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(1) one of the reasons that has cause a surge in xenophobia has been the false accusations upon the Chinese locals since the COVID-19 virus originated from China.
(2) whlist, covid-19 remains as one of the main aspect to surge xenophobia towards the chinese. Asians are also discriminated in countries where they work as migrant workers.
For eg.

" Chinese parent received an e-mail which said that "our Kiwi kids don't want to be in the same class with your disgusting virus spreaders".

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In the light of the numerous articles reporting cases of xenophobia globally, I was left wondering why Singapore is an exemption in the wave of negativity.

We see Americans discriminating against the Chinese, whom they blame for Covid-19 ( Growing wave of racism and hate crimes as virus spreads, April 27).

The Chinese have similarly discriminated against Africans ( In China, Africans bear brunt of discrimination as focus turns to foreigners, April 27).

Environmental historian Carl Zimring told The Straits Times that the bigoted idea that immigrants are dirty has its roots in history; that "the stigma of 'dirty work' extends fears of the dirt the workers handle with the workers themselves".

Singaporeans are aware that foreign workers are the ones doing the "dirty work" in the country, from handling our waste to building the flats and skyscrapers where we live and work.

Yet, I am proud that Singaporeans have bucked the trend of being discriminating.

This, I feel, boils down to the responsible leaders who publicly condemn discriminatory comments published, the journalists who help report and raise awareness of the conditions that migrant workers here face, and the commendable actions that some noble Singaporeans - such as National University of Singapore graduate Sudesna Roy Chowdhury, who created a website to help healthcare staff communicate with Bangladeshi workers - have taken.

Singapore's leaders have emphasised the need for unity and solidarity in times of crisis such as this; to not point fingers but to come together.

Singapore's leaders have emphasised the need for unity and solidarity in times of crisis such as this; to not point fingers but to come together. This may be the difference between Singapore and other countries where discrimination is prevalent.

This may be the difference between Singapore and other countries where discrimination is prevalent.
Lao Jing Hui

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Forum: Why xenophobia is kept at bay here

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In the light of the numerous articles reporting cases of xenophobia globally, I was left wondering why Singapore is an exemption in the wave of negativity. We see Americans discriminating against the Chinese, whom they blame for Covid-19 ( Growing wave of racism and hate crimes as virus spreads, April 27).

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(3) Political tolerance has increased steadily over the years most notably in the two latest generations,Millenials and  Gen Z.Compared to previous generations such as the Baby Boomers political intolerance was the norm rather than tolerance this is largely due to the climate of the world during that time with the worlds combat against second rate political ideologies such as Communism and Fascism which has largely contributed to their inability to tolerate opposing political views.The difference between baby boomers and the newer generations is the presence of the internet.The internet was invented on the year 1983 by Mr Tim Berners-Lee. Meaning that it has been around for the entire lives of the latest generations which can be accounted for the increase in political tolerance.The internet allows access to a vast array of different information increasing exposure to others and their views that has been brought about by the Internet and other information and communication technologies.The Internet has broadened the scope of public debate, by giving a voice to those who had previously been marginalized by media-political elites. The gains for political pluralism have been enormous.This increased information and exposure gave individuals a larger perspective on the world around them and of the different political agendas forming a political tolerance that has never been noticed before in human history-Williams

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(3) Political tolerance has increased steadily over the years most notably in the two latest generations,Millenials and  Gen Z.Compared to previous generations such as the Baby Boomers political intolerance was the norm rather than tolerance this is largely due to the climate of the world during that time with the worlds combat against second rate political ideologies such as Communism and Fascism which has largely contributed to their inability to tolerate opposing political views.The difference between baby boomers and the newer generations is the presence of the internet.The internet was invented on the year 1983 by Mr Tim Berners-Lee. Meaning that it has been around for the entire lives of the latest generations which can be accounted for the increase in political tolerance.The internet allows access to a vast array of different information increasing exposure to others and their views that has been brought about by the Internet and other information and communication technologies.The Internet has broadened the scope of public debate, by giving a voice to those who had previously been marginalized by media-political elites. The gains for political pluralism have been enormous.This increased information and exposure gave individuals a larger perspective on the world around them and of the different political agendas forming a political tolerance that has never been noticed before in human history-Williams

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Evidence:can be seen from the rise of support of listening to other different groups from the 1980s

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Increasing Xenophobic sentiments and intolerance for foreigners has been an upward trend for eons now. While colonialism in the past was a major expression of these sentiments, in today's times communal violence propagated through far-right nationalistic views seem to take its place. Germany is a prime example of this phenomenon, with scores of attacks on foreigners being on the rise since 2015. When  many people in a synagogue in Germany were attacked by Stephan Balliet, it almost seemed like an ironic repetition of Germany's past. However, when juxtaposed wit the rise in right-wing nationalism in Germany, the power of division becomes quite clear.

