Racism in Singapore, relevance of SAP schools among topics raised at dialogue on race
By Tang See Kit @SeeKitCNA
21 Sep 2019 09:37PM (Updated: 21 Sep 2019 09:40PM)
SINGAPORE: Ms Swedha Rajaram was six years old when she heard a taxi driver telling her mother: “You know, I normally don’t pick up Indians. They are quite smelly. I didn’t know you all were Indians.”
Her mother turned “visibly upset” and told Ms Rajaram to speak in Mandarin.
“(It was) a language that my father insisted I learn because he thought it would be a useful skill. I spoke. The driver softened and he made conversation with only me for the rest of the ride,” recalled the Singaporean, who is now 23 and a final-year student at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
“That really shook me,” she added. “That would be the first time I questioned my place in Singapore.”
Ms Rajaram’s experience as a victim of racism was one of the stories shared candidly at a session called “Regardless of Race - The Dialogue” on Saturday (Sep 21).
Organised by OnePeople.sg – the national body promoting racial and religious harmony – in partnership with CNA and supported by inter-faith group Roses of Peace, the session is the first in a series that hopes to discuss race relations in Singapore.
About 130 people from different backgrounds attended the three-long dialogue.
OnePeople.sg's chairman Janil Puthucheary said while race is an issue that crops up constantly in Singapore, it is not easy to discuss.
“That line between meaningful engagement, being a little too sensitive, being appropriately sensitive, between finding something entertaining, engaging and offensive, is not prescribed. It’s not clear," he said.
“’Regardless of race’ is in our pledge … but it’s something that needs active work,” he added. “We want a series of dialogues and that’s what OnePeople.sg is hoping to kickstart today."
SPEAKING UP ON RACISM
For Ms Rajaram, that was not the last time she experienced racism.
Another was being told by her primary school friends that she would never become head prefect because she was Indian.
Constant questions about her nationality also leave her wondering.
“I can’t help but compare this to my Chinese friends who never get asked the same question. They automatically assume they are from Singapore, whereas I am from India,” said Ms Rajaram, who was part of a four-member panel leading the discussions.
Another panellist, Mr Imran Rahim, recalled being told that he spoke well for a Malay. Being in an inter-racial relationship, the 31-year-old lawyer has also been asked if he is “going to get married at a void-deck”.
While those who spoke acknowledged that these comments may sometimes be non-malicious or meant as “jokes”, some wondered if such remarks should not have been made in the first place.
“Overt racism generally is frowned upon so people are careful about it, but we are talking about the kind of casual, seemingly inoffensive type of comments. It doesn’t seem offensive to the majority, but there’s something to be said about highlighting someone’s physical or cultural characteristic and turning that into a caricature or mockery,” said 32-year-old Sadhana Rai.
“It may appear as a joke, but perhaps that comment shouldn’t even be made at all.”
In such instances, members of the minority groups should be allowed to feel that they can speak up, even against seemingly “light-hearted jokes”, said Ms Rajaram.
Members of the Chinese majority can also do their part.
“Because it may not always be easy for a Malay or Indian person who may be made to feel like they are too sensitive and they cannot take the joke,” she added. “So when you’re in that position of privilege, use it to help others.”
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...schools-discussed-onepeople-dialogue-11930444
By Tang See Kit @SeeKitCNA
21 Sep 2019 09:37PM (Updated: 21 Sep 2019 09:40PM)
SINGAPORE: Ms Swedha Rajaram was six years old when she heard a taxi driver telling her mother: “You know, I normally don’t pick up Indians. They are quite smelly. I didn’t know you all were Indians.”
Her mother turned “visibly upset” and told Ms Rajaram to speak in Mandarin.
“(It was) a language that my father insisted I learn because he thought it would be a useful skill. I spoke. The driver softened and he made conversation with only me for the rest of the ride,” recalled the Singaporean, who is now 23 and a final-year student at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
“That really shook me,” she added. “That would be the first time I questioned my place in Singapore.”
Ms Rajaram’s experience as a victim of racism was one of the stories shared candidly at a session called “Regardless of Race - The Dialogue” on Saturday (Sep 21).
Organised by OnePeople.sg – the national body promoting racial and religious harmony – in partnership with CNA and supported by inter-faith group Roses of Peace, the session is the first in a series that hopes to discuss race relations in Singapore.
About 130 people from different backgrounds attended the three-long dialogue.
OnePeople.sg's chairman Janil Puthucheary said while race is an issue that crops up constantly in Singapore, it is not easy to discuss.
“That line between meaningful engagement, being a little too sensitive, being appropriately sensitive, between finding something entertaining, engaging and offensive, is not prescribed. It’s not clear," he said.
“’Regardless of race’ is in our pledge … but it’s something that needs active work,” he added. “We want a series of dialogues and that’s what OnePeople.sg is hoping to kickstart today."
SPEAKING UP ON RACISM
For Ms Rajaram, that was not the last time she experienced racism.
Another was being told by her primary school friends that she would never become head prefect because she was Indian.
Constant questions about her nationality also leave her wondering.
“I can’t help but compare this to my Chinese friends who never get asked the same question. They automatically assume they are from Singapore, whereas I am from India,” said Ms Rajaram, who was part of a four-member panel leading the discussions.
Another panellist, Mr Imran Rahim, recalled being told that he spoke well for a Malay. Being in an inter-racial relationship, the 31-year-old lawyer has also been asked if he is “going to get married at a void-deck”.
While those who spoke acknowledged that these comments may sometimes be non-malicious or meant as “jokes”, some wondered if such remarks should not have been made in the first place.
“Overt racism generally is frowned upon so people are careful about it, but we are talking about the kind of casual, seemingly inoffensive type of comments. It doesn’t seem offensive to the majority, but there’s something to be said about highlighting someone’s physical or cultural characteristic and turning that into a caricature or mockery,” said 32-year-old Sadhana Rai.
“It may appear as a joke, but perhaps that comment shouldn’t even be made at all.”
In such instances, members of the minority groups should be allowed to feel that they can speak up, even against seemingly “light-hearted jokes”, said Ms Rajaram.
Members of the Chinese majority can also do their part.
“Because it may not always be easy for a Malay or Indian person who may be made to feel like they are too sensitive and they cannot take the joke,” she added. “So when you’re in that position of privilege, use it to help others.”
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...schools-discussed-onepeople-dialogue-11930444
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