Wong Kan Seng sends a stark warning to religious fundamentalists: don’t mix religion with politics
By Eugene Yeo
In what was the clearest sign of the government’s stance on the Aware fracas which is turning out to be a proxy war between conservatives and liberals, Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng sent a veiled warning to all parties concerned not to mix religion with politics or the government will intervene to prevent things from getting out of hand.
[I can't help feeling that this is another lame attempt by Wong to divert attention away from his unforgettable "performance" in the aftermath of Mas Selamat's capture, but for the sake of keeping our society secular, I will lend support to him this time]
Responding to questions from The Straits Times on the recent Aware EGM, Mr Wong said categorically that keeping religion and politics apart was a key rule of political engagement here. (read full article here)
‘Our political arena must always be a secular one,’ he said in a detailed response to The Straits Times’ queries.
‘Our laws and policies do not derive from religious authority, but reflect the judgments and decisions of the secular Government and Parliament to serve the national interest and collective good.
Mr Wong also had harsh words for COOS Senior Pastor Derek Hong for using his pulpit to urge his flock to support the ex-Aware exco comprising of 6 COOS members.
“If religious group start to campaign to change certain government policies, or use the pulpit to mobilise their followers to pressure the government, or push aggressively to gain ground at the expense of other groups, this must lead to trouble.”, he said.
I am heartened to know that Mr Wong is aware of these behind the scenes manoeuvres by some groups to mobilize mass support with the intention of hijacking a secular organization in order to impose their narrow beliefs on the rest of mainstream society.
However, it does not appear that the perpetuators have learnt a lesson from their failure to steeplejack Aware. On the contrary, Josie Lau and team were hailed as “heros” who rose to the occasion to protect the mainstream values of Singapore from being further “eroded” by the intrusion of the sexual minorities.
The Christian Post was effusive in its adulation of Josie Lau:
“Josie Lau and her team may have lost the votes at a reportedly rancorous extraordinary general meeting held last Saturday, but not everyone has taken her actions in the wrong way.
A growing community of supporters has formed around the group of enterprising and capable women who rose to the leadership echelons as quickly as they had descended, a Straits Times comment attested, according to the member of a Facebook group set up specially to ‘encourage’ Ms Josie Lau.” (read article here)
Instead of reflecting on their regretful behavior which have brought widespread condemnation from all strata of society including their own brethren, they persisted in pushing their agenda by lobbying MOE to suspend Aware’s CSE.
Now, they have switched their targets to Mr Siew Kum Hong to derail his application to serve as NMP for a second term by flaming him on numerous forums including the official REACH portal.
Mr Wong called on both sides to ‘calm down and move on’. He can’t be more wrong. The right-wing zealots will never stop until they achieve their objectives.
I have observed their astroturfing tactics used in the Aware fiasco which are actually quite simple, straight-foward and brainless, but brutally effective if the authorities are not alert enough.
Below is an outline of their usual modus operandi:
1. Pick on a controversial issue which the majority of Singaporeans are uncomfortable with and which receive little support in mainstream society, e.g. homosexuality. Idol worshippers are considered sinners in the same breadth as homosexuals, but they are left alone for now because there are simply too many of them around.
2. Dress their agenda up nicely in an acceptable form such as ”pro-family” in order for the message to resonate with mainstream society while keeping their religious agenda under wraps. Notice how smartly Josie Lau and team tried to masquerade their mission for Aware as “pro-women, pro-family and pro-Singapore” to win over the unsuspecting crowd.
3. Proclaim their stance as being representative of “mainstream values” in Singapore including that of other religions in order to mislead the public and garner wider support. According to them, homosexuality is condemned as an abomination by all religions. This is not true as Buddhism, which is the largest religion in Singapore by the number of adherents, do not discriminate against homosexuality.
4. Launch baseless, malicious and defamatory accusations at their opponents by deliberately quoting them out of context, twisting and turning their words and manufacturing outright lies altogether. Selective parts of the instructors manual for the Aware CSE was leaked to the public and distorted on purpose to give the misperception that it has a pro-homosexual agenda. Siew Kum Hong was accused of being a homosexual activist while conveniently ignoring the many other issues which he had broached in his parliamentary speeches.
