Jailed for visiting a friend
The treatment of women in this country has continued to baffle me. We (women travelling alone) were side stepped time after time because we were travelling alone (and because I am Asian as well.) They probably thought that I was a maid coming to work as unfortunately for me, my flight coincided with a batch of Sri Lankan and Indonesian maids.
Just after having my passport checked, I had to go through another check point before collecting my passport. The man asked where I worked which I found very amusing indeed as only a small fraction of local women work. So why is it so unexpected that I don't work?
Anyways, I named my Sponsor and told them that my husband works with them. And the officer asked if my husband is waiting outside. I replied yes. To which he replied, "Are you sure?"
Am I sure? Why does he think I come? To enjoy the exorbitant social life? The endless parties?
So I replied with, "Do you want me to call him?" He then proceeded to check with another uniformed officer who told him that I could be waived in.
To be a single woman travelling alone in this country, one is either harassed or side stepped. So much for morality and the preservation of virtue.
Below is an excerpt from the Arab News. Again this is an illustration of how a woman is treated in this country, how she has absolutely no rights and how she is regarded as a man's property.
Female Prisoners: Victims of Abuse by Husbands, Housewives
Halah Al-Nasser of Sayidaty, a sister publication of Arab News, recently met with women being held at the Riyadh jail and filed this report.
Years ago we paid a visit to the women’s jail, but this time it seemed different. During this visit, things seemed more organized with improvements evident throughout the facility. When we entered the prison, the women inmates were waiting in groups outside the warden’s room after news spread about who had been pardoned. Anxiety and nervousness dominated the atmosphere.
We visited warden Amal Abu Uraj in her office to share the much anticipated release of the list and get her impressions about pardons in general and the procedures involved in selecting those who would be pardoned.
“This is an annual chance for women inmates to change their paths and their lives and revive their psychological and social balance,” Uraj said. “Especially during such times as Ramadan so that they can fast the month with their families.”
This year, royal pardons were granted to 12 inmates — one Saudi woman, and 11 of other nationalities. As Uraj was talking, the names of those pardoned arrived. The chief immediately announced the names, and those pardoned lived a few moments of utter elation. As for the rest, the absence of their names on the list of pardons took different forms. Some cried and some stood composed while some went to comfort themselves by calling their families.
After the noise had calmed down the prison chief took us to meet Inmate C — the only Saudi woman who received a royal pardon. Uraj told us that Inmate C was in jail for the first time. The chief congratulated her on being pardoned and then asked her about her son, who is in the men’s prison and did not receive a pardon.
When we asked her about her feelings in being pardoned she said that she felt joy, but it was clouded by confusion. “The social worker came to me while I was taking my Qur’an lesson and told me the news,” Inmate C said. “I was happy at the beginning; however, I cried and was anxious the whole night. I was afraid that they’d leave me in prison because my ex-husband has the original family card, and he may refuse to give it to my son-in-law. He hates me and that is the reason I’m here in the first place,” she said. “He ruined my reputation.”
Then she explained how she wound up in prison. “I’m 30, and I have eight daughters and three sons,” she said. “I was put in jail for an accusation of immorality and was sentenced to 10 months and 400 lashes. For her, an innocent visit turned out to be the start of a devastating experience.
“One afternoon, a friend of mine and I went to visit another friend to congratulate her on the birth of her new baby. We arrived about 5 p.m., and her husband opened the door for us. He said his wife was at another neighbor’s house and asked us to wait while he went to get her. He was gone a long time, and I started feeling uncomfortable. “Although he was a relative of my friend, I suggested that we leave as it was our first visit to their house, and we really didn’t know them very well. As Maghreb neared we were still waiting. Then the man returned with the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, and we were arrested for immoral conduct. My friend was released after 20 days, but my husband refused to receive me and accused me of being a no-good, disobedient wife, so I was sentenced,” she said.
“He divorced me while I was in prison, but that wasn’t strange or surprising to me. He was never a good husband, but I never expected him to marry my elder sister. I was glad to be rid of him because of the way he abused the children and me. He was never a good provider and stayed away from home a lot and was married to another woman,” she said. “I was struck, though, that he’d married my sister. I never imagined that she would marry him, but I know now why she would always advise me to leave him.”
The consequences of the failed marriage still baffle her. “I honestly don’t know what to say. The harsh circumstances under which we lived drove my older son, Muhammad, to steal,” she said. “For we were living on charity.”
With her parents living outside the Kingdom, and a husband content with his new choice, the time in prison was lonely as her children even had difficulty in seeing their mother. “My older daughter and some of her sisters came to visit me after they stole the family card from their father,” she said. “He refused to give it to them because one of the visitation conditions was that they must have the original family card. When he found out, he beat them.”
Despite the pardon, her ex-husband can prevent her from getting her freedom. Her only hope lies with her children. “My son-in-law is a very kind man,” she said. “He’s been married to my daughter for six months, but even he won’t be able to get me out of prison without the original family card. My daughter has told me that her father doesn’t want me to leave the prison, and he says that my sentence wasn’t long enough. He’s trying to create some problem — find some new way to keep me in prison.
“My son was sentenced three years ago for theft when he was 15. My poor son,” she said. “I pity him for the state he’s in. He’s like me — in need of affection and compassion.”
She points an accusing finger at her ex-husband for her son’s plight. “I was surprised when I heard that he’d stolen. He was so good in school and earned high grades, and his teachers favored him. He was in 8th Grade when he was arrested. His father was the reason he went astray,” she said. “He would always beat him and degrade him.”
When she gets out of prison it will be only the first step toward getting her life back together. “God-willing, these are my last moments in this place,” she said. “After I get out, I will get my children together and find a job. That’s the most important thing for me to do so that I can provide them with stable lives. When I was married to their father, I had found a job at one of the schools, but he would refuse to let me work. He’d threaten to torture me in different ways if I didn’t agree to his wishes.”
Her ex-husband and his new wife (her older sister) are looking after the children. It is possible that had Inmate C gone to the police to report her then-husband’s negligence and violent treatment of his family, her story might have been different. But he was secure in the knowledge of the power he held over them. “I was afraid of him,” Inmate C said, as she wondered how many more nights she would spend in prison before the royal pardon was honored.
We met with four Asian women who also were pardoned and had been sentenced for immoral conduct. Each one had been sentenced to two years in prison. Due to the fact that the warden was busy finalizing the procedures for their departure to their country, we were unable to meet with them.
Another inmate who had been pardoned sat with us. She was telling us of the joy of being pardoned and went around hugging everyone and anyone and kissing them. It was hard communicating with her because she could not speak Arabic. Through sign language, we learned that she was a 26-year-old widow with two sons. She worked at one of the residential compounds until she was arrested at one of the commercial markets and sentenced to a year and 400 lashes. She’s been in prison for five months. She complained to us about her bad financial situation and that she had paid so much to buy a visa and to come to the Kingdom.
Another 25-year-old Asian inmate told us with tears of joy that she has a daughter in the care of her mother. She said she’d come to the Kingdom to work as a maid, but the abuse of her sponsor’s wife got her into prison. “I was a maid in a Saudi family of 10,” the young woman said. “They all treated me well except for the woman. She was harsh, and she didn’t allow me to eat or even supply me with soap for myself or my clothes.”
In a way, the woman was a prisoner before ever seeing the Riyadh jail. “She wouldn’t mail my letters to my family or let me send money to them,” the former maid said. “I would work from the early morning hours until the very late hours of the night — up until 3 a.m.” The safeguards put in place to protect foreign workers didn’t seem able to protect her. “I asked them to take me to my embassy, and they refused,” she said. “So I ran away and went to the embassy only to find it locked.”
Ironically, she found release — and peace — in a prison cell. “I stood in the street and took a ride with a stranger,” the former maid said. “He took me home where I was arrested. I spent six months in prison. I converted to Islam in prison when I saw my fellow inmates praying, which intrigued me. I’m so happy that I’ve converted.”
Perhaps her final thought is shared by all the women who watch the days and months go by at Riyadh jail, disgraced and shunned and haunted by loneliness. “Now, all I hope to do is to go home safely,” she said.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Friday, October 29, 2004
Back online
It has been a roller coaster 2 weeks. I have been offline and even back to KL and back here again. I am somewhat exhausted but just glad to be home.
Its funny to call this place home. It very difficult for me to describe this feeling, its a mixture of disdain and fondness for this place, but I am glad to be back to "normal" life as I know it again. Of course "normal" is relative really. When I am here, the difficulty of getting round as a woman in this country bothers me. But I like the space that I have with my loved one.
I now realize that home for me is where my Love is. And so this is Home for now and I am glad to be home.
It has been a roller coaster 2 weeks. I have been offline and even back to KL and back here again. I am somewhat exhausted but just glad to be home.
Its funny to call this place home. It very difficult for me to describe this feeling, its a mixture of disdain and fondness for this place, but I am glad to be back to "normal" life as I know it again. Of course "normal" is relative really. When I am here, the difficulty of getting round as a woman in this country bothers me. But I like the space that I have with my loved one.
I now realize that home for me is where my Love is. And so this is Home for now and I am glad to be home.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
For some reason unknown to me, I am suddenly short of time. I am getting all sorts of invites to everything, so much so my schedule is jammed pack that I have to turn down some invitations. Lunch here, lunch there, dinner here and dinner there. I guess Ramadhan is coming and thus everybody is trying to meet up before this country comes to a standstill due to Ramadhan.
I have to say that this is very rare for me. I am very much a hermit who likes spending time alone. I don't converse very well and very often don't have witty or funny things to say. Thus when people request for my presence I am really surprised that they want my company at all.
I woke up at 7:30 to rush to the gym thinking that there was yoga class at 8:30. But nobody was there. Luckily I had the foresight to talk to the program coordinator in her office who told me that they have shifted yoga class to a different day and time. Instead, there was going to be a kick boxing class at 9.
So today was my first attempt at kick boxing. Boy! it is very demanding! I was sweating profusely within the firs 10 mins! But I have to say that I enjoyed it very much. But for how long I will persist to kick boxing class is something else all together.
Almost immediately after the class we had a ladies potluck. One of the ladies was leaving. *Sigh* The hard thing about being an expat wife is that your friends come and go all the time, and you would need to make new friends all the time.
I have to remind myself, the only constant in life is change.
I have to say that this is very rare for me. I am very much a hermit who likes spending time alone. I don't converse very well and very often don't have witty or funny things to say. Thus when people request for my presence I am really surprised that they want my company at all.
I woke up at 7:30 to rush to the gym thinking that there was yoga class at 8:30. But nobody was there. Luckily I had the foresight to talk to the program coordinator in her office who told me that they have shifted yoga class to a different day and time. Instead, there was going to be a kick boxing class at 9.
So today was my first attempt at kick boxing. Boy! it is very demanding! I was sweating profusely within the firs 10 mins! But I have to say that I enjoyed it very much. But for how long I will persist to kick boxing class is something else all together.
Almost immediately after the class we had a ladies potluck. One of the ladies was leaving. *Sigh* The hard thing about being an expat wife is that your friends come and go all the time, and you would need to make new friends all the time.
