The New York Times and other media outlets have run stories on what is happening in the US right now. The Mayor of New York has reportedly criticised outside agitators for being on campus grounds training and co-opting the protests. He was concerned with, and I quote, 「young people…being influenced by those who are professionals at radicalising children」. The New York Times ran an article, quoting a student saying that a big part of the protests was people coming in from the general Los Angeles area and putting on a demonstration that caused widespread disruption. These are on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campuses.
There are also reports which, on the other hand, deny that outsiders have been significantly involved. I think it is difficult to know the true facts, but looking at protests – and we have been studying them, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, other places – I think it is fair to say, often, there is a group which has legitimate aims, wants to be peaceful, but there are often others who use these events where people gather, to then engineer violence and put the police on the defensive, and try and egg the police on, to try and engage in forcibly preventing acts of violence, and then, it escalates.
Likewise, our own view is that: if we allow protests on this issue, initially, it may be peaceful, but over time, as the protests take a life of their own, there could be some violence, breach of the peace and law, occupying of buildings in Singapore; we are no different from other places.
We should accept that individuals who engage in offensive or violent conduct, however, are a very small minority in our society and I suspect in many other places too. We in Singapore have not had many serious incidents pitting one racial or religious group against another. Most Singaporeans understand the importance of safeguarding our social cohesion, and the value of mutual respect and tolerance. Even where views on the conflict have differed, people in Singapore have been relatively measured and rational in the way we have approached the issues.
Beyond the law, we have to work actively, and we do work actively, on strengthening our social compact by building mutual trust and understanding across our ethnic and religious communities. At the leadership level, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) facilitate platforms where senior religious and community leaders engage with one another frequently. The platforms include the National Steering Committee on Racial and Religious Harmony, as well as the Racial and Religious Harmony Circles in every constituency.
At the people-to-people level, MCCY provides support for inter-faith and inter-ethnic initiatives that bring different communities together, including dialogues which encourage mutual understanding and respectful interactions across different communities.
Let me now turn to the social media post by the Israeli Embassy that was raised by Mr Zhulkarnain. Foreign embassies and diplomatic staff in Singapore enjoy diplomatic immunity under the law, unless they waive it. Amongst other things, this means that they enjoy immunity from our criminal jurisdiction.
Nevertheless, MHA shared our concerns with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) when the post was put up. We shared our concerns immediately. MFA agreed that the post was offside and should be taken down. MFA then engaged the Israeli Embassy on the post and asked that it be taken down. As Members would know, the Embassy took down the post immediately.
Members will remember what I said in public – that the post was completely unacceptable. The Israeli Ambassador asked to see me. I met him last week. He apologised for the post having been put up. He said it was wrong for the post to have been put up. The post was not authorised by him and the officer responsible for the post will be sent back, away from Singapore. And he said that this would never happen again.
I pointed out to him that embassies are entitled to have their point of view. But where what has been said affects Singapore, in this case the harmony and safety within Singapore, especially the security as well of our minority communities, we have to step in. Posts like what the Embassy put up have the potential to create tension between our Jewish and Muslim communities, and may also put our Jewish community, in particular, at risk.
The Police received a report on the post. The Police, in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, have assessed that no further action was to be taken. Members would understand the Israeli Embassy’s actions are covered by the principle of sovereign immunity.
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