Racism’s lurking around, even if we don’t usually notice it
Unless you look hard enough, and you should
Recently, two racially motivated incidents grabbed the attention of Singaporeans. A video circulated last month showing a Chinese Singaporean woman harassing fellow commuters with racist and bigoted remarks while she filmed the whole process on her mobile phone. Her remarks went to the extent of insinuating that other races were inferior. Further investigation revealed that this woman had been doing this for years.
Meanwhile, a few days ago, a Chinese Singaporean man had insulted an Indian Singaporean woman with racist remarks and even kicked her, causing her to fall and suffer from superficial injuries. He had shouted at the woman, who was brisk walking, to cover her nose with her mask. However, Singapore’s law states that a mask is not required during strenuous exercises. This includes brisk walking. The perpetrators of both incidents are currently under police investigation.
In the immediate aftermath of the publication of both incidents, public backlash grew. Hence, in retrospect, these incidents reveal that our natural instinct towards blatantly racist actions is condemnation, rather than denial or justification — which symbolises our acceptance of racial diversity and our revulsion against racism and bigotry.
Yet, perhaps this only applies to blatant racism and therein lies another issue in our attitude towards dealing with racism in Singapore.
The most insidious part of racism is its subtlety. While we rightly condemn blatant racism, many of us do not react in a similar fashion towards less overt displays of racism. It is not uncommon for people to make remarks or jokes that are racist, whether intentionally or not. Some might even disclaim that they are not trying to be racist with their impending remarks — yet, this does not absolve them from the fact that the remarks are indeed racist.
In the 2016 CNA-IPS Survey on Race Relations, where 2000 Singaporeans were surveyed, it was found that
- 34% of the respondents felt that it was sometimes/always acceptable to remark that people of a particular racial group are normally dirty, lazy, or too money-minded. 73% considered these actions as racist.
- 42% of the respondents felt that it was sometimes/always acceptable to make jokes about another race in the company of friends. 66% considered these actions as racist.
- 38 % of the respondents felt that it was sometimes/always acceptable to comment to someone that their ability is an exemption that members of their race do not have. 64% considered these actions as racist.
These results are but a sliver of the whole survey results. However, these numbers are sufficient in showing that despite understanding the connotations of racism, many Singaporeans still choose to make such remarks. The reasons for such decisions vary. Some might make such comments to generate laughter, albeit in an insensitive manner. Parents also use derogatory terms such as “if you don’t behave, apu neh neh will come and catch you later” against some ethnic minorities to warn their children against bad behaviour. These are uncalled for as well.
Regardless of the reasons, what matters is the impact of these remarks — it hurts people, even if no one admits it.
Akin to verbal abuse, racist remarks can create psychological damage. In an article in The Harvard Gazette by William J. Cromie in 2007, he stated the following (whilst referencing Martin Teicher, associate professor of psychiatry at McLean Hospital)
“Possible consequences (of verbal abuse) could include insecure attachments to others, negative feelings about oneself in relation to others, poor social functioning, and lowered self-esteem and coping strategies.” — William J. Cromie
In short, racist remarks can lead to a certain sense of inferiority for those on the receiving end. Some may argue that this dilutes the fun of making jokes but a sound rebuttal would be — at whose expense? It is certainly tempting to make a casual remark for the fun of it but one should never underestimate what that can do to those on the receiving end of all these unwanted remarks. Worse still, using certain derogatory terms to educate children may have a long-lasting impact as well, as these terms could grow to form a basis for their beliefs as they mature and form beliefs of their own.
Another interesting point to note is the assumptions people make about other races. In the statistics mentioned earlier, 38% of the respondents felt that it was sometimes or always acceptable to comment to someone that their ability is an exemption that members of their race do not have. While it may not appear racist to some intuitively, it does bring up the notion that certain races are not capable of certain skills — which is an example of prejudice. The same applies when one assumes that a certain race is more inclined in a certain field. These assumptions may influence one to hold a certain race in greater regard for nothing more than superficial judgements — which is undeniably dangerous in a meritocratic society like Singapore.