I have to remind myself, the only constant in life is change.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Sorry guys I have been away in Dubai for a week. I tried to post something from the hotel but there were some server problems and I didn't have the foresight to save what I wrote and everything disappeared. Will try to get round to writing some of my impressions of my Dubai trip in the next few weeks.
I was reading this blog about a friend's experience and somehow it all came back to, that agonizing time.
And it has come again, a dear family member has been placed in the ICU and here we are thousands of miles away. (I was abroad when my friend was in a coma then.) What do we do? Rush home or just pray from afar?
Anyways, this is something I wrote on 5th October 2000, upon learning that my dear friend was in coma and was told by her doctors that her chance for survival was slim. (She is alive and well with us now!! I am so glad!)
Perhaps its all got to do with Allah's will, but I also believe that the prayers and love that we shower on the people around us is important.
Say a little prayer
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It is amazing how the Internet has altered my world. Especially so with IRC(Internet Relay Chat). Gone were the days when we had to use a Unix based chat program. Black screen, lots of words. Sometimes the screen scrolls so fast that people have to write programs and commands to freeze the frame so that we could actually read what was being said. Now we have MIRC and PIRCH. Then came ICQ.
Being a student so far away from home, the Internet became the most ideal and least expensive method of connecting with friends. Through IRC I met people from as far away as UK, US and even people back home in South East Asia. Being mostly students, far away from home we shared the common solidarity of sharing our joys and pains. Before scanners were affordable, snail mail became the way by which photographs were exchanged. That was a long time ago.
I met some of these people in real life. Some refuse to give face to the voice, for whatever private reasons they may have. It is amazing to find sometimes that the most obnoxious voice on the net, belonged to the most meek and shy person in real life or vice versa. The impersonality of being in front of the computer in the privacy of our own room and yet with the ability to interact with people across the other side of the world was astounding.
That was how I met Adzleen. A student from Hull when I was in Calgary. She was doing law, and I, Literature. She used to tell us about the times she went to a rock consert, wearing her "tudung" and was greeted by the other Malaysian students there, "Oit! Pakai tudung pun datang rock konset ke?" All she did was smile back and tell the story to us. That was Adzleen.
When I came back to Singapore, I kept in touch of some of my friends from my student IRC days. Not as much as before unfortunately, as we were bogged down by things as mundane as work. A lot of times we do still keep in touch online though. Sneaked to chat from the office sometimes, or at late hours at night. Some has since retired, got married, moved on, but others still do log in, keep touch.
Just recently, I went to KL on an all girls trip. Girls of whom I originally got to know through IRC. Unfortunately our bus was due to arrive at 4 am and the hotel would only let us check in at noon. Without me asking, Adzleen asked if we had anyone fetching us from the bus station or someplace to hangout before we checked in. Of course we jumped at her offer. That is Adzleen. Caring, warm-hearted, with a splendid sense of humour (she uses the nick ldygodiva in irc) and generous. I must admit that I have never been able to meet her till that day, but she was very kind to me all the same. She was in the midst of changing jobs then, her road tax had since expired cause she hasn’t been able to renew it. Yet she was generous enough to fetch us and consequently bring us around. She took the wrong route once, and there was a policeman at the junction. Instinctively, she shielded her face from the policeman, hoping that he didn’t notice the expired road tax. We laughed at her so hard then!!! We told her that the policeman won’t really go after her because of her face but rather her road tax. She smiled sheepishly.
That was Adzleen.
Because we were all girls, we spent a lot of time in front of the mirror. One of the other girls offered to pluck her eyebrows to make them more shapely. At first she refused but finally caved in after we cajoled her. Sportingly she said, "Please do not give me the `surprised' look." We laughed really hard at her.
On Monday I talked to her online. She told me that she may not have the opportunity to visit South Africa because she is in the midst of changing jobs. I congratulated her and wished her the best. Just a few hours ago, I found out that Adzleen collapsed on Tuesday morning. They suspected it to be an asthma attack. Luckily she managed to call her house mate to take her to the hospital before she lost consciousness. Her house mate called 999, but there was no answer. Only after 45 minutes after her call for help that they managed to get an ambulance to bring her to the hospital. She is now on a life support system, in the ICU of the University Hospital. Word has it that the Doctors said that the infection has spread to her kidney and lungs. She still has a fever and she is still unconscious. I really wish her well. This is one of those instances I regret being so far away, not able to visit her myself. Sorry Adzleen. Maybe next time I will visit you!
Adzleen I do hope that you would be able to read this yourself soon. No matter what we wait in anticipation of your company. You said you were gonna bring me to Fatty Crabs. We miss you very much Adzleen, please, please, please get well soon.
Adzleen we love you.
*******************************************************************
NB TO you guys whose company I enjoy and dearly miss. (you know who you are!) I dont want to lose the oppurtunity to say that I miss you guys too and that I love you. The good days often come to mind even if I am lousy at keeping touch :)
*******************************************************************
I was reading this blog about a friend's experience and somehow it all came back to, that agonizing time.
And it has come again, a dear family member has been placed in the ICU and here we are thousands of miles away. (I was abroad when my friend was in a coma then.) What do we do? Rush home or just pray from afar?
Anyways, this is something I wrote on 5th October 2000, upon learning that my dear friend was in coma and was told by her doctors that her chance for survival was slim. (She is alive and well with us now!! I am so glad!)
Perhaps its all got to do with Allah's will, but I also believe that the prayers and love that we shower on the people around us is important.
Say a little prayer
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It is amazing how the Internet has altered my world. Especially so with IRC(Internet Relay Chat). Gone were the days when we had to use a Unix based chat program. Black screen, lots of words. Sometimes the screen scrolls so fast that people have to write programs and commands to freeze the frame so that we could actually read what was being said. Now we have MIRC and PIRCH. Then came ICQ.
Being a student so far away from home, the Internet became the most ideal and least expensive method of connecting with friends. Through IRC I met people from as far away as UK, US and even people back home in South East Asia. Being mostly students, far away from home we shared the common solidarity of sharing our joys and pains. Before scanners were affordable, snail mail became the way by which photographs were exchanged. That was a long time ago.
I met some of these people in real life. Some refuse to give face to the voice, for whatever private reasons they may have. It is amazing to find sometimes that the most obnoxious voice on the net, belonged to the most meek and shy person in real life or vice versa. The impersonality of being in front of the computer in the privacy of our own room and yet with the ability to interact with people across the other side of the world was astounding.
That was how I met Adzleen. A student from Hull when I was in Calgary. She was doing law, and I, Literature. She used to tell us about the times she went to a rock consert, wearing her "tudung" and was greeted by the other Malaysian students there, "Oit! Pakai tudung pun datang rock konset ke?" All she did was smile back and tell the story to us. That was Adzleen.
When I came back to Singapore, I kept in touch of some of my friends from my student IRC days. Not as much as before unfortunately, as we were bogged down by things as mundane as work. A lot of times we do still keep in touch online though. Sneaked to chat from the office sometimes, or at late hours at night. Some has since retired, got married, moved on, but others still do log in, keep touch.
Just recently, I went to KL on an all girls trip. Girls of whom I originally got to know through IRC. Unfortunately our bus was due to arrive at 4 am and the hotel would only let us check in at noon. Without me asking, Adzleen asked if we had anyone fetching us from the bus station or someplace to hangout before we checked in. Of course we jumped at her offer. That is Adzleen. Caring, warm-hearted, with a splendid sense of humour (she uses the nick ldygodiva in irc) and generous. I must admit that I have never been able to meet her till that day, but she was very kind to me all the same. She was in the midst of changing jobs then, her road tax had since expired cause she hasn’t been able to renew it. Yet she was generous enough to fetch us and consequently bring us around. She took the wrong route once, and there was a policeman at the junction. Instinctively, she shielded her face from the policeman, hoping that he didn’t notice the expired road tax. We laughed at her so hard then!!! We told her that the policeman won’t really go after her because of her face but rather her road tax. She smiled sheepishly.
That was Adzleen.
Because we were all girls, we spent a lot of time in front of the mirror. One of the other girls offered to pluck her eyebrows to make them more shapely. At first she refused but finally caved in after we cajoled her. Sportingly she said, "Please do not give me the `surprised' look." We laughed really hard at her.
On Monday I talked to her online. She told me that she may not have the opportunity to visit South Africa because she is in the midst of changing jobs. I congratulated her and wished her the best. Just a few hours ago, I found out that Adzleen collapsed on Tuesday morning. They suspected it to be an asthma attack. Luckily she managed to call her house mate to take her to the hospital before she lost consciousness. Her house mate called 999, but there was no answer. Only after 45 minutes after her call for help that they managed to get an ambulance to bring her to the hospital. She is now on a life support system, in the ICU of the University Hospital. Word has it that the Doctors said that the infection has spread to her kidney and lungs. She still has a fever and she is still unconscious. I really wish her well. This is one of those instances I regret being so far away, not able to visit her myself. Sorry Adzleen. Maybe next time I will visit you!
Adzleen I do hope that you would be able to read this yourself soon. No matter what we wait in anticipation of your company. You said you were gonna bring me to Fatty Crabs. We miss you very much Adzleen, please, please, please get well soon.
Adzleen we love you.
*******************************************************************
NB TO you guys whose company I enjoy and dearly miss. (you know who you are!) I dont want to lose the oppurtunity to say that I miss you guys too and that I love you. The good days often come to mind even if I am lousy at keeping touch :)
*******************************************************************
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Garbage in, garbage out
Have you watched the film "The Net" starring Sandra Bullock? Some of us has since learnt that the computer is not always right, but obviously some people in this country don't think so.
We went to our favourite bookstore this evening. Yes books are really expensive here but at least a lot of the titles are available and its the books that keep me sane. We went there often enough to merit a 10% discount card and the manager there knows us by sight. How did I know that? One of our trips there he greeted us with, "You are always here aren't you?" Its a good sign.
However, the service can be appallingly poor especially when dealing with the locals.
We picked up a 3 copies of The Atkins Diet Revolution which had the priced marked as 35 dollars in local currency. However when the books were scanned at the cashier it come up the title "Die in plain sight" at 38 dollars in local currency. My husband pointed out to the cashier that both the title and the cost is not congruent to the book we bought.
I nudge at him and whispered, there is no use making a fuss dear, the computer is always right and winked at him.
But the Husband insisted that the cashier put it right.
Of course the cashier came up with the answer as I expected, the computer says its 38 dollars and it has to be 38 dollars. (The computer is always right.)
The Husband being the precise man that he is insisted that the cashier recheck the price.
The cashier told him to go to the second floor to check the price.
Being the meek woman that I am, I would have just conceded defeat and accept that the price is 38 (there is no point in arguing here if you are a woman, they ignore you anyways.)
But my husband stuck to his ground and told the guy to call the relevant section and ask the person in charge to check the price. So he called this guy on the second floor and tried to explain the problem to him. This guy came downstairs to the cashier to examine closely what the problem was. Realizing the title that came up on the computer is not the same as the title of the book he went to another terminal to check.
And then there was a huge deliberation.
It was obvious that the bar code has been wrongly programmed as reflected by the title.
