Maria Siow, a reporter stationed in China for CNA, gave two examples on how Chinese Singaporeans can be too exclusive in their group and are thus unaware of Singaporeans of other races. Being the majority race does not mean that they are exempted from instilling unity.
Imagine a Town Council chairman ignoring the needs of an Indian reporter during a press briefing. He spoke throughout the event in Mandarin and eventually embarrassed himself when she had to remind him of the Indian reporter.
The National Day celebrations held in Beijing for the Singaporeans there, also brought out Chinese Singaporeans' ugly side. They said the Pledge in Mandarin even though their Malay friend was with them. She felt so left out that she walked away from them at that moment. They are Chinese Singaporeans and this means that they are fluent in English. English is our first language after all, the first language of all Singaporeans. That was really insensitive of them. So what if they were in China? It was Singapore's birthday, not China's. This only serves to justify the protection Singapore's constitution offers Malays. It may contradict the notion of race equality we advocate, but it is obvious that if the government does not protect them, the other races are not.
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