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German synagogue attack suspect starts trial with racist rant

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Stephan Balliet, 28, is accused of shooting two people dead after failing in his attempt to storm a Jewish place of worship in the city of Halle.

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1) Racist and xenophobic incidents have increased especially since the spread of Covid-19 around the world, many of them centered on the stereotypes that immigrants have poor personal hygiene and strange eating habits.
2) A Singaporean student was attacked in UK by two teenagers , with one of them stating, "I don't want your coronavirus in my country."

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SINGAPORE - The London Metropolitan Police said on Friday (March 6) that they have arrested two teenagers linked to the coronavirus-related racist attack on Singaporean Jonathan Mok in London on Feb 24.

The police said in a statement that they arrested a 16-year-old boy on Wednesday and a 15-year-old boy on Thursday, and continued to appeal for the public's help in identifying two other suspects.

This comes two days after Scotland Yard released photos of four male suspects involved in the case, which they described as a "racially aggravated assault".

The 16-year-old boy has been released but remains under investigation, while the 15-year-old is out on bail until later this month, the London Metropolitan Police said.

On Tuesday, Mr Mok, 23, opened up about the attack, which took place in Oxford Street near the London Underground's Tottenham Court Road train station, on Facebook.

The law student at University College London said he heard a group of young people say "coronavirus" as he walked past them at about 9.15pm.

When he turned to face the group, he was punched in the face, with one of the suspects saying "I don't want your coronavirus in my country" before the group fled.

The incident resulted in Mr Mok having to go for facial surgery that is expected to take place later on Friday, reported Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao.

Since Mr Mok's Facebook post on the incident on Tuesday, the case has prompted many to voice concerns over coronavirus-related racism, with the post garnering 67,000 reactions and shared more than 41,000 times.

The London Metropolitan Police continued to appeal for the public's help in identifying two other suspects. PHOTO: LONDON METROPOLITAN POLICE

On Wednesday, the Singapore High Commission in London said on Facebook that it was "deeply disturbed" by the attack and recognised its "broader implications" given the large Singaporean community in Britain.

It also promised to ensure that the London Metropolitan Police "follow through with their investigation with the utmost priority".

"(We) do not believe that the assault reflects the majority view of the British people in particular towards Singapore, given the close and special relationship between the UK and Singapore," the High Commission added.

British High Commissioner in Singapore Kara Owen said in a tweet on Tuesday that she was "shocked and saddened by the attack", and wished Mr Mok a speedy recovery.

Since the onset of Covid-19 - the disease caused by the coronavirus which broke out late last year in China - ethnic Chinese students have reported an increase in cases of discrimination overseas.

Some have said they are shunned in public spaces just for wearing face masks, while others said they have had to bear the brunt of virus-related jokes among their peers.

In more serious cases, these confrontations become physical.

Mr Mok said in his Facebook post: "Why should anyone, simply because of the colour of their skin, be subjected to abuse, in any form, verbal or physical? Why should I keep quiet when someone makes a racist remark towards me.

"Racism is not stupidity - racism is hate. Racists constantly find excuses to expound their hatred - and in this current backdrop of the coronavirus, they've found yet another excuse."

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London police arrest 2 teenagers linked to Covid-19 racist assault on Singaporean student

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SINGAPORE - The London Metropolitan Police said on Friday (March 6) that they have arrested two teenagers linked to the coronavirus-related racist attack on Singaporean Jonathan Mok in London on Feb 24. The police said in a statement that they arrested a 16-year-old boy on Wednesday and a 15-year-old boy on Thursday, and continued to appeal for the public's help in identifying two other suspects.

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1) It is said that greater social acceptance has come as a result of more people ages 18 to 35 knowing someone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender as well as the efforts of high profile public figures. A large majority (70%) says individuals simply knowing someone who is LGBT has  helped  a lot in terms of making society as whole more accepting.
2) An IPS survey  from 2018 showed that about half of those ages of 18 and 25 did not frown upon sex between adults of the same sex.
While people aged 65 and above, only 10 percent said that gay was not wrong

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Singapore society still largely conservative but becoming more liberal on gay rights: IPS survey

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The findings are part of a wider Institute of Policy Studies survey on race, language and religion. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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1.

