Perceived Marginalisation of Non-Chinese
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First off,I'm a Singaporean first and foremost.I am serving NS now,I have lived here most of my life besides 2 years in Australia,from which I returned to serve NS,studied in SJI and St Michael's.
I'm of mixed background,Chinese,Indian and Portueguese.
I have realised,even as I grow older,that there is a feeling of marginalisation among all the many races of Singapore.They are always saying that we are a multi-cultural,multiracial society,that we are an egalitarian society based on justice,equality,progress and all these other words.
We all know the reality.Within my lifetime,within 2 to 3 generations,Singapore will become a Chinese city,with an overwhelming Chinese culture.It won't be Singapore anymore.It will be Lee Kuan Yew's vision of what he wants Singapore to be.A Chinese outpost,a part of Greater China.
The Why?Ask any person of minority background,and a very significant number will tell you that they perceive a marginalisation of their own cultures,of a general insensitivity by the Singaporeans of Chinese background around us.
In our media,East Asia,specifically Taiwan and China,are played up,more so than necessary.While both are economic powers,thir presentation in our media is given great import,more so than needed.Meanwhile,other markets,promising ones at that,are ignored,such as the Middle East and South Asia.
Even in movies such as "I Not Stupid", where are all the other races?It is a movie set in Singapore,filmed in Singapore,made for a Singaporean audience.Where are the others?
Similarly,the Speak Mandarin campaign promotes the utilisation of Mandarin.Very well,it does confer an economic advantage to its speakers,but the working language of Singapore,the common space,is English.What you have,are people speaking in Mandarin because they are so used to it,among others who don't understand it.Just because one is Chinese or partly so doesn't mean I speak Mandarin.I might speak Hokkien,Hakka,Cantonese,or not a word of any dialect at all!They are promoting it to the detriment of English.
You have many normal Singaporeans speaking Mandarin among those who don't understand it,and it is incredibly rude and insensitive,no matter the culture.In my platoon,where there are 3 non-Chinese speakers,they frequently give briefings in Mandarin,talk about work in Mandarin,or chit-chat in Mandarin.That excludes us from the fabric of the platoon,the bonding of us as a part of the platoon.I use this an analogy,something that perhaps other non-Chinese or part-Chinese would have experienced.Why do you think so many Indians and Malays or others in a workplace or school would form cliques of dark-skinned people?Certainly,the example I provide is a contributing factor to it.
I do not look the remotest bit Chinese besides my eyes,and look more like a Brazilian/Malay/India/Nepali rather than a Chinese,yet have people asking me questions instinctively in Chinese,despite them not knowing my background.Similarly,in camp,when I answer phone calls,the first words answered are also Mandarin.I have nothing against it,but you are operating in a common space with people of various backgrounds.Use the working language as its meant to be used.
This sign of a language becoming more dominant,more so than necessary,is what many would feel to be an indicator of Singapore's future.A decreasing standard in English?Blame the Speak Mandarin campaign.
Similarly,there is also a perception that if one is Chinese in origin,you are more likely to be granted citizenship,employment passes,promotions or permanent residency.Whether rightly or wrongly,this is the prevailing conception,and this, worries me.
Will there be a place for me and other like me,part-Chinese or otherwise,'minorities',in this country?More and more,I feel like an alien in Singapore at times.Will there be a political and social reform,or will things go as they are and evolve to their natural state?
This is my home.I have sweated for it and at times bled for it,though only a few minot scratches.I have certainly endured discomforts for it,as well as constraints placed upon my time and my personal life,just like every other male Singaporean.These are where my roots are.
Will it be my home in the future?And that depends on what type of future it will be.... -
dat day i saw a malay and chinese dudes playing house of the dead.
darn pro, pei he until very nice. -
At least you don't get blamed for not speaking Chinese, unlike 'potatoes' like me.
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frankly, is there a country that treat all its races equally?
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All the more reason we need GRCs. Singaporeans cannot be trusted not to vote along racial lines...
All these Chinese employers who insist on employing Chinese-speaking employees when their work does not really require such language capabilities....we must have legislation against such racial discrimination. -
Hmmm there are cases where malay/indians/others apply for a job, the interviewer will say they want mandarin speaking employess. But when these race group claimed that they can speak mandarin... the interviewer finally say...they are looking chinese...Originally posted by oxford mushroom:All the more reason we need GRCs. Singaporeans cannot be trusted not to vote along racial lines...
