By Andrew Loh
So she is condemned, fired from her job, and has now taken flight (temporarily, presumably) to Perth, Australia. The storm has subsided somewhat for Ms Amy Cheong. In its wake is left an uneasiness that this episode is symptomatic of an underlying something which is more serious, more insidious and potentially more destructive than the words posted on a Facebook page.
The Prime Minister has described Ms Cheong’s actions as “an isolated case that does not reflect the strength of race relations in Singapore.” Ministers and Members of Parliament (MP) have similarly trumpeted the good race relations among our people, and how we should embrace our diversity.
All this is well and good. Indeed, the races have gotten on reasonably for the past 50-odd years. Some may even point to the outrage, outcry and subsequent sacking of Ms Cheong from her job as proof that we as a collective do not and will not stand for such behaviour which “could harm our social peace.” Chinese, Malays, Indians, “Others” – we all condemn racism, whoever it is directed at.
Still, the unease does not go away. There is something there, in the underbelly of our society. There are signs of this in recent times. So far, our response is to condemn such behaviour, bay for some blood to be spilt, voice how we embrace our diversity, and move on - until the next ugly episode blows up.
Race is something which we have been taught – nah, beaten into our consciousness – by the Government never to even talk about, or question, or to raise issues with regards to it. Each race will take care of its own and its own problems. We thus have the ethnic self-help groups. Everyone stays in his own corner, take care of his own. The others should not intervene. This is how we deal with race and religious matters. Keep them separate, keep them tucked away. Label them as racial issues and everyone gets the signal to keep their heads down, their tongues tied and their eyes closed, along with their minds. And then when the next Amy Cheong incident happens, we regurgitate the learned reaction.
And so we grew to be ultra-sensitive whenever someone even whispers anything remotely racist or racially sensitive. We have not matured to see that sometimes the best way to handle such matters is, in fact, to take the opportunity to talk, to discuss, to inform, to correct, to enlighten. As we’ve been taught, we prefer not to engage, but to bury – get the government to step in with its clenched fist, make a police report and let’s see blood spill. That will teach everyone how to behave. We haven’t gotten very far from the big stick-wielding society of the past.
But are we ready to talk about race?
That is a question which no one can answer, actually. So it is a red herring. The real question is: should we not give ourselves a chance to talk about race issues? I think we should and we can.
Early in September, we did just that. Thanks to the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). Its forum, titled “The future of Singapore - Do Malays have a part?”, saw an honest, open and passionate exchange of views between the panellists and audience members, which were made up of people of different races. It was indeed an historic event. But more than that, it showed that we need to give ourselves a chance to discuss and talk openly about what concerns our people, no matter what races they may be.
It was also telling, to me, that the authorities had tried to scuttle the event, insisting with the organisers that a permit was required for it. Thank goodness that good sense prevailed and the forum went ahead.
While the Government is concerned, and rightly so, about the potential fall-out if views on such matters were to be openly and honestly shared, it should not also mean that it is better to bury them.
So, while we may comfort ourselves that the Amy Cheong episode is “an isolated case”, the truth is that the underlying perception which she apparently held is not hers alone. Indeed, there have been whispers among some quarters that the Malay community is being marginalised, discriminated against and looked down on by the rest of our society. And that the influx of foreigners – especially the folks from China and India – has further marginalised the Malay community.
Do we want these views to simmer underneath?
Ms Cheong’s views, contrary to what the prime minister feels, are not an isolated case, in my opinion. Hers is just an accidental, if you will, expression of what lies underneath. And such perceptions and views, erroneous as they are, are nonetheless being held by not a few.
What then are we to do?
Well, the suggestions are not new. There has to be a fundamental mindset shift – among those in authority, especially – towards the minority communities here in Singapore, especially towards the Malays. But how do we do this? For one, policies which discriminate or are seen to discriminate, or which are distrustful of the Malays need to be relooked.
An example is the policy towards them in the Singapore Armed Forces. Second, the ethnic quota system adopted and practised by the HDB. We could also consider abolishing the ethnic self-help groups and integrate them into one which caters to all, as Singaporeans. We could stop the practice of highlighting the race of students who do well in schools. When you tell everyone a student is the first president scholar in 40 years, you’re also sending a subtle message that the Malays can produce only one scholar in 40 years because “they are not as smart as the other races.” Worse still is for the Minister in Charge of Muslim Affairs to say, with regards to the president scholar, that his “achievement shows it is possible for the Malay-Muslim community to produce talented individuals.” Why should this surprise anyone, or even be brought up? Again, the subtle, unconscious message is that the Malay community is somehow deficient so much so that we have to highlight these achievements of theirs not because they are Singaporeans but because they are Malays. Why do we not do the same for the majority Chinese Singaporeans?
We should consider removing the GRC system in our political system. As expressed by a panellist at the SDP forum, some may have a lower regard or respect for minority-race MPs because of the group representation constituency (GRC) system through which they become MPs. Malay MPs, he says, are seen as riding on or needing to ride on the coattails of other more capable non-Malay candidates to help them into Parliament.
In short, we should not lie to ourselves that incidents like Amy Cheong’s are “isolated” cases. They did not emerge out of a vacuum. And we, as a society, owe it to ourselves to take an honest look at what lies underneath.
But most of all, we owe it to those among us who are not of the majority. Celebrating diversity does not mean we set aside what may be uncomfortable to discuss. It means we embrace that which may be uncomfortable and see if we can address these concerns.
The lesson from Amy Cheong thus is not how we have or can shut-up another insensitive person. The lesson should be that we need to go beyond wielding the big stick, or ride on the lynch mob of public opinion running at a high.
The lesson is that we need to learn how to talk to each other. And while we're in the midst of a National Conversation, is there a better time or opportunity than now to do this?