Black People Tell you about Singapore's Racism Reality
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- Опубліковано 3 вер 2021
- Most of the clips were taken from UA-cam Channel: "The Black Experience in Japan".
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The Black Experience Japan's (BEJ) mission is to repair the image of black people across the globe. It seeks to lambaste the negative stereotypes of the black people and share the black experience in Asia and beyond.
The Melanated Files or the MFiles is a Black Experience in Japan's series that highlights black people from diverse countries across the globe. It focuses on sharing the story of the individual; who they are; what they do; what they are passionate about; and what their experience has been so far, as a black person living in a foreign land.
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The clip on Singapore’s Social Cohesion discussion is taken from here:
• 新加坡总统哈莉玛谈种族和谐与大同社会 Spe... (with Chinese Subtitles)
• Let’s Think About It -... (Original Clip)
When Law Minister Shan said that he was not so sure anymore that Singapore is moving in the right direction on racial tolerance, I felt depressed. He is to me, in the past decade, and many years to come, the guiding star and safeguard along our national building journey of racial harmony.
Black community in Singapore is extremely small, yet it is mentally healing for me to hear their encouraging words through unique lens on Singapore and Asia's racial reality. We as Asians ought to be confident enough to draft our own racial theories, rather than misappropriating a malfunctioned theory created remotely. On the other side, no one should underestimate the frustration and prejudice a black person has to experience from time to time as a minority and a foreigner here.
K. Shanmugam once said when he had issues in life often times he would draw strength and wisdom from the thousands of years long Tamil culture and literature. I do the same. A small portion of our ivory tower elites tried very hard to alienate themselves from their own cultures. That is sad. A person is in no position to claim he cares about other races, when he bashes his own language and culture from pretentious moral high ground.
I always saw merits in Singapore's racial reality, in a fascinating way. For instance, the government which ordered Nanyang University's closure, was under a Chinese Prime Minister; a Malay, or an Indian Prime Minister, no matter how courageous, would not be willing nor able to achieve this. Another example, the most popular Singaporean scholar in China, is not a Chinese; he is an Indian, and the name is Kishore Mahbubani. Similarly, when Tommy Koh told our friends from India that he has more faith in India than most Indians do, he really means it; Tommy truly embraces the wonderful cultures in India than most our Singaporean Indians do. Positive stereotyping in Singapore is real, and people ought to celebrate their own identities with proud and not with anxiety.
All above said, it is undeniable that blind spots do exist across ethnic groups and social classes. It is a long journey, and all of us should fight hard, against our own prejudices, for ourselves and our children's future.
I’m an African American male. I lived in Singapore in 2013. I can say it was the best, most peaceful free time I’ve ever had in my life. I experienced a couple of instances of racism, but nothing life threatening or long lasting, I’m used to a country where I’ve had to physically fight to defend myself so physical violence is not a problem for me if need be. But while I was there I did not feel like it was necessary at all. I felt free for the first time in my life; at the time I was in my early 40’s.
thanks for that. Singapore is for sure not perfect but I am glad that you enjoy your life here. best wishes.
As an Indian singaporean who is dark skinned this is interesting. Because I felt free and loved for the first time In my life when I went to Australia. I got called black as an insult here literally everyday in high school by malays and Chinese and was excluded and even kicked by male classmates, I couldn’t share because the principal stopped me, didnt benefit racial interests apparently. I fell very sick after. So this is interesting.
@@daschund7680 Buddy I totally agree with you on what you experienced in school and that is exactly why I featured Divian Nair's experience in the video clip - I do not want to create an illusion to outside people that Singapore is perfect.
But again I wish to say my view here: that Singapore government is trying very hard to make sure that there is no systematic/institutional discrimination in Singapore. A very good example is that look at the percentage of Indian ministers in our cabinet (25%, more than 3 times of Indian population of 7.5% in Singapore). Not to mention huge number of Singaporean CEOs and CFOs who are ethnic Indian. I can personally feel Australia's freeness in many aspects (that is a true praise to Australia), but Australia has a long way to go on its racial harmony - it is known that Australian society has certain level of prejudices/biases against Asians. A tip, check the cabinet composition - this is always a trick and a metric for me to check if a country is really racial blind. Another check on systematic racism I like to do is to look at the media in a country - i wont elaborate but since you have experience with both Singapore and Australia's media, you surely can tell the vast difference.
What did those ppl say to you though if you don’t mind me asking. I’m sorry you had to experience that bro. As a Singaporean I’m open to any type of foreigners coming here. Hope u still enjoy Singapore.
@@daschund7680 there is a lot of hate for Indians in Singapore?
This is all thanks to our late Lee Kuan Yew. He insisted on having a Singaporean Singapore. Not a "Chinese Singapore", "Malay Singapore" nor "Indian Singapore". There were racial riots in the past but they were quelled with the full force of the law. I remembered as a kid living in a neighbourhood where all the different kids came together to play and we'd took part in each other's festivities.
