~Editorial~
“It is not right to pin the blame on workers and, what is worse, Malay and Indian workers for the purported lack of English proficiency”.
“Inappropriate and Unfair”.
These aren’t the words of a “sensational” news article. This was a rebuke from the Minister of State for MCYS, Mdm Halimah Yacob, in an unprecedented public scolding of her fellow People’s Action Party (PAP) MP Mr Seng Han Thong’s comments on the lack of English proficiency of Malay and Indian transport staff.
Mr Seng’s comments are widely perceived to be of a racist nature, and Mdm Halimah, recognizing the gravity of the situation, went public.
This stands in stark contrast to the tone adopted by media academic Dr Cherian George. In an article entitled “There’s enough racism in Singapore, TOC needn’t cry wolf”, Dr George ripped into TOC’s report that broke the news of Mr Seng’s comments.
What irked Dr George was TOC’s failure to highlight that Mr Seng was purporting to quote SMRT. TOC, he felt, had “misrepresented” the facts to make it seem that Mr Seng’s comments stemmed from racism. Dr George instead attributed the comments to “political naivety”.
We agree with the premise of Dr George’s article that providing context in news is important, but disagree with the conclusions he’s reached.
TOC’s editors were of the view that Mr Seng was adopting the purported SMRT comments as an expression of his opinion, as opposed to disagreeing with them (which Mr Seng now claims he is doing). Mr Seng’s comments were made in response to a question by the presenter about whether poor communication was exacerbating public transport woes. Hundreds of TOC’s readers, having had the opportunity to independently view and analyze the video of the exchange, arrived at the same conclusion.
Dr George’s article goes on to imply that the outrage generated online was a direct result of TOC’s misleading presentation of the facts:
“In the 13-odd hours since the article went up, more than 200 readers have posted comments, practically all of them outraged by the MP’s remarks as reported by TOC.”
This is incorrect and unfair, and TOC takes strong exception to any such implication.
TOC’s initial article included the full video with a time reference to the exact point at which Mr Seng’s comments appeared for readers to make up their own minds. We then put up Mr Seng’s initial statement that said his comments had been misinterpreted, together with his transcript of the exchange.
Racism? You decide
In any case, the question of how TOC should have most accurately reported the comments is now an academic one.
It turns out that no one in SMRT singled out the Malay and Indian communities for speaking broken English. This makes Mr Seng’s comments entirely his own, and more egregious in that he incorrectly attributed them to someone else.
One explanation for Mr Seng’s comments is that he subconsciously attributed the Malay and Indian comments to SMRT staff and in all good faith genuinely believed that someone in SMRT had made such a statement.
To which TOC can only say that if Dr George doesn’t think that a reflexive stereotyping of racial minorities by a public figure can be interpreted as genuine racism, we don’t know what can.
–
Dr George’s article, which was written before SMRT clarified that it had made no statement singling out Malay and Indian transport workers, was prominently quoted in a Straits Times article by Rachel Chang of 23 December 2011. Ms Chang’s article appeared after SMRT clarified that it had made no such statement.
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Racism doesn’t exist among ordinary Singaporeans. It’s only the ruling elite that thinks it’s superior to everyone else and therefore looks down on anyone that holds an ordinary job.
There had to be a good reason why Seng Han Thong was attacked by that taxi driver a few years ago. We just got a little taste of his arrogance.
This C George has just made a fool of himself in light of Halima’s comments. He can come out and justify himself, but it’s hard to see him winning any argument. The best he can do for himself is to do what he does best – wag his tail as hard as he can whenever a FAP millister appear. Good boy, George, be a good boy!
To History
Singapore is not Malaysia. You dont need to draw parallel. And I dont care wether it stays or leave since Malaysia is not my country
Dear why so angry? 23 December 2011, Damage Inc 23 December 2011 & leaders are not perfect, if not there wont be european crisis now 23 December 2011,
This is a time of Christmas. And so believer may be on the “high” toplay down, any interaction seen as negative and wrong.