But you see, the computer is ALWAYS right and there is no way that the intelligent humans in the store could do anything. They discussed how the problem could be rectified and decided that the best way was to give us a 10% on the title.
Of course the cashier didn't know how to input the discount in the computer. He had to call to the manager to help him ring it up in the computer.
Was it a good ending? Not really. We got a 10% discount from the books because we had the discount card. Instead of getting the book for 32.50 (10% off 35), we still paid 34.20 (10% off 38.)
Because you see, the computer is ALWAYS right. Despite the intelligence of humans, the computer ALWAYS determines the end result here, apparently.
Have you watched the film "The Net" starring Sandra Bullock? Some of us has since learnt that the computer is not always right, but obviously some people in this country don't think so.
We went to our favourite bookstore this evening. Yes books are really expensive here but at least a lot of the titles are available and its the books that keep me sane. We went there often enough to merit a 10% discount card and the manager there knows us by sight. How did I know that? One of our trips there he greeted us with, "You are always here aren't you?" Its a good sign.
However, the service can be appallingly poor especially when dealing with the locals.
We picked up a 3 copies of The Atkins Diet Revolution which had the priced marked as 35 dollars in local currency. However when the books were scanned at the cashier it come up the title "Die in plain sight" at 38 dollars in local currency. My husband pointed out to the cashier that both the title and the cost is not congruent to the book we bought.
I nudge at him and whispered, there is no use making a fuss dear, the computer is always right and winked at him.
But the Husband insisted that the cashier put it right.
Of course the cashier came up with the answer as I expected, the computer says its 38 dollars and it has to be 38 dollars. (The computer is always right.)
The Husband being the precise man that he is insisted that the cashier recheck the price.
The cashier told him to go to the second floor to check the price.
Being the meek woman that I am, I would have just conceded defeat and accept that the price is 38 (there is no point in arguing here if you are a woman, they ignore you anyways.)
But my husband stuck to his ground and told the guy to call the relevant section and ask the person in charge to check the price. So he called this guy on the second floor and tried to explain the problem to him. This guy came downstairs to the cashier to examine closely what the problem was. Realizing the title that came up on the computer is not the same as the title of the book he went to another terminal to check.
And then there was a huge deliberation.
It was obvious that the bar code has been wrongly programmed as reflected by the title.
But you see, the computer is ALWAYS right and there is no way that the intelligent humans in the store could do anything. They discussed how the problem could be rectified and decided that the best way was to give us a 10% on the title.
Of course the cashier didn't know how to input the discount in the computer. He had to call to the manager to help him ring it up in the computer.
Was it a good ending? Not really. We got a 10% discount from the books because we had the discount card. Instead of getting the book for 32.50 (10% off 35), we still paid 34.20 (10% off 38.)
Because you see, the computer is ALWAYS right. Despite the intelligence of humans, the computer ALWAYS determines the end result here, apparently.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Have you ever heard a man being slapped?
Well it was my first experience really. There were seven of us, walking towards the market. My companion was talking to me when she suddenly fell back. I turned round and suddenly heard a loud SMMAAACCKKK!
"You touched me! How dare you touch me!"
"No no I don't know."
Suddenly the street fell silent. The men all came out to look.
My companion picked up her sunglasses and walked towards us.
What happened? We asked. He touched my thighs! He tried to pretend it was an accident but one doesn't just accidentally touch a woman's thighs!
I think he was following us since we got down the bus, remarked one of the ladies.
Well good one! He deserved that slap! Just because she has her hair uncovered she is considered a whore?
Well ladies lets stick together more closely now! Don't go into any shop alone.
I was reeling. I really admired her for her quick reflexes and her strength! I bet the man chose her because she was petite, the smallest in the group. So I asked her what happened. When she felt the hands touching her thighs, she turned round and saw the man walking away. She quickly approached him, turned him round and slapped him as hard she she could on his face. She said that it was all her anger that gave her strength.
To be a woman in this country! Even a trip to the market is full of perils and perverts!
Well it was my first experience really. There were seven of us, walking towards the market. My companion was talking to me when she suddenly fell back. I turned round and suddenly heard a loud SMMAAACCKKK!
"You touched me! How dare you touch me!"
"No no I don't know."
Suddenly the street fell silent. The men all came out to look.
My companion picked up her sunglasses and walked towards us.
What happened? We asked. He touched my thighs! He tried to pretend it was an accident but one doesn't just accidentally touch a woman's thighs!
I think he was following us since we got down the bus, remarked one of the ladies.
Well good one! He deserved that slap! Just because she has her hair uncovered she is considered a whore?
Well ladies lets stick together more closely now! Don't go into any shop alone.
I was reeling. I really admired her for her quick reflexes and her strength! I bet the man chose her because she was petite, the smallest in the group. So I asked her what happened. When she felt the hands touching her thighs, she turned round and saw the man walking away. She quickly approached him, turned him round and slapped him as hard she she could on his face. She said that it was all her anger that gave her strength.
To be a woman in this country! Even a trip to the market is full of perils and perverts!
Tales about the religious policeman
If you don't already know, there are religious policemen here, their motto being "The prevention of vice and the preservation of virtue."
Perhaps you wonder what the religious policemen do. Amongst other things is to check out the Malls and public places making sure that women are covered appropriately. The foreign women have now learnt not to argue, to just cover their head and walk away. I did hear of accounts of how a woman's exposed ankle was spray painted with pink paint. Apparently it was a punishment as her as her abaya was not long enough to sweep the streets and thus did not cover her ankles. And the pink paint was the sign of shame like the scarlett letter.
Another woman told us about how the religious policeman insisted that she took off her spectacles. The crime? She had some diamond like studs on her frame of her glasses (which we wore between the face veil in the ninja like manner.) She tried to explain to the policeman that hers were prescription lenses and she will be needing them to see. He dismissed her reasoning and stressed that women's accessories must not be seen. Meekly she took them off, stumbled a few steps into a shop and put her glasses on again.
And the men get it too. A woman told us about her good looking brother who was hauled by the religious policeman to stay overnight in jail. His crime? He sat outside a supermarket while waiting for his family to finish their shopping. Then came the religious policeman who started harassing him, asking him what he was doing there. He told them that he was waiting for his family to finish shopping. But no! The religious policeman refused to believe him. They claimed that he was there to look at the women as they came in and out of the supermarket. When they saw him trying to call his family inside, they took the mobile phone away and accused him of distributing his phone number to the ladies that pass by. And he broke own cardinal rule, by not being meek and walking away, he answered back to them, saying that their charges were ridiculous. They hauled him in the police van and put him in a cell for overnight observation.
Does this make the society more virtuous?
If you don't already know, there are religious policemen here, their motto being "The prevention of vice and the preservation of virtue."
Perhaps you wonder what the religious policemen do. Amongst other things is to check out the Malls and public places making sure that women are covered appropriately. The foreign women have now learnt not to argue, to just cover their head and walk away. I did hear of accounts of how a woman's exposed ankle was spray painted with pink paint. Apparently it was a punishment as her as her abaya was not long enough to sweep the streets and thus did not cover her ankles. And the pink paint was the sign of shame like the scarlett letter.
Another woman told us about how the religious policeman insisted that she took off her spectacles. The crime? She had some diamond like studs on her frame of her glasses (which we wore between the face veil in the ninja like manner.) She tried to explain to the policeman that hers were prescription lenses and she will be needing them to see. He dismissed her reasoning and stressed that women's accessories must not be seen. Meekly she took them off, stumbled a few steps into a shop and put her glasses on again.
And the men get it too. A woman told us about her good looking brother who was hauled by the religious policeman to stay overnight in jail. His crime? He sat outside a supermarket while waiting for his family to finish their shopping. Then came the religious policeman who started harassing him, asking him what he was doing there. He told them that he was waiting for his family to finish shopping. But no! The religious policeman refused to believe him. They claimed that he was there to look at the women as they came in and out of the supermarket. When they saw him trying to call his family inside, they took the mobile phone away and accused him of distributing his phone number to the ladies that pass by. And he broke own cardinal rule, by not being meek and walking away, he answered back to them, saying that their charges were ridiculous. They hauled him in the police van and put him in a cell for overnight observation.
Does this make the society more virtuous?
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Excerpt from Little Girls Wearing Abayas
By Raid Qusti, rqusti@arabnews.com
There are those who defend women wearing black abayas in our country and there are those who do not. The fact of the matter is that whatever the two parties may argue, girls who have not reached puberty should not be deprived of their childhood, their moment of joy and happiness.
If the purpose of a woman wearing an abaya in our country is to conceal the shape of her body from preying eyes and to appear modest in public, then a girl who is seven years has nothing to do with either “body shape” or “modesty.” Her age and innocence have nothing to do with the adult world and its problems in Saudi Arabia.
When I see how families dress up little girls in black abayas I get both disturbed and offended at the same time. I get disturbed because I realize that that poor child has nothing to do with society or its problems. The child is at an age where she should be having fun and growing up in a normal way without any hang-ups. I feel offended because I feel that her parents who dress her up in a black abaya at such an early age think most of their fellow Saudi men are sexual freaks who would actually look at a girl her age in a sexual manner and make it necessary for her to be covered up in black.
********************************************************
"Mummy I want to wear an abaya," said little Mariam as she watched her mother and I struggled into our abayas before stepping into the car.
"Well Mariam, you may say that now. I'll give you ten years and we'll see what you think about having to wear abayas." I replied.
"You know you should encourage children good things when they are still young. For me I would always encourage her if she wants to do good things."
I bit my toungue.
You see little Mariam's mum is a Singaporean. And the main basis of our friendship is that we were born in the same country. Other than that, we have very little in common. We have very different views on a lot of things and we do most things very differently.
But what was most depressing to me was why she thinks her small child wanting to wear an abaya is a good thing? Perhaps its true, it does protects a woman's modesty but surely wearing an abaya is not a solution to that! If it was perhaps it would be stated in the Quran or Hadith that all women are only allowed to wear shapeless black robes ,that she may trip and fall on, in public and must keep her face covered in public.
But from the last time I searched, there was no such thing. This was a man made rule for a society whose "virtue" they want to preserve.
Thus it was hard for to accept that this was a "good thing." How can it be good when it perpetuates the belief in society that women must not be seen and herd in public. She must be inconspicuous, almost invisible even and treated like a property to be owned either by her father, her husband or her brother.
Perhaps they start the indoctrination young. I understand the need for the men to indoctrinate the wives and the daughters at such a young age.
But for the women to continue perpetuating it?
By Raid Qusti, rqusti@arabnews.com
There are those who defend women wearing black abayas in our country and there are those who do not. The fact of the matter is that whatever the two parties may argue, girls who have not reached puberty should not be deprived of their childhood, their moment of joy and happiness.
If the purpose of a woman wearing an abaya in our country is to conceal the shape of her body from preying eyes and to appear modest in public, then a girl who is seven years has nothing to do with either “body shape” or “modesty.” Her age and innocence have nothing to do with the adult world and its problems in Saudi Arabia.
When I see how families dress up little girls in black abayas I get both disturbed and offended at the same time. I get disturbed because I realize that that poor child has nothing to do with society or its problems. The child is at an age where she should be having fun and growing up in a normal way without any hang-ups. I feel offended because I feel that her parents who dress her up in a black abaya at such an early age think most of their fellow Saudi men are sexual freaks who would actually look at a girl her age in a sexual manner and make it necessary for her to be covered up in black.
