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How colour-blind are you?Date : 5 December 2010 The Straits Times - How colour-blind are you? 05 December 2010 The answer's in your cellphone contact list, says minister Vivian Balakrishnan By Amresh Gunasingham That mobile phone in your hand can shed light on how far Singaporeans have crossed the racial and religious divide, says Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan. It also highlights the reality that racial and religious harmony is still a work in progress. How many friends from other races and religions do you have in your contact list, the minister asked rhetorically, when he spoke to reporters yesterday during an event in Hougang. He said: 'The more we can have of diversity in our personal contact list, for me, that will be an index of the strength of our multiracial and religious society.' He added that 'we still need to work on expanding our telephone contact list'. Dr Balakrishnan was speaking at a roadshow to promote inter-racial and religious dialogue in Hougang. He acknowledged that Singaporeans of different racial and religious groups already have everyday contact with one another. But he was concerned that such informal ties may have been 'taken for granted' of late as people socialised at work or eat out with friends. 'Sometimes I worry that over the years, we have taken (racial and religious harmony) for granted and we often see a greater segregation in canteens, workplaces or hawker centres,' he added. In his address to community leaders and residents, the minister paid tribute to the work of religious and grassroots leaders in promoting dialogue among different groups. But while most of their work is the hardware, done through working groups and ad-hoc committees, it is through the interaction of people in the community 'that attitudes get formed, relationships are built and experiences and memories are accumulated', he said. It is these close ties that can be counted on in times of crisis, he added. Asked if it has been a challenge for the Government over the years to boost racial ties, the minister admitted that organised events - including yesterday's roadshow, one in a series to bring people together - might appear to be contrived. '(But) it is better to be contrived, as it shows that there is an underlying commitment and understanding that we have to work at it, to mould it step by step, relationship by relationship,' he said. (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. Lianhe Zaobao - 维文∶ 把族群与宗教互信圈 带进组屋和邻里 05 December 2010 Click on the link below to view the Lianhe Zaobao article (With thanks to SPH - Lianhe Zaobao.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. |
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