MAINTENANCE OF RELIGIOUS HARMONY BILL

Order for Second Reading read. 3.30 pm

The Minister for Home Affairs (Prof. S. Jayakumar): Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill is identical to Bill No. 1/90 which was introduced in the previous session but which lapsed because Parliament was prorogued. I do not intend to give a lengthy statement on the contents of the Bill but if I may briefly recapitulate.

The rationale for this Bill is set out in the White Paper on Maintenance of Religious Harmony presented to Parliament on 26th December 1989. And as I have said on that occasion, for a young and small nation like Singapore whose people belong to many different religions, religious harmony is not just a lofty ideal but is vital to our stability and order. It is important for us to ensure that the religious harmony and tolerance we have had over the years is preserved.

The Bill addresses two related problems. First, that followers of different religions must exercise moderation and tolerance and not instigate religious enmity and hatred. The White Paper has set out numerous examples of individuals engaged in acts or making of utterances that are insensitive, hostile or provocative. Secondly, it is important that religion and politics be kept separate because religious leaders are seen to have a special status and their pronouncements will have an emotional effect on their flock. If one religious group enters the political arena, so will others. Inevitably, there must be collision between different religious groups, or between religious groups and Government to the detriment of our nation.

Instead of having to resort to more severe measures, such as criminal prosecution or detention under the Internal Security Act, the Bill seeks to put in place a limited mechanism to enable prompt and effective action to defuse potential explosive situations which could endanger our religious harmony.

Sir, the reason I do not propose to restate all the arguments is this Bill is identical, as I have said, to the Bill which was introduced on 15th January 1990, and was fully debated during the Second Reading in February 1990 with some 32 Members in this House taking part. It was referred to a Select Committee comprising you, Mr Speaker, as Chairman, and the following Members:

Dr Ahmad Mattar

Dr Arthur Beng Kian Lam

Mr Chiam See Tong

Mr Goh Chok Tong

BG Lee Hsien Loong

Dr Ow Chin Hock

Encik Sidek bin Saniff

Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo

and myself.

A total of 69 written representations were received by the Select Committee. The Select Committee had one meeting on 30th March 1990 to make decisions on its course of work and on the representors who should be invited to give oral evidence. However, because Parliament was prorogued on 21st April 1990, the earlier Bill and the proceedings on it lapsed.

These proceedings have to be started afresh and this is why the Government has re-introduced this Bill without any amendments or revisions.

It is the Government's intention to get this Bill back to the Select Committee for consideration of the different suggestions which have been made by Members of this House and also by the large number of individuals and organisations who submitted written representations to the previous Select Committee. But we do not want to inconvenience those representors in requiring them to re-submit their written submissions. Therefore, as Members would have seen from the Order Paper, it is my intention to move that all the written submissions received in respect of the previous Bill should be referred to the new Select Committee to be appointed to consider this Bill.

However, members of the public who have not done so before can still submit their representations on this Bill. This fact will be made clear when the advertisement appears inviting representors to the Select Committee.

Mr Speaker, Sir, that is all I wish to say. Our task is to have the Bill back in the hands of the Select Committee and for it to proceed with its work.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of Mr Speaker as Chairman and the following Members:

Dr Ahmad Mattar

Dr Arthur Beng Kian Lam

Mr Chiam See Tong

Mr Goh Chok Tong

Prof. S. Jayakumar

BG Lee Hsien Loong

Dr Ow Chin Hock

Encik Sidek bin Saniff

Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam; and

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo. - [Prof. S. Jayakumar].

Resolved,

That this Parliament resolves that the written representations previously received by the Select Committee on the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill (Bill No. 1/90) in the last Session of Parliament be referred to the Select Committee appointed to consider the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill (Bill No. 14/90). - [Prof. S. Jayakumar].