Race
Category: Jurnal
Tags: malaysia, race, Singapore
While Singapore may be a country which supposedly guarantees equality of race, the mood on the ground may be different. Singaporeans still do discriminate according to race. There are still people who cannot leave Malays alone. Like when we have our void deck weddings, or when we rush to the mosque every Friday, or when we’re required to wear the veil or when we try to have a nice, decent, halal meal. Racial and religious subscriptions still do determine your social status in Singapore.
Trust me, even I am a victim of some racial discrimination. I long for the day when it’s possible for Malays to climb up the corporate ladder. Globalisation has made it harder for those Malay blue collars, especially those in the service industry to move up to managerial positions. Take for example our local fast food or dining chains. (I shall not disclose the companies, but it seems symptomatic across all the fast food chains I’ve visited).Malays have worked in these fine establishments for years. But those that end up in more senior positions go to foreigners. I’ve seen far too many Filipinos in managerial positions in their branches. What about those local Malays that have worked their arses since secondary school? I’d be happy to see a local Chinese manager and a local Malay assistant manager at these stores. But when their step up the ladder is hindered just because they lack the qualifications to hold such a post is simply undervaluing the contributions that employee has provided for the company.
I wonder what these franchises are thinking? The bottom line? I wish that their corporate policies are more value-principled. That there’s more to it than dollars and cents. They should be employing these experienced, quarterlifers and middle-agers because they know more about the business than any Pinoy holding onto a degree could. I’m sorry if I sound anti-filipino. But there’s just too many of them here that it can singly identify itself as a major foreign professional workforce apart from the Mainland Chinese or the Malaysian Chinese. I don’t have anything against the filipinos. I do have some good pinoy friends.
But at least when it comes to the service industry, particularly the Food and Beverage industry, where the heck are the Malays!? So much we’ve built for ourselves an expertise in this field, that not many are there in middle or senior positions. Most remain stuck in the lower echelons of their organisations. And I wonder, really, what is it that they lack that makes it so difficult for them to be promoted? I mean, come on guys, they’ve worked hard for you. Don’t you think you should reward them for their loyalty and their excellent service?
It is often an understatement that the local Chinese here have no issues with other races. The overuse of the Mandarin language to the extent that it becomes an exclusivity, that one must be able to master the language in order to converse with clients… local… clients? I wish language, the mother tongue that you were brought up in, that you speak with your family and friends, that define you as a person, be a redundant factor towards your ability to get a job, at least in a job that makes sense that it shouldn’t have this ridiculous language requirement.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not sulking at having to learn another language. I love languages, and I take the opportunity to learn them. I understand some Chinese. Particularly those that require parental advisories. *winks*
But at least, if you’re serious about multi-culturalism, give the other languages breathing space. Give Malay and Tamil equal access in the working space. That the ability to speak your own mother tongue, regardless of its origin, will not result in a hindrance to securing a job. We need more Chinese to understand Malay and perhaps even Tamil. And don’t get me started on many of us Malays. We know a lot more Chinese than you think. (Heck, I watched Chinese serials when I was young, and it seems this is still popular with the younger Malay generation).
Can we for once be colour blind? Can we? Singapore is built on this ideal, where anyone, regardless of race, is guaranteed a dignified life, free from discrimination. But Singapore as it is, is still not close to this ideal. More needs to be done, and I hope Singaporeans of every creed, every colour, can get past their stereotypes, and not judge a book by its colour (cover).