Let’s all not make another kind of 1-sided views. If you look at God’s teachings and through His son Jesus too, it is never 1-sided. Believers in Him lean far too 1-sided to the extend that even correcting someone and being critical of any stubborn person, esp. someone who is a leader in in a regime type country. This is erring too isn’t it!
So, though what you all said is noble and true. As it is a common knowledge that “To err is human”. But do believers in God look at both sides in a 3-sided world? Can one persuade the devil not to do evil? NO! So God opened a Hell for him and his followers.
Why do I go to this length and be short and peaceful like you and others I’ve not directly named? Simple!
LKY lead by Iron Fisted means to his desired end and even expounded it as a necessity. Claiming that if he had not done it, we would not have arrived. That’s only materially true. But what about mutual human truth in love and freedom? Didn’t He have to send Christ to teach these things and also lay down his life at the Holy Cross!
So LKY led a regime of believer in never admitting errors. Even break their own LKY laws. Thus no one dared to tackle LKY as bluntly even in cyber space with a very critical articles. Fear of bankrupting laws suits and imprisonment WITHOU TRIAL or even reason for doing so are why people kept more measured than for others. But times has changed with this New Media. But more inportantly, would God have approved of LKY’s ways for so-called progress in materialistic affluence at the cost of humanities?
To History
And it aint a typo
The Power and the Glory has reached such heights that this Ruling party is not ashamed to extort everything possible from the citizenry. In these last few decades we have been witness to salaries paid to Parliamentarians as if they were Princes and Princesses of the Land. Every honeypot of the State is managed by PAP elites, relatives and friends. Now and again they refer to the cows whom they milk as daft. And some other dafts are even dafter according to MP Seng because they can’t even speak the language of trade and enterprise. meanwhile they bring in shiploads of foreign bodies to get more milk, destroying the very fabric of national identity and basic infrastructure. .
I agree with SHT.
many singaporeans Obey Instructions almost blindly and robotically.
i for one am proud to say, at 4am in the morning, when i need to cross a road that has totally no cars, for more than 30 minutes, and its a 1 lane road in a very non-busy area, if there is a traffic light, I would wait for it to turn green man before crossing it even if it takes 10 mins to switch the light to green man.
I am bred to follow STRICTLY to instructions.
I am a good solder also.
In short, a proud citizen uniquely spore.
I read with interest how some Posters here believe that China is the next frontier !
I tend to agree with @ Trade Barriers ,line of thought.
I think China citizens are in “worst” situation than Singkies.
We are at a 60% vs 40%
I think they are probably 20% vs 80%
20% “Capitalist” ,”Opportunist” and 80% ( Cows to be herded around )
Many Countries are “treating PRCs Tourist” like the next “Big Spender”.
But in true essence ,these group of “Big Spenders” are jus a “small fraction of China’s Population”.
20% of China’s Population “forming the elite or with spending power ,probably equate to 5 million ( maybe)- enuff to “re-populate whole of Sinkie True Blues .
perhaps tats what “oldman” aimes to “replaced”. ( Ordinary True blues against these “better off PRCs” )
To “kou Tow” to China & hope that they will be the next frontier ?
How? 80% of these PRCs are jus as ‘poor”? How will they ‘consume” any imported goods ? Keep waiing and dreaming.
The actual situation is probably the World “feeding” these 20% Elite PRcs who are Upper Middle Class or Entrprenuers.
Again, it is a situation where the “Rich” exploits on the “Poor or lessers”.
China in its true self , is Not as High Consuming or as great as One would like to think !
Move around into all parts of China, and you will soon agree with me !
Many sporeans cannot and never have learnt how to think out of the box.
This is one reason why they feel trapped, helpless and resentful in the face of the Influx , suffering inside but do not know how to express their pentup frustrations leading to a Perversed mindset that some even take it out on their maids or neighbors giving birth to Ugly singaporeans.
