Moving to nip racism in the bud<\/p>\n
Seah Chiang Nee, The Star, Asia News Network\/Selangor, Malaysia<\/p>\n
A Chinese woman was serving food to an Indonesian maid at a
\nhospital canteen when, midway, she laid the plate aside to serve
\na well-dressed gentleman.<\/p>\n
She then turned back to continue filling the maid's order. It
\nhappened quickly, as though it was a normal thing to do. When I
\ncomplained to her that it was not the right thing to discriminate
\nagainst a maid, she apologized profusely -- to me.<\/p>\n
Years ago, a Philippine lady executive told me how she would
\nbe given the cold shoulder whenever she wore informal clothes.
\n"To Singaporeans, every Filipina is a maid who has to enter
\nthrough the back door," she said.<\/p>\n
Among even educated Singaporeans who use public transport,
\ncomplaints like "dirty, smelly" Bangladeshis are frequently
\nheard.<\/p>\n
After years of education, one would imagine that racism has
\nbecome a thing of the past, at least among the educated class.
\nGuess again!<\/p>\n
Even among the elites, racism sometimes raises its ugly head.
\nYears ago, when Choo Wee Khiang was People's Action Party Member
\nof Parliament, he made disparaging remarks about Indians and
\n"Little India".<\/p>\n
He told Parliament: "One evening, I drove to Little India and
\nit was pitch dark but not because there was no light, but because
\nthere were too many Indians around."<\/p>\n
Few Singaporeans, including Indians, dared to criticize a PAP
\nMP, considered a "powerful man" not to be trifled with. He later
\napologized.<\/p>\n
At the back of some minds lurks an arrogance of race
\nsuperiority or looking down on the inferior. Some talk about it;
\nothers act on their bias.<\/p>\n
Chua Cheng Zhan, 21, was a Singaporean government scholar who
\nwas groomed for high government service.<\/p>\n
The mathematics student at Northwestern University, USA, wrote
\nin his online diary: "Somehow, the Singaporean Association here
\nin my school has become an Indian association. So gross, some
\nmore non-Singaporean.<\/p>\n
"Ya. I discovered I'm so racist. At the club (under lighting
\nin which everyone is supposed to look good), I still find Indians
\nand Filipinos (dark ones) so repulsive and such a turn-off."<\/p>\n
Chua was admonished by the government department which granted
\nhim the scholarship.<\/p>\n
Some see it as racism; others call it class distinction in
\nwhich the better-off look down on the poor and under-achievers.
\nMany of these examples reflect racial bias and\/or class
\ndistinction among Singaporeans who look down on people less
\nsuccessful than them.<\/p>\n
It also explains why so many Singaporeans, of all races,
\nmistreat or abuse their maids as well as laborers.<\/p>\n
The last time Singapore had a racial riot was in 1964, but
\nsince then things have been tranquil. A whole new generation has
\npassed out from schools and universities, more argumentative and
\narticulate.<\/p>\n
The various races had been brought up with increasing
\nfamiliarity with each other that it often clouds racial
\nsensitivity. The city has become more sophisticated,
\ncosmopolitan; the warnings of a race blow-up are forgotten or
\nignored. Racism has also widened to include foreign residents.<\/p>\n
Singaporeans have made insulting remarks about "ugly, rude"
\nChinese mainlanders here. And some Western restaurants are
\nsometimes accused of discriminating against locals in favor of
\nCaucasian diners.<\/p>\n
But it is still the Malay-Chinese issues that pose the biggest
\nthreat. The potential dangers become stark under the threat of
\nJamaah Islamiyah bombings, which could result, it is feared, in a
\nbacklash against innocent Muslims.<\/p>\n
The government has put in place plans involving religious and
\ncommunity leaders of all races that will mitigate race violence
\nif the bombs do go off. Since independence, one of Singapore's
\npriorities has been to build cohesion among its races. It's one
\nof the few countries in the world that observes a Racial Harmony
\nDay every year.<\/p>\n
The city's schools and housing estates enforce ethnic quotas
\nbased on the race populations to prevent racial enclaves. The
\nsystem ensures the majority Chinese live with a certain ratio of
\nMalays and Indians and vice-versa. As a result, children grow up
\nwith at least some racial mixing both at school and their
\nresidential blocks.<\/p>\n
For many years, community leaders had been organizing cross-
\nvisits to celebrate each other's New Year festivals. The result
\nhas not eradicated idiotic race remarks by young people who
\nbelieve that the Internet and free expressions give them the
\nlicense to say what they want.<\/p>\n
Hate messages have become a norm on the Net. It has reached a
\nproportion that is forcing the government to plan strengthening
\nthe Sedition Act because the penalties don't match up to the
\ncrime. After 40 years, it raises a question mark on Singaporeans'
\nmaturity.<\/p>\n
The writer is a veteran journalist and editor of the
\ninformation website littlespeck.com.<\/p>",
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