SINGAPORE – A recent survey has found that Singaporeans believe in the values of multiracialism and try to live them out, but racism in the population still exists.
For example, about 70 per cent of Chinese respondents who were surveyed by Channel NewsAsia in partnership with the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), were open to inviting Indians and Malays to their house for a meal.
According to the survey which polled 2,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 21 and above, more minority respondents were accepting of Chinese compared to the Chinese accepting minority races.
The least preference was for new citizens, reported Channel NewsAsia.
Conducted between June and July this year, the survey was done through a “random sampling of dwelling types”. Malay and Indian respondents were oversampled to ensure sufficient representation. The results were then weighted to resemble the national population.
About 30 per cent of minority race respondents polled said they have felt racially discriminated against.
More than half of minority respondents agreed with statements such as “people have acted as if they are better than you”, said the report.
Race was the reason for such differential treatment, according to two-thirds of Malay and Indian respondents.
Among the Malays who felt that they received such treatment, half said they were differently treated because of income, religion or education.
Among Indians, 62 per cent said differential treatment was due to their skin colour.
“Overall, the survey findings highlight that Singaporeans espouse the values of multiracialism and try to live out these multiracial ideals,” said Dr Mathew Mathews, IPS senior research fellow who headed the survey.
He added that most Singaporeans are “self-aware and acknowledge that there is some racism in the community”.
maryanns@sph.com.sg