They need to be SpoonFed how to Express their Dissent of the Policies.
Else, the Ugly singaporean can only become UGLIER!
Blame no one but yourselves, singaporeans.
You reap what you sow.
Ignorance is the root cause.
But you will learn only after being cooked to perfection.
Keppel Port will soon move to Tuas .
Jus directly Opposite Tanjung Pelepas ?
Dosen’t make sense ? Rite ? Hmmm…
But look at Keppel area ? The vast amount of land when the port is moved.
Look at the surroundings area , Pinnacle, Waterfront, MBs,RWS .
I wonder when that “Port land is to be re-develop” who are the biggest beneficiaries ?
WTF is this union chief, instead of protecting the workers he is adding to condemn the workers. Anyway, you can listen to what type of spoken English he has?
this is a real diversion from the real issue of the incompetencies of the SMRT i bet Miss Saw Paik Hwa is smiling profusely, i do not believe the confussion was caused by the malays and indian workers who cant speak simple english, pls provide proof of this allegation,
thse days so far i havnt met any malays of indians who cant speak simple english be it a tamby or despatch rider or even pump attendent.
If you have taken the MRT or buses you will know that they are quite frequently manned by PRCs – China people. They can’t speak nor understand spoken English or Singlish.
SHT was deliberately protecting this group. SHT is racist for deliberately protecting an ethnic group by creating false accusations against other ethnic groups.
actually have you heard the many ‘announcements’ that Train drivers sometimes are forced to make??
it mostly gubrish, spoken so fast, and ‘recultantly’ – its a pity as I am sure most of them had at least gone through primary and secondary education and yet are so uncomfortable with English.
I dont blame them driver, I blame the education system.
Of course, a good company wll take the time to train them to be comfortable; bit that another story.
I’m working in a logistic industry & there’s a lot of PRCs there. In earlier stage most of them can’t speak or understand English at all. We the locals regardless of race felt pressurize especially our local Chinese because they’re our only source of translator. But when time passes, these PRCs took initiative to learn English & thankfully now we not only can communicate with them we even joke around & share ideas with them. These are the kind of PRCs we look forward to. It’s all about communication. Not by prioritizing them & kick the locals to the curb.
We imbibe our most permanent concepts at our mother’s knee. Who does not remember the mother frightening her child by threatening him with the appearance of a black man, yellow man, devils of all sorts of coloration differnt from the mother’s own coloration. So we all grow up with deep seated phobia and hatreds. It is the mark of growing up and being educated that we unlearn many of these locked ideas.
Some never do unlearn these inaccurate themes sucked in together with the mother’s milk.They become racists or other undesirable characters in society.
A Government is supposed to recruit people who are free of these deep antisocietal propensities. The PAP being the Ruling Party for so long should have the wherewithal to screen such defective characters and not slip them in as leaders in society.I am presupposing that the PAP by and large adhere to the idea that nobody of whatever race or religion should ever be maligned in Singapore.
MP Seng, let slip his innermost being nurtured presumably at his mother’s knee as that of a person intolerant of the varieties of human races when he blurted out that Indians and Malays are somehow lacking in English speech. A check of the MRT staffing can show quickly that this is a fabrication on his part. The Chinese who are not educated in English is more prone to the disability of being non English speaking. How, how shall such a person mediate the myriad problems of people in his constituency who are made up of three distinct races and a half dozen religions.
I have a bad feeling that the superiority of personages in the PAP as being ultra capable is a bad myth. In the space of a few weeks two such babblers, spoilers of the public peace have emerged from the ranks of the PAP. Jason is predicted to be given a tap on the wrist by the police. Nothing more will be said about MP Seng after a few days. The PAP will raise their battle cry, ” Lets move on.”
We have to move on, and on and on, because our lives are threatened by the legal system and the secret police.
Great Son of Singapore,
You hit the nail on the head. The boogie men fantasy is created to keep children in control or prevent them from mingling too closely with the “darker” therefore “inferior races” by parents. Why must a boogie man be black? One begs the question. Mothers and grandmothers are the greatest culprits of such grooming bias.
