~May Your Light Shine :D~

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

woohoo! im no longer a freshie! well that is if i pass all my papers (praying hard). wasn't planning to make a comeback post like this. but i'll just put it up while i fix my tagboard.

Oh… I have got to write this down. I seriously can’t believe some Aussies, and to say the least, I am proud to be Singaporean.

Now its not the public transport system, even though the efficiency and pricing system still leaves much to be desired. But its about something else, something bigger.

Last Sunday, I was watching this news programme and it was about Islam in Australia. It seems that Muslims do not feel accepted here and they are treated differently even though they may be born and bred in Australia cuz they dress differently and have unusual names.

I just saw this on another programme - some people were complaining about how having the Halal sign on Nestle products (e.g. KitKat) to state that it is ok for Muslim consumption, is damaging the packaging. WHAT THE?

Let me quote the guy, “ I do not think we ought to…. For the sake of the minority…” Oh for goodness sake, its just a small symbol, not as though you can’t see the word KitKat anymore, or its preventing us from reading the nutritional value of the chocolate bar. Its not just some ordinary people off the street, certain big businessmen feel the same.

I am not a Muslim, but I am still deeply offended by what that guy said. He even said it shouldn’t be like that, not in 2006. HELLO! Are you living in the 18th century when the whites were colonial rulers? It is exactly because that we are living in the 21st century that we ought to be respecting the rights of the minority and try to accommodate each other. Especially in times like this, to prevent any more misunderstandings between cultures. And seriously, how does having the Halal sign change things? Is it because the symbol offends you? Why should it, when it doesn’t apply to you? It is simply so that Muslims can buy the product, knowing that they are not breaking any religious laws by consuming it.

Now in Singapore, I believe that every product that is Halal has the symbol to show it. I do not even notice it, unless I am having a party and having some muslim friends over. It is hardly detrimental to the design of the packaging and you throw the packaging away after consuming the product anyway. Who frames it up you tell me?

It is truly sad that there are people whose horizons are so small, never understand what it feels like to be a minority or to even be considerate to the minority. Maybe its because Singapore has been so cautious about racial harmony that I have such strong views. However, the minority, not just applies to race and religion, it could also apply to the disabled. Now Australia has done pretty well in that area, and Singapore has much to learn (just thinking about that guy who complained about the lifts at mrt stations being a waste of resources is enough to make my blood boil).
At the heart of this, I believe is the difference between knowledge and ignorance. People are insensitive when they do not understand the reason behind certain things. So I guess, it is important to educate others about sparing a thought for people who are different from themselves. Meanwhile, God please help me love those idiots…

Lydea blogged at 1:07 AM

May your light shine...
in the darkness...