Is there Chinese privilege in Singapore?

[Voldermort]

In his annual National Day speech, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said claims that there is Chinese privilege in Singapore are entirely baseless.


This is important as the prime minister’s rally speech is keenly followed and the topic of Chinese privilege — which is effectively the idea that Chinese Singaporeans enjoy some benefits that minority Singaporeans do not — has been widely discussed for some years.

To make his point, PM Lee offered the fact that English (as opposed to Mandarin) is Singapore’s lingua franca as an example of a concession granted by the Chinese to the minorities.

But this makes very little sense as Mandarin was never the governing language of Singapore. The DNA of this country’s legal, business and education system has always been English.

It was also in English that many of Singapore’s founding ruling class — including the prime minister’s father and our modern nation’s founder Lee Kuan Yew — preferred to communicate

So, Chinese was never really on the table as a foundational lingua franca; so how can a concession ever have been given in this regard?

The very idea that this is a concession is also somewhat troubling. A concession is typically something that can be taken away – so does that mean Singapore might one day change course when the Chinese majority tires of its concession and we will become a Chinese-speaking nation?

Hard to imagine. Because of course, our extensive use of English has also proved to be hugely economically beneficial.

Secondly and even more confusingly, the prime minister in his own speech went on to state quite clearly that minorities in the country continue to face genuine instances of discrimination.

He gave the example of housing and employment where there is often a preference for Chinese over minorities. These are not minor issues; housing and employment are fundamental to virtually everyone’s life so if minorities face disadvantages in these areas, how can we say talk of Chinese privilege is baseless?

Perhaps, the prime minister meant to say that not all the Chinese in Singapore are privileged.

A lot more at https://tinyurI.com/ea35v752

 

[syed putra]

Of course. I cannot eat chinese food but chinese can malay food.

 

[countryman]

Of course. I cannot eat chinese food but chinese can malay food.

Of coz u can eat Chinese food, no one is stopping u.. Why let others dictate your life?
We know u luv Bbq Pork..

 

[countryman]

There is certainly no privileges for the Chinese race here in SG... I give 101% my assurance!
Or can anyone named what privileges the Chinese have over others in SG?

 

[Untouchable]

I only know there are elite privileges. Yes No?

 

[countryman]

I only know there are elite privileges. Yes No?

Yes.... The rich ones definitely.

 

[A Singaporean]

Chinese privilege is a right since cina is the majority race. Go and check on Mudland, they too have m&d privilege. Let us accept this and move on.

 

[Asian]

Why nobody talk about PAP privilege?

 

[syed putra]

Chinese privilege is a right since cina is the majority race. Go and check on Mudland, they too have m&d privilege. Let us accept this and move on.

But the constitution says only Malays should get privileges. So being president should be a mslay privilege l9ng neglected by PAP which not only deny malay right, but never bothered to implement the privileges.

 

[A Singaporean]

But the constitution says only Malays should get privileges. So being president should be a mslay privilege l9ng neglected by PAP which not only deny malay right, but never bothered to implement the privileges.

Constitution also say Sinkieland is a democratic society. Does PAP give a fuck? Constitution never say we should have a m&d president, so what ? can change any time? What about GRC? and so on.

 

[Devil Within]

There is only Malays Muslims privilege in Singapore and Malaysia. Chinese are the 2nd class citizens.

 

[Untouchable]

During my primary and secondary schools, I paid full amount for my monthly skool fees, but my Malay fiends paid as little as half of the stated skool fees, why like that?

 

[laksaboy]

There is PAP privilege.

 

[syed putra]

During my primary and secondary schools, I paid full amount for my monthly skool fees, but my Malay fiends paid as little as half of the stated skool fees, why like that?

In the first place, school fees should be free for all. In the west, some countries provide free meals.

 

[laksaboy]

In the first place, school fees should be free for all. In the west, some countries provide free meals.

If everything is free, how to afford giving 500k vaccines to the Aussies?

 

[syed putra]

If everything is free, how to afford giving 500k vaccines to the Aussies?

It's a investment.

 

[Untouchable]

In the first place, school fees should be free for all. In the west, some countries provide free meals.

You want free, then you can try North Korea

 

[ChenHaoNan]

I would say in Singapore it is Chinese majority but minority privilege hence the number of token ministers, scholars, senior civil servants etc for the sake of equal representation and racial harmony.

 

[Devil Within]

In the first place, school fees should be free for all. In the west, some countries provide free meals.

Nothing is free. It has to come from somewhere. Government is not a profit center, it is a cost center. The government gets its money from taxpayers like you and me. So, if you want free stuff, you will have to pay and how it is being distributed is not controlled by us, it is by the government. You trust the government to distribute your money?

 

[sleaguepunter]

It Chinese privilege to serve in chiong sau in combat vocations while Malays no need to serve or at most enlist in home team.
it a Chinese privilege to give up on non halal food in company events because Malays colleague can only eat halal food.
it a Chinese privilege to have training during NS while Malays attend prayers on Friday noon.
it a Chinese students privilege to have extra lessons at 1pm on Friday while malay students come to class at 2pm during afternoon season because they can “go” to mosques for prayer or Chinese students have lessons till 1pm while Malays can leave at 12.20pm for morning session.