I am glad there are African American people that actually love our country. Our country welcomes people around the world.
@@NoahBodze
LOL, shouldn't racist like you be happy that Blacks are leaving the US?
they were most likely paid
Singaporean here!!! I think people would sort of stare at u out of curiousity but generally Singaporeans are known to be much more aware of diff races sensitivities due to us being super multi racial here
I’m from Ghana, can we be friends so I could know a lot about Singapore?? I’m planning on visiting there
Good day sir I am an African from Cameroon I wish to know if someone came to Singapore first before looking forward for a job? because I really wish to do so more to I am a professional welder
@@jonaskum5638 it is very much dependent on what work permit you are allowed to have in Singapore. Ministry of Manpower in Singapore has strict foreign labour laws, you can look up to S-pass or Employment Pass if you are highly skilled enough to warrant a high salary in Singapore. Typically these work permits are not restricted by nationalities. The regular Work Permits issued for low skill workers are more highly regulated by restrictions on nationalities, local vs foreign quotas and industry categories like service or manufacturing line.
@@jonaskum5638Singaporean here
*Most* of the time (90% of the time but there are always exceptions such as getting a tourist visa then looking for a job in that period)
Search for a job first then come to Singapore because once you get hired, your employer will apply the working visa for you(based on how much you earn, there is WP, S Pass, Employer Pass)
There's always a demand for skilled trades workers, search for "SG MOM COMPASS test" and if you get above 40 points, chances are that you can get a working visa
@@jonaskum5638 SG prioritize qualifications (papers) so if you have a professional welder's certificate or sorts, you're probably going to have a much easier time job hunting in SG
As a singaporean, i think racism doesnt come from the skin but from experiences first hand from working and collaborating with many people of certain races, and learning patterns and habits of those people instead of simply assuming certain level of competency from them. i do feel that when you cite the singapore pledge everyday, you get ingrained in you that you are not supposed to assume what a character is before interacting with them. However “genderism” is the same everywhere in the world.
Wow I was not expecting this. This is so comforting
Singaporean here
Honestly, as long as you aren’t rude, we really don’t discriminate. Media wise, publish your opinions freely as long as it is fact or does not harm anyone we are as free of a country as it gets (except bubblegum😂 but that’s fine)
well said. . especially about the media. i myself dont subscribe to free speech if it harms others
Liked & Shared. Amazing clips pieced together.
thanks for your mentally healing words
I'm a mixed race. Singapore does have racism but very minor if you compare it to with other countries. Partly because Singaporeans grow up to learn to live with different races, nationalities and people with different religion.
But as I grew older I realised the value and meaning of the Singapore pledge.
"We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation."
The African American is really feel home in Singapore. Singapore respect one another irrespective of race and religion. That how we live in racial harmony and peacefully.
I'm so happy that these gentlemen felt free and accepted when in Singapore. All the best to you 👍😊
Thank you for putting the clips together. I hope more people can watch it.
thanks for your nice words. It is also my wishful thinking.
When I lived in Korea for a year I also felt the most American I've ever felt. I never had to specify African-American or explain to someone that I'm black despite having obviously brown skin. I was just American to them, and me being brown didn't need to be confirmed becuz it was obvious. It felt really nice to be able to just be myself and not feel like every action I take b4 I leave the house is gonna be viewed as a political statement by everyone around me.
Hi, I'm a Singaporean student who has lived in Singapore all her life. It is true that the black community in SG is very small, I think I've only ever seen five black people at the very most? I'm so glad that the people in the video have had positive experiences here
Hi , can I talk to u in ur dm
I’m also from Ghana. Can we be friends so we can learn each other culture and I’m planing on visiting there
Singapore values work, not colour, not language, nor religion.
Are you ready to work till last breath?
This country values every single person who is willing to contribute to real work.
Welcome to work land.❤
Agreed bro. You gotta be stacked to live in sg. Everything is so expensive.
I believe how Singapore vets foreigners who can enter also plays a big role. We sort of only allow expats with professional skills into the country as long-term workers, so we'll naturally only get a certain class of people here with respect to economic status, intelligence, work ethic whether you're from America, Australia, UK or anywhere really. And that definitely plays a part in how we perceive foreigners, be it black or white people
I have to agree to what you said. also i have recently seen so many videos featuring white, black, Indian, malay and chinese people travelling in certain parts of Asia (Southeast Asia and neibouring Asia), and all of them are relaxed. you cannot downplay the role of the chemistry - when people are travelling in a safe, relaxed, non aggressive environment, they instantaneously sense it in the air naturally.
@@fasionstopper Ah yes, great point on the role of chemistry as well. Totally agreed!
I would say Singaporeans are more classism than racism
If you have money? Nothing else matters, you're good.
If you don't have money? You are low SES and it matters not whether you are local/foreigner/education level/what race are you because people will use it all to judge why aren't you financially well-off.
