My Life (Malay) True Story.

[hairylee]

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.


Bro, strangely time and again, comes election your community were the ones that tip the balance in his favour.

 

[kansas]

Could you tell everyone here what the special privileges are?

Discounts in housing, health care, government fees etc. Free education including tertiary education. Job quota for Malays in government ministries, stat board etc. (have you ever wondered why there are quite some malays doing an administrative office job in a ministry or stat board? These position were reserved for them )

 

[SneeringTree]

Discounts in housing, health care, government fees etc. Free education including tertiary education. Job quota for Malays in government ministries, stat board etc. (have you ever wondered why there are quite some malays doing an administrative office job in a ministry or stat board? These position were reserved for them )

I don't think what you've written is true at all. No one gets discounts in housing and health care. Tertiary education is not free for Malays too. There is certainly no job quotas for Malays in government and stat boards.

 

[soIsee]

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

Dear Malay Singaporean

Being a manager yourself and yet you fail to realise the important point as to why the Chinese and Indian discriminate your race.

Although discrimination occur in all races, the first and foremost issue is your entire community must work towards dispelling the notion that your community is a lazy,useless and half educated bunch of ppl.

The fact that such discrimnation arise simply becos it originates from the bad impression that comes about from the various failings within your own community that occur in large numbers.

Examples like drugs, dsyfunctional families and school drop outs or ppl in your community unable till now to secure higher skill and qualifications etc.

Only a handful managed to get out of this and they are called exceptions.

Think about this and perphaps you might be able to 'convince' ppl within your race to change for the better.

 

[cooleo]

From my personal observations (which can be wrong),

i feel that nowadays employers will look for the following:

1) FT / local - In a way this is dependent on the industry. If you are looking at service industry or construction industry, the word - CHEAP is the operative word. I mean when i walk into BreadTalk, out of 10 times, i will be served by an Ah Tiong 7-8 times.

If the position is for male candidates, Malaysian males got an edge. They are quite similar to Singaporean males cept they have no NS obligations. Beside the yearly ICT, which can range from 2 weeks to 1 month, there is also RT training for those who fail IPPT. This bugger can easily take up 1-2 weekdays and maybe 1 weekend.

2) Age

Don't laugh. You can easily find yourself unemployable at 30years old. Just the other day, i saw an ad which says "age preferred is 28 years and below" for a telemarketing / call centre position.

Can you believe that?! We used to think.."oh you know la, when you OLD, very difficult to find job." Now when you hit 30, you are considered OLD!

 

[phouse3]

I seriously doubt if there is discrimination against the local minority races. If there is any, it has to be for the minority races.

Many jobs are reserved for the Malays not based on merits or free competition (library, hospitals, civil service, etc. ). Many Malays have very stable careers. No ups but no downs either. However, I must admit that those who are not so lucky face severe competition from the cheap foreign workers, whom are mostly (mainland) Chinese. The local Chinese are having the same problem too.

There are many Chinese who are chronically unemployable. They survive by becoming risk-takers - like garang guni, hawkers, small shop retailers, loansharks, businessmen, bloggers, pimps, compradors, smugglers, etc. Or they eat the humble pie by scavenging for cardboards/tin cans, working as toilet cleaners, assistant cooks, etc. Or they defer gratification. Some even abstain from any form of gratification by becoming hermits and surviving on savings (no marriage and children, no friends and hence no entertainment expenses, no credit cards or buying on credit).

The bottonline is sacrifice and self-reliance.

The Malay community is relatively poor in postponing gratification. Examples are teenage marriages and pregnancies, dropping out of school earlier, buying on credit, not saving enough, etc. A more interesting example is the immediate withdrawal of pre-election goodies and spending them. (Just look at the queue outside POSB branches on the day the goodies are available.) They feel good and happily vote for the PAP. Perhaps that is the reason the PAP government thinks they are a happy lot. I can understand some may be truly financially hard-up but not all.

Some people see many Chinese in top positions in the GLCs or winning scholarships and decry discrimination. Please note, they are cronyism or eliticism rather than discrimination. Joining GLCs or winning scholarships cannot move an entire community forward. They are reserved for a privileged few only. It applies to the Chinese too.

We are all in the same boat. The problem is the PAP.

 

[po2wq]

... 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. ...

there r reasons y a coy may want 2 employ ppl who r able 2 speak certain languages ...

2 widen ur opportunities, u may take up a corse ... u can oso learn mor languages ...

 

[scroobal]

All wrong. None of it is true.

