Meanwhile down under, organisers of a "Singaporean only" event face charges of breaching anti-discrimination laws for turning away Caucasians at the door. The Royal Botanic Gardens acting executive director, Brett Summerell, told The Daily Telegraph the organisers booked the premises for the entire day and had originally promised to only turn people away if they were at full capacity.
Accusations of racism were let fly after two white men, father and son, were allegedly barred from entering Sydney's Botanic Gardens because they were not Singaporeans. Irate people phoned 2GB radio talkback host Ben Fordham to complain that "white people" had been "turned away in droves" from the Singapore Day event.
The Singapore Day website stated in no uncertain terms that the event is "an exclusive event for Singaporeans and their families". Proud attendee Anthony Sim took to his blog to applaud the organisers, "It is quite heart-warming to know we are not alone. Everyone of us were on the same page," Sim penned. "There were no PRCs, India Indians, Bangla or Pinoys to annoy us." It would appear fair dinkum Australians were included in the persona non grata mix.
Boy, is Sim in for a surprise when he returns to Singapore. There's an ongoing $10 million welcoming party for the pesky foreigners, spearheaded by some National Integration Council. If he wants to hang out with core Singaporeans only, he may have to be more sensitive to the denizens of his host country.
Buggered by the unpleasant whiff of xenophobia, Mr Summerell huffed, "Obviously it has created a bit of community concern and that is enough for me to review it and see if it's appropriate for the Botanic Gardens to be involved with them in the future."
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| "We've had a lot of participation from our Singaporeans here." |
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ReplyDeleteHmmm!
DeleteI wonder if it's fair to conclude that under a PAP government, it is advantageous to be a QUITTER.
Why do they even bother to throw a party for DESERTERS / QUITTERS?
DeleteWhy?
DeleteBecause PAP gahmen wants to tell Singaporeans that loyalty to PAP does not pay?
PAP gahmen will only reward QUITTERS & DESERTERS?
Is this true?
I view it as advertisement by the PAP govt to spin a positive image in the eyes of the world....to be seen as reaching out to Singaporeans.
DeleteNo doubt the PAP buggers are obsessed with their image despite the useless PM claiming he is flameproof, thickskinned, etc.
Anon @ 9.53 AM did a good job exposing our humbug govt
I do not see why the posters here are still going by the rhetoric of 'quitter-stayer' if they hate the government so much. After all, people leave Singapore because the government did not run it well with kindness and treated locals with much insensitivity.
DeleteStorm in a tea cup.
ReplyDeleteIt was a private event not open to walk-ins. Simple as that.
If it had been by invitation only, there would have been no hoohaha. Organizing an open event on public property even though it was booked is deemed to open. Can you imagine if here in Singapore there was an Ozzie event and a Chinese man and son were turned away! It would be a national disaster, the PR's are taking the country without a shot! Who are they to prevent us from attending an event on our own land! There would be no end to the triad...time to see both sides there people, things work both ways you know!
DeleteGlobalization? Bah!
ReplyDeleteEveryone should just go back to where they came from.
Primeval tribal instincts will not go away just because politicians decreed it so.
This is on their website:
ReplyDelete"Singapore Day goes to Sydney for the first time!
Themed “Heartland City”, this is the sixth time the Overseas Singaporean Unit, in collaboration with our partners, is bringing a slice of home to Singaporeans overseas.
Spend your day out in the park as you discover some of the latest developments back home through exciting experiential showcases. A sensational line-up of home-grown entertainment, with your favourite local artistes and budding new talent, awaits you too.
But that’s not all, of course. What’s a Singaporean event if chilli crab, satay and other hunger-inducing perennial favourites are not there to tantalise your taste buds? Sample mouth-watering authentic hawker fare prepared for you by street food celebrities from Singapore.
More surprises will be coming your way. In the meantime, spread the word for us and register early. Early bird prizes await!
Remember to mark this date on your calendar: 12 October 2013 at The Domain, The Royal Botanic Gardens."
