Set A

what was our society like in the past?

Read the following quotes and discuss with your partner. Answer in Google Form.

In a society such as ours, where the people are made up of migrants from different countries, we have no common history or tradition. So the norm is for individuals to look out for their own survival. And the individual survives by submitting to others. You know, when the Japanese came in (in World War II), people quickly sew up Japanese flags and quickly push it out of their windows and close the window tight and peep through the window holes. To survive, they bowed deeply to the Japanese soldiers and so on. And, in the end, they feel degraded. We are destroyed as a people.

Our society lack loyalty, patriotism, history and tradition. You ask a French, a British, or American. He can tell you of the battles the society fought and won. He can sing you songs and there are songs that everybody in their society knows. They have moments when their whole society responds as one, acting in unison, responding in unison.

We do not have that because our society was never designed to produce people who see each other as a common society.

- Then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, to principals of schools in Singapore in 1966

What is our society like now?

Read the following quotes and discuss with your partner. Answer in Google Form.

We took advantage of diversity — different races, different religions — and melded the nation (to one in which) people were proud of being who they were, but were Singaporean first and foremost.

The natural workings of society would not have led to that happening. Not just in Singapore, but anywhere in the world. The natural workings of society would likely have led to mistrust, discomfort, bigotry and what we see in abundance in many countries in the world today.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, at an international political forum in 2015.

With an attitude of mutual compromise, we have been able to manage differences, and further strengthen trust and unity among many religious groups all in Singapore. Indeed, we have done so well that some people suggest that for us, religion is no longer sensitive… I think these assumptions are quite unrealistic.Look at other societies. Even in countries where different groups have lived together for centuries, race and religion still remain sensitive issues which can be stirred up and can explode. In Sri Lanka, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims have had a long history of peaceful co-existence. But after the country became an independent state in 1949, it has been riven by ethnic and religious tensions and conflicts. First, between the majority Buddhist and the Hindu Tamil minorities, and then also between the Buddhists and Muslims. In the US, race has never stopped being a sensitive issue. Recently with the deaths of several Black youths in different cities often after some encounter with the police, tensions have erupted into violence, and there were especially bad riots in Baltimore city.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, at the anniversary dinner of the Inter-Religious Organisation in 2015

What is done to manage different

ethnic groups in our society?

Read the following quotes and discuss with your partner. Answer in Google Form.

I am not quite sure this flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremony is the best way to build this common identity. But anywhere, this is what the Ministry has thought of as a start. We will wait and see. It may be that we should do it only once a week. When I was in school, once a week – we didn’t raise the flag – we had to go to the school hall where the principal addressed us for 20 minutes or half an hour. And the principal had less to tell me then than what, I am quite sure, you have to tell your boys and girls because the situation is different.

But whatever it is, ultimately the result that we want – and I am sure you must want this – is to produce a society that is united. A united society that will say: this is my country, this is my flag; this is my President; this is my future. I am going to protect it.

- Then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, to principals of schools in Singapore in 1966

Some people have strong views on the existence of self-help groups*, such as SINDA, CDAC and Mendaki. They asked whether it was a wrong move to have self-help groups according to ethnic groups. Would it not be better to have one big umbrella group to help needy students However, there are some hard realities that many people may not be aware of.

When SINDA conducts dialogue sessions, the Indian parents can take straight talk from Indian MPs. We are in a position to speak frankly to them. I do not think they will be comfortable if such blunt messages came from a non-Indian minister or MP.

This also works the other way round. At dialogue sessions, some parents feel more comfortable opening up to us about their financial and social problem. This was especially so for single mothers who would be very shy in opening up to non-Indian leaders. These are some hard truths on the ground that convinced me there are good reasons for the existence of organisations such as SINDA.

- From a book by former Senior Minister S. Jayakumar,

*Self-help groups are organisations that helps less successful individuals their own ethnic community. They receive money from a part of the salary of those in their ethnic community and government subsidies.