Moving to nip racism in the bud

Seah Chiang Nee, The Star, Asia News Network/Selangor, Malaysia

A Chinese woman was serving food to an Indonesian maid at a hospital canteen when, midway, she laid the plate aside to serve a well-dressed gentleman.

She then turned back to continue filling the maid's order. It happened quickly, as though it was a normal thing to do. When I complained to her that it was not the right thing to discriminate against a maid, she apologized profusely -- to me.

Years ago, a Philippine lady executive told me how she would be given the cold shoulder whenever she wore informal clothes. "To Singaporeans, every Filipina is a maid who has to enter through the back door," she said.

Among even educated Singaporeans who use public transport, complaints like "dirty, smelly" Bangladeshis are frequently heard.

After years of education, one would imagine that racism has become a thing of the past, at least among the educated class. Guess again!

Even among the elites, racism sometimes raises its ugly head. Years ago, when Choo Wee Khiang was People's Action Party Member of Parliament, he made disparaging remarks about Indians and "Little India".

He told Parliament: "One evening, I drove to Little India and it was pitch dark but not because there was no light, but because there were too many Indians around."

Few Singaporeans, including Indians, dared to criticize a PAP MP, considered a "powerful man" not to be trifled with. He later apologized.

At the back of some minds lurks an arrogance of race superiority or looking down on the inferior. Some talk about it; others act on their bias.

Chua Cheng Zhan, 21, was a Singaporean government scholar who was groomed for high government service.

The mathematics student at Northwestern University, USA, wrote in his online diary: "Somehow, the Singaporean Association here in my school has become an Indian association. So gross, some more non-Singaporean.

"Ya. I discovered I'm so racist. At the club (under lighting in which everyone is supposed to look good), I still find Indians and Filipinos (dark ones) so repulsive and such a turn-off."

Chua was admonished by the government department which granted him the scholarship.

Some see it as racism; others call it class distinction in which the better-off look down on the poor and under-achievers. Many of these examples reflect racial bias and/or class distinction among Singaporeans who look down on people less successful than them.

It also explains why so many Singaporeans, of all races, mistreat or abuse their maids as well as laborers.

The last time Singapore had a racial riot was in 1964, but since then things have been tranquil. A whole new generation has passed out from schools and universities, more argumentative and articulate.

The various races had been brought up with increasing familiarity with each other that it often clouds racial sensitivity. The city has become more sophisticated, cosmopolitan; the warnings of a race blow-up are forgotten or ignored. Racism has also widened to include foreign residents.

Singaporeans have made insulting remarks about "ugly, rude" Chinese mainlanders here. And some Western restaurants are sometimes accused of discriminating against locals in favor of Caucasian diners.

But it is still the Malay-Chinese issues that pose the biggest threat. The potential dangers become stark under the threat of Jamaah Islamiyah bombings, which could result, it is feared, in a backlash against innocent Muslims.

The government has put in place plans involving religious and community leaders of all races that will mitigate race violence if the bombs do go off. Since independence, one of Singapore's priorities has been to build cohesion among its races. It's one of the few countries in the world that observes a Racial Harmony Day every year.

The city's schools and housing estates enforce ethnic quotas based on the race populations to prevent racial enclaves. The system ensures the majority Chinese live with a certain ratio of Malays and Indians and vice-versa. As a result, children grow up with at least some racial mixing both at school and their residential blocks.

For many years, community leaders had been organizing cross- visits to celebrate each other's New Year festivals. The result has not eradicated idiotic race remarks by young people who believe that the Internet and free expressions give them the license to say what they want.

Hate messages have become a norm on the Net. It has reached a proportion that is forcing the government to plan strengthening the Sedition Act because the penalties don't match up to the crime. After 40 years, it raises a question mark on Singaporeans' maturity.

The writer is a veteran journalist and editor of the information website littlespeck.com.