the /] He Bs oS 2 Ss a 3 ij $s cy Ss a z2 Lot a se € a a 4 ios ce) co a Es Ps reg ry & 9. a o sCONTENTS NUS STUDENTS’ POLITICAL ASSOCIATION Yusof Ishak House, Level 5 31 Lower Kent Ridge Road Singapore 119078, Website: www nuspa.org Email publications @nuspa.org The Diplomats a free biannual pubication ty the National University af Singapore Students’ Poitical Association (NUSPA), a ‘constituent club ofthe National University Of Singapore Students’ Union (NUSSU}. ‘The views and opinions expressed inthe articles inthis publication are those ofthe ‘writers and da not necessarily refiect the views and opinions held by NUSPA, For feedback or advertising inquiries, please contact us atthe above adress, ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION (1ST PRIZE) ‘Samuel Wang Shemg Young (Anglo-Chinese Junior Cllege) ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION (2ND PRIZE) Koh Choon Wee (NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION (3RD PRIZE) (Chan Chi Ling (Hwa Chong Institution (College)) AIRLINES, Cornelius Ang REDRAWING THE LINES: GERRYMANDERING IN SINGAPORE? Sivaraniani Suresh DRAWING THE LINE: PURE EQUALITY OR EXTRA HELP? Muhammad Faroug Osman & Hong Wee Keat BORDER LINES He Zhuo Jing PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR Fatimah Zahrah Alsagoft DEPUTY DIRECTOR Hong Wee Keat EDITORIAL, Chief Editor Fatimah Zahrah Alsagoft ‘Sub-Editor Comelius Ang Writers Comelius Ang Muhammad Faroug Osman He Zhuo Jing Hong Wee Keat Sivaranjani Suresh DESIGN Andrew Phua Fatima Zahrah Alsagott -04be ae. Bee CRED Be pape: Baitbarngo uk Pinas: ieligerixt, Benne pee ys bia Lines are everywhere, There are lines when we queue, on maps delineating, boundaries, and even in the less tangible divisions within society. Airlines connect us, even though borders divide. Lines can even become palitcal tools (gerrymandering during elections, anyone?). In art and architecture, ines are indispensable, In February this year, we held our annual Essay Writing Competition based (onthe theme of “Lines”, and here we feature our top three picks. Our own waiters, oo, had a goat interpreting the theme, and the result is here inthe pages of our 2nd issue This marks my last contribution to NUSPA as its Publications Director, and ‘as such there are a few people I wish to thank. First and foremost, I'm thoroughly indebted to my editorial team, Without you, and all yaur talent ‘and enthusiasm, none of this would have been possible! From the bottom of my hear, thank you, Of course | have to thank the 35th Management Committee, for being some the best, most amazing friends | have. Thanks for the support, 'm truly ever grateful (: To family and friends outside NUSPA, thank you too, for being there for me. Most importantly though, thank YOU, the reader, for the support and encouraging feedback we've had. It means a lot to us! We hope this instalment will make for an equally engaging read. FATIMAH ZAHRAH ALSAGOFF CHIEF EDITOR 7 ae Atedptonet | ssx2 Q3LANE eset WRITTEN BY SAMUEL WANG SHERNG YOUNG LINES- what are they? Are they just mere markings? Certainly not, since they have played important roles throughout the history of man. They have been used for centuries as boundaries which demarcate spheres of influence, from the Iron Curtain during the Cold War to the Great Wall of China in Ancient China. Lines have been used to demarcate boundaries and help feed @ basic human need for control, to divide and to mark one's terri- tory. Lines have also been a source of many con- flicts, the imaginary border that divides and isolates people from each other. On the other hand, lines have been useful for humans as @ form of hurdle to overcome and improve oneself. It helps satisfy the inquisitive nature of man to explore every frontier and ANGLO-CHINESE JUNIOR COLLEGE boundary, so as to gain enlightenment and personal satisfaction. Last but not least lines also indicate finality, a final boundary that must never be crossed but be continually respected. Such lines are not only boundaries in the physical world but also the metaphysical world, Hence the meaning of lines has evolved alongside man, leaving it barely resembling the simple marking it once was Lines have played a central role in starting conflicts , and causing human misery, either through the unfair division of boundaries and their resources or the separation of people from each ather. in the former it is a form of physical divide that affects the physical wellbeing and survival of people. Due to being deprived of needed resou IMAGE CREDIT Grunow, StockiXCHNG-10es, the livethood of these people will be threat- ened as they are unable to live on such meager resources leaving to face much physical hardship and suffering. While in the latter it is a form of emotional divide that creates mental anguish and emotional suffering for the people. It is @ form of social alienation that isolates men, it is analogous to 2 constrictor silently smothering a prey, social alienation is softly killing the humanity in humans. In both cases human suffering is. inevitable, whether itis explicitly seen in the starving body of infants or implicitly implied by the aura of apathy and bigotry