********************************************************
"Mummy I want to wear an abaya," said little Mariam as she watched her mother and I struggled into our abayas before stepping into the car.
"Well Mariam, you may say that now. I'll give you ten years and we'll see what you think about having to wear abayas." I replied.
"You know you should encourage children good things when they are still young. For me I would always encourage her if she wants to do good things."
I bit my toungue.
You see little Mariam's mum is a Singaporean. And the main basis of our friendship is that we were born in the same country. Other than that, we have very little in common. We have very different views on a lot of things and we do most things very differently.
But what was most depressing to me was why she thinks her small child wanting to wear an abaya is a good thing? Perhaps its true, it does protects a woman's modesty but surely wearing an abaya is not a solution to that! If it was perhaps it would be stated in the Quran or Hadith that all women are only allowed to wear shapeless black robes ,that she may trip and fall on, in public and must keep her face covered in public.
But from the last time I searched, there was no such thing. This was a man made rule for a society whose "virtue" they want to preserve.
Thus it was hard for to accept that this was a "good thing." How can it be good when it perpetuates the belief in society that women must not be seen and herd in public. She must be inconspicuous, almost invisible even and treated like a property to be owned either by her father, her husband or her brother.
Perhaps they start the indoctrination young. I understand the need for the men to indoctrinate the wives and the daughters at such a young age.
But for the women to continue perpetuating it?
Sunday, September 19, 2004
Excerpt from the Arabnew.com
Women Won’t Be Allowed to Run in Civic Poll
Abeer Mishkhas & Somayya Jabarti, Arab News
Representing the views that women should not run for office, an anonymous Shoura Council member said: “What do women want with voting and municipality elections? Why would they want to trouble themselves with things that are new and unfamiliar? These issues are against their nature so why ask for trouble?”
*******************************************************
Another day, another struggle as a woman in this country.
What is it that the men here fear so much from a woman's independence? Castration anxiety?
Will all the lost if women get any rights at all?
Women Won’t Be Allowed to Run in Civic Poll
Abeer Mishkhas & Somayya Jabarti, Arab News
Representing the views that women should not run for office, an anonymous Shoura Council member said: “What do women want with voting and municipality elections? Why would they want to trouble themselves with things that are new and unfamiliar? These issues are against their nature so why ask for trouble?”
*******************************************************
Another day, another struggle as a woman in this country.
What is it that the men here fear so much from a woman's independence? Castration anxiety?
Will all the lost if women get any rights at all?
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Another weekend and another shooting
British father-of-six shot dead
A British man shot dead in the Saudi capital Riyadh leaves behind a wife and six children, it has emerged.
Edmund Muirhead-Smith, 55, was killed in a shopping centre car park in an eastern suburb.
Witnesses said two gunmen in a Toyota car shot the victim four times as he walked towards his car on Wednesday.
A statement from the family said: "At this time we are struggling to come to terms with the news. He will be greatly missed by us... our love is with him."
Britain's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sherard Cowper-Coles, condemned the killing.
"His murder will only make the British Government more determined to stand with the Saudi government and people in the struggle against senseless terror of this kind," he said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues."
Mr Muirhead-Smith, from Torquay in Devon, was an employee of communications firm Marconi.
A company spokesman said: "We take security in the region very seriously. It seems that Edmund was a victim of a chance shooting.
"There is no evidence to suggest that he was targeted other than for being a Westerner."
Security sources told Reuters news agency that the shooting was linked to a wave of anti-Western attacks in Saudi Arabia by supporters of al-Qaeda.
Militants linked to al-Qaeda have killed at least 90 police and civilians in a 15-month campaign to destabilise the US-allied Saudi monarchy.
The attacks in the conservative Muslim kingdom, much of whose economy depends on foreign workers, are aimed at driving Westerners out of the country and damaging its oil industry.
***************************************************************
I was out going to the Mall that afternoon. The bus was bringing us women to a Mall which I have never been before.
A roadblock was set up on the highway and several white cars were stopped by the policemen. And there was a sharp shooter out pointing his gun, ready for action.
Our bus wasn't stopped and we continued on to the Mall.
2 hours later, a lady who understood Arabic told us that something has happened. They heard that a Westerner has been shot.
We were all uneasy.
I quickly rushed home and checked the net. There it was on the Reuters website, the news of the Western man shot in the Al-Naseem area. He has been shopping at a discount giant super store.
I met some of my friends for dinner that night. Told them about the news I read.
"Do you feel safe in this country?" E asked.
"Well fairly safe I suppose, except for the shootings I almost feel that Ryadh is safer than London."
"At what point would you decide what it is time for you to leave?"
"We don't know really. I guess as soon as we feel that we are threatened directly. After all we are here because we have mortgages to pay and if we choose to move on, we would need to find a new contract first and we don't know how easy that will be."
What is the value of our life? Is it worth this risk?
We thought by coming to Riyadh perhaps we would be closer to Makkah and Madinah. But it is at a cost apparently.
A friend of ours who was in the Al-Hambra bombing last year is still traumatized, although they are still in the country. I guess if they can persevere, so can we.
But is it worth it?
British father-of-six shot dead
A British man shot dead in the Saudi capital Riyadh leaves behind a wife and six children, it has emerged.
Edmund Muirhead-Smith, 55, was killed in a shopping centre car park in an eastern suburb.
Witnesses said two gunmen in a Toyota car shot the victim four times as he walked towards his car on Wednesday.
A statement from the family said: "At this time we are struggling to come to terms with the news. He will be greatly missed by us... our love is with him."
Britain's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sherard Cowper-Coles, condemned the killing.
"His murder will only make the British Government more determined to stand with the Saudi government and people in the struggle against senseless terror of this kind," he said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues."
Mr Muirhead-Smith, from Torquay in Devon, was an employee of communications firm Marconi.
A company spokesman said: "We take security in the region very seriously. It seems that Edmund was a victim of a chance shooting.
"There is no evidence to suggest that he was targeted other than for being a Westerner."
Security sources told Reuters news agency that the shooting was linked to a wave of anti-Western attacks in Saudi Arabia by supporters of al-Qaeda.
Militants linked to al-Qaeda have killed at least 90 police and civilians in a 15-month campaign to destabilise the US-allied Saudi monarchy.
The attacks in the conservative Muslim kingdom, much of whose economy depends on foreign workers, are aimed at driving Westerners out of the country and damaging its oil industry.
***************************************************************
I was out going to the Mall that afternoon. The bus was bringing us women to a Mall which I have never been before.
A roadblock was set up on the highway and several white cars were stopped by the policemen. And there was a sharp shooter out pointing his gun, ready for action.
Our bus wasn't stopped and we continued on to the Mall.
2 hours later, a lady who understood Arabic told us that something has happened. They heard that a Westerner has been shot.
We were all uneasy.
I quickly rushed home and checked the net. There it was on the Reuters website, the news of the Western man shot in the Al-Naseem area. He has been shopping at a discount giant super store.
I met some of my friends for dinner that night. Told them about the news I read.
"Do you feel safe in this country?" E asked.
"Well fairly safe I suppose, except for the shootings I almost feel that Ryadh is safer than London."
"At what point would you decide what it is time for you to leave?"
"We don't know really. I guess as soon as we feel that we are threatened directly. After all we are here because we have mortgages to pay and if we choose to move on, we would need to find a new contract first and we don't know how easy that will be."
What is the value of our life? Is it worth this risk?
We thought by coming to Riyadh perhaps we would be closer to Makkah and Madinah. But it is at a cost apparently.
A friend of ours who was in the Al-Hambra bombing last year is still traumatized, although they are still in the country. I guess if they can persevere, so can we.
But is it worth it?
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Women casting stones at each other
I have to confess that I am half amused and half disappointed by my friends recently. Well I call them my friends because I feel a certain affinity to them. We have mostly known each other over ten years now (longer for some), from our University days to the present where we all have our own careers, families and spouses. I do like their company because I thought we had seen each other over the years grown more mature, although some more than others.
We had gone on some trips to KL together. Met various people from the net. Learn about each other's quirky behaviours and temperaments. We were all very different individuals but somehow we learnt to live with each other’s opinions, aspirations, struggles, the ups and downs in life. Sometimes it’s a love and hate relationship, but we managed to forgive and forget.
Somehow the group had a new addition recently. Sometimes the “new” additions brings a new dimension to the friendship. (I myself was a new addition to this circle about seven years ago.) Some of the new additions stay, others move on after a while but the main core stuck to each other.
However the newest addition added a different tension. I have yet to meet this person myself but I got to know her from her various emails to the group. (Not all of us have the luxury of meeting up all the time as some has moved on to live in a different city from time to time. Thus emails became the best method of communication to everyone.) Perhaps being new to the circle of friends, she did not know the temperament of each and every member of the circle of friends and had somehow managed to offend another member of the circle. And suddenly a cold war ensued.
What is it about us women that it is inevitable for us to get bitchy with one another?
I read this article from the New Scientist that Fertile women rate other women as uglier.
Maryanne Fisher, a psychologist at York University in Toronto, Canada, decided to try to find evidence for female competition by presenting heterosexual students with photos of faces. She found that when women were in the most fertile phase of their menstrual cycles, they rated the attractiveness of other women lower than when they were not.
Being more combative during a fertile period backs the idea that women are competing for the best mate. "When you're in a high fertility phase, you have to be more able to judge other women as potential rivals," says Fisher.
The 57 female students tested, along with male controls, were asked to look at colour photos of 35 female and 30 male faces. The models for the photos were asked to display a neutral facial expression, wear a black smock and remove any accessories to help standardise the experiment.
Women with high estrogen levels, in days 12 to 21 of their menstrual cycle, rated other women's attractiveness significantly lower than women in a less fertile, low estrogen period of their cycle.
Fisher does not know exactly how women's heightened sense of competition during ovulation may help them win a mate. "Does putting someone down make you feel better about yourself? Or does saying it to a male make her less attractive to him?" she asks.
She adds that this kind of intrasexual competition could also carry risks - being too bitchy could make a woman look " mean-spirited" to a man. To answer these questions, Fisher is now investigating how men's attitudes are affected by women using such derogatory tactics.
Could it be that my friends were at the most fertile period of the month that they became so competitive?
But for us women apparently it is not so easy to forgive and forget. If any of you found a study why this is so, please forward the study to me.
All I want is for all my friends to be happy and to get along. The world is already filled with such atrocities and hatred that I feel it is so unnecessary to perpetuate more of this feeling of animosity and hostility amongst friends.
Life is too short to be spent on unpleasantness. Is it just too hard for us to get along?
I have to confess that I am half amused and half disappointed by my friends recently. Well I call them my friends because I feel a certain affinity to them. We have mostly known each other over ten years now (longer for some), from our University days to the present where we all have our own careers, families and spouses. I do like their company because I thought we had seen each other over the years grown more mature, although some more than others.
