Wednesday, 10 October 2012Is Amy Cheong's ignorance a failure in our system?
at 9:06:00 AM by Barrie
What this article is about -
This article takes a look Amy's ignorance about another's culture that led her to make not so nice comments on her Facebook account. It also takes a look at our system, which actually feeds ignorance into our population.
It is probably her ignorance about what other races do (in this case Malay weddings) that has resulted in this sad state. If she had simply complained about the noise level, that would have been a different issue. After all, many others have complained about other noise levels, be it Chinese funerals, getai shows etc. What makes this case different is the vitriol and expletives, as well as some derogatory remarks on a culture of a people.
My argument to back up my case -
Here is a screenshot of a sample of what Amy Cheong posted. Let's put aside the expletives and derogatory remarks. Let's just take a look at the ignorance part.
"Void weddings should be banned. If u cant afford a proper wedding then you shouldnt be getting married. Full stop."
There's the ignorance part I was referring to. But having void deck wedding is a proper wedding! It is a practice that has evolved from Malay tradition. I explained that here - Amy Cheong, Malay weddings at HDB void deck is an extension of tradition, nothing to do with affordability
Judging cultures of others by the only standard you know, ie your own culture -
To Amy, she knows only one kind of wedding. The lavish one celebrated in hotels or posh restaurants. Any kind of celebration that does not conform to that standard she knows, doesn't fit and does not deserve to be called a wedding. This is the ignorance I am referring to.
Many a time, it is this kind of ignorance that is the beginning of a much more sinister trait - intolerance. It is the same kind of ignorance and intolerance that makes people judge other cultures. From here, all kinds of racist remarks would follow, if not checked.
But our system is a hotbed for ignorance to flourish -
Here are some examples of our system where ignorance can flourish.
1. SAP Schools - I have argued this before. In a SAP school, only Chinese is offered as Mother Tongue. No need to tell you that if you're a SAPper, you would hardly have any non-Chinese friends. And if you're in a SAP since P1, that could well mean you have had no non-Chinese classmates or schoolmates for as long as 10 to 12 years of your school life. How would you appreciate what non-Chinese do, practice, worship etc?
2. SAF's Malayphobia - Till today, there is an unwritten policy that Malays are not fit to hold certain sensitive jobs. Not only that, they are not even allowed to be in certain areas. All this Malayphobia adds to the ignorance and intolerance that may already exist.
3. Stereotyping Malays as lazy - I find it amazing that after so many decades, this stereotype still exists. An example here. I have written quite in detail about this concept of "Malay being lazy" is actually a result of a govt policy which affected the Malays for generations. Excerpt below.
Minorities need to speak up for their rights
Effect of "exemption" from NS for Malays in the 1960s and 70s -
First of all, let's clear up some misconception. The Malays were NEVER exempted. They were just not called up. But legally, they were still liable. That means they could be called up at any time even in their twenties. In the 60s and 70s, while other races had completed their legal obligation by age 20 or 21, Malay youths were left dangling in limbo on their NS status even in their mid to late 20s. The term "exemption" is a misnomer.
This non-calling up had (and still has to some degree till today) a very heavy economic-social impact on Malay families.
The 1960s and the 1970s were the industrial boom years. Jobs were aplenty. To top it up, assets like HDB flats and cars were dirt cheap. I recall my uncle got married in 1972 and got a 3 room flat in Toa Payoh for just a dirt cheap $3000!
But to enjoy those economic goodies then, you need to have a job. The non-calling up of NS for Malays was stonewalling their economic progress. For an employer to hire you, what they want from you is "employability". The last thing they want is to have you working for them and three months later, you get called up for NS.
Those who have served NS found that they got jobs easily. There were plenty for the picking. Those who have not served NS, will be left in the lurch wondering when they will be called up. This is the scenario for the Malay youth in the 1960s and 1970s.
Scenario 1
Boss: Have you served your NS?
Malay job applicant: No.
Boss: When will you be called up?
Malay job applicant: I don't know.
Boss: Thank you. We will contact you when we find you suitable for the job.
