Singapore 'far from ready' to do away with race categorisation: Ong Ye Kung

[yuiyoshida]

Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung. (Photo: Justin Ong)

SINGAPORE: Singapore is not ready to do away with a model which categorises people into the four major racial groups, or do away with race categorisation in identity cards, said Acting Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung on Sunday (Sep 11).

Speaking at a post-National Day Rally dialogue with youth in his Sembawang constituency, Mr Ong said many Singaporeans, particularly those from the minorities, still want to be identified by their race. "We are far from ready to say 'Let's get rid of everything and just be Singaporean'," said Mr Ong, who was responding to a student's question on whether the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Others or CMIO model should be re-evaluated.

He added to reporters after the dialogue: "What I was trying to explain is - if we are building a Singapore identity, we must understand that Singaporean as an identity is nothing very much. Singapore as a country existed only 51 years. The Singaporean identity itself is rather quite empty. What fills up a Singaporean identity is the identity of various races and all the traditions and cultures that we bring forth and create this tapestry (with). That is the Singaporean identity we are building towards."

Fellow MP for Sembawang GRC Vikram Nair also weighed in on the issue, saying the CMIO model is not meant to emphasise race and religion, but to ensure that these are not forgotten.

"It’s very easy if you disregard race and religion. You have, say, a general election, no racial classification and so on, but what you may end up having is a Parliament where there are no minorities represented," said Mr Nair.

video at the link
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-far-from-ready-to-do-away-with-race-categorisation-ong/3118844.html

[JI7]

1. singapore is kind of like a "little asia" country

[pangaia]

2. And the FOOD !!!! OMG !!!

[msongs]

3. went there a few yrs back. the food! indeed and so cheap. interesting place really, though it is

basically a benevolent dictatorship by one family. watched the legislature live on tv quite a bit, fascinating especially the hard core muslim faction ranting and raving about all those libertines and sinners (i.e. everyone else). boy is it hot and stinky tho. wonderful subway system. lots of ethnics neighborhoods with distinct personalities.