TR EMERITUS

I’ve just read an interesting criticism of myself on TRemeritus. This was a response to my article “Don’t Forget the Hippos,” and the writer of this complaint decided that it was worth taking a shot at my analysis on global politics. After having a go at me for my article, she then made the point that Singaporean women were marrying up by marrying Ang Moh’s (Local Hokkien Slang for Caucasian), while Singaporean men were marrying down by marrying women from China and Vietnam. I’m not sure how that was related to anything that I had written about but I “educated” to the fact that Singaporean men are rejected shits and as a parting shot, I was told that Singaporean women would not want me. I found this funny that I person of colour (Judging by the name Tracey Ching) would express so much comfort in indulging in racial stereotypes at a time when normal (KKK Members and Neo-Nazis don’t count as normal or people) White People in America and much of the Western World are taking to the streets to condemn racism. I’ve found it quite ironic that the “White Race,” which has been condemned for creating the “racist” structure of the colonial world are in many ways, the enlightened ones trying to undo racism while the people of colour are the ones trying to enforce it. As a matter of full disclosure, my own mother was married to two men of European decent, after she left my father. I consider myself exceedingly blessed for having my stepfathers and I was lucky when my dad married an American girl of Irish decent who came along with a lovely family. So, I grew up in a situation where at any given time, I had at least one parent who was of European decent. There was never a situation where my “non-white” parent was made to feel “privileged” for having the “white” spouse. So, I guess this background set up to find it curious as to why one’s skin tone or birth place would come with any connotation of superiority or inferiority. My stepfathers were successful professionals, who earned good salaries as were the parents of my school mates. However, on the other hand, I noticed that when I lived in London, the tramps on the street were inevitably white. Contrary to what many Asians and Africans might think, the White race encompasses people who cover the entire social spectrum. I guess you could say that to an Asian girl, a “white” spouse would more often than not mean a working professional and if you’re from what the US President calls a “Shithole” country, living in a place where you can get away with slagging off the leader would be an improvement of sorts. However, I’ve never understood the mentality that many people of colour have that the White race is somehow superior and somehow its an obligation to keep them that way. This is particularly true when you have girls of colour marrying a white man and getting it into their heads that it’s something they can hold over everyone else. I used to get very offended when a Pinoy girl who had married one of the partners in the Bistrot used to take a “superior” tone with the Filipino staff. The husband happened to be a sweet man and insisted on being treated like the rest of the customers whenever he came to dine. It’s almost as if the people of colour find certain comfort in that old stereotype of a colonial overlord. I go back to my work experience at the Bistrot. I refused to take a role as a full-time manager because the salary on offer was considerably less than my European predecessors. I remember the staff telling me, “You can’t compare – he’s an Ang Moh,” as if it was a natural state of affairs for someone to be paid more merely for the colour of their skin. At the same time, I had European customers telling me that if the previous manager could get so much, I should have the same if not more. In fact, the European manager told me the same thing. Just as I’ve never been able to see “white” as a sign of superiority, I’ve never understood why colour should be seen as a sign of inferiority, particularly in a marriage partner. As a matter of disclosure, I am married to a Vietnamese girl. My wife is not the best educated girl that I’ve been out with and I won’t pretend that it wasn’t an issue with my family. I am also aware that plenty of Singaporean and Western men have been screwed for serious money by girls from the third world. Having said that, I’m not sure how that is “marrying down.” Whatever the Chinese and Vietnamese girls may lack in English language skills and formal education, they more than make up for it in street smarts and determination to make a better life for themselves and their families. While the lack of education may prevent them from working in “formal” professions, they’re perfectly capable to helping a man propel himself to higher paths with their character judgement. Still remember my other half meeting a colleague of mine. My colleague went onto to tell me “Vietnamese girls just want money, and I’ve done my research.” My wife’s conclusion was “that girl thinks you’re making it big and is hopping to cash in.” Somehow the colleague couldn’t help but resort to a stereotype of what she claimed to research while my wife could read the person from one conversation. People from the “developed world,” often underestimate people from “shitholes.” We assume a sense of superiority based on material advantages and formal education. What we forget is that the people from the “shithole” countries have street smarts and a hunger to make life better. You can look at an association with them as being “down” but never forget that they’re looking for a way to leap past you and that is something that should be celebrated rather than looked down on.   Tang Li *Although I’ve been based mainly in Singapore for nearly two decades, I’ve had the privilege of being able meet people who have crossed borders and cultures. I’ve befriended ministers and ambassadors and worked on projects involving a former head of state. Yet, at the same time, I’ve had the privilege of befriending migrant labourers and former convicts. All of them have a story to tell. All of them add to the fabric of life. I hope to express the stories that inspire us to create life as it should be.      Read More →

I take strong issue with Grace Fu's describing of Singaporeans as "xenophobic" when commenting about foreigners, largely caucasians, opening drinking and flouting CB measures at Robertson Quay over the recent past. Among other things, she mentioned that C19 has increased tensions between foreigners and locals. To Grace Fu, I will scream to her face. You have barked up the wrong tree, Madam millionaire minister! For Singaporeans who are a largely sensible, co-operative and law-abiding lot to report about large numbers of foreigners who gathered to drink and socialise in public is a law and order matter and not xenophobia by any stretch of the imagination or tension rising between foreigners and locals. Get that absolutely clear! It is utterly shameful and disappointing that a more than a million dollars earning pap full cabinet minister couldn't differentiate between the two and made such a kindergarten level mistake. During this CB period, I have personally made two 999 calls on two occasions to report on groups of people totally oblivious to CB measures who gathered to drink beer, smoke and talk cock and they are locals. I don't know Grace Fu personally but I would like her to understand one fundamental issue. We have been a sovereign and independent nation for over half a century. It will do her and our country no good at all to continue sucking Pinkerton Syndrome or secretly adoring what many locals would called Ang Mo Tua Kee fantasy. For crying out loud, grow some spine, fight and support a law abiding society, whether among locals or foreigners in Singapore. To me, useless pap ministars such as Grace Fu and Josephine Teo need to be publicly exposed and shamed in order to make more Singaporeans understand enough just what sort of inferior pap ministers we have today and how they look like. Think.   Simon Lim      Read More →

If conditions in the dorms are not the cause or main cause or whatever-cause of the outbreak, then the govt would not have to build more dorms, as it announced today. The fact that the govt has to do so means THE CONDITIONS IN THE DORMS ARE A FACTOR AND OBVIOUSLY THE MAIN FACTOR! Why else is the govt going to spend so much money building 11 more dorms in the next 2 years? For fun? Because conditions in the dorms are not a factor? What are you? Stupid or dumb? THE NEW 11 DORMS ARE TO REDUCE THE DENSITY IN THE CURRENT DORMS, SO THAT CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE! Now stop your dishonest quarrel. Can we accept this and STOP placing the blame on the workers' "living habits" and such? Up till now, we still don't want to accept responsibility that it is us who forced them to live in such conditions, that the workers have no choice in this, and that this has been raised countless times by NGOs and activists and that they were ignored by the govt. Stop your nonsense claiming that "conditions in the dorms" are not a cause or a main cause. Stop playing with words. Be honest for once.   Andrew Loh        Read More →