There is a audio recording circulating the Internet in which two Chinese Singaporean men are poking fun at an Indian Muslim food stallholder by insisting on ordering pork, despite the stallholder repeatedly telling them he serves only halal food.
I was furious when I heard it. It isn’t funny at all. It’s not just extremely insensitive to Indians and Muslims. It is downright racist.
Full-time blogger Xiaxue posted it on her blog and remarked that it was “super funny”. Her post alone attracted over 260 comments, most of which agreed with her.
It turns out the recording was staged — the “Indian” character was actually a Chinese guy and the recording was done at his house. This according to the girlfriend of one of the men who recorded it. However, this does not detract from the gravity of this offensive recording.
Coming hot on the heels of the British reality show Celebrity Big Brother in which the participants racially abused Indian actress Shilpa Shetty, this clip and its response has revealed an even uglier side of Singapore. At least in the UK, the participants were roundly criticised by the public. Here in Singapore, most Chinese (including the makers of the podcast) don’t even realise that it is wrong. It makes me wonder if our façade about being a model of “tolerance” and “racial harmony” is a farce.
Chinese Singaporeans really need to engage in some serious introspection about our racist attitudes towards minorities. I have often heard comments from Chinese Singaporeans that “there is no racism in Singapore”, unlike in Australia and the UK. Who are they to make such judgments? Those of us in the majority race would never know what it is like to be a minority in your own land, unless they have lived in as a minority before.
“Chinese speaking environment” preferred
Another thing I’ve noticed recently is how job recruitment ads have evolved. Previously, they used to say “Mandarin speaker required”. Now the wording of choice is “Chinese speaking environment”, with the hope that non-Chinese will shy away from even applying in the first place. We all know that this is just another way for some companies to avoid employing minorities. Just look at these ads and judge for yourselves.
http://www.jobcyclone.com/job_desc.php?d=7383
http://www.bestjobs.com.sg/bt-jobd-unitedpersonnel-314512.htm
http://sg.jobstreet.com/jobs/2006/2/r/20/723622.htm
One of them, Zeal Infotech, asked for a Java programmer who is preferably “able to speak Mandarin” as the candidate “will be working in a Chinese-speaking environment with Chinese Singapore Citizens and PRs, or with Singapore PR invitation letters”! [read: We welcome all Chinese, even if you’re a foreigner, but non-Chinese Singaporeans should think twice before applying.]
This shameful state of affairs has got to stop NOW if Singapore is to become a developed society. It begins in the home. Parents need to realise that every casual generalisation about a certain race leaves a lasting impression on their children, many of whom carry their “inherited” racism for a lifetime without even realising it. But where parenting has failed in this aspect, the education system needs to revise its curriculum to not just preach “tolerance” (which leaves room for people to be racist behind closed doors or under the cloak of anonymity), but inculcate a genuine revulsion for all forms of racism — including employment bias and racist jokes.
Unfortunate to know about it.
You know, i agree racissm is well and alive in Singapore but putting the blame entirely on ” Chinese Singaporeans ” is a complete disregard on the fact that we’r all people. I wont say that we as Chinese are completely pure but neither can i say that any other race in the world aint. Sure, some half assed put up some racist crap on the net, but so do any other race in the world least to say chinese. I believe that racism is a common phenomenom that cannot be removed solely because every race, religeon are different and as long as these differences stand conflict in perception is definite. However i believe that rather then putting a social stigma on this sort of remarks, we should embrace it, not try to cover it up but agree that its a problem. If we keep sweeping dust under the rug, sooner or later its gonna show, why not just live with the fact that theres dust and it needs removing. I know you mean well, but honestly, shifting all blame to one racial group would not help in any way, let alone solve it.
Hi,
For the job recruitment part, I believed certain companies do have genuine reasons for wanting candidates that could communicate in a particular language.
For example, I had worked in a group consisting of all PRC programmers. They can speak a little bit of english but in order to communicate their ideas freely they need to converse in mandarin. In this case I think it is reasonable to specify the language (not the race) as one of the criteria.
As noted, job racial or gender preference is sometimes for more practical reasons than out of racism and sexism. The reason why the wording has changed is because of political correctness. It’s geninuely difficult for the government to enforce anti-racism/anti-sexism laws with regards to employment.
