What's Crave Nasi Lemak Got To Do With The CMIO Model?
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the complexities of racial and cultural identity in Singapore, particularly through the lens of a multi-racial family. It touches on the challenges of being perceived through a singular racial lens, despite one's diverse heritage, and the evolving understanding of what it means to be Singaporean. The conversation also delves into the relevance of the CMIO model in a diverse society, the importance of meritocracy in politics, and the potential pitfalls of tokenism in representation. The speaker advocates for a more nuanced approach to identity and representation, emphasizing the need for systemic change rather than mere concessions.
Takeaways
- 🍚 The speaker discusses the fusion of cultures in food, mentioning a traditional Malay dish being adapted with Indian basmati rice and a sambal that incorporates Indian and Japanese flavors.
- 🤝 The speaker identifies as an Indian Muslim but has a Chinese partner, highlighting the multi-racial nature of their personal and professional relationships.
- 🏙️ There is a critique of the CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others) racial model in Singapore, suggesting it is outdated and does not reflect the reality of Singapore's diverse and mixed-race population.
- 📝 The speaker's identity is complex, with a Filipino mother and an Indian father, and they express the frustration of having to explain their mixed heritage, especially in official documentation.
- 👥 The speaker's family is described as 'UNESCO', indicating a rich diversity with members from Sri Lankan, Chinese, Swedish, and Malay backgrounds.
- 👶 Growing up in a multi-racial family, the speaker sometimes questioned their own identity, especially when faced with assumptions from others based on their appearance.
- 🎭 The speaker talks about the evolving representation in the media, where they have been cast in roles originally intended for a different ethnicity, showing a shift towards more inclusivity.
- 🏛️ There is a discussion on the importance of meritocracy in politics and the speaker's belief in avoiding tokenism, advocating for systemic changes to ensure fair representation.
- 🗳️ As a Member of Parliament, the speaker reflects on whether they were elected based on merit or minority representation, expressing uncertainty about constituents' perceptions.
- 📊 The speaker acknowledges the usefulness of the CMIO model for tracking demographic changes but also calls for its evolution to better reflect Singapore's current social landscape.
- 🤐 The speaker refrains from discussing certain topics such as religion, the PAP (People's Action Party), and the 'cancer culture' of fear of being canceled for mistakes.
Q & A
What is the significance of the dish mentioned in the script in terms of cultural representation?
-The dish mentioned in the script is a traditional Malay dish, but it has been adapted to include elements from Indian and Japanese cuisines, reflecting the multi-racial identity of Singapore and the brand 'Crevé'.
How does the speaker describe their own cultural background?
-The speaker identifies as an Indian Muslim with a Chinese partner, emphasizing the multi-racial nature of their family and the Singaporean identity that transcends specific racial labels.
What is the speaker's view on the relevance of the CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others) model in modern Singapore?
-The speaker believes that the CMIO model should evolve and not remain static, suggesting that it is still relevant for tracking developments within different communities but should be challenged and adapted to fit the changing society.
How does the speaker feel about the racial assumptions made by others based on their appearance or the food they serve?
-The speaker expresses that they do not feel boxed in by racial assumptions and prefers to see the positive side of such situations, viewing them as opportunities for progress and diversity representation.
What is the speaker's perspective on the role of race in Singaporean politics?
-The speaker advocates for meritocracy in politics, suggesting that representation should not be based on tokenism but rather on the natural rise of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
How does the speaker's family background reflect the diversity of Singapore?
-The speaker's family includes members of various ethnicities such as Malay, Chinese, Sri Lankan, Swedish, and Arab, illustrating the multi-racial and multicultural fabric of Singaporean society.
What does the speaker suggest about the importance of not falling prey to tokenism in minority representation?
-The speaker believes that systemic efforts are needed to ensure fair representation, rather than relying on tokenism, which may not effectively improve long-term representation of minorities and women in politics.
How does the speaker's experience in acting reflect the evolving attitudes towards racial representation in the media?
-The speaker shares instances where they were cast in roles originally intended for a different ethnicity, indicating a growing openness in the media to look beyond racial stereotypes.
What is the speaker's opinion on the use of racial labels in the context of identity documents like the IC (Identity Card)?
