Cohesion does not happen by chance and demands intentionality: Edwin Tong

SINGAPORE: Cohesion does not happen by chance and "demands intentionality", said Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong on Thursday (Jun 26). 

“It must be deliberate, it must be front of mind, it must be something we’re conscious of, that we must organise ourselves around it,” Mr Tong said at the International Conference on Cohesive Societies at Raffles City Convention Centre. 

“It requires what I call intentional multiculturalism – something that is not left to chance, cannot be built by chance,” he added. 

Social cohesion does not exist as a natural state, and "our most primal instincts tell us to look for people who are similar to us".

“We hang out with people who look like us, speak like us, share our beliefs, and basically a reflection of ourselves.” 

Mr Tong said it cannot be assumed that cohesiveness can happen by chance, especially when there is a diverse group of people with different interests, faiths and backgrounds. 

“We must work very hard at it, and this is painstaking work,” he said.

“But if we get it right, we can build shared norms with common goals and aspirations, and be in a position to create an environment where people don't just tolerate one another, but we embrace one another.”

Mr Tong also said true cohesion and societal harmony cannot be the product of a “single silver bullet”, as people come from different heritage and cultural norms. 

“It is also multifaceted because no two communities can ever be alike. It is also constantly evolving across different generations," he added. 

More than 1,000 people, including policymakers, community practitioners and young leaders from over 50 countries, attended the conference organised by the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.

MULTICULTURALISM "NOT A NATURAL STATE"

As Singapore celebrates its 60th year of independence this year, Mr Tong said this is a milestone in the country’s journey to build a cohesive, multicultural society. 

However, it is also an opportunity for people in Singapore to ask themselves what more can be done to reach "SG100 and beyond". 

Singapore has become home to a “kaleidoscope” of different ethnicities, religions and languages, said Mr Tong, adding that multiculturalism is not a natural state and should always be a constant work in progress.

Before ending his speech, Mr Tong spoke about how cohesion building should be approached. 

“I believe that our approach must always be with an open heart, always prepared to see across differences, willing to foster shared ideas and build hopes with people who might look, think and speak differently from ourselves,” he said.