We had gone on some trips to KL together. Met various people from the net. Learn about each other's quirky behaviours and temperaments. We were all very different individuals but somehow we learnt to live with each other’s opinions, aspirations, struggles, the ups and downs in life. Sometimes it’s a love and hate relationship, but we managed to forgive and forget.
Somehow the group had a new addition recently. Sometimes the “new” additions brings a new dimension to the friendship. (I myself was a new addition to this circle about seven years ago.) Some of the new additions stay, others move on after a while but the main core stuck to each other.
However the newest addition added a different tension. I have yet to meet this person myself but I got to know her from her various emails to the group. (Not all of us have the luxury of meeting up all the time as some has moved on to live in a different city from time to time. Thus emails became the best method of communication to everyone.) Perhaps being new to the circle of friends, she did not know the temperament of each and every member of the circle of friends and had somehow managed to offend another member of the circle. And suddenly a cold war ensued.
What is it about us women that it is inevitable for us to get bitchy with one another?
I read this article from the New Scientist that Fertile women rate other women as uglier.
Maryanne Fisher, a psychologist at York University in Toronto, Canada, decided to try to find evidence for female competition by presenting heterosexual students with photos of faces. She found that when women were in the most fertile phase of their menstrual cycles, they rated the attractiveness of other women lower than when they were not.
Being more combative during a fertile period backs the idea that women are competing for the best mate. "When you're in a high fertility phase, you have to be more able to judge other women as potential rivals," says Fisher.
The 57 female students tested, along with male controls, were asked to look at colour photos of 35 female and 30 male faces. The models for the photos were asked to display a neutral facial expression, wear a black smock and remove any accessories to help standardise the experiment.
Women with high estrogen levels, in days 12 to 21 of their menstrual cycle, rated other women's attractiveness significantly lower than women in a less fertile, low estrogen period of their cycle.
Fisher does not know exactly how women's heightened sense of competition during ovulation may help them win a mate. "Does putting someone down make you feel better about yourself? Or does saying it to a male make her less attractive to him?" she asks.
She adds that this kind of intrasexual competition could also carry risks - being too bitchy could make a woman look " mean-spirited" to a man. To answer these questions, Fisher is now investigating how men's attitudes are affected by women using such derogatory tactics.
Could it be that my friends were at the most fertile period of the month that they became so competitive?
But for us women apparently it is not so easy to forgive and forget. If any of you found a study why this is so, please forward the study to me.
All I want is for all my friends to be happy and to get along. The world is already filled with such atrocities and hatred that I feel it is so unnecessary to perpetuate more of this feeling of animosity and hostility amongst friends.
Life is too short to be spent on unpleasantness. Is it just too hard for us to get along?
Friday, September 10, 2004
Municipal Elections: Women Only Helpless Spectators?
Maha Al-Hujailan, Arab News
Several commendable efforts have been made to highlight the role of Saudi women as citizens with guaranteed civil rights in building the nation and achieving economic progress. The efforts have included national dialogues that attempt to map out a future with more freedom for women. Women have consequently been offered more employment opportunities and increased participation in nation building. Employment opportunities have undoubtedly been improved with the opening of a women’s section, staffed by women, at the Riyadh Passports office. Further, Labor Minister Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi has issued orders to expedite measures to open separate women’s sections in government offices in the service sector in line with a Cabinet decision.
Despite intense efforts to establish women’s role in overall development, the upcoming municipal election is not clear regarding women. Women fear the possibility of laws banning them from elections. It is ironic that women are present in plans for the future but no importance is given to them when the plans are executed.
There is no justification in excluding women from the upcoming elections because there will be no undesirable consequence if they are allowed to participate. A healthy society is composed of both men and women, working together for the common good. Everyone knows that we have no dearth of hardworking women who are proud to serve their country. Their patriotism is no less than that of men. It would be better if the election regulations had clearly stated women’s rights to contest and vote in the election.
It is unfortunate that questions are being asked about Saudi women’s eligibility to participate in the election compared to women in other parts of the world — as if other women were more intelligent and capable than the women in the Kingdom. The absence of women’s voices in the municipal election will undoubtedly have a negative impact on social development. There is every indication that women’s roles will be marginalized in nation building. The inevitable consequence will be that men will monopolize the process of making plans and regulations. Women will not have the right to change the regulations laid down by men which affect them. Such a situation will undoubtedly reduce the importance of women’s role in society.
The exclusion of women from political activities amounts to legitimizing a dangerous mentality founded on the notion that women have only a marginal, or no, role in nation building. Relegating women to an inferior position will also reinforce the backward view that a woman’s opinion does not deserve to be listened to because she is only a dependent of her father or husband, brother or son. The view is deeply damaging to the position of women in the country. They are too often treated as worthless burdens on the shoulders of men. Women’s inferior status, both politically and socially, will only increase their dependence on others. According to the custom of the land, women are mere appendages of men without an independent identity.
By supporting an ideology based on sexist concepts, the whole society stands to lose an opportunity for a great social transformation with far-reaching consequences.
This article is not an attempt to establish women’s worthiness to enter politics. The point to be emphasized is that citizens should not be discriminated against on the basis of sex. Saudi women have repeatedly proved their worthiness to serve the nation as much as Saudi men.
I believe that there is still time for the election authorities to review the matter so that a person’s sex does not prevent him or her from contesting or voting. I also believe that the authorities should take all necessary steps in advance so that women will fulfill the necessary conditions and cast their votes without let or hindrance.
* * *
(Maha Al-Hujailan is a Saudi writer.)
Maha Al-Hujailan, Arab News
Several commendable efforts have been made to highlight the role of Saudi women as citizens with guaranteed civil rights in building the nation and achieving economic progress. The efforts have included national dialogues that attempt to map out a future with more freedom for women. Women have consequently been offered more employment opportunities and increased participation in nation building. Employment opportunities have undoubtedly been improved with the opening of a women’s section, staffed by women, at the Riyadh Passports office. Further, Labor Minister Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi has issued orders to expedite measures to open separate women’s sections in government offices in the service sector in line with a Cabinet decision.
Despite intense efforts to establish women’s role in overall development, the upcoming municipal election is not clear regarding women. Women fear the possibility of laws banning them from elections. It is ironic that women are present in plans for the future but no importance is given to them when the plans are executed.
There is no justification in excluding women from the upcoming elections because there will be no undesirable consequence if they are allowed to participate. A healthy society is composed of both men and women, working together for the common good. Everyone knows that we have no dearth of hardworking women who are proud to serve their country. Their patriotism is no less than that of men. It would be better if the election regulations had clearly stated women’s rights to contest and vote in the election.
It is unfortunate that questions are being asked about Saudi women’s eligibility to participate in the election compared to women in other parts of the world — as if other women were more intelligent and capable than the women in the Kingdom. The absence of women’s voices in the municipal election will undoubtedly have a negative impact on social development. There is every indication that women’s roles will be marginalized in nation building. The inevitable consequence will be that men will monopolize the process of making plans and regulations. Women will not have the right to change the regulations laid down by men which affect them. Such a situation will undoubtedly reduce the importance of women’s role in society.
The exclusion of women from political activities amounts to legitimizing a dangerous mentality founded on the notion that women have only a marginal, or no, role in nation building. Relegating women to an inferior position will also reinforce the backward view that a woman’s opinion does not deserve to be listened to because she is only a dependent of her father or husband, brother or son. The view is deeply damaging to the position of women in the country. They are too often treated as worthless burdens on the shoulders of men. Women’s inferior status, both politically and socially, will only increase their dependence on others. According to the custom of the land, women are mere appendages of men without an independent identity.
By supporting an ideology based on sexist concepts, the whole society stands to lose an opportunity for a great social transformation with far-reaching consequences.
This article is not an attempt to establish women’s worthiness to enter politics. The point to be emphasized is that citizens should not be discriminated against on the basis of sex. Saudi women have repeatedly proved their worthiness to serve the nation as much as Saudi men.
I believe that there is still time for the election authorities to review the matter so that a person’s sex does not prevent him or her from contesting or voting. I also believe that the authorities should take all necessary steps in advance so that women will fulfill the necessary conditions and cast their votes without let or hindrance.
* * *
(Maha Al-Hujailan is a Saudi writer.)
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
I missed the bus
A friend called me up at 7:51 am asking me if I was going on the shopping bus today. I haven't decided I said. She said, "Please go I need some tape for the cartonage class this afternoon."
How difficult is it to just walk/drive over to the store and buy masking tape you may ask.
In this country it's like a gigantic task! First of all you'll have to have the knowledge of where it might be sold. Now with the knowledge of where it might be sold, you will have to find the means of getting there. And if you found the way to get there, timing is really crucial because the shops don't open all day and if you happen to go at the wrong time, the shops will be close.
Getting there
Women are not allowed to drive. Period. Apparently if she is allowed to drive then it will give her the ability to meet up with men and commit adultery, thus destroying the moral fibre of the country.
She must also not travel alone. If there was an unrelated man and a woman in a car, the woman must sit in the back seat and the man in the driver's seat. If they were found sitting together by the muttawa then they can accuse the woman of being all sorts of things.
She must always be accompanied by a male muhrim ie either her husband, son, brother etc lest she will stray if not accompanied by a male relative.
If the muttawa doesn't harass her then perhaps the general male public will.
How about walking then?
First of all crossing the roads here is hazardous. The drivers would purposely speed up when they see pedestrian crossing. Perhaps they think its more fun that way.
Now, if a woman were crossing, then she will be honked at or the cars would purposely slow down (not to let her cross the road mind you) just to leer at her and making it even more impossible to cross the road.
And the heat. Well it is hard enough to walk in this heat, but under the oppressive black abaya, it feels like a walking oven really!
Public bus? No way. Filled with leering men who will suddenly all "accidentally" brush against you? No thank you. And judging by the dents they are probably mobile death traps anyway.
Taxi? Well they charge you according to your nationality (which they ask a lot here) or if they know where you are going and can get you there safely.
So the compound where I live provide a bus to bring us women to different shopping places every morning and afternoon. Except of course, I missed the bus this morning!
To go to the Mall where the bus had gone would cost me 35 Riyals. All just to get a 5 Riyal masking tape? *sigh*
Timing
In this country, all shops are required to close during prayer times. No business transactions are allowed. Most places open from 9:30 am - 12 noon. (Or Dzuhur prayers whichever comes first.) They reopen at 4:00 pm then close during Magrib and Isya' for at least 30 minutes during each prayer time.
What if you were shopping halfway and it's time for prayers, they will switch off the lights, chase you away and tell you to come back after prayers.
What do they do from 12 noon to 4 pm? They have their afternoon siesta of course.
I do not know what it is but I just have this feeling that this is a country where a woman's independence is something that scares the men!
I refuse to believe that it has anything to do with religion! During our Prophet Muhammad's time, women do run their own businesses (Khadijah), and even fought in wars (Aishah) but the women now are rendered helpless and dependent upon their men.
Yes I am upset that buying masking tape is such a huge task. I am upset that I have to be so dependent on the male population... just to buy masking tape!!
A friend called me up at 7:51 am asking me if I was going on the shopping bus today. I haven't decided I said. She said, "Please go I need some tape for the cartonage class this afternoon."
How difficult is it to just walk/drive over to the store and buy masking tape you may ask.