-The speaker finds the racial labels on the IC to be somewhat outdated and feels that they do not necessarily reflect the true racial identity of individuals in a multi-racial society.
How does the speaker address the concerns about the 'cancer culture' in Singapore?
-The speaker expresses concern about the fear of being 'cancelled' for making a mistake or saying something wrong, which they associate with a culture that is overly sensitive to criticism or perceived slights.
What is the speaker's stance on discussing certain topics related to Singapore?
-The speaker chooses not to discuss three specific topics related to Singapore: religion, the PAP (People's Action Party), and what they refer to as the 'cancer culture', which they find intimidating.
Outlines
🍲 Cultural Fusion in Singaporean Cuisine and Identity
The speaker discusses the blending of cultures in Singapore, particularly through food and personal identity. They share their experience as an Indian Muslim mistaken for Malay due to a traditional Malay dish, and the complexities of their mixed heritage. The conversation touches on the evolution of a Malay dish influenced by Indian and Japanese cuisine, symbolizing Singapore's multicultural identity. It also addresses the limitations of racial categorization, as seen in the speaker's family's diverse backgrounds and the speaker's own multiracial identity. The speaker advocates for a shift away from racial labels towards a unified Singaporean identity, reflecting on personal experiences and societal perceptions of race and representation.
🗳️ Minority Representation and the CMIO Model in Singapore
This paragraph delves into the topic of minority representation in Singapore's political and social landscape, focusing on the speaker's experience as a Member of Parliament (MP) for East Coast GRC. It questions the role of ethnic lines in voting and the impact of minority representation policies. The speaker expresses confidence in their credentials but acknowledges uncertainty about constituents' perceptions. The conversation also critiques the CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others) model, suggesting it needs to evolve to accurately reflect Singapore's changing demographics and social dynamics. The speaker emphasizes the importance of meritocracy and warns against tokenism in representation, advocating for systemic changes to ensure equal opportunities for all groups.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Malay dish
💡Multi-racial brand
💡Singaporean identity
💡CMIO model
💡Tokenism
💡Meritocracy
💡Census
💡Racial assumptions
💡Mixed heritage
💡Cultural representation
💡Systemic efforts
Highlights
The speaker discusses the assumption of being Malay due to a traditional Malay dish, despite being an Indian Muslim.
Mentions the mixed reactions when partnering with someone of a different ethnicity, such as a Chinese partner.
The adaptation of a traditional dish by changing jasmine rice to Indian basmati rice and incorporating elements from Japanese cuisine.
The speaker's perspective on Singapore as a multi-racial brand and the idea of being 'Singaporean' rather than identifying strictly by race.
The debate over the necessity of the CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others) model and its potential removal from identification cards.
Personal anecdotes about the complexities of having a mixed heritage and the challenges of explaining it to others.
The experience of growing up in a multi-racial family with diverse backgrounds, including Sri Lankan and Swedish relatives.
The speaker's view on the importance of not being limited by race and the evolving perception of identity in Singapore.
Reflections on the challenges faced by minority actors in the entertainment industry and the positive changes towards inclusivity.
The discussion on the role of GRCs (Group Representation Constituencies) in minority representation and the balance between merit and representation.
The speaker's personal experience as an MP for East Coast and the potential influence of minority representation on voting.
The importance of evolving the CMIO model to accurately reflect the changing demographics and social dynamics in Singapore.
The speaker's personal stance on not discussing certain sensitive topics such as religion, politics, and the 'cancer culture' of public shaming.
The impact of the CMIO model on tracking social developments and the need for it to adapt to the changing needs of the Malay community.
The speaker's belief in systemic efforts to improve representation for minority races and women in politics, beyond tokenism.
The importance of challenging the status quo and the CMIO model to ensure it remains relevant and effective in a diverse society.
