1 & 2 Introduction + Singapore; Who are we?Singapore is a multi-ethnic country with people from many different racial, cultural and religious background.
It is important to maintain peace and harmony in Singapore.
3 What are the challenges of a multi-ethnic society?- Managing perceptions of different racial groups
- Managing perceptions of different religious groups
- Threats from external forces
3.1 + 3.2 Managing perceptios of different racial or religious groups.Lack of understanding among the racial or religious groups can create suspicion and unhappiness among the people.
Riots and fight may occur between racial or religious groups and this make Singapore unsafe.
Investments from other countries will decrease and economy will be in a bad state.
In whole, Singapore may not be prosperous if people in Singapore behave insensitively.
Examples for racial riot:
1964 riot
PAP wants Malaysia to be a country where everybody would be given equal rights and privilleges -> United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) felt threatened -> Anti-PAP campaign organised by some UMNO leaders spread incorrect information about PAP treating the Malays in Singapore unfairly -> Caused dissatisfaction among Singapore Malays towards PAP
July 1964, Prophet Muhammad's birthday celebration -> Clash between a Chinese policeman and a group of Malay participants during the celebration -> Full-blown race race riots occured over the next few days -> Properties destroyed, people injured -> Broke peace and harmony in Singapore because of irresponsible media reports
Examples for religious riot:
Maria Hertogh riot
In 1940s, a Dutch couple was imprisoned by the Japanese -> They placed their daughter Maria Hertogh under the care of a Malay lady, Aminah -> Maria was raised as a Muslim and got married to a Malay teacher at the age of 13 -> The Dutch couple demanded that Maria be returned to them
A court trial followed and it had much media coverage which provoked much unhappiness among the Muslim community -> Court decided to give custody to the Hertoghs -> The Muslims felt that British legal system was unfair -> Outbreak of riots happened between the Muslims and Christians
3.3 Threats from external forcesThreats from other countries are unpredictable, unexpected and cannot be control.
People in Singapore can be influenced by incorrect ideology through exposure from
- teachings,
- internet,
- media,
- travelling to other countries or
- communicating with people from other countries.
They (people) might bring back those ideology and influence other people.
They may attempt to commit acts of terrorism / attempt to brain-wash people into believing their extreme beliefs.
Example would be Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).
They planned to bomb Yishun MRT and when their plots were exposed, other races / religious groups began to get suspicious of the Muslims.
Singapore became unstable. Religious leaders had to come out to clarify their stand.
If not handled properly, Singapore would be unstable and investments would decrease.
4 Can ethnic diversity be managed?- Building a national identity
- Safeguarding the interest of the minority groups
- Deceloping common space
4.1 Building a national identity- a) Multi- racialism
- b) Common practices
- c) Bilingualism
a) Multi- racialism
This policy promotes equality among the races, with no special rights granted to any particular racial or religious group. Favouring a certain group of people because of their race or religion is prohibited.
b) Common practices
Actions that Singaporeans carry out together like singing the national anthem, taking the pledge and attending the flag raising ceremony help foster national identity by inculcating loyalty and national pride to Singapore. This gets Singaporeans to see themselves as one people.
National Pledge
We, the citizens of Singapore
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society,
based on justice and equality,
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.
c) Bilingualism
Students were expected to learn English and their own Mother Tongue. With bilingualism, English is used as the language linking the different ethnic groups. Mother Tongue language is used to impart moral values and cultural traditions of each race.
4.2 Safeguarding the interests of the minority groups- a) Minority representation
- b) Self-help groups
a) Minority representation
The policy of minority representation gives minority groups a say in governance.
The Presidential Council of Minority Rights (PCMR) and the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) are two examples of how representation of the minority groups is achieved.
PCMR consists of members from the minority racial and religious groups. It ensures that no racial or religious group is disadvantaged as a result of a law that is passed in Parliment.
GRC ensures that at least one of the candidates in the team contesting in the General Election is from the minority racial communities such as Malay, Indian or Eurasian. GRC system ensures that the minority racial groups are represented in the Parliment. Needs of the minority groups are made known to the government.
b) Self- help groups
Self- help groups play an important role in helping members of their community who are less fortunate. They also give moral support to their members of their own community.
Self help groups in Singapore
- Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC)
- Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA)
- Mendaki
- Eurasian Association
4.3 Developing common spaceCommon space refers to the time and place that people come together. This provide opportunities for Singaporeans to interact.
Ways to make Singaporeans interact:
- a) Events and programmes organised by grassroots organisation
- b) Opportunities offered by educational institutions
- c) Common living space provided by public housing
- d) Activities conducted by Inter-Racial Confidence Circles (IRCCs) and Harmony Circles (HCs)
- e) Shared experience through National Service
a) Events and programmes organised by grassroots organisation
Organisations such as People's Association (PA) create common space through their wide range of programmes and activities developed to cater to the needs and interests of every Singaporean.
b) Opportunities offered by educational institutions
Daily interaction that take place among students during lessons and school activities provides an opportunity for friendships to be cultivated and strengthened.
Co- Curricular Activities (CCAs) in schools helps to promote closer bonds among youths from all races.
c) Common living space provided by public housing
Ethnic integration policy was introduced to ensure that there is an even distribution of the different races in all the housing estates.
d) Activities conducted by Inter-Racial Confidence Circles (IRCCs) and Harmony Circles (HCs)
IRCCs and HCs were introduced to provide common space to foster greater inter-racial understanding.
e) Shared experience through National Service
NS was introduced in 1967 requires all able-bodied men to serve in the defense of the country. The shared experiences help to strengthen the bond among the men.
5 Why is it important to manage ethnic diversity?For:
- Security and peace
- Economic progress
6 ConclusionPeople in Singapore need to be sensitive to one another's needs.
Failure to understand and respect one another's way of life will affect the country.
Managing racial and religious sensitivities will promote tolerance and harmony.
Building a national identity will instill a sense of belonging.
Staying vigilant and active in identifying threats and strengthening social bonds are responsibilities of the Singapore government and its people.
