SFD written submission to UN Special Rapporteur
Your Excellency
Mr. Githu Muigai,
UN Special Rapporteur on Racism
22 April 2010
Re: Contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances in Singapore
Welcome to Singapore and thank you for meeting with Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD).
We like to highlight the main points in written form below and articulate examples during our face-to-face meeting.
Overview
In 1992, Choo Wee Khiang who was then People's Action Party Member of Parliament, made disparaging remarks about Indians and "Little India". He told Parliament: "One evening, I drove to Little India and it was pitch dark but not because there was no light, but because there were too many Indians around."
Race exerts a marked influence upon public policy in Singapore. The PAP government`s race related policies has resulted in a high consciousness of an individual`s race. The main example is the statement of race on Singaporean identity cards. This accentuates racial categorization and gives rise to racism and racial discrimination.
Existence of discrimination and intolerance
PAP government approach to race is one of 'tolerance' and frames it within the ideas of multiculturalism and meritocracy which are contested notions in Singapore. The PAP government is nevertheless expected to use the Singapore visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Racism to focus mainly on;its 'experiences and efforts at combating racism and racial discrimination' and its 'policies to encourage racial and religious tolerance and harmony'. We expect the UN Rapporteur in return to highlight some of these as 'good practices to be shared by other States'. However this does not mean racism and discrimination are non-existent in Singapore hence this is where SFD's focus will be. We will like to draw your attention to some of the issues below.
Racialist Policies and its representatives
Several of the PAP government's key policies surrounding immigration, language and public housing are viewed by ethnic minorities in Singapore as being in favour of the majority Chinese. Racially-motivated national policies include the HDB ethnic quota system, ostensibly to prevent estates turning into ethnic ghettos, but it discriminates against minority race families from living in areas of their choice, and also redistributes anti-PAP votes, as the racial minorities are traditionally seen to be pro-opposition voters. The GRC system is also ostensibly designed to give minority representation in parliament, but is a law that discriminates against fair elections, resulting in less opposition candidates contesting since its implementation. The hegemony of the PAP in government, through an electoral system that it has designed to ensure its own dominance, also does not make its ethnic MPs the sole policy representatives for the respective ethnic communities in Singapore.
Ill formulated immigration policy
Recently, the PAP government's ill formulated immigration policy in its pretext 'to tackle falling birth rates' has also created tensions between foreign workers, permanent residents, new citizens and Singaporeans. Of special concern is the policies of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in the way it issues employment pass and work permits and how it apportions foreign labour from different countries into the different sectors of the economy. We want to highlight that MOM hides behind a 'country specific' policy to mask what is essentially a race based policy. This is an area where transparency and accountability is needed and we would like the Special Rapporteur to pay great attention to it and raise it with the Ministry of Manpower during this visit.
Discussion on Race relations
The PAP government constrains discussion of race issues by legislation. Instead it uses its access to media to run one sided information campaigns marketing Singapore as a model of racial harmony. In actual fact, the PAP government legislates prohibitions, such as the Sedition Act, against its citizens engaging in any public discourse of race and religion. For example even at Speaker`s Corner public discourse on race and religion are outlawed and 'infringements' prosecuted. Additionally, it employs negative campaigning (via the media) against groups and individuals who highlight and raise race related issues. As a result, there is little critical debate and discussion on racism, inter-cultural tension and disaffection in Singapore. Some of this discussion is shifting onto the Internet however it is still not mainstreamed.
Other forms of discrimination
We also want to highlight other forms of discrimination such as those suffered by:
- Foreign workers, PR and new citizens
- People with various forms of disabilities
- The elderly when it comes to employment
- Civil and political activists
International Conventions on Racism
One of the key issues put to us is that Singapore has not signed and ratified United Nation's International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1966). And that Singapore is still not a signatory party to United Nation's Amendment to article 8 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1992). We like to ask the UN Rapporteur what is the status with regards to Singapore and these International Conventions? And if he will be raising this issue with representatives of the PAP government as Singaporeans want to know where their country under the management of the PAP government stands on this issue.
Future UN Missions to Singapore
In the lead up to this UN mission, there has been little awareness locally that the Rapportuer will be meeting representatives from academia, civil and political society. We note that such meetings have now been taking place and will take place some more over the course of this mission. There are individuals and groups who would still like to meet with the UN Rapportuer and we urge that where feasible this is facilitated. We also want to highlight that there has been little cross-communication between these different groups. We hope in the future there will be more advance notice so that more prior cross-communications within the non-governmental sector can take place in order to better prepare and responded to future UN missions.
Attendance at UN Meetings
We note that the findings of the Rapporteur will be publicly presented before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva (in June 2011) and the UN General Assembly in New York (in November 2011). We would like to know how SFD and other individuals and groups from Singapore`s civil and political society can attend/observe or speak where appropriate at those meetings.
Credibility of this UN Mission
While Singaporeans are optimistic in seeking to engage the UN and its representatives, (this can be discerned by the interest shown by various non-governmental individuals and groups to meet the Rapportuer) they are at the same time concerns that after the mission nothing will happen. We hope the Rapporteur will provide the appropriate assurances to Singaporeans at the-end-of-mission press conference. Further and most importantly we hope your report to the UN does justice by accurately reflecting the voices of the discriminated in Singapore. The credibility of the UN Special Rapporteur on Racism`s mission will depend on this.
Other Missions to Singapore
SFD would like to ask what other UN missions are planned for Singapore? What other missions can the PAP led Singapore government be expected to invite the UN to undertake. Please take note that there is a great desire among Singaporeans for an independent election observation mission.
We hope the framework we have provided in this submission can help you contextualise some of your findings during this mission and help you in organising your submission to the UN.
The examples provided in this report and those verbalized during our meeting are not meant to be exhaustive. Please supplement them with the other examples of racism and discrimination you will hear from those you meet while in Singapore.
We wish you a successful mission.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. James Gomez
Mr. Martyn See
Ms Rachel Zeng
Mr. Seelan Palay
(On behalf of Singaporeans for Democracy)
Read CNA's report here on the meeting between SFD and the UN Special Rapporteur on Racism