Scenario 2
Boss: Have you served your NS?
Non-Malay job applicant: Yes.
Boss: When can you start work?
Non-Malay job applicant: Immediately.
Boss: Good. Come back tomorrow at 8 and I will get my secretary to prepare you a letter of offer.
Non-Malay applicant: Thank you, Sir!
Now folks, tell me, even if you have the best of the boom in the 1960s and 1970s, with jobs aplenty, with things so cheap that you can afford to stack your assets sky high, how the heck are you going to enjoy all that if you cannot even get a st*nk*ng job?
To add insult to injury, when these young Malays in the 1960s and 1970s could not find jobs and loafed around the streets, they were called "lazy".
Social Impact of "exemption" of NS for Malays on the generations after -
The saddest part for Malay Community about this totally unjustified non-calling up of NS by the racist PAPpy govt is that it did not just affect the Malay youth of the 1960s and 1970s. The effect carried down the generations thereafter.
By the time Malay youths were getting called up in the 1980s, the biggest and juiciest part of the economic boom was over. We had the first economic crisis in 1985. We had another in the 1990s - and another more crippling one the last decade, which we are still trying to get out from.
Things were more expensive in the 1980s than in the 1970s. Even without COEs I remembered that in the 1980s, every quarter, the HDB prices for NEW flats rose by about $30,000!
For those who have secured cars and houses in the 1970s, their assets have also risen. Those who have not, and those who tried to "catch up" in the 1980s, have less assets to offset the new higher prices.
The Malays, as you can see, have been lagging behind because they missed out the 1960s and 1970s boom years. That means that they could only afford smaller flats and smaller cars, or no cars.
Those who have flats and cars earlier in the 1970s, could easily upgrade. They also have higher CPF savings due to the very cheap HDB houses.
Stock Boom Years -
That wasn't all. The CPF was released to buy stocks and insurance in the 1990s. The Malays who only started to have real jobs in the 1980s could not match the savings in their CPF with the non-Malays who had accumulated sky high assets since from the 1960s and 1970s era. No need to be a genius to conclude that many CPF approved stock holders were non-Malays.
Then when the stock boomed through the 1990s, these CPF stock holders boomed even more, leaving the Malays behind even further!
This is not even talking about the fact that CPF was released for private housing and again, who else but those who had saved since 1960s and 1970s were able to afford that? This pushed the private property up, which meant HDB flat prices were also pushed up - including the 3 and 4 roomers!
And mind you, this was in the 1990s!
Alas, again when the Malays thought they have "caught up", the prices rose out of their reach - all because of the discriminatory practice of not calling up Malays for NS in the 1960s and 1970s!
Isn't this social injustice a cruel economic hit against the Malays through no fault of theirs, caused by the racist PAPpies?
My final words on the Malay Community today -
It is true that the Malay community have come a long way since the 1960s. Many Malay families now have decent houses and cars. But it must be remembered that because of one single mad policy from the mad PAPpies in the 1960s and 1970s, these Malays had to fight a long battle to be where they are today.
So before any of you crack that racist joke that Malays are lazy or not hardworking, please know that they have gone through a lot of discrimination from the govt in the 1960s and 1970s. And that discriminatory practice still has its effect till today on later generations.
4. Harping on "race riots" of the 1960s - The Sg govt keeps harping the race riots of the 60s, implicitly blaming the Malay community. However, I have discussed this topic before as well. If one were to study the history of our riots, there were more Chinese based riots against the govt of the day instigated by Chinese than race riots. Why then this harping of race riots instigated by Malays? History of Riots in Singapore - LKY's racist version has to be stopped
The above are four examples of how the govt has created an environment which allows ignorance (in this case, against the Malays) to flourish.
Conclusion -
In all probability, Amy's tirade began with her ignorance about another's culture. But that is half the story. The other half is that we are in a society that actually allows such ignorance to flourish.
So is Amy Cheong's ignorance a sign that our system to integrate races and culture has failed?
