As more foreigners have settled here in recent years, there is a sense that Singaporeans have become more conscious and protective of our national identity.

When this has been vocalised in a way that celebrates our shared identity and cultures, all is well and good. But things get tricky when there’s a clash of opinion. When a few high-profile cases of foreign-born residents criticising Singapore surfaced recently, some have been quick to brandish pitchforks, their anger and indignance at times relayed in ugly personal attacks.

Just last week, an Australian international was fired from a local company after his comments insulting Singapore created a furore on social media. Although the action was decisive, his employer also made a wider call for all of us to rise above sweeping generalisations of other nationalities.

These incidents hint that despite our multi-racial and religious backgrounds, where we come from carries implications that both local and foreigners in Singapore are still learning to navigate together.

How do these tensions affect the way we relate to each other? Digging deeper into how people’s experience of living in multi-racial Singapore may differ based on their country of birth, The ‘Tennis Ball Test’ poses 25 at-times uncomfortable questions to a panel of participants.

Why?

Because you’ll never know what someone else is going through, until you ask.

Watch the video below.

 

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What’s your experience of integration in Singapore? Tell us by taking the poll below.

 

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To view the full list of 25 questions, click here.

To view our first video on religious tension, click here.

Top Image: The Pride