Tag: Singaporeans

Singapore Filmmakers Need To Be More Progressive On Their Interpretations Of Race

To Singaporeans complaining about whitewashing & cultural appropriation in Hollywood:

PLEASE LAH. The same thing’s been happening in our own little film industry, and no-one seems to have spoken up about it.

CASE ONE: Jack Neo’s “Ah Boyz to Men”: a film about National Service in which ALL the main characters were Chinese. When he had the chance to reboot the series with a Part 3, did he develop one of the Malay, Indian or Eurasian minor characters? Nope! He invited a Taiwanese guest star to steal the limelight. (Remember, this show got MINDEF money to create images of the SAF which no non-Chinese kid would identify with.)

CASE TWO: Gilbert Chan’s “23:59” and “Ghost Child／鬼仔”。 These are horror movies based on Malay folklore: spirits on Pulau Tekong (where you can’t bring pork) and the toyol. The casts are completely made up of Chinese people.

CASE THREE: Raymond Tan’s “Wayang Boy/戏曲小子”. This one’s interesting, because the main character is an Indian immigrant kid who speaks Mandarin, and Suhaimi Yusof plays a teacher in his school. And yet it’s set in a Singapore where there are no other Indians (his dad’s dead and his stepmother’s a Chinese woman who forces him to speak Chinese).

CASE FOUR: Nearly all the shows on Channel 8—still Mediacorp’s most-watched channel—do not feature Malay, Indian or Eurasian characters. In contrast, Suria and Vasantham shows feature Chinese sidekicks regularly.

The obvious rebuttal to this is that it’s harder to cast non-Chinese when you’re working in Mandarin, which is the language that seems to do best for film and TV here (another kettle of fish there…).

And yet some shows have done it successfully. Chai Yee Wei’s “That Girl in Pinafore”. Jack Neo’s “Long Long Time Ago”. These films don’t shy away from racial prejudice either—they expose it. On Channel 8 there was also “School Days/七彩学堂”, which was a Chinese version of “Mind Your Language”, but with less stereotyping.

(Oh, and tons of young non-Chinese Singaporeans today can speak Mandarin. They just may not have told you.)

By the way, Jack Neo’s making “Ah Boyz to Men 4” and Gilbert Chan’s making “23:59 Part 2”. Can anyone buzz them and tell them to be a little more progressive? Thanks.

Source: Ng Yi-Sheng

May 30, 2017
Alfian Sa’at: Time For Singapore To Stop Relying On Racial Stereotyping For Amusement

I keep hearing stories of minority actors being told that they are not acting ‘Malay’ enough or ‘Indian’ enough, and what it often means is that they are supposed to play terrible racial caricatures. It means a Malay character who is ‘relak aaaaah’ and speaks slowly and an Indian character whose thick accent and head-shaking are supposed to be a source of amusement.

Often these actors describe their deep discomfort at accepting roles where they become complicit in perpetuating stereotypes. It’s a very difficult situation because ethnically-specific roles for minority actors are so scarce to begin with. And as actors they need any work they can get and they shouldn’t be put in this position where their own principles have to conflict with their livelihood–just on account of their race and terribly ignorant or misinformed writers and directors.

I’m highlighting this not because I want to ‘bash’ majority privilege or even to call out Jack Neo. I really feel that we can do so much better than to rely on racist stereotypes for amusement. (RIP ‘Mind Your Language’ 1977-1986). I hope that if any of you are anyone involved in the production of ‘Ah Boys to Men 4’, you can pass this on to the screenwriters or director so that we can nip something like this in the bud before it lands up on the big screen.

Source: Alfian Sa’at

May 30, 2017
Ariffin Sha: Malay/Muslims Must Stop Racist Remarks On Ramadan Bazaar Geylang Issue

The ‘Ramadan’ Bazaar isn’t some special zone reserved for only Muslims and/or Malays. Many patrons and stallholders are not Malay. Anyone, regardless of their race, is entitled to their own opinion of the things on offer there. Whether they think it is overpriced fluff or worth the hype has absolutely nothing to do with race.

I can’t help but notice a trend where minorities all too readily play the race card in situations where race is immaterial. We must dispel the notion that only the majority race is capable of racism. In situations like this, identity politics must be called out.

