How a Small City State Became a Shining Example of Multiculturalism

Nearly half of Singaporeans still cite racism as a problem, but Singapore’s adamant commitment to ethnic harmony makes it a role model for cross cultural coexistence.

Located at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, Singapore is an island nation crucial for its role as a passageway near the Strait of Malacca for international shipping and aviation. Since Singapore’s independence in 1965, it has grounded its development in a commitment to cultural diversity. Under the CMIO model (Chinese, Malay, Indian, and “Others”), Singapore recognizes its mixed makeup, with every community uniquely influencing the island’s multicultural identity. But how did Singapore become the “cultural melting pot” many deem it to be?

First, Singapore is built on three dominant ethnic groups: Malay, Indian, and Chinese. The Malay population is the root of Singapore’s identity. Singapore’s actual name “Singapura” (Lion City), comes from Malay, which continues to serve as Singapore’s national language. Additionally, Malay customs like Hari Raya Puasa, traditional arts like silat, and the cultural dressing of batik (which remains the uniform of Singapore Airlines flight attendants) are preserved as crucial pieces of Singaporean culture. The Indian community, although smaller, holds an equally important part of Singaporean culture. Hindu temples in Little India and celebrations like Deepavali are testaments to the enduring heritage of Indian communities in South East Asia. 

Finally, the Chinese communities, accounting for roughly 75% of Singapore’s population, have shaped Singapore ever since the migrations from coastal Chinese provinces in the 19th century. Tamil, a South Indian language, serves as one of Singapore’s three other official languages, with Mandarin being another. Dialects like Hokkien and Teochen and dishes like Hainanese Chicken Rice all accompanied these migrants, and they collectively evolved into a distinct modern Singaporean-Chinese identity. As with all aforementioned ethnic groups, festivals like Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn festival have become major nation-wide celebrations. All of these cultures form the fabric of Singapore’s identity, and both institutionalized diversification as well as natural coexistence have fostered a cross-cultural harmony. 

Several government enforced policies firmly embed multiculturalism within the nation’s social and civic structures. The Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP), for instance, was introduced in 1989 to avoid racial divide in Singapore’s famed HDBs (government subsidized apartments), creating maximum ethnic quotas for each complex as follows: 87% Chinese, 25% Malay, and 15% Indian and Others (Housing & Development Board). The EIP has managed to house over 80% of Singapore’s population under peaceful coexistence and a unified identity, and is just one of many ways that Singapore encourages daily interaction among coexisting racial communities to reduce prejudice (Singapore Department of Statistics).

The Singaporean government promoted racial harmony by cultivating these values at a young age, placing diversity as an integral part of the education program. Introduced in 1966, just one year after Singapore’s independence, the bilingual policy ensures all students learn English on top of their mother tongue. In fact, Singapore’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, deliberately made English the main mode of communication to provide a neutral and unifying medium in a multiracial society. This enduring choice to promote multilingualism has to this day facilitated social cohesion while preserving every individual’s sense of distinct cultural identity. 

Social unity, however, isn’t just achieved through policy-making, but through a natural blending of cultures and traditions. A prime example of this development is Singapore’s distinct dialect called Singlish. Primarily English with a blend of Malay, Hokkien, and Tamil, Singlish demonstrates cultural unison as a product of cultural mixing over the last century, and most Singaporeans speak it proudly as it represents their national identity. 

In the end, Singapore is not perfect, and racism continues to persist to this day, with 56.2% of Singaporeans considering racism as a continuing problem (Institute of Policy Studies). What sets Singapore apart, however, is its willingness to confront these problems rather than ignore them. School programs and government campaigns continue to address racial bias, ensuring that multiculturalism isn't just a statistical ideal, but a genuine way of living. 

Mostly, ethnic integration has become just a daily reality for Singaporeans, as children grow up in multiracial schools and HDB communities. Displayed large in the national museum and in thousands of textbooks, Singapore’s national pledge dictates, “We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion”. This small island continues to diversify, celebrating its quiet daily triumphs as it works to pioneer a more equitable way of living for the world.

Zephyr Liu ‘28

image by: U.S. Postal Service