In this country it's like a gigantic task! First of all you'll have to have the knowledge of where it might be sold. Now with the knowledge of where it might be sold, you will have to find the means of getting there. And if you found the way to get there, timing is really crucial because the shops don't open all day and if you happen to go at the wrong time, the shops will be close.
Getting there
Women are not allowed to drive. Period. Apparently if she is allowed to drive then it will give her the ability to meet up with men and commit adultery, thus destroying the moral fibre of the country.
She must also not travel alone. If there was an unrelated man and a woman in a car, the woman must sit in the back seat and the man in the driver's seat. If they were found sitting together by the muttawa then they can accuse the woman of being all sorts of things.
She must always be accompanied by a male muhrim ie either her husband, son, brother etc lest she will stray if not accompanied by a male relative.
If the muttawa doesn't harass her then perhaps the general male public will.
How about walking then?
First of all crossing the roads here is hazardous. The drivers would purposely speed up when they see pedestrian crossing. Perhaps they think its more fun that way.
Now, if a woman were crossing, then she will be honked at or the cars would purposely slow down (not to let her cross the road mind you) just to leer at her and making it even more impossible to cross the road.
And the heat. Well it is hard enough to walk in this heat, but under the oppressive black abaya, it feels like a walking oven really!
Public bus? No way. Filled with leering men who will suddenly all "accidentally" brush against you? No thank you. And judging by the dents they are probably mobile death traps anyway.
Taxi? Well they charge you according to your nationality (which they ask a lot here) or if they know where you are going and can get you there safely.
So the compound where I live provide a bus to bring us women to different shopping places every morning and afternoon. Except of course, I missed the bus this morning!
To go to the Mall where the bus had gone would cost me 35 Riyals. All just to get a 5 Riyal masking tape? *sigh*
Timing
In this country, all shops are required to close during prayer times. No business transactions are allowed. Most places open from 9:30 am - 12 noon. (Or Dzuhur prayers whichever comes first.) They reopen at 4:00 pm then close during Magrib and Isya' for at least 30 minutes during each prayer time.
What if you were shopping halfway and it's time for prayers, they will switch off the lights, chase you away and tell you to come back after prayers.
What do they do from 12 noon to 4 pm? They have their afternoon siesta of course.
I do not know what it is but I just have this feeling that this is a country where a woman's independence is something that scares the men!
I refuse to believe that it has anything to do with religion! During our Prophet Muhammad's time, women do run their own businesses (Khadijah), and even fought in wars (Aishah) but the women now are rendered helpless and dependent upon their men.
Yes I am upset that buying masking tape is such a huge task. I am upset that I have to be so dependent on the male population... just to buy masking tape!!
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Its been awhile
I havent updated my blog for a while as suddenly I am inundated by a flurry of activities. Most of the expatriate families are back from their summer holidays and thus the social life within the compound has picked up.
Being the private person that I am, I did find all this socializing somewhat difficult. Especially when you are invited to someone's house for lunch and you know you are expected to return the favour in the future.
I hosted such a lunch a couple of weeks ago and I am not even sure if I would be interested to host another one! My house was taken over by nine children and a dozen adults. I didn't mind the adults so much but the children!! Argghh!
As a result, I now have a multicoloured sofa which used to be a nice and clean cream coloured, my beige carpet has some polka dots on them, my souvenir from Paris is broken and the corner of my headrest pillow has been chewed off. Upset! Of course I am. But I can't really tell their respective parents what to do with their children can I?
Why did the parents let the children run amok and misbehave themselves? Didn't they teach their children some manners and told them to behave appropriately in other people's houses?
I've been asked by this other lady to invite her and her family to my house. You see its a novelty to them, being invited to a villa in the compound. I guess they just want to gawk and look at my European neighours. But I assure you dear readers, there isn't much to see. Sure there are some who sit by the pool in their bikinis. (There is one man who sits there everyday in his G string trunks bur errkkkk its NOT that interesting.) Perhaps I see them everyday and thus I don't find it interesting at all. Or perhaps I do feel that I would like to protect their privacy as much as I hope that they will protect mine.
I guess I am very much like a hermit who is happy to crawl in my own shell, in my own world, as long as I have internet access and my books.
I havent updated my blog for a while as suddenly I am inundated by a flurry of activities. Most of the expatriate families are back from their summer holidays and thus the social life within the compound has picked up.
Being the private person that I am, I did find all this socializing somewhat difficult. Especially when you are invited to someone's house for lunch and you know you are expected to return the favour in the future.
I hosted such a lunch a couple of weeks ago and I am not even sure if I would be interested to host another one! My house was taken over by nine children and a dozen adults. I didn't mind the adults so much but the children!! Argghh!
As a result, I now have a multicoloured sofa which used to be a nice and clean cream coloured, my beige carpet has some polka dots on them, my souvenir from Paris is broken and the corner of my headrest pillow has been chewed off. Upset! Of course I am. But I can't really tell their respective parents what to do with their children can I?
Why did the parents let the children run amok and misbehave themselves? Didn't they teach their children some manners and told them to behave appropriately in other people's houses?
I've been asked by this other lady to invite her and her family to my house. You see its a novelty to them, being invited to a villa in the compound. I guess they just want to gawk and look at my European neighours. But I assure you dear readers, there isn't much to see. Sure there are some who sit by the pool in their bikinis. (There is one man who sits there everyday in his G string trunks bur errkkkk its NOT that interesting.) Perhaps I see them everyday and thus I don't find it interesting at all. Or perhaps I do feel that I would like to protect their privacy as much as I hope that they will protect mine.
I guess I am very much like a hermit who is happy to crawl in my own shell, in my own world, as long as I have internet access and my books.
Sunday, August 29, 2004
From Arab news.com
What Is Wrong With Arabs?
Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi, kbatarfi@al-madina.com.sa
An American reader, Gordon Reade, sent me the following question, which is no doubt on the minds of many:
“In America our history books say that while Europe was mired in the dark ages, the Arabs led the world in art, education, science, math, philosophy, military power and you name it. According to our books, a thousand years ago the Arabs were every bit as powerful as America is today.
But what our books don’t tell us is what went wrong. The Arabs of today would be virtually unrecognizable to the Arabs of the past. Clearly you guys suffered some tremendous catastrophe long before 1967 and long before 1948. What went wrong and when did it happen? Do the Arabs have a name for it?”
I answered him: True, we ruled and enlightened the world for some thousand years, reaching China, India, Central Asia, Africa, Spain and northern Europe.
Our contributions to science and culture were immeasurable. They included the invention of the zero, algebra and the astrolabe and the discovery of blood circulation.
We translated Greek, Indian and Persian literary treasures and added our own. Then, we fought each other and the Ottoman Turks took over the Islamic Caliphate and united its disintegrated empire. While the Turks are not Arabs, they are Muslims.
At the time, they used Arabic alphabet and ruled our world in the name of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as his successors “Caliphs”.
The Ottomans were once the most powerful nation on earth. They ruled supreme for many centuries. At the end of 19th century, they began to decline. Their mistake was the one oft repeated by many empires.
They felt so invincible that they had no need to consult with anyone regarding anything they did in the world, no matter how vital or colossal. Arrogance and mistreatment of subject people led to revolts, including some in Arab countries. Still, their rule continued until World War I when they and their allies, the Germans, were defeated.
The Western victors then took over and colonized the Arab world, lasting up to the late sixties. They left behind dictatorial regimes; most still rule today with Western support. America, alone, installed some of the most horrible regimes and leaders like Saddam Hussein and others.
Today, the Arabs suffer from a decline on all fronts. Politically, most of us are prisoners to emergency and revolutionary rules.
Economically, altogether we produce every year less than Spain. Culturally, we print fewer than one percent of the books in the world. We have questionable levels of poverty, quality of education and unemployment rates. That says it all.
What Is Wrong With Arabs?
Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi, kbatarfi@al-madina.com.sa
An American reader, Gordon Reade, sent me the following question, which is no doubt on the minds of many:
“In America our history books say that while Europe was mired in the dark ages, the Arabs led the world in art, education, science, math, philosophy, military power and you name it. According to our books, a thousand years ago the Arabs were every bit as powerful as America is today.
But what our books don’t tell us is what went wrong. The Arabs of today would be virtually unrecognizable to the Arabs of the past. Clearly you guys suffered some tremendous catastrophe long before 1967 and long before 1948. What went wrong and when did it happen? Do the Arabs have a name for it?”
I answered him: True, we ruled and enlightened the world for some thousand years, reaching China, India, Central Asia, Africa, Spain and northern Europe.
Our contributions to science and culture were immeasurable. They included the invention of the zero, algebra and the astrolabe and the discovery of blood circulation.
We translated Greek, Indian and Persian literary treasures and added our own. Then, we fought each other and the Ottoman Turks took over the Islamic Caliphate and united its disintegrated empire. While the Turks are not Arabs, they are Muslims.
At the time, they used Arabic alphabet and ruled our world in the name of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as his successors “Caliphs”.
The Ottomans were once the most powerful nation on earth. They ruled supreme for many centuries. At the end of 19th century, they began to decline. Their mistake was the one oft repeated by many empires.
They felt so invincible that they had no need to consult with anyone regarding anything they did in the world, no matter how vital or colossal. Arrogance and mistreatment of subject people led to revolts, including some in Arab countries. Still, their rule continued until World War I when they and their allies, the Germans, were defeated.
The Western victors then took over and colonized the Arab world, lasting up to the late sixties. They left behind dictatorial regimes; most still rule today with Western support. America, alone, installed some of the most horrible regimes and leaders like Saddam Hussein and others.
Today, the Arabs suffer from a decline on all fronts. Politically, most of us are prisoners to emergency and revolutionary rules.
Economically, altogether we produce every year less than Spain. Culturally, we print fewer than one percent of the books in the world. We have questionable levels of poverty, quality of education and unemployment rates. That says it all.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Social life picking up
With September coming up within the week, many families have returned to KSA and the compound is now bustling with people and activities. Met more women on the compound bus that shuttles us women to the shopping malls and souks. Yes, as there isn't much that a woman can do here thus shopping and socializing become primary activities.
I had a session with the personal trainer today. I decided that I needed to go the gym and start working out after last Friday. What happened last Friday? I had an open house for some new friends here. Invited families who invited me over to their house previously and some people whom we have spent our time with dining out. One couple had a baby about a year old. I carried that baby for about 45 minutes (perhaps its shorter than that but boy it felt THAT long!) And the whole night after that I could not sleep as the whole of my left side was aching. Yes I was carrying the baby on my left arm all that time. My arms and shoulders were pulsating in pain that night! There was some temporary relief with DeepHeat and panadol but as soon as those wear off, the pain came back again. So I thought I should start working out to improve my stamina and my upper body strength.
My personal trainer is this cute muscular guy from Cairo. He has yummy biceps and flat stomach. I may not understand him all the time but its allright, as long as I get to watch him demonstrate the excercises to me.
I hope to have sessions with him twice a week, with once a week of aerobics and twice a week working on my own on the treadmill and the bicycle. Hopefully I will have a new body if we choose to go back for Eid.
