Scheme (AFYS), I was given a comprehensive range of assistance for my children and myself. My children were also able to attain religious knowledge through part-time madrasah classes. Due to our financial constraints, our weekends are usually spent at home as we are unable to afford a family outing. However, being in AFYS has given us the opportunity to explore new places in Singapore when we attend events organised by AMP and spend time as a family. My children enjoy the company of the case officers, and their friendliness enables me to share my issues openly instead of keeping them to myself.

AMPlified: What are your hopes for your family?With the help of my case officer and the various programmes planned for my family under AFYS, I hope to gain independence and be able to guide my children effectively. I wish for my children to be able to receive the same opportunities like other children from intact families and advance their studies. In the end, I want to be able to provide a safe and healthy environment for them to grow up in so that they do not fall into the same situation I did.

BY SITI NURSHAFIQAH ASHUR A.KADIR

espite her and her then husband’s young age and financial instability, Mdm Su (not her real name) believed she had found love and wanted to get married. However, their marital bliss did not last as they found themselves struggling with financial issues, affecting them both

psychologically and emotionally. The relationship became further strained when her ex-husband resorted to domestic violence. Although Mdm Su’s ex-husband expressed tenderness towards their children, he abused her physically and mentally during their frequent disputes. Being estranged from her own family, she was not able to rely on them for support and was forced to keep the matter to herself. After eight years of living in fear, she gathered her courage and proceeded to file for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) against her ex-husband. The couple eventually divorced in 2014.

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STARTING ANEW

APRIL 2016 S P O T L I G H T


In this issue of AMPlified, Mdm Su shared her traumatic experience and how she and her children broke away from the cycle of violence.

AMPlified: How did you cope with the challenges faced then?Back then, my ex-husband was not able to stay in a job for more than three months and did not give his consent for me to go out to work. As a result, food was always scarce at home. We received food rations from time to time, and so, rice with omelette or canned sardines became our staple. I prepared home-cooked meals every day to cut down on our expenses. Despite our efforts, we were still struggling with our finances daily. This then contributed towards the fights between my ex-husband and me. I had to remain strong in front of my children every time my husband hit me in a fit of anger. I constantly assured them that I was not in pain and that the ordeal would soon end. I was determined to not seek a divorce at that time as I did not want to break up our family.

AMPlified: Why did you seek assistance from AMP?I was concerned about my children’s developmental and socio-educational needs. Prior to the divorce, my children’s grades were declining rapidly as they were too emotionally affected to focus on their studies. Under AMP’s Adopt a Family and Youth Scheme (AFYS), I was given a comprehensive range of assistance for my children and myself. My children were also able to attain religious knowledge through part-time madrasah classes. Due to our financial constraints, our weekends are usually spent at home as we are unable to afford a family outing. However, being in AFYS has given us the opportunity to explore new places in Singapore when we attend events organised by AMP and spend time as a family. My children enjoy the company of the case officers, and their friendliness enables me to share my issues openly instead of keeping them to myself.

AMPlified: What are your hopes for your family?With the help of my case officer and the various programmes planned for my family under AFYS, I hope to gain independence and be able to guide my children effectively. I wish for my children to be able to receive the same opportunities like other children from intact families and advance their studies. In the end, I want to be able to provide a safe and healthy environment for them to grow up in so that they do not fall into the same situation I did.

espite her and her then husband’s young age and financial instability, Mdm Su (not her real name) believed she had found love and wanted to get married. However, their marital bliss did not last as they found themselves struggling with financial issues, affecting them both

psychologically and emotionally. The relationship became further strained when her ex-husband resorted to domestic violence. Although Mdm Su’s ex-husband expressed tenderness towards their children, he abused her physically and mentally during their frequent disputes. Being estranged from her own family, she was not able to rely on them for support and was forced to keep the matter to herself. After eight years of living in fear, she gathered her courage and proceeded to file for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) against her ex-husband. The couple eventually divorced in 2014.

To help disadvantaged families under AFYS like Mdm Su’s to achieve self–reliance, you can sponsor a family at $300 or $25 a month.

You can also call our telepoll lines at1900 112 4020 for $20 donation1900 112 4050 for $50 donationTelepoll lines are open until 17 July 2016.

Visit www.amp-afys.sg or call us at 6416 3966 to find out more about the scheme.

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The Last Issue

I have seen through the growth of AMPlified over the years. Right from that fateful day when I told my boss that I thought its predecessor, news@AMP, was not able to fulfill its potential as a corporate newsletter, limited by its reach and number of pages.

Ironically, these two factors are now the main reasons for the ‘death’ of AMPlified. Although its reach has extended beyond news@AMP’s, and even though we now boast 20 pages of content compared to the four pages previously, AMPlified now faces the challenges brought about by social media and technology.

Readers now want accessibility to news via their phones, and they want currency of news, which print AMPlified is not able to provide, given our resource limitations.

