SINGAPORE - Discrimination and racism in Singapore were the main concerns that Indian community leaders raised during a dialogue session on Tuesday night (Sept 7) to discuss views on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally speech.
About 200 participants, from various Indian organisations as well as grassroots volunteers, attended the two-hour virtual session, which was organised by the People's Association Indian Activity Executive Committees Council (Narpani Pearavai).
Other issues raised included the impact of the progressive wage model and mental health concerns among isolated elderly residents.
One of the dialogue participants, undergraduate student Loshini Sivakumar, 21, said the session helped her gain a fresh perspective on some of the topics mentioned during PM Lee's speech.
Ms Loshini, a grassroots volunteer since last year, said: "The session gave me a chance to share my views on how our civic curriculum in school can be restructured to dismantle racial stereotypes and promote better understanding.
"My takeaway was that, beyond the school curriculum, lived experience outside the classroom can be equally important in fostering good relationships between the communities."
In the opening segment, participants raised the issue of racial discrimination in employment opportunities and at the workplace. They also offered their perspectives on Chinese privilege.
They cited the recent case where the managing agent of Hillview Heights condominium was flagged by the Security Association Singapore for discrimination against non-Mandarin speakers and older workers in its tender for security services.
Transport Minister S. Iswaran and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Janil Puthucheary, who are advisers to Narpani, provided clarifications on the issues and discussed potential steps the Government could explore in the future.
On the concerns expressed over Chinese privilege and racial discrimination, Mr Iswaran said that, while older generations may not be able to comprehend the notion of Chinese privilege, younger generations, regardless of ethnicity, may feel it does exist based on their experiences.
He added: "We do need to think in terms of how all of us adjust to the cultural norms of society.
"Everyone is able to maintain their own cultural identity... but at the same we are all part of the larger whole which is Singapore."
On the issue of workplace discrimination, he highlighted the Government's efforts to ensure fair employment practices and the need to look into language requirements for jobs to ensure it is "not a camouflage for racial or ethnic bias".
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Dr Janil said he looked forward to the details of the new Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act.
"We are always going to have these types of egregious issues, sometimes they are going to be egregious, sometimes they are going to be due to ignorance. And they will need to be dealt with. The law will be one part of it.... this will now give a framework for softer approaches," he said.
Beyond race issues, the participants questioned if the new measures requiring firms that employ foreign workers to pay all local employees at least $1,400 a month will be sustainable in the long run.
This tightened Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) requirement is among efforts the Government will undertake to support lower-wage workers.
A participant representing the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association raised the issue of merchants facing a manpower crunch as locals were either not skilled in traditional tasks such as flower-tying or production of sweet and savoury goods or were unwilling to work such jobs, which include long hours of shop assistance.
While noting that costs rising due to wages going up was unavoidable, Mr Iswaran said: "The idea of the LQS is really intended to ensure that employers offer Singaporeans whom they are employing a decent wage."
A representative from a local non-profit organisation lauded the collective effort of the Government and community groups to help individuals struggling with mental health issues amid the pandemic.
Acknowledging the community response, Dr Janil said: "One of things that Covid-19 highlighted in terms of the community was the problem of people who do not have extended family networks.
"I think we must make sure we keep in touch with them and reach out to them and provide them with what they need."
In their concluding remarks to the media, Mr Iswaran and Dr Janil said the dialogue session reflected residents' balanced views on pertinent issues and an opportunity to promote constructive conversations at the grassroots level.
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