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(i) There has been articles that are made over the recent years to share the stories of people with autism,dyslexia, and even people who are physically handicapped. Although  they have been labelled a minority, there has been greater inclusivity over the past years. The reasons can be that there are more people being aware that they exists in our society, more people helping, more confrontation with the needs of the disabled.
(ii) The government has a lot of initiatives dedicated to people with special needs. Community help is readily available and there are sufficient platforms where handicapped people can also build greater social connections with diverse groups, in the app MiFinder.

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SINGAPORE - People with disabilities will be given additional help to better integrate into the workforce, and their caregivers will also receive aid, the Government announced on Monday (Feb 20).

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the Government's third Enabling Masterplan - a five-year national plan for supporting this group - in his Budget 2017 speech.

His speech also touched on initiatives to help those with mental health conditions, as well as more support for community sports and cultural causes.

Here are seven things to know about the new initiatives.

1. Disabled persons and their caregivers included in three-pronged plan

The third Enabling Masterplan will take a three-pronged approach towards taking care of the disabled: Employment support, caregiver support and an increase of spending on initiatives to support those with disabilities.

The Government will spend about $400 million per year on initiatives supporting people with disabilities.

2. More can access training programmes as part of job preparation

Currently, only higher-functioning graduands from Special Education schools are matched to special training programmes as part of job preparation.

Under the additional employment support announced in the Budget speech, those with moderate intellectual and multiple disabilities will also have access to these training programmes.

3. A Disability Caregiver Support Centre will be set up for caregivers

Caregivers will also be given support under Budget 2017. A Disability Caregiver Support Centre will be set up to support caregivers.

Caregivers can visit the centre for information, planned respite, training and peer support groups.

The centre will also work with Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) to pilot programmes for caregivers of newly diagnosed people with disabilities.

4. Mental health services to be available at polyclinics

It will be easier for those with mental health issues to get care, as mental healthcare services will be provided in polyclinics.

VWOs will be tapped on to set up more community-based teams to help those in need, as well as increase public education on mental health issues.

The Government will spend an additional $160 million in the next five years on mental health issues.

5. More Dementia Friendly Communities to be set up

In 2016, the Ministry of Health launched Dementia Friendly Communities in Hong Kah North, Macpherson and Yishun. The communities are home to networks of residents, businesses and services trained to look out for and help those with dementia symptoms.

More such communities will be set up. The National Council for Social Services will also lead efforts to integrate those with mental health issues into the workplace and in society.

6. More than $50 million set aside to support community sports

More than $50 million has been set aside to support community sports. The Sports-In-Precinct Programme, which allows Singaporeans to play sports near their homes, will be expanded.

The SportCares Programme, which encourages disadvantaged young people to discover their strengths through sports, will also be expanded.

An additional $50 million in grants will also be committed over five years, to help aspiring athletes.

Another $50 million will be provided to match sports donations dollar-for-dollar.

7. Government to top up Cultural Matching Fund dollar-for-dollar

Other than sports, cultural activities such as visiting museums and attending performances will receive a boost in funding.

The Cultural Matching Fund, which currently provides dollar-for-dollar matching for donations to cultural institutions, will be topped up by $150 million.

Since the fund was implemented in 2014, about $150 million has been committed.

Donations to arts and heritage causes have more than doubled.

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Singapore Budget 2017: 7 things about Budget plans for disabled, mental health issues

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SINGAPORE - People with disabilities will be given additional help to better integrate into the workforce, and their caregivers will also receive aid, the Government announced on Monday (Feb 20). Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the Government's third Enabling Masterplan - a five-year national plan for supporting this group - in his Budget 2017 speech.

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(i)In the workplace, rising xenophobia stems from the fear of immigrants taking up better paying jobs, the feeling of being unequally treated, indirect favouritism, or giving privileges based on one's race or nationality.  On a broader level, it can stem from negative stereotypes portrayed by media, such as Chinese people being 'nerds' or even bad experiences with that particular race.
(ii) A survey by Singapore’s government-linked Institute of Policy Studies released this year showed that over 30 per cent of citizens and permanent residents felt that nationality-based prejudice had risen over the past five years.

