Reaching Out in Harmony
Shaun Lu Liangwei, 22, is studying communications new media at the National University of Singapore. One of his best friends is Malay and now lives in Brunei. He supports efforts to enhance racial harmony here.
- Report by Ann Peters
IRENE NG, MP TAMPINES GRC
Singapore has often been hailed as a model of a multi-racial society. To what extent do we have unity in diversity?
Everywhere you turn, you see Singaporeans of different races interacting with each other. In the hawker centers, you can see Singaporeans of different races sitting down to have a meal together. When I jog at the East Coast Park, I pass by youths of different races having barbeques together. This is not something you might see normally in other countries.
Are we, or are we on our way, to becoming a seamless multi cultural society, despite our many races and cultures?
We celebrate our diversity as a strength. We are like multi-coloured straws, but if the straws are strewn separately according to their colours, they can be easily blown away. We become stronger when we are bound together by a common band. What is it that will hold us together? Our sense of common destiny. Our unique national identity. I think we still have some way to go in this. But the important thing is to move in this direction, and we are.
We live in troubled times. Is the need for racial harmony now greater then ever before?
Generally, we see an increasing religiosity among Singaporeans, whether they are Christians, Muslims, Buddhists or Hindus. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, this is good – these religions, which teach compassion, love, forgiveness and so on, would make us a better society. The danger comes from extremists who preach an exclusivist version of the religion, promoting intolerance, and even violence against non-believers.
In various parts of the world, including this region, terrorists have been able to galvanise many believers to die for their evil causes in the name of religion.
We need to guard against such extreme teachings and influence, which can divide our society.
How can we further promote racial harmony?
At the grassroots level, we plan many activities to get residents of the different races to come together and make friends with one another. We combine Deevapali celebrations with Hari Raya, and invite non-Chinese to the Chinese festivals. At the Mooncake Festival, it was encouraging to see children of different races carrying lanterns and having fun. We need to do more activities like these.
Schools also play an important role in helping children of the different races to integrate.
But, in the end, the key lies at home. Parents play a crucial role. How do they react when their children play with those from different races at the playground or elsewhere? Do parents encourage their children to make friends with those from other races? All of us have to play a part in promoting racial harmony.
What can destroy it?
Extremist ideologies, intolerance, ignorance and insensitivity to each other’s traditions and customs.
What would it take for inter-racial marriages to work?
Well, it is for the couple to make it work, like any marriage.
Tell us about yourself? Which racial group do you belong to and how do you bond with other races?
Well, I am of Chinese descent. I was born in Penang and came to Singapore to study when I was 16.
Unlike Malaysia, here in Singapore, we practise meritocracy, and give Singaporeans, regardless of race, every opportunity to maximise their potential. This is something precious. I cheered when Taufik won the Singapore Idol contest. In fact, I voted for him – three times! I was glad when the top PSLE student was a Malay. It shows our system benefits all races, and we celebrate the hard-earned successes of all Singaporeans, regardless of their race.
I have friends from all races, but I don’t look at them and think, oh, he is Malay, Chinese or Indian, and so on. They are friends, and our friendship is beyond race. I can wear a baju kebaya or baju kurong to a Malay function, a Punjabi suit to an Indian one, and a cheongsam to a Chinese event, and feel perfectly at ease.
I think this comes from my upbringing at home and the kampung spirit in my neighbourhood. All the neighbours were very close to one another, exchanging food and helping each other with household matters. We didn’t think much about race on a person-to-person level, and I grew up to see people as unique human beings, whatever their race.
What customs do you still adhere to? Which festivals do you celebrate? How will you be spending Chinese New Year away from home?
I celebrate Chinese New Year with my family. They either come down to Singapore, or I go up to Penang. We also celebrate Christmas as a family – I usually go up to Penang because it is a special occasion for us to go to our home church together once a year. The church runs a halfway house to rehabilitate drug addicts. When I was growing up, my mother would cook for the drug addicts once a week and invite them to eat dinner with us at home. I felt comfortable with them, too.
I think this is the best way to celebrate occasions like Christmas, or any other festival – to open your heart and make others feel special for who they are, and not on the basis of what colour their skin is, or what background they come from.