So, we made the difficult decision to cease production of AMPlified and move our content online. With this, you can now get access to our event news quicker and since we are no longer limited by space, you will enjoy more content – more event news, tips, thought pieces and success stories, among others.

While I am excited at the prospect of sharing more with our readers, it does not take away this heaviness that I have in my heart about AMPlified no longer being a part of my work life. Sure, there will be no more panicking over deadlines, or headaches about design and layout or stress-related meltdowns over end-of-year timelines when AMPlified inevitably clashes with the production of other publications and obligations of the Corporate Communications department. But these stresses cannot compare to the feeling you get when seeing the newsletter in print and colleagues, as well as guests, flipping through it and reading it.

However, the changes that time brings often force you to move on or change the way you do things. So this is us, adapting to the changes of time. On behalf of the AMPlified team, I hope you have enjoyed the stories we have brought you over the years. We look forward to seeing you on our Facebook page – www.facebook.com/AMPSingapore. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support, and kind and encouraging feedback over the years. We’ll see you on the other side. :)

I remember it like it was just yesterday.

Feeling faint and rather nauseated outside the boardroom, waiting to be called in to present my idea for a big revamp for the organisation newsletter. Now, the content of the presentation wasn’t that big of a deal, you know, in the larger scheme of things. But I was a rookie officer who was absolutely terrified of delivering presentations and now I had to do one in front of the entire management team of AMP.

So, naturally, I lost sleep over it and when I did sleep, I may have had one or two nightmares.

What business did I, a newbie, have, suggesting that the organisation newsletter needed a revamp? What if they asked me questions I had no answers to? What if they hated my idea and told me not to fix something that isn’t broken?

Upon reflection, I realise that I may have been a tad dramatic. Thankfully, none of those scenarios happened and I managed not to pass out mid-presentation. Surprisingly, it went rather swimmingly and whatever questions they had, I actually had answers to.

And so, that was the start of my journey with AMPlified. I often refer to it as my ‘baby’. A ‘baby’ I had ‘birthed’ before my real baby (my son) came along. This ‘baby’ of mine is now seven. And sadly, he is all grown up and ready to leave home.

This is the last issue of AMPlified.

The absolute final one.

And I may be having trouble letting go.

Winda Guntor has been Editor of AMPlified since it was first published in 2009. When not panicking about AMPlified’s looming deadlines, she serves the community through her role as Corporate Communications Manager of AMP. She is happy to report that she no longer fears presentations.

TOP ROWA few notableissue covers.

WINDA GUNTORBY

APRIL 2016C O V E R S T O RY


TOP ROWA few notableissue covers.

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AMP.Singapore AMPSingapore @AMP_Singapore AMPSingapore© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.

MARKETPLACE

LINA’S SEWING CLOSET

Mdm Lina Marlina Suryana’s passion for sewing grew from the age of 15. She later became a part-time seamstress for four years, providing alteration services for friends and family before running her own home-based sewing business, Lina’s Sewing Closet. She now offers contemporary and traditional dressmaking for both men and women, as well as curtain-making. She can also take customised measurements and provides home delivery. For more information or to place an order, please contact Mdm Lina at 9435 9454 or email [email protected].

AMP CHARITY GOLF 2016May 2016

Tee off for a worthy cause this 17 May, as AMP organises its 6th Charity Golf Tournament in aid of Club HEAL – a non-profit organisation that aims to assist and empower persons with mental illness to regain confidence in themselves and others in their journey towards community reintegration – at Orchid Country Club. The charity event hopes to raise funds to assist more individuals who may require Club HEAL’s services as well as to increase its outreach efforts to the wider community. You can show your support by purchasing a golf flight (for 4 persons) at $1,200. Sponsorships, both cash and in-kind, are welcomed. For more information, please contact Ms Shiffa Khumaira at 6517 4099 or email [email protected].

HIGHLIGHT

PUTRI LIATI BAKERY

Mdm Muliati Abdul Rahim started her home-based food business, Putri Liati Bakery, two years ago while working part-time as a childcare teacher. She now offers traditional kuih at her mother’s stall, which carries her best-sellers: roti boyan, kuih lopis, popiah and frozen curry puffs. She also specialises in tapak kuda, roll bar cake, as well as assorted breads and scones. For more information or to place an order, please contact Mdm Muliati at 8727 8408 or email [email protected]. You may also visit facebook.com/PutriLiatiBakery.

SARINAH’S MUNCHIES

Among Sarinah’s Munchies’ specialties are Western and traditional Malay delicacies ranging from pancakes with maple syrup, assorted sandwiches and mini croissants, banana muffins, roll buns, and spaghetti bolognese with meatballs, to roti kirai, aneka nasi, ketupat, lontong and other noodle dishes. Run by Mdm Sarinah Harun, she also sells her customers’ favourite rempeyek pedas during the festive season, as well as provides breakfast and lunch sets in either buffet or bento serving. For more information or to place an order, please contact Mdm Sarinah at 8611 8791 or email [email protected].


amplified issue 30 [final issue] — april 2016

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