5. A few ringleaders are responsible for drafting the letters of complaints or feedback which are circulated widely amongst their brethren, friends and colleagues urging them to submit their feedback to the relevant government agencies to exert fake public pressure on the authorities. This astroturfing tactic was employed recently on MOE which leads to the temporary suspension of Aware’s CSE.
As Mr Wong has rightly pointed out, the use of astroturfing by some religious groups to campaign for changes in the government’s policies will only lead to more division and tension in our society.
These groups should not be allowed to abuse the official feedback system to aggressively gain ground at the expense of other groups so as to hold the government hostage to its demands.
If the problem is not nipped immediately in the bud now, it may deteriorate to the extent that we may yielding more secular space to these religious zealots who are determined to turn Singapore into a theocracy.
In the last few weeks, I have compiled a series of emails started and forwarded by these few puppet masters to their followers and will pass it to the authorities in due course.
Though it may appear to involve a few thousand people, only a dozen ringleaders are pulling the strings from behind the scene. The rest are just following orders blindly like sheep.
I beseech the authorities to do the right thing and haul up these troublemakers for investigation under the “Religious Harmony Act”, “Sedition Act” or “Internal Security Act”. All we need to do is to “kill one” to “silence the hundreds”.
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Anonymous on Fri, 15th May 2009 9:18 am
In the Straits Times Friday May 15, Page A8,
Religious leaders say….
1) Rev. Lawrence Khong of Faith Community Baptist Church
2) Rev. Fredric Lee, Lutheran Church
3) Mr Tan Thiam Lye, Taoist Federation
4) Bishop Robert Solomon, Methodist Church
5) Alami Musa, Islamic Religious Council
What is GLARINGLY absent are views from Buddhist leaders, to voice for at least 40% of the population here.
Were none consulted?
Or were their views not in line with the rest of the religious leaders and hence not in line with the mysterious “conservative majority”.
It is time that SPH no longer monopolises the newspapers!
Thank goodness, we can read news on the internet!
Pagan on Fri, 15th May 2009 9:39 am
One of the worst things that happened to Singapore as we become “English-educated” is embracing Christianity as part of “ang-mo-nisation”. Being christian is chic. Being christian is modern. However being christian also means replacement of one’s asian traditional practices, often leading to increasing rift between the older generations who refuse to be converted and who choose to remain in the “ancestral curse”.
Throughout the history of christian missionary, the indigenous cultures were destroyed and western culture forced upon the believers. Sometimes remaining non-believers or pagans were “destroyed”.
http://www.caribbeanhindu.org/Gandhi_Conversion.htm
Mahatma Gandhi:
Conversion: Impediment to Peace
It is impossible for me to reconcile myself to the idea of conversion after the style that goes on in India and elsewhere today. It is an error which is perhaps the greatest impediment to the world’s progress toward peace … Why should a Christian want to convert a Hindu to Christianity? Why should he not be satisfied if the Hindu is a good or godly man? (Harijan: January 30, 1937)
This evangelitical fervour to turn this country into a christian nation is like a malignancy that has metastasized into every part of commununal activities here, from schools to hospitals, to nursing homes,to community hospitals, to even NGOs like AWARE.
Those us who want to hold onto our pro-asian family culture fear that our children will come home one day and declare that they will no longer hold the joss sticks, burn joss papers, continue Qing Ming practices, etc, and that they will obey GOD (whose proxy is the church and the people who run it) before their parents.
This is what we, the majority who are NOT christian, fear, NOT homosexuality!
It is time the government criminalises evangelism.
Jim on Fri, 15th May 2009 10:12 am
To First Posting:
Who is the leader or representative of Buddhists in Singapore?Seems the most famous one is the Renci Monk. But he busy with court case now, that’s why maybe the Press decided to leave him alone.
Credit when Credit's Due on Fri, 15th May 2009 10:24 am
Well at least we can say MHA handled the AWARE saga well, thus far – it distancing itself to let the parties resolve themselves, its works behind the scene, eg slapping the pastor on his butts and making him apologise, and now these statements.