All these Chinese employers who insist on employing Chinese-speaking employees when their work does not really require such language capabilities....we must have legislation against such racial discrimination.
i support the legislation against such discrimination... -
This issue has been discussed before...but there are forumners and Singaporeans who have racist tendencies. It's just a convenient excuse...serve them right for losing their jobs to Chinese FT...after all, the study mamas probably speak better Mandarin than local ChineseOriginally posted by mhcampboy:Hmmm there are cases where malay/indians/others apply for a job, the interviewer will say they want mandarin speaking employess. But when these race group claimed that they can speak mandarin... the interviewer finally say...they are looking chinese...
i support the legislation against such discrimination...
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I feel that no one can marginalize any race, other than the race that marginalizes themselves.
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why be monolingual, be multi-lungual. the world doesn't adapt to you, you adapt to the world
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basically you are telling the majority chinese to speak "english", not "chinese", right?
so it's an insult to you and other non-chinese that chinese dare to speak "chinese" not "english", huh?
I know everybody's expected to speak english in s'pore, but sometimes i wonder, are there any real englishmen in s'pore? -
Originally posted by YaoRockets:
English is not just for Englishmen.
basically you are telling the majority chinese to speak "english", not "chinese", right?
so it's an insult to you and other non-chinese that chinese dare to speak "chinese" not "english", huh?
I know everybody's expected to speak english in s'pore, but sometimes i wonder, are there any real englishmen in s'pore?
We just select a language that can unite disparate peoples and confer a societal advantage in economics, culture, technology, etc.
The last 2 centuries just so happened to be dominated by English-speaking countries, Britain and USA.
He is clearly Singaporean, a product of the left-overs of Empire, now in the American "empire".
China is ascending no doubt, and clearly the State is encouraging proficiency of Chinese.
But if we are all Singaporeans - we probably should use English primarily in the first instance - language is to communicate and clearly we are not communicating if someone is left out.
Chinese should only be used for academics and economic use as needed in a Singaporean context.
I emphathise with the threadstarter - he is having problems fitting in.
Anyway, English speaking countries - USA, Canada, Australia - Englishmen are not the majority. They may be white and European majority - they are not all English.
So why not push for a Bill to replace the National Language with English, and do away with the 4 official languages?
Save teaching time, increase general student proficiency in one language, unite the people, improve communications, save governmental adminstrative costs, etc.
Else threadstarter, consider moving to some other country where you can assimilate better and take your talents with you. Singapore's loss is the other country's gain. -
Gt ,malaysia lorOriginally posted by dragg:frankly, is there a country that treat all its races equally? but only in its own eyes lah -
But i dont think usage of chinese is becoming more prevalent lah
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Nope but some will try to dole out fairness to the minority groups like USA, Canada and Australia. Heard of anti discrimination laws out there? If you get sacked on the basis of your skin color, you get to sue for a huge amount. If you get sacked on the basis of your age, same thing.Originally posted by dragg:frankly, is there a country that treat all its races equally?
White Australians in general are viewed as racist to some Singaporeans because they don't talk to others due to the plain fear of offending . However if you are of asian ethnic origin and you share their accent - you will find it damn easy to integrate with them. How many Singaporeans can truly say they don't stick to their own Singaporean group? I do but I also have australian friends whom I know through work and they are fantastic once you actually know them . Of course there will always be some racist idiots out there in every country.
Australia, Canada and USA gives very lucrative scholarships out to their minority groups as a courtesy and they are taken up very quickly.
Singapore tries it best - we cannot say it never tried with Anti-Sedition laws and education places reserved for some minority groups to boost them up. I think it is not the government to be blamed , I think it is the society to be blamed for not bringing up their children to respect others regardless of skin color, language or religion. -
Yup. when u submit a job application, u dun put ur race, gender and religion on the CVOriginally posted by fymk:Nope but some will try to dole out fairness to the minority groups like USA, Canada and Australia. Heard of anti discrimination laws out there? If you get sacked on the basis of your skin color, you get to sue for a huge amount. If you get sacked on the basis of your age, same thing.
yup. it's quite disturbing to see some of the racist statements made in this forums. LEt's hope that such things do come to a halt. racism really benefits no oneOriginally posted by fymk:Singapore tries it best - we cannot say it never tried with Anti-Sedition laws and education places reserved for some minority groups to boost them up. I think it is not the government to be blamed , I think it is the society to be blamed for not bringing up their children to respect others regardless of skin color, language or religion. -
Why not migrate? If singapore govt and the racist chinese companies feels that it can do better with its adoption of PRC as its citizens and staff instead of minority malays, indians, eurasions, then let it be. Accept and move on. Very little point in battling against the system. Otherwise you get increasingly bitter about the 90% of job ads asking for chinese-speaking or "chinese preferred", ya?
