Parliament: Sylvia Lim calls for open review of race-based policies

Election ethnic rules among 6 areas to look at in aiming for race-blind society

The HDB's Ethnic Integration Policy was introduced in 1989 to prevent ethnic enclaves, said Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim, but it has caused economic hardship. Some relaxation of the policy could be possible, she said. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
The HDB's Ethnic Integration Policy was introduced in 1989 to prevent ethnic enclaves, said Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim, but it has caused economic hardship. Some relaxation of the policy could be possible, she said. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
The HDB's Ethnic Integration Policy was introduced in 1989 to prevent ethnic enclaves, said Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim, but it has caused economic hardship. Some relaxation of the policy could be possible, she said. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
MS SYLVIA LIM

Workers' Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) has called for an open review of various race-based policies, including the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Other (CMIO) model of ethnic classification as well as the Housing Board's Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP).

The EIP sets the proportion of flats in a public housing block and precinct that can be owned by a particular racial group.

During the debate on the President's Address in Parliament yesterday, Ms Lim suggested six areas that could be reviewed to move Singapore along in its "journey towards being a race-blind society".

"I am agnostic about the exact form of the review I'm asking for. We should include academics with relevant expertise, and also ensure that there is fair representation of citizens across different age groups," she added.

ETHNIC CLASSIFICATIONS LIKE CMIO

Ms Lim noted that the CMIO model was first used in colonial Singapore in 1824.

She said the Government has recognised the rising number of mixed marriages by letting the children of such unions be registered under a double-barrelled ethnicity.

But despite the Government defending the CMIO model as necessary to safeguard minority rights, she said the concept of minority rights itself is problematic.

So, it would be better to discuss citizenship rights, she added.

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An emotional moment as Manpower Minister Josephine Teo addresses Singaporean workers and Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim calls for a review of race-based policies.

"Furthermore, with more and more inter-ethnic marriages, where the bride and groom are themselves of mixed parentage, I wonder how the CMIO classifications can withstand the test of time."

RACE-BASED SELF-HELP GROUPS

The four race-based self-help groups, namely the Chinese Development Assistance Council, Singapore Indian Development Association, Mendaki and the Eurasian Association, are informed by the CMIO model, said Ms Lim.

"Notwithstanding the good work they have done, the fact is that they reinforce racial consciousness."

She suggested amalgamating the self-help groups into a national body to pool resources without regard to race.

"I'm aware of an effort to collaborate in this direction in Yishun called the Self-Help Groups Centre, and hope we can go much further."

MORE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF RACE-BASED DATA

Ms Lim said the Government collects extensive data on race but is selective on what is made public.

She acknowledged that there may be reasons for this selectivity, but data on race is needed, she said, to understand issues that affect particular communities, in order to narrow the differences.

She recalled a parliamentary question she had filed, asking for the composition of the prison inmate population broken down by ethnic group. This information is released by other governments "as a matter of course", she said.

"The answer given was that the Prisons Department was unable to share the statistics. No explanation was given," she added.

Ms Lim said these matters deserve wider study by researchers outside the Government, and there should be greater public awareness of challenges faced by particular ethnic communities.

THE ROLE OF RACE IN ELECTIONS

Since 1988, Singapore's group representation constituency system has required political parties to field candidates from designated minority communities, and more recent changes have been made to the elected presidency to introduce an ethnic requirement, she noted.

But in an ideal situation, no such safeguards would be needed as the electorate would be race-blind enough to elect candidates of different ethnicities naturally, she said.

Such requirements put a focus on minority representation, which can put an uncomfortable spotlight on minority candidates who must file an application to show they are "Malay enough" or "Indian enough" to qualify for an election, she said.

Chinese candidates like herself are not required to prove they are Chinese to stand in elections, she added.

HDB ETHNIC QUOTAS

The HDB's EIP was introduced in 1989 to prevent ethnic enclaves, Ms Lim said.

But despite the noble intentions, the EIP has caused economic hardship as residents from minority communities can buy from or sell to only other members of their own community when quotas have been reached, she said.

"This can significantly reduce the numbers of offers available. It can also affect the transaction price by as much as $100,000, in one case I came across. Such a price differential could make all the difference to a family in financial need."

She said HDB estates with families who moved in before the EIP was introduced, like Bedok, have not seen extraordinary tensions or disorder despite some areas where the Malay population has exceeded the EIP quotas.

This suggests some relaxation of the policy could be possible, she added.

AVOID REINFORCING TRIBAL INSTINCTS

Ms Lim said Singaporeans have risen above tribalism on many occasions, but the country can go further with the right policies and signals from officials.

The question of how not to reinforce tribal instincts in public policies and surveys should be reviewed, she added.

Ms Lim noted encouraging signs from the recent general election, in which several political parties fielded GRC teams with a majority of non-Chinese candidates and polled well.

She thanked Aljunied GRC voters for re-electing her team which included three minority candidates out of five members - Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Leon Perera and Mr Faisal Manap.

"I believe Singaporean voters are not fixated with race, and there is cause for optimism for the future."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 02, 2020, with the headline Parliament: Sylvia Lim calls for open review of race-based policies. Subscribe