Reject identity politics, keep race and religion out of political space: PM Wong

He calls on parties to make clear their position on matter of national importance

- Hariz Baharudin Correspondent and Ng Wei Kai

Singapore should firmly reject identity politics, and keep race and religion out of the political space, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

A week before the nation heads to the polls on May 3, he called on the leaders of all political parties to clarify their stance on two fundamental principles: that identity politics has no place in Singapore, and that religion and politics should not mix.

PM Wong said that "mixing politics with religion is unacceptable in Singapore" for several reasons.

It fractures the common space shared by all Singaporeans, all communities are worse off when elections become contests of faith and external powers will exploit fault lines to advance their own agenda.

He said: "My call to all political parties is as I said: Let's do our best not to push the boundaries" and leave race and religion out of politics.

He explained that identity politics refers to candidates appealing for support on the basis of race and religion, and championing the interests of particular groups over everything else.

Speaking at a press conference on April 26, PM Wong said: "This is not a partisan or party matter. This is a matter of national importance."

He added that if all parties agree and exercise their campaign with an element of restraint, Singapore will be better off as a whole.

He said: "In the end, Singaporeans can choose whichever party they wish to support for their constituency and for their government, but we will not allow this to become an issue that divides us especially in the middle of an election campaign."

He was speaking a day after the Government moved to block access to Facebook posts by two Malaysian politicians and an ex-ISA detainee for attempting to interfere in the ongoing election.