But, as with all things, it is not perfect, namely that MHA didnt detect it coming in the first place when it has such a pervasive electronic surveillance on its citizens.
JayF on Fri, 15th May 2009 10:31 am
Careful Eugene, your spin is showing.
Why don’t you bring up the other two issues that the DPM has brought up? We got a tap on the wrist, but the liberals at Aware and their gay allies got spanked and told to go back into their corner. Your friends in the MSN won’t be rushing to help you next time.
MSM was biased towards Aware and the liberals. They got a warning from Mica. Guess they won’t be rushing to lionise Aware and other liberal pro gays anytime soon.
” The media plays an important role reporting on the issues, the groups and the personalities involved. They need to do so dispassionately and impartially. Mica had analysed the volume, tone and objectivity of the coverage of the Aware episode, and found it wanting in some respects. Some of the coverage was excessive and not sufficiently balanced.
There were indeed important issues at stake, such as the proper limits for religious activism. But the Aware episode was surely not the most important challenge facing Singapore, deserving such extensive and even breathless coverage. Whatever happened in Aware was not going to change Singapore, or the Government’s social policy. Journalists should not get caught up in the stories they are reporting, however exciting the stories may be.
The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts has given has given this feedback to the editors.
Govt not changing stance on gays. They can do whatever they want privately, but stay away from broadcasting your cause.
THE government’s position on homosexuality is clear and it will not be pressured into changing it, said Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng on Thursday.
‘This is the way the majority of Singaporeans want it to be – a stable society with traditional, heterosexual family values but with space for homosexuals to live their private lives and contribute to the society.
‘The government was not going to be pressured into changing its position on homosexuality before the takeover of Aware nor does the government intend to change its position now that old guard has recaptured Aware,’ continued Mr Wong.
‘Our society will not reach a consensus on this issue for a very long time to come. The way for homosexuals to have space in our society is to accept the informal limits which reflect the point of balance that our society can accept, and not to assert themselves stridently as gay groups do in the West,’ said Mr Wong.
Gandhi is right on Fri, 15th May 2009 10:40 am
A Hindu religious leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati, who opposed to Hindus converting to Christianity, was killed by unidentified gunmen in Kandhamal on 23 August 2008. Now there is a strong backlash against the innocent moderate Christians in India.
Christian fundamentalists have been known to start many conflicts and wars in the past that destroyed the lives of many innocent people, both believers and non-believers.
I agree with Pagan. It is time to criminalise proselytising in order to stop any further division in the peaceful society we live in.
In Singapore, touting carries a punishment of a $5,000 fine or a jail term of up to 6 months or both. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $10,000 and jailed for a year or both. In comparision, proselytising is far worse than touting in term of the damages that can be inflicted on the society, and therefore, it should carry a heavier penalty.
anakin on Fri, 15th May 2009 10:50 am
All talk and no action as usual from WKS. The”lets move on” King.
Anonymous on Fri, 15th May 2009 10:53 am
Agree with JayF,
Either you have read too much of MSM’s bias reporting so much so that it has made you bias too, or, you are doing what Can’t Sing has warned against: fanning flames of religious sediments.
You mentioned that your guns are pointed back to the government. But clearly, you still have an agenda with the AWARE issue.
While WKS’s laughable comment on “media reporting not sufficently balanced” is as hypocritical as it sounds, are you trying to join into his charade???
Alan S.L. Wong on Fri, 15th May 2009 10:58 am
You say, “Launch baseless, malicious and defamatory accusations at their opponents by deliberately quoting them out of context, twisting and turning their words and manufacturing outright lies altogether. Selective parts of the instructors manual for the Aware CSE was leaked to the public and distorted on purpose to give the misperception that it has a pro-homosexual agenda.”
Please substantiate the above. Thanks.
Carrey on Fri, 15th May 2009 11:00 am
To Jim,
If you don’t know who are the buddhist leaders in Singapore, can you kindly check in the internet before you make a comment here to tell the whole world that you are an ignorant fool.
