Unlikely to happen here, but
P N Balji
Editorial Director
THE thought must have struck every concerned Singaporean, not just
the Indian Singaporean: Can the boiling over of years of pent-up
emotions, anger and frustration of the ethnic Indian community in
Kuala Lumpur happen here?
.
The instantaneous answer I got from the 10 people I spoke to since
that Sunday street march: Very unlikely.
.
The reasons went something like this: The community is not doing as
badly, the firm arm of the law will not allow such a march to take
place, the well-off Indian Singaporeans will not fight for their
less well-off brothers and, most importantly, Singapore doesn't
have a policy similar to Malaysia's bumiputera policy.
.
But as the conversations went a little deeper, not everyone was
convinced that everything is fine with the community. Top of the
list is the view that a social and income divide is becoming
pronounced and this gap is under-reported because for every failure
there is a success to shout about.
.
Whether it is in the Cabinet or in the very visible professions
like law and journalism, the Indian community's achievements cannot
be disputed.
.
Similarly, the entry of high-calibre Indians from outside Singapore
into top-end jobs in private banking and hedge funds has turned the
attention away from the plight of the less well-off.
.
Two recent experiences are enough to reveal the palpable sense of
impact the entry of these expatriates is bringing about here.
.
At a reception held recently, I was introduced to a roomful of
expat Indians. And, oh boy, was I surprised! There was the macro
economist from JP Morgan, another from Morgan Stanley, and yet
another from BNP Paribas. But the most memorable introduction was
to this entrepreneur who owns four banks in India and has a stake
in a sovereign wealth fund-linked company.
.
They came across as articulate, bright and extremely confident of
themselves and what they can bring to the table.
.
It seems the presence of these high-calibre Indians is being felt
in our upmarket shops, restaurants, condos, movie theatres and
tourism destinations like Sentosa and the Night Safari, all of
which are on a charm offensive to get a slice of their
business.
.
The next example should show the extent of this group's
reach.
.
An Indian Singaporean woman related this incident of how she was
pleasantly surprised by the royal attention she got from a
salesgirl at Tangs. She understood the reason an hour later, when
the salesgirl asked: Are you an expat?
.
Such stories can unwittingly screen from the public domain the
struggle of the one- and two-roomers. Yes, there are similar
struggles among the Chinese and the Malays. But what sets the
Indian community apart is its inherent divides.
.
Unlike the Chinese and Malays, the Indians are not bonded by a
common language, religion or even a common colour. Of the three,
the biggest hindrance in having a good fix of the problems of the
less well-off is language. The Malay professionals will tell you
how important language is in breaking the ice with the one- and
two-roomers in their community.
.
Language is a leveller. It helps not just to communicate but to
also gain the confidence and trust of the people you deal
with.
.
That, plus the fact that two of Singapore's closest neighbours are
mainly Muslims, have helped to focus national attention on the
Malays. And the progress the community has made is there for all to
see.
.
For the lower segment of the Indian community to get that kind of
attention, we need more concerned Indian professionals, both local
and expatriate, who can speak the language, understand the
undercurrents and have an acute empathy for their plight to come
out and articulate openly and responsibly the real problems this
section of the community faces.
.
And, if necessary, roll up their sleeves and come together, like
the Association of Muslim Professionals did as a parallel group to
Mendaki, 16 years ago.
.
The 10 Singaporeans are correct. An Indian street march like the
one that took place in KL is very unlikely to take place here. It
is unnecessary, too.
.
But that doesn't mean the not-so-well-off in the community don't
need more help.
.
The community, and Singapore as a society, can only benefit with
more hands being stretched out to make sure that no one misses the
boat of prosperity.
