Very Important.

We need to get the following concepts clear.

Racial Harmony IS NOT the same as National Identity which IS NOT the same as Ethnic Diversity.

For example, in Sri Lanka there is ethnic diversity. It is so strong that the Sinhalese and Tamil could nt see eye to eye. So there is no racial harmony. When there is no racial harmony it will lead to conflict.

In Singapore, there is ethnic diversity. We do not force the Chinese to be Malay or India to be Chinese. Yet there is racial harmony because we accept each other. For example. during the seven month the Chinese burn alot of paper and joss stick but the other races accept this.They do not say it is air pollution. The Malaya prays five time a day and the mosque will call the Malays to pray but we do not say it is noise pollution. On Friday the school ends at 12.30 to allow the Malays to pray. So there is no need for us to fight like the Sinhalese and Tamil in Sri Lanka.

Social Harmony --- Different group living peacefully together.

To develop social harmony develop common space

to develop common space have

1.events and programmes organised by grassroots organisation (Textbk 149)
2.Opportunities offered by educational institution(TextBk 150)
3.Common living space provided by public housing.(TextBk 151)
4. Activities conducted by Inter-Racial Confidence Circles(IRCC) amd Harmony Circles(HCs)(TextBk 152)
5.Shared experience through National Services.(TextBk 153)

Once we have developed common space we can have racial harmony.

But having racial harmony does not mean that there will be ethnic diversity.

must safeguard the interests of the minority groups to have or promote ethnic diversity

1.minority representation(TextBk 147)


2.self-help group.(TextBk 148)


To build a National Identity


1. multi-racialism(Textbk 145)

2.common practices (146)

3.bilingualism (146)

Now to manage ethnic diversity we must have


1.Develop common space

2.safe guard the interest of the minority

3.to build national identity

e.g. Mrs Ess is a Chinese married to a Eurasian. She celebrate Chinese New Year and Christmas. She speaks Chinese and English. This is ethnic diversity. I am free to be a Chinese and marry a Eurasian

However I am a Singaporean first and I will help any Singapore. Mr Gana a Tamil is my good friend. He also see himself as a Singaporean. Together we will work for the progress of Singapore. This is national identity.

Social Cohesion is when all races are allowed to freely practice their religion and culture and other race accept these practices.The races are willing to work together.

In other words, I am a Chinese(ethnic diversity) working in a Singapore School (National Identity) teaching all the students -- Indian,Malay, Chinese Eurasian. (social cohesion)








Proud to be Singaporean with Chinese mother, Eurasian father, Indonesian grandfather, India grandmother.

Notice the different skin tone of Mrs Ess's children.Some are darker, some are lighter all equally important to her regardless of the skin colour