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By the end of the lesson, you should be able to
(a) Describe the challenges of a multi
ethnic society.
(b) Explain whether ethnic diversity can be
managed.
(c) Explain why it is important to manageethnic diversity.
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(1) Managing perceptions of different
racial groups
If there is a lack of understanding and
tolerance amongst the different races, thissuspicion and unhappiness might
culminate in racial riots.
Did this ever happen in Singapore?
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LKY urging people to remain calmLKY urging people to remain calm
TROUBLE IN MALAYSIATROUBLE IN MALAYSIAThe 1964 Race RiotsThe 1964 Race Riots
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(1) Managing perceptions of different
racial groups
1964 racial riots which left 36 people
injured and 550 people dead.
How did it begin?
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(1) Managing perceptionsof different racial groups
Singapore became part
of Malaysia in
1963.[Majulah Malaysia] It soon became
apparent that Singapore
government and
Federal government in
Malaya had different
political approaches.
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(1) Managing perceptions of differentracial groups
The Federal government favoreda political approach based onracial politics/communalism.
In communalism, a particularracial group is given specialrights/privileges
The Singapore governmentheaded by the PAP favored anon-communal approach.
Hence, the clash in politicalideology meant that relationsbetween both governments werestrained and they were suspiciousof each other.
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(1)Managing perceptions of different racial
groups
The Federal government saw this as a
direct challenge to their government.
Hence, they embarked on an anti-PAP
campaign
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(1) Managing perceptions of different racialgroups
The inability of the government to get
along with each other soon culminatedin each government competing to winthe peoples favor.
When the PAP government participated
in the 1964 elections, they emphasizedon a Malaysian Malaysia based on anon communal approach to politics.
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After the Federal Elections, UMNO reorganizeditself.
Introduced a political campaign to show that theSingapore Malays were being unfairly treated bythe Singapore government Introduced a politicalcampaign to show that the Singapore Malays were
being unfairly treated by the Singapore government. The leaders of the Malay community in Singapore
felt that the Singapore Malays should also be giventhe same special rights as Malays in Malaya.
Some Malays had hoped that a union with Malayawould give them the same special rights likeemployment opportunities and promotions in the
civil se4rvice, business licenses and governmentscholarships in Singapore.
The only concession the PAP was willing to givewas free education for all Malays in Singapore.
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(1) Managing perceptions of different racial groups
The Federal government felt threatened and hencestarted an anti PAP government to undermine thepopularity of the PAP in Singapore.
UMNO leaders tried to stir the Malays against the PAPvia highlighting the poverty of the Malays in Singapore.
PAPs resettlement and redevelopment programmeswere portrayed as being anti-Malay.
The resettlement projects, according to UMNO wereaimed to uproot the Malays from their traditional Malay
areas such as the Kallang , Jalan Sultan and WestCoast.
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- This aroused dissatisfaction amongSingaporean Malays toward the PAP.
- The Chinese living in those areas wereactually more affected.
- Of the 2500families affected, only 200were Malay but the Utusan Melayu, a
Malay daily newspaper printed in Jawiscripts claimed that 300 families wereaffected.
- The Utusan Melayu , a daily Malaynewspaper was used in the anti-PAPcampaign( it carried bias reports of thePAP.)
- The Jawi script was used to prevent non-Malays from reading the articles, thus itprevented the PAP from discovering thebias report earlier. The reports portrayedthe PAPs policy as affecting the Malaysinterests.
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- PAP planned meeting with Malays on 19July 1964 to diffuse the growing racialtension due to the anti-PAP campaign.
- Lee Kuan Yew met 900 Malayrepresentatives.He promised to improve
the Malays social and economicposition[esp in terms of education,employment and housing]
- But [SUMNO- the Singapore branch of theUMNO] organized a meeting on 12 July1964.
- Implication - influence the Malays before
the PAP had a chance to clarify matter- Syed Jaafar Albar, UMNOs GeneralSecretary made a fiery speech calling forthe arrest of PM of Singapore.
- Communal tensions were whipped up.
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yehidaah/ss/chpt5/2007LKY urging people to remain calmLKY urging people to remain calm
The 1964 Race RiotsThe 1964 Race Riots
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21 July 1964, over 20 000 Malays and Muslimsgathered to celebrate the birthday of ProphetMuhammad.
Leaflets calling Malays to destroy PAP distributednear Kallang.
The yang Di Pertuan Negara [Head of State] Yusof
Ishak was jeered at by some Malay organisationswhile giving his speech.
As part of the celebrations, contingents marched fromPadang to Lorong 12 in Geylang.
A clash between a Chinese policeman and a group ofMalay started the riots. Singapore was under curfew.9.30 pm to 6.00 am9.30 pm to 6.00 am
23 died and 454 injured. 2 August 1964, curfew was lifted.
A second riot in Sept 1964 started over the murder ofa Malay trishaw driver by a group of Chinese.
