Racial and religious harmony in Singapore has improved, with two-thirds of respondents in 2024 rating it as high or very high, a significant increase from 57.1 percent in 2018, according to a survey.

The study, conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, found that racial minorities were more likely to rate harmony as moderate. Meanwhile, older respondents tended to perceive higher levels of harmony compared to younger ones.

The survey also revealed a significant rise in trust across racial and religious groups. The proportion of respondents expressing distrust in other racial groups declined from 42.7 percent in 2013 to 27.2 percent in 2024.

As seen in earlier studies, racial and religious acceptance was strongest in public relationships, such as among colleagues and neighbors, but relatively lower in personal relationships, such as with in-laws or spouses.

Discrimination in accessing public services remained rare, with approximately nine in 10 respondents reporting they were treated “about the same” as others across all survey waves.

Reports of workplace discrimination have also declined. In 2024, seven percent of respondents said they experienced discrimination in job-related matters, down from 9.3 percent in 2018. Among those who reported discrimination, the most common issues were exclusion from conversations due to language barriers (57.7 percent) and perceptions of unfair job promotions, with 47.7 percent believing others were promoted based on race rather than qualifications.

The survey, based on a nationally representative sample of 4,000 Singaporean residents, also incorporated data from 2018 and 2013 for comparison, Xinhua news agency reported.

IPS conducts surveys on key national issues to understand Singaporeans’ attitudes and aspirations. The findings are analyzed by IPS researchers and shared in publications and conferences. Its flagship studies include the Perception of Policies in Singapore (POPS) Survey Series and the Singapore Panel Study on Social Dynamics (SPSSD).