Of course that is a crude way of mentioning it in a vaccum, your real experiences will obviously vary
@@namo2403Well, then most countries are “classism” too. The advancement of technology and rise of influencers brought about the importance of maintaining a certain social status where they show off wealth. TBH, most of the wealthy people are just like everyone else.
It is known as Nantah University in 1955 and the fascade is standing in the field at Boon Lay. The Nantah Alumni Association is at the junction of Lavendar Street & Jalan Besar.
So glad to hear stories like this
so glad that you are glad
Great video! I would love to live in Singapore!
I’m glad you guys feel welcomed in Singapore. And thank you for speaking well of our country even though we are very lacking
It is important to know and understand that the founding fathers of Singapore (Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Kang Swee, and many others) took race relations extremely seriously. They knew that if they tolerated segregation by race, Singapore could not survive. They made great efforts to ensure that all races were treated equally in Singapore society and that segregation in housing and in the workplace did not occur. HDB flats were not allowed to be racially homogenous. English, which was not the native tongue for any native Singaporean, was made the official working language. Everyone was required to learn English. Also, the Singaporean government made great effort to eradicate “third world behavior:” Public urination and defecation, spitting, gum chewing, jaywalking, recreational drug use, gambling and other vices were outlawed and violators were punished, sometimes severely. Sloth was not tolerated.
So the apparent lack of institutional racism in Singapore is the result of sustained government effort. The harsh measures used by the Singaporean government to control the race problem would never be tolerated in the United States or most European countries.
Thanks for sharing these important facts with everyone 😊
I love my government, especially Mr Lee Kuan Yew....❤
The reason your founding fathers created it because they were aware of racism when they were in Malaysia to promote equal rights for all races and Mr Lee was kicked out from Malaysia for that reason as Malaysia favor the Malay superiority over other ethnic ...this black people want to complain about Singapore where they need to live in Malaysia....Singaporean is so fortunate to have a leader Mr Lee Kuan Yew who really care about his people in term of everyone should have to contribute to some of their savings for their housing, and medical for them when is it needed and not a burden for them. that is why in Singapore is very rare to see homeless people living on the streets....Hopefully Singaporean will have Mr Lee Kuan Yew in their history what his intention and well plan for his people and have their young generation to appreciate the beauty of Singapore where so many leaders around the world spoke highly about Mr Lee Kuan Yew achievements...
Yes, agreed. Strong anti-hate anti-discrimination laws plays a big part to remind people to be tolerant even if you are not accepting, and of course some of the pre-dominant racist ideology or actions in overseas will never be tolerated here in Singapore.
@@Anon-cv7ru punishment via the Law only stops bad behaviour, momentarily.
Its decades of enforced racial intergration and making people view multicultralism as a positive and neccessary experience that has helped Singapore achieve multiracial harmony.
You cannot punish your way to good behavior.
The divisiveness in the U.S., its DEI policies and wokeness is anathema to Singaporean society and has been rejected by our former PM as not being helpful.
I just came back from Singapore. Overall it was fine. I did find some people really did stare at me which was kind of weird but no one was any nicer or ruder to me than they are to everyone else.
3:56
🔥✊That's the way brother
Interesting perspective. Thanks
Glad it was helpful.
Great work hope to collaborate with u on UA-cam,Namibia🇳🇦❤❤❤❤
Im glad we live up to our national pledge.😊
I am proud to be a Singaporean always we know deep inside we are all different diverse of race
We embrace it with respect since young we learn to live with one another regardless of our differences 🎉🎉🎉
If world can set Singapore example world will be more peace
Unfortunately some religion do not allow it happen as people are seeing it in your neighbor country ...
I’m happy to hear that African Americans feel good being here or have not experienced racism in Singapore. Great that you can be who you want to be and not to have to deal with discrimination by white folks and also the social pressures by the black community to talk or behave in a supposed manner.
Because of the multitude of races and religions we all have in this region, when we do "mention" it, most of the time it's truly just facts.
For example, "Oh, the Malay boy. Oh the Indian girl." Not to single out or attack but merely as a statement. Most are pretty aware of the sensitivity of race / religions and are respectful.
But they don't say 'oh the Chinese girl or Chinese boy'.
@@firdaus125 too many Chinese perhaps? wouldn't be a good way to identify a person if so
I'm from Malaysia too and I've never noticed how people from homogenous countries just couldn't help to stare if they see someone with different skin colour or dressing differently. But we're taught since we're young to respect others and everyone's the same human-being.
Edit to make this more relevant: this is my experience as a civilian and cannot say the same for some parties in Malaysia. Glad to hear that Singapore is doing so well in this sense!
I have travelled in Singapore for several days. It’s a multiracial country. most people i meet were very nice and friendly, wether locals or tourists, including all Indians and most west and Chinese tourists I met. It’s just a few times that I didn’t feel welcome, they all were Chinese Singaporean. Especially a waitress who served me at a restaurant with a very good view at the airport made me feel disrespected.
many thanks for the first hand experience. i think Singaporeans should take credits when it is a praise, and also be able to take a lesson when it is a criticism. no person is perfect and we all should get away from prejudicing others, and continuously make a better version of ourselves.
