1) How different are we?
- We, Singaporeans are different in many ways. Each of us is sure to come from racial,cultural and religious backgrounds which are not similar with each other. With different beliefs thus,we celebrate different special occasions like Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year.

2) What are the challenges of multi-ethnicity in Singapore?
- Challenges that we as a multhi-ethnic country is that some conflicts and unhappiness could occur as we practice different beliefs. Firstly as an example the beliefs of most chinese to burn jossticks and making offering on pathways could give some inconvenience to others. Those people would get angry if others accidentally step or hit it. They would feel that their religion were not respected and thus argument occurs. Secondly the challenges could be that our language and names may sound funny to others and they will make fun of it. The victims would fell hurt and their parents might even complain. It will then complicate things further.

3) What were the measures taken to foster social cohesion (unity among the people)in multhi-ethnic society?
- Measures would be in different forms. For children or students would be on having mixed school. Activities are being put up so as the different races could interact with each other and working as a geam.This could make them feel more comfortable mixing with others and could make them learn about other's beliefs, thus, respect them too. Excursions to places where it shows cultures such as kampong glam,chinatown or little India would make a very educational trip. For the elders, they could take part on aerobic activities, taichi classes or karaoke session. These kinds of activities are less vigorous thus, suitable for them. They could also lead a healthy lifestyle from there. Lastly the others such as working people or even housewife could engage in a 'family' kind of events set up by the public or even community centres.

4) Why is it important to foster social cohesion?
Firstly,social cohesion is the bringing together, in an integrated way, economic, social, health and educational policies to facilitate the participation of citizens in society. Social cohesion is being fostered in Singapore.The term is used to describe the bonds or "glue" that bring people together in society, particularly in the context of cultural diversity. It is important as in Singapore,there are many different types of races,embracing different types of culture as well as different backgrounds of knowledge and history.With social cohesion in Singapore,maximum understanding would be encouraged with one another.Thus,it can also prevent social instability.Problems such as misunderstanding due to miscomunication or even riots will be prevented as a result.

5) Explore other ways to foster social cohesion in singapore
- Other ways could be by mixing other races and religions on a particular day for them to be together. It could even be a reality show shown on television.Things that they could even do are like singing, active antics or even dancing together. This will help to improve communication and thus, uniting people as one.

Why is it important to have a newspaper that is not biased in reporting of events?
- It is important because if this continues, there'll be more riots and misunderstandings among races and religions. It is also important because there'll be a fair judging on parties involved. If it is biased, the information received will continue spreading and it may lead to confusion as it may or may not be true.

How is English used as the language to link different ethnic groups? In what situations?
- English is used to communicate and understand each other better. It is easier to be written and learnt. If we're using a foreign language, others may not understand and will feel left out. They may also complained that it's biased and wil feel jealous. Situations will be like during a gathering with the natives and other races. Example: Olympics

What is common space? What are some examples of common space in our school?
- Common space refers to the time and place that people come together. Examples of these spaces in school is the library, where people could study and play board games together or even the classroom where education is best received.

How similar are the sources in their views about the social bonds among residents in public housing?
- The similarities are that they are focusing on the people living in the HDB estate and the togetherness of the people. Source C says that the residents recognise one another and exchange greetings. This is what made the bond closer. On the other hand, Source D says that there is no community spirit as everybody has their own things to do.

Answers by : Sakinah & Masyita
Typed by : Syahirah

[Video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqkcPUREJYE]

We feel that it's just a misunderstanding between races and religions.
They should let Maria Hertogh decide who she wants to be with
if they really care about her happiness.
Fighting and rioting will not solve any problems.
It will just create more tension between both parties. Hence,
it'll worsened.
If they really want to settle it, they should be understanding
and patient.

July 21, 1964 Racial Riots
[source from http://www.littlespeck.com/ThePast/CPast-64riots-640721.htm]

Celebrations to mark the birthday of Prophet Mohammad were held throughout Malaysia. In many towns, it was a grand occasion. Various units of the armed forces, police, fire brigade and ex-servicemen for instance, participated in the celebrations at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

During the procession, at the Kallang area, some one threw a bottle at the procession. Tempers were frayed. When a federal reserve unit policeman asked the procession-marchers to stick to the route near the Kallang gas works at around 5 pm, he was attacked. Disorder quickly spread. By 6 pm, arson affected the Geylang area between Kallang and Geylang Serai, and cars were overturned. By 6.30 pm, clashes in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar were reported. At 6.45 pm, there were further reports of clashes at Arab Street and North Bridge Road junction. 50 injured people, mostly with head injuries, were treated at the Singapore General Hospital by 8.30 pm. The disorder was so great that many cinemas announced the cancellation of their 9.30 pm film screening. In the first day of rioting, 4 were killed and 178 injured.

Disorder spread to some other areas of Singapore in the next few days. 2 men were assaulted in the Upper Serangoon area at 9.15 pm on 22 July. Malay families living in Queenstown left their homes for fear of their personal safety. A dusk to dawn curfew was imposed island-wide to control the disorder on 23 July, and was only completely lifted on 2 August, 11 days later. 45 curfew breakers were jailed.With instability, the prices of food and provisions shot up during this period. All work had to cease for three days. Most important of all, fear was widespread. In all, 23 were killed and 460 injured.

Causes of the racial riots

Racial sentiments were aroused in Singapore in various ways. On 12 July 64 UMNO held a convention of about 150 Malay organisations in Singapore. It was chaired by Syed Jaafar Albar, secretary-general of UMNO in Malaya. He concluded that Malays in Singapore had not been treated fairly by the PAP government as they had not progressed in material terms. He urged the Malays to unite to overcome this unfair treatment.