permeating throughout modern society. To reduce such suffering, there must be a greater amount of social inclusiveness in society whereby we view each other as being part of one body. Depriving others of help would be tantamount to depriving oneself of help. The lines of divisiveness must be torn asunder so that humanity would be a united entity. Only then will we be more “altruis- tic’ in our dealings with others, as our relationship with them is mutual, if they suffer we suffer, if they prosper we prosper. Like most things of this world, there are two faces to the same coin, a positive and a negative. The positive implication of lines on society would be that it forms 2 boundary that can be challenged and pushed. In this sense lines metaphorically rep- resent established laws, regulations and cultural traditions, Would society flourish if it languishes under a system where there is no established order to criticize? Without the presence of such lines, we would have nothing to challenge and question. tt is through challenging and questioning that we can ultimately expose the hidden flaws in the established order. Only then can we bring about continuous systematic improvements to society, without continuous improvements, stag- nation and decadence would soon follow. In summary without anything to criticize there can be no critique, without critique there can be no improvement. Ethical lines must be drawn especially when it involves human life, the term the end justifies the means is @ dangerous one as it opens the doors to 2 lawless and amoral value system which values achievement at any cost. When we introduce such a baisser faire value system, we risk having 2 breakdown of modern society and the degeneration of cultural and moral values. What use is a civliza- tion if it is not civil? It is only when we draw certain ethical lines can we become a more progressive society, it provides a backbone which civil society can spring forth. However this does not mean that ethical rules are written in stone, we can criticize and improve ethical guide lines but we should ‘never abolish them. The meaning of lines are many, | choose to view lines from a more metaphorical perspective. Lines in general are still markings, however | do not view lines as a physical entity but instead as @ compo- nent of the human consciousness. It is a reflection of @ fraction of the nature of man, the need to separate, the need to question and the need for finality. Whenever we draw a line we are satisfying one of these needs; never has such 2 simple marking been more complex. m ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION: 1°" PRIZE dedpionet | ws OSFT WAS 2 acy oti aternoon and had just seen @ pigeon fly into the plastic door pane three times in rapid succession before falling onto the floor. Shocked, | opened the door for it and whistled pathetically trying to guide it out. Eventualy it did, and then | made my way to get my photocopies done. | stood ineffectually in the vicinity of Rinku-bhaiyya . the photocopy guy at college, as friendly class- mates came up and exchanged pleasantries with me, and then handed over their documents for photocopying before | can, despite my earlier arrival. Did they just cut my queue? | wonder in horror. | soon realize however that it is nothing personal. It just takes something more than temporal precedence to get things done here; the early bird has no prior right to service. With some aggression and thrusting | consequently manage to foist my notes on Rinku-bhaiyya. At the café, | stand politely for awhile before realising that there is no line, and then | push my way forwards and shout in my half-baked Hindi for chai and paneer rumali Back at hostel, | am reviewing my lessons for the day and recal @ class on feminism | had attended The teacher had radically evaluated the idea of sex sit @ natural acto a social act? The act of sex is not natural but social, she argues, for if it were natural why do we deem it inappropriate to have sex with one's parents, or with animals? The line of socal permissibity insidously shapes our ideas of morality and propriety; slowly | grow into an alarming consciousness of the socially constructed nature of our reality and values. Why is the brand of sanitary napkins called “Whisper”, why not “Scream and Shout Aloud"? | taok out a sanitary napkin and wrote “Love to Leak" on it with @ marker pen, and then stuck it on my door, Next morring the teacherin-residence of the hostel summons me and tells me | have crossed the line. This may be an all-female feminist college, but they have male cleaners working here, how Antu brother 6 ceetpionat | wsve2 would they feel about the pad on my door? It doesn't matter what | have learnt in the classroom, the real world and the classroom are separate and different. This teacher is a feminist too, who appar- ently does not wear @ bra for her cause. | wander if | should point out her hypocrisy, but decide to save the fight for another day. | run upstairs to remove the sanitary napkin, tocing the line. | wonder what her reaction would have been if | had stuca a diaper. That night we are going partying at a bar, and staying over