"As a Malay, I've always been told that I have to work twice as hard to prove my worth. When I was younger, I always thought of myself as the quintessential Singaporean. Of my four late grandparents, two were Malay, one was Chinese and one was Indian.
This, I concluded, makes me a mix of all the main races in the country.
But I later realised that it was not what goes into my blood that matters, but what my identity card says under 'Race'. Because my paternal grandfather was of Bugis origin, my IC says I'm Malay. I speak the language at home, learnt it in school, eat the food and practise lesser Singaporean than those from other racial groups..."
"...... It is not just the NS issue. It is the frustration of explaining t non-Malays that I don't get special privileges from the Government.
It is having to deal with those who question my professionalism because of my religion. It is having people assume, day after day, that you are lowly educated, lazy and poor.
It is like being the least favourite child in a family. This child will try to win his parents' love only for so long. After a while, he will just be engulfed by disappointment and bitterness.
I also believe that it is this 'least favourite child' mentality which makes most Malays defensive and protective of their own kind. Why do you think Malay families spent hundreds of dollars voting for two Malay boys in the Singapore Idol singing contest? And do you know that Malays who voted for other competitors were frowned upon by the community?
The same happens to me at work. When I write stories which put Malays in a bad light, I am labelled a traitor. A Malay reader once wrote to me to say: 'I thought a Malay journalist would have more empathy for these unfortunate people than a non-Malay journalist.' But such is the case when you are a Malay Singaporean.
Your life is not just about you, as much as you want it to be. You are made to feel responsible for the rest of the pack and your actions affect them as well. If you trip, the entire community falls with you. But if you triumph, it is considered everyone's success."
I salute this reporter for typing and writing the one thing that i've been tired of explaining to everyone or anyone when it comes to my race in the Straits Times. They're few like her who take their own stand despite what others think.
We are afterall not born to conform to society's expectations... aye?
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