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An epic fail in race relation, is it due to ignorance or racism or both
- This racist event happened in Singapore a couple of days ago:
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WA woman in racism storm
- A Perth woman at the centre of a racism storm in Singapore has fled to WA after she was sacked over a Facebook post that sparked a public outcry.
- University of WA graduate Amy Cheong, 37, caused outrage across the South-East Asian republic on Sunday by posting a comment about Malay weddings, which are often held in public spaces beneath housing blocks in Singapore.
- Apparently frustrated by the noise from a wedding, she wrote: “How many f…ing (sic) days do Malay weddings at void decks go for? Pay for a real wedding you a……, maybe then the divorce rate won’t be so high. How can society allow people to get married for 50 bucks?”
- The post went viral within hours, leading to Facebook groups calling for Ms Cheong to be sacked, YouTube videos accusing her of racism against the Malay community and a barrage of malicious online posts.
- Ms Cheong, a Malaysian-born Australian citizen, was sacked on Monday from her job as assistant director of Singapore’s National Trade Union Congress for Membership Partnership and Alliance.
- She issued a long apology, but Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said it had come too late and the damage was done. He condemned the comments as unacceptable and offensive to Malay Muslims.
- “It sharply reminds us how easily a few thoughtless words can undermine our racial and religious harmony,” he said.
- Ms Cheong told state media on Tuesday she was leaving for Perth because of threats to her and her family and to “ease the tension”.
- In her apology, Ms Cheong wrote: “I am terribly sorry to all who were affected emotionally, mentally and in all other aspects. I am aware of the pain I’ve caused through my insensitive remarks on social media.
- “There was no racism intended in my post. I was trying to rest and the noise was affecting me greatly, however, I do understand this is not a valid reason to post what I did.”
- Her boss, Lim Swee Say, said firing Ms Cheong was a difficult decision and urged Singaporeans to “spare a thought for Amy and the pain she is going through”.
- He said the NTUC “would not accept … any words or actions taken by staff that are racially offensive”.
- It is understood she had been working for the union for a year, but had been living in Singapore for 10 years after moving from Perth, where she grew up.
- Singaporean local Ryan Soh, a sales consultant, said the comments had come at a sensitive time in Singapore.”The Government is trying hard to create a picture of racial harmony because we have a lot of races here, Chinese, Indians and Malays,” he said. “It is a balancing act and when these comments came, they touched a lot of raw nerves.”
- Source here.
- What interest me is how remarkably fast the Singapore Government quickly took action even before the docile minority Singapore Malay community had the chance to react.
- Read this post here to find out what the NTUC(Cheong’s employer) and Singapore’s PM Lee Hsien Loong said about those racists comment:
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Amy Cheong: Fired For Racist FB Comments
- The Chinese women in the middle of the storm was born in Malaysia but grew up in Australia, she has an Australian citizenship and is a Singapore PR. Having read her comments in the FB, I can’t help but wonder if she wrote the stupid racist comments out of ignorance or just sheer racism on her part.
- Anyway, what happened in Singapore is a good lesson for us Malaysians, how a few words of ignorance and hate could blow into a racial firestorm that could engulf a multiracial multi religious nation if the Leaders in power dither on what to do.
- The decisive action by Gomen owned NTUC and the timely statement from the Singapore PM should be an example for our Politicians in the Gomen and the Opposition.
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