Greetings:
The Online Citizen wishes all Muslim Singaporeans a blessed holy month of Ramadan.
Khairulanwar Zaini
The Malay community has found its new defender – Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
Usually the community’s harshest critic, Lee invoked a Constitutional clause long regarded as dormant: Section 152, a Malaysian heritage that calls upon the government to ‘exercise its functions in such manner as to recognise the special position of the Malays, who are the indigenous people of Singapore, and accordingly it shall be the responsibility of the Government to protect, safeguard, support, foster and promote their political, educational, religious, economic, social and cultural interests and the Malay language’.
Malay Singaporeans must be left bemused by this. The government has long hectored them not to expect any special privileges or affirmative action, for Singapore operates upon the sacrosanct principles of meritocracy and racial equality. However, on Wednesday, Lee declared that ‘it is a duty of the Government not to treat everybody as equal’.
Lee’s speech was in response to Nominated Member of Parliament Viswa Sadasivan’s call for racial equality. Viswa had, in the previous sitting, alluded to instances of racial inequality, particularly the ‘issue of Malay-Muslims in the SAF, SAP schools and cultural elitism’, among others.
Lee affirmed that racial inequality not only exists, but is also mandated by the Constitution. In a rich display of parliamentary irony, he said that the Government has a ‘duty to treat Malays and other minorities with extra care’. Apparently, ‘extra care’ to minorities means marginalizing the Malays in the military and emphasizing the preeminence of Chinese culture.
The Guardian of Minority Interests
The Malaccan sultanate, during its zenith, counted among its ranks pahlawans – Malay warriors who would embody the spirit of Malay nationalism and uphold Malay interests.
Lee may seem like a modern Malay pahlawan in invoking Section 152 and Malay privileges, but in truth he was hiding behind shadows. Section 152 is hardly a convincing shield, since the clause has been diluted in substance over the years.
Arguably, the only substantive and tangible ‘privilege’ that emanates from Section 152 is the Mendaki Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy. This financial scheme has however ceased to be an outright privilege, but has been subjected to means-testing instead.
The means-testing was introduced by Lee, who had ‘asked Mendaki to ask (the Malays) to agree not to have their special rights of free education at university, but to take the fees they were entitled to and use the money to help more disadvantaged Malays.’
This ‘redistribution of resources amongst the poor’, to borrow a phrase from Michael Barr in his book Constructing Singapore, hardly goes with the spirit of Section 152.
The Spirit of 152 vs Reality
However, it is true that the government espouses a policy of racial inequality: but one diametrically opposite from the spirit of Section 152.
Viswa Sadasivan raised a cogent concern with the example of the SAP schools. Manifest of the government’s bent towards Chinese cultural hegemony and Confucian values, Michael Barr noted in Constructing Singapore that in 1985, when measured against mainstream schools, SAP schools had a better teacher-student ratio of 22.8% while the expenditure per student was 56.45% higher.
Meanwhile, the government’s ‘responsibility to protect, safeguard, support, foster, promote their … educational … interest and the Malay language’ entailed the closure of Malay-medium schools.
Compounding this is the whole-hearted devotion of the entire state apparatus in promoting the annual Speak Mandarin Campaigns, which runs the real risk of alienating and marginalizing one-quarter of the population that is not proficient in Mandarin.
The Malay Snowflake
Lee also argued that the PAP style of racial stratification was necessary, since ‘we will not be able to get a Chinese minister or an Indian minister to persuade Malay parents to look after their daughters more carefully and not have teenage pregnancies.’ It was more appropriate to get MUIS and Mendaki to form ‘a committee to try and reduce the numbers of such delinquents’.
The uncharacteristic display of sensitivity notwithstanding, this perspective affirms the notion of Malays suffering from cultural deficit (and by extension of Lee’s eugenics, a biological deficit as well) and perpetuates the impression that Malays are delicate snowflakes requiring special care and attention.
However, it may be worthwhile to examine the race-centric approach that the PAP seemingly adopts with every problem that plagues the Malay community. It would be inconceivable to think of teenage pregnancies as a problem isolated only in the Malay community; rather, this delinquency can be viewed as a product of socio-economic hardship.
Hence, what is essentially a socio-economic problem has unnecessarily acquired a racial element that leads to the further reinforcement of negative racial stereotypes. It may be that ethnic-based self-help bodies such as Mendaki are aggravating this predicament, since it provides a convenient community-oriented outlook to manage any given problems.
