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May 1, 2010
Mystified by UN race expert's observations
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I READ with great interest United Nations Special Rapporteur Githu Muigai's comments ('UN man highlights areas for review'; Thursday) and related reports. I must confess I was puzzled by some of his observations and recommendations.
When I first arrived in Singapore in the mid-1970s, I was immediately struck by the fact that this was a live-and-let-live society in many respects.
More than 30 years have passed since then, and I can confidently say I have never been in any other country which enjoys a better track record in respect of racial and religious harmony, and equality of opportunity for all.
Indeed, it was partly Singapore's outstanding achievements in these areas that prompted me to become a citizen.
I remain filled with admiration for a government that has proved itself foresighted and pragmatic enough to formulate effective legislation and policies to ensure - to the greatest extent possible - not only that societal harmony is achieved, but also that ethnic diversity is actually celebrated in myriad ways.
Such a balance is not easily attained and is in itself cause for celebration.
This is not to say that all is perfect. Even all-encompassing legislation does not make any society a utopia, and cannot in and of itself guarantee a change in the mindsets of everyone. Racial and religious fault lines do exist, and changes of heart come about incrementally, often through education and effective socialisation.
The authorities are far from naive, and very much aware of this. In fact, I have noticed, over the years, that issues of race and religion have been granted additional space in the public discourse, as people discuss sensitive issues more openly now than earlier on - a healthy development.
Being in education, I have observed this especially among younger people who, I find, are very much clued in to the sensitivities involved whenever racial and religious issues come to the fore.
I felt the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' response was appropriate, particularly in pointing out that should we start tinkering and tampering with the interlocking series of measures that exist to ensure social harmony, we run the risk of seeing the entire edifice collapse. And obviously, if that happens, we will indeed go down, with no outside agents like the UN to pick us up again. Surely no one wants to see that kind of nightmare scenario.
Michael Rebaczonok-Padulo
http://www.np.edu.sg/is/aboutis/staff/Pages/rem.aspx
Michael Rebaczonok-Padulo
<LINK rel=stylesheet type=text/css href="/_wpresources/RadEditorSharePoint/4.3.2.0__1f131a624888eeed/RadControls/Editor/CssEditor.css"><TABLE style="WIDTH: 622px; HEIGHT: 23px"><TBODY><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 208px" vAlign=top align=left>
</TD><TD>Senior Lecturer
Qualifications :
BA Hons (Modern Languages), Connecticut, USA
Profile/Areas of Interest :
Michael first joined Ngee Ann in 1982 and has been running Communication Skills for Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering students. He also conducts NP-wide staff training in language and communication. Since July 2001, he's been working with first-year international students in General English Training. He has also developed a 'Grammar Online' package for use by NP students and staff.
Michael commands a long list of publications, including fiction, school texts and socio-political articles. His most renowned works include the essay on 'Multi-Racialism and the Singaporean Identity', which won 3rd Prize in the PAP Youth Wing National Essay Writing Competition in 1988</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Mystified by UN race expert's observations
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I READ with great interest United Nations Special Rapporteur Githu Muigai's comments ('UN man highlights areas for review'; Thursday) and related reports. I must confess I was puzzled by some of his observations and recommendations.
When I first arrived in Singapore in the mid-1970s, I was immediately struck by the fact that this was a live-and-let-live society in many respects.
More than 30 years have passed since then, and I can confidently say I have never been in any other country which enjoys a better track record in respect of racial and religious harmony, and equality of opportunity for all.
Indeed, it was partly Singapore's outstanding achievements in these areas that prompted me to become a citizen.
I remain filled with admiration for a government that has proved itself foresighted and pragmatic enough to formulate effective legislation and policies to ensure - to the greatest extent possible - not only that societal harmony is achieved, but also that ethnic diversity is actually celebrated in myriad ways.
Such a balance is not easily attained and is in itself cause for celebration.
This is not to say that all is perfect. Even all-encompassing legislation does not make any society a utopia, and cannot in and of itself guarantee a change in the mindsets of everyone. Racial and religious fault lines do exist, and changes of heart come about incrementally, often through education and effective socialisation.
The authorities are far from naive, and very much aware of this. In fact, I have noticed, over the years, that issues of race and religion have been granted additional space in the public discourse, as people discuss sensitive issues more openly now than earlier on - a healthy development.
Being in education, I have observed this especially among younger people who, I find, are very much clued in to the sensitivities involved whenever racial and religious issues come to the fore.
I felt the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' response was appropriate, particularly in pointing out that should we start tinkering and tampering with the interlocking series of measures that exist to ensure social harmony, we run the risk of seeing the entire edifice collapse. And obviously, if that happens, we will indeed go down, with no outside agents like the UN to pick us up again. Surely no one wants to see that kind of nightmare scenario.
Michael Rebaczonok-Padulo
http://www.np.edu.sg/is/aboutis/staff/Pages/rem.aspx
Michael Rebaczonok-Padulo
<LINK rel=stylesheet type=text/css href="/_wpresources/RadEditorSharePoint/4.3.2.0__1f131a624888eeed/RadControls/Editor/CssEditor.css"><TABLE style="WIDTH: 622px; HEIGHT: 23px"><TBODY><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 208px" vAlign=top align=left>
Qualifications :
BA Hons (Modern Languages), Connecticut, USA
Profile/Areas of Interest :
Michael first joined Ngee Ann in 1982 and has been running Communication Skills for Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering students. He also conducts NP-wide staff training in language and communication. Since July 2001, he's been working with first-year international students in General English Training. He has also developed a 'Grammar Online' package for use by NP students and staff.
Michael commands a long list of publications, including fiction, school texts and socio-political articles. His most renowned works include the essay on 'Multi-Racialism and the Singaporean Identity', which won 3rd Prize in the PAP Youth Wing National Essay Writing Competition in 1988</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