Discounts in housing, health care, government fees etc. Free education including tertiary education. Job quota for Malays in government ministries, stat board etc. (have you ever wondered why there are quite some malays doing an administrative office job in a ministry or stat board? These position were reserved for them )

 

[fattychin]

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 truly understand your position as I am a Malaysian Chinese. Why don't you do what I did many moons ago and that is cross the causeway. This world is not a fair place and the day it becomes a fair place something else would have to be forfeited.

 

[Lian9]

I hired 3 malays before...

1) They ask for salary advancements
2) They dont show up for work without just cause or reasons
3) Lack of initiative, (though this might be common among youngsters)

Enough said... Thrice bitten, always shy

 

[UltimaOnline]

Discounts in housing, health care, government fees etc. Free education including tertiary education. Job quota for Malays in government ministries, stat board etc.

There are indeed special privileges and rights for Malays enshrined in the Singapore constitution, deliberately laid down by Lee Kuan Yew (when Singapore separated from Malaysia) to reassure local Malays living amongst a Chinese majority; HOWEVER these special privileges are optional in Singapore, and Malays who are well-to-do and can afford to do so, are advised by the government not to invoke their special privileges unnecessarily, supposedly so that the funds available for these privileges may be set aside to better help poorer Malays who really need to use such privileges.

 

[KuanTi01]

For the first time, the majority of singaporeans are sensing similar sentiments.

My heart goes out to those who have been actually discriminated on account of their race. It's pure stereotyping & has no place in a gracious society. But then Singapore was never a gracious society and I hate to think, we will never be one at the rate we are going. Also, discrimination exists everywhere and comes in many forms other than Malay, Indian or Chinese and gender. To name some other forms- sexual orientation (gay/lesbian), religious beliefs/practices, height, size, looks etc.

Racial discrimination is certainly not the only factor though it rates as one of the most divisive, contentious and explosive! Bear in mind also that playing the race card is a common ploy not just among the politicians but job-seekers as well.:(

 

[MarrickG]

Dear SGMalay,

I can see that you prefer FT bosses as compared to locals.

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.

Like many of my other Malay friends, you guys have this conspiracy theories, that others are always making things difficult for you and things that happen is always no fault of yours but other's jealousy.

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.

I'm sure that there can't be just 3 persons that came for the interview. It is good that you had taken the time to explain why the Malay chap was not successful but how about others? Did you explain to them too and keep their resume for future? If not, you're just as discriminating isn't it?

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

The original "owners" may had been the Malays but it was everyone's effort that made Sinkie what it is today. Anyway, it is always easier to blame others for your own screw up isn't it?

To think that this land belongs to the native Malay, yet we have been discriminated in our own land.

Why did you sign off as "Malay-Singaporean"? It is probably because you see your race before your nationality. We normally address ourselves as "Singaporean-Indian" or "Singaporean-Chinese" but not the other way round. But I suppose that is part of your culture because in term of religion, you also have terms such as Malay-Muslim and Indian-Muslims, whereas, you dun see similar terms in other religion, like Chinese-Hindu or Indian-Buddhist.

Malay-Singaporean

Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience here, it shown that in Sinkapore, as long as you dun give up, there would be someone that will give you opportunity to grow and develop. That's probably why you're where you're now.

 

[scroobal]

You might want to highlight what that privilege is or privileges are. People might mistake it for cars, houses, jobs, food etc.

There are indeed special privileges and rights for Malays enshrined in the Singapore constitution, deliberately laid down by Lee Kuan Yew (when Singapore separated from Malaysia) to reassure local Malays living amongst a Chinese majority; HOWEVER these special privileges are optional in Singapore, and Malays who are well-to-do and can afford to do so, are advised by the government not to invoke their special privileges unnecessarily, supposedly so that the funds available for these privileges may be set aside to better help poorer Malays who really need to use such privileges.

 

[chinchai]

All wrong. None of it is true.

Originally Posted by kansas
Discounts in housing, health care, government fees etc. Free education including tertiary education. Job quota for Malays in government ministries, stat board etc.

There is some truth in it.

Job quota for Malays in government ministries, stat board etc.

I see plenty of minah in ministries and stat board

Free education including tertiary education

I've met a malay undergraduate at NUS and yes, he said he did not need to pay. The thing here is, it is rare, how many malays can you see at NUS? Second, the gahment would not want the publicity as it will make many chinks jealous, already they are jealous of PR getting a deal from gahment.

Discounts in housing, health care, government fees

This one, I cannot confirm. Again it could be true as gahment don't want publicity.