There were more fundamental reasons why some prominent members of UMNO and MCA were eager to create social and racial tension in Singapore, and thus weaken PAP rule and reduce its political threat. Certain elements of UMNO were from the outset opposed to Singapore's merger with Malaya as Singapore had a large number of Chinese. These more extreme Malay nationalists within UMNO were also unhappy with the high profile adopted by Lee Kuan Yew, an ethnic Chinese politician, in the negotiation for Merger and the immediate period after Merger.

Relations between MCA and PAP were worsened by constant antagonistic public statements, of a political and personal nature. Such statements came thick and fast in the midst of the campaigning for the April 1964 elections in Peninsular Malaysia, when PAP contested unsuccessfully in the urban areas against MCA, in order to show that PAP was more useful to UMNO electorally than MCA. Tension was further raised when Tan Siew Sin, the federal Finance Minister, refused to implement the common market in Malaysia as agreed during the negotiations prior to the Merger, unless Singapore remitted 60%, instead of 40%, of her national revenue to Kuala Lumpur.

In the period from September 1963 to May 1965, there were 42 bomb explosions by Indonesian-directed saboteurs. After the racial riot on 21 July 1964, Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, condemned Indonesia as the possible agent behind the riots. However, the Indonesian saboteurs would not have been successful, if racial tension has not already been heightened.

Given Task :
Watch and Comment onthe following youtube link .
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLt1Gj2IhvQ)


Task A

Summary:

The video given was about Maria Hertogh Riots.
Generally,it is about the case of the custody of Maria Hertogh.Unfortunately,both her parents was held captive.Under the captive during the Japanese Occupation,Che Aminah had stand in as
Maria Hertogh's caretaker and had educated Maria Hertogh about Malay religion.
Maria Hertogh had converted to a Muslim and subsequently,changed her name to Nadra.
After which,Maria's parents came back and wanted the custody of Maria again.


Comments on video:
In our opinion,this case of Maria Hertogh riots is very complicated.We feel that there is too many people speaking up for Maria Hertogh and felt that Maria Hertogh should speak up for herself.She should be able to choose for what she wants.However,in the past,people of different races do not understand one another better and insisted on having riots due to some complications.In the end,many people got killed including the Eurasians and Europeans whereas this matter could be solved through the eyes of laws with justice and fairness.

ARTICLE SUMMARISED

Singapore went through racial or communal riots between Malays and Chinese over two five-day periods beginning on 21 July and 2 September 1964 respectively.

Events
When Singapore merged with the Federation of Malaysia. There was deep resentment that this was never part of the agreement for merger and would never be agreed by Singapore.

19 July 1964 :
Malay non-political leaders from organisations met Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Encik Othman Wok, to clarify the issue of the special rights for Malays.
At the meeting, Mr Lee promised that while every effort would be made by the government to train Malays for top positions in competition with non-Malays, the government would neither allow a special rights(licanse,jobs) for Malays. Meanwhile, on 21 July 1964 Muslims in Singapore would participate in a giant rally at the Padang on the following day to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.

20 July 1964 :
In response to Mr Lee, the 23-man Singapore UMNO Action Committee, a political organisation which claimed to speak for all Singapore Malays, called on him to use his time in curbing the secret society menace instead of splitting the Malay community. The State leader, Senator Ahmad Haji Taff who claimed that the meeting was an insult to the Malays. He defended by counter-charging that Mr Lee himself was trying to break the harmony and good relations between Malays and Chinese.

21 July 1964 :
Rioting broke out between chinese and the malays on the eve of the planned massive celebrations for Prophet Muhammad's birthday.It continued for five days.Curfew hours were imposed and was gradually relaxed by 2 August 1964.

2 September 1964 :
Racial tensions exploded once again when a Malay trishaw rider was stabbed to death at night. Rioting continued for another five days. 1,200 people were arrested for rioting and curfew-breaking. The curfew was lifted on 11 September.
Significance and ConsequencesThe racial riots were, were the worst and most prolonged in Singapore's post-war history.

Factors contributed to the outbreak of violence:
(1) to enforce their policy of Confrontation with the newly-formed Federation of Malaysia, a number of Indonesian activists had infiltrated into Singapore in attempts to arouse the religious fervour of the more fanatical Malays;
(2) Chinese Secret Society gangs seized the opportunity to stir up violence;

Author Lay Yuen Tan
Reeditted by us.

Hi there,fellow singaporeans and others!
Hope you liked the "singapore" background.
All thanks to our blog designer,syahirah!(:
This post is dedicated to the IPW Worksheet 1,
which is the very first task we are given to do so.
So,let's get the ball rolling!


The first worksheet is to list out appropriate behaviours
of a good team member.

Our answers are as follows:
teamwork, trust, tolerance, initiative, respect,
patient, responsible,sharing, cooperation and listening to each other

Of course, there are other good characteristics! :)
Alright, we shall end here for now.
Watch out for our next entry! :]

Hamizah and Syahirah was here :]

our team name is the SAR-VIVORS!
it consists of :

Masyita - our group leader
She will lead in any discussions and to make sure that the task is completed for marking

Siti Nur Hamizah - our secretary
She will be incharge of the group file and to keep track
of what we've been doing for this blog (something like a diary
that follows you around)

Sakinah - our timekeeper
She is to check the blog and remind team members about deadlines

Hamizah - our IT Coordinater
She is to help group members pose their reflections in an interesting manner in the blog

Syahirah - our Blog Designer
She is to set up the blog, get it ready for group members to pose their
reflections and discussions and see to overall presentation of the blog.

Syahirah was here (: