https://mothership.sg/2017/08/today...eating-habits-sporeans-call-it-out-as-racist/
TODAY article on diabetes targets Malay & Indian eating habits, S’poreans call it out as racist
Nasi Lemak did nothing wrong.
By Guan Zhen Tan | August 28, 2017 979
On Friday, August 25, the TODAY newspaper put out an article amplifying this message.
Titled “War on diabetes: Changing eating habits of Malay, Indian communities an uphill task”, it ventured guesses as to why statistically, Singapore’s Malay and Indian communities have a higher incidence rate of diabetes (For Singaporeans above age 60, 6 in 10 Indians and 5 in 10 Malays) compared to the Chinese (2.5 out of every 10).
It’s understandable they’re trying to tackle an issue that’s affecting some communities more than others.
But here are some of the points raised:
1. Only Chinese dishes can be modified with healthier ingredients
For one, the article suggests, very early on, that only Chinese dishes can be made in a healthier manner or with healthier ingredients — which, of course, is not true.
For them, unlike Chinese dishes, one cannot produce a healthier, yet still tasty ayam penyet or roti prata by simply using less oil, salt or sauce.
2. Indians and Malays only eat unhealthy ethnic food all the time
For this part of the article, they interviewed an Indian restaurant owner, a nasi lemak stall owner and a diabetic who struggles to change his eating habits.
One area that needs to be addressed is their eating habits, even though those interviewed acknowledged that it will be an uphill task.
Mr Rathinasamy Murugesan, owner of Greenleaf Cafe, an Indian restaurant in Little India, pointed out that many Indians eat a lot at one go, three times a day. They also tend to prefer 9pm dinners, which are close to bedtime, and need to round off their meals with a satisfying, sugar-rich dessert.
“My Chinese friends would take the Indian sweet, and (throw up) because it is too sweet for them, but we Indians can take four or five of those,” said the 44-year-old.
Taxi driver Hartono, 56, is one of those who find it difficult to change his eating habits even though he is a diabetic.
He loves the rendang that is chock-full of coconut milk, and believes that Malay food should be all about “the colour and spice”. He finds such Malay dishes much more attractive than the “bland” soups, steamed food and stir-fries common in Chinese cooking.
While his wife, a nurse, and his doctor often chide Mr Hartono for his food choices, the man himself finds it just too hard to give up his beloved buffets and nasi briyani. After losing weight during the fasting month by eating mainly cereal, it was “back to square one” after the Hari Raya season, no thanks to all the feasting during festive gatherings and wedding banquets.
For Madam Mizrea Abu Nazir, 45, “nasi lemak would not be nasi lemak” without coconut milk, and her stall usually uses two litres of coconut milk to cook a large pot of the rice.
Her family owns the popular Mizzy Corner Nasi Lemak at Changi Village.
While she does not mind cutting down on coconut milk on request at special events, the reality is that people often ask for “more”, rather than less.
“In our lontong, ayam lemak, most of the cooking is about using a lot of coconut milk and oil. At the moment, I don’t (see the need to change) because everyone is still enjoying what they eat… That’s how it is,” Mdm Mizrea said.
3. Chinese people live healthier lifestyles than Malays
The article included just one interview that brings up this point, without expanding on or bothering to add any disclaimers.
While the quotes below do clearly come from the interviewee, a diabetic, it certainly can’t be sufficient to back up the argument they’re making:
“The doctor talks like it’s very easy (to change), but our lifestyle is not like the Chinese lifestyle. For them, they go qigong, they go exercise …”
“Our culture is different, we like to gather and cook, go picnic, go makan… You see (the Malays) carrying their pots to Changi Village to go there to eat, sleep, swim (all day),” he said.
