Minding the local-foreign divide

In a bid to focus on the Singaporean identity, one must be cautious not to create a division between Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans, including permanent residents.

With nearly 40 per cent of the population in Singapore being foreigners, that divide could be very destabilising, if not managed properly, said Ms Corinna Lim, executive director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), at a conference on identity this week.