Singapore treats “all races equally, with no special privileges”, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his speech at the National Day Rally on Sunday (29 Aug), noting that it is “entirely baseless” to claim that “Chinese privilege” exists in the island-state.

In his speech, he highlighted that ethnic minorities continue to face difficulties in renting a home and finding a job, and that such difficulties “involve the common space that all races share and directly affect race relations”.

PM Lee noted that such preferences by some homeowners and employers potentially cause prejudice and will gradually deepen the fissures in Singapore’s society if left unaddressed.

“Therefore, all of us must uphold the principle of racial equality to build a more inclusive society,” he said.

PM Lee implied that race-related incidents did not attract much attention in the past, but with the presence of social media, such incidents can be easily played up and blown out of proportion, which can affect race relations.

Fortunately, most Singaporeans understand the importance of racial harmony, said the Prime Minister, as he observed that many people of all races have spoken up and rejected racial discrimination.

He further noted that the founding leaders remained firm on the overarching policy of racial equality in the early years of nationhood, and that the Pioneer and Merdeka generarions were greatly supportive of Singapore’s multiracials policies.

“The government was impartial when drafting our laws and administrative measures, and did not favour any race. This fundamental founding policy was supported by the Chinese community and became the bedrock of our multiracial harmony,” PM Lee added.

He believes that Chinese Singaporeans “made some concessions for the greater good”, citing the adoption of English as Singapore’s lingua franca which put those who spoke only Mandarin and dialects at a disadvantage.

“The use of English put those who spoke only Mandarin and dialects in a disadvantageous position. Therefore, it is entirely baseless to claim that there is ‘Chinese privilege’ in Singapore.

“We treat all races equally, with no special privileges. Few countries have made this their policy, and even fewer have actually managed to make it a reality,” the Prime Minister remarked.

PM Lee also indicated that the national policy has brought racial harmony and social inability, as well as helped to strengthen Singapore’s relations with neighbouring countries.

But the decades of peace may have caused Singaporeans to gradually take racial harmony for granted, he added, noting that some Chinese Singaporeans may not be aware of how ethnic minorities feel.

Noting that he has heard this from some non-Chinese Singaporeans from time to time, PM Lee reminded people that the country’s racial harmony “remains a work in progress” and that “racial emotions still exist”.

He pointed out that some ethnic minorities face difficulties in renting a home, as some Chinese homeowners will tell their property agents that they want to have tenants of a particular race.

“Thus, when non-Chinese prospective tenants show up, the property agent tells them: ‘Sorry, you can’t rent the place as the owner doesn’t want tenants of a particular race’,” Mr Lee said in his speech.

“Not all homeowners are like that but it’s not difficult for us to imagine how hurt these minority tenants feel when they have such encounters.”

PM Lee went on to describe how ethnic minorities sometimes face difficulties in finding a job, given that some employers preferring to hire Chinese employees.

“If we let the preferences of such employers and homeowners build up over time, they will become prejudice, and minorities will feel they are discriminated against. If left unaddressed, such preferences will gradually deepen the fissures in our society.

“In short, I hope Singaporeans of all races can continue to work for the greater good in the spirit of mutual compromise. Only then can we achieve lasting harmony and unity as a country and society,” he asserted.