Maintaining Racial and Religious Harmony in Singapore

Maintaining Racial and Religious Harmony through Censorship

- Content that may rise any unnecessary social unrest/ discontent are censored by Media Development Authority (MDA)

- Smegma - A play deemed to portray Muslims in a negative light was prohibited from being staged in Singapore
==>The Arts Consultative Panel says, "The members were concerned that the play could create unhappiness and disaffection among Muslims."

-Benjamin Koh, 28 and Nicholas Lim, 25, was jailed for one day with fine, $2,960 for posting anti-Muslim remarks on the Internet
==>"The doing of an act which has a seditious tendency to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between races or classes of the population in Singapore is serious," judge Richard Magnus said in handing down his ruling
==>Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told a foreign media forum that Singapore wants to ensure that no disaffection takes root among people who might feel excluded in society


Maintaining Racial and Religious Harmony through Social Defence

- Singapore has reached out to their Muslim community to ensure no hard feelings, and at the same time to elicit their help

- The MUIS, the Islamic Religious Council in Singapore, which includes the Mufti of Singapore says, “We condemn terrorism and will not allow Islam to be misused by any individuals or groups for their violent and destructive agendas. The Muslim community has always and will continue to stand united with other fellow Singaporeans to protect this nation against terrorism.”

- Goh Chok Tong says, “I strongly urge our Muslims to speak up against developments which threaten the harmony of our multiracial, multi-religious society. They must stand up against those who advocate intolerance and extremism. They should not allow the extremists and militants to set the Islamic agenda. They should not accept extremist views propagated in some other Muslim societies, as those are aimed at achieving political goals.”

- Ho Peng Kee, explained the importance of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) says, “We cannot afford to only rely on the police and security services to guarantee our long-term security. Ultimately, it rests on whole communities to come together in a consolidated effort to challenge and defeat the extremist ideologies and keep our society together. Terrorism developments can potentially lead to increased polarization. This is where the public at large can take active steps to build bridges and defuse misunderstandings between and within communities to improve the situation.”

Maintaining Racial and Religious Harmony through Criminal Law

- Article 14(1)(a) of Singapore’s constitution guarantees to every citizen the right to freedom of speech and expression. However, the danger that offensive speech could engender social rifts or civil unrest is ever-present. One of the ways in which Singapore has attempted to deal with this threat is by criminalizing certain types of speech.

- The main Category 1 offence in Singapore is Section 298 of the Penal Code:
“Whoever, with deliberate intention of wounding the religious or racial feelings of any person, utters any word or makes any sound in the hearing of that person, or makes any gesture in the sight of that person, or places any object in the sight of that person, or causes any matter however represented to be seen or heard by that person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 3 years, or with fine, or with both.”

- Laws criminalizes speech that is, (i) deliberately intended to offend the racial or religious feelings of other, (ii) knowingly promotes or attempts to promote disharmony, (iii) has a tendency to promote disharmony between racial or religious groups, (iv) speech that invites or is likely to incite others to violence that is racially or religiously motivated

- Penalty: Minimal of 3 years imprisonment and/or with fine



*Information collected and compiled from various sources.