WP whipped up a xenophobic frenzy in 2011. This was despite the fact that back in 2010, then Finance Minister Tharman had already announced in his budget speech that the inflow of foreign workers would be tightened through a series of measures, beginning with the phased in gradual increase in levies over several years, and followed by reduced quota and etc.
The measures were phased in over several years to give businesses time to adjust and to automate. That didn't stop the WP from making political capital gain through xenophobia.
Indeed, when asked if they would ride on xenophobia for election campaigning, the answer Sylvia Lim gave was not 'no' but that they would not push it to the point where it become 'uncontrollable'. One must be a superwoman to think that there is a button where you can just pull the plug when you think xenophobia is reaching the point of being uncontrollable.
Hate is bred. It does not happen overnight. It is bred over time through constant efforts - on social media especially where many anti-establishment hate groups have sprouted up to spread their hate and extend their influence with falsehoods and misinformation, and many memes.
WP Pritam Singh responded to Minister Shanmugam's speech in Parliament saying that WP stands against racism, 'no ifs, no buts'.
Let's hope that he meant what he said and he said what he meant, and that the party, their proxies in the alternative, and their supporters will no
w move away from xenophobia and racism.
w move away from xenophobia and racism.
No comments:
Post a Comment