I fail to see the reason for The Straits Times to have seen it fit to publish the article (“Religious fire pit used for barbecues’’; Oct 22). Is The Straits Times trying to stoke religious tensions? The matter could simply have been a misunderstanding. Perhaps the people who mis-used the pit did not know that it is a religious fire pit; many non-Taoists would not know either.
In my view, the article contributed towards xenophobia and sparked the usual backlash against the presence of foreigners judging from the posts responding to the article when it appeared online.
As a highly-respected newspaper, The Straits Times should not be contributing to xenophobia and intolerance with such articles that are designed to have the public think that “foreigners’ are disrespecting Singapore and Singaporeans. Singapore's success rests on the fact that people from different races, religions and cultures can live together peacefully. Perhaps, The Straits Times is of the view that it was merely reporting the news. I view the article’s publication differently - that it will upset some readers who will target their displeasure at foreigners here.
The article assumes that the barbecue was the work of foreigners. For all one knows, it could well have been a Singaporean who did not see the harm in using the pit for non-religious reasons.
Dr AYSHA REEMA MUHUSIN