at a classmates friend's place. It is an older friend, and she is married. Both husband and wife were dancing happily at the bar, and after partying we head over to their house. At their house husband and wife start screaming at eachIMAGE CREDIT bonvoyage, Wordpress.com my parents would, any ‘better’ than an unabashed display of how conjugal if really is? na way | had been inducted into ther trusted circle of familiarity; the yawning gap between guest and host is puled close here. The post-modern doughnut with the absent centre has deprived me of a standard by which to judge, the lines of what makes for accept- able behaviour are in flux LINES: ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION 2ND PRIZE od the brond of dart napkin called : "? Why ust" Lowam ond Ahaut “2 WRITTEN BY KOH CHOON HWEE NUS FASS Philosophy Major and South Asian Studies Minor other, fuck yous and whatnots. Husband hugs wife's female friend, and wife screams at him to stop touching her friend's ass. My classmate throws in a few words; Ibsenian tension mounts. | feel very awaward and out of place, as if thrust suddenly and inappropriately into the intimate private spheres of people | barely know. The next day my fiend asks me why | had been so quiet, and | told her that my parents never fight in front of guests. My friend assures me that it is normal; in india she says the lines between the private and the public spaces are hooey. Further, husband and wife love each other @ lot, fighting to an audience is just @ quirk Is pretending at normalcy in front of guests, lke Back at the Deck at NUS, | am queuing up at the popular Yong Tau Foo stall when | natice foreign exchange students puzzling over the double queue system - one line for picking the ingredients, the other for collecting your noodles. A kind NUS student explains the logic of the twa lines to them, ‘and they come to stand behind me, chattering ani- matedly to each other in some Scandinavian language. | think about the shifting shadow lines of culture and order that organise different societies, ‘and how despite the stumbles, there will always be a kindly, guiding whistle to follow, hopefully. m tedplomat | ssez 7IMAGE CREDIT weatherbox, Stock.XCHNG Os SV vege ree epee nts STS ess en Tg cy See ee Rom en eased ee eee eum tos Cece uae ae a independence thrust back upon itn 1965, and in one Pecan eae O8 ceedponee | ssue2 1 5 ee WRITTEN BY CHAN CHI LING HWA CHONG INSTITUTION (COLLEGE) eae RU ee ee Pe ac ra en homes, where sidewalks are spanking clean, with no eS R SOUSA Ue (aOR en ARR behind it must have surpassed Shakespeare in inge- PON cena ate a CR ROR EEN OOS ee mcm mc Coen ec a ORC Rec ad PR CRO eee oa PER UUs so Cod SU OR OC eR CC ee Cte mcaccsSTR CORR UCase eae RL Gee ems eee Rm ae nod renee ena eeu cet ~ emerged, and as, thus far, served us wel. Foreign investments came in, communications and transpor- SCH eR Te ecm COE RC Re ceca Various cultural backgrounds, English was made the fey language inthis play, cooking up a tasty rojak ~ Stee omc a cae RU ae ee LU et eS RS global stage for the years to come, and made the Singapore Story relevant to 2 wide international eines fen ea more ae ert eek en AOR gma eee they wear upon their countenance, uncertainty pervades. For in reality, no one dramatist holds the ener eee mu etc Cn ee a eee Se Ue ee gy of nation in the making that no dramatist can write Sear The fact of the matter is that Singapore began as @ tinderbox of social-economic conundrums. Initially faced with scarcely any natural resources to speak of, surrounded by a sea of green, and threading on thin racial ce, Singapore was embroiled in uncertain- ties. By a sleight of hand, leaders of the earlier gen- eration managed to brave the problems and obstacles to build a city with a strong foundation, eae meee Een remain resilient in the face of emerging challenges; we ae told that if we let our guard down and forget avr lines, the curtains will come down on us. We will lose aur edge and be swept away by tides of compe- tition. Tis is all part of our realty. Unlike Vivien Leigh, the planners of Singapore did not always know their lines ~ at times, they deliver them with reticence and cautiousness, at other times, with robust confidence. But they left no matters to Geen ec ena Standing at the genesis of a new decade, | cannot help but wonder: How will the next generation of DCCA cee remain unwritten, the Singapore Story awaits unfold- eee ecm a re aaa me ee eons award-winning performance for Singapore? Ce cu ace and Singapore may succeed in becoming a leading PO ecu cc Rs ame CTU CORE Rt ac nmr Sy Pd Ce aac cS willbe a place abound with creativity and innovation Dees een cea eee a cnc mea Ne ran Sn came Rca aS kT See mcrcd Cea DL ra en OL ene ase ec cm CeCe cc Ce ea ee fathers have worked so hard to weave in the hope of eam cm meme crend Perhaps the lines that demarcate differences will divide our society into itreconcilable fragments, pethaps seffinterest and instant gratification will Cee ee meee a com Der ea Es ae oar ce A ea Sd Smt nen ean nc ge inspiring happy-ever-after depends very much on the playwright, the dramatist, and the actors putting up ce CRORES en ea