Second, why did SHT remember only the Indians and Malays to single out as examples? Any individual in this country with a modicum of common sense will know not to play the race card and a public official and a carefully selected and groomed politician should have known better.
Third, C George castigating TOC for pointing out this gaffe is sidelining the issue. George has long worked in the media industry and has researched this discipline, he should know that repeating or passing on biased messages is equal to endorsing those messages.
BUT, this sideshow should not deflect the scrutiny on SMRT’s service blunders. Lets keep focused.
Actually, Mr Goh Chee Kong of the SMRT did mention “Malays, Indians and Chinese” in a radio interview he did recently, this was probably the source that Mr Seng Han Thong was referring to, when he made his remarks. But, it may be correct to say that unlike Seng, Goh did not single out or highlight any particular race for so-called language deficiencies.
From Yawning Bread’s article, “Racing away from racism”:
“The comment was made by SMRT’s Senior Vice President for Communication and Services Goh Chee Kong in response to a question on how SMRT planned to improve its communication with passengers. This was broadcast over the radio.
“What we’re mindful of is that our people, our staff at the stations and in the trains may not be making sufficient announcements and also good enough announcements. And that’s because our staff of different races, it could be Malay, Chinese, or Indians or any other race, they sometimes find it difficult to speak in English. However we’ve encouraged them to make the announcements and not to worry about that. At the same time, from our ops control centre, we’re making more announcements and I put someone there from the communications department to make the announcements so it becomes more regular.”
– Blogtv.sg Facebook page, 22 December 2011.
As you can see, Goh evidently did mention “Malay, Chinese or Indians”, though it would also be correct to say that he did not “highlight any particular race”.
The full text of Yawning Bread’s article:
http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/racing-away-from-racism/
We Singaporeans are proud of our ‘Singlish’. its our way of life here. If ypu want all people to speak perfect English then you should stay in England not here.
@humble,
Yes, be proud of Singlish, but learn to speak English well. Singlish has cultural value, but it is English that will help us to communicate with the world. Those working in the public sector in England speak in standard English.
English is a world language and is not the sole preserve of England.
Granted. Lets believe that he did not meant to be racist. Getting paid $15,000 a month and he could not use proper words and phrases? Pay me half of this I can do a better job!
Citizen
24 December 2011
Yes, be proud of Singlish, but learn to speak English well. Singlish has cultural value, but it is English that will help us to communicate with the world. Those working in the public sector in England speak in standard English.
English is a world language and is not the sole preserve of England
——————
Dialects are linguistic varieties which differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar from each other and from Standard English (which is itself a dialect).
From : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dialects_of_the_English_language
Very simple, just replace SMRT Senior team and MP SHT
The many that criticize SHT for being racist had indirectly or unknowingly become racists themselves.
They are now using him as a proxy to whack Chinese!
SHT is not a racist, he is not given a chance to explain himself and TOC started the whole process to condemn him. Should we give criminal a 2nd chance? I don’t think so if we based on what TOC had done.
Honestly, i feel shamed by SHT’s engrish and he being a Chinese singaporean being so gullible when speaking about other races , which is a sensitive topic that as a mp, he should know.
Why is he our mp?
Are there no better more capable than him?
Who chose him as mp?
I believe many are more capable than him, at least in speaking engrish.
regards
a piece of SHIT
The real issue is why didn’t the TV employees on the show interject or press the discussion further when SHT made the offensive remarks.
Why didn’t editors of the program seize the debate? Why allow the establishment voice to go unchallenged? Shame on the bootlickers in the BlogTV team!!
When push comes to shove, thank goodness there are platforms like TOC to reflect the people’s voice.
Please stop posting irrelevant comments.
Malaysia. Latest.
On the subject of ethnicity.
Read and be vindicated.
