Singaporeans face potential charges for racism in Australia

[PNGMK]

Oh the irony. (One of Singsporean's common complaints to me about Australia is the alleged racism of Aussies).

https://sslcam.news.com.au/cam/authoris ... 6739873207

ORGANISERS of a "Singaporean only" event could be found to have breached anti-discrimination laws for turning away Caucasians at the door.

But the concert was yesterday embroiled in controversy after refusing to let non-Singaporeans through the doors to the free event.

On their website, the event is open exclusively for "Singaporeans and their families" only.

Irate people phoned 2GB talkback host Ben Fordham yesterday to complain that "white people" had been "turned away in droves" to the event.

Anthony Sim, who attended the event and then blogged about it online , wrote that he had never seen so many Singaporeans congregating in the one place.

"It is quite heartwarming to know we are not alone. Everyone of us were on the same page," he wrote.

"There were no PRCs, India Indians, Bangla or Pinoys to annoy us." he also wrote.

freak the racism gets worse when they go overseas!

[nutnut]

Doesn't surprise me!

[zzm9980]

Ironic the backlash there would be if we switched Singaporean with 'Indian' or 'PRC' in the following quote:

"It is also an event to galvanise the Singaporean community so that the sense of identity and belonging remain strong."

[nakatago]

Let's face it: Singaporeans are irony-impaired. They won't recognize even if it hit them like a Mack truck.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Oh the irony. (One of Singsporean's common complaints to me about Australia is the alleged racism of Aussies).

https://sslcam.news.com.au/cam/authoris ... 6739873207

ORGANISERS of a "Singaporean only" event could be found to have breached anti-discrimination laws for turning away Caucasians at the door.

But the concert was yesterday embroiled in controversy after refusing to let non-Singaporeans through the doors to the free event.

On their website, the event is open exclusively for "Singaporeans and their families" only.

Irate people phoned 2GB talkback host Ben Fordham yesterday to complain that "white people" had been "turned away in droves" to the event.

Anthony Sim, who attended the event and then blogged about it online , wrote that he had never seen so many Singaporeans congregating in the one place.

"It is quite heartwarming to know we are not alone. Everyone of us were on the same page," he wrote.

"There were no PRCs, India Indians, Bangla or Pinoys to annoy us." he also wrote.

freak the racism gets worse when they go overseas!

From the article:

On their website, the event is open exclusively for "Singaporeans and their families" only

Royal Botanic Gardens acting executive director Brett Summerell said the group responsible had hired out a large area for the day.

"My understanding was it was a private event and they paid a fee to hire out the area," he said

Doesn't seem like they did anything wrong to me. It was a private event by registration and if they duly paid for that privilege then it was their right.

[PNGMK]

SMS - maybe in Singapore but not Australia. It seems people may have been refused right of entry by race (they could have made it invitation only). The Botanic gardens are apparently considering not allowing the event again.

Secondly... as stated...

"My understanding was it was a private event and they paid a fee to hire out the area," he said. Yeah except....

Try hiring the same area for a "white's only" or "Australians only" or even a "Christians only" private function and see how long it takes for an anti discrimination law suit to land.... They simply can't pull that stunt in Australia. I'm a little surprised they even got away with "Singapore only" at the beginning because you cannot discriminate on the basis of nationality in Australia.

[JR8]

It's quite simple.

These events are funded by the SGn government.
The purpose is to bring in SGns who live abroad, tear-jerking home loving moments.
SGns who've had the wherewithal to 'quit', are deemed to have valuable initiative, often lacking locally.
Therefore the gubment have a task-force to entice them home.

They hire a park:
Invite all the SGns registered in that country with the SG embassy.
Fly in chicken rice hawker stalls and cooks
Satay
Free food and the queues go round the block
Get in some cultural stuff (a lion dance)
Hand out buckets of Yeo's sauce (I think we choped about 20 jars/bottles one time)
Promote real estate
- School advisors, mortgage advisors.

It's about getting overseas SGns who had precisely the initiative and wherewithal to quit - back in SG, contributing to SG.
--------------------------------

So you can see why they don't want random people with no link to SG wandering in. This is a serious government outreach programme, aimed squarely at it's own citizen's - not a 'jolly day out' for the general public.

Project, rather than party.

