Latest news with #AriffinSha
New Paper
09-05-2025
- Politics
- New Paper
Talking to your kids about the colour of their skin
As a mother of mixed-race children, I knew the day would come when I would have to explain to my twin boys why our family is not the same colour. We were at a playground a few months ago when one of my sons ran up to me, arms outstretched. "Mama?" he asked, his tone unsure. "What colour am I? That boy said I'm black." My heart sank. I felt panicked - and fiercely protective. Was this the moment that would forever change the way my son sees himself? I felt angry - at the boy who had taunted my son, at his parents, at the unfairness of it all. How can a child be racist, when racism is something you learn from others? I looked down at my son who, at five years old, expects me to have all the answers. I wanted to tell him: "It doesn't matter what colour you are." But of course it does. A racial slur uttered before a crowd of hundreds - and on live TV - by a candidate in the 2025 General Election has brought race issues to the fore again. At a rally on April 26, Dr Gigene Wong of the Singapore Democratic Party called her teammate Ariffin Sha "keling kia", a derogatory term historically used to demean people of Indian descent. It caused a stir, and I'm glad it did. I'm glad Mr Ariffin did not take the slight lying down. I'm glad the Singaporean Indian community used the moment to highlight that, for them, this offhand racism is not new. Most of all, I'm glad the jaw-dropping comment got Singaporeans - particularly those from the majority community - talking. Singaporeans must care enough to have difficult conversations about race. Such racist attitudes should not - and cannot - be seen as a problem for the minority alone. Such attitudes are a Singaporean problem. Every racist episode, gone unaddressed, is another dent to our very identity as a multiracial society. The colour of our skin Dr Wong's comment affected me, very personally. Because my family members are not all the same colour, I have had to answer questions from curious aunties when out and about with my children. "This one, your son?" and "You marry Indian man, ah?" My husband has had to do the same. "The mother must be very fair," someone once stopped him to remark. Heavily pregnant in 2019, I thought I had heard it all, from "Wah, your stomach very big" to "Twins, ah? Your husband, power". What I did not expect: "I wonder what colour the babies will be." You see, my husband is Indian, and has a lot more melanin than I do. I remember thinking: "Please, God, I don't care what colour the babies are. Just make them the same colour as each other." I recall that moment clearly. It felt like a gut-punch and opened my eyes to the reality of the Singapore that my husband, a dark-skinned man, has to navigate. A Singapore in which people are still put into boxes based on the colour of their skin, no matter their contributions or qualifications. I do not want my sons to have to face the same. No one is colour-blind, and we shouldn't try to teach our children to be so. That will set them up for failure. What we should teach our children is that people come in all shapes, sizes and colours, and the colour of their skin is just that - a colour. When I was in primary school and taking the school bus home, my friends would point to my mother. "Vanessa, your maid is waiting for you," they used to say. I was too confused, embarrassed and hurt to correct them. My mother is Indian-Chinese, and I am Eurasian. And we are not the same colour. Now, I am teaching my children that our skin colour is determined by how much melanin we have, and that the colour of one's skin does not tell us much about a person. What are their passions? Who do they love? What talents can they contribute to society? Or, as I say to my boys, you can't tell a person's favourite colour, fruit or superhero from the colour of their skin. People are more than what's on the outside. A few months ago, my husband and one of our sons were walking out of a public library, hand in hand. An older Chinese man tried to stop them, gesticulating wildly and threatening to call the police. It turned out that the man thought my husband was kidnapping our son, because - you guessed it - they are not the same colour. I hope that parents of my generation will give their children the words to describe people beyond the colour of their skin. "That boy with the red shirt", for example, or "the girl on the swing". With inter-ethnic marriages on the rise, I'm sure more families will have the same experiences mine has had. So, when moments like Dr Wong's comments happen again - and they will - the answer is not to look the other way. The answer is not to claim ignorance, or say "I didn't know". The answer is to talk about it. Like the Gigene Wong episode, I hope a wider discussion can be had about the hard truths of race in Singapore. Let's talk about it. Doing so will strengthen our multiracial society. We can do better. For our children, we must.