A Malayian, Hussein Hamid, writes on 24 Dec 2011 as the wool is removed from his eyes -
“Malays will never disappear from this earth: Don’t be too sure!”
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=25086:malays-will-never-disappear-from-this-earth-dont-be-too-sure&Itemid=2
I support you TOC. You can bring up the example of GCT who during the 2001 GE also quoted some ASEAN countries who said discriminatory things regarding Australia.
The Australian media wasn’t too happy about it but they had no hold over him because GCT did make it very clear in his speech that he was against those statements.
Acid had damaged his brain, causing him to make racist remarks.
SMRT has clarified it didn’t make reference to certain race, and no record to suggest it did so. So SHT’s comment is his own words.
Dr George is a media scholar, but he seems to lack the common sense that a defendant’s story cannot be taken as truth without fact and evidence. Perhaps to PAP supporters, their MPs’ words are truth and need no fact to substantiate them. But we netizen don’t buy it.
Even if it is true that SHT had misunderstood MRT’s comment, thinking that they refer to Malay and Indian staff only, it is disappointing to know that as a MP he allowed such racial discrimination to slip through and did nothing about it.
@Citizen
agreed. as a small country we have no weight like the americans who can change the queen’s english to their american english as they wish.
the recent remark by lky that our young should also learn american english can be confusing if not further elaborated.
i noted that many americans don’t bother with their grammar and spelling.
eg. they got mixed up with :
too & two
tree & three
for & four
your & you’re
were & we’re
were & where
and more…
the following phrases are also commonly used by the americans, ‘i don’t have no money’ instead of simply ‘i have no money’, or ‘i don’t know nothing’ instead of ‘i don’t know anything’
i also received emails from americans who said ‘it should of been….’ instead of ‘it should have been..’ when i tried clarifying, they insisted that that’s the correct phrasing.
today, we also find many around the world(including our local journalists) using the phrase ‘between this to that’
when it should be ‘between this and that’
so i wonder if our mm really meant that he wants our children to learn the american english wholesale like the way they spell and construct sentences.
sure, for a big country like america, after some decades, their own standard of english would be adopted by other countries.
i noted that the 4-letter word f**k is now also very common in singapore even among our teenage girls, influenced by american movies. it’s almost like an automatic prefix and suffix in every sentence that’s blurted out.
so, is this style of american english we should be expecting our young to learn?
@ loppy
“SMRT has clarified it didn’t make reference to certain race, and no record to suggest it did so. So SHT’s comment is his own words.”
Oh, I agree with that observation. SHT’s choice of word reference to ethnicity was QUITE SPECIFIC, IDENTIFYING and EXHAUSTIVELY DEFINING of certain group.
CG just have to accept fact as fact of words uttered.
ANYONE to AGREE with this ::
ISLAM is a RACE, a MALAY RACE?
because some quarters in singapore is starting to believe and want others to accept that any commentary about ISLAM is RACISM.
@Sami,
That failure to integrate with others is a result of : ……… That failure to learn from others is a result of : …….. That failure to share with others to enlarge the pie is the result of : …….. Where is that critical thinking of his??
It is simply one word to described those who mention races in this context : INSENSITIVE. WHY do they NEED to mention race at ALL ? Just simply said some of the staff or some of the drivers will DO isn’t it ?????????????? These are or intellegent pple ? SAD.
Thank you sal 25 December 2011 to @Citizen. And yet LKY some 2 decades ago was so perplexed and flabbergasted with the Civil Service’s standard of Einglish in their cyclostyled notices and letters to us the public. And so he brought in and English Gentlemen name Barry Johson to teach them at some $250-300 per head!
And now this equall English educated lawyer wants American English in lieu? Oh I see, he lives “In the real world” with the American Navy here in the old British Navy! but that alone does not mean he must succour to the Americans. How low can one of his “namesake” stoop to conquer” Oh yeh it is “We live in the real world”. Does this guy have heart and soul speking that way? And thus deserve respect by caring people?
