Daily Lessons from Life 21 May 2012 - Respecting other cultures key for foreign integration: Study

"Respecting other cultures key for foreign integration: Study - AsiaOne May 21, 2012

What makes one a Singaporean?

For the 2,000 citizens surveyed, it is respecting the practices of different races and religions, reported The Straits Times.

Researchers at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) interviewed 1,000 Singapore-born citizens and 1,000 foreign-born citizens in 2010 on traits that determines "Singaporean-ness".

According to their findings, while Singaporeans do not expect new immigrants to give up their own culture for Singapore's, they feel that immigrants should get along well with their neighbours and colleagues, as well as find gainful employment.


80 per cent of local-born Singaporeans also feel that immigrants should take the lead in interacting with them. However, immigrants tend not to do so because of unpleasant experiences and the social climate of how they are viewed by most Singaporeans.

Singaporeans and foreigners disagreed most on whether National Service (NS) makes immigrants more "Singaporean". Only 43 per cent of foreign-born citizens agreed, compared to 69 per cent of Singaporeans.


Researchers said that a third of foreigners chose not to serve NS, according to reports. They suggested that the Singapore Armed Forces may reach out to first generation new citizens to share the value of NS."

Lessons for me are:

1. it is easier to respect other cultures when they are here from the start like the Malay, the Indian, the Chinese, and the Eurasian of the early Singapore nationhood. They fought for many worth causes and many tough battles side-by-side. This cannot be replaced by the new immigrants who are basically not rooted yet and have not experienced such common challenges and hardship as one united people of a new nation;

2. the singular act that is unique to Singaporean male citizens is to serve the National Service. It is tantamount to disrespecting male Singaporean if any new citizen or immigrants play the card of: there is no need for them, if they are young enough, or their sons to serve NS to show that they are really patriotic new Singaporeans! This is almost like a 'not negotiable' item!;

3. the plead to respect other cultures by Singaporeans ignored that fact that it is NOT the culture that is a problem. It is the overcrowding, the keen competition for job, the sense of being inferior to some section of the ultra rich immigrants, the sense of how the immigrants have pushed up the housing market and depressed the low wage jobs, etc that are pushing Singaporeans to think of themselves first before thinking about respecting the foreigners who are NOT Singaporeans, especially those who still try to argue that serving NS is NOT a must and not a big deal!

May we continue this conversation as it is NOT going to be easy to get Singaporeans to accept foreigners without any demands in return for citizenship!