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Fine to stop highlighting ethnicity in Singapore

The increase in inter-ethnic marriages, from 12 per cent of marriages in 2002 to 21 per cent last year, is significant (“More ‘I dos’, fewer ‘I don’ts’ in 2012”, July 11).

Songs such as  One People, One Nation, One Singapore can create the wrong impression that different ethnic groups have significant differences, not just in appearance, but in other aspects. TODAY file photo

Songs such as One People, One Nation, One Singapore can create the wrong impression that different ethnic groups have significant differences, not just in appearance, but in other aspects. TODAY file photo

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The increase in inter-ethnic marriages, from 12 per cent of marriages in 2002 to 21 per cent last year, is significant (“More ‘I dos’, fewer ‘I don’ts’ in 2012”, July 11).

This is another obvious sign that businesses should not be asking individuals to declare their ethnic group in various processes such as job applications or even for lucky draw forms. It does not make sense to do so when a rising proportion of the population is going to be of mixed ethnic heritage.

Religion can form a strong basis for our behaviour and beliefs, but this is much less so for ethnicity or race, I think. Singapore prides itself on being a harmonious multi-racial country and this marriage trend is evidence that we are one. But there are practices or messages that highlight our ethnic differences, which I think are unnecessary.

With National Day approaching, I was singing One People, One Nation, One Singapore to my child and there was a line that conveyed what I felt was the wrong message: “Every creed and every race, has its role and has its place.”

Really? I never knew I had a designated role because of my race. This could be dismissed as something minor, but after I became a parent, I am more sensitive to the things I say.

Such details and messages can create an impression that different ethnic groups have significant differences, not only in appearance, but supposedly in other aspects.

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