Alan S.L. Wong on Fri, 15th May 2009 11:05 am
You say, “Selective parts of the instructors manual for the Aware CSE was leaked to the public and distorted on purpose to give the misperception that it has a pro-homosexual agenda.”
What I read was seeming the complete manual … Basic Instructor Guide (version 3, released in July 2008) … would you or AWARE provide the REAL AND COMPLETE manual and refute the critics?
project lucy on Fri, 15th May 2009 11:27 am
“I beseech the authorities to do the right thing and haul up these troublemakers for investigation under the “Religious Harmony Act”, “Sedition Act” or “Internal Security Act”. All we need to do is to “kill one” to “silence the hundreds”.”
Sarcasm? Or one of those “shouldn’t-have-said-it” comments?
Anon on Fri, 15th May 2009 11:44 am
Eugene,
This article of yours is completely biased and siding with the liberal AWARE side. I believe most people can see that both parties (Gays vs. Right-Wing Christian) are at fault and rightly admonished by MHA. Please remove this article if you still want to preserve your credibility and please do not post such biased article again. We come to WayangParty to read balanced and unbiased news, not to come and read this type of prejudiced piece of junk that is similar to Straits Times (albeit at the opposite pole). Give us more balanced articles next time. Else you will be committing the same mistake as the journalist in the Straits Times whom you frequently decry.
Temasek lost another US$1 billion on Fri, 15th May 2009 11:52 am
http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSSIN45472620090515
Anonymous on Fri, 15th May 2009 7:06 pm
“Please remove this article if you still want to preserve your credibility and please do not post such biased article again”
i.e. “shut up and sit down” LOL
WKS must swim on Fri, 15th May 2009 7:31 pm
Hahaha, Eugene wayang only lah ! Have to play shit stirrer sometimes, stirring it the other way to instigate a response from you people. lol
Frankly, a useless prick like WKS who has yet to earn respect from the public should not be giving advice or issuing threat either to the gays or Christian group.
Put WKS in the same cell alone with Mas Selamat and you will see the truth about him.
anon on Fri, 15th May 2009 7:42 pm
The more you write, you look more biased. What’s in it for you? You must be very angry with JL folks, or pally with your gay comrades?
If you can write the good and bad for both sides fairly, please give 4 numbers for us to buy 4D.
Ordinary Citizen on Fri, 15th May 2009 7:55 pm
I think WayangParty is highlighting the astroturfing activity run by a small group of people in this article. The statements on the government’s position on homosexuality and MSM excessive coverage are not included as they are not related to this issue.
Concerted effort by a small group of religious people to influence our secular government’s policies by astroturfing is a dangerous action of mixing religion with politics as cautioned by WKS.
So, before commenting on whether this article is bias or not, it is only fair to wait and see the emails sent out by the few people who are responsible for the astroturfing and whether the authorities will take the appropriate actions if the emails are proven genuine.
gambit on Fri, 15th May 2009 8:38 pm
just another distraction from what WKS should be doing now — get mas selamat home in one piece
idunbelieveit on Fri, 15th May 2009 8:40 pm
hohoho…these religious fundies are rearing their ugly heads here…asking people to shut up and sit down!!
kingsgrove on Fri, 15th May 2009 8:48 pm
Anon,
Eugene article simply reflects the concern of the majority of Singaporean, including WKS.
IT IS RELIGIOUS FANATICS THAT WE ARE WORRIED, NOT HOMOSEXUALITY.
Alan S.L. Wong on Fri, 15th May 2009 8:49 pm
This is my critique of AWARE’s CSE based on the Instructor Guide that I had read.
http://www.vtaide.com/blessing/AWARE-cse.htm
JohnnyKid on Fri, 15th May 2009 9:19 pm
Which one more dangerous? Christian extremist war hawks mobilizing thousands to wage wars and crusades, or gays mobilizing to have a picnic?
WKS is giving face by being tactful with these extremists.