[x9200]

If this Caucasian turned away at the door was Singaporean, then it was a discrimination. If he was not a Singaporean then IMHO everything was ok.
I guess for white people only would be a pure racial but the rest cases? I understand it can be tricky sometimes, but just taking a neutral example, a company using the area for some corporate event. Must the company contain the members of all the races to be able to do it for the employers of the company only?
Also it can be easily proven that there are situation/places where it is for Australians only (national security level) or for Christians only (some church functions) so I feel it is not that BW at all.

[Wd40]

I read the comments in the site posted by PNGMK. I am with PNGMK on this. If the law of the land says that you cannot discriminate by nationality, then you cannot discriminate by nationality. As simple as that.

If Caucasians were turned away at the entrance, because they were not Singaporeans, then that is discrimination.

In India there are a few Hindu temples where there is a sign post outside stating "Non Hindus not allowed". Now this is discrimination. Whether the law allows it or not is a different matter.

[x9200]

Leaving aside whether we can call it discrimination just because it is under specific legal act, I made this small effort to dig this one up:

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975 - SECT 18C
Offensive behaviour because of race, colour or national or ethnic origin
(1) It is unlawful for a person to do an act, otherwise than in private, if:
[..]
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), an act is taken not to be done in private if it:
(a) causes words, sounds, images or writing to be communicated to the public; or
(b) is done in a public place; or
(c) is done in the sight or hearing of people who are in a public place.

So it is purely technical offense (if any) and I think no reason to get too excited.
If they did it in some building they would be perfectly legal.

[BedokAmerican]

Unfortunately, racism is much more acceptable in Sg/Asia. The comment about not being bothered by people from China, Bangladesh, India and Pinoys shows that. I never heard of Pinoys. Had to look it up. It's a term for people from the Phillipeans. I had to chuckle at the term "India Indians." That sounded like improper English.

Non Singaporeans might have thought it was an event for the public to learn more about the Sg culture/heritage (even though the web site stated otherwise). For instance, often in the US, there will be events/festivals in public parks put on by groups from other countries, though not the governments. Ones that come to mind are Hispanic Heritage, Turkish Festival, Russian Festival, Scottish Highland Games, etc. Americans are welcome and encouraged to go and taste the food buy a craft, talk to others, learn a few things, etc. I would guess other western countries, including Australia, have similar events from time to time -- but this apparently wasn't one of them.

Anyway, what would've been more appropriate (as stated in the article) would've been to hold the event at a private venue instead of a public place. It would've attracted less attention and still would've been able to target a specific audience as opposed to the masses.

[x9200]

Well, definitely yes. On top of it, if it was organized by an SG diplomatic body it tells a lot but I think the emphases was put in a wrong place and writing that a Caucasian was refused entry is a tabloid level manipulation.

[Chantikki]

I was a private event that you had to register to go to. He should have registered like every one else that went. Lots of Caucasians were there. On the Facebook page for the even it said that you can only get in if you register.

I don't see how that is racist.

The number 1. Rule of Singapore, is "follow the rules, do not deviate, do not expect common sense to be applied to any situation.

[zzm9980]

Legal or not, just imagine the irony if the PRC or Indian embassy rented out and closed off a huge portion of Gardens by the Bay (the closest analogy to Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens I can think of given the prime location and prominence of both) for an event with the sole intention of fostering an immigrant community's sense of unity and discouraging outsiders from integrating. I'm rather sure what I described *is* against the law in Singapore.

[JR8]

I was a private event that you had to register to go to. He should have registered like every one else that went. Lots of Caucasians were there. On the Facebook page for the even it said that you can only get in if you register.

I don't see how that is racist.

The number 1. Rule of Singapore, is "follow the rules, do not deviate, do not expect common sense to be applied to any situation.

This is correct. You have to register in order to receive an invitation. An invite is for 1 * SGn citizen + 'family' (nationality or race is irrelevant).

What you can't do is have no connection with SG, and just walk up expecting to be admitted. Consider it like an open-air private party.


p.s. Equivalent > New York Fashion Week takes over Bryant Park at 5th/42. Huge marquees, fashion shows all week, plenty of entertaining/partying. That is private. The public are not allowed in. Invite only. The SGn events are precisely the same thing. It would be futile trying to argue 'I wasn't allowed into the (private) Versace show, that's discrimination!'


p.s. X9, good quote of the statute there. Nail on head!