A/HRC/17/40/Add.2
The Special Rapporteur formulates several recommendations. Among others, he
recommends that the Government:
• Remove legislative provisions which unduly restrict the rights to freedom of
expression and assembly and which prevent individuals living in Singapore from
holding open and fruitful public debate on matters related to ethnicity.
• Remove the indication of one’s ethnic background on identification documents, so
as not to perpetuate ethnic categorization of Singaporeans and to lessen the
significance of ethnic identity in one’s interactions with the State and within
Singaporean society at large.
• Set up a national body, instead of ethnically based self-help groups, to coordinate
efforts and provide people living in Singapore with complementary social services
in an equal manner.
• Consider making small adjustments to the public educational system, for instance
with special temporary programmes, in order to allow Malay students to catch up
with their Chinese counterparts.
• Review guidelines, policies and practices that may prevent members of ethnic
minorities to be employed in institutions that should reflect the diversity of
Singapore, such as the armed forces, the police and the judiciary.
• Act swiftly to ensure the protection of migrant workers’ human rights. In this
regard, he recommends that the implementation of the Employment Act be
enhanced and extended so as to cover domestic workers; that efforts be made to
ensure the expeditious resolution of labour disputes; and that a minimum wage for
migrant workers particularly vulnerable to exploitation be introduced.
• Accede to international human rights instruments containing provisions reaffirming
the fundamental human rights principles of non-discrimination and equality.
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