Intolerance towards those who are different is still prevalent today.

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Singapore activists warn of surging

xenophobia
By Bhavan JAIPRAGAS | AFP News Wed, May 28, 2014
Guest workers and expatriates are increasingly the target of "xenophobic" attacks
on social media, Singapore's leading activists groups warned Wednesday.
There is evidence of the "widespread use of racist, aggressive and militarised
rhetoric" against foreigners on social networks, said a press release issued by 12
independent groups including Maruah, Singapore's main human rights group.
It warned of a worrying trend "blaming foreigners for social ills" such as
overcrowding, local unemployment, often posted anonymously online.
"We, the undersigned, are alarmed by the recent surge of racism and xenophobia
in Singapore," the statement said.
It added the key to addressing frustrations felt by many Singaporeans was for the
government to change the policies which caused marginalisation and inequality.
"These inequitable policies were not instituted by migrants and will not
automatically disappear if the migrant population decreases," the press release
said.
Among the other signatories were organisations advocating women's and migrant
workers' welfare, gay rights.
The statement came a day after a Philippine independence day celebration
scheduled for June 8 in downtown Singapore was cancelled following a virulent
campaign by online commentators.
Migrant workers from South Asia have also been attacked and ridiculed online
following a riot last December triggered by the death of an Indian worker in a road
accident.
Western expatriates seen to have behaved arrogantly have also been denounced
by Singaporeans. One wealthy British man was forced to leave the country along
with his Singaporean wife and their son, after a backlash over comments he made
mocking poorer citizens.
A survey by Singapore's government-linked Institute of Policy Studies released
this year showed that over 30 percent of citizens and permanent residents felt
that nationality-based prejudice had risen over the past five years.
This is despite a per capita income of $55,183, one of
and an unemployment rate of just over two percent.
Singapore's low birth rate prompted the government
18,500 new citizenships every year between 2008
population surge by 30 percent since 2004 to 5.4 million

the highest in the world,

to grant an average of
to 2012 -- helping the
last year.

Out of a foreign population of 1.55 million, about 700,000 are mainly Asian workpermit holders employed in construction and other sectors shunned by
Singaporeans. Some 200,000 others work as domestic helpers.

Singapore's long-ruling People's Action Party has tightened migrant inflows since
suffering its worst showing in a 2011 general election where the large foreign
presence was a big issue.
In the statement, the Singapore activists said the government was partly to blame
for the marginalisation of guest workers, "for instance by not giving domestic
workers full and equal employment protections".
They warned that discrimination not only oppressed the migrant community, but
also reinforced discrimination against Singapore's own minorities.

The senselessness of xenophobia in

Singapore
DANIEL YUN
I THINK we all know at least one person - I know of more than one - who can be
quiet, even timid, very polite and civil, but, once online, their personalities are
transformed, almost unrecognisably.
From tone to topic, they are loud, uninhibited, and they can be rude, using
expletives never uttered when they are talking in person, one to one, or in a
group. They literally become keyboard warriors.
From a nation of people who are apathetic and needing a strong push to speak up,
when have we become a nation of online advocates - more importantly, abrasive
online advocates?
Alarmed by episodes such as the collective condemnation of expatriates including
Briton Anton Casey, the strident objections to holding a Philippine Independence
Day celebration here, and an emerging trend of blaming foreigners for any social
ill, several civil society groups issued a joint statement last week against the
surge in racism and xenophobia in Singapore.
Tolerance for other people's ideas and the freedom to express our own are
inseparable values. Joined, they form a sacred trust that constitutes the basis of
our democratic society.
But this trust is now perpetually vulnerable to the tyrannical tendencies of the
online majorities. A growing number of Singaporeans now feel compelled to speak
up in ways previously unimaginable even to themselves, for those they think
cannot fend for themselves or are suffering quietly.
Coming from a perspective that nothing is sacred online, suddenly everything
about the system and people in public positions is fertile soil to plant seeds of
disgrace, disrespect and distrust.
There is an unspoken consensus online, especially among the young, that it is
politically incorrect and not hip to agree with the Government, or to offer a
different point of view to that of the popular/ unpopular person or topic of the day
or week. For the online advocates, you are either on their side or you are against
them.
I never thought the day would come when I have to speak up against the people
speaking up in Singapore. Now I do.
There is increasing underlying unhappiness and resentment towards overcrowding
and job competition ascribed to foreigners.