Transcripts
this is traditionally a malay dish right
so do people assume that you are malay
they assume smla but actually i'm an
indian muslim
my partner for cliff is a chinese when i
want to partner with him everybody will
say why you partner with chinese when i
got married some of the people say that
why you choose malay
[Music]
[Music]
is supposed to be a jasmine rice but we
change it to indian basmati rice and the
sambal is actually not a pure malay
sambal we mix a bit of indian and
japanese inside japanese also yes
japanese food yeah we got it for the
japanese food inside that's probably
from your grandmother's grandmother so
creve is actually a multi-racial brand
really singaporean brand
i feel in singapore there's no such
thing as
i am indian and
malay
it's just a singaporean thing the cmio
on the on the ic right do you think it
shouldn't be there i think yes you
should not put that so why there is a
race there you put that singaporean
reward my dad's indian
mom's filipino i'm gonna ask you what
does it say on your ic it dozens of
indians
i think it's a racist that the indian
prey on chinese girl pray
it doesn't say filipino
it says cindy
i'm sydney too but it doesn't say cindy
so i don't know how our mind is just me
do you feel like it boxes you in
identity-wise not really i mean end of
the day it's just on ic right i'm just
lazy to go
you know to go and get it changed but
what would you change it to a good
output city filipino because that is my
real race but did it ever annoy you
having to explain your mixed heritage
especially more for my mom i feel bad
for her she would send me for like
classes or whatsoever and then
i had to explain to them that oh that's
my mom you know because look alone we
are
a
different skin tone right you grew up in
a
in what like your 100
malay or whole family right we are like
unesco
my granddad is from
my brother-in-law is sri lankan my
another cousin is chinese and then we
have a swedish casa doso who married my
cousin my grandmother my mom's side is
she's
born chinese
but adopted by a malay family my wife
chinese
like rachel how many yeah
so on paper
i guess i'm in arab or others oh you're
others yeah
both my granddads were arabs
and of course here you kind of follow
your dad's race right one grandma she
was chinese and then my other grandma
was malay honestly like i think
in this day and age that you cannot sit
a singaporean down anymore and ask like
what's your race you know what i mean
because everyone's always like a mix of
something
i think that there's more to a person
than just what it says
what was it like growing up in a
pranayakan family my grandparents
spoke malay and my mom spoke malay as
well i think for me
when i was in primary school i did
wonder whether i was more prana khan
than chinese i would have a chinese
teacher who said to me um
sri lanka foreign
[Music]
there are times where i know like i'm
taken on because like you're the token
minority in this cmio picture
i choose to see the positive side of
things
and see it as a step into it
to me it's progress if even on screen
yeah even the visual of seeing a diverse
class can be very powerful so actually
like there has been like a few
dramas where when i go for the audition
i know that they want to cast a chinese
person but then like when i audition
they okay we'll change it to a malay
character
for the actor
so there's that
openness where people look at the actor
more than okay i want a chinese role
when it comes to
policies right let's say the feeling of
a team in a grc should be focused just
on merit i think it's a very fine
balance to be honest if you were to ask
me about grc's and minority
representation i believe that that
representation is important but i also
believe that we should not fall prey to
tokenism and it's not just with regards
to minority races but the fact that
women are being under-represented in
politics right let's try to push towards
more
systemic efforts to make sure that
people from these groups naturally rise
to the top
versus us trying to make concessions
continuously because i think in the
longer term it just doesn't do much to
improve that representation
so right now you're an mp for east coast
what would you say to people who maybe
say the reason why you got into that grc
is because of minority representation
do people vote according to ethnic lines
some argue yes some argue no
if you ask me
can't i
be
voted in on my own credential
on a personal level i'm confident
but i'm not quite sure
whether my constituents will see that
way too at this point in time so we
probably would have to see the extent to
which
our
population is ready how do you think the
cmio model fits in this day and whether
it's still relevant
we saw the census of population recently
it was shown that the number of malay
families in rental flats was increasing
and
if we don't have cmio and we will not be
able to
track some of these developments
we won't be able to see how the malay
community for example is advancing
forward
with more
the younger ones being able to get to
university
i personally have questioned the cmio
model but from talking to dr maliki i
can't understand the marriage from his
perspective
at the same time i do think it needs to
evolve it shouldn't remain static but as
long as we are continuing to challenge i
think we are on the right path there's
three things i don't talk about
singapore
number one is religion number two is the
p.a.p and number three
let's just say the whole cancer culture
is scaring me if you slip up one time
you say something wrong
boom you get cancelled
[Music]
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