Hope your few incidences with are largely random / statistical (well statistically you got 75% chance to bump into an ethnic Chinese in Singapore). In my experience, in general Indian, Chinese and Malay are very nice groups of people, no matter which countries they are from.
Are u sure it's a Singaporean? There are actually very few Singaporeans working as waitress/waiter. Mostly are foreigners working in restaurant and other service industry.
Waitress malaysian la dey. Haha.
From China or Vietnam or Malaysia
@@fasionstopperi m chinese singaporean . even i myself am scared of such waitress, my son got scolded and cried😢 they r not singaporean tho😅
It's all about Asia.... Welcome to our world.
0:07 if you noticed, there are two people talking
Is there a fb group to connect with black people in Singapore?
Did you get any info on this?
I have been on the look out for this
Interested in that country
Oh fuck!
Mike is here!
I LOVED your Carribean food stall, missed the Goat curry so mucn 😢
In the 1990's we had a group PRC nurses.I think they have never seen an Indian or hair on their arms.This very young nurse sat next to me and stroked my arm.I asked why did she do that and in her basic English she told me she had never seen a person of colour or even having hair on arms.I did not feel anything negative towards as it was genuine curiosity but I advised her like a big sister not to do it anyone else as they may not take it the right way.She became a wonderful colleague and climbed up the nursing ladder picked up singlish and the rest as they said is history.As my dear late father would say that not all our fingers are the same.
I am really thankful for your heart-warming story. you are truly a person with pure heart, so does your PRC sister. In many cultures, such as China, Indian, Middle East, Africa etc., people are innocent and pure-hearted, touching body or body part is a way of showing intimacy. it is only in modern culture people kept that distance and interpreted touching as offensive. another example, you always see guys from south asian cultures holding hands and girls from east asian cultures holding hands, but that behavior is deemed as super inappropriate (and discouraged) in western countries.
Singapore is safe and peaceful, and racial tensions never take root, because crime in Singapore is not tolerated.
it's the values that a person needs to cultivate since young.
As glad as i am to hear most of these black folks that came here that didn't experience racism or prejudice against them.
I like to point out that i do believe that racism still do exist here, but its just not as violent. But there are very sly and snarky remarks being thrown around that are openly racist at times. Especially chinese vs malays.
I just believe that racism exists literally everywhere and not just in America, its just the culture in America as a whole like guns being a thing there makes the situation much more prominent than it has to be.
Actually the more impt point to be made here is that it's less of a racial problem and more of a cultural problem. People arent exactly racist, they don't hate the skin color, they just don't behave the same culturally if that makes sense.
Here's a good example, Chinese people in Singapore really dislikes Chinese people from China and always distinguish themselves very differently from China people. And funny enough it's not just Chinese people here that feels that way.
Ethnicity is Chinese.
Citizenship is Spore.
Yes I prefer to b known as Spore Chinese. IT irritates Chinese fr China
But is abt perspective. We r culturally different from them, upbringing etc.
I often explain to my China Chinese friends- they themselves are divided into where they r from- Shanghai, Beijing etc as their ID is different from those rural areas.
Then they 🛑 stop politely to insist all Chinese are the same. If they can accept their own pple, then come and tell me what I should classify myself.
No double standards pls.
Is BS.
1分14秒 这注释的也太牛了吧：大道之行也，天下为公，选贤与能，讲信修睦。。。
机翻不出来这句
As a local i think you have to be stacked to stay in SG. Thats the only downside to this country. A basic meal was $5, 3/4years ago now its at least $10 to afford a basic meal. Around $250 a week for groceries which is crazy to the point people have a hard time to decide should i cook or just eat out? White, black or asian it doesn't really matter, we can co-exist.
As an African (Zimbabwean) living in Europe, came to see what it's like being Black in Singapore. Spotted a Zimbo being interviewed in the video...sorted 😄😄😄
pardon my ignorance but i have always been very curious about referring to a person of African descendent. Is it racist to call a "black" person black if they are referring to themselves as black? Or is it something that only they can refer themselves to and inappropriate if others uses it?
"black" is fine in most context (but again context matters). anyway your intention is very important - if you approach people with kind heart and good intention, people wont mind. on the other hand, if you got some underlying motive, no matter how polite/beautiful your words may be, people may still sense your unfriendliness.
All my American black friends told me it's fine to call them "black" untill white people used it in a different sense of way like "you black people…"with a different intention. And I have to say their sensitivity towards racism vary differently from place to place very much, such as black from NYC are way more sensitive than other states/cities, and American Africans are way more sensitive than Caribbean Africans while new African immigrants are the least sensitive of them all.
@@nannchigga true and accurate. thanks.