tedpionat sur QOLINES arent atways such straightor- ward things, least of all airlines. With an esti- mated 2.2 billion passengers per year, air transport today is what oils the gears of our economies and proudly sits on the pedestal of human achievement- enabling us to conquer physical distances and becoming a major force in modern globalization. However, with increased points of contact, conflict is bound to arise. And where there is conflict, there is politics, Hijacking of SQU7 On 26 March 1991 at 10.15pm, Singapore Airlines Flight SQ117 was hijacked by four passengers claiming to be from the Pakistan People’s Party. The Airbus A310 was carrying 118 passengers and 11 crew members from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. The four hijack- ers demanded the release of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto's husband, Asif Ali Zardari, (who is the current President of Pakistan). Much drama ensued and an ultimatum was given at 6.45am for the Singapore Government to meet their demands within 5 minutes, or 1 passenger would be killed every 10 minutes. At 6.47am, the green light was given to the commandos and at 6.50am, they stormed the plane and Killed all four hijackers- within 30 seconds. Much credit goes to the negotiating team for stalling time and for the commandos’ brave efforts. This incident gave Singaporeans the realisation that airlines aren’t insulated from events happening around the world. The prominence of Singapore's airlines and airport give them the potential to be used as bargaining tools in the world of terrorism. Direct ChinaT aiwan Flights Relations between the two countries have been tumultuous at best and occasionally even aggressive. However, in 2008, the evidence of economic interdependence has seen their relationship stabilize enough to witness the first direct flight between the two countries in 50 years. Nevertheless, the threat 10 ceetpionat | ssue2 AIRLINES WRITTEN BY CORNELIUS ANG of war always looms over China-Talwan ties. The flights between both countries were welcomed, with tion dance festivities held to commemorate them. A new path through the sky has opened, and is one more step towards ushering in a new era in cross straits relationships between the two ButishAcways Spikes Nothing can be fore infernally annoying than having your flight cancelled. So far this year, Unite, the trade union representing the BA cabin crew staged a series of strikes that led to the cancellation of fights, leaving thousands upon thousands of pas- sengers stranded, BA is an organization that hires tens of thousands of people. Having had three strikes this year alone and costing the airlines millions of pounds, the union is planning more industrial action if their demands are not met. BA has resorted to training voluntary members of staff as cabin crew to allow fights to continue. A large organization is vul- nerable to the collective movement of its members Costing an estimated US$10 million a day, an indus- trial action is a costly price to pay. a IMAGE CREDIT a-s-n, Stock.XCHNGdating ne Lines j Gerrymandering in Singapore ? WRITTENBY-SIVARANJANISURESH Singapore Electoral Facts: Parliament: Unicameral Singapore currently has a total of 23 constituencies: Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs): 14 Single Member Constituencies (SMCS): 9 There are altogether 2,311,582 electors on the current electoral registers. Tous Kah oR ‘be TES eos Rerees eS gn — en ee Source: Singapore Elections Department and ACEproect Until 1988: Members of the parliament were elected by universal and compulsory suffrage in SMCs. Population increases were accounted for by a proportionate increase in the number of seats available for contest After 1988: Amendments were made to the Parliamentary Elections Act, end a new system \ through which parliamentary seats will be contested for in the future. will be elected in SMCs while others will be elected through a “P. It was explained that the motive was to have better represe ment, since GRC groups should consist of a member | Since then, the number of SMCs pel of members in a group conte: ‘0 increase in the mirIn a recent parliamentary address, Sylvia Lim, the chairperson of the Workers’ Party of Singapore and the only Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NMP), charged that the People’s Action Party's (PAP) introduction of GRCs, combined with gerry- mandering, was a “double-whammy to secure its political power”. The ACE Electoral Knowledge system reported after ‘the 2001 General Elections (GE) that the opposition parties are often unable to field a full slate of can- didates, since they normally have fewer members, which makes it difficult to field competent teams: with the appropriate minority representations, Moreover, since the party that wins the mast votes in a GRC wins all five or six seats in the parliament, it has been conjectured that the introduction of the GRC system has led to subsequent elections producing a disproportionate seat allocation favouring the PAP. An illustration of this case in. point would be the fact that in the 2006 GE, while PAP received 66.6% of the total votes cast, it managed to capture an