Since
the refugee crisis hit Europe issues pertaining to migration and population
flows have moved up the global agenda. Back home in Singapore, the Little India Riot
in 2013 was a shocker (riots in Singapore!) but also a wake-up call about
the countries large but often unnoticed pool of low skilled labor.
One
side effect of the renewed focus is the establishment of the Global Migrant Festival
which takes place in Singapore in December 2018. As part of his research for an
article on the festival for a Hong Kong English daily I received some questions
from a journalist on the subject of migrants, immigration, etc.
A
selection of the questions and my answers are reproduced below.
 |
| Syrian refugees at the main train station in Budapest, Hungary (source: Wikipedia) |
Q. What do you think are circumstances
that led to this festival? How do you see it as something different towards
other cultural festival?
A. I don’t know the
details of the festival other than the information listed on their website but
understand it is geared towards an otherwise culturally neglected demographic
of Singapore’s society, i.e. low income foreign workers. In many ways, this is
a ‘local’ Singapore festival which hopefully over time will come to encompass
the aspirations and talents of an often forgotten segment of immigrant
communities. In coming years, as the festival becomes established, festival
Organizers will have to walk a fine line between commercialization and
maintaining the ‘grassroots’ spirit / intent of the founders.
Q. What problems are
they trying to remedy or at least articulate/engage with?
A. Humanizing a
demographic of society which is often seen but almost never heard. Without this
community many cities, including Singapore, would grind to a standstill. Additionally,
I am sure there are lots of hidden talents among festival participants so
bringing these talents out will be a service to not only the individuals but
also the entire arts community.
Q. Singapore had a
setback with the Little India race riots in 2013. How do you think things have
changed (or not) since then?
A. The wording of
your question is interesting. Not everyone will refer to the 2013 Little India
riots as a race riot. The riot was a seminal moment for Singapore in that it
highlighted to broader Singaporean society the need to focus on a minimum
quality of life for *all* residents of Singapore, not only Singaporeans and top
end foreign talent. Much has been achieved since then because of this focus on
the lower paid foreign workers by the government as well as a burgeoning NGO
sector. Arguably, this festival itself is a by-product of the 2013 Little India
riots.
Q. What do you think
can be done to encourage more discussion and community engagement with
migrant/immigration issues? Is there anything particularly that requires a
shift in debate?
A. It’s a sad
testament to the modern world but it took large waves of uncontrolled refugee
migration to the developed Europe, especially from Iraq and Syria, for the
international community to realize immigration issues are real and must be
studied for greater understanding. Poorer countries have faced refugee crises
for many decades since in the post-war period, most notably three million plus
Afghani refugees in Pakistan during the first Afghan war and many parts of
Africa.
‘Humanizing’ migrant
workers and introducing them as real people with hopes, wants, fears, etc. through
literature and the arts is a great starting point. Given that foreigners – of
all skill levels – comprise approximately 30 percent of our population
including sections on such migrant communities in academic courses / syllabi at
various levels of learning in our educational institutions should be
considered.
I hope we will see
more high quality literature and visual arts emerge on the experiences of
migrant populations as a result of this increased focus. This festival is a
step in the right direction.
Q. How can awareness of these issues help
drive change and inclusion in the following sectors? Education, art and
culture, employment
A. As I mentioned
earlier, including sections on the role of migrant workers in keeping Singapore
running smoothly may be included in school syllabi. Additionally, the
government may allocate more funding to academic efforts to understand the
challenges faced by new citizens and / or migrant workers. Increased funding
will lead to more and better research and, hence, greater understanding.
A broad debate on making
Mandarin a compulsory subject in school for all Singaporeans until, say, P6
should be initiated. In a majority Chinese society where Mandarin is the lingua
franca of the bulk of the population, not speaking Mandarin acts as a glass
ceiling as well as a hidden barrier for integration.
Q. Some of the key social issues include
concerns of immigrants taking up white-collar jobs, driving property prices up
and occupying places in schools and hospitals. How do you think these concerns
can be better addressed by the government and individuals?
A. This is a broad
policy debate and pertains to Singapore’s historic economic growth model
pursued over the last few decades, i.e. grow the population to sustain economic
growth. We have gone from approximately three million residents in 2000 to 5.6
million today. That’s a big jump and brings with it not only economic growth
but a multitude of ancillary social issues – intended and unintended.
Growth is not an end
in itself. A blind focus on generating economic growth misses the point.
Economic growth is a means to a fairer, more just and happier society.
As Singapore has
achieved levels of affluence comparable to the likes of Switzerland and
Austria, Singaporeans must now shift their focus to other aspects of social
maturation. These are difficult questions relating to distribution of wealth,
taxation structures, provision and subsidies of medical services and so on.
The question of
immigration is part of a larger rethink which Singaporeans must undertake about
the future priorities of our society.
Q. Cultural identity
is always ridiculed or dismissed as being diluted in Singapore. What can be
done to discourage this mindset and see more proactiveness from Singaporeans to
articulate or develop this 'identity'?
A. National identity
is not static. Nor is at an end point a society must achieve. National identity
is dynamic. Like any vibrant society, Singapore’s identity is also constantly
evolving over time.
Openness to new
ideas is necessary for society to thrive, especially in today’s fast paced
world. Foreigners – whether immigrants or transient – are a historic part of
Singapore’s population landscape and contribute significantly to our melting
pot of ideas.
I don’t accept the
idea that Singapore’s identity is diluted by immigration or migrant workers. On
the contrary, over the course of time, Singapore’s identity is strengthened by new
and diverse population groups.
Take Hainanese
chicken rice and roti prata, two quintessential markers of modern Singaporean
identity. These dishes did not develop in a cultural vacuum. They developed
through the interaction of various different immigrant populations on this
Little Red Dot.
______________
Note: Imran is a former banker and has lived and worked in several
countries during his international banking career. He enjoys traveling,
especially by train, as a way to feed his curiosity about the world and nurture
his interest in photography. He is a licensed freelance tour guide in
Singapore. He is
available on twitter (@grandmoofti); Instagram (@imranahmedsg) and can be
contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com
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