June 26, 2024

Gangs and Minorities in Singapore: Masculinity, Marginalisation and Resistance (Bristol University Press, 2023) by Associate Professor Narayanan Ganapathy (NUS Sociology and Anthropology) delves into the criminal underbelly of Singapore in a study of the exclusively Malay Muslim gang, Omega.

In his book, A/P Ganapathy centres the existence of Omega within a broader discussion of the complex and contested relationship between race and crime in Singapore. In particular, he spotlights a socioeconomic explanation for this disparity, and posits that the consequences and convergence of capitalism, colonialism, urbanisation, and socioeconomic marginalisation have created a racialised criminal class among the Malays. By giving due consideration to the historical developments of colonialism and capitalism in Singapore, A/P Ganapathy also accounts for the contours of development that have in turn affected the form and discourses of Omega.

A/P Ganapathy notes that a large portion of the research done on Singaporean gangs are both outdated and focused on Chinese secret societies. As such, by focusing on minority gang activity and applying sociological criminology theories from the West to make sense of racial disparities in crime, Gangs and Minorities in Singapore fills an important gap in the literature and promises to contribute to a more comprehensive picture of crime and deviance in Singapore.

Having researched minority gangs and Omega for 20 years, A/P Ganapathy leveraged upon his contacts to conduct ethnographic studies for his book. He also utilised a multi-method approach, which included archival research and interviews with police officers and members of the public, to form a better picture of Omega and their place in Singaporean society.

Overall, Gangs and Minorities in Singapore is an incisive deep dive into the lesser-seen criminal underbelly of the island-nation. A/P Ganapathy’s insights are hence a crucial addition to the painting of a broader picture of inequality, racial marginalization, and deviance in Singapore.

Read the book here.