It’s best to just ask because being “black” is about identity. Some people are biracial and would prefer to be referred to as such. I much rather be referred to as black than African American because the most I know about my lineage is that it consists of African DNA and more (including Malay). Therefore, singling out my African heritage but excluding the rest is unacceptable for me.
This varies from person to person, so if you’re curious, I’d just ask.
I mean calling them of African descent is a bit of a dumb thing to say and bordering on racist too.
But Americans are a biit naive I wouldn't extrapolate or apply their really childish and odd views on race and the world to anywhere else.
Bravo
Generally, we don't differential people with color skin, we respect different races with rich cultures and traditions. We are same, "Human Beings".
6:06
LOYALTY TO COUNTRY, LEADERSHIP, DISCIPLINE, PROFESSIONALISM, FIGHTING SPIRIT, ETHICS, CARE FOR SOLDIERS!!!!!!!!!
Brothers and sisters do think there is no rasism in Singapore think again
Racism exists every part of the world but in Singapore, it's the most toned down. There is bound to have a few black sheeps.
Hey just moved to Singapore. Are you still living here? If so do you know of any networking groups I can get with.
Thanks for the video. Really enjoyed it!
Hi very glad that you moved to Singapore and hope you will enjoy your life here. I am not really a social guy so wont help you much, but I am thinking you may drop by Mr Q's shop at Tanjong Pagar and speak to him to find out (do not forget to tell him that you watched his videos on youtube and you are a big fan of him). You can find the location/contact of the shop here: theprefecture.com/pages/about-us (and it might be a good idea to drop him an email or a phone call first)
ua-cam.com/video/UX9wxdLVU4M/v-deo.html
@@fasionstopper Thanks so much for the prompt response. I really appreciate you my brother. Take care, stay blessed and much continued success..
@@DrDionPresents all the best man.
While it's heartening to hear sharings like these as someone from Singapore, I wonder whether people have questioned the migration policy and why the black community is so small here to begin with. Speaking from my experience, my MBA school has a campus in Singapore, and during my school time there were multiple black schoolmates whose student visa applications were rejected outright. Hence they were unable to even come into the country and had to make alternative campus choices. I'm speaking about a prestigious school with highly qualified individuals, and they were not even coming for employment. To my knowledge most of them were from the African continent, while the few that had visas granted were citizens of places like the US. The visa rejections only happened to this particular group of people.
While I do not know whether this was one-off or common, and whether our government had considerations other than race, I'm just throwing in my perspective for some food for thought. It is possible that racism may be multi-faceted and may even be institutionalized right at the start. You do not see it because you might not have even been given a chance to.
agree. thanks for the first hand example.
Proud of Singapore.
Whenever i come back from the US, Europe people ask me what do i miss when you're away from Singapore?
My answer would always be - Racial harmony. And Singapore Airlines announcement "To all Singaporeans.. Welcome home"
YASSSS I'M GLAD I WANNA GO GO SINGAPORE! I HAVE A RELATIVE THERE, I CAN BE BLACK AND LIVE IN A DOPE CITY!!🤩
DOPE city? Yes u can try dopes and go to jail! Spore jail food?? Curry chicken?
I want to come to singapore but I have no place to stay😂😂somebody help me
Singapore has an Indian president.
My dad his skin are black my mom her skin are white peach so, my skin are mix im a malay so i half black, half white mix it become brown, in singapore color dont metter, behavior and attitude is...
Kudos to Singapore government, and her people
It's a good thing, especially when you are not tuned into the actual frequency the folks here mutter with each other..........but I'll urge you to think carefully before you swallow that red pill.
Although Singaporeans come from different races,they are mostly Asian so its different from America
You're implying being Asian means we're more alike, hence easier to assimilate, and you cannot be more wrong. In the US, there are maybe only 2 major languages : English and Spanish. In Asia, we have thousands of language, wide varied skin tones, and a million different cultures. The truth is: it's so much easier to be racially harmonious in the US, because they are much more similar than you think. The only reason why it's not: white people
I wonder if they will treat Singaporean the same if Singaporean is in the US?
Singaporean would be fine in the u.s... whites love Asians here
No. first time pass thru their custom in 93 i was asked “how’s mao zedong?” by their custom officer in a “joking manner “
no, like the last part the host said, i experienced the same in Australia . my indian CHILDHOOD friend was racially discriminated and i wanted to hoot that Taiwanese idiot. never invited him to join me and my friend out after
Hey❤
Sporean here. Racism is everywhere in all countries. Is just the extent…
We have grown up with different races from primary/elementary school. We have racist jokes… among ourselves. Laugh n just continue…
❤😂❤😂
Agree alot on when you are majority. You have to be more sensitive. Hope this would be more in malaysia. Apparently the country is majority a certain race, and yet untouchable unspeakable on anything. Super super sensitive on anything racial related. 😂
I need a host in singapore
There are racisms in Singapore but not that much most are very open and accepting.
