UPDATE (21 Jul): According to Channel News Asia, publisher of the book, Marshall Cavendish Education has apologised for misunderstandings caused by the book.
They have decided to stop sales and distribution of the entire series of books and recall them from retail stores.
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Libraries have finally reopened in July after being closed for months.
A mother had visited the library to borrow a Chinese-language book on Racial Harmony Day, intending to read it with her 8-year-old son.
Source
In an ironic twist, she was shocked by the “astoundingly racist” contents and descriptions in the book.
The mother took to Facebook last Friday (17 Jul) to criticise the publisher for allowing the book to be published. She also requested National Library Board (NLB) to take the book off their shelves.
NLB has since removed the children’s book for review.
The book, titled Who Wins? by Wu Xing Hua revolves around a school bully.
The bully, named Mao Mao, which translates to hairy in English, was described as a “dark-skinned” boy with “oily curly hair”. In the book, “everyone is afraid of him”.
According to the woman, Mao Mao was “described in explicitly racialised terms” and was put in “contrast to all the other characters who are depicted as fair-skinned”.
The protagonist is bullied by Mao Mao. One day, Mao Mao gave him a bloody nose. He then cursed that Mao Mao was “smelly”.
The woman added that the book shows no path of redemption for the bully, such as “being misunderstood” or the protagonists befriends the bully in the end.
Instead, the story apparently ends with the bully and the protagonist getting into a fight, before they were brought to the principal’s office.
Netizens reacted to the woman’s post with great fervour, expressing their thoughts on the matter.
While some were embarrassed that this had happened, many did not condone how the screening and scrutiny process had let this book slip through the cracks and end up on library shelves.
People were thankful that the mother had pointed out the racially insensitive connotations in the book.
According to The Straits Times, the Chinese-language children’s book has been removed from shelves to be reviewed.
NLB spokesperson ensures the review will be conducted in consultation with the Library Consultative Panel. The panel is independent and citizen-based.
We are glad NLB has taken prompt action in removing the book and is in the midst of reviewing it.
Racial harmony is crucial to Singapore’s social fabric. Such incidents have to be properly investigated.
While discourse around race should be encouraged, we cannot accept books and ideas that play into negative stereotypes. These might influence younger ones into certain racial perceptions that may further perpetuate such stereotypes.
What do you think of this incident? Let us know in the comments down below.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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