Government must provide leadership, avoid blind spots to protect harmony

THE eruption of racial tension in the United States over the last couple of weeks is a stark reminder that social harmony is fragile, and requires constant vigilance.

Singapore, a nation for which multiculturalism is both legacy and necessity, should pay attention. Growing debate in recent years about immigration, sexual orientation and racial safeguards for the presidency, not to mention the ongoing threat of radicalism and terrorism, have pushed issues of identity and citizenship to the forefront of the national discourse.

Addressing those issues is an immensely complex task, but the events in the United States can offer some lessons to start from.