The discriminating readers in social media

I have written quite a few articles and for the latest two, one on India Indians integrating with the locals and another saying that there is no discrimination against Singaporeans in Singapore, I am expecting readers to strongly disagree with me or even receiving brick bats from them. The position or conclusion of both articles would not go down well with the readers. I too don’t agree with them. But I cannot claim otherwise unless there is evidence to support a different assertion.

In the case of India Indians integrating with the locals, the best I can say is that they are attempting to do something. But integration is not a one day thing, not even one year or five years. It may take a whole generation or cross generations to integrate into a society. So it will be foolish of me to say that they have integrated well with the locals over a few days. It is just the first step in a long journey.

The point about no discrimination against Singaporeans is qualified by the MOM having a few cases and Chuan Jin and Tharman calling up some big organizations for tea. There were cases, and could be many. But where is the evidence? Where are the reporters reporting on them?

The Brompton Bike case and the AIM case would also be non issue if the netizen reporters did not dig and air the cases and the sticky stuff in them. The reporters, mainly the netizens, not so much about the main stream reporters, can play a big role in exposing the crimes and deceits of foreigners and foreign companies discriminating against Singaporeans. And they have the social media to publish what they have unearthed. There is no fear that no one or the main media would not want to publish them. We need to hear more of such cases, and whistle blowers there must be many, to step forward to defend fellow Singaporeans to make Singapore our home and for Singaporeans.

How well are the foreigners integrating with the locals, the India Indian, the PRC Chinese and the Pinoys? When they are few in numbers, they have to integrate and live with the locals. When their numbers are big, they can be with themselves, among themselves, ganged up to protect themselves and their life style. They don’t need to integrate with the locals. They have critical mass to be on their own. They can form their own enclaves, buy properties in select areas, and even discriminate and ostracise the locals, kick the locals out of jobs, deprive the locals of jobs to keep them for their own kind.

We do have a big problem with big foreign populations. The bigger they are, the bigger will be the problem. The problem today is 5.4m in size. It will be 6.9m and bigger in the future. The problem is here to stay and will grow and swallow up the locals if they are not careful, if they are complacent and think that things will be the same, that being the locals they will have a little advantage over the foreigners. When the foreigners outnumber the locals, the advantage will go to the foreigners and the locals will end up at the wrong end of the stick. It can be very pathetic if that day comes. Sad, it will come faster than the unthinking locals can imagine.