Comments on: Racist And Useless Security Checks At Singapore’s MRT Stations

By: lola

lola — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 06:50:50 +0000

BL u are right on…

Singapore and asia are playgrounds for white boys/men to pick and chose asian women who need to feel good about themselves. I am shocked at this inferiority complex they have…..

By: BL

BL — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 22:54:40 +0000

Singapore has pinkerton syndrome…Look upto anyone white and look down other folks… See all the ads and all models are white. Always the asian lady with white guy. Its pathetic banana culture.. Yellow outside but white inside. I was expecting Asians to be more self confident and self assured becos of their heritage, they are just aping the west and consider them superior.

By: SP

SP — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:49:37 +0000

My comments here are for this entry and your other blog entry regarding the lack of trash bins here..

I was once told by my Singaporean colleague on why there are no trash bin in the MRT….guess what? The reason is to prevent terrorists placing bombs in the subway….

but the truth is, it is difficult to find trash bins even on Orchard Road…

By: ML

ML — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:40:21 +0000

Well, maybe he was trying to be friendly instead of being rude?
As a singaporean, i feel more comfortable speaking singlish to others rather than using the ‘proper’ english. If not, fellow singaporeans will think that you are pretentious and stuff. Singlish is part of who we are and therefore, we often associate singlish with being friendly. Maybe the security guard failed to realise that angmohs find it offensive, and thought Singlish will help make the process easier.

By: Oswald Chong

Oswald Chong — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:40:39 +0000

eltractor67, on your comment on “cashier coming to you first”, this mentality has been inculcated into the minds of many Singaporeans, first by the need to attract more tourists as Singapore is trying to be one of the top tourist destination, and very often these tourists tend to be cacuasians or Japanese. They will normally serve tourists first than local. If you have a Japanese in front of you, you’ll be sure he’ll get served first before you. Second, Singaporeans are still having this colonial mentality…. thanks to the British Empire, and thanks to Lee Kuan Yew for continuing promoting British culture unknowingly in Singapore. My two cents.

By: eltractor67

eltractor67 — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:04:48 +0000

In my first few months in SG, I remember being rather puzzled by the deferential treatment that Singaporeans showed towards ang mohs. I often think its a cultural issue that needs to be addressed and overcome. Its a problem with the non-confrontational nature of virtually all Asian cultures. You can hate my guts, but will never tell it to my face. To me this is essentially …Darwinism 101: If you give me an inch, I will take three inches, whether its done consciously or unconsciously. Let me give you an example:
If I am in a line, I have seen several times that the waiter/cashier will come to me first. There are times that I point out that there was somebody else before me (and this often leaves the waiter/cashier extremely confused), there are times when I realize it only afterwards (I am often not the most alert person to my surroundings when queuing) and feel embarrassed by it, but I have no shame in saying that there are times when it works to my advantage (especially if I have many people lining up before me.)
I have heard many times the story of airline crews treating ang mohs better than locals. I had a former colleague who former for SIA, and she told me that in general foreigners tend to be kinder and more appreciative compared to locals who, upon boarding the plane, they have high expectations i.e., they think they own the crew for the duration of the flight.) I have seen it done. To me. it is a very human reaction. Although I will serve all my customers equally, I will be automatically drawn more toward a smiling, kinder person rather to a grumpy or rude one. I think that all parties involved need to take a step back and have a more conciliatory approach.
It all moves in stereotypes: singaporeans all think that we are sexual predators, and this is something that really bothers me because its not true. I always make a point that the vast majority of Europeans or Americans really dont care one way or the other about Asians: live and let live! Sure, there are those who flock here for cheap sex but hey its demand and offer, and besides they are really a tiny minority.
Its funny, I have heard so many times about how we steal local girls. Grow up, get over it.

By: Oswald Chong

Oswald Chong — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:47:43 +0000

Daniel, to your comment: “Ever wonder what Singaporeans say in Chinese when standing just next to you?”

Not sure if you are ang moh or chinese. First of all, if you are Ang Moh, you’re simply oversensitive. Second, base on my experience in another angmoh country, the experience can be worst…. like people saying “go back to eat your fried rice” and getting paid less as an Asian. If you’repaid more in Singapore as an Ang Moh, my question is “Do you have the right to complain about racism?” and if you get flush by Chinese girls whoprefer ang moh? I understand if you’re black or Muslims, why you complain about racism. But I can never understand why if you’re a high paying ang moh who can get asian girls easily, complain about racism…. it’s either you’re whinning or you still have the superior race mentality? I never hear any Blangadeshis complaining about racism in Singapore… theyreceived lower pay, despised of, looked down upon… and paid so much lesser, and no girls want them. That’s real racism dude. Stop complaining being a previledged white man.

By: KM

KM — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:51:07 +0000

The security checks perform three functions none of which involves actually improving the security.

1. to pretend that the government is doing its job of improving security
2. to provide business opportunities for cronies of the government
3. to provide $1000 a month jobs for Singaporeans made redundant by young imports.

So does this answer your question why nobody else are concerned that the security staff are amateurs?

By: Cynic

Cynic — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:42:33 +0000

I find it interesting that some of the above commentators accuse Singaporeans of deferring to ‘whites’ or being rude when 35% of the population here consists of foreigners, talented or otherwise. Are they sure that these transgressions are committed by those who comprise 65% of the population?

By: ed

ed — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:25:49 +0000

The value of the ‘white’ is significantly bolstered by the undervaluation of that which the non-chinese value.

To understand differentiated treatment in singapore, one will first have to understand how one set of values and perceptions have undermined others. The fact that singapore moved from a malay, to a multicultural, and then to a confucian system through racialist policies and popular apathy indicates this. Hence, when one talks about how ‘whites’ are valued by ’singaporeans’, it would be more accurate to say ‘chinese singaporeans’ or ‘confucianised singaporeans’.

Personally, after ‘whites’ have been in singapore for a while, they are quite taken aback by my egalitarian approach toward them as quite a few are quite used to being treated like the white ’sahibs’ of old.

As for singaporeans being rude. That’s just the ‘cheaper, economical and faster’ chinglish-induced persona. I, personally, like yourself, never liked this abbreviated form of communication as it tended to abbreviate my value to nothing more than an opportunity or hindrance, and hence, the rudeness of the average confucianised ’singaporean’.