Over 200 scholars express concerns over editorial’s portrayal of racism in Singapore.
An open letter signed by over 200 academics and scholars in Singapore has been issued in response to an editorial by Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao (Zaobao), published on June 9. The editorial, titled “Expand public space to promote racial harmony,” was criticized by the scholars, who expressed “collective dismay” at its handling of racism in Singapore.
The scholars took issue with how Zaobao’s editorial characterized recent racist incidents, attributing them to factors like pandemic uncertainty, social media sensationalism, and the importation of “foreign ideas” such as Critical Race Theory. According to the academics, this perspective downplays the long-standing issue of structural racism in Singapore and suggests that recent incidents are merely anomalies.
In response, Zaobao published a follow-up editorial on June 15 titled “Discussing sensitive racial issues rationally,” addressing the concerns raised by the scholars and attempting to clarify its stance on the issue. The debate underscores the ongoing dialogue on race and racism in Singapore and highlights the complexities of discussing such sensitive issues in public discourse.
