Over the past decade, Singapore’s LGBT rights rally Pink Dot evolved from fluffy picnic gathering into a protest movement (albeit with Singaporean characteristics). But is this enough to bring change in a country dominated by a political party unwilling to budge?
Tag: Malacca Straits
Growing a Movement in Activism-Averse Singapore
Pink Dot, Singapore’s annual LGBT rights rally, began in 2009. Aware of sociopolitical concerns, the organisers proceeded carefully. The choices they’ve made highlight the tough balance between pushing boundaries and “living to fight another day”.
Singapore’s Malay Privileged: Affluence, Alienation and Anxieties
Negative narratives and stereotypes of Malays in Singapore have been repeatedly reproduced over the years. They’ve become so entrenched and internalised that more affluent Malays often distance themselves from the “typical Malay”. But how do we make sense of the “Malay Excellent”—the model minority who has ostensibly succeeded under Singapore’s much-vaunted meritocratic system?
Looking Beyond Anti-Stigma Campaigns When It Comes To Mental Health
While there’s been increasing awareness around mental health issues in Malaysia, public discussion seems to be stuck on run-of-the-mill talking points that stress the need to reduce stigma.
“I’m Not the Only One”: Truelove.Is & Gay Loneliness in Singapore
TrueLove.Is has been slammed by LGBT activists and their allies for “masking homophobia as holiness”, but the experiences of loneliness and isolation that its members have spoken about feeling point to a wider problem in Singapore that’s tied up with social stigma and discriminatory policies.
Where the Carbon Flows: Singapore’s Emissions in a Global Context
As concerns over climate change grow in Singapore, many question what one island nation’s actions can possibly change. But as a trading port and financier, its carbon emissions spill far beyond its borders.
What Makes Our Makan
Food occupies a very special place in the Malaysian psyche. But what is it that makes a dish authentic?
Life Under Haze in Kuala Lumpur
The Southeast Asian transboundary haze is an almost yearly occurrence that’s been affecting multiple countries for decades. Alexandra Radu takes a look at the impact on Kuala Lumpur.
“What We Decide Will Be All That Remains”
Every year, countries in Southeast Asia are affected by the transboundary haze generated by forest fires on peatlands. When cities are cloaked in smog, people complain about the slash-and-burn practices, only to move on once the smoke clears. This comic is the first in a series of pieces about the haze in Southeast Asia.
Hell in the House of God
Residents of Singkil, a largely Christian area in Muslim-majority Aceh Province, struggle to preserve their houses of worship, highlighting the problematic and even contradictory state of religious harmony in Indonesia.