As for the racism issue, I think we need to define and explore racism before we can understand racism. Is saying the phrase “relax one corner” racist? There’s a line can our government and society as chosen to tolerate via ignorance rather than knowing.
I am not optimistic though. The government seeks to ensure social stability and economic progress over higher ideals.
Hi all, thanks for the comments.
Ning – I think it’s better to remove the plank in my (or my race’s) own eye before pointing out a speck in someone else’s. In any case, there are definitely more instances of racism committed by Chinese against other races in S’pore than vice versa. Maybe it’s because as a Chinese, I’m privy to the racist jokes and prejudiced comments that my fellow Chinese avoid saying in the presence of other races.
I think when we have a problem, we should deal with it instead of saying “the other guy also do it to me”.
Anon – I understand your perspective wrt to the working environment. However, your PRC example is a cause for worry. What you are saying is that foreigners have the right to come to OUR country (which belongs to Indians, Malays and others too) and speak THEIR own language to the exclusion of the native-born. And the native-born are denied employment rights in these local companies because the foreigners can’t adapt to them by learning to converse fluently in English? No wonder so many people think that foreign talent are favoured over Singaporeans.
thor – I do not advocate political correctness just for the sake of putting on a facade. Yes, what is or is not racist is sometimes subjective. But I think we need to judge the intent more than the actual deed. Your “relax one corner” example is good. I think it can be used in both a racist and non-racist way, depending on the spirit behind the utterance. It can be used to make a racist, sweeping statement about an entire race (e.g. “bloody m*** always like to go smoke out and relax one corner”); Or it can be used as an informal and harmless figure of speech (e.g. “Oi! Boss go home already, let’s go relax one corner”).
Thank you for writing this, and for linking to the job descriptions. I also saw quite a lot of job descriptions requiring Mandarin speakers (when there was no good reason for doing so). You are doing everyone a favor by criticising this practise and bringing it to Singaporeans’ attention. I totally agree with you and hope that more Chinese Singaporeans will consider what you have said.
There is no doubt about it. The podcast is racist and incredibly childish and immature beyond belief. It makes me very ashamed to know that there are people who find this funny and derive joy from it. Similarly, I find it ridiculous that job ads should segregate folks based on ethnicity. In this day and age, everybody is a global citizen and such archaic practices must go.
I don’t really think this was meant for a racism laugh; its more on the way that indian speaks. BTW, there is another on Youtube with the same 2 guys with a chinese coffeeshop uncle. But either way of making fun out of pple, doesn’t amuse me at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjUX5hB74zs&eurl=
Hi gerald,
i think you have misinterpreted what i have said and i feel that its sort of my responsibility to clarify.
I do agree with you that we should always correct ourselves rather correct others, that is of course an unspoken fact. However i do believe that racism is well and alive all over the world not to mention our tiny island and rather than looking at it and say all chinese are racist, i think we should see it as everyone is racist. This would allow us to handle the problem a tad easier, simply because its not a problem that we as chinese face but a problem we as a country face. The fact that we put such distinction between chinese malays indian and what not is not being fair. Don’t get me wrong i am a a strong believer of racial tolerance. Again i hope im not off tangent or anything, i just felt responsible for saying my part
I’m sad to hear about this story – I have to say, even being a Chinese Singaporean, I’ve suffered name-calling and cruel jokes from other Chinese Singaporeans when I was growing up. (My Chinese was horrendous, and I was cut no slack. My father is from Hong Kong and the only common language between my parents remains English! Not that it matters if a Singaporean Chinese chauvinist wants to make life hell for you. I heard “Why you Chinese don’t speak Chinese?” attack almost constantly.) I noticed often in my life that my Chinese torturers would be the same ones cracking racist jokes and remarks. My parents really set a better example – their preferred language and general openness ensured that our family had, and has, a lot of multi-racial friends and familiar neighbors at all times. In that kind of atmosphere, racist jokes just have no place.
teck soon and cool insider – thanks for standing up against racism!
anon @ 4:11 PM – the authors of the podcast may not have intended to insult, but their ignorance has produced the same effect. I’m less concerned about the mimicking of accents than I am about insults to people’s religion.