Growing up we encountered lot of racists jokes and actions which we took it lightly as kids but when grew up, some people actually became very sensitive to those. Some even use the sensitivity of minority race to stir emotions in certain Facebook groups to get recognition.
That will probably further divide the races again.
You hit the nail on the head!
When ministers Shanmugam and Lawrence Wong said what they said, I was very taken aback, that they would stereotype a whole race based on several unrelated and isolated incidences that were deliberately posted on social media.
What made it worse was when this sentiment and narrative was echoed and ratified by so many others of different races, even close friends.
I have, for a long time, been very proud of this lack of racial biases in Singapire,, but realised this condition sits on a precarious knife edge, which can be unbalanced with the slightest of badly chosen rhetorics, let alone one made from a prominent leader in our society.
I do hope we learn to appreciate our homogenous mentality and realise, we still need to put in the intentional effort not to rock that boat despite that fact.
How many racial riots have you seen? Only the Chinese educated are overly sensitive of their Mandarin language. Do you think they will sing Singapore's national anthem, 'Majulah Singapura?'
@@simonsimon2888 2! I am not pure Chinese, but I was in both English and Chinese education system.
How many racial riots have you experienced?
Well, the English educated of multi-racial students DID NOT take part in any of the racial riots. Today, at 75, i could still feel the 'racial rift and shift' since a young boy growing up in a kampong, Kebun Limau. For better or worst, will i live long enough to see 'the Singapore's Dream' of fervent hope....for i am the descendant of the migrant stock(stork). P/S: First language, English and Second language, Malay.
I am South Sudanese, I am dark-skinned... the edge of black skin tone... When I was living in Kenya, I experienced racism from Kenyans. It was purely verbal and teasing but nothing physical.
E1: I remember once a certain female nurse told me to go swimming in the ocean in Mombasa so that the salty water can bleach my skin. I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say to a senseless adult. Moreover, I was down with fever from malaria and too weak to argue with anyone. (She was in her mid-thirties and she had a lighter skin tone. I was a teenager at that time).
E2: A waiter at a local restaurant approached me. There were few customers around. So, he had time to leisure about, stood near my table and we chatted as I ate. We were having a nice conversation, when he suddenly said, "you know, the balanced diet you are eating, can make you have a lighter skin tone." I was stunned.
He was an old man and I was in my early twenties at that time. I didn't know what to tell an old man so I just looked down and kept quiet. He kept on talking about my skin color and various natural ways I can use to lighten my skin. The more he spoke the angrier I became. Then I angrily looked at him. A cashier across the table yelled at him to stop talking. He stopped and walked away, (no apologies or remorseful look). I wanted to punch him so badly, but, I was raised differently... (Parents should teach children too what they should do in situations where an adult doesn't deserve any respect. Parents forget this and only focus on telling kids to be respectful at all times. Mine forgot,,, and it has taken me a long time to learn to stand up for myself against stupid older folks.)
Conclusion: It would be idiotic for anyone, be it white or black, to dream to live anywhere in the world where how he/she looks won't come up from time to time as a basis of ridicule and disrespect. As long as no one gets physical with you because you are black like it happens in Europe, Northern Africa, and North America, I think it's okay. Put safety first, because words are just words (superficial). Human beings are mysteriously superficial and how you look can trigger them to say stupid things. The earlier you accept this fact, the better your life will be no matter what part of planet Earth you go to.
If you want to migrate to anywhere in the world, think of how safe it is ( institutionally and physically) not how "verbally racist" it's. Of course, there are other factors to consider such as institutional racism, economic discrimination, etc.
(I mainly watched this video to see if Singapore is safe, unlike the US/Egypt/UK. And Singapore seems to me to be like Kenya. Once there, I am certain I will hear BS about my complexion once in a while, but, hey, nowhere is perfect for anyone.)
For me, an extremely dark-skinned person, anywhere, even in my own country where many people are bleaching their skin, racism (verbal teasing and ridicule) exists. I plan to move to Singapore next year (late 2023) for various reasons. Among other reasons, I am mainly moved by how safe it's for a black person (unlike the US/Egypt)... Good place for someone to happily work and live. Singapore's government also has good relations with South Sudan, so it won't be a hassle to get a visa.
I love Africa but I am not one to confine myself to any country (land) in the world. I want to move across the planet, experience, enjoy and learn. Life is too short to limit your life experiences because of ideologies (sentimentalities).
Proud 💪😊to be a black skinned person
thanks for your nice comments. hope you can come and live in Singapore or neighboring countries for a few years in the near future. it is also my sincere hope that African countries become more united and be more confident of its own history and culture.
Wow
@@fasionstopper you are a brave chap
I hope you managed to be in Singapore. If you do, hit me up!
No rascist mentality is a deliberate move by Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
We are all Singaporeans, not Chinese, not malays, not Indians, not baba.
So we see people by their passport nationality too, rather than the color of their skin.
Nowadays pple also differenciate between 'true blue' (born & bred in SG) Singaporeans vs Naturalised Sgreans... never ends huh
Singapore is a multi-racial country, society. We embrace each other culture, religion. Cheers..
