Release No: ll/MAY 15-l/90/05/09

SPEECH BY BG LEE HSIEN LOONG, MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, AT THE SINGAPORE BUDDHIST FEDERATION'S VESAK DAY CELEBRATION AT KALLANG THEATRE ON 9 MAY 1990 AT 7.30 PM

I am honoured and happy to join you in your Vesak Day Celebrations. I wish all Buddhists in Singapore a Happy Vesak Day.

Religion is an important factor contributing to the stability of a society. It fulfils important human needs, and complements the mater ial well-being brought by economic development. Every rel igion enjoins its followers to observe moral values and practices. Each person derives spiritual fulfilment and finds solace and strength in his own respective faith. Few irreligious societies have been successful, even by their own standards, in living up to the goals they have set themselves.

In Singapore, we are very fortunate to enjoy religious freedom, in practice and not just on paper. So often in multi- religious countries, different religious groups are in constant friction with one another. But have enjoyed religious peace and harmony over the last twenty-five years. They are free to practise their own , so long as they respect the sensitivities of other groups.

The major religions in Singapore celebrate their respective festivals peacefully, and even exuberantly. In fact Singaporeans celebrate the festivals of one another's religions, one after the other. The Chinese celebrate and Hari Raya. Malays visit Chinese friends during , and Hindu friends during Deepavali. This shows the good understanding and trust prevailing among the different religious 2 groups in Singapore. Without this mutual confidence, such festivals could just as easily become times of heightened religious tension and conflict.

Singapore is a secular state, and its government is a secular government. But the Government seeks to be on good terms with as many faiths as possible, because it is convinced that is an important and positive factor in the lives of Singaporeans. In the few years since I entered politics, I have visited and been welcomed in Mosques, Sikh temples, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples. I have joined many religious groups in their celebrations - , Hari Raya Puasa, Seventh Moon ceremonies, as well as Christmas celebrations. And today, I am joining you to celebrate Vesak Day.

We cannot assume that religious harmony will automatically continue in Singapore. We need to make conscious efforts to preserve it, especially in the light of the worldwide trends towards greater religious fervour, trends which must affect us. This is a sensitive and delicate matter, but one which has to be addressed if we are to avoid more difficult problems later.

This is why the Government published the White Paper on Maintenance of Religious Harmony in December last year, and introduced the Bill in Parliament in January this year. In doing so, the Government was very conscious that it needed to consult as widely as possible among the various religious groups to obtain their understanding, support and feedback.

The Buddhist groups, among others, took part in these discussions, and contributed to the formulation of the proposals. The Government is grateful for the support which the Buddhist and other groups have given the Bill. While many detailed provisions of the Bill remain to be settled, few disagree with the basic objectives of the Bill, which are to separate religion from politics, and to maintain harmony among the different religions in Singapore. 3

TO translate the abstract objectives of the Bill properly into a practical, enforceable piece of legislation with adequate safeguards is a difficult task. This is why the Government referred the Bill to a Parliamentary Select Committee, to seek and consider once again views and inputs from all religious groups and the public.

Many religious groups and members of the public have responded positively, and sent their inputs and suggestions to the Select Committee. In drafting the final Bill, the Government will try to take in as many constructive suggestions as possible. We thank everyone for their inputs, as well as those who have not written in, but have nevertheless expressed their full support for the Bill. Whatever final form the Bill takes, I believe Singaporeans have already benefitted from the frank but sensitive public discussions of this issue. These discussions have made us all more conscious of how volatile the problems can be, and how careful we must be never to offend the sensitivities of other religious groups by what we say or do.

As Parliament is now prorogued, technically, the Bill has lapsed. When Parliament opens again in June, the Government will reintroduce the Bill as it originally stood, and again refer it to a Select Committee.

Many Singaporeans who took part in the debate have pointed out that legislation alone is unlikely to assure religious harmony. They are right. Whatever Bills are passed by Parliament, unless religious groups continue to take a calm and moderate approach in their religious practices and proselytising, religious harmony will be hard to maintain.

The Buddhists form the largest religious group in Singapore, comprising 28.3% of the population.' your attitudes

Christians: 18.7%, Muslims: 16.0%, Taoists: 13.4%, : 4.9%, Other religions: l.l%, No religion: 17.6%. 4 are an important factor influencing the overall tone of relations among different religious groups. So far, because of the tolerant and practical approach of the Buddhists, the other faiths have never felt outnumbered, threatened or encroached upon. They have therefore not felt the need to assert themselves militantly, or to defend their prerogatives aggressively. Long may this continue to be the approach of all religious groups in Singapore.

I am therefore very happy to join you in celebrating Vesak Day this year. May I once again wish all Buddhists in Singapore a Happy Vesak Day.

MTI/MMay.09/Pgs.l-4