By Asia Samachar | Singapore |
Singaporeans must pay attention keep to casual racism which can impact individuals and groups. At the same time, they must not be too sensitive on the issue.
“However, we should not become hypersensitive, and it is more important that we focus on the process of trying to understand each other better. Incidents of casual racism will probably never go away and all the more we will need to keep working at it to encourage dialogue and interactions that promote understanding and respect,” Singapore senior minister Lee Hsien Loong told a recent gathering of 300 youth in conjunction with the republic’s national day.
Lee, who served as the third Prime Minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2024, spoke at the annual Harmony Works! Conference on Aug 3 organised by OnePeople.Sg, an organisation that champions racial harmony initiatives in Singapore and aims to facilitate deeper understanding of race relations.
Asked to comment whether progress on the front, Lee said that what made Singaporeans different was the emotional connections they make by having friends of different faiths, different races, knowing their families, celebrating their festivals, having meals and shared experiences like going through National Service for male Singaporeans.
He acknowledged that the impact of the online space has been significant because it enables people to get together, voices to be expressed, and can contribute to building a Singapore community.
Casual racism, or everyday racism, encompasses a wide range of behaviours that subtly or overtly convey negative racial stereotypes or prejudices. They can occur in daily interactions and include actions that may seem benign or unintentional but result in excluding or marginalising individuals.
Casual racism could include carrying out conversations in a vernacular unfamiliar to some individuals in the group, inadvertently alienating them. It can also include mocking or mimicking someone’s non-native language skills or accent, according to a recent article by two academics from the Institute of Policy Studies at National University of Singapore (NUS).
The conference, organised as Singapore celebrated its 59th birthday, was chaired by Sarabjeet Singh, the immediate past president of the Young Sikh Association (Singapore) or YSA.
He also moderated a dialogue and engagement with Lee who shared his views on three subtopics all participants discussed at length in smaller groups: Social harmony and casual racism; interactions in the online space; and, integrating new migrants and ensuring Singapore remains inclusive.
For the full dialogue and transcript, go here.
RELATED STORY:
Singapore former president visit Khalsa Dharmak Sabha for Vaisakhi (Asia Samachar, 17 April 2024)
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