Racially Unequal: It’s their Fault
The deeper implication of Lee’s speech is that the perpetuation of racial inequality is not the fault of the government’s, but the minorities.
By citing the constraint of Section 152 to dismiss the practicality of racial equality, Lee effectively pins the blame of the government’s racially unequal policies on the need to provide ‘extra care’ to the minorities.
Therefore, the stumbling block to a sense of civic nationhood – where the ideal of ‘regardless of race, language and religion’ is lived up to – is not the government, but the pesky constitutional need to protect minority interests.
It is the Malays and Indians, who need to be protected and taken care of, they are the ones who are thwarting your idealistic notion of racial equality, Mr Viswa!
Abolishing 152
Lee mentioned that the abolition of Section 152 would cause some ‘grave disquiet’, but resentment, if any, to its repeal is misplaced. Looking at the flimsy substance that Section 152 provides to the Malays, it is doubtful that even they would rue its dismissal.
As it stands, Section 152 hardly accords any privilege that is over-and-out of those provided to other races. The Mendaki TTFS can remain, or else be integrated into a national pool that can fund all students from a disadvantaged socio-economic background, regardless of their race.
The Administration of Muslim Law Act, although arising from a separate article – 153 – may be affected, but there are surely legal avenues to provide for the effective administration of Muslim affairs without having to entrench a principle of racial inequality. In any case, it may be a judicious time to examine whether it is necessary to place MUIS under the state subordination, given that the churches have operated fine under the non-governmental umbrella of the National Council of Churches Singapore (NCCS).
Sharia courts can also remain without interfering with racial equality, as the British have shown. Behaving as ‘arbitration tribunals’ under the Arbitration Act of 1996, the sharia courts, along with Jewish courts, have effectively functioned without having to impose a state of racial inequality in Britain.
Mental Gymnastics
Whatever their sentimental attachment, Malays would rather have a choice of racial equality over Section 152 if the former will mean that they can finally enter the navy and serve in the sensitive vocations of the armed forces.
Lee’s was a fine display of mental gymnastics as he held up an empty clause devoid of meaning to defend racial inequality in favour of the minorities, when the concern was the racial dominance of the majority.
As much as it is amusing, it is also damaging to our nation-building efforts. In his parting shot to Viswa, Lee said that ‘Brahmins will not be in Sinda. It is the non-Brahmins who are in Sinda’. Lee seems to have confused socio-economic disparity with racial inequalities.
That’s the price we pay for living in racial silos.
——
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To 151, we singaporeans……absolutely on the nose!
To Great Leader Lee Kuan Yew (still alive at age 86) and Dear Leader Lee Hsien Loong aka Pinky……we will always love and respect you as super-duper Leaders.
Do not worry abt the next GE this year or next…….this time more than 66.6% will vote for your glorious party, the PAP! Many (the 33.4%) have seen the errors of their ways and been brought down to earth from their high-faluting thinking (by your words of wisdom).
Mark my words…….50 years from now, The Oxley Rise residence of the Lees will be made a National Heritage where Singaporeans will come to pay their respects and even worship the altar where the ashes of our Great Leader and Dear Leader are enplaced.
Now you know why the North Korean rakyat in their millions behave like robots in worshipping their Great/Dear Leaders.
We are not that far away……or are we?
I’m so glad that we now have brave democrats like Eugene Yeo, Andrew Loh, CSJ, KJ, EJay, JohnTan, Ghandi Ambalan, Tan Kin Lian, Feedmetothe Fish, Gopal Nair, Leong,Sylvia Lim, etc etc
There is still hope for Singapore…..
last time we got keris(weapon) in our hand. now lee kuan yew replace it with moderm dildo in our hand
so all malays now play dildos.
bwahahahahahahaa
As the race card is being used….Interestingly, when I actually look up the term “race” it refers “to an arbitrary classification of modern humans, sometimes, esp. formerly, based on any or a combination of various physical characteristics, as skin color, facial form, or eye shape, and now frequently based on such genetic markers as blood groups. ie. this would mean Caucasoid, Negroid, Mongoloid,etc. right?