13 killed and 106 injured.
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yehidaah/ss/chpt5/2007The procession on its way to Geylang
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Police cordon beside the Kallang GasPolice cordon beside the Kallang GasWorks after the outbreak of racial riotsWorks after the outbreak of racial riots
TROUBLE IN MALAYSIATROUBLE IN MALAYSIA
The 1964 Race RiotsThe 1964 Race Riots
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The July and September riots resulted in lossof lives, destruction of property andbreakdown of peace and order.
It showed the danger of communal politics ina multi racial Singapore.
It illustrates that the peace in Singaporecould be easily broken due to mistrust and
suspicion between the various races. Hence,maintaining a good relationship with theother races is imperative in ensuring thesocial harmony of Singapore.m
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(1) Managing perceptions ofdifferent racial groups
Case Study Two Paris in 2005
Racial riots in Paris, France
between the French andimmigrants from North Africa.
Inequalities in employmentbetween the immigrants andFrench led to resentment.
Hence, this led to theoutbreak of violence.
Rioters speaking to cameramen
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(2) Managing perceptions of
different religious groups.
Differences between
religious groups couldculminate in violence.
For example, in Singapore
there was the Maria
Hertogh Riots in the
1950s.
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(3) Threats from externalforces
Transnational terrorismrefers to acts of violencewhich are global in termsof aims, organizationand impact.
This acts can divide thedifferent racial/religiousgroups in the country.
http://www.twintowers.net/tt_video.htmSmoke billowing from the World Trade Center
after the September 11, 2001 attacks
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(3) Threats from external
forces
Transnational terrorism in
Singapore has taken placein Singapore since 2001.
Jemaah Islamiya [JI]
Head of JI Hanbali
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Jemaah Islamiyah [JI]
Jemaah Islamiyah is a militant groupactive in several Southeast countries.
They want to set up an Islamic state inAsia.
JI was responsible for the bombing ofthe J.W Mariott Hotel in Jakarta on 5th
August 2003
It was also responsible fro the Balibombings on 12th October 2002.
It was also responsible for an attack
against the Philippine Ambassador toIndonesia in August 2000.
Kuta, Bali bombings
in, 2002
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34 JI members were arrested under the InternalSecurity Act for their involvement in terroristactivities from 2001 2002.
Some of their activities involved fund raising andthe purchase of materials for making bombs.
Targets in Singapore included the US embassyand some government buildings such as theMinistry of Education.
Another JI member was arrested in Apr 2005. He was trained in handling weapons and making
bombs.
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3) Managing perceptions of different
religious groups
Differences in religious beliefs andpractices can be used to create tension
and disharmony amongst the various
religious groups in Singapore
Eg the Maria Hertogh Riots in the 1950s.
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- Born in 1937 in Java to Dutch Catholic
parents
- When she was 5 yrs , her father was made
into a POW.- Taken to Bandung by family friend Aminah
bte Mohammad for fear for her safety .
- Brought up as a Muslim and given the name
Nadra.
- In 1947 , Maria was brought to Malaya by
Aminah as the Indonesian War of
independence raged.
- 1949 , the Hertoghs received news that Maria
was in Malaya .
- By then , Maria could only speak Malay .
1. Early Life
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1. The Hertoghs sought to reclaim Maria through theSingapore courts.
2. Apr 1950 , the Court ruled that Maria must be returned
to her biological parents.
3. Aminah appealed and on July 1950 , Maria was
returned to Cik Aminah.
4. Maria married a Malay teacher in the same year.5. The court rules the marriage as invalid as she was only
13 years old and her natural fathers consent was not
asked.
6. Returned to her natural parents who put her in a Roman
Catholic convent.
7. Malays were upset as they felt that their customs havenot been respected.
8. In Dec 1950 , Che Aminah appealed but her appeal
was rejected
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So you let the Dutch television station
Into your house,And the kind Dutch interpreter
Drank your coffee,
Which was all you could offer
Apart from, of course,
Your unhelpful silence
Which grew more stubborn each minute
As the static in your headBuzzed louder, then turned to a terrible song:
The car ride to the High Court,
The monsoon of fists on the car roof,
The splatter of hands, like blind birds, on the windshield
And Nadra frightened by the beating of your heart;
You closed your mind
To their gentle questions,What do these people know about love?
Siti Aminah took care of Maria Hertogh when her Dutch parents fled the country during the
Second World War. Her refusal to return Maria, whom she renamed Nadra, to her parents
and the court case that followed sparked off race riots in December 1950 now charted in
Singapore's history as the Maria Hertogh Riots.
(Poem from One Fierce Hour, Alfian Sa'at, Landmark Books, 1998.)
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1. When there are strikes and riots , its the
people who are affected.
Peoples lives are disrupted Businesses and economy are affected.
2. The racial and religious tension , which showed
itself in the Maria Hertogh riots , teaches us the
importance to understand and be sensitive to the
culture and customs of other races .