Ning – I knew your intentions were good. Thank you for clarifying, though. You feel we shouldn’t target just one race in our anti-discrimination efforts when all people are racist in some form or another. While in principle that is sound reasoning, in reality, this approach is often used by some (not saying you) as a tactic to delay much-needed change in society. I feel that we should first tackle the problem where it is the most serious – i.e. in the Chinese community – before ensuring that other races also don’t “reverse discriminate’.
overseans s’porean – I can totally relate to your situation, cos I was consistently last (or 2nd last) in class in Chinese in a school that is known for its poor Chinese! :P
However I’d hesitate to agree that the so-called Chinese chauvinists are the most racist. I’ve seen English-speaking types (some in very senior positions) who also have racist attitudes. The difference is that the latter don’t do stupid things like record racist podcasts and demonstrate to the world their bigotry.
i believe it is illegal in the states to post such adv discriminating race, gender and sexual orientation. and the company that posted such discriminating statement can be subjected to lawsuit….
Its a sad thing.
An offence may be made out for that YouTube posting.
Penal Code Section 298
Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person.
298. Whoever, with deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person, utters any word or makes any sound in the hearing of that person, or makes any gesture in the sight of that person, or places any object in the sight of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
I don’t understand why the blogosphere seem to enjoy claiming how evil and “racist” the video is, when in fact it wasn’t a race that was made fun of, but a person from a certain RELIGION.
There is a huge difference between racist and making fun of a religion.
I make fun of Christians all the time, but no one calls me racist.
We are not really racist, it’s just that many of us especially the older ones think that most malay people are bad in nature as you can see more malay teenagers than chinese teenagers join gangs, involve in criminal incidents etc etc. Maybe we just want to stay away from them. They just won’t learn. Take my new neighbour for example. They moved in about a few weeks ago with 4 kids. Those kids are really annoying. They keep on playing soccer even though all the other neighbours complained. They just won’t stop playing. At first we told them nicely to play downstairs but they act like nothing happened. Sorry if my comments are abit racist but that’s what I think though.
Annie – The reason why people in the US can sue for discrimination is because they have legislation that makes discrimination illegal. Unfortunately in Singapore, Govt refuses to legislate it, preferring “educating” and “working with employers” without backing it up with some teeth. I don’t see why they can’t have BOTH legislation AND education.
Can I request for everyone to give yourself a NAME rather than post as Anonymous? It’s difficult for me to respond if everyone is Anonymous. THanks.
Anon @ 7:38pm – Apparently YouTube has removed the post because of a Terms of Service violation (they too ban racist content). Yes, this is certainly a chargeable offense. I doubt the makers realised this. Serves them right if they kena charged.
Anon @ 6.30am – You’re right. Can you expand my vocab and suggest a word for me to use? Theocracist?
Anon @ 6.00pm – I think we don’t do our society any favours by generalising a certain race. Have you got stats to back up the claim that more Malays join gangs? Or is it just a perception because you more easily notice a “gang” of Malays vs a “gang” of Chinese? You have legitimate reasons for complaint against your neighbour. But why assume they are like that because they are Malay? They are just inconsiderate human beings.
In any case, even if what you say about Malays is true, it does not excuse these 3 donkeys from making a clip insulting Muslims.
Gerald,
There have been a number of comments pointing that you are actually one of the “covert” activists who are enlisted,i.e voluntarily agreed or paid for, to influence views in the blogosphere contrary to the government stands or agenda.
Can you give a straight answer yes and no to that claim?
Remember, you are answering and are accountable to your heart. Whichever your answer, as long as it is honest, your family can be proud of that!
Hi Sylvia, I think we should assume that indians are muslims. :)
Almost ashamed to be called Chinese.
I was tempted to make a multilingual rap response attacking the authors, but alas, the original video was taken down before I could do so.
And practical reasons? It makes assumptions about your race: e.g. you must be Chinese to speak Chinese, (or if you are Chinese you must speak Chinese). I’m learning Sanskrit this year, and from there hopefully branch into the descendant Indo-Aryan languages.
I want to spite every person who bears prejudice about one’s languages and one’s culture based on their race, as well as social position based on language. These ignorant individuals who bear such stereotypes should be well duly slapped.
Racism exists in Singapore. Let us then, recognise it and actively shame it to death.
answer me 2 questions.
If a white man speaks Chinese, and Chinese people laugh at him.
Is that racism?
