Chinese community has always supported national interest: SM Lee

As the largest community, the Chinese have played a “crucial and leading role” in building a multiracial Singapore, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Despite the racial strife in Singapore’s early years, the community has always prioritised national interests and the bigger picture, supporting inclusive policies for a multiracial nation, he added.

“While maintaining their own cultural traditions, they also respected other races and cultures, and understood that for Singapore to achieve long-term stability and peace, we must all stand equal as Singaporeans,” SM Lee said on Jan 31.

He was speaking in Mandarin to 888 invited guests at the Spring Reception at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC), organised by SCCC and Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA).

SM Lee also noted that Singapore’s Chinese culture has developed its unique spirit and characteristics from being enriched by tradition and nurtured in a multicultural environment.

Many local artists have won accolades through creations which demonstrate strong local flavour, which has given Singapore a sense of cultural confidence, he said.

And SCCC has promoted and showcased the development of local Chinese culture since its establishment in 2017, he added. This includes setting up a permanent exhibition on Singapore’s Chinese culture, which has had more than 300,000 visitors to date.

In 2024, SCCC also launched the bilingual Culturepaedia online repository, which offers a comprehensive introduction to the development and characteristics of local Chinese culture.

SM Lee said the Ministry of Education (MOE) plans to incorporate Culturepaedia into teaching materials, to strengthen the cultural and national identity of the younger generation.

SCCC chairman Ng Siew Quan said Culturepaedia has close to 180 articles to date, and has attracted more than 200,000 page views since its launch in July 2024. SCCC will commission more articles in 2025, he said.

“There is no lack of cultural content in our teaching materials, such as Chinese surnames, Chinese festivals, Chinese customs...which coincide with Culturepaedia to a large extent,” said Madam Heng Boey Hong, who is director of the Curriculum Planning and Development Division of MOE’s Mother Tongue Languages Branch.

“In future, we can work together to contribute to our children’s Chinese learning,” she added.

SM Lee also spoke on the changing role of Chinese clan associations and how they help new immigrants integrate into Singapore society.

In colonial times, such associations were established by various dialect groups. They gave support and financial assistance to fellow clansmen newly-arrived in Singapore. They also contributed to social and charitable causes, promoted education and Chinese culture, and strengthened social unity, he said.

As the landscape evolves, clan associations must renew themselves, SM Lee added. He noted that some smaller clans have faded away, but more of have successfully transformed to meet society’s evolving needs.

“Quite a few Singaporeans are now deeply interested in their roots and Chinese culture. Many clans have embraced this trend by offering programmes to help them explore these interests,” he said.

For instance, the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Cultural Academy offers arts and cultural programmes. Others, using their networks and familiarity with Greater China, help local enterprises seek new business opportunities in the region.

Some clans also give financial assistance to any Singaporean in need, including bursaries and scholarships.

“This spirit of not differentiating between clans or races helps to promote social cohesion and unity,” SM Lee said.

At the same time, clan associations have continued to help new immigrants integrate into Singapore. Over the past decades, some new immigrants have also established their own clans.

“However, the needs of new immigrants are now very different from those in the past,” SM Lee said. “They no longer require support for basic needs. Rather, they need help navigating our societal culture and norms, especially in learning how to get along with other racial groups, and showing them mutual respect and understanding.”

As SFCCA celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, SM Lee said one of its priorities will be to promote Singapore’s social values and strengthen ties with new immigrants, to help them forge a sense of shared identity.

“But clans cannot do this alone. Singaporeans should continue to open our hearts to these new arrivals, and help them become part of our Singapore family,” he said.

Immigrants themselves must also make the effort to assimilate, as well as respect and accept local norms, cultural practices, and values, he said, adding that this is essential for them to foster a sense of belonging to Singapore, and harmonious relations with local-born Singaporeans.

 

“I have found that many of those who have spent more than a decade here generally share similar worldviews and lifestyle habits as local-born Singaporeans,” he said. “Therefore, with everyone’s efforts, I am confident that new immigrants, just like our forebears, will become rooted to Singapore, and add to the vibrancy of our society and unique Chinese culture.”

At the event, SFCCA president Thomas Chua announced new initiatives to help clan associations to stay dynamic and relevant in a rapidly evolving environment, while preserving and passing on Singapore’s Chinese heritage and clan culture.

These include raising the cap on a cultural activities fund for clan associations to organise events, and partnering the Singapore University of Social Sciences to launch a tailored training programme for association members.

SM Lee urged the Chinese community to continue playing a leadership role and work with the Government to strengthen the nation’s multicultural fabric, social cohesion and unity as Singapore marks its diamond jubilee in 2025.

“60 years on, a new Prime Minister – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong – and his 4G team have taken over. They are leading Singapore into a new era with the Forward SG effort, refreshing our social compact, and building a better future for Singapore,” he said.

“Whether this little red dot can continue to shine in the next 60 years depends on whether Singaporeans can continue to strive for excellence and forge ahead.”