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Tag: CNA

  • Deepavali vs Diwali Debate Explains Singaporean Tamils’ Unhappiness With Foreigner Influx

    Deepavali vs Diwali Debate Explains Singaporean Tamils’ Unhappiness With Foreigner Influx

    A Channel NewsAsia’s Deepavali special got my attention today for two reasons. One the news presenter said: “Deepavali also known as Diwali”, and secondly because the presenter also referred to Deepavali as a “Hindu New Year”.

    (You can view the entire segment here: http://bit.ly/2e3oc2T)

    Just like a friend who commented on my Facebook post on the topic, I too have an issue with our national broadcaster needing to translate Deepavali (as it is said in Tamil) into Diwali.

    My friend said: “Tamil is one of our National Languages. I would rather they stick to Deepavali. I am not Tamil myself but grew up with it. I know many don’t see it the way we do and that is their right, But i would like the media to stick with Deepavali.”

    I think my friend is absolutely right when she added: “I don’t think the sudden use of Diwali has anything to do with the considerations of the Singapore bred North Indians…It has to do with the new citizens from North India who have come here.”

    Responding to my post, another friend asked if it was offensive to say ‘seng jia jiu yi’ instead of ‘xing nian kwai le’ (Happy Chinese New Year). I think it is different.
    2Yet another friend chimed in and said that CNA did mention ‘Deepavali’ as well as ‘Diwali’ and so it is ok. He said that if an organisation totally replaces ‘Deepavali’ with ‘Diwali’ it would be wrong and that Jurong Point Shopping Centre has done precisely that.

    Considering that Jurong has Tharman Shanmugaratnam as its anchor-Minister for the constituency, I am surprised that Jurong Point Shopping Centre has done that.

    Some in the Singaporean Tamil community have felt unhappy and sidelined by the non-inclusion of Tamil in certain prominent spaces (like the Changi Airport), which has also made international news. CNA’s production has got to be called out at least for that – because if we keep quiet then it may be accepted as a norm.

    My friend Gangasudhan writing on the same topic last year said that he felt like a second class citizen in his own country.

    “In recent days, many in the Tamil community have had their panties in a bunch because some shopping centres and even Changi Airport have started putting up Christmas decor even though Deepavali is right around the corner – in other words, not a single F was given for this festive occasion. While there is good reason to feel marginalised by this callous attitude in multiracial Singapore that champions racial harmony – complete with a special day each year to wear ‘costumes’ and ‘celebrate’, I am surprised that anyone is surprised by this.”

    The larger issue of course is how uninformed the majority in Singapore is despite 50-years of the Government promoting multi-racialism and multiculturalism. If the national broadcaster can be confused if Deepavali is a Hindu New Year, is it any wonder that local websites like The Smart Local will try and tease a laughter out of its audience by comparing laddoo (a popular Indian sweet) to diarrhoea?

    Yes CNA, Even if the Marwari, Gujarati, and Nepali of the Indian community celebrate their new year around Deepavali they are not the majority even in India.

    Deepavali is not a Hindu New year.

     

    Source: http://theindependent.sg

  • Smoking Ban In More Locations Likely

    Smoking Ban In More Locations Likely

    SINGAPORE: Smoking could be banned in more locations in the near future if a consultation held on Saturday (Apr 18) between the Government and some stakeholders is any indication.

    Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu said the Government is mulling over its “next steps” even as it eventually moves toward a smoke-free Singapore. However, she said policies must be balanced between smoking’s impact on non-smokers and accommodating the needs of smokers.

    Besides most indoor public areas, the smoking ban was extended in 2013 to include void decks, covered walkways and a five-metre radius of bus stops.

    Last year, Nee Soon South constituency piloted smoke-free zones, where smokers were urged to light up in six designated areas only.

    The smoking points have also led to less littering.

    The Singapore Management University (SMU) was one of more than 20 stakeholders at Saturday’s consultation session which included non-governmental organisations, healthcare professionals, and current and former smokers.

    Many are advocates of designated smoking points although some suggested these should also be enclosed.

    “We had suggestions of people putting up partitions – not just a line, because the smoke will just encroach into other areas,” said Peter Ong, a smoker and vice chairman of the Tai Seng Gardens Neighbourhood Committee.

    Others have proposed banning smoking for those born after year 2000.

    Dr Koong Heng Nung, senior consultant surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, said: “Smoking cessation programmes’ success rates have never been high. Even my patients diagnosed with lung cancer find it a challenge to stop smoking.

    “The idea here is to restrict the use of tobacco for a certain birth year onwards – phasing it in because we’re not restricting current smokers. It does not disenfranchise current smokers, and yet we’re setting a new social norm to a new generation of non-smokers.”

    The Government’s policy so far has been to point out where the public cannot smoke. But views aired confirmed this could create confusion among smokers and non-smokers alike.

    The Government is now deciding if it should focus on regulations that state where people can smoke.

    Ms Fu said: “First of all, there need to be rules – clear rules so that people understand where certain behaviour is allowed and where smoking is not allowed.

    “And for many of the responsible smokers, those will be very helpful. They would like to abide by the rules and they would like to know what is the right thing to do. If they do not have clear rules, they can’t do the right thing. Just having clear signs, designations, that would be helpful.”

    Ms Fu said enforcement also needs to be kept up on the minority who flout the rules.

     
    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com