Perhaps it is time the higher ups did something about the system and not just sacking people from their jobs as a damage control mea
at 9:06:00 AM by Barrie
What this article is about -
This article takes a look Amy's ignorance about another's culture that led her to make not so nice comments on her Facebook account. It also takes a look at our system, which actually feeds ignorance into our population.
It is probably her ignorance about what other races do (in this case Malay weddings) that has resulted in this sad state. If she had simply complained about the noise level, that would have been a different issue. After all, many others have complained about other noise levels, be it Chinese funerals, getai shows etc. What makes this case different is the vitriol and expletives, as well as some derogatory remarks on a culture of a people.
My argument to back up my case -
Here is a screenshot of a sample of what Amy Cheong posted. Let's put aside the expletives and derogatory remarks. Let's just take a look at the ignorance part.
"Void weddings should be banned. If u cant afford a proper wedding then you shouldnt be getting married. Full stop."
There's the ignorance part I was referring to. But having void deck wedding is a proper wedding! It is a practice that has evolved from Malay tradition. I explained that here - Amy Cheong, Malay weddings at HDB void deck is an extension of tradition, nothing to do with affordability
Judging cultures of others by the only standard you know, ie your own culture -
To Amy, she knows only one kind of wedding. The lavish one celebrated in hotels or posh restaurants. Any kind of celebration that does not conform to that standard she knows, doesn't fit and does not deserve to be called a wedding. This is the ignorance I am referring to.
Many a time, it is this kind of ignorance that is the beginning of a much more sinister trait - intolerance. It is the same kind of ignorance and intolerance that makes people judge other cultures. From here, all kinds of racist remarks would follow, if not checked.
But our system is a hotbed for ignorance to flourish -
Here are some examples of our system where ignorance can flourish.
1. SAP Schools - I have argued this before. In a SAP school, only Chinese is offered as Mother Tongue. No need to tell you that if you're a SAPper, you would hardly have any non-Chinese friends. And if you're in a SAP since P1, that could well mean you have had no non-Chinese classmates or schoolmates for as long as 10 to 12 years of your school life. How would you appreciate what non-Chinese do, practice, worship etc?
2. SAF's Malayphobia - Till today, there is an unwritten policy that Malays are not fit to hold certain sensitive jobs. Not only that, they are not even allowed to be in certain areas. All this Malayphobia adds to the ignorance and intolerance that may already exist.
3. Stereotyping Malays as lazy - I find it amazing that after so many decades, this stereotype still exists. An example here. I have written quite in detail about this concept of "Malay being lazy" is actually a result of a govt policy which affected the Malays for generations. Excerpt below.
Minorities need to speak up for their rights
Effect of "exemption" from NS for Malays in the 1960s and 70s -
First of all, let's clear up some misconception. The Malays were NEVER exempted. They were just not called up. But legally, they were still liable. That means they could be called up at any time even in their twenties. In the 60s and 70s, while other races had completed their legal obligation by age 20 or 21, Malay youths were left dangling in limbo on their NS status even in their mid to late 20s. The term "exemption" is a misnomer.
This non-calling up had (and still has to some degree till today) a very heavy economic-social impact on Malay families.
The 1960s and the 1970s were the industrial boom years. Jobs were aplenty. To top it up, assets like HDB flats and cars were dirt cheap. I recall my uncle got married in 1972 and got a 3 room flat in Toa Payoh for just a dirt cheap $3000!
But to enjoy those economic goodies then, you need to have a job. The non-calling up of NS for Malays was stonewalling their economic progress. For an employer to hire you, what they want from you is "employability". The last thing they want is to have you working for them and three months later, you get called up for NS.
Those who have served NS found that they got jobs easily. There were plenty for the picking. Those who have not served NS, will be left in the lurch wondering when they will be called up. This is the scenario for the Malay youth in the 1960s and 1970s.
Scenario 1
Boss: Have you served your NS?
Malay job applicant: No.
Boss: When will you be called up?
Malay job applicant: I don't know.
Boss: Thank you. We will contact you when we find you suitable for the job.
