They are less comfortable if new citizens are of some other ethnicity, such as Korean, Arabic, Filipino or African, according to a survey.
Today Online said this showed that the nation’s Chinese-Malay-Indian-Others (CMIO) framework was still relevant as Singaporeans – including younger ones – still valued the importance of race.
The roots of the CMIO model can be traced back to 1824, when the first census was produced.
The survey, done by the Institute of Policy Studies and Channel NewsAsia, involved 2,020 Singaporeans and permanent residents.
More than 90% of the respondents said they were more accepting of new citizens from Chinese, Malay and Indian backgrounds, while 84% said the same for new citizens who were Eurasian, according to a Straits Times (ST) report.
Singaporeans, the survey showed, are more comfortable with those who are from the four core ethnicities in the nation – CMIO – than, for example, new citizens of Arab or African heritage.
The ST said a total of 20,815 people were granted Singapore citizenship in 2015, and between 15,000 and 25,000 new citizenships are granted each year.
Researchers said with a diversifying population, it might be important for Singaporeans to “become more amenable to persons outside the core ethnic groups also becoming part of the Singaporean core”.
The ST report also said more Singaporeans were identifying with their country rather than their ethnic lineage.
Of those polled, 35% said they identified as Singaporeans while 14.2% identified themselves based on their ethnic roots.
According to the survey, 49% said they identified closely with both their ethnic and Singaporean identities.
Today Online quoted the study’s lead researcher, Dr Mathew Mathews, as saying the study showed that minorities in Singapore “seem to care quite a bit” about preserving their traditions and cultures.
He said having the CMIO framework was essential to achieving that goal, as without it, there was a possibility that the minorities would have to conform to the practices of the majority race.
“When you think about the whole intent of the CMIO model, it is not to separate people, but to make sure that different groups will be properly respected, their rights will be preserved,” Mathews was quoted as saying.
Responding to questions from reporters, he said the findings showed that race-based policies, such as the reserved Presidential Election (PE), were still necessary.
He cited the recent PE – Singapore’s first reserved election which was won by Halimah Yacob in a walkover victory – as a “good example” of this.
Today Online quoted him as saying: “Hopefully, someday a Malay will be able to contest in an open election and the election will be based on qualifications and the abilities (which) the person has and there’s nothing to do with race.
“But that’s what we hope for… everybody hopes there will not be another reserved election.”