Multiple identities, one nation — realising racial equality requires first acknowledging racial differences

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined that Singapore’s 60th anniversary of independence is a time to reaffirm its commitment to multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-lingual ideals as a testament to unity in diversity. While diversity can pose fault lines, he argued that cohesion depends on building a shared national identity rooted in citizenship rather than ethnicity. Multiracialism, he stressed, is not only a constitutional principle but a continuous, collective effort – one that preserves ethnic identities while ensuring they become less divisive over time.