Rilek1Corner

Tag: norms

  • Biases And Ignorance Of West Have No Place In Singapore

    Biases And Ignorance Of West Have No Place In Singapore

    I have benefited from dealing with people from the Muslim part of the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, so I was gratified to read the commentary “Time to look beyond the Western view of the Middle East” (Nov 23).

    My experiences when I talk about the Islamic world and the subcontinent confirm Ms Koh Choon Hwee’s point: The average Singaporean’s knowledge of both regions is inadequate, and his or her views reflect those of small-town American news outlets.

    Why do we parrot the views on cultures we have grown up with from a group of people who are too far removed from those cultures to know better?

    Our ignorance is more shocking, especially as gaining markets in those regions has become more crucial to our economic well-being.

    I think back to 2006, when I worked with oil firm Saudi Aramco on an event promoting Saudi culture: One of the Saudis asked me if geography was taught in Singapore, after several members of the public had asked him which part of Dubai he was from.

    This was not an isolated incident of ignorance. One only has to think of the way people think that Sikhs come from Bengal. A glance at the map would show that Bengal and Punjab are at opposite ends of a very large country.

    Our small island has prospered from being open to the world. While it remains important to be tuned in to the Western world, we cannot be deaf to places that people in the West are.

    Like any other part of the world, the Middle East and India present both challenges and opportunities that we cannot ignore.

    To succeed in the wider business world, we should encourage people to understand cultures beyond the ones we know.

    We must acknowledge that things such as the Paris bombings were caused by people claiming to be Muslims.

    We must be vigilant against terrorism. We must understand there are reasons why things such as terrorism exist, however, and we cannot let the experiences and prejudices of the West influence our interactions with people from other parts of the world.

    I remember Khaled Maeena, former editor of Saudi daily Arab News, telling me: “Singaporeans, you should trust your own experiences and culture, and not believe everything the West tells you.”

    I could not agree more.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Fifty Shades Of Grey Obtains R21 Classification In Singapore

    Fifty Shades Of Grey Obtains R21 Classification In Singapore

    Fans who have been eagerly awaiting the status of “Fifty Shades of Grey” in Singapore can now breathe a sigh of relief as the movie has finally been given a rating of R21.

    The Media Development Authority (MDA), the country’s media regulating body, had stated the film contains “Mature Theme and Sexual Scenes” and only those aged 21 and above are permitted to watch the film.

    Explaining their justification of the film’s rating on their site, MDA reported that, “Given the film’s focus on a complex relationship, which is underpinned by an exploration of sexual practices, the film is more appropriate under a R21 rating where the Classification Guidelines permit “stronger and more explicit portrayal and exploration of mature themes.”

    In the same report, more details about the film’s content are revealed with expected nudity.

    “In one of the stronger scenes, the male protagonist undresses the woman and whips her with a belt as a form of punishment. The whipping is not enacted on screen with the impact conveyed through the woman’s pained expression. In another fairly prolonged scene, the male protagonist handcuffs the woman to a metal structure and hits her with a leather crop before tying her hands to a bed post and thrusting against her from behind. Female upper body nudity and sexual thrusting can also be seen in the sexual scenes.”

    It also seems that film is not as visually graphic as depicted in the books, as most of the sadomasochistic acts in the film are depicted in a sensuous manner through film’s focus on facial expressions rather than the act itself.

    “Overall, the sexual scenes are treated in a sensuous manner. While mild bondage and whipping are depicted, the scenes focus on the characters’ sexual arousal through their facial expressions and do not depict the sadomasochistic aspect of these acts.”

    Recently, the movie received an 18 rating from the British Board of Film Classification, a considerably stricter rating compared to the R rating from Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) last month.

    The movie was also recently banned in Malaysia after the local censorship board deemed its content unsuitable for Malaysian audiences.

    Some of the more recent R21 movies that were shown in Singapore include last year’s South Korean erotic thriller film “Obsessed” and David Fincher’s “Gone Girl”, and there are two R21 movies currently showing, South Korean noir action film “Gangnam Blues” and Jennifer Lopez-starrer “The Boy Next Door”.

    “Fifty Shades of Grey” will be released in Singapore this 12 February 2015.

     

    Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

  • PRC Woman Allows Child To Shit In Public

    PRC Woman Allows Child To Shit In Public

    Dear editors,

    I saw this woman allowing her child to do his business out in the open at a grass patch between Block 521 and 522 of Bedok North yesterday (Nov 14).

    It is inappropriate to do so, especially since coffee shops and a McDonald’s outlet are just opposite this area.

    People are constantly walking past this area and I personally feel it is inappropriate as toilets are available just opposite the road in various kopitiams and even a McDonald’s outlet. These shops were roughly only two minutes away.

    She should be more considerate to others and use the toilets nearby instead.

    Hans

    Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com