1 comment:
Posted 13 minutes ago to facebook
I would like us and especially the Malay community to rise to the occasion by forgiving Amy Cheong even if at the same time condemning her utterly insensitive comments.
True racial and religious harmony comes from not pretending not to notice the fault lines but wisely engaging them. If the Malays want to see a PM from their race in Singapore's future, work at it. Non Malays must play their part too. The long term security of our society is to show Malaysia and Indonesia that we are not a faux racial and religious harmony.
I know I am almost asking for the impossible when you consider that Gandhi had tried and failed. But India will always be there and do not need to succeed at the impossible to stay Indian. On the other hand Singapore was created by a stroke of luck and sustained by herculean effort which often challenge us to overcome impossible odds. The Americans can have a black man for President. They have worse race relations than us but at least they are not afraid to open their cupboards to deal with the skeletons. We on the other hand are hypocritical. Instead of engaging each other we try not to offend one another. This is just faux racial harmony.
I am disappointed with the PM and some of the ministers for failing to show more courage beyond what they had. They punish Amy Cheong but fail to build on it courageously to take us to the next level. They want to go back to the unsustainable status quo, which they fail to recognize only buy us time but never a solution.
If we fail to forgive Amy Cheong, we would remain stuck and always afraid. We live in fear to the point of pretending there is no fear in order to daily get by. No wonder there is so little positive energy here. We are afraid of so many things to the point that nobody would want to live here unless they can make good money.
I never imagine that I would have a blog post that is not "blogging for myself". Now please drop by http://www.facebook.com/ForgiveAmyCheong and click "like" Let's show our children we are working towards real racial harmony for their future.
Update: 8:45 pm
Just came from reading two articles at Singapolitics which made perfect sense to me. I just wondered if the PM and his ministers couldn't think like this. Of course they can but they face the pressure of office and while certainly no cowards, they aren't that courageous either. They would make excellent leaders for many countries but I am doubtful they are adequate for improbable Singapore.
'Fight Intolerance with Tolerance' by Tessa Wong
'Would Amy Cheong have been fired if she was a banker?' by Rachel Chang
http://www.facebook.com/ForgiveAmyCheong