I am classified as a Javanese on my ic. I have freinds who are classified as Boyanese, Malay, Arab. How come we are classified by dialect group as well. I am not sure about the Chinese or the Indian Singaporeans or even the Eurasian, isnt this more ethnicity than race? As it is defining more a cultural roots rather then an actual physical and biological characteristics. The classification under race could well be misleading and if based on this perhaps the govt need to take a thorough look on who they refer to as Malays?
IMHO.
Well,… we are indeed falling into the trap set by the papies…
PAP knows very well what is their position in the next election. They have ran out of excuses for the monies they lossed and the mess they have created with the FT issues. They must find way to FIX IT…. By playing this race card, it will be the best way and easier way to have excuses to “FIX” the opposition.
Watch out the ISA will come in anytime if the Race issue is not properly handle.
BEWARE!!!…. The heat is on!!.
to Long Live PAP :
tell ur ministers to show some balls first and performance first instead of hidding behind 85 year old man.
who’s hiding? the people hiding are yourself behind your PC/laptop. come out and serve the people lah! talk big here for f***?
talk is free, dun be NATO !!
To What is there to oppose :
dont be like your ministers, take big money, talk cok and dont serve people except themselves and hide during elections.
If people who complain, all come out and serve the people, what is your ministers going to be paid for?
talk is not free. Your ministers charge S’poreans Billions for doing nothing but talk during NDP.
Please don’t be like them.
Your parents will be sorry to have raised you this way.
157 and 155..
You love supporting PAP cos you love the inequality and injustice that other minority races face such as job prospects, entertainment and other life opportunities that only the middle and upperclass of the majority of the population in singapore get to enjoy..
You must be either a rich, selfish and arrogant local singaporeans or one blur sotong Singapore PR that doesnt know whats going on in Singapore’s politics and love sucking every opportunities you can get from us..
The oppostion are not ballless, go and hear what Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong said to the super elites that sits down laughing at an old man who gave his life everday to make Singapore a truly democratic nation.. I find Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong’s life as a politician very sad..
And he’s no coward, he’s streetsmart.. and for someone to dare say such things to the super ellites’ faces really takes guts and at the same time got away with it.. You can listen to Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong speech in the link below.. and click on MP Chiam See Tong..
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/parliament/videoarchives.html
157) What is there to oppose on August 28th, 2009 8.31 am
true what you said. how secure are we and how safeguard are we to even step out to talk? the prison is just a 15min drive away from us and it take just within an hour for us to be sitting in the prison for the rest of our life before we can even voice up more then 5min and tell the truth for the singaporeans to know.
so we are being force to stay back or face the lifetime prison away from our family. while the rest of singaoreans will just say ”’ POOR AH……..the guy go prison””lucky i never step out or else i also go in liao. touch wood touch wood. suai suai. don’t fight LKY OR PAP or else we suffer more just give what they want and listen.
IS this what you singaporeans are???!!!!!!!
to me it seems like.
long life LKY!!
long life PAP!!!!
do you think we would say this?
balls to them just wait for the election and see what we singaporeans will do. we vote them past election but this election wesingaporeans will not vote and we will speak out to our top of our voice to all singaporeans!! if trouble comes we rather commit suicide then to let this goverment play our life in prison!! or we will fight even the military comes in!!!
do you think this is what singaporeans will say like the above??
this is what singapore will do:
election time:
all singaporeans will vote for PAP.
election result: PAP all win opposition lost.
singaporeeans say:
haiya PAP win again. why ah…? why every year PAP win ah?
ok la it’s over let go home and take a rest tomorrow got work liao must wake up 5am.
PAP:ok singaporeans now time to increase everything and time to bring foreign in
singaporeans: hmm…..ok la what to do just live with it and see if miracle happen for us to live a better life. next election don’t want PAP already suffer alot.
NEXT ELECTION:
singaporeans all voted PAP.
singaporeans :haiya …opposition lost again??
opposition got no balls la to fight PAP. they just talk only.
———————————————————————————————————–
so does singaporeans? can you expect gold if you keep going in the trash and digging trash bags and empty cans ?
opposition won’t make it even how strong they are if singaporeans don’t give a change to hold their hands the same way you singaporeans has been holding LEE KUAN YEW and his family hand for over 50years and eat sh!t.
so not about oppositon but it’s all about we singaporeans. if we go as all to fight for justice not race then we will succeed and there no way we can end up in prison for such thousands of singaporeans who stood up but i one bloody asss hole go up and stand to talk while the rest hide being the curtain to see what happen then sh!t is what this people behind the curtain deserve!
get it?
good
If we don’t wish to undermind the future of ourselves and family ( the common and real fear of standing aganist pappies ), then cast your vote to register your voice
if pap continue to get abover 60% of votes casted, they would do whatever they want, make GRC, make non MP minister ( pave way for Dr Lee Wei Ling ? ), etc
If their votes scored below 55%, they would be pushed to listen to the people.