WP is just saying it as it is without the need to give face.
j on Fri, 15th May 2009 10:18 pm
you should screenshot the offending christian post articles! lest they edit them!
bah on Fri, 15th May 2009 11:21 pm
It’s somehow amusing to see flamers flaming flamers flaming flamers on the internet.
anon on Sat, 16th May 2009 1:40 am
Kingsgrove: looks like we won’t have any 4D inspiration from here.
PoThePanda on Sat, 16th May 2009 2:01 am
Dear Eugene,
What are you advocating?We use the unjust laws to oppress the citizens?
You support ISA?You are a undercover PAP website as well?
Cybergoddess on Sat, 16th May 2009 3:38 am
I think a lot of the readers calling for Eugene to remove this article are people who are immature and not ready for meaningful debate. To have some credibility, Wayang Party SHOULD consider issues objectively and critically. They have done that and most times, have taken the side against the govt. But it does not mean that WP can never agree with the govt – if the issue merits it, then so be it!
If you guys just wanna see a one-sided bashing site then I suggest you go wash your heads in the sink.
I hope WP will not succumb to “pressure” from these sorts on removing this article.
JayF on Sat, 16th May 2009 6:51 am
To Kingsgrove
Considering that the majority of Singaporeans (85%) are religious, one doubts they’d be too worried about a conservative religious group especially since their own attitudes mirror those. DPM Wong doesn’t want religious groups using the pulpit. He also mentioned that the local gays should BACK DOWN from their activism and go back to their private lives. I.E go back to corner.
We don’t need the pulpit to lobby the Government. Our numbers and connections in law, education and the civil service will make sure our concerns are heard. What do you liberals and pro gays have without the MSM support and the gay groups?
A strident gay group on the other hand, would be of particular concern to those who enjoy a conservative, religious Singapore.
To Johnnykid.
Since when did a Christian extremist warhawk mobilize for war? Derek Hong moblized to make sure the liberals and gays do not dominate the social discourse and the gay picnic is making a social statement.
We occupy the central stage and with the MSM silenced, we will make sure the liberals and the gays get tossed back into their”saunas” and gay pubs at Tanjong Pagar.
What is Paganism? A Heathen? on Sun, 17th May 2009 9:59 am
Cybergoddess is perfectly right. And indirectly so about differing views. But quite another thing is what …
Pagan wrote right at the top of the list just The first posting:
“It is time the government criminalises evangelism”.
Don’t get me wrong. But this is the extreme thinking of Pagan and he is more dangerous than WKS’s caution.
As Pagan suggestion smacks of yet another kind of dangerous extremism too.Those were just ‘over-zealous’ passionate Christians in the fast & furiously elected ‘interim’ AWARE exco now booted out and COS’s ala Derek Hong.
Pagan isn’t a moderator in any sense of the word. An a pagan or heathen is a non-religious aethist who touts religions as altogether fool’s believes. Yet is such an aethist mentality and religion critic … Foolishness itself?
I would be more concern, even worried sick if Pagan hold WKS’s positions in govt! What’s the othe crux?
Little "red-dot" or other? on Sun, 17th May 2009 11:52 am
Indeed we should be thankful for the “little red-dot” which os actually I call a “miniscule-black-dot”. Don’t get me wrong, but indeed it is black on a map. And being Red means it is likeblood on the outside of one’s skin. That We Are Bleeding! Financially that is!
The toxic assests of American “1st World Class” of Elitist “Democracy” knows no boundaries nor temperance of “Meritorcracy” which is advocated by our garmen too. Such thinking means in hidden silence, also means that if Heaven has not endowed you, then you’ve therefore been “sidelined by heaven and so predestined” for failure in “World-Class” competition!
This kind of thinking is lobsided and certainly not fron the wise and humble. It is the very the same very type of NON-critical indepth and far reaching VISIONARY thinkings of the GW Bush era. The now infamous 8 yr era that now has severely bankrupted America and my nations of the world.
Indeed highly paid and irrationally rewarded individuals of meritocracy are the very soucre of this world-wide financial crisis. As they are only now seen as Crutches, Since “They don’t own a single cent of the enormous monies they invest”. And stands to be rewarded for successes. BUT never to be Acountable for even Repeated Failures! WORLD-CLASS CRUTCH CIRTICAL THINKERS INDEED!