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i disagree..Singapore belongs to minority groups as much as it belongs to the majority Chinese..Originally posted by expiringpoet:Why not migrate? If singapore govt and the racist chinese companies feels that it can do better with its adoption of PRC as its citizens and staff instead of minority malays, indians, eurasions, then let it be. Accept and move on. Very little point in battling against the system. Otherwise you get increasingly bitter about the 90% of job ads asking for chinese-speaking or "chinese preferred", ya?
We must bring in legislation that compels employers to prove that they require Chinese-speaking employees before they are allowe dto post such ads. There should be greater penalties against race discrimination in the workplace as well. -
well technically they're not doing anything offensive, they're merely "deciding not to hire non-chinese speakers". its all part of the private sector and freedom to employ. the government has no right to interfere and do anything although it can "encourage" employers to "give non-chinese speakers" a "chance" but ultimately, whoever they wanna hire its up to them.Originally posted by oxford mushroom:i disagree..Singapore belongs to minority groups as much as it belongs to the majority Chinese..
We must bring in legislation that compels employers to prove that they require Chinese-speaking employees before they are allowe dto post such ads. There should be greater penalties against race discrimination in the workplace as well. -
It depends on how seriously Singaporeans view discrimination. There are forumners talking about legislation against gender discrimination, age discrimination and even discrimination relating to sexual preferences. I think of these, the most serious and sensitive is racial discrimination.Originally posted by vito_corleone:well technically they're not doing anything offensive, they're merely "deciding not to hire non-chinese speakers". its all part of the private sector and freedom to employ. the government has no right to interfere and do anything although it can "encourage" employers to "give non-chinese speakers" a "chance" but ultimately, whoever they wanna hire its up to them.
If minority races find it difficult to obtain employment due to racial discrimination by the dominant race, there can be social unrest with grave consequences. Sri Lanka is a good case in point. -
I once applied for a job in a company whose customers and clients are predominentely malay. Since most of the company's employees are malay muslims, they integrated their friday worship schedule into their operation hours. Fasting month had no lunch time. Furthermore, being a muslim company, they did charatible work in muslim organisations and expected their employees to do so. They also speak malay when talking about work.Originally posted by vito_corleone:well technically they're not doing anything offensive, they're merely "deciding not to hire non-chinese speakers". its all part of the private sector and freedom to employ. the government has no right to interfere and do anything although it can "encourage" employers to "give non-chinese speakers" a "chance" but ultimately, whoever they wanna hire its up to them.
Most of the time, the clients prefer not to talk to me since I am chinese, they feel better speaking to another malay, even if it was in english. I had a hard time understanding their "culture" since the clients expected things to be done in a certain way that left me flummoxed.
Sometimes, its not about discrimination, its about integration and about the bottomline, profits. -
Nope.Originally posted by dragg:frankly, is there a country that treat all its races equally?
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I think the topic starter should go n live in other countries,they treat their minority races much more worse than Singapore.
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Yes..........this is veri true. No matter wad race ppls, people tend to favour and feel at ease with individuals that can speak their own langguage or noe their culture. Just like at NTU,NUS we see students of a particular nationality crowding together. Bcos they share the same langguage and have more common grounds for discussion.Originally posted by SilverPal:I once applied for a job in a company whose customers and clients are predominentely malay. Since most of the company's employees are malay muslims, they integrated their friday worship schedule into their operation hours. Fasting month had no lunch time. Furthermore, being a muslim company, they did charatible work in muslim organisations and expected their employees to do so. They also speak malay when talking about work.
Most of the time, the clients prefer not to talk to me since I am chinese, they feel better speaking to another malay, even if it was in english. I had a hard time understanding their "culture" since the clients expected things to be done in a certain way that left me flummoxed.
Sometimes, its not about discrimination, its about integration and about the bottomline, profits.
As for Mr Yao........bro u got it wrong again. When Singapore became independent, we choose english as a working langguage and the ethnical langguages as official langguage..........Bcos we have a other races to factor in too. If u chose Chinese, other race will feel discriminated and outcasted. This also go against the founding principles of Singapore, "regardless of race, langguage or religion", that also the reason why we left Malaysia Federation. As the UMNO then believe in "Malaysia Malay".
I noe this is a little hard for u to understand as China is made up of predominantly Han ppls which stands around 91%. Eventhough there are other ethnic minorities, they are largely "sinotized". -
Originally posted by equlus84:
yeah least we dun see any "cinaputras" walking on the streets of singapore
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As for Mr Yao........bro u got it wrong again. When Singapore became independent, we choose english as a working langguage and the ethnical langguages as official langguage..........Bcos we have a other races to factor in too. If u chose Chinese, other race will feel discriminated and outcasted. This also go against the founding principles of Singapore, "regardless of race, langguage or religion", that also the reason why we left Malaysia Federation. As the UMNO then believe in "Malaysia Malay".
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