Frankly, I dont think opposition has more than 15 good people to go parliament for many able men and women are afraid to stand under opposition banner. this will only changed if they see more opposition MP, adding voice and value to the nation building, debating the aloof policies from govt,
Do the first step in next GE, cast your vote and makes it count for our future.
Juliana, your comments interestingly opens up another issue, the acceptance of the foreign citizen. I get the feeling that the four general races of Chinese, Indian, Malay and Eurasians are ‘reserved’ for those born in Singapore, while new foreign citizens are identified by their birth race or ethnic groups. Technically, you and your friends are classified Singaporeans but in reality you are not, because your are not ‘biological’ citizens.
So much for calling Singaporeans to embrace the foreign citizen as our own, when the citizenship-defining authority chooses to make the distinction itself. But that’s their problem.
Personally, I think it is good to have the distinction so that we can know who the real Singaporeans are.
154) We are the BOSS ,
Excellent point. Only the PAP can tackle race issues. Others better beware. This is an entrapment for sure.
ok the malays in singapore in the olden days were oftened margined for their 100% effectiveness in worked/defence or play………
they are known as keng king/$2 bribed shortpants matas
today the modern malays are as good as you or me here
well educated/livin in a bigger nicer hdb flats as well
sometime even eat better dinner dishes than the average chinese
what happenned was the older malays who by now is growin ole just liked you and me, many of them would be collectin their cpf nest…
BUT!!!
because a few ^blacksheeps^ decided to spur in bataam with their cpf nest
make the presesent senile minister to give an excuse to raise our cpf withdrawal ages/reducin the amount as well
(common sense will tell any smart person if you retired, you are suppose to splash yourself with a few luxuries..havin a good time in bataam or whereever is BAD?)
so even the malays are pissed off with leekuanyew
and this is what leekuanyew is tryin to do….
the chinese no longer want to support or know him
who else can leekuanyew garner supports from?
think about it
When i look back at LKY speech, i wondered why he compares a tiny island like singapore to a big country like America.. of cos it takes a longer time for USA to change.. it so big and not easy to travel around state to state to encourage everyone that a change is badly needed..
While in singapore, you can get from east to west max in an hour depending on the type of transport you use and importantly traffic..
Then he compared us to the blacks in USA.. and the best thing was which race was he comparing the blacks to.. is it the malays or Indians??..
So confused from his speech.. even if its either of those race..
why compare to the blacks..
The blacks were brought in as slave to america..
While the malays are the indigenous people of singapore
while the indians came here on their own free will like the chinese to look for better prospects..
And was he indirectly trying to say chinese people are like the white americans.. Why compare singapore to america whose history consists of slavery, civil war, racial riots, racial discrimination, war, war and more war and lets not forget their invasion of Iraq and probably with Iran anytime soon..
What im saying is, we cannot get a malay or indian PM cos the american took 250 years just to get a Half black President..
What does american history got to do with singapore???
We achieve so much and with world class status in various industry within 44 years.. and best of all, we are a first world country within 44 years..
How long did America took to become a first world country???
That shows how much of a difference we are compared to America whose economy have yet to show signs of recovery.. And we are riding on China and India economy too for godsake..
We have had presidents that consist of Malay, Indian or Chinese..
So again, whats the issue with having an indian or malay PM anytime soon???
The racial issues goes beyond our little island. We need to see the big picture.
The geo-political reality of Singapore-a tiny “Chinese island” floating in a vast “Malay sea”.
Singapore waited for decades queuing behind Indonesia to establish diplomatic ties with China.
Singapore tolerated, is is still tolerating, for decades, anti Singapore sentiments from the Malay politicians across the causeway.
You see, how can there be no anti-singapore sentiments from our neighbouring countries when you declare yourself singapore is a chinese island.. who give you the right to declare that..
Is it just because the chinese is a majority race in singapore???..
Who made the chinese population grew that way?????
