- Joined
- Jul 20, 2009
- Messages
- 6,176
- Points
- 113
SINGAPORE: Minister for Law K Shanmugam on Tuesday clarified that parties involved in the mediation of the "curry" incident were not given a recommendation nor forced into settlement.
Instead, they are encouraged to work out a solution that both are comfortable with.
Mr Shanmugam was responding to a dispute handled by the Community Mediation Centre —— an agency under the Ministry of Law —— which has sparked a debate online.
The case in question happened some six to seven years ago, involving a family who had moved to Singapore from China.
They sought mediation because they could not stand the smell of curry coming from the home of their Singaporean Indian neighbours.
According to one media report, the mediator got the Indian family to agree to only cook curry when their Chinese neighbours were not at home.
Mr Shanmugam has clarified that the solution was agreed upon by the two parties, and not imposed by the mediator.
"The parties are completely free to come for mediation. They are not forced to come, neither are they under any compulsion to come," Mr Shanmugam said.
"And throughout the process of mediation, either party can walk off. There was no agreement that was signed or settled at the mediation. What happened, as told to us by the mediator, this solution was discussed by the two families, [between] themselves."
Mr Shanmugam urged Singaporeans to see things in perspective.
"While it’s good that so many Singaporeans have come forward to protect the Singapore identity, at the same time, let’s not turn this into a xenophobic attack on foreigners in general."
Netizens have started an island—wide "Cook A Pot of Curry!" movement on Facebook, urging families to cook and share a pot of curry to "celebrate curries as part of our way of life, and to share this celebration with those who are new to our shores".
Mr Shanmugam said the mediation centre each year handles about 300 disputes between neighbours, the bulk of which are between Singaporeans.
—CNA/wk
Instead, they are encouraged to work out a solution that both are comfortable with.
Mr Shanmugam was responding to a dispute handled by the Community Mediation Centre —— an agency under the Ministry of Law —— which has sparked a debate online.
The case in question happened some six to seven years ago, involving a family who had moved to Singapore from China.
They sought mediation because they could not stand the smell of curry coming from the home of their Singaporean Indian neighbours.
According to one media report, the mediator got the Indian family to agree to only cook curry when their Chinese neighbours were not at home.
Mr Shanmugam has clarified that the solution was agreed upon by the two parties, and not imposed by the mediator.
"The parties are completely free to come for mediation. They are not forced to come, neither are they under any compulsion to come," Mr Shanmugam said.
"And throughout the process of mediation, either party can walk off. There was no agreement that was signed or settled at the mediation. What happened, as told to us by the mediator, this solution was discussed by the two families, [between] themselves."
Mr Shanmugam urged Singaporeans to see things in perspective.
"While it’s good that so many Singaporeans have come forward to protect the Singapore identity, at the same time, let’s not turn this into a xenophobic attack on foreigners in general."
Netizens have started an island—wide "Cook A Pot of Curry!" movement on Facebook, urging families to cook and share a pot of curry to "celebrate curries as part of our way of life, and to share this celebration with those who are new to our shores".
Mr Shanmugam said the mediation centre each year handles about 300 disputes between neighbours, the bulk of which are between Singaporeans.
—CNA/wk