A saying goes, “Self praise IS international disgrace” is oh so true. Or a local dialect saying in similar meaning, “Kar key oh kar buwei chow cho”! = slef praise is not so fishy” yah!
Are self-professed ‘great leaders’ truly wise & deep thinkers? Or … ?
All of the big(?) t3’s responsesare simply face-saving political talk jargon of the standard self-righteous and too farmiliar kind ins’t it!
GCT had iterated during his tenure as Pm that there’s no talent in the Oppo camp. How blatantly unfair comment is that when they suppress civil society gathering now of even 1-2 person in broad diffination as unlawful per beholden civil service SPF ‘interpretations.
Freedom of expressions for the authorities but not for Our Civil Society. As even 1 person talking in public is a civil disturbing Singapore Citizen. Your rights has been canelled,
The only difference is we don’t get literally bludgent or shot to death like in Mynmmar or elsewhere. But we do have it done to us all the same in 1st World curtailment and advance technical ways aren’t we?
Sniper on Sun, 17th May 2009 3:01 pm
Username JayF is already exposed as a Joel’s Army member in one of dogemperor’s articles.http://wayangparty.com/?p=9047 We also know that leaders of other faiths spoke up about the invasion of AWARE http://www.ngejay.com/?p=2673, so the fact that most Singaporeans are religious does not imply that they endorse their values being imposed on the secular public. Here, Christians comprise 15% of the country’s population, and only a very vocal, evangelical, and dominionist segment have infected the public sphere.
Working as if one is dealing with organised ‘gay groups’ or MSM who have an ‘agenda’ is seeing an enemy where there is none. So what if NMP/lawyer Thio Su Mien or Dr. Alan Chin are vocally anti-gay and try to use their influence? This did not save them from being booted out of AWARE. There is no umbrella lobbying organisation for homosexual rights in Singapore, and no ‘group’ beyond cliques of like-minded friends and relatives, that resulted in the hundreds attending the recent PinkDot event despite the lack of advertising in mainstream media.
This is not a weakness. This is their strength. Religious leaders can preach against homosexuality all they like in the walls of their churches, but homosexuals exist in all strata of society, in every religion, in every secular arena, in every district. They act not on a sermon or a gospel, but by their own independent conscience. A veiled threat that conservative Christians are present in law, education and civic society will not make them ‘SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN’.
bah on Mon, 18th May 2009 3:09 am
PoThePanda: Yes, the PAP is everywhere, controlling the gahmen, controlling the press, controlling the Wayang Party, controlling your brain with psykick waves, and even under your bed!!!111
Anonymous on Mon, 18th May 2009 7:16 am
Yesterday, my friend told me that her uncle who lives in Hougang, was met by Eric Low, some years ago, in door to door campaigning. Mr Low said he if he were elected, he would make sure that he remove the temples in Hougang. My friend’s uncle was shocked as he was a Taoist and he said so to Mr Low who quickly apologised. Was that a tactic to win christian votes? Can anyone in Hougang verify if he or she has heard similar thing then?
loop on Mon, 18th May 2009 4:47 pm
Newspaper here put Fann Wong ROM as headline news. What professionalism do you expect from them?
TODAY Voices mon May 18, 2009! on Mon, 18th May 2009 9:47 pm
Go to this website and read 2 views about WKS on AWARE SAGA. The one by Gavin Lee on the right is more convincing for our Civil Society’s progress. He explains well gahmen’s kiasu curtailment of civil maturity and its growth – for their ownwell-being. A bully is actually a coward. Because non-cowards don’t bully!
So it’s all simply because a LKY thing and a control freaky thing. As for those below 60 may now even recall LKY at rallies had said to the effect that – to control the citizens’ minds, you have to control the media – click item 2 below.
1. http://www.todayonline.com/pdf_main.asp?pubdate=20090518
2. This is quite a long video (46 min) of the LKY phenomena but worth watching. Watch before it is removed from the link. And I hope it is still available. http://video.google.comvideoplay?docid=-626198656180342704&hl=en