Can you spot anything that remotely resembles what the Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) of the Prime Minister's office claims?
"Admission is by ticket for purposes of crowd control and catering. These are indicated on our website."
The claim of crowd control...hmm the key word is CONTROL. Nothing new, except the level of sophistication or crudeness (take your pick) in the spin.
DeleteTheir control is good only on this island, with their muzzled media. Out there in the global village, they are just overpaid amateurs.
DeleteWhile the foreign based S'poreans are pampered and showered with much missed home cooked food, those here are being slowly kicked out of their rightful place, some having to fulfill NS obligations and more. Anybody in the right mind would want to be cajoled and pampered. I would strongly encourage my chldren to emigrate given the way things are going, unless I or more S'poreans send a strong message.
ReplyDeleteMinisters pay themselves million dollar salaries. while one particular Singaporean family have to make do with their company van as their "HOME".
DeleteSingapore sucks.
For people who still do not understand how the PAP continue to screw others, and politicize this event, just look at last election in 2011.
ReplyDeleteAsk yourself this main question. Why PAP makes voting station in less popular place only in Canberra for those in Australia whereas when it comes to tempt Sinkies there with food and perks, they do it in popular place like melbourne and syndey ? Why didn't they do this event in Canberra then ? We know PAP well, don't we ? Only the naive will think that there is no political agenda when they hold such event. Don't the singaporeans who attend the event there in syndey found themselves disrespect then when they go to vote in canberra but can get freebies in melbourne and syndey. Who do the PAP treat you for ?
There are no embassies for Singaporeans in Canada, and they closed the ones in Vancouver and Toronto years ago, although many Singaporeans have re-located to work there. The nearest embassy to do all this voting is in New York City, which is days away by car, and a few hours away by flight from Canada. Seriously, that is even more insane!
DeleteOverseas singgies are desperate for hawker food and feel unique in a foreign land to be singled out. Wait till they are shouted at by the locals to "Go home!"...
ReplyDeleteSingapore is home. It does not belong to the PAP. Come home and make the change.. not from a distant land..
That is the myth of racism which the media has manufactured for you. Locals in the foreign country often welcome Singaporeans who are willing to integrate into the community. It is only those Singaporeans who refuse to integrate, speak Singlish instead of standard proper English, and stick around exclusively with other Singaporeans who call whites and locals in a country 'racist'.
DeleteA private function should rightfully be held in a private function hall and not a public space. I don't think Singaporeans will tolerate if a foreign embassy cordon off a large part of Singapore Botanic Gardens for their private function even if the organiser has permission from the authority. There was nothing racist about the Singapore Day's episode. The denial of the rights of public to access a public space is poor judgment call. Showing concern for Singaporeans is a right thing to do but it has to be done the right way at the right place and not selectively.
ReplyDeleteThe Singapore Day website stated in no uncertain terms that the event is "an exclusive event for Singaporeans and their families".
ReplyDeleteI thought the Shit Times reported today that Singaporeans were allowed to bring a friend along. So which is which & where is the exclusivity, someone must be playing politics to fool Singaporeans again just like those job advertisements requiring companies to employ Singaporeans first ? What is there to stop the companies from rejecting Singaporeans after their job interviews saying they don't qualify ?
That australian father and son should not have gone to Singapore day event. They should be coming to SG. They are welcomed here.
ReplyDeleteThe reverse is true for Singaporeans. They are welcomed in the Singapore day event. Just not in their home town.
The increasing outreach of overseas singaporeans via hawker food co-option must be because they are seeing a huge increase in opposition votes. There is no reason why else they will willingly spend so much money to woo and keep this lot happy. PAP don't do anything that has no agenda and interest in their favor.
PAP style.
DeleteThese type of events always have a guest of honour.
So who was the guest of honour?
Did he fly there on a 1st class SIA airline ticket?
If Filipinos organise their own party at Botanic Garden the vocal xenophobe here will be the first one to cry mother and father... A case of typical Singaporean double standard?
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