overwhelming 97.6% of the seats in the parliament. Over the last four general elections (excluding 2006 GE), the opposition has gained an average of 30% of the vote in contested seats, but this has led to only between 1.2 - 4.9% of the parliamen- tary seats. - Diane K. Mauzy, Electoral Innovation and One-party dominance in Singapore. Gerrymandering has also been routinely adduced as an unfair electoral practice aimed at dividing dis- approval to conquer a disproportionate number of parliamentary seats. Though boundary reviews before election have been customarily effectueted before elections in recent times, similar to th in various other democracies, there essential flaws in the a Firstly, as opposed to toral bound recommendations are immediately accepted by the government, without any discourse or endorse- ment in the parliament or oversight by the courts.or endorsement in the parliament or aver- sight by the courts. Lastly, the electoral boundar- ies are only published several weeks before an lection, hindering the opposition from adequately recruiting candidates and proposing slates in reviewed districts. These flaws compound to render the case to be one of unfair gerrymandering by the incumbent. The entire electoral boundary re-drawing process is completely shrouded in secrecy, chaired by the secretary to the Cabinet. There are no public hearings, no minutes of meeting published The revised boundaries are released weeks or even days before Nomination Day. The report makes no attempts to explain why certain single seats are retained, and others are dissolved, nar why new GRCS are created or old ones re-shaped. Voters have changed constituencies at successive elec- tions without moving a single step. Adam Road is now Tanjong Pagar, Serangoon Central is Marine Parade. Coincidentally, constituencies which showed strong opposition support are broken up. or merged with others. Today, we no longer have Eunos GRC or Cheng San GRC. ~ Sylvia Lim, NOMP Since 1963, the PAP has been a criti Singapore's a political, soe comfortable with the PAP monopolising the parliament. However, perceiving the far future, there is still a hundred-to-one shot of the system ailing, without the checks and balances present in a standard democracy The PAP has often argued that itis ready to accept ntation from the opposition partes if they possess the required fortitude and intellectual rigour, but through unfair electoral practices, it has only denied the opposition from adequately devel- oping beyond their means. A critical part of the development of robust opposition is indeed an adequate exposure and experience in governance- and parliamentary participation. The high performance standards that the PAP has set for itself and its prospective members are presently almost impossible to be measured up to by a still immature and disorganized opposition. However, it is only in the interest of the nation that. they are of equal exemplar. As such, these elec- toral practices exacerbate the situation for the opposition, alienating these parties further from effective governance, arguably even propelling ‘them towards biatant polarization of views. In the far future, there may still be this marginal presence of an opposition to the incumbent party, but because of its inexperience and lack of authority, it may falter too when there emerges a critical need for checks and balances in governance. Agreeing to the suggestion that having GRCs helped to recruit PAP candidates, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong remarked in 2006 that “without some assurance of a good chance of winning at least the first election, many able and successful young Singaporeans may not risk their careers to join politics.” Correspondingly, one may surmise that itis indeed the exact case for the opposition parties as well - Able and successful young Singa- poreans are equally required in the opposition parties for them to become as robust and effective as the incumbent. This reasoning is nat to suggest that the latter should give up seats for the opposition, which in effect would counter the workings of a true democracy. Rather, 2 possible approach would be to promote a fair and transparent electoral system administered by an independent commission, which would provide the opposition with lavenues and confidence to hone their Ronesteelectorel system would promot interestiand participation by opposition ihe penerehpublic, incre pore politics and da Wenouse parties Would have the same vested interest in national progress es the PAP does press Pauyewould “Aye Surmount to us facing “tier Iiapeing world and global structufes witl fenewed Spine and. perspective, coupled with a Selesiftient systenv of effective Governance. w,POsiTION N° 1: Profect the Judigenous’ WRITTEN BY MUHAMMAD FAROUQ OSMAN A RECENTLY concluded fact-finding mission in April led by UN Special Rapporteur on racism end xenophobia Githu Muigai recommended “special measures within clearly defined timelines...be taken to ensure that the educational interests of (Singapore) Malay students are protected and promoted’, citing the community's continued under- achievement in the field vis-a-vis its ethnic