Source: Ariffin Sha

May 30, 2017
The Curious Case Of Geylang’s Ramadan Bazaar

Ramadan has barely began and yet there’s been a couple of controversies surrounding the food items on sale at Geylang’s annual Ramadan Bazaar. From vendors selling non-halal dendeng meat to the rise of hipster stalls whose halal status can’t be verified, this has caused the general Muslim population in Singapore scratching their heads in confusion.

Geylang Serai has its roots as a Malay village, while its surrounding areas were well known for commercial activities targeted to the needs of the Malay community. The Ramadan Bazaar in Geylang Serai originated decades ago, even before Singapore’s independence, where vendors would lay their goods and items on groundsheets by the roads. These annual bazaars last for the entire month of Ramadan, serving as not only a place for Muslims to break their fast, but also to shop for their Hari Raya preparations.

However, the Ramadan Food Bazaar in Geylang this year has been tainted with news of stalls having questionable halal status, a huge irony since the bazaar should be targeting a largely Muslim population. The last few years have seen a rise in hipster stalls selling modern food items, a welcoming change enabling us to celebrate the diversity. On the other hand, there has been no effort by any relevant bodies to ensure the halal status of the food items being sold.

A couple of years ago I was serving the nation as a Police Officer patrolling the bustling Ramadan Bazaar. On one of the occasions, a Member of Parliament from Marine Parade GRC came down to visit the said Bazaar. It has always crossed my mind whether or not there are any efforts from the organizing committee to ensure the halal status of the food items being sold, for 5 years ago, I started seeing non-Muslims taking up food stalls in Geylang’s Ramadan Bazaar. However, upon asking the said MP, she simply said that the bazaar is open to all individuals.

The fact that the bazaar is still standing on the grounds of Geylang Serai pays tribute to the rich historical significance and the cultural life of the Malays in Singapore. While I am all for a multiracial, multi-religious and a cosmopolitan Singapore, I strongly feel that the traditions and origins of the Ramadan Bazaar has to be safeguarded. While the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) may view the individual stall’s halal status as being out of their jurisdiction, couldn’t this problem be alleviated by giving priority to Malay Muslim vendors?

Take a stroll along Geylang’s Bazaar Ramadan a few days before its opening, you’ll see rows of stalls snapped up by non-Muslims and subsequently leased out to the makcik-makcik bazaar you see today. Certain stalls are still manned by non-Muslims who hire ‘Malay-looking workers’ from around Southeast Asia to sell their questionable food items. More often than not, these workers don’t even have a clue as to what they are selling, and the origins of the food that they are told to sell. In a bid to attract and appease the Muslim population, some of these stalls put up ‘fake’ halal signs not issued by MUIS, while others proudly display signages which reads “No Pork, No Lard”. Who are we kidding, these efforts are clearly done to deceive the Muslim population, unless you are telling me that there is another group or community in Singapore who does not consume pork/lard?

MUIS’s response to the queries in the article attached above seems to be an easy way out for them, absolving themselves of all responsibilities and stating that the onus is on us to verify the halal status of the individual shops. If this is the case, I urge the organizing committee to no longer call it a Ramadan Bazaar, but call it as what it is: a glorified pasar malam. Geylang’s Ramadan Bazaar should be safeguarded but if this were to continue, the bazaar would have lost all meanings and purpose.

You have those extravagant lights welcoming the Muslim festival of Eid. You have shops selling dates for Muslims to break fast. You have TAA donation boxes for needy Muslims. You have vendors selling garments and carpets for Hari Raya preparation. You can find cookies and goodies which are served in each and every Muslim household. And yet, today, in Geylang’s so called Ramadan Bazaar, you have more than half of the vendors selling food items whose halal status cannot be verified. Tell me this isn’t a problem?

*EDIT*
The team at Halalfoodhunt.com and The Halal Food Blog has done an excellent job, excruciatingly going through each and every individual stall to come up with a list of what’s halal and what’s not. May Allah reward their efforts in helping the community.

Source: Ahmad Bin Osman

May 29, 2017
HCRS: Bazaar Ramadhan, As The Name Implies, Should Be Targetted At Muslims In The First Place

Salaam,

Singapore indeed comprises a multiracial and multireligious society.

