SINGAPORE, Aug 29 — To nudge Singaporeans, over time, to behave better and treat everyone equally regardless of race, a new Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act will be introduced to the law books soon, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced today in his English speech at the National Day Rally.
He referred, in particular, to the movement against India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement , a free trade agreement between the two nations, which claims to be about putting Singaporeans first, but bears a “strong racial undertone”.Critics of Ceca argue that the deal allows India nationals unfettered access to jobs in Singapore, unfairly pushing out resident workers from the same roles, claims that the Government has rebutted.
The new Act will signal the overriding importance of racial harmony to Singapore, he said, much like how the existing Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act did the same for religion. The latter was passed in 1990 and ensures that religion is not exploited for any political or subversive reasons. Several of these incidents targeted Indians specifically, both work pass holders and citizens alike, Lee noted.
Through laws and policies enacted over the years, people of various races and faiths could live peacefully together in Singapore for more than half a century, Lee said.
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