Singapore’s Ethnic Relations’ Scorecard

Abstract

This is an assessment and analysis about the Singapore government’s management of its multiethnic, plural society; particularly its ethnic minority, the Malays. It appears that, in spite of its relative success in pursuing the national integration quest, the State (read: Government) is still grappling with some pertinent socioeconomic and religious identity issues besetting its Malay citizens. Not only has the latter’s malaise lagged behind their Chinese and Indian counterparts but have also persisted since Independence. Arguably, the State, given its dominant and preponderant power, could mitigate the Malay dilemma if it acknowledges the reality that in Singapore’s globalizing culture, the Malay minority, if left without greater State intervention, has little chance to progress and keep pace with other citizens – thereby impeding, if not impairing the Republic’s hard-won stability and prosperity.