Scenario 2
Boss: Have you served your NS?
Non-Malay job applicant: Yes.
Boss: When can you start work?
Non-Malay job applicant: Immediately.
Boss: Good. Come back tomorrow at 8 and I will get my secretary to prepare you a letter of offer.
Non-Malay applicant: Thank you, Sir!
Now folks, tell me, even if you have the best of the boom in the 1960s and 1970s, with jobs aplenty, with things so cheap that you can afford to stack your assets sky high, how the heck are you going to enjoy all that if you cannot even get a st*nk*ng job?
To add insult to injury, when these young Malays in the 1960s and 1970s could not find jobs and loafed around the streets, they were called "lazy".
Social Impact of "exemption" of NS for Malays on the generations after -
The saddest part for Malay Community about this totally unjustified non-calling up of NS by the racist PAPpy govt is that it did not just affect the Malay youth of the 1960s and 1970s. The effect carried down the generations thereafter.
By the time Malay youths were getting called up in the 1980s, the biggest and juiciest part of the economic boom was over. We had the first economic crisis in 1985. We had another in the 1990s - and another more crippling one the last decade, which we are still trying to get out from.
Things were more expensive in the 1980s than in the 1970s. Even without COEs I remembered that in the 1980s, every quarter, the HDB prices for NEW flats rose by about $30,000!
For those who have secured cars and houses in the 1970s, their assets have also risen. Those who have not, and those who tried to "catch up" in the 1980s, have less assets to offset the new higher prices.
The Malays, as you can see, have been lagging behind because they missed out the 1960s and 1970s boom years. That means that they could only afford smaller flats and smaller cars, or no cars.
Those who have flats and cars earlier in the 1970s, could easily upgrade. They also have higher CPF savings due to the very cheap HDB houses.
Stock Boom Years -
That wasn't all. The CPF was released to buy stocks and insurance in the 1990s. The Malays who only started to have real jobs in the 1980s could not match the savings in their CPF with the non-Malays who had accumulated sky high assets since from the 1960s and 1970s era. No need to be a genius to conclude that many CPF approved stock holders were non-Malays.
Then when the stock boomed through the 1990s, these CPF stock holders boomed even more, leaving the Malays behind even further!
This is not even talking about the fact that CPF was released for private housing and again, who else but those who had saved since 1960s and 1970s were able to afford that? This pushed the private property up, which meant HDB flat prices were also pushed up - including the 3 and 4 roomers!
And mind you, this was in the 1990s!
Alas, again when the Malays thought they have "caught up", the prices rose out of their reach - all because of the discriminatory practice of not calling up Malays for NS in the 1960s and 1970s!
Isn't this social injustice a cruel economic hit against the Malays through no fault of theirs, caused by the racist PAPpies?
My final words on the Malay Community today -
It is true that the Malay community have come a long way since the 1960s. Many Malay families now have decent houses and cars. But it must be remembered that because of one single mad policy from the mad PAPpies in the 1960s and 1970s, these Malays had to fight a long battle to be where they are today.
So before any of you crack that racist joke that Malays are lazy or not hardworking, please know that they have gone through a lot of discrimination from the govt in the 1960s and 1970s. And that discriminatory practice still has its effect till today on later generations.
4. Harping on "race riots" of the 1960s - The Sg govt keeps harping the race riots of the 60s, implicitly blaming the Malay community. However, I have discussed this topic before as well. If one were to study the history of our riots, there were more Chinese based riots against the govt of the day instigated by Chinese than race riots. Why then this harping of race riots instigated by Malays? History of Riots in Singapore - LKY's racist version has to be stopped
The above are four examples of how the govt has created an environment which allows ignorance (in this case, against the Malays) to flourish.
Conclusion -
In all probability, Amy's tirade began with her ignorance about another's culture. But that is half the story. The other half is that we are in a society that actually allows such ignorance to flourish.
So is Amy Cheong's ignorance a sign that our system to integrate races and culture has failed?
Perhaps it is time the higher ups did something about the system and not just sacking people from their jobs as a damage control mea