counter- parts. Acknowledging “historical inequalities” that have afflicted the group, Mr Muigai further pointed ‘out that the former have reared their ugly heads through the underrepresentation of Malays in the higher echelons of Singapore's civil service and judi- ciary. Furthermore, Malays continue to be barred from serving in strategic units of the armed forces ‘owing to their supposed ‘dubious loyalty’, as well as facing discrimination in the job market with regards to the Mandarin proficiency requirement, depriving them of potential income sources. It is therefore of ro surprise that the Singapore Malay community asa group has languished in the lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder even after 45 long years. The ‘Singapore Government has taken a rather defensive stance, arguing that “affirmative action..has been tried by many countries without notable success” Mr Muigai’s timely report surely warrants a fair and dispassionate appraisal if we desire a comprehen- sive and concerted approach in tackling this national issue. Implementing the UN expert's propasal for a “stimulus package” for Malays in the area of educa- tion does not entail dismantling our meritocratic system. Indeed, Singapore has been founded upon the ideological cornerstones of multiculturalism and meritocracy which have, inno small measure, con- tributed to fostering a sense of nationhood and pre- serving ethnic peace. However, too rigid an application of such an abstract concept is bound to have destabilising consequences in an increasingly stratified Singapore society, While meritocracy pre- supposes a level playing field where everyone has equal access to resources for developing their 14 cetplonat | ssve2 potential, in practice this remains a moot point. Those from low income households ae arguably disae- vantaged from the start in a system that legitmises lines of inequalities which have been strongly entrenched over generations due to their lack of cultural and socid capital Ths could signfcanty explain the ' generally low levels of educa- ee tional and income attainment of the Malay community as @ ™, whole that have been sus- tained for decades. Data from the Department of X vo Statistics reveals the = substantial disparity > between the average monthly — ‘ : mas income of Malays ($2200) and the median monthly income of all the other ethnic groups ($2743) in 2005. Clearly, in Singapore race“is highly correlated with class. There is therefore a need for some tempering of our brand of meri- tocracy, in view of this class-based ethnic cleavage which seems to affect Malays the most. In fact, the government has acknowledged the stratifying effects of meritocracy, albeit in a different context. Then DPM Lee Hsien Loong in 1998 recognised that “equal opportunities generate unequal coutcomes..in the absence of periodic shake-ups, these inequalities will become more marked" A deeper sociological analysis would reveal that ethnicity itself, independent of class is sufficient enough a factor to influence one's life chances. This is well-documented in many contemporary societies where ethnic minorities often face discrimination in many aspects of social life, such as housing alloca- tion and the job market or workplace. The major classical theorist of sociology Max Weber, in his treatise on class expatiated that social inequality is a “pluralist phenomenon” with ethnicity, among other factors like gender and age, a stratificationIMAGE CREDIT lockstockb, + Stock.XCHNG SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT PRACTICE PURE MERITOCRACY, OR SHOULD IT HELP OUT MORE WHERE NEEDED? OUR WRITERS ARGUE TWO DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON THE ISSUE system on its own. This is because the amount of social honour one receives could depend on his or her ethnicity which is ascrived at birth, A clear manifestation of this effect is the ideology of Malay cultural inferiority which suggests that Malays are ‘naturally’ indolent, complacent and in need of @ mindset change, ignoring structural factors that have contributed to their malaise. This has been alluded to in statements by government leaders and prominent members of the Malay community itself, serving to entrench such a stereotype. Cer- tainly, this must have played a part in the dispro- portionate share of Malays in PMET jobs It is undeniable that Singapore Malays have made tangible social and educational progress. However, we should be concerned more with relative than absolute gains. Undoubtedly, the government has @ duty to safeguard the interests ofthe “indigenous” Malay community, as in accordance with Article 152 of the Constitution. Neglecting this responsiblity would entail 2 contravention of the law. m tedplont | sse2 15VRITTEN BY HONG WEE KEA’ UN Special Rapporteur on racism Githu Muigai, visited Singapore on from 21 April to 28 April. He concludes that while Singapore is free from institu- tionalised — discrimination, certain affirmative measures could be taken to address the “historical inequalities” between the Malays and the other racial groups. | will argue that the affirmative action does not improve the position ofthe Malays in