DPM says Singapore can do it by weaving tighter bonds across communities

Singapore’s progress in the last 50 years would have been unthinkable without the country’s major communities actively accepting each other, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said yesterday.

Neither would it have been possible without each taking pride not only in its own culture and religion, but also in Singapore’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious identity. “We must build on this foundation in our next 50 years, and develop an even deeper national identity,” he said.

Mr Tharman, who is also Finance Minister, was speaking at a dinner organised by Malay daily Berita Harian to present its 17th annual Achiever of the Year award.

… The award, which recognises Malay/Muslim individuals in various fields for their achievements, went to Mr Mohammad Alami Musa, who helmed the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) from 2003 to 2013.

Mr Alami had led Muis through an “extremely challenging decade” in the wake of the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States and the Jemaah Islamiah arrests in Singapore, said Mr Tharman.

… He also continues to contribute to Singapore as an educator and researcher, the minister added. Mr Alami is now head of Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.