Even with very rational people we know, they can be surprisingly one dimensional
in their attacks.
And their views can border on the senseless; their rant can express outright ethnic
hatred, crossing the line to foul abuse.
Of note, the celebration plans of the Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore
have now been cancelled - for the first time in 20 years.
But I see what the signatories say in the joint statement by civil society groups as
a turning point.
They noted that the economic frustrations felt by Singaporeans should be directed
at policies and structures which "were not instituted by migrants and will not
automatically disappear if the migrant population decreases".
I am working on a movie, "1965", for our jubilee celebrations next year, premised
on the fragility of racial harmony, and how we can, if we are not careful, be racist
ourselves without knowing it. Given the present societal climate, I am more
convinced and motivated to tell this story.

Survey finds widespread tolerance of

religious diversity here
By Tham Yuen-C
SINGAPORE - Amid a worldwide trend of rising religiosity, harmony between
people of different religions here remains strong, with a majority of people here
believing that those of different religions in Singapore get along well, a survey by
the Institute of Policy Studies found.
Keys to maintaining this peaceful state are the Governments policies on religion,
and its role as arbiter of disputes, said the surveys lead researcher Mathew
Mathews.
This is the third release of findings from a large-scale survey on race, religion and
language by the think tank.
In these latest results, which measured self-reported perceptions on religion, 66.6
per cent of about 3,000 people polled agreed that those of different religions live
in harmony here. Another 29.1 per cent of respondents were neutral, and 4.3 per
cent did not agree.
These results, said Dr Mathew, point to a healthy level of religious harmony
here.
As an example, some nine in 10 respondents reported being comfortable with
having a colleague or neighbour of a different faith.
These numbers, though, fell when it came to relationships in the private sphere.
Only about two in 10 protestant Christians said they are comfortable with their
child marrying a Muslim. It was the same case the other way around.
But Dr Mathew said this may have more to do with religious sanctions - Islam and
Christianity encourages marriage with those of like faith - than intolerance.
And although religion plays an important role in a persons life - 57.1 per cent of
respondents said religion is imporant to their overall sense of identity - most
respondents were satisfied with the the status quo in terms of religious rights.

Only 23.7 per cent of respondents said they believed religious groups should be
given more rights than they currently have.
The fact that you can hold on to religious beliefs and yet live in a multi-religious
setting speaks to the commitment people have towards religious harmony, said
Dr Mathew.
He said this has to do with the success of policies put in place to ensure religious
harmony, such as the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, and other softer
measures, such as encouraging religious understanding through the Inter-racial
and Religious Confidence Circles.
Over time, these measures have helped to shape behaviour and what is
considered normative, he added.
Which is why the survey also found strong support for government intervention
when it comes to religious disputes, said Dr Mathew.
More than 60 per cent of respondents said they believe they should report
offensive actions, such as bigotry or insensitive comments made about a religion,
to the authorities.
This also indicates peoples commitment towards maintaining religious harmony,
said Dr Mathew.
People themeselves are policing the scene, reporting incidents of infractions to
the authorities. There is still a very strong feeling that they want to keep incidents
in check, he said.

Filipinos in Singapore drop IDay

celebration plans after abuse
J
J

Organisers of a Philippine independence celebration have dropped plans to

hold it in a busy Singapore shopping district, police said Monday, after an abusive
campaign by online commentators opposed to the event's venue.
The Philippines marks its 116th year of independence on June 12 and a group of
Filipino residents in the city-state had initially planned a commemoration event on
June 8 for compatriots and Singaporeans at a shopping complex along the busy
Orchard Road shopping belt.
In a statement sent to AFP Monday, police said organisers, the Pilipino
Independence Day Council 2014 (PIDC), had withdrawn their application to hold
the event at the Ngee Ann City shopping complex.
"This follows police's advice that there are public order and safety concerns with
the venue proposed by PIDC," police said.
It said the organisers had been advised to hold the event at alternative locations,
including a free speech park and a convention centre.
Organisers did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment on
whether they would go ahead with the event at a different location.
Online commentators, mostly on anonymously-run local websites and Facebook
pages, have heaped racial abuse and attacked the choice of venue by the
organisers.