the long term Instead, affirmative action serves to entrench the clutch mentality of a community. | will compare the position between the Malays in Singapore and Malaysia. The Malay community in both countries have lagged behind other ethnic groups in educa- tion and economic achievement. Unlike Singapore, Nalaysia embarked on an affirmative policy known as the New Economic Plan in 1970. The NEP has failed to improve the economic position of the Malays, Far from raising the com- petitiveness of the Malays, NEP engendered a culture of rent-seeking and profiteering at both public and private expenses. The Malaysian news agency Bernama reported that well-connected indi- viduals sold permits for imported cars for a quick profit. Another aspect of NEP was the distribution of wealth of wealth to the Bumiputra through shares by the government. However, many bumiputres do not keep these shares, thereby accumulating wealth, but sold them shortly after- wards for quick profit. One of the objectives of the NEP was to “restruc- ture society’. Whereas the official interpretation of the objective is not to “abolish or change socio- economic relations between different economic classes’, in practice, it mainly seeks to increase bumiputra control of Malaysia's corporate wealth up to 30 per cent and ethnic proportion in the more highly-paid professional occupations. When NEP offically ended in 1990, bumiputra control of corporate wealth was at 19.4%. Ina recent article 16 cetpionat | ssue2 SOrUTION NO 2: Equal Slices forAll of the population holds around 40 per cent. Although bumiputra employment in the public sector outstrips their demographic share, they are stil under represented in the most lucrative profes- sions-medicine, accountancy and architecture Although Malays make up more than half ofthe total population, the number of Malay registered profes- sionals fall behind the Chinese. In 1998, whereas 42% of all lawyers were Chinese, the bumiputras make up 309 per cent. An overwhelming 70.2 per cent of accountants were Chinese as opposed to 152 per cent who were Malays. To be sure, the ‘vumber of Malays living in poverty has fallen during the NEP years. Nonetheless, they remain unrepre- sented in some of the lucrative occupations. Whereas Singapore has rejected weifare policies Malaysia has readily dispensed subsidies. Malaysian media reported recently the national debt stands at ‘54 per cent of Malaysia's GOP. Much of the debt comes from the massive subsidy bill at an unsus tainable 7¢ billion ringgit in 2009, or 12,900 ringgit (8$5451) per household. This figure makes 15 per cent of the 2009 national budget and raised the deficit to a 20-year high of seven per cent of gross domestic productOne of the consequences is Malaysia's decision to fank between 5th and 6th acrass 49 countries for abolish government scholarships for undergraduates mathematics and between 15th and 26th for to pursue their education overseas. The official justi- Science. M on the other hand, ranked 10th ion is to stop the brain drain and improve the and 20th place respectively quality of Malaysian universities. Such @ move serves to worsen the resentment and disappointm country’s best and brightest to their g Disheartened, they could take up Singapore Malays have fared better as opposed to Malaysian Malays. Singaporean Nala contin- ued to perform bet te being the minority in ther countries such as neighbouring Singapore, Singapore. Importantly, the leaders of Singapore do which eagerly attracts talents all over the world by not need to worry about an electoral backlash offering attr should they choose to abolish affirmative action citizenship. This ensures that the government can have a freer hand in deciding the best policies for the country. Things are different in Singapore, According to statis- ed in 2007, the number of Malays working a professionals rose from 1.9 per cent in 1980 to 46 per cent in 2005; the number of gerial and administrative fil fr to 2.4 percent in 2005. yming bel per than other educational s) ducation estir IMAGE CREDIT lockstockb, Stock.XCHNG tedplonat | ssue2 17IMAGE CREDIT Florence Print, florenceprints.com BORDER LINES WRITTEN BY HE ZHUO JING HOW STATE BOUNDARIES WERE a een IN 1035, mst Gombrich managed to tell the story of mankind, from the Stone Age to the the end of WWI. In his New York Times Bestseller “A Little History of the World” , the narrative of human civilization began in 3100BC in Egypt. The existence of humankind has proven to be much earlier than that, however, and Gombrich himself was curious as to how the first formations of a communi- ties developed into nations and the borders that surrounded them. How were the first state boundaries formed? To answer the question, we could go back in time to a point when the first states were established. Yet, countries are often in flux ‘over the centuries, changing identities and 18 cetpionat | ssu2 names across the same piece of geography. To establish a modern context, it would be better to trace the movement of present state borders over history to its origins The quest for the exact answer, however, may prove to be exceptionally difficult — impossible, even, without