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Religious community leaders to study Code of Religious Harmony
Channel News Asia (15.10.2002)/ HRWF Int. (16.10.2002) Website http://www.hrwf.net - Email info@hrwf.net - Religious and community leaders said they needed time to discuss the proposed Code of Religious Harmony so as to come up with good recommendations.
Venerable Shi Ming Yi, President of the Inter-Religious Organisation, said: "I would think it should be a bit shorter where people would memorise what is the whole code about and put it into practice.
"We have our different teachings and different ways of doing things but when it comes to peace, harmony and society, we should work as one to do this together. If we do not have all these things and start having conflicts between religions, it is going to cause chaos in a small country in Singapore."
E. Sukumar, Chairman of the Hindu Advisory Board, said: The principles that have been enunciated in the code by the PM, I think there's universal appeal, and we can see that in these troubled times, in recent times, we can see that it's already happening in Singapore where there is greater awareness for the need for religious tolerance and understanding.
Angie Monksfield from The Buddhist Society said: "The code of conduct should be applied to people of all religions because I think you could find extremists in every religion and these extremists pose danger to everyone else."
Khua Soon Khe, Executive Secretary of the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan, said: "Religious tolerance and mutual respect with each other, I think, should apply to all Singaporeans. Just because of the recent bombings and the JI arrests, we shouldn't think the intended code of religious harmony is targeted at Muslims."
Mohd Alami Musa, Chairman of the Association of Muslim Professionals, said: "The code itself is a good piece of document. The challenge is how we can make it a reality, how could we concretise it in terms of our deeds and actions.
"So far we've been visiting each other's places of worship, but I think that's a good start, but I think it's not good enough, I think we have to go deeper.
"The code of practice provides the framework for religious community to go deeper into each other's understandings."
Code on religious harmony to be unveiled early next year
Channel News Asia (21.10.2002)/HRWF Int. (22.10.2002) C Website http://www.hrwf.net - Email info@hrwf.net - The Code on Religious Harmony is expected to be unveiled early next year, says Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.
Minister of State for Community Development and Sports Chan Soo Sen has been tasked with its progress.
Mr Goh gave this update at a community event on Sunday.
Unveiled by Mr Goh during his dialogue with community leaders, the Code on Religious Harmony is aimed at promoting greater inter-religious confidence among Singaporeans.
It is also aimed at preventing religion from being a source of conflict here.
Giving an update on the code, Mr Goh said it is not a new concept, but it would put the considerations of different religions into a declaration like a pledge.
This should be ready in four to six months' time.
Mr Goh said: "I've told MCDS to take charge, Chan Soo Sen's minister in charge of this progress, he will discuss with religious leaders, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Taoists, Buddhists, and so on. Then he'll take inputs to the IRO - inter-religious organisation, and the IRCCs, the national steering committee for IRCCs and let them sort it out."
Earlier, Mr Goh opened the new Ulu Pandan Community Club, the biggest CC in Singapore.
He said such clubs can bring people of different races and religions together through the right blend of activities - like computer classes and even workout sessions.
These would create more common space and foster greater social cohesion.
Muslim Affairs Minister Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said the Code on Religious Harmony can help ensure more room for interaction amongst the various communities.
Speaking to reporters after a parenting forum on Saturday night, he said the code serves as a platform to strengthen and widen the common ground.
Dr Yaacob said: "The code is not something that is legally binding, it's basically a platform for us to strengthen what we've already achieved. We understand certain recent events may have affected trust and confidence levels between the various communities and since at the end of the day, Singapore is a plural society, I think what the PM wants to do is to give us a platform to find ways in which we can strengthen the common ground that we have."
Prime Minister Goh proposes resolution to guide practice of religion
Channel News Asia (25.09.2002)/ HRWF International Secretariat (27.09.2002) - Website: www.hrwf.net - Email: info@hrwf.net - Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has proposed a code that will guide Singaporeans on how they should practise their religion, and accomodate the beliefs of others. He plans to discuss a resolution on this code with religious and grassroots leaders on October 14.
PM Goh revealed this to Channel NewsAsia during a news conference with Singapore reporters in Copenhagen, at the end of the Asia Europe Meeting there.
PM Goh said the resolution will act as a code of interaction amongst Singaporeans on how they conduct themselves as they practise their religion.
"One will practise his religion but one should not impose his religion and his own practice on other people and we understand each other. And of course people from other faiths also practice this resolution and we abide by this spirit of the resolution to prevent misunderstanding between the different communities," said Prime Minister Goh.
He added if the religious and grassroots leaders supported his suggestion, he could take the resolution further by tabling the matter for debate in Parliament.
When asked about the second wave of Jemaah Islamiyah arrests last month, PM Goh explained that although the JI network is not totally eliminated, it has been severely disrupted.
"We choose our words carefully. The network has been severely disrupted.There are people on the run outside Singapore. They may regroup but numbers could be small as far as we know and even if they were to sneak into S'pore, it's not possible for them to plan a massive act the way they were doing before we arrested the first thirteen. In other words, 4 tonnes of ammonia nitrate into a truck being driven into a building is very unlikely," PM Goh said.
"There can be small damage here and there. So the key work has been severely disrupted. It's not totally eliminated. Cos we can never know. I've put this question several times to the minister of home affairs and also to ISD. Are you sure because I don't want them to tell me to tell S'poreans it has been severely disrupted and something happens. So they are confident," PM Goh added.
However, his concern is that in the longer term, there could be a divide between the Muslims and non-Muslims. "The worry that we may see this thrust coming in between Muslims and non-Muslims. People may not say it but they may begin to wonder if there are more Muslims like that. Which is an unhealthy thought because the more we suspect the Muslims who are innocent, the more you achieve the objectives of the terrorists."
PM Goh added that Singaporeans must not fall into their trap, and reassured them that Muslims in Singapore are all right and it is only a few who happened to be Muslims who want to use Islam for their own evil goals. Turning to the situation on Iraq, PM Goh said there was no point speculating now what impact it may have on Singapore. He says the focus should be on restructuring the Singapore economy.
"There's no point speculating at the moment to what will happen to our growth. It's a free situation, we are all concerned. It's beyond us. We are mere spectators.
"Use the present period. Use the present period to restructure the economy, rally Singaporeans behind what you want to do, prepare the economy to compete against others in the world to carve out a niche for ourselves.
"New attitude, new spirit on moving forward and the emphasis is on entrepreneurship. Got to change people's thinking, 'bo chap' workers and employers.
"So let's get working on this and not worry about the impact on Iraq.That's beyond us. But what's within our control, let's get cracking, let's get things done," PM Goh added.
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