Workers' Party youth members discuss race issues

Race-based government policies and the stereotypes that they perpetuate were discussed at a Workers' Party (WP) forum on Sunday afternoon.

The two speakers, lawyer Terence Tan and civil society activist Nizam Ismail, cited a range of such policies including the race categories in the identity card, the Group Representation Constituency system which requires minority candidates to stand in each ward, the release of educational performance statistics by race, the ethnic quota for public housing and race-based self help groups.

Both called for a review of these Government policies so that a Singaporean identity could be promoted, as well as to enact specific laws on discriminatory behaviour.

More than 30 people attended the two-hour long forum, which centered on whether race matters to young Singaporeans. It was organised by the party's youth wing at the WP's headquarters at Syed Alwi Road.