Independent Singapore
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC: A missed opportunity for SDP amid controversy
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong led the People's Action Party (PAP) team in Marsiling–Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency (GRC), securing 73.46% of the votes—a significant increase from the 63.18% garnered in 2020 . This constituency has been under PAP's representation since its formation in 2015. Wong's leadership here was seen as a litmus test for his broader national appeal following his succession of Lee Hsien Loong in 2024. PAP's stronghold and leadership test Analysts observed that voters were cautious despite the increased vote share , reflecting a desire for stability amid global uncertainties and domestic concerns such as rising living costs and housing affordability . Wong's emphasis on continuity and renewal, including introducing over 30 new PAP candidates nationwide, aimed to address these concerns and rejuvenate the party's image . In the 2025 General Election, the PAP retained Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC with 73.46% of the vote, an increase from their 63.18% share in 2020. The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secured 26.54%, a figure that might have been higher if not for a controversy involving candidate Gigene Wong. Gigene Wong's controversial remarks During a rally on Apr 26, 2025, SDP candidate Gigene Wong used a racial slur in Hokkien to describe her teammate Ariffin Sha, referring to him as 'keling kia,' a derogatory term for Indians. She also mispronounced his name, calling him 'elephant,' and labeled him the party's 'future Pritam Singh.' Wong issued two public apologies, stating she was unaware of the term's offensiveness and that the comment was impromptu and not part of her vetted speech. The incident drew swift backlash, with SDP leadership, including Secretary-General Chee Soon Juan, issuing apologies and counseling Wong. Ariffin Sha expressed shock and disappointment over the remarks. Ariffin Sha: A new kind of firebrand for the opposition Ariffin Sha's style is refreshingly evocative in a political landscape often defined by policy jargon and rehearsed rhetoric. At just 27 years old, he brings a literary and emotionally charged approach to campaigning that blends intellectualism with cultural resonance. Drawing inspiration from Tamil revolutionary poet Subramania Bharati, Ariffin has been known to recite translated verses on freedom, dignity, and self-determination during his speeches, connecting not only with the Indian community but also with all who feel left out of Singapore's tightly controlled political narrative. Rather than merely citing statistics, Ariffin speaks in stories, metaphors, and historical parallels. In one rally, he remarked, 'You are not just voters—you are the authors of our next chapter,' inviting his audience to imagine themselves as protagonists in a larger struggle for democratic renewal. This storytelling style is complemented by his roots in digital activism—he founded Wake Up Singapore, a social media platform known for its unfiltered takes on governance and inequality. Ariffin doesn't shy away from confrontation, but his confrontation is measured—not brash, but poetic. He challenges the establishment not with rage but with conviction wrapped in clarity and care. His speeches often start slow and reflective, but crescendo into a battle cry that energizes crowds, particularly younger voters disillusioned by the status quo. His brand of politics, blending cultural pride, emotional intelligence, and youthful urgency, positions him as more than a candidate—it casts him as a symbol of a possible new era. While controversy within his team may have hindered the SDP's broader performance this election, Ariffin Sha's star continues to rise, and many see him as the party's next-generation standard bearer. Potential impact on election results The controversy surrounding Wong likely impacted SDP's performance in Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC. The party's vote share decreased compared to the previous election, and the incident may have overshadowed their campaign messages and the contributions of candidates like Ariffin Sha. The 2025 election in Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC highlights the importance of cohesive teamwork and cultural sensitivity in political campaigns. While the PAP strengthened its position, the SDP's internal challenges reminded us of the complexities within party dynamics.
Independent Singapore
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
Gigene Wong apologises for using racial slur against own teammate, says SDP counselled her
SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Gigene Wong, has issued a formal apology for using a racial slur against her own running mate Ariffin Sha in a controversial speech she made at a rally on Saturday night (26 Apr). Ms Wong, speaking in Chinese dialect, had referred to Mr Sha in her speech. Poking fun at his name, she had said, 'Our Alafeen – that elephant, you know that elephant? The K!@#$% kia, the one that talk very well? Our future Pritam Singh, I always say, he our future Pritam Singh.' Making a request to voters to help them recover their election deposits, she continued, 'That guy, Elephant ah, haven't get married leh. 27-year-old, later he no more deposit, his mother would kill him. 'See lah, tell you don't go GE already, you still run. Now no more deposit.'' She concluded, 'So I plead with you. Our Marsiling-Yew Tee voters please help us. Don't let us lose too badly.' Ms Wong has earned swift backlash online, with the clip of her speech circulating on social media and messaging platforms. Voters were shocked at both the racial slur used against her own teammate so casually as well as the way she denigrated his name. Some observers also asked why the candidate assumed that losing the contest is a foregone conclusion, questioning her plea for voters to help her team recover their deposits. Ms Wong has since apologised. In a Facebook post published early this morning (27 Apr), she wrote, 'I apologise for the comment I made at last night's rally which disrespected my fellow candidate Ariffin Sha. I also understand that it offended the Indian community. I have been counselled by my party members about the word and now I understand it is offensive.' Revealing that the speech that had been vetted by SDP's leadership had not contained the racial slur, which she said she made off the cuff, Ms Wong wrote: 'My comments were very hurtful and unacceptable. I am fully responsible for them. My original vetted speech did not include the comment I said which happened impromptu. There is no excuse and I am sorry for all the pain and anger that I caused.' She added, 'SDP is a party of respect & equality where everyone is included. I have learnt an important lesson from this incident and from now, I will uphold these values in my words and actions.'
