Singapore's Little India alcohol ban criticised

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Singapore's Little India alcohol ban criticised

SINGAPORE: -- Rights activists and opposition politicians on Friday slammed an alcohol ban imposed by the Singapore government in an district hit by rioting last weekend.

The ban will take effect this Saturday and Sunday in Little India, which saw the city-state’s worst civil unrest in decades on Sunday.

Hundreds of migrant workers from India and Bangladesh clashed with police and set fire to vehicles after an Indian labourer was hit by a bus and died.

But critics say the ban amounts to an "alcohol apartheid" and have expressed concern that the government may extend it in the future.

Government ministers "are conveniently suggesting that alcohol consumption is to blame for the riot rather than looking to their own failed immigration and labour policies," said Kenneth Jeyaretnam, leader of the opposition Reform Party.

"Statements such as these also carry the subliminal message that ’Indians’ are somehow more likely to abuse alcohol and become violent than other groups."


-- The Nation 2013-12-13

[Joe Mamma]

Been there during an Indian holiday and there are many many of them. I never saw any misbehaving and i drank with lots of them too. Bollywood music.

[alant]

it is an easy target to blame

[steveyinasia]

very reactive actions to cover up the real problem. The conditions these guys live and work under are nothing short of exploitation and slavery. Having lived in Singapore for 7 years and seeing how these guys, who by the way actually built Singapore, are being treated in inhumane. Maybe that had finally just had enough of the treatment.

[Bangkok45]

I lived in Singapore for 20 years. Saw the influx of migrant workers from Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar Bangladesh and India. Though there are occasional intoxicated rowdy behaviours by these workers, the Indians are the worse of the lot. I am not saying that Singaporeans are not guilty of such behavoiur because the local Indian community has always had an issue with alcoholism and spousal abuse. I knew first hand for I was a policeman for 2 1/2 years during my national service.

I am not a racist mind you pundits, but this was a real problem in Singapore. Don't believe me? Research for statistic on drunken and disorderly behaviour of Singaporeans and you will see that over 90% are Indians.

When the migrant Indian workers came, Little India became their place of congregation on weekends. They will sit by the roadside and drink cheap alcohol and soon became a nuisance to the public. Molest cases also escalates as these migrant workers would at every opportunity board a crowded public transportation (buses & mrt) and rub themselves against women in the bus.

The Bangladesh migrant workers would normally congregate at Orchard Road where the Filipino maids are during weekends. They are somehow a hit with the Filipinos. They also look at women with lust and since most of them wear the wraparound cloth it really shows what they are thinking. Many a times they are beaten by family members or the public for indecent behaviour toward women. Many police reports were made against them and strict policing around many neighbourhoods were started. But alcohol is not their real problem.

The first time a riot by Indian migrant workers almost happened was in the late 80's when tickets for the screening of an Indian movie starring their godlike hero Rajinikanth was sold out. The police came down hard on them which I firmly support. Though by that time I had already completed my national service.

Ask any Singaporeans if they like the Indian migrant workers and I can bet you that a majority hate them. Not due to racism as Singaporeans live harmoniously in a multi-racial society after the last racial riots in 1963.

The government have been very hard at work to maintain these harmony which had driven Singapore to be a successful nation it is now.

Though I agree that the ban on alcohol is excessive but the end justify the means. The Indian/Bangladeshi migrant workers have been a sore for Singaporeans for a long time. With the influx of Chinese migrant workers Singapore faces yet a new set of problems. Like the recent strike by Chinese bus drivers.

Let me end by saying that alcohol and Indians/Bangladeshis does not make a good mix. It's a problem in India too.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Bangkok45

[Bangkok45]

very reactive actions to cover up the real problem. The conditions these guys live and work under are nothing short of exploitation and slavery. Having lived in Singapore for 7 years and seeing how these guys, who by the way actually built Singapore, are being treated in inhumane. Maybe that had finally just had enough of the treatment.

Exploitation, inhumane and slavery? You are a joke and obviously, your purported 7 years in Singapore is a lie.

