๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง
Few acronyms in Singapore have undergone a transformation quite like CECA.
Originally, it referred to the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement signed between Singapore and India in 2005. It was a trade agreement covering investment, taxation, professional services and economic cooperation between two countries.
However, the term often means something entirely different.
In dark corners of the internet, "CECA" is no longer used to describe a treaty. It is used to describe people, in a rude, vile and racist way.
๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ, ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ .
The evolution of language occured in the darkest recesses of the internet and since then, it is no longer about policy. It has become about ethnicity.
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Singapore experienced one of the fastest periods of population growth in its modern history. Foreign manpower increased rapidly. Housing prices rose. Trains became crowded. Competition for certain jobs intensified. Many Singaporeans felt that the pace of change was simply too fast.
People worried about whether their children would find good jobs. They worried about wages. They worried about whether Singapore would still feel like Singapore in twenty years' time.
CECA became a convenient container into which every anxiety about immigration, globalisation, housing, competition and national identity could be poured. Over time, the term detached itself from the treaty and became associated with a particular ethnic group.
That is unfair.
One can disagree with immigration policy without disliking immigrants. One can debate manpower policy without stereotyping entire communities. A mature society should be capable of distinguishing between a policy discussion and a discussion about people.
๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐จ.
Over the years, a series of measures were introduced to strengthen the position of local workers. Employment Pass criteria were tightened. Qualifying salaries were raised. Companies were expected to demonstrate fair hiring practices.
Most notably, the Fair Consideration Framework was introduced to ensure employers considered Singaporeans fairly before hiring foreign professionals. More recently, the COMPASS framework added additional checks and balances, requiring firms to meet broader workforce diversity and local employment criteria.
Singapore's success has always depended on diversity.
The traders who built the early port came from China, India, the Malay Archipelago, the Middle East and Europe. The entrepreneurs who built many of our institutions came from different cultures and backgrounds.
This does not mean immigration policy should be beyond criticism.
We should continue debating the right balance between local opportunities and global talent. We should continue discussing integration, wages, housing and social cohesion.
But we should do so honestly.
If we have concerns about immigration, let us discuss immigration.
If we have concerns about employment policy, let us discuss employment policy.
If we have concerns about manpower planning, let us discuss manpower planning.
What we should not do is use the name of a trade agreement as a derogatory label for people.
Singapore is better than that.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ "๐๐๐๐" ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐, and it needs to be returned to where it belongs: the pages of a trade agreement.