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Response to "Lack of clarity in race registration", (The Straits Times, 16 Aug 2012)
The Straits Times
25 Aug 2012
How ICA registers race in hyphenated options
THE Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) implemented the registration of double-barrelled race options for citizens of mixed parentage on Jan 1 last year ("Lack of clarity in race registration" by Mr Melvin Gomez; Aug 16).
This option offers parents who are of different races the added flexibility and choice to reflect both their races for their child as a double-barrelled race.
This is on top of the existing options of choosing either that of the father or mother for the child.
When parents register a double-barrelled race for their child, the proposed double-barrelled race of the child must take on both the race of the father and that of the mother as registered in each parent's NRIC.
If either parent wishes to change his/her race record, he/she is required to produce supporting documents and make an application to change the race record.
Once that is approved, the child can then take on the race as reflected in the parent's latest NRIC records.
As a policy, we do not comment on individual cases for reasons of confidentiality. Mr Gomez has made the necessary applications and we have rendered assistance to him accordingly.
Koh Wee Sing
Head, Public and Internal Communications
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration and Checkpoints Authority
<Original Letter>
The Straits Times
16 Aug 2012
Lack of clarity in race registration
RECENTLY, when I wanted to register the race of my son at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority as an Indian-Eurasian, the officer rejected it as the race on my identity card stated that I was a Malayalee.
It is clear that Malayalee is a dialect or ethnic group and not a race. Race and ethnicity are used interchangeably, but they are not similar.
The added flexibility of registering a double-barrelled race recognises evolving societal changes, but it seems the execution lacks clarity.
The Government should encourage citizens to correct any mistakes in their citizenship registrations, especially those that may have happened pre-independence, rather than put obstacles before them.
Melvin Gomez
25 Aug 2012
How ICA registers race in hyphenated options
THE Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) implemented the registration of double-barrelled race options for citizens of mixed parentage on Jan 1 last year ("Lack of clarity in race registration" by Mr Melvin Gomez; Aug 16).
This option offers parents who are of different races the added flexibility and choice to reflect both their races for their child as a double-barrelled race.
This is on top of the existing options of choosing either that of the father or mother for the child.
When parents register a double-barrelled race for their child, the proposed double-barrelled race of the child must take on both the race of the father and that of the mother as registered in each parent's NRIC.
If either parent wishes to change his/her race record, he/she is required to produce supporting documents and make an application to change the race record.
Once that is approved, the child can then take on the race as reflected in the parent's latest NRIC records.
As a policy, we do not comment on individual cases for reasons of confidentiality. Mr Gomez has made the necessary applications and we have rendered assistance to him accordingly.
Koh Wee Sing
Head, Public and Internal Communications
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration and Checkpoints Authority
<Original Letter>
The Straits Times
16 Aug 2012
Lack of clarity in race registration
RECENTLY, when I wanted to register the race of my son at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority as an Indian-Eurasian, the officer rejected it as the race on my identity card stated that I was a Malayalee.
It is clear that Malayalee is a dialect or ethnic group and not a race. Race and ethnicity are used interchangeably, but they are not similar.
The added flexibility of registering a double-barrelled race recognises evolving societal changes, but it seems the execution lacks clarity.
The Government should encourage citizens to correct any mistakes in their citizenship registrations, especially those that may have happened pre-independence, rather than put obstacles before them.
Melvin Gomez