If you speak a language rather than your mother tongue, and with a obvious accent, people think it’s funny, do you think people racist against you?
people say this, people say that
in reality, nobody cares and it continues on and on until God knows when
why not we, the minority (Indians, Malays, Muslims, all others save for Chinese) just leave Singapore for another place… instead of just sitting by watching and listening to all the nonsense being thrown to our faces day in and day out
in addition to that job thingy up there… just keep harboring all the Chinese from China and kick out the local minority, it’s the plan they’ve had in mind all along
as a minority, we can do much… if anything at all, because even the higher-ups in the Government are Chinese(save for the President, who would rather keep quiet and do his job, because doing otherwise would end up in him being sued for treason)… so its naturally an instinct to defend his race and shun others
even if the minority would to voice this out, it will not and never will make a difference, because there’s absolutely nobody to defend our rights and the number of those who keep poking fun on us continue to increase exponentially just like bacterial culture on an agar plate in an incubation chamber
oh well… as some would say, the loyal slave learns to love the lash
as the minority, we are to hold our heads in shame whereas the majority… well, rule us
Actually u are right SG IS RACIST. These “chinese speaking environment” is just a excuse to employ people of 100% chinese origins. FYI I am mixed, of malay and chinese origins and yet I and my family find ourselves being discriminated against. btw my cousins are indian chinese and also find it hard to get jobs.
My siblings are very fluent in chinese, and look chinese. They please the employers at interview until the time “show me your IC” which says Malay (cos have to follow father’s race right?) then their face just fell and they got the “i’ll call you” which of course they never did.
In one case I was told I wasnt “chinese” enough by a prospective employer at a MNC after he saw my race in the IC and that my top student results were “not as important” as where I am ‘real chinese’. So now, we have the ‘real chinese’ and ‘chinese?’
How do you think we mixed people feel? Very unfair. My dad isnt even pure Malay he is also chinese mixed it just happened generations ago one of the males was malay so until now we are labeled malay and discriminated agst. And to think he’s also very fluent in chinese but discriminated agst for jobs HAHA what a JOKE.
Hi its me again just to share. I was very bitter after graduation becos of this and spent a lot of time hating the chinese (incl my mom for marrying my dad LOL)
But i come to realise Hate doesnt pay and it only leaves u more depressed. Not all Chinese are as wicked those those I encountered. (In fact my best friends are also chinese…) It seems to me the bas****s are the rich ones or the employers, and not the local chinese singaporean.
I think it’s clear that we have a problem with discrimination in Singapore. “Racial harmony days” can only go so far, and they have so far proved ineffective at combating this issue, which is basically boils down to personal morals. I hope everyone who encounters racial discrimination — whether as a victim or as a witness — will vigourously speak out against it. Shame the offenders. That’s where blogs and web forums can come in useful. Report them to the Ministry of Manpower if there is good reason to. We’ll probably never get rid of it completely, but we should at least try.
Singapore is racist. No doubt. There is also no point saying ‘but other countries are racist also’ as two wrongs donot amount to a single right.
Weather it’s inane pork jokes aimed at muslims, ‘chinese only’ needly apply coded job ads, charging a white person more for services, calling someone an ‘ang moh’ or ‘bengali’ there are tons of racist examples.
For me, as a ‘white’ expat, i constantly am infurriated that people assume english is my first language (it’s not!) when i point out that such assumptions are predudicial at the least, i am met with blank faces and defensive attitutdes yet if i assume that every ‘asian’ speak mandarin, that makes me a racist reed-neck.
Double standards are alive and well and as with every country, the majority are usually the one with political power and hence need to be held to a higher level of accountability and conduct than the minorities that history show repeatedly need protection.
places where the majority of the people are indian, they also speak indian lor. it’s a fact of life. suck it up.
Anon – there’s no language called “Indian”, dude. Just because racism is commonplace doesn’t make it right.
fast_dolphin – About people assuming English is your 1st language, I’d say that’s ignorance more than racism. Btw, ‘ang moh’ is generally not considered a racial epithet. It simply describes the colour of your hair (well sort of, for some redheads). “Bengali” is an ethnic group in Bangladesh and northern India or the official language of Bangladesh. Could be racist if used in certain contexts in Singapore.
well anon what can I say except, I wld really love to see how u struggle then when the odds are agst you. :) See if you’ll really ‘suck’ it up like u are telling us here.
Also I think Singapore can carry on with their dream of creating geniuses/pioneer thinkers here. Esp since ‘genius’ is limited only to a *particular race here* & their methodology is too restricted. Did I mention that even pure chinese who are not “eloquent” in their tongue face the brunt of racism too?