In the 2019 IPS-Onepeople.sg Survey Indicators of Racial and Religious Harmony: Comparing Results from 2018 and 2013 Working Paper, where over 4000 Singaporeans and Permanent Residents were surveyed for each survey, the following results were presented
(Only the results of the 2018 survey have been reflected):
- Frequency of respondents perceiving discriminatory treatment when at work, by respondents’ race
Chinese: 8.5% sometimes, 2.2% Very Often or always/Often
Malays: 25.7% sometimes, 9.5% Very Often or always/Often
Indians: 22.6% sometimes, 9.4% Very Often or always/Often
Others: 8.0% sometimes, 8.9% Very Often or always/Often - Frequency of respondents perceiving discriminatory treatment when applying for a job, by respondents’ race
Chinese: 9.7% sometimes, 2.5% Very Often or always/Often
Malays: 29.3% sometimes, 22.3% Very Often or always/Often
Indians: 26.2% sometimes, 20.8% Very Often or always/Often
Others: 15.9% sometimes, 13.3% Very Often or always/Often - Frequency of respondents perceiving discriminatory treatment when seeking a job promotion, by respondents’ race
Chinese: 11.0% sometimes, 2.7% Very Often or always/Often
Malays: 32.4% sometimes, 18.4% Very Often or always/Often
Indians: 25.5% sometimes, 19.7% Very Often or always/Often
Others: 24.6% sometimes, 10.5% Very Often or always/Often
The 2018 results vis-a-vis the results of the 2013 survey can be found in the document.
While we don’t usually hear about job discrimination by race, evidently, this remains an issue for many. Notably, more minorities felt that they were discriminated against when comparing the results against the 2013 survey. This is especially troubling when analysed against the backdrop of racial equality and meritocracy. We may have succeeded in preventing racial violence, but there are still some Singaporeans who have yet to see the need to embrace the values that we stand for.
On top of that, in a CNA article publish in 2016 as a follow up to the 2016 CNA-IPS survey mentioned above, interviewees recounted their experiences of being judged for pursuing things that were assumed as atypical for their race. To them, this was disruptive as these assumptions and stereotypes became obstacles as they continued their pursuit in what they excelled in.
“It is a big issue. Let’s acknowledge it,” said Mr Wong. “But is the situation today better than it was 10 years ago, 20 years ago? I would say it is too.
“But is it perfect? No. So our aim must be to continue trying to reduce the imperfections, year after year after year.”
— then-Minister for Education Lawrence Wong, as quoted by Justin Ong for the Straits Times
Singapore has definitely progressed forward in our pursuit of racial harmony. Gone are the days where racial riots were a constant threat to the fabric of our society. With decades of education and sound policymaking, Singaporeans have learnt to look past racial differences and form a united community. Yet, evidently, there is still a long way to go. There are still many areas where racism lurks in the background and it is necessary for us to take action to make way for progress.
To catalyse progress and change, we will need to resolve differences and conversations are perhaps the best ways to do so. Conversations are instrumental in bringing us forward. Legislatures may work but it is, in my opinion, not a suitable solution for the issue at hand. Attempts at bridging and understanding differences cannot be compelled by force but instead, an innate desire to build a more inclusive society. Meanwhile, we will also need to be more sensitive with our words & actions. While it may sound cliché, it is important that we put ourselves in others’ shoes — How will we feel, honestly, if those words or actions were directed at us?
Understandably, some may be afraid of unintentionally making wrong comments which may offend others or even break the law. While it pays to be cautious, being overly cautious will only prevent us from making the first step. The laws are put in place to prevent racism from taking grip in our society, not restrict us from having conversations about what matters in our society. As long as we are cognizant of what the law states and what is clearly out-of-bounds, we can hold much-needed discussions and conversations about the differences we see and hopefully produce outcomes that can further our progress towards a more harmonious racial harmony in Singapore.