a working time machine — given the nature of historical records; we may never determine the identity of the first ever country. It could be the Ancient Egyptian empire, or even a cluster of villages populated by people with simple ethnic and language homogeneity A simple substitute exists by tracing history to the first country created under the modern nation-states system - a 17th centuryEuropean phenomenon. Under the Treaty of Westphalia, major European powers agreed to respect the principle of territorial integrity and established an inter-state system in 1648, laying down the foundations for the autono- mous theories of international law, where the principle of state sovereignty is, for the first time, a cornerstone of international order. Yet, this method is extremely myopic. Not only does it completely disregard the plethora of nation building events in the history of human civilization, it ignores the concept of nationalism — before the Westphalia treaty, nations, and the borders separating them, were already long established, fully formed with their own customs, traditions, identity and rules of society. The act of instating state boundaries and names does not mean the creation of a new country, merely establishing a new form of rule. The idea and concept of borders were evi- dently ingrained in humans much earlier than the 17th century. The idea of territoriality would have existed long ago, as far back as the first Neanderthals defending their dwell- ings from invasions. So really: how are borders formed? How do countries decide the locations of their boundaries? The most common and logical answer is geo- graphical in nature. Boundaries are often dictated by natural landscapes such as rivers, seas and mountain ridges, common in all con- tinents, Borders can also be decided by legis- lature or royal decree. For example, the borders of the great states of America were mostly drawn strictly in accordance to longi- tude and latitude, regardless of human differ- ences in culture or language. The partition of India in 1947 illustrates a more tragic example of the arbitrary demarcation of territory. The uninformed British creation of a single border gave birth to Pakistan from India, and resulted in the largest mass migration in human history, where hundred thousands lost their lives More often than not, borders are, simply put, created because they are the furthest points a group of men can go without reaching some form of resistance that cannot be conquered, natural (geographical landscapes) or man-made (a rival group of the same ability) The latter embodies the idea of contested ter- ritory and human landscapes, in which case boundaries are the result of some kind of human conflict. The borders of ancient empires, such as Greek and Roman for example, were ever-expanding, with armies in frontier wars with local tribes. In the 20th century, the border that separates North Korea from South Korea was formed as a result of the Korean War, similar to many other countries in war, The Chinese-India border was, for a time, in constant flux due to relentless skirmishes at the margin. The extents, and creation, of these boundaries were determined primarily by armed conflict stemming from international disagreements Fundamentally, borders are tools of differen- tiation; it draws a line that separates and seg- regates not only resources but also groups of people; nationalistic borders that coincide with ethnic, cultural or traditional boundaries not only serve to define who is to be included, but also, and often more significantly, who is to be excluded as well. In this case, borders were drawn to separate themselves from people who were deemed to have too little similari- ties. History is littered with such examples, the more modern ones being Israel and Kosovo achieving independence after long struggles over claims of religious holy land. Other ‘nations’, such as Cyprus and the Shan State in Northern Thailand have been less fortu- nate. The sharing of a common territory, language, economic life, religious habits and culture all organically make up a nation of people, and it is most likely this reason that constitutes the formation of the first ‘state’ boundaries (continued overleaf) Aedpbret | sse2 19However, the rationales for the drawing of a state border are never simplistic and the concept of borders is much deeper than it seems. Borders are hard to define because nathing is homogenous; culture and identity are never matters of black and white. Differ- ences lie along a complex and sophisticated spectrum — and choosing where to draw the line is always controversial. Things are more complicated when state borders are hotly contested, in a state of glacial violence and unrest. Lines are never static — and neither are the human landscapes they contain. m streetpainting IN perin’s Rosenthaler Platz this April a group of cyclists spilled 500 lites of water-based, environ- mentally-friendly paint onto the busy junction. Traffic (lke it or not) drove through the puddles of paint, spreading them into colourful lines. The result was this public piece of art. To see the artists in action, visit http:/painting.iepe.nev,