My chinese friend was insulted by a prospective employer that he’s a chinese but how come he doesnt know the ancient customs/classics when he applied for a clerk job. (Gd thing tho is now he realises we are not lying abt racism since he experienced it firsthand)
I also recall a teacher in my primary school,which is a govt school btw, telling a chinese classmate(who was vegetarian) that since he doesnt eat pork, he isnt qualified to be a chinese cos all chinese must eat pork! And that he should be ashamed of himself.
So as u can see, racism is extended even to their own people…
LK,
I have a friend who was once rhetorically asked by his Chinese teacher, “Do you even know how to use chopsticks?”, all because his Chinese wasn’t good enough. “Hua ren yao jiang hua yu” (Chinese people must speak Mandarin) — heard this so much from Chinese chauvinists. How about they go up to an American of Irish descent and say, “Irish people must speak Gaelic”.
let’s not forget that racism exists in the education system as well. think about SAP schools. They only accept chinese-speaking students..
Hi all,
You said that Singaporeans are racist, i agree but u only say that only Chinese are racist. Did you know all the religeons are racist too? everyone is not prefect, it is just a matter of time before a racist fight again in Singapore. To prevent it, we cannot say that so and so religeon is racist because that is being racist too! We must wlak the talk in all that we say and do it! Not just put the blame on someone else and then everyone will believe the big white lie and then the fight will start. So lets work together and have racial harmony.
Well, this is really arguable. how do you define racist? The video might be racist, but it is also meant for people to take it lightly. Just like Americans and Europeans who can take jokes really on their strides, for example, the joke tv shows like “Just joking” and etc. And by generalizing the Chinese Singaporeans as the main contribution to racist, this remark itself is a “racist” remark. It all boils down to sensitivity, and in the video podcast case, it is insensitivity to minority, on the other hand, your remark is an insensitivity to majority. Both are different, but under the same context of being racsit. So, spare your generalization mentality, for you yourself had just committed a racist remark, which ironically contradicted your whole purpose of posting this in the first place.
thlai – I don’t think we need to measure our morality against the Americans or Europeans.
Firstly, I am Chinese, so I see it as my right to comment on affairs in my own “house”.
Let’s put it this way: If you were a white abolitionist in America in 1860, would you say, “What the white slave owners are doing is wrong and they should free their Negro slaves”, or would you say, “The Negroes also kept slaves in Africa, so why should the whites be singled out for perpetuating slavery?”.
hello!
i’m a student from nanyang girls high, my team and i are currrently doing a project on racial discrimination in singapore. we wish to have your opinion on whether youths think that racial discrimination in singapore is prevalent.
we would also like to know whether you fall into the category of youths, 13-25, if you would.
regards
check out my blog devoted to asian racism:
http://asianracism.blogspot.com
I have recently moved to Singapore and have previously lived in Europe, US, mainland China and Russia for prolonged periods of time (i am Caucasian white of Russian origin). I often use this experience to compare social interaction.
Its true to say that in Singapore, different races and religions live side-by-side as peacefully as probably nowhere else in the world, in general. This is almost the “miracle” of Singapore.
At the same time, as a “White” almost immediately in Singapore one can feel a cautious-seeming but distinctly negative vibe from many Singaporean-Chinese. Allow to explain.
1) i am Shanghai educated and speak Putonghua, yet in many instances Singaporean-Chinese people who barely know me, tell me that as a White person i must be: a) like to drink b) “horny” and misunderstanding of relationships c) arrogant “know-it-all” etc etc. In general, that means that when meeting a Singaporean-Chinese, i have to be 100% careful of what i say or do and have to work for weeks to overcome a rooted PREJUDICE.
i believe that this PREJUDICE leads to racist remarks and actions and is a sign of LACK OF EDUCATION, negative PARENTAL INFLUENCE and INDEPENDENT THOUGHT at times. At the same time, i have so far found MALAY, PHILLIPINO and other minorities in Singapore much more approacheable despite probably a similar education level. For example, they would not call you “ang moh” but rather call your name – and GERALD, i disagree with you about the “harmlessness” of that term… Nig**r also has no negative connotation in theory.