Because it is multiracial, it has places called Chinatown, Little India, Geylang Serai and Kampung Glam

. Prevously, there was even Kampung Melayu.

Bazaar Ramadhan all over Singapore have been organised in conjunction with the month of Ramadhan where Muslims fast. It’s link to fasting cannot be understated. And as the name implies, Bazaar Ramadhan, when sellers sell food, should be targetted at Muslims in the first place. If it’s not targetted at Muslims to patronise, then it should not be called Bazaar Ramadhan.

When Bazaar Ramadhan are meant for Muslims to patronise, they should also cater to the dietery needs of Muslims. The foods sold must be halalan toiyyiban.

The most basic is that the stalls should be MUIS halal-certified or Muslim-owned. Placing tudung-clad women alone does not make a non-Muslim-owned stall become halal. Neither does using halal-certified food products makes a non-Muslim-owned stall ‘automatically’ halal.

However, as Bazaar Ramadhan all over Singapore are mainly commercially driven, it would be a challenge to really make every stall to fulfill the basic halal toiyyiban criteria. Understandably, profit-making is the major driving force.

Some members here have expressed their views of how the basic character of Bazaar Ramadhan in Geylang has changed over time. Fundamentally, they see an erosion of the basic Malay character of the Bazaar Ramadhan in Geylang Serai area. This is similar to views on how the historical character of Kampung Glam area has suffered from the presence of many watering holes or eateries selling liqour or alcohol (see https://www.facebook.com/kgglamalcoholfree/).

Traditionally and historically, Geylang Serai has been closely associated with the Malay ethnic group. Previously, Kampung Melayu shopping area was even placed at the Geylang Serai area. Now an even more sophisticated version of that Kampung Melayu is being developed in Geylang Serai.

When views expressing the eroding Malay identity of the foods sold and of the profile of sellers in the Bazaar Ramadhan are being shared, they should not at be seen as being racist. Even the Government has previously expressed views of the eroding Chinese identity within the Chinese ethnic group in Singapore. The SAP schools have since been established in Singapore to address that concern.

And some have dismissed such expression of eroding Malay identity in Bazaar Ramadhan at Geylang Serai area as alienating other non-Malay Muslims. Historically, Malays have been, by and large, Muslims. Expressing views on the erosion of the Malay identity in those Bazaar Ramadhan is by no means alienating other non-Malay Muslims. Traditionally, there were more Malays, who were Muslims, who ran stalls selling foodstuffs during Ramadhan in the Geylang Serai area. And the foodstuff that they sold were all meant for Muslim consumption in the month of Ramadhan and also during Hari Raya. But when the profile of sellers changed, what more when the status of halalan toiyyiban of such stalls was also unclear or ambiguous, raising concerns should not be seen as alienating non-Malay Muslims. It is in fact addressing the concerns of all Muslims with regards to the halal status of foodstalls at such Bazaar Ramadhan.

It is a valid and legitimate concern for all Muslims if the halal status of foodstalls in Bazaar Ramadhan cannot be clearly ascertained, when such stalls are neither MUIS Halal-Certified nor Muslim-owned.

Yes, we need to be mindful of the multiracial and multireligious character of our nation and the importance of upholding the principles of racial and religious harmony. However, that does not mean and entail the suppression of views on the importance of preserving and conserving the ethnicity and religiosity of each group. We also need to recognise the need to help ethnic and religious groups maintain the respective core characteristics and celebrate the ensuing diversity that each group brings and contributes to Singapore’s heritage and overall development.

Otherwise, no point having Chinatown, Little India, Kampung Glam and Geylang Serai.

Otherwise, no point calling the bazaar in the month of Ramadhan as Bazaar Ramadhan if they are no different from any other bazaar in any other months of the year, and no different from bazaar set up in Chinatown for Chinese New Year and in Little India for Deepavali.

Let’s maintain and celebrate the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity by bringing out the true character of each group rather than making them all the same. Only then would Singapore be a truly vibrant world-class city able to showcase the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity that it manage to hold together in harmony.

Admin HCRS
3 Ramadhan 1438
29 May 2017

Source: Mohd Khair

May 29, 2017