SM Goh Chok Tong at the Opening Ceremony of the Premises of the Singapore Jain Religious Society (Feb 2010)

I am delighted to join you today for the opening ceremony of the Singapore Jain Religious Society’s newly renovated premises. I was told that among us today are many distinguished Jain scholars and religious leaders from other countries. Let me extend to all of you a very warm welcome to Singapore.

The Jain Community

The Jain community in Singapore is a small one, with only about 1,500 members. But big or small, it has an equal place along with the other communities in Singapore. Historically, the Jain community has been a significant contributor to social and cultural development. In India, Jains head numerous schools, colleges and hospitals, and are one of the most literate communities. Jain scholars were pioneer contributors to Kannada, Tamil and Hindi-language literature. The works of Jain writers Adikavi Pampa, Sri Ponna and Ranna, are collectively called the "three gems of Kannada literature".

The first Jains arrived in Singapore about a century ago. In Singapore, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Taoists form the majority of our population. However, despite being a small community, the Singapore Jains have made their presence felt in tangible ways. They have frequently shown compassion to those in need, extending their charity to local community projects and international causes, including contributing to the SARS Courage Fund in 2003 and helping to rebuild a devastated village in southern India after the 2004 tsunami. The Jain society regularly hosts food fairs for the boys from Ramakrishna Mission Boys Home, and its youths have been active volunteers with the Jamiyah Children’s Home since 2005. Later this morning, we will also witness the adoption of the Sunlove Neighbourhood Link @ Kaki Bukit, a care centre for the elderly, by the Jain Religious Society.

The Jains are not alone in this respect. I am heartened to note that in Singapore, many ethnic and religious groups, including Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims, Hindus and Christians, readily support secular, community projects. Such support is a key strength of our multicultural society.

Forging a Multi-racial, Multi-religious Society

Our success in forging a multi-racial and multi-religious society has sometimes resulted in Singaporeans, especially younger Singaporeans, taking the harmony we enjoy for granted. No one is surprised when they hear of families of different races and religions living happily together in HDB flats. To cite an example from my constituency, in Blk 33 of Marine Crescent, on the 13th floor, you have Muslims, Catholics and Buddhists living side-by-side. In the same block, on the 3rd floor, there are Hindu, Taoist and Christian families happily sharing a common corridor. Last December, I attended a Year-end Christmas Party organised by an RC (Residents’ Committee) in Marine Parade. The RC Chairman is a Christian; the Vice-Chairman a Buddhist and the Treasurer a Muslim. The resident who dressed up as Santa Claus is a Hindu grandfather! Working together, they drew out many residents of different races and religions for the party. We sang Christmas carols together, thoroughly enjoying ourselves. It was not a very silent night, even though we sang Silent Night.

Singaporeans are not at all surprised by such phenomena, because we have accepted multiculturalism as a way of life. We are also a practical people. In land-short Singapore, we often find places of worship in close proximity to one another. For example, the Jain Religious Society is on the same street as, and in fact sandwiched in between, the Tsan Tan Lim Temple and Azizah Chishty Quranic Centre. However, foreign visitors and new immigrants have often expressed amazement at what Singapore has achieved. When I visited Oman two weeks ago, Omani Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahad told me that when he visited Singapore, he was very impressed by our success in building a harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious society.

Not long ago, I met an Italian resident at my reception for new Singapore citizens in Marine Parade. He had given up his Italian citizenship to settle in Singapore. When I asked him why, he said that he had worked in Germany and the US and while he loved Italy - a beautiful country with rich history and culture - he decided to make Singapore his home because of the freedom here. Seeing my raised eyebrows, he explained that in Singapore, he could walk in the park or on the streets at 3 am and feel safe. No one would consider it strange. In Singapore, he could be himself. He said, “You can be a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian. You can choose to wear traditional Indian or Arab clothes. No one would stare at you or criticise you. You can dress in whatever you want and be who you want to be. This is the kind of freedom that is difficult to find in many European countries today”. He told me that when he decided to give up his Italian citizenship and become a Singaporean, he was initially worried that his parents in Italy might be upset. However, when he told his parents, they not only did not object, but also said that it was a "good choice".

Our Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion. Singaporeans are free to profess any faith, and to practise and promote their religions. However, this must be done responsibly. We must respect not only the common spaces that other Singaporeans live, work and play in, but also their separate space, and must not run down or trivialise their beliefs. This is a key principle underpinning the peace and social cohesion that we have here. This is why the Ministry of Home Affairs had to act firmly in response to the insensitive comments by a pastor from Lighthouse Evangelism recently. I am glad that the matter has been resolved. Of course, in the future, there may still be the occasional misunderstanding between people of different races and religions. When it occurs, we must act quickly, exercise tolerance, respect any different viewpoints as being part and parcel of our multicultural social fabric and try to resolve the misunderstanding sincerely.

The government and the people have worked hard to maintain our social harmony. Singaporeans have grown up with diversity in their midst, in their schools, while doing National Service, in their housing estates and workplaces. But we can each do more to enhance our mutual understanding of one another. I believe that in reaching out to one another, we will find more commonalities than differences. I am therefore glad to see that there are quite a few Chinese among us today. This is Chinese New Year’s eve – the most important day for the Chinese as they gather for their annual family reunion dinners. Your presence here is testimony of your willingness to learn about other cultures.

Conclusion

To conclude, the social cohesion and harmony that we enjoy did not come about by chance, and must not be taken for granted. We must treasure it and continue to build on it by exercising mutual tolerance, acceptance and understanding. I congratulate the Singapore Jain Religious Society on the opening of its new premises, and also wish all Singaporeans a happy Chinese New Year.