Question2)





What are the challenges of multi-enthnicity in Singapore?


The challenges Singapore face is the ability to accept each and other from different
background. This is not the government's responsibility but each and every Singaporeans :D

How racial issues could divide the people

• What were the event that led to the race riots of 1964?

Events that led to the race riots of 1964 was due to a demostration protest and racial comments between the 2 races,Malays and Chinese, as the 'Chinese Secret Society takes the opportunity to stir up violence, to enforce the policy of Confrontation with the newly-formed Federation of Malaysia , a number of Indonesian activists had infiltrated into Singapore in attempts to arouse the religious fervour of the more fanatical Malays' .(taken from here) Another event was found out on 1971, when Lee Kun Yew found out that 'a sustained campaign in a Malay language newspaper,which falsely alleged that the rights of the Malay and Muslim minority were being suppressed '. (taken from here) The anti PAP campaign was another event trigger too, as it disturbed the trust of Singapoe malays towards PAP campaign.

On the birthday of Prophet Mohammed, the PaDang was filled with 25,000 people. The race riots were not due to policemen being beaten up but started due to Malays conflits caused by events and chinese groups who threw the bottle at the malay group. A curfew was hence imposed to lighten the grudges between the two races, but it ended up making the race riot worse, thus, on the 2nd curfew, a goodwill community of different racial groups were then set up to help prevent a third race riots. It was imposed till 2nd august 1964.

However, 1 month later,2 September 1964, a trishaw rider was stabbed, suspected the killer to be a chinese, thus, a racial riot stuck once more and last for 5 days and a curfew was imposed again.

Around a total of 34 people were dead and 563 people injured hiwle 1200 others were arrested or starting the rioting and breaking curfew on the third riot.

This was a painful lesson for Singaporean to learn that being a Singaporean is about respecting and understanding each other's religion.

Reacting to race issues sensitively is common as it's part of our instinct to protect our religion, just like how we would act when anyone else insulkts our family members. However, the way we deal with this 'insults' matter as different thought thinks of different ways by dealing with either violence or peace.

(credits to

http://www.sgwiki.com/wiki/1964_Race_Riots, http://www.sgwiki.com/wiki/1964_Race_Riots,

http://www.hsse.nie.edu.sg/staff/blackburn/oralhistory1964riotsMaleMalay.doc,

http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=1964_race_riots)