Critics posting on ultra-nationalist blog The Real Singapore have characterised the
commemoration of a foreign state's independence day at the centre of town as an
example of foreigners overstepping their welcome in Singapore.
An article on The Real Singapore said the event undermined "the significance of
Singapore's own independence as a sovereign state".
Other anonymous online commentators have called on organisers to hold the
event within the Philippine embassy grounds.
Gilbert Goh, an employment counsellor regarded as the most vocal critic of the
government's immigration policies, on Monday cheered PIDC's decision to
withdraw plans to hold the event at Orchard Road.
"Well done Singaporeans, power to the people!," he said in a post on Facebook
accompanied by a picture of a news article about PIDC's decision.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in April condemned the virulent campaign against
PIDC, led by Goh and other online commentators, as "thuggish behaviour" and
called them a "disgrace to Singapore".
A large foreign presence in tiny Singapore has increasingly riled locals, who say
foreigners compete with them for jobs, housing, medical care as well as space on
public transport, even though the unemployment rate stands at just over two
percent -- one of the lowest figures in the world.
Singaporeans make up just over 60 percent of the country's 5.4 million
population, with its low fertility rate forcing the government to rely heavily on
guest workers to power its affluent economy.
About 172,700 Filipinos work in Singapore, according to the latest publicly
available Philippine government data. Recent arrivals are largely professionals
and service-sector workers.

BY TOMMY KOH, FOR THE STRAITS TIMES

MIRACLE ON WATERLOO STREET

Religion can promote peace between people and between nations. It can also be a
cause for conflict and war. Religion has often been hijacked by unscrupulous men
to gain or retain power and used by such men as a weapon against their
adversaries. There are many situations in the contemporary world where religion
is a threat to peace.
Let me cite a few examples.
The Buddhists and Muslims have clashed in Myanmar, especially in Rakhine state.
In Pakistan and the Middle East, Sunni terrorists have been blowing up mosques
and other places sacred to the Shi'ites.
In Iraq and Syria, a group of Sunni extremists, who call themselves the Islamic
State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), is seeking to create a new caliphate by violent
means.
In one of our neighbouring countries, the Shi'ites are not allowed to practise their
religion.
In Europe, there is growing animosity between Christians and Muslims. The recent
shootings at a Copenhagen cafe during a seminar on free speech, and the killing

