Singapore Tamil Youth Conference 2016 Manifesto NUSTLS Singapore Tamil Youth Conference 2016 Manif | Page 10

Issue 1: Representation of Minority Groups in the Parliament
Pre-Panel Discussion
1. Are our present representatives able to understand the problems that the community
faces?
• Good solutions are offered by them, however the context in which some solutions are
offered are not apt. It does not address the root problem.
• There is the issue of government coming up with ‘solutions’ based on what they think the
nation needs or thinks rather than what the people actually need or think.
• For example: LGBT issue – The reason the government didn’t accept it was in order to
preserve the Asian culture – but this is what the government thinks the issue is. The
government thinks allowing the rise of LGBT community will destroy Asian cultural norms
in the country. But government needs to understand what the community’s real concerns
are.
2. Do you feel the means for Tamil community to raise their views or concerns is
effective?
• Indian Youths predominantly voice their concerns through social media. They do not have
space to discuss controversial issues.
• Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons are conducted in an interracial
environment in school. Hence, it is difficult to bring up issues pertaining to the Indian
community.
3. Opinions on how the Little India Riot issue was handled by the government.
• This reactionary measure of banning the consumption of alcohol was like an “easy way
out” by the government and not addressing the root problem at hand. The government
could have done more to address the root problem i.e. The concerns of migrant Indian
workers such as troubles faced in adapting to Singapore, financial constraints. It is these
root problems that have caused the riot eventually as the migrant workers consume
alcohol as a means to relieve their problems.
• However, the ban may be perceived to be effective in the sense that migrant workers’
voice, concerns and needs got surfaced as a result.
Issue 1: Representation of Minority Groups in the Parliament
PAGE 10