As THLAI says, it all boils down to SENSITIVITY of the person that you are talking to. One must possess that sensitivity in order to avoid being racist. Singaporean-Chinese people that i have come to know often have a remarkeable way of being absolute advocates of one way over another. In other words: PORK is GOOD. Full stop. Yes, but it may not be taken for religious reasons… reply: OH! YES YES! PORK IS GOOD. in other words, the message seems to be: Pork is good because many people eat it and i dont care to think too much about this because jumping out of line with convention/majority is NOT PROPER.
This ties well with a comment by one ANON guy who played police and accused GERALD of being a propaganda-machine that operates to deviate from the ONE ACCEPTED VIEW. Well, PROPAGANDA has no influence over people who possess INDEPENDENT THOUGHT. I take GERALDs statements on board and i think about them myself. I certainly require no protection from fascist-control junkies like you!
Maybe this is over-analysis and i may have relied more on observation then on statistics… but we all know that statistics only reveal the effects of racism when the damage is done.
All in, i would like to perhaps pick up on something that LK said about education and the future of singapore… I agree: compared to many other countries in the world, Singaporean-Chinese will have to do some work before in getting even more SENSITIVE to other races, cultures and habits if they want to be accepted around the world and if they want to create a space within their own borders that will exploit the tremendously rich genetic pool and foster true talent. At the moment, the fact that so many young Singaporean-Chinese students are returning home from abroad may indicate to some extent their uneasiness to adapt in other international hubs like London (it may also just be a sign of close family ties… but i dont believe this to be the only reason).
Look forward to your feedback.
Who the hell are you people trying to talk about “Oh i didn’t think that was wrong or racist, whatever”. You cannot talk about something you don’t know about. Don’t tell me you know something you don’t know. You don’t know means you don’t know! And you don’t know jack$hit about racism. None of you people leaving comments here have or ever had a low-income minority as a best friend. So $hut the hell up or just slap yerself silly like sally. The only people with the right to express any experiences of being subjected to racism is THE MINORITY. Hear it from them and you’ll know more. Not from some tom dick or sally who goes to school at some raffles’ or work at some none-mnc companies. Ditto…
Happens all over the world. Live with it. Anytime there’s more of one race than another that’s how it goes. Racism is alive and well EVERYWHERE.
Singaporeans are going to inherit a world where majority of the young people are either Indian or Muslims. They have better start teaching the right valus for the children. Racism has no place for Singapore. Either that or we inherit a time bomb waiting to explode in 50 years time.
Wow, a bunch of aggressive comments above… quite badly formulated as well. this is supposed to be a forum where people share ideas, i thought. if thats not the case, then apologies for the unnecessary verbiage.
but if comments are read by educated people then how can one say: “just live with it” or “only minorities that are poor are entitled to speak”… a) racism happening all over the world doesnt mean you should just live with it.
my comment is posted for the benefit of singapore and not for personal satisfaction. i like this place and i hope some things can change.
also think that these “sh+t the h+ll up” comments are quite empty but the comment just above is very interesting.
can i ask: is there a diversity course in singaporean schools? or is this as much a taboo as s+x education? (thats what i was told by a teacher recently). i am curious.
its mean to put all the bame on chinese idiot open your eyes indians and muslims can be racist too idiot
those job ads requiring chinese speakers are not racist and not illegal in the USA either.
if your job requires a certain language skill, it’s perfectly fine to require that skill. particularly when your job is something like sales, in a country where the 2nd language after english is chinese, it makes perfect sense to require chinese language for such a position.
“chinese speaking environment” is also perfectly legitimate. your company may work as it wants. if your company works better in chinese, there’s nothing wrong with that.
i do agree though that banning non-chinese *people* is racist (unless it’s an acting scene and you need to match the writer’s characters as closely as possible, for instance).
indians can also learn chinese (like me… i’m indian and i speak some mandarin); if it’s the preferred language of the country, so be it, your choice to live there.
if in 100 years the usa starts shifting to spanish-speaking, that’s how countries’ official languages change over time. at that point (heck, even now, in some places) there’s nothing wrong if your business works in spanish and it’s required that any incoming workers speak spanish.
It is ridiculous to equate religion with racist terms.
Making fun of religious people does not equate to racism.
Beast
Point to note:
Criticizing religions does not equate racism.
I am against religion because as an atheist, I feel that religion is evil. Throughout history we have seen much bloodshed: From the crusades to the witch hunts, from the anti-Jewish holocaust.
