n incident that irks me till today
About 1.5 years ago, I was asked to go for Reservists training. On the day I reported, the captain of my platoon decided to brief everyone in Chinese. As a non Chinese personnel who has been constantly been put in this position, it came natural to me to stay quiet whilst the entire briefing was in progress and to later ask ard on what was discussed. However halfway through his briefing, he suddenly noted my presence and said “Wah, now I need to repeat everything in English; why is it you never study Chinese? Then easier to understand right?”
Number one: Common language spoken in Singapore is English
Number two: We are from the Singapore Armed Forces; his logic would have been fair if we were representing the Chinese, Taiwanese or any other armed Forces that spoke Chinese
Sadly, oppressed me decided to giggle on that statement whilst the rest laughed out (to note, I was the only non Chinese in the room and potentially the only one in the brigade I was attached to).
Till today it still bugs me; why didn’t I say something back? Yes common answers from someone like the Captain would have been something along the lines of “Why so sensitive?” or “Just joking what?”. But racist behaviour is racist behaviour! And that statement was indeed a racist one to make.
Well he had something to ask me a few days later; but that’s a story for another day.
Here are what netizens think:
- He didn’t notice your presence mah.. I believe he would spoken English had you made your presence known.
- Next time you are the boss of him, you can do the same thing.
- Encik are known to be excused brain.
- When i was in bmt, when the sergent speaks in chinese, the non chinese recruits will say, ” channel 5 hor/leh/laa.”