On February 4, 2025, Singapore passed the Racial Harmony Bill, consolidating laws to strengthen racial cohesion while introducing new measures such as restraining orders against harmful content and a community remedial initiative for minor offences.
The bill also requires race-based entities to disclose foreign affiliations to protect against external influence.
While it aims to safeguard social harmony, the bill raises questions about its impact on free speech and open discourse.
Is it the solution to balancing unity with freedom, or does it risk stifling necessary conversations?
On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Associate Professor Eugene Tan from the Singapore Management University School of Law, to find out the implications surrounding this new bill.