i thought i have heard a lot of things enough

After years of having precious close friends of the Chinese and Malay and even mixed race, I am always intrigued to read a lot of racial issues and to see what each race have in mind. My findings ranged from mild humorous jokes that tell real life, to rational explanation and description, and also even those which are full of rage and racism.

My friends warned me so as not to let it eat me inside, but the good side is that I could understand people better.

As I was surfing the net finding “interesting issues”, I came across this news article, posted on the 23rd November 2005, in Singapore.

A teenage boy in Singapore, just a day after his O-Level exams ended, was in trial as he was charged as being a “racist blogger”.

The judge had decided to put this Chinese boy to undergo a 24 months of supervised probation, as a punishment of posting biased entries which would provoke the Malay and Muslim community.

Instead of a jail sentence, the boy would have to attend counseling sessions to change the mindset that he dislikes the Malay race so much, and he will do a 180 hour community service in Malay welfare homes in Singapore to have more positive chance of interaction with the Malay community.

According to the boy’s lawyer, this is the best solution to the boy and the parents were happy with the court’s decision.

Wow. This is the first time I read something like this.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/180127/1/.html

1 comment:

Vernon Kedit said...

Hello Megat.

I read the posting below, 'irritated', about the Moroccan Palace in Putrajaya.

May I comment a little?

I totally understand your logic and argument. However, perhaps I may add that what is pissing some people off is the fact that millions of tax payers' money was spent on building something NOT original but totally foreign. Yet, in Seremban, MALAYSIAN hindu temples were being torn down to make way for 'development'. Do you begin to see where I'm leading?

Of course, we cannot live in a microcosm of Malaysiana and ignore everything foreign. We are not an isolated island. We are an open market and commercialism is part of everday life.

However, I, for one, believe that tax payers' money could have gone into building perhaps, a replica of the Melaka Palace or even a replica of the first Chinese Temple. At the very least, these would have been part of our MALAYSIAN heritage and something we can be proud of. Or perhaps build something totally NEW yet reflective of our MALAYSIAN heritage. But a Moroccan Palace? How do I, as an Iban from Sarawak, find myself resonating with a Moroccan Palace in my country's capital?

Mr. Manager