Reading Aloud Practice 1

Social Media is the greatest threat to racial harmony in Singapore. Do you agree?

'The ease of making spontaneous comments and remarks can also inadvertently cause us to be much more impulsive in our reactions. Insensitive remarks expressed by an individual or minority can ignite much angst,' Mr Chan Chun Sing, the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, in 2011, said.

Differences in perception among different racial groups can also affect Singapore and cause conflict. Members of a particular racial group may see actions taken by another race to be damaging to them and this will lead to anger, suspicion, hatred and conflict. Irresponsible media reporting can also lead to the wrong conclusions by a particular racial group and cause tension. 
An example of this was the racial riots of 1964.  In wanting to win the support and votes of the Malays in Singapore, UMNO leaders began to spread rumours which led to suspicion between the Malays and the Chinese in Singapore. The UMNO leaders used the resettlement plans as an issue and the Malays were led to believe that they were being discriminated and chased out of their traditional homes by the PAP which consisted of mainly Chinese. This resulted in a racial riot in 1964.
As a result of the racial riots, there were deaths and destruction to property, social tension, fear and suspicion between the two racial groups and the government had to take steps to explain the misconception and bring about understanding between the two groups in order to restore harmony in society.
However, social media can still be put to good use if people use it to spread positive messages and unite one another.

'We must remember not to plant stakes on the ground to circumscribe others' actions. We must constantly work to enlarge and defend the common space that we all enjoy today,' he said.

An increasingly globalised economy such as Singapore's will also result in intense interaction with different races, religions and cultures due to the inflow of foreign workers, new immigrants and even tourists. This, will be a test of our social fabric.

LimMingHui9909