Special efforts taken to ensure Singapore remains peaceful, harmonious: DPM Teo
The Republic’s racial and religious harmony is a strength that requires the commitment and continued support of all communities and Singaporeans, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on Saturday (Sept 30). TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE – The Republic’s racial and religious harmony is a strength that requires the commitment and continued support of all communities and Singaporeans, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on Saturday (Sept 30).
Despite the challenges, Mr Teo noted that all the communities in Singapore have resolved to live together and build a multi-racial society. This, he said, is despite the racial and reli-gious conflicts happening around the region.
“It takes special efforts and measures to keep Singapore peaceful and harmonious,” said Mr Teo, who was speaking at the 13th Ministry of Home Affairs Appreciation lunch for community volunteers at the Pan Pacific Hotel, where he spoke in Malay.
This includes having “guide-ropes and guard-rails” to help the nation progress in its jour-ney to become “one united people”.
“We introduced (the) Group Representative Constituencies to assure our minority com-munities that they will always have representation in Parliament,” said Mr Teo on the na-tional policy that have been put in place to ensure multiracialism within the country.
He also added that the recent changes to the Elected Presidency seeks to ensure that members of the major racial communities here can hold the highest office of the President if it has not happened after five continuous terms, or after 30 years.
Madam Halimah Yacob became President of the Republic last month and, in the process, is the nation’s first woman president, and one from the Malay community in 47 years.
Mr Teo added that, through the years, Singapore has introduced “important institutions, laws and regulations to help prevent conflict and keep communities together”.
“Singaporeans of all faiths now live together in Housing Development Board estates, study together in national schools, eat together in food centres, serve National Service and work together,” he said.
Mr Teo also called on Singaporeans to “pledge (themselves) to a renewed spirit to take Singapore forward with opportunities for all regardless of race, language or religion”.
This is the second time this week that the Republic’s top leaders have expressed the mes-sage that stresses on Singapore’s multiracialism.
Last Saturday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke on how the nation’s founding fathers have always believed passionately in the vision of a multiracial society, where Singapore is not viewed by its neighbours as being a “third China”.
Mr Lee had spoken at the People’s Association Kopitalk session, of which the transcript was released to the media on Friday (Sept 29).
