Marketing SOCIAL COHESION
Mr Shanmugam shared that during people interviews, one popular sentiment was that” this Bill simply prevents cultural discord, but does not promote cultural harmony”.
” I can grasp the view. What individuals want to see is something that will positively encourage people of all races to coexist harmoniously.
However, people may be forced to get along with each other through the use of laws, said Mr Shanmugam.
” That has to travel through federal guidelines, through the foundation, the structure of society, how we build that DNA into nation over time. And that is what we have been doing”, he said.
He claimed that laws create a pretty strong legal framework and can be imposed on individuals, reducing and preventing bad behavior. They are usually needed only for a small minority of people, said Mr Shanmugam.
Outside of the law, he claimed, there are social structures that can be used to promote policies that promote racial harmony.
” The Bill … will not be a cure for solving all race-related problems, but it is a powerful message of our commitment to be united as one people”, he said.
IMPACT ON RACE-RELATED Debate
Mr. Shanmugam cited the case study of the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, which the new Act was based on, as an example of the possible effects of the Act on stifling race-related discussions and a possible overwhelming use of the restraining commands by the government.
” We have had similar power for over 30 years, and the forces have never been used. That provides an evidence of how the government uses these power, he said.
The key is to possess the rights, but also to use them sparingly and carefully.
He added that there are safeguards in place to prevent people from using the restraining purchases.
For example, it can only be used by the Minister for Home Affairs, who has to be officially accountable, including in congress.
The person can make images to the national council after an RO  is issued, which will then produce recommendations to the president regarding how to deal with it, such as whether to confirm or reject it.
The senator also has to follow Cabinet’s tips, and if Cabinet and the national government thinks, then the leader has the choice on what to do, explained Mr Shanmugam.