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A man carries a poster which translates from the Malay language to English as "Singaporean can't take it!" as he gathers at a May Day protest in Singapore, callling for tighter curbs on the influx of foreigners. Photo: AP

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Singapore activists warn of surging xenophobia as foreigners take the blame for social ills

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A man carries a poster which translates from the Malay language to English as "Singaporean can't take it!" as he gathers at a May Day protest in Singapore, callling for tighter curbs on the influx of foreigners. Photo: AP

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(1)Racism has always been prevalent globally whether it be 50 years ago or now, often due to the fixation on differences such as race, religion or even genetic origins. However, recent rising levels of xenophobia or anti-sentiments of foreigners indicating growing intolerance, seems to mainly stem from the fear of 'others' taking over 'us'. Be it in job opportunities, education qualifications or living spaces within a country. Therefore, government policies for allowing an increasing number of foreigners into the country may very well be the main driver of rising xenophobia and anti-foreigner sentiments. (2)The evidence is evident through how in Singapore, anti-foreigner sentiments dominate Internet chatter, so much so that “foreign trash Singapore” has become a Google auto-fill option. Link:

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(1)There is a globally rising trend on the emphasis of acceptance (a big portion often linked to sexuality and race) and the idea of embracing oneself and their differences, especially prevalent on the Internet and social media. As a vast majority of people on the Internet spending the most number of hours tend to be aged between 18-35 in today's society, people between these ages are the ones with the most exposure and confrontations with such topics. Hence, this is one of the major factors which further promotes them to be mainly more accepting and at times even encouraging of embracing the inclusion of  the LGBTQ+ community. (2)The evidence can be seen from a poll by the National University of Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies found that nearly 15% of 60- to 64-year-olds saw nothing wrong with gay marriage in 2018, up from 11.4% among 55- to 59-year-olds in 2013. Meanwhile a majority of 25- to 29-year-olds asked in 2018 did not oppose adoption by gay couples. Link:

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SINGAPORE -- Singaporeans will elect a new parliament on July 10 and Pride Month has just ended, but politicians have been virtually silent on an issue of profound importance to the city-state's LGBTQ+ community and its allies -- Section 377A of the penal code.

The High Court disappointed the community in March when it dismissed challenges to the colonial-era law, which bans male homosexual intercourse, ruling that it was for lawmakers and not the judiciary to determine issues of public morality. Now, activists note that neither the governing People's Action Party nor the major opposition parties mention the matter in their manifestos.

The silence "reflects the sad state of representation in the politics we have," said Jean Chong, co-founder of Sayoni, a rights group for queer women. "Candidates are not representing the concerns and issues of their constituents."

Few political parties in Singapore have a clear, homogenous view on gay rights. While Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said he is prepared to live with the "uneasy compromise" of having an anti-gay sex law that is not actively enforced "until social attitudes change," several junior PAP parliamentarians have called for decriminalization.

The Workers' Party, the largest opposition group, has said it would not call for repeal because there was no consensus within its leadership. Tan Cheng Bock, the head of the new Progress Singapore Party, has said that he does not support the criminalization of homosexuality but it is not clear if that reflects his party's stance. The PSP did not respond to a request for comment.

And while the Singapore Democratic Party, arguably the opposition group with the strongest emphasis on civil rights, has previously stated its support for equality, candidates notably avoided addressing the subject despite repeated questions during a recent "Ask Us Anything" session on the website Reddit.

Nonetheless, the issue remains relevant to a significant number of people in the nation of 5.7 million. There is no widely accepted estimate on the size of the local LGBTQ+ population. Using other countries as a guide -- about 3% of Canadians, for instance, identify as homosexual or bisexual -- suggests Singapore's number could be about 171,000.

Ong Ye Kung, the education minister and a member of the PAP's "fourth generation" of leaders, said in 2018 that there was no discrimination against gay Singaporeans through work, housing or education policies. But special public housing privileges are granted to heterosexual couples and there is no explicit law protecting LGBTQ+ employees from being fired due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

"Politicians and civil servants call [to wait for] an evolution in views, but if you're looking at it from a rights-based approach, the situation doesn't need to evolve," said Braema Mathi, a former lawmaker who is now honorary secretary of Maruah, a rights group.

Last month, LGBTQ+ activists held the 12th edition of the annual Pink Dot gay rights rally -- which has previously drawn crowds of around 20,000 -- online due to the coronavirus pandemic. They faced pushback from social conservatives, whose petitions calling for viewing restrictions received over 35,000 signatures but were ultimately unsuccessful.