My trainer told me not to eat any carbohydrates and sugar from now on. I think thats a huge challenge. But thank god unlike Atkins he told me I can eat fruits and vegetables as much as I want. No fats as well too (but he didn't specifically mention no chocolates hehehehe I got 3 packs of sugar-free Hersheys dark chocolate today).
SO what should I do with the 5 packs of dried rice noodles and 5 packs of pasta that I have in my larder?
With September coming up within the week, many families have returned to KSA and the compound is now bustling with people and activities. Met more women on the compound bus that shuttles us women to the shopping malls and souks. Yes, as there isn't much that a woman can do here thus shopping and socializing become primary activities.
I had a session with the personal trainer today. I decided that I needed to go the gym and start working out after last Friday. What happened last Friday? I had an open house for some new friends here. Invited families who invited me over to their house previously and some people whom we have spent our time with dining out. One couple had a baby about a year old. I carried that baby for about 45 minutes (perhaps its shorter than that but boy it felt THAT long!) And the whole night after that I could not sleep as the whole of my left side was aching. Yes I was carrying the baby on my left arm all that time. My arms and shoulders were pulsating in pain that night! There was some temporary relief with DeepHeat and panadol but as soon as those wear off, the pain came back again. So I thought I should start working out to improve my stamina and my upper body strength.
My personal trainer is this cute muscular guy from Cairo. He has yummy biceps and flat stomach. I may not understand him all the time but its allright, as long as I get to watch him demonstrate the excercises to me.
I hope to have sessions with him twice a week, with once a week of aerobics and twice a week working on my own on the treadmill and the bicycle. Hopefully I will have a new body if we choose to go back for Eid.
My trainer told me not to eat any carbohydrates and sugar from now on. I think thats a huge challenge. But thank god unlike Atkins he told me I can eat fruits and vegetables as much as I want. No fats as well too (but he didn't specifically mention no chocolates hehehehe I got 3 packs of sugar-free Hersheys dark chocolate today).
SO what should I do with the 5 packs of dried rice noodles and 5 packs of pasta that I have in my larder?
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
School Reunions
Its been 15 years since I left my secondary school and I haven't gone back since. I guess I still carry the school name with me sometimes. When I apply for some jobs in Singapore or related to Singapore.
Anyhow I got an email from an old classmate asking me if I was in town and if I was interested in attending a reunion. On one hand, I was glad that I was not in town, thus I don't really need an excuse for not coming. On the other hand, it would have been interesting to go. Or NOT.
You see I was once this geeky kid in secondary school. Yes I am one of those they made fun of. I had HUGE white framed glasses. My parents were very thrify thus I only go for haircuts once in a year or two years. I only get to wear BATA shoes. And I don't even know how to start being cool.
I did hate those years in that school. I was so out of place there. I had some friends but not real ones. I was the outcast, and I guess I stayed an outcast. So much so I am out of the country now. Now 15 years later, I am in touch with perhaps just 3 people. 2 whom I met up 2 years ago and 1 who I exchange email with ocassionally.
Which is why I thought it would be interesting to go. To see how the other girls have been. I guess most of them have big important jobs now.
But more importantly, I am happy with myself. I am happy with the life I choose to lead and journeys I made. So I guess I may have gone afterall, to see how the rest of my peers have grown. Or not.
Perhaps next time :)
Its been 15 years since I left my secondary school and I haven't gone back since. I guess I still carry the school name with me sometimes. When I apply for some jobs in Singapore or related to Singapore.
Anyhow I got an email from an old classmate asking me if I was in town and if I was interested in attending a reunion. On one hand, I was glad that I was not in town, thus I don't really need an excuse for not coming. On the other hand, it would have been interesting to go. Or NOT.
You see I was once this geeky kid in secondary school. Yes I am one of those they made fun of. I had HUGE white framed glasses. My parents were very thrify thus I only go for haircuts once in a year or two years. I only get to wear BATA shoes. And I don't even know how to start being cool.
I did hate those years in that school. I was so out of place there. I had some friends but not real ones. I was the outcast, and I guess I stayed an outcast. So much so I am out of the country now. Now 15 years later, I am in touch with perhaps just 3 people. 2 whom I met up 2 years ago and 1 who I exchange email with ocassionally.
Which is why I thought it would be interesting to go. To see how the other girls have been. I guess most of them have big important jobs now.
But more importantly, I am happy with myself. I am happy with the life I choose to lead and journeys I made. So I guess I may have gone afterall, to see how the rest of my peers have grown. Or not.
Perhaps next time :)
Saturday, August 14, 2004
The changing face of Singapore?
As Singapore hopes to launch into a new era with the swearing in of PM Lee Hsien Loong, a new face of another Singaporean is also shown on TV ... Steven Lim. A friend of mine asked, if I heard of Steven Lim yet and my answer was "No."
And then I found out about the self professed, "Handsome Boy" who is a street eyebrow plucker (at the corner of Tangs apparently), babysitter and stipper (are strippers legal in SIngapore?).
S'pore Idol: Best local comedy? provided a good insight for me into this new phenomena in Singapore (for I have been away far too long) and lo and behold, lots of opinions about this Singapore-Superaction-Hero!
Meet super Steve;
Singapore's very own Super Action Hero is game for everything
By TAN SHZR EE
IT'S a bird. It's a plane. No, it's Steven Lim, 28, aka Singapore's Super Action Hero, Protector of Local Civilians, all the way from Ang Mo Kio.
Walk around Orchard Road on an afternoon, or in your friendly neighbourhood, and you just might bump into a buff former boutique supervisor who has upgraded himself into a hyperactive Saviour, ready to conquer the day.
'I am gorgeous, I am a hunk, I am fearless. Yes! Yes! Make me, make me famous,' Super Action Hero says when you first speak to him over the phone.
On his website sg.geocities.com sghunk1976/SgHunkWeb.html, which has garnered 26,000 hits since it was set up last year, are pictures of himself.
He proclaims: 'U can call me Super Hero if u want to. My dear fans, you can print my pic and make it into poster and paste it in ur cupboards and walls.'
Posing in just a pair of yellow swimming trunks, he goes on: 'I made it look so good! E-mail me for more information on fast weight Gain/Loss and physical training.'
He adds: 'I am more handsome than Pierre Png! Serious!!! N dun keep shaking your head!!! ha ha.'
Bizarre? Quite. A gimmick? Perhaps.
You e-mail him to request for an interview. He agrees immediately, raring to don his gear for a 'Meet-the-Civilians' session in a coffeeshop. 'So exciting,' he says.
When you finally see the man, he is exactly as he says he is - if not more sparky with his uber-talk, and also very likeable.
Extreme makeover
FIRST, we visit the Foreigners' House Of Costumes in Middle Road for a Batman cape. Its manager, Ms Kem K, is almost speechless, shaking her head at our star's pro-activity: 'He's good. He's a natural.'
Super Action Hero shakes his head, too, emphatically: 'No, no, not Batman. Otherwise, the girls cannot see my face.'
He tries on a Tarzan getup, and proceeds to do last-minute pushups for a final toning of his biceps. We eventually settle on a Superman outfit, and when the kit comes on, we saunter to a coffeeshop nearby for photos.
'I shy leh, I nervous leh,' he says, apparently anxious about his first photoshoot in costume. But you couldn't tell from his body language.
He leaps onto chairs and flings his cloak around. Astonished onlookers laugh, point, wince, whisper and cheer.
He sweeps gungho student Agnes Teo, 16, into his arms, rescuing her from would-be evil lunchtime diners: 'Wah, Gigi Leung, I like!'
She swoons: 'Cool. I feel like I'm in a comic strip.' But if this is all an act for her, it is apparently not so for Lim, the man behind the Hero - at least in personality anyway.
'I'm like that. I'm me - always been like that. I want to make people laugh. Even if it's at me. I'm thick-skinned. I'm not harming anyone. Heck the opinions. I'm funny, have above-average figure and am extremely nice. I put a smile on their faces.'
You almost believe him. Every step of the way he is constantly talking, thinking and laughing. At one point, he tells you unembarrassedly: While his effervescence was god-given, the physique has not always been so.
Long ago, he was a shrimp-like Nanyang Polytechnic marketing graduate who wore glasses and worked as a boutique supervisor.
Two years ago, he simply decided he had 'to do something about my life'. He was proud of his poly diploma, and used his marketing knowledge to transform himself.
As the son of well-known local artist Lim Leong Seng, and also cousin to xinyao (Singapore melody) pioneer Liang Wern Fook, he also comes from impressive arts pedigree.
He learnt to dance and sing, watching TV and surfing the Internet.
He went on a weight-gain campaign, putting on 20kg in six months. Now, he packs a 1.78m frame with 80kg of muscle.
He underwent Lasik corrective eye surgery and quit his job. To make ends meet, he began peddling his personality to people on the street as a hyperactive eyebrow plucker.
'I made this decision around the time my grandfather died. It made me think about what to do with my life,' he recalls. 'A friend had taught me the eyebrow skills, and I thought: All I have to do is learn this and sell myself! And make lots of money!'
Today, he still stands around Orchard Road every afternoon, ready to pounce on innocent bystanders to save them from bushy facial hair. 'But I don't pluck so much these days, because I am trying to nurture my new career - as a Super Action Hero.' It's a stepping stone
HE SIGNED up for Star Search 2003, and got into the top 100 hopefuls. He's considering Singapore Idol, when it comes round later in the year, and 'will definitely win $50,000, Surviving The Sky challenge'.
The latter is Singapore's first reality event, to be held at Singapore Cable Car on March 16, pitting different international teams to a seven-day endurance test in the air.
But for all the talk, what does Super Action Hero really know about civil defence? And how many hapless damsels has he saved here?
'Well, not that many,' says the man, who still lives with his parents and a younger brother in a five-room HDB flat. 'But you see, this is a stepping stone to become something greater.'
He wants to become MediaCorp's Next Big Thing. He wants to do movies. Host chat-shows. Make it big. And make it rich.
It sounds corny. But it is not as surreal as you might think: Strange as he may sound, Super Action Hero is really the crystallisation of the hopes of your average ambitious Singapore dreamer, daring to conquer the world with spirit, bravado and gesture.
He says with a laugh: 'As someone famous once said: If you can't be famous, at least you can be infamous. Huhhuhhuhhuh.'
It is a giggle that can only be described as 'silly'. Yet silly as it sounds, it is infectious enough to make you giggle like a schoolgirl, and wish him armfuls of luck along his way.
He gets on his beloved Phantom 150-cc motorbike and revs up. And whoosh - he is gone, off to save the world.
Send your comments to stlife@sph.com.sg
Copyright 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
The Straits Times (Singapore)
February 22, 2004 Sunday
As Singapore hopes to launch into a new era with the swearing in of PM Lee Hsien Loong, a new face of another Singaporean is also shown on TV ... Steven Lim. A friend of mine asked, if I heard of Steven Lim yet and my answer was "No."
And then I found out about the self professed, "Handsome Boy" who is a street eyebrow plucker (at the corner of Tangs apparently), babysitter and stipper (are strippers legal in SIngapore?).
S'pore Idol: Best local comedy? provided a good insight for me into this new phenomena in Singapore (for I have been away far too long) and lo and behold, lots of opinions about this Singapore-Superaction-Hero!