It is about time to move out of the tolarance phase and into the acceptance phase.
Sadly we are still far from it.
Like it or not, we are all racists in small way.
The weird thing is. it is usually directed towards the people that we do not know.
I said it is weird because we aren't like that to our friends of different racial background.
👍
In Singapore, some would say that we don't care (bochap) about most things and that we should be more PASSIONATE about things. I like to think that Singaporeans care and do have our likes and dislikes, it's just that we rarely impose them on others.
So even if I don't like someone smoking, it's not my problem that you want to smoke your way to lung cancer, as long as you don't blow smoke in my face. Just as I can fart all I want in the privacy of my home, I don't fart in the face of friends or strangers even if I sometimes wish to do that.
One thing though. Christians in Singapore can sometimes be one type (Singlish activated!). I say Christians and not evangelist or extremist because, let's be honest about it. They are Christians. And even moderate Christians will try to convert you if they get a chance. The only thing stopping them is their fear of repercussion, they are too kiasu or kiasee to try proselytizing.
Other than that, Singapore is a pretty comfy place to live in. Enjoy.
It’s not true. I mean I would count myself as a moderate Christian and I don’t go around converting others. I share if someone asks me about it, otherwise I respect that faith is a very personal journey you cannot force on anyone. In fact, sometimes the best way to share is to just live the life of unconditional love and amazing grace that Christ offers us. No need to force people or trick people to listening to you evangelise. I don’t agree with Christians forcing Christian belief and agenda on others. Singapore is a multi religious country. Having said that though, there is a tendency to be very anti Christian these days thanks to a couple of black sheep who overstep their personal boundaries to try to override everyone else. I apologise for those folks and I hope everyone understands not all of us share their perspective.
I'm thinking of moving to Singapore
So I'm doing research
If ya rich, you can stop researching and migrate here asap lol.
Try travelling here for a few weeks/ months visit first. See if you like the weather and other stuff like a test drive/ sampling first 😄 I am a Singaporean and did the same with Korea, I just stayed there a few months to see how its like over there.
@@victimofpsychiatry gam sia ha mi da
@@lightinyourface6847 😂 you must be an sgag fan 😂
All of us are racists in one way or the other. It happens to everybody. So stop hyphing the fact that racism is only reserved for the blacks. In fact, even in Africa, there is also racism amongst their own kind. Period.
I hv to say that SGP is a great place to stay until one experiences the clutters lying around most HDBs corridors n stairwells. Is there a different fire safety standards for condos n HDBs? How can one uses the railings for self-support or emergency when so many large plants n its supporting structures to raise plants higher r setup which can be burning or blocking corridors? Who is paid n tasked to do all this but shaking legs in aircon offices?
Most of the aisan countries are the same as Singapore isn't it?
true. most asian countries are like this. hope people can travel and live in asia for some time to feel and enjoy that.
No, Japanese and Koreans are the most racist groups of people in the world,
Lucky Brave true
@@fasionstopper excluding Japan and south Korea
@@nmrm7838 perhaps SK and Japan took too much western influence, media, movies, etc... Honestly, I do feel China is starting to have this issue as well...
Singapore is the best country in the world
It’s not true there’s no racism in Singapore, but here people dont manifest as much and try to tolerate as much. We have prejudices against other race but we try to respect from a distance and not bother them. You’ll hear in the things they say and do and the decisions they make eg in an employment. But the good thing is the government curb these racist proclivities where they could. There’s racism in the NS conscription, though not obvious. There’s a preference in a certain race than the other but subtle. Nevertheless we try to harmoniously live together.
i think this comment is the most accurate one. i do want to add this is getting less in the later generations. racial divide more obvious in boomers and Gen X
There were reasons for Malcolm X. and MLK to be eliminated in a certain country.
All African Nations Airlines such as Air Zimbabwe 🇿🇼, Kenya Airways 🇰🇪, Ethiopian Airlines 🇪🇹 and South African Airways Can Start Flights ✈️ to Singapore ✈️ 🇸🇬
Diferrent country perhaps with different point of view. But i dont think letting people stigmatising others due to his or her skin color or gender is a right thing.
18:45 -20:00 is she saying portraying poor Black people and their experiences in the media is a negative thing? Black people come from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and do wonderful things in this world regardless of whether they are not middle class or wealthy . Would’ve loved more clarity.
是的，我只是在看你的肤色，黑得发亮，见得少，感觉新奇而已，并没有其他意思。就像我看同伴有时候脸色不好，就说你脸怎么那么黄
你歧视我长的黄？
@@wangtianba 如果这样说话那没法聊天了
i don't think ignorance is the issue with the topic of racism, its tactlessness, ignorance is just an excuse imo, I'm Chinese i don't bring up skin tone like how i don't bring up the color of my urine, both discussions are vastly different but both discussions goes the same direction. downwards.
