19 CHAPTE R 2 The Third Phase of Singapore’s Multiculturalism DANIEL PS GOH In 2003, Minister Yaacob Ibrahim made a landmark speech envisioning the third phase of Singapore’s multiculturalism as combining and going beyond the melting pot and mosaic approaches of the first two phases. Starting from the attainment of self-government in the 1950s, the first phase involved the nation-building promotion of multiracial harmony and construction of a Singaporean identity through the enlargement of the area where Chinese, Malay, Indian and other cultural beliefs and practices overlapped. In the 1980s, as the effects of Westernisation were felt with successful capitalist development, emphasis was shifted to the construction of hyphenated Chinese-Singaporean, Malay-Singaporean, Indian- Singaporean identities to encourage the retention of ethnic culture. In the current third phase, as globalisation brings with it cultural diversity, cross- cultural understanding and dialogue are encouraged to foster hybrid Singaporean identities that would bind Singaporeans in a lattice of shared cultural links, grounded in the heartland and spreading out into the cosmopolitan world. It is not an easy task to combine the melting-pot and mosaic approaches and yet foster hybrid identities. In principle, the promotion of racial and religious harmony can complement ethnic heritage preservation. One can develop a deep appreciation and actively practise one’s own cultural heritage while exercising tolerance of other cultures. Indeed, sociologists have demonstrated that the individual who preserves his or her own cultural Singapore Perspectives 2010 Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com by NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE on 11/15/20. Re-use and distribution is strictly not permitted, except for Open Access articles.