[jsnho]

very reactive actions to cover up the real problem. The conditions these guys live and work under are nothing short of exploitation and slavery. Having lived in Singapore for 7 years and seeing how these guys, who by the way actually built Singapore, are being treated in inhumane. Maybe that had finally just had enough of the treatment.

You must be one of the joker that lived in singapore that didn't know anything

If they are untreated fairly, will you this foreigner staying there peacefully?

Come on man

Singapore is known for fairness, that opposition joker can't even win a seat or even a minimum voting share in election. By the way he's a Indian too.

Singaporean are not that racist, consider them one of the safest country in the world (not just Asia)

The policeman didn't even fire a single shot at the rioters, consider them very lucky for the police man to have strict restraint on that riot protocol.

You must remember Indian like to drink alcohol and their country is consider lawless where they can anyhow rape girls and kill them because they feel that Indian girl are cheap. (Please read more international news about India. Worst and most rapist are from India)

[Benmart]

very reactive actions to cover up the real problem. The conditions these guys live and work under are nothing short of exploitation and slavery. Having lived in Singapore for 7 years and seeing how these guys, who by the way actually built Singapore, are being treated in inhumane. Maybe that had finally just had enough of the treatment.

Exploitation, inhumane and slavery? You are a joke and obviously, your purported 7 years in Singapore is a lie.

Calling someone liar exposes the name caller to intense scrutiny and questions their credibility.

Calling someone a joke is juvenile and seems a shallow attempt to degrade a person without supporting evidence.

Please provide some intelligent and relevant information to support your position.

[Bkungbank]

What freedom do you have when you can't even chew your chewing gum in your mouth?

[Timwin]

I lived in Singapore for 20 years....The government have been very hard at work to maintain these harmony which had driven Singapore to be a successful nation it is now.

20 years lived there and you still did not see what kind of police state Singapore is? Jay-sus!

Edited December 14, 2013 by Timwin

[IMA_FARANG]

This being said, the chinese tend to be racist but they are the equal opportunity type....they just hate everybody who is outside the tribe

--------------------------

Exactly.

I have no problem with Singaporean Chinese.

However a British friend of mine who worked in Singapore about 20 years ago was dating a Singaporean Chinese woman at the time.

He was then working at a good job in Singapore.

Her mother ordered her to stop dating him.

The mother told the guy that she had allowed it at first because their was no sex involved (I don't know if that was true or not), but since she thought her daughter was possibly thinking of sex with this Brit, she had to stop it before there was a non Chinese half-breed being born to her pure Chinese daughter.

It just wasn't acceptable to a pure Chinese family to have a (her words to both of them) "degenerate bastard" in her family.

It apparently didn't work .... my British friend eventually married the Singaporean Chinese woman.

Don't know how mother-in-law took that but they are still married and have two children and still living in Singapore.

[Bangkok45]

very reactive actions to cover up the real problem. The conditions these guys live and work under are nothing short of exploitation and slavery. Having lived in Singapore for 7 years and seeing how these guys, who by the way actually built Singapore, are being treated in inhumane. Maybe that had finally just had enough of the treatment.

Exploitation, inhumane and slavery? You are a joke and obviously, your purported 7 years in Singapore is a lie.

Calling someone liar exposes the name caller to intense scrutiny and questions their credibility.

Calling someone a joke is juvenile and seems a shallow attempt to degrade a person without supporting evidence.

Please provide some intelligent and relevant information to support your position.

The obvious joke is by saying that the migrant Indians built Singapore. Research and read the history of Singapore!

7 years in Singapore and saw inhumane treatment, exploitation and slavery is a figment of imagination. Thus he must not have been there. A lie!

Scrutinize all you want. But what do you know about Singapore?

[Bangkok45]

I lived in Singapore for 20 years....The government have been very hard at work to maintain these harmony which had driven Singapore to be a successful nation it is now.

20 years lived there and you still did not see what kind of police state Singapore is? Jay-sus!

A police state it might be, but it's not a dictatorship. It is safe, it is clean, it is rich and there is no chaos. Singapore is based on meritocracy.

[rnw]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Singapore