Singapore PM frets over race and religion

My biggest worry about Muslims in Singapore is this.
There are just about 450,000 of us - around 15 per cent of the population.
We are mostly weak financially, and definitely weak politically
(unlike Malays in Malaysia who are strong politically, and quite strong financially. There is a large section of confident Malay middle class in the Klang Valley).

Most Malays in Singapore are just trying to get by, working hard like all other Temasekians to bring food to the family table. Nay, we work harder because we are poorer. I know this from my own relatives, several of whom have two jobs and many kids (And there are many Chinese and Indians who are poor and take on two jobs also).

But there is no complaint of discrimination (despite what Malaysian Malays think) because if you work hard enough and get the right breaks, you can rise higher than most other Singaporeans.
I cannot say Zero complaint (that would be lying), but the system is fair.
There is no systemic Bumiputera, Pribumi or affirmative-action policy like in Malaysia, South Africa, Indonesia, India (the lower castes have quotas for jobs and university places) and especially Israel (if you're not a Jew, errrr....).


But here is the bad news: there are Muslim murderers and madmen out there who, for their own purposes, want these poor struggling sods called anak Melayu Singapura to start maiming and killing innocent people.
We have Mas Selamat Kastari, a Singaporean (born in Indonesia). And many others. All Singaporeans. There must be at least 20 Singaporean Malay Muslims of this crazy bent who have been caught.

So what if, one day, one of these struggling Singaporeans got converted to this ideology and bomb, say, Orchard Road, or some bank?
And dozens of Chinese Singaporeans are killed?

The implications would be horrendous for race relations in Singapore. And for Islam and its symbols - the dozens of mosques and the four local madrassahs.
Except for areas in the east coast (Geylang, Bedok and its surrounds) where Malays perhaps number 40 per cent of the residents, the rest of us could one day wake up with angry Chinese with parangs and knives out to kill any Malay for revenge. Who can blame them?



STARK REALITY
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This is the stark reality that apparently frightens the Singapore government, too.
It may not put those worrying thoughts in such stark terms. Maybe it doesn't want to frighten people, or maybe I read the government wrongly.

But I sense that worrying drift because since 911 and the capture of a bunch of murderers called Jemaah Islamiah in Singapore, the government has repeated and repeated the same message to all Temasekians:
Do not take religious tolerance in this island for granted.

You just need a small spark to burn the work of one generation.
It happened during the Maria Hertogh riots of the 1960s, it happened again in May 13, 1969 (Singapore had race riots too, catching on from Malaysia. I was a 10-year old child but remembered vaguely how my dad and uncles suddenly sharpened knives and lembings in our Malay kampung and herded us into one house and guarded the place all night, for a few nights).
It also happened in Kampung Medan in PJ in March 2001.
One spark and the whole race-religion issue stopped becoming a debate, and you start counting charred bodies.

And so, in his annual *National Day Rally last Sunday evening, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke out frankly against the rising tide of religion (and race) in Singapore - not just about Islam but also about the rise of fundamentalist Christians in Temasek.
(*Singapore's National Day was on August 9; every year the Prime Minister of the day will deliver his state of the nation address, called the National Day Rally, live on all media channels. This year there were podcasts, twitter and what have you).

For minorities like me, his speech affirmed what we wanted: That the government will stay fair, and will play fair in disputes involving Bangsa dan Agama.

Read these two great examples that we all can learn from:
- One wedding and a funeral.
- From Gujarat to Temasek.



BUILD BEFORE YOU DESTROY
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I have said this before to both BN and Pakatan people whenever the subject of destruction of Hindu temples in Malaysia cropped up:
Do you know why you never heard Singaporean Muslims complain about our mosques and suraus being torn down by the PAP government?
This is because it always built a replacement mosque first.
Simple.

Before you tear down a mosque or surau due to development, build another to replace it first.
Sometimes a few suraus and mosques in one area needed to be taken down due to development.
The replacement mosque (if one only is to be built) is always larger in capacity than the combined ones that are to be torn down.
(Of course, there will always be complaints about the new building being further from our houses etc. People want amenities right at their doorsteps all the time).

Apply the same principle in Malaysia, and I think you will have less Hindu angst.