Not surprising that people of African descent feels more comfortable living in SG as a black person. People don't really judge or discriminate against others on the basis of skin colour here. Historically the people of Singapore were the colonised and indentured so a legacy of superiority where the populace feel racially superior doesn't exist among Singaporeans unlike white people in Western countries. That is not to say racism doesn't exist as people experience racism differently. On the whole, it's certainly far less pernicious in Singapore and according to the interviewees, mentally healthy as well, as it doesn't eat at your mind constantly.
Well it's interesting because it's not like that in Japan or Korea
Even in neighbouring Malaysia Nigerians have it rough. I kinda think Singapore is ok so long as your are a black expat, and however if black people move their in large numbers things might change.
Is it being raciest is a crime in Singapore
So you give people a pass over there for things associated with human nature? But not here in the USA?
Well, we weren't the ones that took them from their homes and got them to pick cotton and tobacco lol. Maybe that's why they are a little more forbearing with us. Just guessing.
@@lightinyourface6847 I know right! Also, the racism in the west is political and sinister. Even if a Singaporean may say something racist, it's on almost all cases not an ideology. Where are the racist political parties in Singapore? Where is the Singaporean KKK? Nowhere lol!
To me it’s a cultural shock 😳 when a black person telling me that they are discriminated in their own country, America.
😅😅. They feel American outside of America.
Singapore👍👍 is the most fairest country in the world when comes to race. Regardless what race you are when you work hard you gain. Same when you do something wrong you go to jail!
Bruh, why is her top so low?
What kind of jobs are there for people like us welders, that is all am interested of thank you
Trade jobs in Singapore are unfortunately not paid well.
And yes if anyone tries to be racist we will throw them in jail
Usually Desis get it the worse.
Singapore achieved truely multi-cultureism is highly remarkable achievement of human kind, and the world should learn from it.
Sounds like people of singapore lack modesty. Perhaps they can learn that from the rest of the world.
@@fungames24 perhap you first to learn.
@@tommyleung3514 When adults praise a child. Often it's done out of kindness and not because the child is particularly remarkable. But the child doesn't know that and think it is special in some way. Singapore, like other tiddler countries often receive praise from large countries for the same reason. People should not let that go to their head because that would be unmodest. I am not trying to pierce your pride. Just that everything is better in moderation.
@@fungames24 where are you from ? I am not a Singaporean.
@@tommyleung3514 The issue is relevant even to people not from Singapore. They should avoid being taken in by people whose perspectives that might be operating on a smaller scale. For instance should an elephant take advise from an ant? How does the ant work out what life is like for the elephant to be able to offer a safe and appropriate advise?
It's all in the education.
What Mr. Q Butho said was so deep that I’m afraid it might go over so many heads. He’s 100% spot on.
Now that being said, I’m going to Popeyes to grab some chicken as I dream about getting out of the US
Facts bruh
Singapore is too pragmatic to see race. It's more about what you can contribute to society and your social status.
Look, its simple, when you can swear at ease in another persons language, the rasicm is just not a thing anymore 😂😂😅.
Some of our policies need to be revised these days to better step up on our racial harmony. Policy for free education or special privilege for a particular race should be done as our society is no longer the years before. This privilege should cover ANY citizen IN NEED and not of any particular race. Dear Ministers, the privilege itself is racism.
Please rephrase your comment.
You use should instead of shouldn't. Some people will misinterpret that.
Also, maybe I am just ignorant, but I don't really know what free education privilege a certain race has that others don't. Could you explain further?
He's really struggling not to look at your chest. Why do women think men can be genuine friends with them, especially when they're in revealing clothes?
Dress Properly!.
Please don’t use the bible as your user name then go be so critical of others like this 🤦🏻♀️ Even God teaches us to speak with gentleness, grace and tact.
She's not bothered by him looking. He's not bothered by her showing. Why do you care?
She can dress however she wants to the way a person dresses is not affecting you in any way. And how is it her fault if he’s ‘struggling’ to look at her chest area ? I know damn well he didn’t tell you that and it’s insane for you to even come to that conclusion when you don’t even know him. You have no right to blame her for another persons intentions because she has no control over that. She can wear what she wants and u are in no position to judge her for it
Hello, my generation got no such sensitively shit. We grew up and give each other so much hard time but we laughed about it and continued to be friends. There was never any hard feelings. Life was great until American came to Singapore and every bloody words are racists just because their country is truly racists.
What did the Americans do though
Hot take but i think singapore dont see race but see nationality, I've witnessed many older china immigrants face really passive aggressive (sometimes blatant) sinophobia, and some from personal experiencs. Micro aggressions between singapore's own races aside, i often sense a very obvious hosility towards chinese nationals (maybe people are better now, but ive been scarred enough here lol)
thanks for the bold comment (bold in the sense that i wont dare to brigh this up so candidly) but somehow i agree. i have to blame the media (yes the media which still got the colonial mindset) and not the Singaporeans though.