Thursday, October 16, 2008
Several hundred years ago, there was a peaceful Malay village on the island of Singapura. Life in the idyllic community was good. The surroundings were clean and neighbours were friendly. Material wealth was not something that you come by very often but people are more than happy with the abundant harvests of fish that they gather every other day.But one day a group of foreigners arrived on the shores. They had come from China in search of a better life for themselves and their families. At first, the villagers weren’t too happy with the sudden appearance of these slit-eyed savages. They were considered uncouth, unhygienic and inconsiderate. They spit indiscriminately, pollute the air by burning paper as a form of worship and had little consideration for the peace and quiet on the village. Worst of all, they rear and feed on pigs – an animal considered dirty on the predominantly Muslim island. The newcomers couldn’t stand the locals and their laissez-faire lifestyle either. It was a potential hotbed for conflict.But the village elders relented to their existence anyway. This is after all God’s great earth and people should be fee to make a living where they persevere to do so. Besides if these new comers could bring prosperity to the island, why not?The immigrants proved their worth. They worked hard and turned the puny village island into a majestic metropolis. As time progressed, the Chinese population soon overtook that of the locals by a vast majority. They soon assimilated and the races managed to co-exist peacefully. There were racial incidences every now and then but in general, everyone is aware of the need to exist as one family lest the island be returned to its past status of an insignificant fishing village. This is why we have decided to officially celebrate Don’t Hate Each Other Day Racial Harmony Day in our national schools. The story above is obviously an exaggerated parable. It may not exactly be an accurate reflection of the past but it pretty well reminds us on how this nation was created on the blood and sweat of foreign immigrants. The economic miracle that is Singapore would not have been possible if the locals have refused to look past the perceived differences and embrace the arrivals of these foreigners. Our continued existence today depends on how these races can continue to live in peace.
But a recent incident seems to suggest that we have forgotten this reality.
A group of residents in Serangoon Gardens are furiously signing a petition that has gathered several hundred signatures. They are up in arms over the fact that a nearby school will be converted into a dormitory for foreign workers, most of whom from my understanding, will be arriving from China. Amongst the reasons given are that these Chinese workers are going to dirty the area with their notoriously uncouth habits and pollute the peaceful environment in the idyllic neighbourhood of Serangoon Gardens. Talk about De-javu.
The humour may be lost to a reader from the majority race. But to the casual observing Malay, the irony is impudent: here is a group of people, protesting the arrival of people, from a land where they forefathers had come from!
So racism is not about race after all. The incident is a timely reminder that we have the insatiable need to abhor one another regardless of our skin colour. Hate completes our emotions in mysterious ways. Race is but a convenient excuse to despise. Was it not a wise man who once said that if the human race were to wake up one morning speaking the same language and having the same skin colour, we will find a reason to hate one another by noon?
When a particular community do not hate people of other races, they will hate each other. When an inherently racist Chinese do not hate the Malays, he will hate perhaps another dialect group. When the Malays do not complain about alleged mistreatment by the Chinese, The Javanese might perhaps complain about mistreatment by the Boyanese.
This is why I have always chosen to ignore whenever a Malay brethren points to racism as the reason why Malays cannot get ahead in the rat race. I think it is complete bull crap. Discrimination is everywhere and happens to everybody even amongst people of the same race. Unfortunately some people in our community still choose to use racism as the convenient scapegoat as an excuse for their failures – even in the context of present day.
As for these foreigners, I say give them a break. Just because you live in a posh neighbourhood like Serangoon Gardens does not mean you are entitled to special privileges. We will all have to rub shoulders with people from China one day. It’s the reality here. Besides, they are working in the construction industry – a sector Singaporeans have traditionally shunned. They don’t leech the island of jobs, do not demand special privileges and will leave once their endeavour is done.
All that this futile petition has done is to expose the kind of people that live in Serangoon Gardens. Or is the same mentality permeating throughout the entire island?
♥ posted on 6:30 PM
