SINGAPORE: It is imperative that Singapore signals its resolute commitment to uphold diversity, promote tolerance and oppose discrimination, particularly in light of some of the rhetoric around the world today, Communications and Information Minister S Iswaran said on Thursday (Jul 19).
He added that while Singapore can take pride in what it has accomplished as a multicultural nation, it cannot take it for granted nor presume that the work is complete.
Advertisement"Singapore has come a long way since independence in 1965, in strengthening the multi-racial fabric of our society," Mr Iswaran said in his opening address at a forum on Ethnic Identity and Culture, organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and OnePeople.sg (OPSG).
"Our progress has been paved by the far-sighted policies and efforts of our pioneers ... It is incumbent that we continue their good work, by nurturing our individual identities, strengthening social interactions and building more international linkages in this common effort," he added.
Mr Iswaran said that Singapore’s ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) is a tangible demonstration of its commitment to the global effort to promote diversity and combat racism.
On the local front, Mr Iswaran said, every Singaporean must be able to cultivate a sense of belonging that goes beyond his ethnic identity, and develop a deep and genuine interest in Singaporeans of different ethnicities.
AdvertisementAdvertisementHe also encouraged “greater social mixing between different ethnic and cultural groups” to help foster strong ties, regardless of race, language and religion.
A survey conducted by Channel NewsAsia and the IPS on race relations in 2016 found that although more than 40 per cent of respondents held negative stereotypes about different races, the majority believed that people from all races should be treated equally.
Mr Iswaran cited the “curry incident” in 2011, where an Indian family was urged to restrict their cooking of curry after receiving complaints from their Chinese neighbour, as an example of how inflammatory content can spread quickly on social media.
On the other hand, Mr Iswaran said he is "heartened" by several youth-driven initiatives against discrimination, such as the SG Muslims for Eid programme, started by Interfaith Youth Circle (IYC).
Under this programme, any guest, regardless of his religion, can visit the homes of Muslim hosts on the first day of Hari Raya, to directly experience Muslim customs.
IYC is also looking to doing something similar for Christmas.
"Multiculturalism and meritocracy are the twin tenets upon which Singapore was founded ... (and) are inextricably linked," said Mr Iswaran.
"We cannot have true multiculturalism unless everyone has a sense of fair play, and you cannot have true meritocracy unless opportunities are colour-blind," he added.
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