Singapore PM Wong warns of risk of social and racial divisions
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that economic difficulties could deepen social and racial divisions in the country. Speaking on September 12 at an event marking the 85th anniversary of the Singapore Kadayanallur Muslim League (SKML), he stressed that Singapore is not immune to such trends.
According to Wong, racist comments recently appeared online during discussions of Singapore Airlines' investment in Air India. He also noted that divisions could emerge in society between foreigners and Singaporeans, native-born and naturalized citizens, as well as along racial and religious lines.
Review of online comments
The head of government's statement came a week after Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said that police were reviewing racist and xenophobic comments concerning Singapore Airlines' investment in Air India and disasters in Nepal and Tibet. Police identified five people and interviewed them in connection with comments on these two topics. The investigation is ongoing, Channel NewsAsia reports.
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Call to strengthen trust
Wong said the government would continue improving policies to address issues related to the cost of living and jobs so that every Singaporean has a stake in the country's progress. At the same time, he said, it is necessary to strengthen the ties and trust that support social cohesion.
The prime minister noted that government policy can create conditions for cohesion, but it also depends on communities' willingness to maintain ties, build bridges and trust one another. He also highlighted SKML's role in strengthening contacts among Indian organizations and serving as a bridge between Singapore's Indian and Muslim communities.
