Calvin Cheng weighs in on comments about Indian nationals forming 'enclaves' in S'pore

Former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Calvin Cheng has commented on the issue of Indian nationals forming exclusive social networks in Singapore. Cheng acknowledged that it is natural for people to stick together, but he urged immigrants to assimilate and integrate more into their host society. His remarks were made on September 6 in a Facebook post, following a recent incident where racist comments were made online about Singaporean nationals missing in the Nepal floods and about an Air India investment by Singapore Airlines.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong had previously called for rejecting such views, while Senior Minister K Shanmugam stated that the police would investigate the comments.

Cheng highlighted that there have been similar observations in other countries such as Canada, Australia, and the UK. He pointed out that this behaviour is not limited to Indian immigrants but can also be found among Chinese immigrants. Historically, Chinese immigrants in Singapore formed informal networks that later evolved into clan associations, often relying on these connections for housing and job opportunities.

Cheng noted that while such enclaves are less visible today as they resemble the majority race, they still exist in various parts of the world.

Cheng emphasized that it is natural for people of the same nationality to support each other, as is the case with Singaporeans. However, he urged immigrants and expats to integrate and assimilate more effectively by mixing with people of other nationalities and moving out of their comfort zones. He concluded by stating that forming social enclaves that exclude locals will only cause unhappiness among both immigrants and the host country's residents.