When 44 years ago the chinese population was the other way around and they were the minority.. Dont you find it ironic, a race that was a minority is now the majority race in Singapore, and the goverment are still complaining most singaporeans are not having enough babies..
And again who is the majority now that is not having enough babies????.. Choose you words wisely before you start making irrelevant remarks and not create racial discomfort.. And for your information Singapore is situated in the MALAY ARCHIPELAGO and not in the south china sea..
167) king20
Your emational respond does not change the facts
149) king20
///////. Remove the ‘Race’ field in IDs and any application forms. Or change it to ‘Ethnicity’////////
It’s calling a spade a spade. Removing or calling it something else is not going to make much different.
Just like “Sex” is now replaced with “Gender” which is a good change and a more appropriate word.
Are we to remove that too from ID to prevent gender discrimination?
Then we may have to remove address too so some far fetch reasons. And the photo as some may not looka sgood as another. It will result in a blank card. : )
Haha.. you not making any sense now.. do you belong to some ULTRA Chinese group that are bent on creating racial discomfort…
Why are you so delusional that you cant accept chinese people are not a native of this land.. FACTS say MALAY ARCHIPELAGO and not CHINA ARCHIPELAGO..
What has sex or address got to do with you declaring Singapore is a Tiny Chinese Island????
and the word SINGA is a malay word which means LION in English.. So what facts are you still confuse about singapore/Lioncity..
Are you drunk dude???
If you love CHINA so much.. Hongkong and Macau is nearby.. The singapore goverment has no rights to force you stay.. But if your here still.. get use to it that you are surrounded by MALAYS cos this is the MALAY ARCHIPELAGO..
170) king20
the real questio is -
what has everything you have written got anything to do with what I wrote?
//////What has sex or address got to do with you declaring Singapore is a Tiny Chinese Island????///////
Absolutely nothing!
It got to do with your suggestion to do away with “Race” in the ID cards.
I do not know what race you are and neither do you me (and it really doesn’t matter, we are just a bunch of anonymous in cyberspace) But by our emotional outburst, contrary to what you are blabbling, race is very much an issue to you.
172) Queen’s Counsel
Thank you for agreeing.
///////It also dosen’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which religion creates the most trouble worldwide everywhere////////
Actually, in the current political world, there are 2.
One is the aggressor, the other is made to be the boogieman.
But this has really nothing to do with the religions. No religion subscribe to voilence. Neither do the true believers of these religion, who are vast majority peace loving people.
Sadly, oftentime religion gets hijacked for political agendas.
172) Queen’s Counsel
Mahathir Mohd’s “The Malay Dilenma” would be a good read.
Dude, this is where you misunderstand..
If you read properly with the education that Singapore has given you…
I specifically stated for improvement and i quote it from agent008 in another article…
Are you blind to see that???…
And your the one being all offensive with your declaration on Singapore being a tiny chinese island.. So whos in the wrong here???…. and i know your an avid supporter of PAP, judging from what you wrote..
And i justify justice and equality for all race and religion unlike you with your selfish thoughts for your own race..
And clearly from what Queen counsel wrote in 172, that is definitely racist.. and thats totally emo…
177) king20
Fellow Dude, I am totally confused
I am really lost at what are you wrting about.
how come now got “education that Singapore”, “agent008″ “supporter of PAP”?
If you need to be right so badly, then ok you are right and I am wrong (even though I haven’t got a clue what you are going on about), can?
Does that make you feel better?
178) king20
The truth hurts sometimes
“Natives of the land” depend on how far back history one goes.
In America, the Red Indians?, in Australia , the Aborigines?
But before them, who were there?
It would be very interesting to explore who were where before the continental shift.
How far back do we go, and does it matter?
Dude, i know your a sly person.. and i know what you getting at..
Its too obvious from the game that your playing.. and i wont be part of it..
Cos its people like you and queen counsel that ruin the nation’s image..
And yes, knowing the truth does hurts when your surrounded by hypocrites..
182) king20
///////Cos its people like you and queen counsel that ruin the nation’s image.. //////
Oh dear, I did that too?
Amazing how many things I did by doing nothing.
And as our discussion develops, I have now more brands that a successful marketing agency : )
I am now branded sly, hypocrite, playing games, pro PAP, ULTRA Chinese, drunk, love CHINA so much, confused, not choose my words wisely, irrelevant, …..
