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My Interfaith Journey in Singapore by Ameerali Abdeali
We cannot take the peace and harmony that we enjoy today for granted. What has been built over many decades can be destroyed by just one incident that can spiral out of control.
Introduction
Singapore is a culturally diverse society. We have people of many different races and religions living and working together. Do we see the others as a threat to our own way of life and avoid them as far as possible?
Or do we want to live in a society that embraces and appreciates this diversity – a society where people from different backgrounds respect one another and are eager to discover the rich heritage and culture of the other?
The answer is obvious to me. Isolation is not desirable. It leads to suspicion, distrust, misinformation, uneasiness, and even fear. If this goes unchecked, it will be a matter of time when some incident happens that will serve as a catalyst for acts of violence.
Sadly, Singapore had experienced racial riots which resulted in the loss of many lives, shattered trust and instilled resentment and fear amongst the people.
Racial Riots in Singapore
In December 1950, riots broke out after a court decided that a Dutch girl named Maria Hertogh should be taken from her Malay Muslim adoptive mother’s custody and given over to her Catholic biological parents. This custodial ruling sparked riots on 11 December 1950 which lasted over three days, resulting in the death of 18 people and 173 injured.
As a teenager, I lived through ethnic riots in 1964 and 1969. On 21 July 1964, during a procession of 20,000 people to commemorate Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday, a bottle was thrown into the crowd. Racial riots erupted for 17 days. A total of 23 persons were killed and another 454 injured.
One month later, a Malay rickshaw driver was killed in Geylang Serai. Twelve days of rioting ensued before calm was restored. The toll was 13 persons killed and 106 injured.
On 31 May 1969, fuelled by rumours of clashes in Malaysia, Malay mobs and Chinese triads in Singapore began attacking one another. The seven-day clashes left 4 people dead and some 80 injured.
Citizen Consultative Committees
The racial riots prompted the formation of “goodwill committees” to calm tensions and restore communal relations. The efficacy of these committees in promoting social cohesion led to their formalisation into Citizens Consultative Committees (CCCs) within a year.
I was appointed to the Pasir Ris CCC in 1997 by the then Member of Parliament of Pasir Ris GRC (Group Representation Constituency), Dr. Ahmad Magad. Serving in the CCC which comprised of members of different races was an intensive and interesting learning journey.
Apart from looking after the interests, safety, welfare, and well-being of the residents in Pasir Ris, we worked together and organised activities such as Eid gatherings, Chinese New Year get-togethers, Deepavali celebrations and other events, such as the Lantern Day festival.
These engagements greatly helped to forge better intercultural friendship and understanding, which led to increased goodwill, closer bonds and deeper trust amongst the residents in Pasir Ris.
Inter Religious Organisation (IRO)
My journey in interreligious activities started in 1996 when I was invited to join as a Council member with the Inter-Religious Organisation, Singapore (IRO). The IRO is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 1949 by leaders of diverse faiths following the aftermath of World War II.
Their vision was to bring about peace, harmony and understanding between religious groups by developing friendships based on mutual trust and respect.
Joining the IRO was a turning point in my life. Many doors opened to me. I learned much from religious leaders who were such a rich source of inspiration for me.
Today there are 10 constituent religions in the IRO. They are the Hindu, Jewish, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Taoist, Jain, Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Baha’i religions. We constantly learn from each other and get to know one another better, fostering and enhancing interreligious harmony in Singapore.
Being involved in the IRO is an enriching journey for me. I am a strong believer and an activist of interfaith and community engagement. Thankfully, today we enjoy a high level of racial and religious harmony.
There is goodwill and trust amongst people of different faiths, more so in Singapore than in any other part of the world. It is the result of hard work and dedicated efforts by the government, grassroots organisations, NGOs and religious institutions.
Although we in Singapore are from different backgrounds, we are also very similar in many aspects. We are all part of the larger family of human beings.
Our traditions and belief systems may vary but the basic value systems which underpin the established religions are essentially similar. There are golden nuggets of truth and beauty in all religions.
Certain values and principles of religions are universal values which are self-evident. These include concepts such as integrity, justice, compassion, fairness, and respect.
In the area of interreligious engagement, the imperative value is respect. We must have the utmost respect for the beliefs and traditions of others even if they are different from our own. One should never belittle, criticise, or mock the beliefs of others. This is not only disrespectful but provocative and it hurts sensitivities.
I believe that if a person disparages another religion, then he is discrediting his own religion. This is because ALL religions teach us to be better persons and respectful to others. We must respect what others hold dear and cherish. Just like we would never want anyone to say anything negative about what we hold dear.
One teaching that is found in every religious faith, and a great deal follows from it, whether in the secular or the religious world, is this: we must treat other people the way we would like to be treated ourselves. This is the Golden Rule in behaviour and attitude.
When we treat one another with respect and dignity, it sets the natural course for true and lasting relationships to develop. In the IRO, the religious leaders have formed very firm friendships.
I have also observed the warm and cordial relationships amongst the Council members of the IRO. It is this bonding that reflects the true measure of interreligious harmony in Singapore. And when there is a good comfort level among the leaders, it will also set an example to the followers and the community.
IRCCs and Harmony Circles
In 2002, the government responded to the September 11 attacks in the United States by forming the Inter-Racial Confidence Circles (IRCCs) in all the constituencies in Singapore. Dr. Ahmad Magad appointed me to chair the Pasir Ris IRCC. IRCCs continue to act as peacekeepers.
In 2006, the role of IRCCs expanded into Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles. Besides promoting and interracial and interfaith interaction and understanding, they also respond quickly to racial and religious tensions by addressing ground concerns, quashing rumours and preserving solidarity among members.
In 2022 on its 20th Anniversary, the IRCCs were renamed as Racial and Religious Harmony Circles (HCs) with the motto “Many beliefs, one future”. I continue to serve in the HC as the Vice-Chairman of the Pasir Ris Central HC.
Each HC comprises of representatives of the religious institutions and community organisations within the constituency. The idea is for these leaders to get to know each other and build comfort levels so that in the event of a crisis they can quickly call one other and take the necessary measures to defuse the situation before it gets out of control.
Conclusion
We cannot take the peace and harmony that we enjoy today for granted. What has been built over many decades can be destroyed by just one incident that can spiral out of control. Hence, the work in promoting interfaith trust and understanding must be continued.
Current leaders must pass the torch of leadership to the younger generation who must then inspire the next generation. The younger set of leaders bring new perspectives and will be better able to manage the challenges of their time through rolling out more impactful programme.
Finally, the importance of the value of understanding and respect for different beliefs and traditions must be caught (rather than taught) at the earliest age by the example set by parents and emphasised throughout their schooling and within the school system.
Ameerali Abdeali
Ameerali Abdeali is a retired Justice of Peace, and currently serves as the Honourable Secretary of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO). He is also the founding President of the Muslim Kidney Action Association (MKAC).