SINGAPORE: On Tuesday (July 8), academic Walid Jumblatt Abdullah presented former President Halimah Yacob with a copy of his book. Why Palestine?: Reflections From Singapore was published by Ethos Press in April.
“Had the honour of gifting my book to our former President, Mdm Halimah Yacob. I called her a voice of ‘moral clarity’ in the book. I do not believe there has been a more important voice than hers for the Palestinian cause in Singapore,” the author, an assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University as well as a political analyst and podcaster, wrote in a Facebook post.
“For me, the more I see our leaders display moral courage, the more proud I feel to be part of this polity,” he added.
Mdm Halimah also shared photos on social media of Assoc Prof Walid gifting her the book which she encouraged others to read.
“Written by a Singaporean, it contributes to meaningful conversations, and informed debate on Gaza,” she wrote.
She had served as a Member of Parliament under the People’s Action Party from 2001 to 2017, representing first Bukit Batok East and then Marsiling. She has the distinction of being both the first female Speaker of Parliament from 2013 to 2017 and Singapore’s first female President from 2017 to 2023, which included the COVID-19 pandemic era.
Read also: Former President Halimah Yacob Honored with Singapore’s Top Award, Celebrated as a Trailblazer
More recently, she has been outspoken about the long-running conflict in the Middle East, especially the current suffering of Palestinian children. She has also amplified Singapore’s response to the conflict, including sharing a statement made by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Her strong stance has not gone without criticism. However, this has not appeared to deter the former President and longtime MP from speaking out.
In her post on Thursday (July 10) Mdm Halimah quoted Assoc Prof Walid: “This book …tries to look at the present conflict and the key themes associated with it ……and is crucially, directed primarily at a Singaporean audience, and for those who wish to understand the variety of perspectives that exist in Singapore.”
“Discourses in the dark, although prevalent in a post-truth world engulfing us today, is a malaise. It does not contribute to deeper knowledge, understanding, or in our search for peaceful resolutions, and blunts deep listening,” she added. /TISG
Read also: Former president Halimah Yacob asks everyone to be kind to single mums