You know so much about me in this short exchange than I do myself in my entire life.
How amazing.
184) RED-man
Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened.– Winston Churchill
188) G.I. Jokes
Thank you.
It has been an intellectual challenge trying to have a discussion with you.
We can agree to disagree.
Tamat.
But you still have not answered me.
Why i need intellectual property protection?
When you are the one with the brand. :)
Here, in this thread; we get to see and feel that just one statement from the MM and all the past decades of addressing and forging racial harmony can become wasted effort. I sincerely hope that MM Lee will continue to fortify the Racial Harmony that the Government claimed much credit.
Singaporeans have done well in racial integrations, there were minor skirmishes that arosed mainly from some personal feuds that got escalated because of emotional outbursts. It was blessing that none resulted in manmade calamity, as most Singaporeans are peace loving. Now that the World is much globalized, Singaporeans are very much challenged by the open door policy of our Leadership and a simmering feud between the Locals and the FTs/FWs appears to exacerbate the emotions of some Singaporeans.
As one(Chinese) born and live in Singapore for almost sixty years, I have always appreciate the multi-racial and multi-culture characteristics of this tiny island and if there is anything that i enjoy and cherish, it must be the peaceful co-existence of the various Races and the colours, tastes and harmony that give us peace, safety and joy. MAY WE PLAY OUR PARTS TO KEEP IT THIS WAY ETERNALLY !
patriot
191) patriot
A uniquely Singapore thingy is the inter religious council,
Among other things done to recognise the reality of the geo-political situation SG is in, establishing the MBF to ensure the religious place of worship of the minority is available as it is now islandwide and very modernised, the early release on Fidays at work for prayers, and even accomodating daily prayers during working hours everyday.
Dear G.I. Jokes aka king20:
I recommend that you focus on what people said rather than accusation one after another. How can kopithiamahpek and queen be racist when they are speaking what the PAP or rather LKY in reality trying to do (by introduction more Chinese into this island) and on the other hand trying say otherwise?
Please take note of the sequence. On the discussion, you are the only one that is playing the racist card.
To KopitiamApek #185:
the motive could be benign as well as with personal and or establishment agenda. It was and is never free from suspicions and that could be the Reason why it is view as ‘uniquely singapore’.
As with any diversity, multi-racial and multi-culture can be positive in that we get to enjoy varieties and choices without having to go to far away places and we understand the histories of the different Races more intimately.
Like many other fellow Singaporeans who wish that there be less control and manipulation(social engineering) on social developments, i do wish that Races, Religions and Languages will not be used as tools for political agenda.
patriot
#162 Gemami:
“your comments interestingly opens up another issue, the acceptance of the foreign citizen. I get the feeling that the four general races of Chinese, Indian, Malay and Eurasians are ‘reserved’ for those born in Singapore, while new foreign citizens are identified by their birth race or ethnic groups. Technically, you and your friends are classified Singaporeans but in reality you are not, because your are not ‘biological’ citizens.
So much for calling Singaporeans to embrace the foreign citizen as our own, when the citizenship-defining authority chooses to make the distinction itself. But that’s their problem.
Personally, I think it is good to have the distinction so that we can know who the real Singaporeans are.”
My response:
You are wrong about my identity. i am a true blue singaporean. Born and bred in Singapore. My parents are Singaporean, their parents are Singaporeans. I am married to aother true blue Singaporean.I have been schooled in Singapore since kindergarten til university. My query arose because I realized that most of the Chinese Singaporeans friends’ (and I do have many local chinese friends) ic state under race as chinese never by their dialect. I have never seen my Indian friends’ ic. So I would like to know if there are classifications under dialect group amongst the Chinese Singaporeans.
Personally I think that distinctions are good but why apply it for certain “race”
and not another. And if so why?
Dear patriot
////Religions and Languages will not be used as tools for political agenda//
Other than the religion card, what can he say? His daughter-in-law lost 50 billion of Singapore sweat and blood money? Or escape of Mas Salamat? There is motive you right, it is to remind people that without him, Singapore would not have the peace we have today. But he forget to mention that this will soon be eroded by his PAP policies when the country’s income gap widen.
191) patriot
///// i do wish that Races, Religions and Languages will not be used as tools for political agenda./////////
I do wish for that too, but I am afraid our wishful thinking would be futile.