Meet super Steve;
Singapore's very own Super Action Hero is game for everything
By TAN SHZR EE
IT'S a bird. It's a plane. No, it's Steven Lim, 28, aka Singapore's Super Action Hero, Protector of Local Civilians, all the way from Ang Mo Kio.
Walk around Orchard Road on an afternoon, or in your friendly neighbourhood, and you just might bump into a buff former boutique supervisor who has upgraded himself into a hyperactive Saviour, ready to conquer the day.
'I am gorgeous, I am a hunk, I am fearless. Yes! Yes! Make me, make me famous,' Super Action Hero says when you first speak to him over the phone.
On his website sg.geocities.com sghunk1976/SgHunkWeb.html, which has garnered 26,000 hits since it was set up last year, are pictures of himself.
He proclaims: 'U can call me Super Hero if u want to. My dear fans, you can print my pic and make it into poster and paste it in ur cupboards and walls.'
Posing in just a pair of yellow swimming trunks, he goes on: 'I made it look so good! E-mail me for more information on fast weight Gain/Loss and physical training.'
He adds: 'I am more handsome than Pierre Png! Serious!!! N dun keep shaking your head!!! ha ha.'
Bizarre? Quite. A gimmick? Perhaps.
You e-mail him to request for an interview. He agrees immediately, raring to don his gear for a 'Meet-the-Civilians' session in a coffeeshop. 'So exciting,' he says.
When you finally see the man, he is exactly as he says he is - if not more sparky with his uber-talk, and also very likeable.
Extreme makeover
FIRST, we visit the Foreigners' House Of Costumes in Middle Road for a Batman cape. Its manager, Ms Kem K, is almost speechless, shaking her head at our star's pro-activity: 'He's good. He's a natural.'
Super Action Hero shakes his head, too, emphatically: 'No, no, not Batman. Otherwise, the girls cannot see my face.'
He tries on a Tarzan getup, and proceeds to do last-minute pushups for a final toning of his biceps. We eventually settle on a Superman outfit, and when the kit comes on, we saunter to a coffeeshop nearby for photos.
'I shy leh, I nervous leh,' he says, apparently anxious about his first photoshoot in costume. But you couldn't tell from his body language.
He leaps onto chairs and flings his cloak around. Astonished onlookers laugh, point, wince, whisper and cheer.
He sweeps gungho student Agnes Teo, 16, into his arms, rescuing her from would-be evil lunchtime diners: 'Wah, Gigi Leung, I like!'
She swoons: 'Cool. I feel like I'm in a comic strip.' But if this is all an act for her, it is apparently not so for Lim, the man behind the Hero - at least in personality anyway.
'I'm like that. I'm me - always been like that. I want to make people laugh. Even if it's at me. I'm thick-skinned. I'm not harming anyone. Heck the opinions. I'm funny, have above-average figure and am extremely nice. I put a smile on their faces.'
You almost believe him. Every step of the way he is constantly talking, thinking and laughing. At one point, he tells you unembarrassedly: While his effervescence was god-given, the physique has not always been so.
Long ago, he was a shrimp-like Nanyang Polytechnic marketing graduate who wore glasses and worked as a boutique supervisor.
Two years ago, he simply decided he had 'to do something about my life'. He was proud of his poly diploma, and used his marketing knowledge to transform himself.
As the son of well-known local artist Lim Leong Seng, and also cousin to xinyao (Singapore melody) pioneer Liang Wern Fook, he also comes from impressive arts pedigree.
He learnt to dance and sing, watching TV and surfing the Internet.
He went on a weight-gain campaign, putting on 20kg in six months. Now, he packs a 1.78m frame with 80kg of muscle.
He underwent Lasik corrective eye surgery and quit his job. To make ends meet, he began peddling his personality to people on the street as a hyperactive eyebrow plucker.
'I made this decision around the time my grandfather died. It made me think about what to do with my life,' he recalls. 'A friend had taught me the eyebrow skills, and I thought: All I have to do is learn this and sell myself! And make lots of money!'
Today, he still stands around Orchard Road every afternoon, ready to pounce on innocent bystanders to save them from bushy facial hair. 'But I don't pluck so much these days, because I am trying to nurture my new career - as a Super Action Hero.' It's a stepping stone
HE SIGNED up for Star Search 2003, and got into the top 100 hopefuls. He's considering Singapore Idol, when it comes round later in the year, and 'will definitely win $50,000, Surviving The Sky challenge'.
The latter is Singapore's first reality event, to be held at Singapore Cable Car on March 16, pitting different international teams to a seven-day endurance test in the air.
But for all the talk, what does Super Action Hero really know about civil defence? And how many hapless damsels has he saved here?
'Well, not that many,' says the man, who still lives with his parents and a younger brother in a five-room HDB flat. 'But you see, this is a stepping stone to become something greater.'
He wants to become MediaCorp's Next Big Thing. He wants to do movies. Host chat-shows. Make it big. And make it rich.
It sounds corny. But it is not as surreal as you might think: Strange as he may sound, Super Action Hero is really the crystallisation of the hopes of your average ambitious Singapore dreamer, daring to conquer the world with spirit, bravado and gesture.
He says with a laugh: 'As someone famous once said: If you can't be famous, at least you can be infamous. Huhhuhhuhhuh.'
It is a giggle that can only be described as 'silly'. Yet silly as it sounds, it is infectious enough to make you giggle like a schoolgirl, and wish him armfuls of luck along his way.
He gets on his beloved Phantom 150-cc motorbike and revs up. And whoosh - he is gone, off to save the world.
Send your comments to stlife@sph.com.sg
Copyright 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
The Straits Times (Singapore)
February 22, 2004 Sunday
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Voice within the walls
PE for Girls Plays Out
Raid Qusti, rqusti@arabnews.com
The saddest thing about all this is that Muslims all over the world look to us Saudis and to Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, as role models. Thus when they realize that we have banned PE in girls’ school for the past 40 years and continue to do so, linking it to our religion which gives equality to men and women and respect to both in the highest way, what are they to think? That PE is un-Islamic. This is the unfortunate message that we might be sending to the rest of the world.
I read the above article with both interest and saddness. And true enough I won't be surprise that in a few years time if Kelantan stays under PAS then the girls there too, wont have any PE.
Lets hope that we will never come to that.
PE for Girls Plays Out
Raid Qusti, rqusti@arabnews.com
The saddest thing about all this is that Muslims all over the world look to us Saudis and to Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, as role models. Thus when they realize that we have banned PE in girls’ school for the past 40 years and continue to do so, linking it to our religion which gives equality to men and women and respect to both in the highest way, what are they to think? That PE is un-Islamic. This is the unfortunate message that we might be sending to the rest of the world.
I read the above article with both interest and saddness. And true enough I won't be surprise that in a few years time if Kelantan stays under PAS then the girls there too, wont have any PE.
Lets hope that we will never come to that.
Hello, I am a pushover .....
What if you met a new “friend” and that “friend” annoys the hell out of you?
Do you:
a) Tell them exactly what you think? (*#% Off! I am not one of your daughters for you to mother!)
b) Be really polite and take as much as you can when you have to.
c) Stay away, don’t call and try to avoid meeting/phonecalls whenever possible.
d) Move away to another country
Yes yes, its true, I am sometimes a pushover. I am a pushover out of politeness to people. I would like to be a grateful person, a considerate person, a polite person and a forgiving person. And because of that, I am a pushover.
But sometimes its goddamned hard!
As you already know I moved to a new city recently. And with a new city comes the prospect of making new acquaintances and new friends. Sometimes you meet people who are well meaning, they know you are new to the city and they want to show the ropes to you. I do welcome this myself but only to a certain extend.
I am inherently a loner. I like lots of personal space. I am comfortable with my own company as long as I have the internet, my books, my airconditioned rooms and my loved one.
I do appreciate friends and my experience has taught me that friends come and go over the years, its only the good ones that stay. I do have a few friends. I don’t have a lot, just a few. People who I genuinely care about. If they regard me as a friend, I am happy, if not, c’est la vie.
But this new acquaintance, unfortunately, I feel is stifling me. I have not yet regarded her as a friend as I am partly by nature a suspicious person and also a private person. Thus I do not appreciate people who impose themselves onto me. Especially when I feel that I am being preached upon or judgement is being made about me, when I feel the person does not know me, where I am coming from and what I am about. I do not expect people who know what I am about all at once, but please, do not tell me what I should or should not do. I do not tell my whole life history in one sitting. I only share my real thoughts with someone when I think I can trust them and when I am comfortable with them and all that takes times.
Why am I writing about this? Because I am a little upset. I feel that my space has been invaded and thus I react my moving farther away.
But I have to be polite still. I need to show some gratitude for the kindness that she has shown me. But sometimes I just do feel like telling her to mind her own business and run her own life, not mine.
I understand that she is merely trying to be helpful and yes I appreciate that. But I still need to breathe.
May Allah make me a stronger, patient and nicer person. I don’t want to be unkind or ungrateful.
I just like my space.
What if you met a new “friend” and that “friend” annoys the hell out of you?
Do you:
a) Tell them exactly what you think? (*#% Off! I am not one of your daughters for you to mother!)
b) Be really polite and take as much as you can when you have to.
c) Stay away, don’t call and try to avoid meeting/phonecalls whenever possible.
d) Move away to another country
Yes yes, its true, I am sometimes a pushover. I am a pushover out of politeness to people. I would like to be a grateful person, a considerate person, a polite person and a forgiving person. And because of that, I am a pushover.
But sometimes its goddamned hard!
As you already know I moved to a new city recently. And with a new city comes the prospect of making new acquaintances and new friends. Sometimes you meet people who are well meaning, they know you are new to the city and they want to show the ropes to you. I do welcome this myself but only to a certain extend.
I am inherently a loner. I like lots of personal space. I am comfortable with my own company as long as I have the internet, my books, my airconditioned rooms and my loved one.
I do appreciate friends and my experience has taught me that friends come and go over the years, its only the good ones that stay. I do have a few friends. I don’t have a lot, just a few. People who I genuinely care about. If they regard me as a friend, I am happy, if not, c’est la vie.
But this new acquaintance, unfortunately, I feel is stifling me. I have not yet regarded her as a friend as I am partly by nature a suspicious person and also a private person. Thus I do not appreciate people who impose themselves onto me. Especially when I feel that I am being preached upon or judgement is being made about me, when I feel the person does not know me, where I am coming from and what I am about. I do not expect people who know what I am about all at once, but please, do not tell me what I should or should not do. I do not tell my whole life history in one sitting. I only share my real thoughts with someone when I think I can trust them and when I am comfortable with them and all that takes times.
Why am I writing about this? Because I am a little upset. I feel that my space has been invaded and thus I react my moving farther away.
But I have to be polite still. I need to show some gratitude for the kindness that she has shown me. But sometimes I just do feel like telling her to mind her own business and run her own life, not mine.
I understand that she is merely trying to be helpful and yes I appreciate that. But I still need to breathe.
May Allah make me a stronger, patient and nicer person. I don’t want to be unkind or ungrateful.
I just like my space.
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