When priests molest altar boys, we are not allowed to criticize catholicism? When churches pay billions to settle hundreds of paedophile suites……..are we suppose to criticize only the priests, and not the religious indoctrination of celibracy?
Get this right: I criticize religions, but it does not mean I am a racist bigot.
Just as we can criticize political parties and companies, religions should not have immunity from criticism.
Beast
Well,I do fully agree with you.If you look closely, Singapore thinks all Indians are Tamils.They don’t know that actually,Hindi is the main language for Indians.In Singapore, almost all of the acters and actress are Chinese.You will hardly find an Indian in it.Actually,Indians in India speak better English than Singaporeans do.One example is the M1 advertisment on a Tamil guy from Mumbai,India which picks up the phone fom a Singaporean person.In my view,Mumbai,India is a more modern place than Singapore.Singapore thinks itself very high. Most of the signs here are written in English and Mandarin.They are not written in all of it’s official langages like Malay and Tamil.
Nesh
foreigner
its really saddening to hear all these publishing about racism ,let me start from the organisations that gives consideration to citizens fluent in chinese language,well i dont really see that as racism if the company is at his best in chinese.but racism comes to play if the company does all his administrative work in english and segregate other nationalty that is selfishness and super bias .from what i know singapore comprises of the malay,india and chinese nationalty.so every citizen has equal right to work,study or live in any place and at any time.talking about religion if any one is bias about any religion.i see that individual to be intellectually and morally low.am a christian and my religion teaches me love and not to criticise everything boils down on the mind and love for one another ..i conclude by saying this ,if any one has a trait of racism in him or her that individual is childish and does not have the indepth definition about life ,we have got a short time to stay here on earth so what is the big deal about life,nothing beautiful you see on earth now will stay forever from dust we come and to dust we shall return so what are we dragging .any one who is racist is evil and does not have the heart of love above all let us all fear GOD and be our brothers keeper,peace
Hi, I chanced upon your ‘blog’? while doing research on racism in Singapore. I am glad that there are covic minded and enlightened fellow Singaporeans like yourself who speaks up for the minorities in Singapore. I totally agree that it is usually ignorance and insensitivity that causes such problems. I have been at the receiving end of racist remarks and prejudice myself while working for a Western company and it took me many years to learn to stand up for myself and put my foot down against such verbal insults.
Like what Ning said, racism exists whereever there are different racial mix and it is the majority who exercises racism agianst the minorities. So, in the same way, Chinese do experience racsim in Malaysia and Indonesia when they are the minority.
Again, I am not saying this to absolve the blame from us. There is a need for us to realise that while we are performing racist acts verbally or physically (through employmnent), at the same time such acts are also targeted at us when we are the minority. Therefore, we should be sensitive to the feelings of other races and understand that what could happen to them can happen to us too. So, please spare a thought for them before we open and shoot off our mouth and make racist jokes. Would you like it if someone joke about you in the same manner that was done to them? If you can, then you have a good sense of self-deprecating humour. But there is a thin line to draw between trying to be funny without being insulting. I haven’t seen the podcast but to constantly order pork from a Muslim foodstore owner is not funny. Imagine if you regard snakes as something of a taboo food and it evokes negative images, how would you feel if someone keep trying to ask you for it?
There are cognitive and emotional components to how prejudice and racsim occur, and it is ususally the steroetyping of races that lead to formation of such attutides and behaviors. You can rationalize and try to educate people on why they shouldn’t be racist, but it is the emotional part that is the most difficult to change.
Keep talking and sweep the dust off the carpet, until the message gets across!
Mumbly009
I don’t think the “no pork” podcast was racist.
It all boils down to some ill conceived idea that somehow, every Muslim is a Malay, and vice versa.
The truth is, there are Malays who eat pork, and there are also Malays who are Christians. So these no pork podcast wouldn’t necessarily be offensive to all Muslims.
Yes, you can say the podcast is heaping criticism at Islam, but I don’t think it equates to racism.
I think Singaporeans need to grow a brain. I seem to be the only Singaporean who can discern such issues lucidly without dragging so much racial and emotional burden.
Beast
chill.. no doubt racism exist..we still need to accept it cause no matter how hard to try to change things it will not HAPPEN!
so take things easy n not to seriously..laugh once in a while
i assume u are a malay..oh well