Gahmen has and will continue to use all kinds of bogeyman to create a sense of common threat to unite the people to their side, this political strategy is used probably since caveman days.
Long ago, it was the MCP and commies threats.
Even US used that in the imagined “Domino Theory”
Now their bogeyman is the “terrorist”, WMD, etc
That is the way of politics
///// there be less control and manipulation (social engineering) on social developments ////////
it is a case of damn is they do and damn if they do not.
example 1
banning smoking in kopitiams is social engineering.
do we leave it and wait till the cow come home for all Singaporeans to be so “automatic enough” as not to puff smoke on fellow customers and do it outside the kopitiam?
example 2
queue lines drawn at MRT platforms and the oft repeated messages to move inside the trains, commutters continue to ignore them
when tougher action is taken, then it is social engineering
example 3
killer litters. Do we not fine these chaps? Social engineering to correct the behaviour before they throw down a grand piano next.
example 4
toilet flushing. solved by technology this one.
192) Juliana
I think there were lots of “historical cock-ups” in the ID cards.
Brothers with different surnames, as they were spelled differently.
Stange varition of surmanes like Ko instead of Koh
I know of a Chinese with surname Sy
This was caused by a illitreate generation registering their kids, and the not too concerned birth registration clerks who penned down and spells at random what he/she thinks he hears
This mispelling has been largely resolved with standardised pinyin spelling ( at least for the given names)
What you brought up about dialects used instead of race could be as a result of what I explained above.
FYI in the birth certs of the past, both dialect and race is recorded.
Racial hormony can also be used as a control of political affiliation of the minority
will pap dare to allow an independent union, a new private muis, a new sinda, the eurasian assoc, etc..
Hi Juliana,
My apologies for getting your identity wrong. However the point remains relevant.
I am not going to answer your question why there are identity-distinctions among the other races except Chinese. That is ICA’s job and if it chooses to mess things up, that’s their business. As long as we know who the true blue Singaporeans are, I am fine with it. In fact, I am even suggesting that we should adopt a conscious effort to make that distinction.
I think the government realizes that the whole identity issue is in a big mess. That may be the reason why it is now tackling the Eurasian issue, to enlarge its definition to include anyone whose children comes from marriages with anyone of European descent. Again, that’s their business and their problem. I can never accept, say, a blonde – for a Singaporean.
My views may be hard to swallow but hey, I am Singaporean and I will do all I can to protect Singapore from being colonized by not one, but multiple nationalities. We cannot continue to be a migrant country. We have taken 50 years to build our own identity and has taken root of who we are – and we must continue to fight to keep it. Our identity and our race is – Singaporean.
talk like good only. talk like ya papaya,later jadi banana.
do different thing,then give 1001 excuses.
poodah.
How come KopitiamApek knows so much about Singapore administrative cock ups?
//killer litters. Do we not fine these chaps? Social engineering to correct the behaviour before they throw down a grand piano next.
How often do you see a grand panio in a hdb flat?
How much does that thing cost?
Throwing it down from a flat? r u sure?
This is the type of exaggeration Govt loves to use to make you think that their policies are sensible. Their analogy as usually are an exaggeration.
On Social engineering and racial issues…
It seems like KopitiamApek agrees with the inevitability of these issues and measures.
Never occur to him that countries all over the world, their govt control immigration even the US. Yet he/she can tell you that immigration cannot be controlled.
He/she is a guy from the PAP and tries to pretend he/she is not. then try to influence you with his/her mis-reasons just like to govt.
Go back and do your proper job and ocme up with some decent policies.
//citizen
//Malays are to be given speical rights (albiet in lesser forms) and many things are just unable to spell out in the public or put it in this way, we are sandwiched in the sea of muslims and Islam and you think we can get away if this thing is not handled properly, not as a scapegoat for other’s misfortunes?
Now I know why the govt treats the rich so well, giving them tax breaks and a lot of perks such as change in law that do these people favors.
Because the rich are the minorities surrounded by a waves and waves of poor people in Singapore.
Do you think the logic that Citizen say makes sense?
Hi all,
I am most thankful to the blogger for making such a discussion possible. To be very honest, I wasn’t aware there was a factual racial divide until I was 18, that was 2 years ago.
Whilst the exchange is all very engaging, I would like hard facts about the history of Singapore’s political framework. May any of you be so kind so as to recommend a book or two? Or perhaps better still, an internet source not belonging to the PAP?