It started with a slow but series of events over the last 30 years
- Speak Mandarin campaign - not to allow another Lim Chin Siong to emerge, proven right when Low emerged, politically good for PAP but bad for the country
- Ascendancy of Chinese Language Teacher as a political faction within PAP - again Old Man and PAP hold
- Introduction of HDB racial quotas - again Old Man and PAP hold
- Introduction of GRC - Again Old man and PAP hold
- Introduction of SAP schools - Chinese Language Teachers lobbying and Old Man
- AMP rebelling and winning the right to choose PAP MPs - Mistake by the Malays
- Further entrenchment of race based broadcasting channels - Again Old Man and PAP Hold
- Emergence of fundamentalism within Islam - tudung, moving away from other races when it comes to meals, social events, and what was common interaction points
- Introduction of self-help group along racial lines - Mendaki, Sinda, and CDAC - blames lies with leaders of all communities
- Marginalisation of non-Chinese from key positions in pubic service - not intentional but negligence and poor planing.
- Allowing PRC, Indian Indians and their poor habits into Singapore.
Several reasons I can think of as why Singaporean are more race conscious than before.
Recent events like the race requirements in presidential election serve to highlight the inequality between races.
Activists like Sangeetha bringing in Western liberal concepts like Chinese privilege together with recent events like Shrey's fiasco with his audition in Ah Boys 2 Men serve to constantly highlight the Chinese hegemony in Singapore.
The rapid increase in migrants has hardened the tribalism between locals and foreigners.