S'poreans less keen to marry outside race, religion: Study
But findings show racial and religious relations are robust, say authors
By Lynn Lee
Singaporeans are more accepting of co-workers, political leaders, policemen and teachers from another race or religion.
But race gets in Cupid's way when it comes to matters of the heart. Many are less enamoured of themselves or their siblings marrying someone of another race.
This picture of a distinct difference in preferred attitudes between relationships in the private sphere and those in the public sphere emerged in a poll of 1,824 citizens aged 15 and older.
The survey looked at whether race and religion shape how Singaporeans prefer to interact with each other.
One key takeaway: It depends on the situation - and whether it has to do with private life or public interaction.
In politics, for example, all Chinese and all the minority respondents would not mind a Chinese PM. And 94 per cent of Chinese said they would not mind an Indian for a Prime Minister while 91 per cent would not mind a Malay as PM.
In the social sphere, some 82 per cent of Chinese said they would celebrate special events with Indian friends.
But only 31 per cent said they were willing to tie the knot with someone of that race.
The study's authors, Assistant Professor Norman Vasu and Ms Yolanda Chin of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the findings suggested that inter-racial and inter-religious harmony, while not perfect, were 'robust'.
Yes, Singaporeans seemed 'conservative' in terms of whom they preferred to interact with privately, but 'civility in the public sphere is maintained despite personal preferences,' they noted.
Added Assistant Professor Vasu: 'They are mature enough to put aside racial and religious differences in the public sphere.'
Respondents were given 19 scenarios where they would come into contact with another race - on the bus, in school and in the family - and were asked how receptive they were of this.
Academics interviewed, such as sociologist Tan Ern Ser, found the results heartening. But several were also wary of inferring more from the findings rather than just a sense of preferences or preferred attitudes - and not actual relations or behaviour.
Said National Institute of Education Professor Ooi Giok Ling: 'It would have been good to discuss behaviour or practice.'
Others suggested the results could be viewed with some sceptism.
Grassroots leader Henry Low, 60, for one, did not wholly believe the findings that people were highly receptive to politicians of other races. People had not yet reached the stage where they were 'colour blind', he said.
Noted Dr Gillian Koh of the Institute of Policy Studies: 'The findings are always good news. The policy-makers and leaders never trust such good news.'
In response, Dr Vasu stressed that the aim was to gauge one's willingness to interact with people of different backgrounds.
'We wanted to eliminate responses where people said, 'Oh I've never been in that situtation before,' he said.
Both he and Ms Chin pointed out that their study was meant as a 'snapshot' of how communities related to each other and was the first publicly-available one that asked people about their attitudes towards specific races.
'It gives a baseline picture,' said Dr Vasu, adding that the findings should be seen together with results from other studies.
Asked whether interviewees gave politically correct answers, the authors pointed to the variation in results, with acceptance figures dipping to as low as 27 per cent, when Buddhists/Taoists were asked if they would marry a Muslim.
But one possible inference that could be made, said Ms Chin: Activities in the public sphere were not as important as those in the private sphere. So in those cases, race mattered less.
The experts also offered their own conclusions of findings that struck them.
Asked for his take on the findings, Singaporeans like Major (Retired) G. Shanmugam, 74, married to a Chinese woman for around 50 years said: 'Education is very important. That's how people will realise that race, and relgion is really not an issue.'
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S'poreans less keen to marry outside race, religion: Study 
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