Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in the recent National Day Speech Rally on 29 August 2021 about the enaction of a new law called the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act.

The Act will pull together the powers vested in the various government bodies to tackle racial issues with the incorporation of “softer and gentler touches” which greatly differs from other laws that deal with serious racial offences, including hate crime or acts that causeracial enmity.

For example, the power to order someone who has carried out an offence to stop and to make amends by learning more about the other race and mending ties with them. “This softer approach will heal hurt, instead of leaving resentment.” Said Mr Lee.

Worry surrounding trend in increasing racist incidents

One should be no stranger to the recent spate of incidents that occured during the COVID-19 pandemic, involving a series of seperate events that range from National Day Banners set up by Tanjong Pagar Town Council which has seen social media users picking on the banner that depicts an Indian family, by making “very nasty comments, accusing the government of being pro-foreigner and pro-Indian” as well as the incident of a Chinese-Singaporean polytechnic lecturer confronting an inter-racial Singaporean couple along Orchard Road. The lecturer highlighted that they should date people of their own races and accused the man of preying on Chinese girls.

Solutions to racism

Mr Lee acknowledged the existencial racial biases and prejudices that minorities face Singapore. Some of such as would be job applications and jon ads or regarding the renting and selling of residential units. “I know it is harder to belong to a minority race than to the majority… this is true in every multi-racial society. But it does not mean we have to accept this state of affairs in Singapore.” Said Mr Lee during the rally.

Mr Lee added that the solution to curb racism on home ground especially, would be to first begin with individual chaneg and social attitudes. The majority should be more sensitive toward the minorities and we, as a society need to have the moral courage to take a stand against racial practices or occurences.