Dear fellow Singaporeans,
I've been visiting this site for quite sometimes as guest since early this year. I enjoyed reading most of the posting and have gained meaningful insight story from some of the member who has been posting regularly.
I thought it might be a good idea to share you wth my true life story about being a Malay living among the most chinese majority in Singapore.
My intention is to share what I have been going through during the time I was looking for job, and how miserable I am to take so long to get a decent job.
Although today, my life has improves alot working with non-chinese boss.
I just hope the chinese now can see themselves what is going on that is already happening in the job competition between the chinese and foreigner is as the same as me at that time while I was looking for a job.
Back in year 2000, I (malay) and my two (chinese) friends was looking for job in the same field, it took me near 6 months to get a job, while my two chinese friends got a job less than 1 month.
I felt so sad (cried silently) at the sametime I also feel so disgusted whenever job advert would publish SPEAK CHINESE preferred, I force myself to just apply the job but never had a chance at all.
Before I got a job, I went for 1 job interview (different company) and the interviewer is chinese ask me if I can speak mandarin? Of course I said "No", then he told me that this position need to speak chinese.
I ask him, "Do the bosses speak mandarin too?", He replied, "Yes", So I ask him a final question, how about expatriate "White" bosses?", He stunned and kept mum for awhile.
In the end, I thank him for this "deliberate making fun of me" interview and his time.
After few months later, a job opportunity break-through in my email for interview.
After attended the interview for the 2nd times, finally a job offered, interviewed by american boss and his FC chinese.
American boss is not stingy about pay, so long the person fits well, he do not mind to pay slightly above market rate which I was offered $2700 per month.
I have been working for about 10 years now, reporting to him directly and has been promoted twice from Executive - Manager position. I've work hard to prove my worthy and to appreciate him for giving me a chance to work with and for him.
I also knew that some of my chinese colleagues are not very happy with my promotion and at times making things difficult for me, but I count myself lucky to have an understanding and objective american boss towards the problems I am facing.
Soon after, I begin to open up 2 jobs vacancy, I interviewed not just the malay, but to chinese and indian as well. After much consideration, I propose the suitable candidate to my boss for his approval.
But my boss said, "you are a manager, you dont need me for this, it is your call, I have already given a go-ahead for the recruitment and budget, and it is your responsibility to ensure your department continue to be in operational",
In the end, I employ 1 chinese and 1 indian, and for the unfortunate malay candidate,I wrote an email to him and explain about his unsuccessful due to his lack of experiences, I also seek his permission to keep his resume for suitable opening job position in the near future.
I do not want to become like chinese who failed to not act fairly in the job employment.
I kept wondering, why must there be discrimination? This is Singapore, aren't we suppose to be ONE Singaporean?
To think that this land belongs to the native Malay, yet we have been discriminated in our own land.
Lee Kuan Yew have failed to fulfill the rights for malay, in the presence of United Nation to abide by the agreement during separation agreements.
Even so, many malays like me did not or even ever ask for special treatment, in fact, we welcome fair and equal opportunity for all singaporean regardless of race, all thanks to the national service, many of us have successfully put aside our culture differences through making new friends.
Along the way, we learn to respect each other believes, we also sensitively not to create friction among us about religion, yet we happily to allow some religion topic exchanges just for our own personal interest or knowledge purposes.
To-date, I am very grateful to some Chinese and Indian from my schoolmate, national service, reservist and some colleagues who continue to be my friends for more than a decade.
Lastly, it still hurts me deeply to see such discrimination to continue to exist in this tiny island, Why must my fellow singaporean chinese create race discrimination in the job opportunity?
I apologize for any grammar errors if any, and for being long-winded.
Thank you again for your precious time and may you have a great evening.
Warmest regards,
Malay-Singaporean
I've been visiting this site for quite sometimes as guest since early this year. I enjoyed reading most of the posting and have gained meaningful insight story from some of the member who has been posting regularly.
I thought it might be a good idea to share you wth my true life story about being a Malay living among the most chinese majority in Singapore.
My intention is to share what I have been going through during the time I was looking for job, and how miserable I am to take so long to get a decent job.
Although today, my life has improves alot working with non-chinese boss.
I just hope the chinese now can see themselves what is going on that is already happening in the job competition between the chinese and foreigner is as the same as me at that time while I was looking for a job.
Back in year 2000, I (malay) and my two (chinese) friends was looking for job in the same field, it took me near 6 months to get a job, while my two chinese friends got a job less than 1 month.
I felt so sad (cried silently) at the sametime I also feel so disgusted whenever job advert would publish SPEAK CHINESE preferred, I force myself to just apply the job but never had a chance at all.
Before I got a job, I went for 1 job interview (different company) and the interviewer is chinese ask me if I can speak mandarin? Of course I said "No", then he told me that this position need to speak chinese.
I ask him, "Do the bosses speak mandarin too?", He replied, "Yes", So I ask him a final question, how about expatriate "White" bosses?", He stunned and kept mum for awhile.
In the end, I thank him for this "deliberate making fun of me" interview and his time.
After few months later, a job opportunity break-through in my email for interview.
After attended the interview for the 2nd times, finally a job offered, interviewed by american boss and his FC chinese.
American boss is not stingy about pay, so long the person fits well, he do not mind to pay slightly above market rate which I was offered $2700 per month.
I have been working for about 10 years now, reporting to him directly and has been promoted twice from Executive - Manager position. I've work hard to prove my worthy and to appreciate him for giving me a chance to work with and for him.
I also knew that some of my chinese colleagues are not very happy with my promotion and at times making things difficult for me, but I count myself lucky to have an understanding and objective american boss towards the problems I am facing.
Soon after, I begin to open up 2 jobs vacancy, I interviewed not just the malay, but to chinese and indian as well. After much consideration, I propose the suitable candidate to my boss for his approval.
But my boss said, "you are a manager, you dont need me for this, it is your call, I have already given a go-ahead for the recruitment and budget, and it is your responsibility to ensure your department continue to be in operational",
In the end, I employ 1 chinese and 1 indian, and for the unfortunate malay candidate,I wrote an email to him and explain about his unsuccessful due to his lack of experiences, I also seek his permission to keep his resume for suitable opening job position in the near future.
I do not want to become like chinese who failed to not act fairly in the job employment.
I kept wondering, why must there be discrimination? This is Singapore, aren't we suppose to be ONE Singaporean?
To think that this land belongs to the native Malay, yet we have been discriminated in our own land.
Lee Kuan Yew have failed to fulfill the rights for malay, in the presence of United Nation to abide by the agreement during separation agreements.
Even so, many malays like me did not or even ever ask for special treatment, in fact, we welcome fair and equal opportunity for all singaporean regardless of race, all thanks to the national service, many of us have successfully put aside our culture differences through making new friends.
Along the way, we learn to respect each other believes, we also sensitively not to create friction among us about religion, yet we happily to allow some religion topic exchanges just for our own personal interest or knowledge purposes.
To-date, I am very grateful to some Chinese and Indian from my schoolmate, national service, reservist and some colleagues who continue to be my friends for more than a decade.
Lastly, it still hurts me deeply to see such discrimination to continue to exist in this tiny island, Why must my fellow singaporean chinese create race discrimination in the job opportunity?
I apologize for any grammar errors if any, and for being long-winded.
Thank you again for your precious time and may you have a great evening.
Warmest regards,
Malay-Singaporean
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