 

[sampierre]

I actually agree with Phouse3 that many jobs in the lower rungs of the CIvil Service have been reserved for Malays. In fact, the Malays actually outnumber the Chinese and the Indians in the Civil service and Stat Boards when compared against the demographic makeup of the population in percentage terms. Malays make up of 18% of the S'pore population, but easily occupies 30% ~ 40% of the lower-level jobs in the Civil Service. That means many local Chinese are UNEMPLOYED, and we Chinese have to compete with PRC Chinese and India Indians in the private sector for jobs.

AND SAD TO SAY, I SUSPECT MANY, MANY MALAYS ACTUALLY VOTED FOR THE MOTHER-FCUKING PAPAYAS IN THE PREVIOUS 2 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

I SINCERELY HOPE THE WORKERS' PARTY & OTHER OPP PARTIES WOULD BE ABLE TO WIN BACK THE MALAY GROUND THAT THEY LOST TO THE PAP IN THE LAST 8 YEARS.

 

[scroobal]

Will explain later. I am curious about the level of misinformation there is. These things can be easily solved by the Govt making it very clear what those privileges are in black and white. But they don't do it.

You had the education part right but it needs clarification.

There is some truth in it.

Job quota for Malays in government ministries, stat board etc.

I see plenty of minah in ministries and stat board

Free education including tertiary education

I've met a malay undergraduate at NUS and yes, he said he did not need to pay. The thing here is, it is rare, how many malays can you see at NUS? Second, the gahment would not want the publicity as it will make many chinks jealous, already they are jealous of PR getting a deal from gahment.

Discounts in housing, health care, government fees

This one, I cannot confirm. Again it could be true as gahment don't want publicity.

 

[OldPlaza]

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.

If you harbors such a deep mistrust/dislike towards 'chinese', why wait till now to voice it out?

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.

You worked for a chinese boss before you got the current job? Were you discriminated by them? Why the hell the chinese boss hired a malay, if they were hell-sent racists? 'Nothing to do after eating'?

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.

Were you working or just finishing school at that time? What were your job expectations?

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.

Do not bullshit here! How many local-chinese-owned companies hire chinese-speaking engineers/IT (I just assumed, could be wrong). 99.99% of the IT/Engineering companies that I know, have a good mix chinese/Indians (not so many Malays, I admit)

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.

Do not bull lah, if they want chinese to work for them, why they asked you to come for an interview? unless you changed your name and photo lah to fool them.

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.

Right... you are so brave to make fun of people who interviewd you?

After few months later, a job opportunity break-through in my email for interview.

I have never heard in my entire life that employer who used email to setup a job interview/appointment, especially 10 years ago? BTW,10 years ago, email was still not that popular yet also. what a liar!

After attended the interview for the 2nd times, finally a job offered, interviewed by american boss and his FC chinese.

So, a presumed-racist-chinese FC had a part in handing you a job?

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.

Please lah, work in an American company with your shaky English capacity... I seriously doubt that they would give you a very high-level job. Unless you could use malay (assume Malay is your first language) to communicate effectively with your piers and workers.

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?

Sure, chinese is the only racist people in this country. despite the fact that, all prominent political parties are all-inclusive multi-racial.

To think that this land belongs to the native Malay, yet we have been discriminated in our own land.

This is a very racist comment. This is a very Malaysian Malay thinking. Try tell this to OZ, USA, Canada, NZ... to grant special rights to native abroginals.

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?

Stop lying! They might be racism.. but your personal story of racism is simply nothing but a big LIE!


Malay-Singaporean[/QUOTE]

 

[singveld]

yeah last time chinese sinkies fxxk malay sinkies
now FT fxxk all sinkies.

i dun know why they bring this up now. malay sinkies still getting fxxk.

and since we get to the story of majority fxxking minority
what about chinese in malaysia, they got top grade, but they still cannot get place in the university
what about that malay sinkies, did you ever tell malaysia that it is wrong

 

[scroobal]

Agree. Its not confined to one race. Its happens when one race has significant numbers or in South Africa or Iraq when a small groups has accumulated power.

Typically as society progress, it will start implementing laws to address the issue. All the 1st world countries have some sort of mechanism to reduce the impact of discrimination.

My heart goes out to those who have been actually discriminated on account of their race. It's pure stereotyping & has no place in a gracious society. But then Singapore was never a gracious society and I hate to think, we will never be one at the rate we are going. Also, discrimination exists everywhere and comes in many forms other than Malay, Indian or Chinese and gender. To name some other forms- sexual orientation (gay/lesbian), religious beliefs/practices, height, size, looks etc.

Racial discrimination is certainly not the only factor though it rates as one of the most divisive, contentious and explosive! Bear in mind also that playing the race card is a common ploy not just among the politicians but job-seekers as well.:(