Risk or Trust?: The Legal Management of Diversity in Singapore

In early February 2025, Singapore’s parliament passed a new law aimed at promoting social cohesion between the various ethnic groups in the city-state’s highly diverse society. The “Maintenance of Racial Harmony Bill”, which targets any form of hatred and enmity between Singapore’s ethnic groups, has been criticised as a law that infringes on Singapore’s constitutional right to freedom of expression. This blog places the bill in the wider context of Singapore’s diversity management strategies. To what extent do these strategies embody diversity as a potential risk rather than trust in the peaceful coexistence of Singaporean citizens from different backgrounds?