New law to protect racial harmony in S'pore takes effect - Mothership

A new law to safeguard and strengthen racial harmony took effect on Sep. 15, 2026.

The Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act 2025 was passed by parliament on Feb. 4, 2025.

In a press release on Sep. 14, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the act "strengthens Singapore's ability to preserve racial harmony, respond effectively to emerging threats, and safeguard our multicultural society against malicious foreign influence".

The new law empowers the government to issue restraining orders (ROs) against individuals who make content that prejudices Singapore’s racial harmony.

It does this by consolidating existing statutes to preserve racial harmony while providing for additional safeguards.

Under the new law, a new Presidential Council for Racial and Religious Harmony (PCRRH) will be established to replace the existing Presidential Council for Religious Harmony.

The PCRRH is also set to begin its inaugural three-year term on Sep. 15.

It will comprise representatives from Singapore's major racial and religious communities, and persons who have distinguished themselves in public service or community relations in Singapore.

PCRRH members are expected to exercise independent judgement and work collectively in advising on matters affecting the maintenance of racial and religious harmony.

Former Supreme Court judge Choo Han Teck has been appointed as the council’s chairman.

K. Sengkuttuvan, chairman of the Hindu Advisory Board and president of the Inter-Religious Organisation

The PCRRH may consider and make recommendations to the president on ROs made under the new law, or the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act 1990 (MRHA).

MRHA was enacted in 1990 to provide for powers to maintain religious harmony in Singapore.

The council may also consider matters affecting racial or religious harmony referred to it by the Home Affairs minister or parliament and report its views to them.

Corresponding constitutional amendments will also come into effect, MHA said.

The new law will empower the Home Affairs minister to issue ROs against persons involved in the "communication, production or distribution of content that prejudices the maintenance of racial harmony in Singapore", MHA stated.

The RO takes immediate effect once a copy of the order is given to the person in question.

Failure to comply with the RO will be considered an offence.

"These powers allow the government to take swift and pre-emptive action against offensive content that can spread rapidly and may cause irreparable harm to social cohesion," MHA said.

The ministry added that constitutional amendments will confer on the president the discretion to confirm, cancel, or vary an RO if the PCRRH's recommendation and the cabinet's advice differ.

Some existing race-related offences will be ported over or updated following the new act.

Sections 298 and 298A of the Penal Code 1871 on offences relating to race will be repealed, said MHA.

a. Incite feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility against, or contempt for or ridicule of, a racial group;

b. Insult, vilify, denigrate, threaten or abuse another person on the basis of race; and

c. Urge violence on the basis of race, or against a racial group.

The act also introduces defences for these offences that are already present in the MRHA, including for private or domestic conduct, and for pointing out matters in good faith for the purpose of bringing about a removal of those matters, MHA added.

Alleged offenders may be sent to undergo remedial action through a newly formed Community Remedial Initiative (CRI) under the new act.

The initiative gives them the "opportunity to learn from and make amends for his racist conduct, thereby soothing communal tensions and repairing ties between the communities", MHA said.

In deciding whether to institute proceedings against a person for certain race-related offences, the public prosecutor may consider whether the person has satisfactorily completed the programme.

However, the CRI will not be offered for egregious cases, such as those involving incitement of violence or conduct that severely undermines social cohesion.

"These cases will continue to be considered for criminal prosecution. This sends the right signal that such conduct will not be tolerated," MHA said.

The act also introduces safeguards against foreign influence for designated race-based entities, MHA said.

The safeguards are similar to those currently applied to religious groups under the MRHA.

Designated race-based entities will be required to disclose foreign and anonymous donations, foreign affiliations and leadership composition, as well as to comply with leadership restrictions.

The racial harmony law means that some 300 clan and business associations will be designated as “race-based entities” are subjected to similar disclosures.

MHA will engage such entities before they are designated and will also guide them on the reporting requirements, ahead of their first reporting obligation in April 2028, the ministry shared.

The Home Affairs minister will also be able to impose stepped-up measures against specific race-based entities by issuing foreign influence ROs.

This is in order to "pre-empt, prevent, or reduce foreign influence" that may undermine racial harmony and present a threat to public peace and public order in Singapore, MHA said.

These foreign influence ROs are subject to the same safeguards as racial content ROs.