of Charlie Hebdo cartoonists in Paris, are manifestations of this chasm. So too are
the anti-Islam demonstrations in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
A precious achievement
VIEWED against this backdrop, the religious and racial harmony we enjoy in
Singapore is remarkable.
This weekend, it will not only be the Chinese who celebrate Chinese New Year; I
am sure Singaporeans of all races will also be visiting their Chinese friends.
I consider Singapore's religious harmony one of the most precious achievements
of the past 50 years. We must do everything we can to preserve it.
Singapore may be a small country but it is one of the most religiously diverse
countries in the world. Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Taoism and Hinduism are the
main religions of Singapore. Sikhism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism and
Baha'ism have small followings. All 10 religions are represented in the nongovernmental organisation called the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO).
The fact that Singapore is physically very small means that the places of worship
of different religions may be located on the same street, and sometimes even
next door to each other.
In other countries, such proximity could lead to misunderstanding and even
conflict. Luckily for us, this is not the case in Singapore.
I often take visitors from abroad to join me in a walking tour of Waterloo Street.
On this street, we have a Jewish synagogue, a Hindu temple and a Buddhist
temple dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin. My foreign friends are
amazed at the sight of Buddhists worshipping at the Hindu temple and vice versa.
I tell them that this is one of the miracles of Singapore.
Riots in the 1950s and 1960s
HOWEVER, relations between the followers of the different religions in Singapore
have not always been amicable.
In 1950, riots occurred for several days when an insensitive British judge ordered
that a Dutch girl, Maria Hertogh, who had been adopted and raised by a MalayMuslim foster mother, be remanded in a Catholic convent, pending his ruling on
whether custody should be awarded to Maria's biological mother or her foster
mother.
In 1964, a procession to celebrate Prophet Muhammad's birthday was attacked by
Chinese gangsters. This led to several days of rioting, arson and mayhem.
The memories of those riots as well as the one which occurred on May 13, 1969
will never be forgotten. They have motivated Singaporeans to work hard to
prevent the recurrence of such unhappy events.
Singapore's state of religious harmony did not happen by chance. We got here
from crafting important policies, laws and institutions which helped to promote
religious harmony in Singapore.
Secularism, Singapore style
FIRST, Singapore is a secular state. We do not have a state religion, unlike
Malaysia or the United Kingdom. The state does not promote religion. It is,
however, not hostile to religion, unlike the communist countries.
Freedom of religion
SECOND, Article 15 of the Singapore Constitution guarantees the freedom of
religion and the right to propagate one's religion.
The Court of Appeal has held that it is not illegal for a Singapore citizen to be a
Jehovah's Witness, a proscribed group. He is, however, not exempted from being
called up to serve his national service.

In another case, the same court held that a citizen working in an educational
institution is not exempted from singing the National Anthem or reciting the
National Pledge on account of his religious beliefs. In other words, in Singapore, a
citizen's right to religious freedom is subordinated to the public good.
Free speech and religious harmony
THIRD, in Singapore, the right to free speech is not an absolute right.
The Penal Code makes it an offence to utter words which deliberately wound the
religious feelings of others. The Sedition Act makes it an offence to promote
feelings of ill will or hostility between different races or classes of the population.
In 2005, three bloggers were convicted under the Sedition Act for posting Webblog comments that were anti-Muslim. In Singapore, unlike Denmark and France,
cartoons which depict Prophet Muhammad would be deemed to be offensive,
punishable under both the Penal Code and Sedition Act and not protected by the
freedom of speech.
Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act
FOURTH, in 1990, the Singapore Parliament enacted the Maintenance of Religious
Harmony Act. The law established the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony,
a body consisting of both religious and lay leaders, to advise the President on
matters affecting religious harmony.
The law also empowers the Government to issue restraining orders against
preachers who threaten our religious harmony.
A few years ago, a good friend who is a pastor in an independent Protestant
church sought my advice. He told me that he had received a letter from the
Government warning him that he would be stopped from preaching unless he
refrained from attacking the Catholic Church in his sermons.
I asked him to show me the text of his recent sermons. After reading them, I told
my friend that I agreed with the Govern-ment's warning and that he should stop
his unwarranted attacks on the Catholic Church.
I remember that a few years ago, a Christian pastor was caught on film
badmouthing the Buddhists and Taoists. The video went viral and the public
response was unanimous. He had crossed the red line and should apologise. The
pastor did apologise and the Buddhists and Taoists decided to forgive him.
Inter-Religious Organisation
FIFTH, I believe that the IRO has played a very positive role in the maintenance of
religious harmony in Singapore.
The members of IRO belong to 10 different faiths. They serve in their individual
capacities and not as the official representatives of their respective religions.
The fact that they get along well, respect one another's faith, visit one another's
places of worship and appear together at public performances of joint religious
prayers is an inspiration to the community. They set a good example for others to
follow.
In conclusion, I would reiterate my point that religious harmony is one of the most
important achievements of the past 50 years. Our success is due partly to our
policies, laws and institutions.
It is also due to the good sense of the people of Singapore.
Singaporeans have developed the cultural DNA to respect one another's faiths. It
is unSingaporean to insult, disparage or make fun of the deities or religious beliefs
of others.