Activists have tried raising awareness during the election campaign. Sayoni, for instance, recently released a controversial scorecard grading politicians on their friendliness to the community. It awarded the top spot to K. Shanmugam, the law minister who has defended the political status quo, in part because he has warned of punitive action against perpetrators of violence against gays.

"I'm aware that the bar is incredibly low," said Chong. "We cannot rely on political parties to support us. The focus should be holding politicians accountable for what they're doing and saying."

There is some evidence that being supportive of gay rights does not translate well at the polls. In the runup to the last election in 2015, social media posts falsely alleged that the Workers' Party had a pro-gay manifesto that would lead to persecution of social conservatives.

"Anecdotally, that nearly caused them to lose a major constituency," said Terence Lee, a Singapore politics expert at Murdoch University in Australia who saw the posts. "There are warning signs for opposition parties to stay away altogether."

In Asia, recent advances for gay rights have largely been achieved away from the ballot box. An Indian law banning male same-sex intercourse was struck down by the country's Supreme Court in 2018, and gay marriage was legalized in Taiwan by its highest court despite a referendum defining marriage as between a man and a woman. A top court in Hong Kong, a city Singapore often benchmarks itself against, ruled in 2018 that married same-sex couples had rights to spousal visas.

The most prominent non-gay supporters of Singpore's LGBTQ+ community tend to be elite professionals. These include Tommy Koh, a public intellectual and former ambassador to the United Nations; Walter Woon, who was previously attorney general; and business magnate Christina Ong, who is Singapore's second wealthiest woman.

"These are people who have seen that the sky didn't fall down when [other countries] started becoming more inclusive," said Lee, who believes repeal of Section 377A will likely only happen when a prominent current member of government speaks out.

There are signs of limited progress. The challenge to Section 377A is being appealed, though a date has not been set. Activists also say that there has been a discernible change in the public mood over the past decade.

A poll by the National University of Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies found that nearly 15% of 60- to 64-year-olds saw nothing wrong with gay marriage in 2018, up from 11.4% among 55- to 59-year-olds in 2013. Meanwhile a majority of 25- to 29-year-olds asked in 2018 did not oppose adoption by gay couples.

"In the past, there was always an argument about LGBT [acceptance not being compatible with] Asian values but Taiwan has gay marriage now," said Chong. "Singapore previously always talked about Confucian values, but you don't see politicians making that kind of argument any longer."

She also said that issues like the bullying of LGBTQ+ students in schools were being addressed more seriously.

Rising religiosity could still pose a headwind. The number of adult adherents to Islam and Christianity rose 49.5% from 2000 to 2015, from about 736,000 to nearly 1.1 million, government statistics show, outpacing a broader 30% increase in the overall number of adults. Institute of Policy Studies researchers noted that monotheistic faiths tend to emphasize the authority of religious texts, and leading Christian and Muslim groups in Singapore have both called for the continued criminalization of male homosexual intercourse.

Murdoch University's Lee believes substantive changes are at least another five to 10 years away, adding that he can see a future government arguing that Singapore has successfully preserved the traditional family unit so well that same-sex couples are not perceived as a threat.

"Make no mistake, a shift will happen," Lee said. "I just hope I'm not a very old man by that time."

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Singapore LGBTQ+ citizens find few clear allies on election slate

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SINGAPORE -- Singaporeans will elect a new parliament on July 10 and Pride Month has just ended, but politicians have been virtually silent on an issue of profound importance to the city-state's LGBTQ+ community and its allies -- Section 377A of the penal code.

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There are however signs of rising xenophobia and anti-foreigner sentiments indicating growing intolerance [what drives this/reasons? what evidence is there?]

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Greater tolerance of alternative political viewpoints and among Generation Z  (born after 1995) and Millennials (those born after ~ 1980)[what drives this/reasons? what evidence is there?]

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Greater tolerance and even strong push for acceptance of the LGBTQ community, particularly among those in the 18-35 age group [what drives this/reasons? what evidence is there?]

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Greater inclusivity and acceptance towards the mentally and physically disabled [what drives this/reasons? what evidence is there?]

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(1) INSTRUCTIONS: CLICK PLAY on the VIDEO below

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(1) INSTRUCTIONS: CLICK PLAY on the VIDEO below

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RESEARCH any 2 areas. ADD NEW POST (click the plus sign) for each area (your choice) park the post underneath the coloured post-its to answer:

(1) what drives either growing acceptance or intolerance - research reasons

(2) what evidence is there. You should state the evidence, and link the news article, video etc. Click the hyperlink (paperclip)