extracted from straits times forum.
EVERY day in the media we are exhorted to welcome the arrival next
month of the representatives of the International Monetary Fund and
the World Bank with 'four million smiles'. I hope that the 16,000
delegates are greeted with the genuine warmth which I received when
I arrived here 16 years ago.
Now I am married to a lovely Singaporean and have two beautiful
Eurasian children.
Singapore has been very kind to me: regular work, a nice home and,
above all, safety. I have great affection for this multiracial
beacon of light in a terribly divided world.
However, something that happened recently in United Square makes me
wonder if there isn't still a shadow to Singapore's bright welcome
of foreigners.
I happened to hold a door open for a middle-aged man. Now, I don't
expect cringing gratitude, bunches of roses or boxes of chocolate,
but when the person looks straight at you from a distance and walks
up, it would be nice if he registered something. The man simply
stared at me and passed by.
'You're welcome!' I said. He hesitated for a moment and looked at
me.
'You're welcome!' I repeated. He muttered something I didn't catch
and carried on walking. Intrigued, I followed him into a cafe
nearby.
'Sorry?' I said. 'I didn't hear what you said.'
'I don't have to thank you!' he said, quite worked up.
'Well, it would have been nice,' I replied.
'I don't have to bow down to you!'
'Well, I didn't expect that! It's just social politeness to say
thank you and I thought maybe you might...'
'Why should I do that to you?'
The degree of dislike in his tone shocked me and I went back to my
wife and children, who were having lunch at a table nearby.
While I was eating, I could see the man out of the corner of my
eye. He was waiting for his takeaway order and staring over at me,
obviously planning something.
When he came out, he shouted something at me. I didn't catch it and
said, 'Sorry?'
'I'm xenophobic!' he shouted quite proudly, thumping his
chest.
'Pleased to meet you!' I said, 'I'm Brendan!' He waddled off.
This was an obviously articulate and well-educated man, not some
small-town redneck. Yet he seemed so proud to proclaim his racial
prejudice in full view of 50 lunchtime diners. It quite spoilt my
appetite. I had thought this kind of reaction to foreigners here
had gone out with the last millennium.
There are about 4.3 million people in Singapore. 'Four million
smiles' leaves about 300,000 unaccounted for.
I wonder how many people feel like the man I met. I really do hope
that when 'the world' arrives next month, it will be greeted by
bright smiles and not by the dark scowl of Mr Xenophobic.
Brendan Buxton
