The hottest non-Covid related news in Singapore has come from a random Chinese guy who confronted an interracial couple and started berating them for being “racist” because they were “interracial” and not dating within their own community. The guy in the relationship, who happens to be ethnic Indian, was told that it was “predatory” for an Indian guy to be dating a Chinese girl. The girl had the good sense to video the entire exchange and it’s become an internet sensation. Details of the story can be found at:
The confrontation
which was recorded can be seen at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHFhIufT1Tc
As this story
involves Singapore’s much hyped up “racial harmony,” the powers that be were
quick to weigh in. Our Minister of Home Affairs and Justice (for some reason,
its not a conflict of interest to be both write and enforce the laws in
Singapore), Mr. K Shanmugam weighed in and expressed his anxiety that
Singapore’s race relations might not be moving in the right direction. The
story can be found at:
The only positive
thing that one could say is that this is probably a “lone nut” incident. As a
generalization Singaporeans tend to keep their feelings pretty much to
themselves and only vent online. Whatever is said of our feelings towards “race,”
its usually kept to online post. Furthermore, this incident is particular in as
much as its “race-specific,” rather than “nationality-specific.” If you look at
the “anti” sentiments online, you’ll notice that they’re directed towards “Indians
from India” or “Chinese from China” rather than Singaporeans of Chinese or
Indian descent.
It’s also
heartening that Singaporeans of all races did come out to support the couple as
the following tweet shows:
Having said all
of that, the experience was undoubtedly traumatic for the couple. There should
be no doubt that what they had to encounter was disgusting and should not have
happened to them in the first place. Mr. David Parkash, the man involved has
taken to Facebook to express his feelings:
While this
incident is disgusting, we should take stock as to what we need to do in order
to improve our intercommunal relations. This incident has shown that while
Singapore’s race-relations are pretty good (we’re not about to experience a “George
Floyd” moment, more can be done and the powers that be can take a more active
role in trying to get people to “mingle” more. Sure, whenever something
happens, the government will come out swinging the club for racial harmony and
making all sorts of announcements about how racial harmony is hard won and cannot
be taken for granted. We have laws like ethnic quotas in housing estates to
prevent “ghettos” from developing.
However, while
these measures have been successful, do they go far enough? While
race-relations are good on the surface, we’ve not reached the stage where
people think of “skin-colour” as incidental and to a slight extent, the system
keeps a simmering of racial tension around because, well it’s convenient.
Let’s start
with election season and the hunt for the next Prime Minister. Singapore likes
to present itself as a multi-ethnic place that does not discriminate against
anyone, unlike say, our neighbour to the north that has very specific laws that
discriminate in favour of a certain community.
Yet, despite
that, we still an official line that the “Older Generation is not ready for a non-Chinese
Prime Minister” and that’s the official version. You have politicians who still
talk about how dark certain parts of the country are because the majority of
people there are South Asian labourers.
While I’m not
going to go into the semantics of whether the older generation is ready for a
non-Chinese Prime Minister. What I would question is why is a government, which
is so proud of fostering “racial harmony” not leading the effort to change things?
I’ve argued in
a previous posting that the best way to do that is through fiction. In America,
there was David Palmer, from the show 24, who was a black president long before
Barak Obama. Get people used to seeing possibilities on TV so that they will
get used to it in real life.
The second area
where the government needs to pay attention is to the concerns of ethnic
minorities. When ethnic minorities voiced their “disapproval” of an advertisement
where a Chinese comedian donned “brown makeup” to play a member of an ethnic minority
back in 2019, they were effectively told to be less sensitive. The minister
leading the charge was non other than Mr. K Shanmugam who actually accused an
Indian rapper for complaining about the “Brownface” Why do we not listen and
solve things when they’re relatively harmless rather than wait till interracial
couples get accosted on the streets.
Do we need to
wait for our “George Floyd” moment? I’d like to think that as a society we won’t
get to that stage. However, it will take leadership that will take a more
proactive role in encouraging genuinely good relations between our many
communities.
1 comment
“For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice, We thank you Lord”. thank you for stating so eloquently in your articles what are the ills of this nation and what needs to be done. But a long time ago I realised it serves the “powers that be” to keep us divided. They have learnt well from their colonial masters to divide and conquer - Refusing to acknowledge their policies (both written n unwritten) that discriminate against minorities. The hypocrisy of many of us who point to our northern neighbours regarding their “bumi” policies, when we have a few of our own. The CECA has serious legitimate concerns but what about the policy of maintaining our racial balance at 75% you know who “because it works”. For who may we ask? But don’t these people and their dependants being let in so easily take up jobs too?. But for the racists in this country that embarrassing FACT needs to be swept under the carpet “because it works for them” Certainly we need new immigrants to shore up our falling birth rates. But doesn’t this policy of allowing people to limbo in unfettered under guise of maintaining the 75% ratio balance, fly in the face of our pledge “to build a democratic society regardless of race language or religion .. based on EQUALITY…..” But worse of all, the caliber of a lot of these people let in under this policy, makes it difficult for integration. Many can’t speak basic English and assume we need to to speak Chinese to accommodate them. Have you not seen this in Hawker centres, retail outlets n markets. In my parents day, many folks couldn’t communicate in English but somehow most could communicate with a smattering of English and Malay at these places, And here we thought many of these type older folks were dying out, but instead they are being replaced. Have we not seen the unfairness of this policy playing out in most activities at old age homes, daycare centres, rehab homes etc being conducted in Mandarin only. Don’t all races pay the same rates! So most minorities would rather keep their older parents at home than subject them to this inequality.So with this policy we can be assured of this happening at all these places going forward intothe next century. As you can see I am not all angry. Sarcasm intended.keepbloggingpls.tks
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