Bonding Singapore

Challenges of a multi-ethnic society

Challenges

• 3.1 Managing perceptions of different racial groups

• 3.2 Managing perceptions of different religious groups

• 3.3 Threats from external forces

3.1 Managing Perceptions of Different Racial Groups

• Lack of understanding can lead to suspicion and unhappiness.

• Singapore experienced racial riots in 1964

• 36 died, 560 injured

3.1 Managing Perceptions of Different Racial Groups

• Different political approaches between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore caused a strain

• Relations worsened when PAP participated in Malaysia’s Federal Election

• PAP called for a non-communal approach

• Malays in UMNO felt threatened

3.1 Managing Perceptions of Different Racial Groups

• Anti-PAP campaign organised by some UMNO leaders

• Poverty of Singapore Malays highlighted• PAP’s resettlement and redevelopment

programs portrayed as anti-Malay• UMNO claimed Malays were being uprooted• UMNO wanted to arouse feelings of

dissatisfaction among Singapore Malays towards the PAP

3.1 Managing Perceptions of Different Racial Groups

• Utusan Melayu (Malay newspaper) was used by UMNO to spread the anti-PAP campaign

• Paper claimed that 3000 Malay families affected by resettlement

• In reality, only 2500 families were affected and only 200 were Malay

• Paper highlighted PAP did not care about Malays in Singapore

3.1 Managing Perceptions of Different Racial Groups

• S’pore govt called for a meeting with Malay organisations in July to explain

• Before this meeting, UMNO had a meeting with the Malays

• Their fiery speeches portrayed PAP as anti-Malay and angered the Malays

3.1 Managing Perceptions of Different Racial Groups

• Celebration of Prophet Mohammad’;s birthday (July 1964)

• Clash between Chinese policemen and Malay participants turned into full-blown race riots

• Damage to property and loss of lives

3.1 Managing Perceptions of Different Racial Groups

• Efforts made to call for calm

• Goodwill committees formed

• Committee members went from house to house to spread the message of living peacefully

3.2 Managing perceptions of different religious groups

• Differences in religious beliefs can be used to create tensions

• Maria Hertogh Riots (1950)

3.2 Managing perceptions of different religious groups

• 1940s, a Dutch couple was captured by the Japanese

• Their daughter, Maria Hertogh, was placed with a Malay lady, Aminah

• Maria was raised a Muslim and at 13, married a Malay teacher

3.2 Managing perceptions of different religious groups

• Maria’s parents demanded the return of their daughter

• A court trial followed and the media coverage caused much unhappiness among the Muslim community

• The court gave custody to the Hertoghs

3.2 Managing perceptions of different religious groups

• The Muslim community felt that the British legal system was unfair towards them

• This caused anger towards the European and Eurasian community.

• Riots started

3.2 Managing perceptions of different religious groups

• The events had wide media coverage

• The court’s decision to annul Maria’s marriage and pictures of Maria in a Christian convent were published

• These things created unhappiness in the Muslim community

3.2 Managing perceptions of different religious groups

• During the riots, there was a 24hr curfew for 2 weeks

• British and Malayan troops, as well as the police were called in to keep the peace

• The riots showed that if religious issues are not handled carefully, hostility and distrust can occur.

3.3 Threats from external forces

• Transnational terrorism can test the social bonds of Singaporeans

• Singapore needs to handle this threat carefully

• Singapore experienced the threat of transnational terrorism in 2001 by Jemmah Islamiyah (JI)

3.3 Threats from external forces

• 34 members of JI were arrestedunder the Internal Security Act

• They raised funds and purchased materials for bombs

• They targetted the US embassy and some government buildings

3.3 Threats from external forces

• Another JI member was arrested in April 2005

• Various political and religious leaders in Singapore called for calm

• In a united voice, Muslim leaders condemned the JI group and emphasised that it did not have the support of Muslims