@rockabyebaby
hm…
in fact, even the standard english that we expect and used to get in the past from govt agencies and all stat boards can be seen declining in standard.
i also frequently find misprints, spelling and grammar errors in our local newspapers these days, which i hardly recall seeing any in the national papers in the early years.
@A piece of shit
Mr Shit, you are a chinese and your english is not up to par either, and yet you can still call others shit?
Today’s spore is in fact going backward because it’s run by english-speaking chinese, these group’s mentality is all about money. If you talk to them about confusius way of thinking, they will treat it as a joke, and will laugh really loud. They feel more superior than others when they speak english.
if I say Indian food is the best, that is also racist because it mean Malay and Chinese food is not equal to Indian food. When I say Chinese girls are beautiful than you will also call me racist because to you what I mean is Indian and Malays girls are ugly. If I say Malay are clever do I mean Indian and Chinese are stupid?
SHT
GOT A FEELING MINISTERS AND TOP OFFICIALS AND PM AND PRESIDENT PAYS GOING TO OBSCENCE AGAIN… AND PLUS 8 MONTHS BONUS AND ALSO INCREMENT, PROMOTIONS WILL NEGATE OR CANCEL OFF THE EFFECTS OF PAY CUTS…….. AMYBE PAY RISE EVEN MORE WITH VARIABLE COMPONENTS… CREATIVE SALARIES…..
WTF!!!!! GERALD EE AND PAPPIES ARE IN CAHOOTS!!
WELCOME TO SINGAPORE INC.. THE DEVIL COMPANY WHO FLEECES COMMONERS..
pap should not have chosen sht as mp.
his video shows clearly his engrish is not up to scratch.
the selection process is qestionable.
If i were him, knowing how important engrish is in singapore, i would have ask for grant to attend free engrish courses.
He has worked as mp for so many donkey years, earning i not sure how much money already!.
This video showed his weakness.
I can only honestly say, I feel ashamed not so much for me but for him.
But out of sympathy he gets my vote.
Beware of the wolf in sheep clothing, the fifth column is operative.
Yangtung
Please clarify. What do u mean by fifth column is operative?
Also Stop all pensions of ministers, double appointments pensions of president, double appointments of mp and ministers, civil servants pension !!!!!!
what fuss all about nagging Singaporean…..he just made a honest misquote….forgive and moved on as I sure he not racist against any race…however,what he mentioned and quoted by SMRT also very factual and there truth in this issue..some can not even speak proper basic English…so how …if the track and poor English problem..SMRT will just need to solve these issues…Abang and Nuthu should be forgiving and improved ourselves….lah,,,Singapore spirit….never mind if MP or president paid very high…they are also trying to solve this major issue….move on Bro…
I guess this SHT is also some dimwit of a minister, I mean he’s experience enough to know what to say & not just quote blindly. He is paid millions for his work & yet he made such a schoolboy error on national TV!
I guess PAP really needs a good PR company, from the flood in 50yrs to MAS’s escape, it seems like non of the million dollar ministers are able to face the camera & address the nation! I am not sure if it’s stage fright but they really need to attend some toastmaster training!
Unfortunately for this case, i think Dr Cherian George is correct. TOC did make a biase headline and took every opportunity to bash another PAP MP.
For the record, I personally feel that Mr Seng is yet another example of cronyist incompetence being foisted on all of us. He as his ilk are chosen as ‘fillers’ in parliament so that the powers that be can rule us dimwits more easily without having to handle truly talented people who will deal with such inconvenient trivialities as truth and logic.
Having read all the available arguments presented by both TOC and Dr Cherian however, I have to admit that George has a point. Much as I dislike what the PAP has become, the only true way to fight what we dislike is to be the alternative. And while I personally like the TOC and what it represents, in this case, Dr Cherian’s arguments while a little on the pedantic side does indeed make for much more responsible journalism. And labeling what could just possibly be bungling incompetence as racism may be premature in this case.