Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi
Friday prayer in the Al-Nahdah Mosque of the Harmony Centre in Singapore was typical, except in one sense .. the center itself. Opened in 2006 by no less than the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the event was celebrated by the heads of all major religions in the country. Next to our praying hall, stands a center that calls for peaceful coexistence among the followers of all faiths. Members include Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus and Sikhs. They make a Council that emphasizes inter-faith dialogue and engagement among the multi-racial and multi-religious society of Singapore.
If there is one thing that sets Singapore apart from the rest of our world it is the way this island-nation makes you feel. If I may put it in three words (written in “Tropical Green”) I would say: Peace, Harmony and Order.
Peace is one of the most exploited and overused words. All religions, ideologies, political systems and organized groups pretend to serve peace. Wars and brutal rules were justified as means to peaceful ends. A war criminal like Israel’s late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was called by the leader of the “Free World”, Gorge W. Bush, at the highest Israel’s brutal invasion of Gaza “Man of Peace”! And it is not uncommon for peace movements to use not so peaceful methods to achieve their goals.
Therefore, it feels really great when you visit a place like Singapore, where “peace” really means peace. For forty years, since its independence, in 1965, and for one hundred and fifty years before that, this island never fought among its different races or with its neighbors, or was part of any conflict, regional or international.
This is a nation busy studying, working, building and planning for a better future. It does this in peace, even if the world around it sat itself on fire.
Harmony: Now that is another hard to find value. Look around Singapore. Religious and racial issues are killing and burning people, worship places, and whole neighborhoods in Burma, India, Pakistan and Sir Lanka, to name some. Militants, fundamentalists and terrorists are spreading hate and death like viruses among the populations.
Even political parties, army generals and public officials are engaged in this destructive mode. Not here, not in this green, peaceful island. Harmony is keyword. Harmony among its very diversified population is the secret!
In schools, work, media, religious and political spheres, it is beyond prohibited to show any bias, let alone hate, against fellow citizens on the basis of their color, religion or race.
The whole democratic system is based on equality, respect and ... “harmony.”
Order is not just a system. It is a way of life. It is mentality. It is attitude. It is ... everything. You take the “metro” to work, all your steps are in perfect order —from buying the ticket, to standing on right or left waiting lines at the door of the train — the middle is assigned for passengers getting out — to the exact timing of the train and the connecting buses, to your timetable at work or school, to your appointments even with the taxi or reservation with restaurant or barber.
You don’t even need security to oversee order. In fact, during my week there, I never saw a single police car or officer in the street. Law and order, it seems, is in the hearts and minds of Singaporeans. They have overgrown the need for overseers.
What about “Tropical Green”? Now, that is a another story, worthy of a third article.
Here’s some of your comments and thoughts, dear readers, about last Tuesday article “Singapore: Small means giant!” Let’s hear more.
Uniquely Singapore
“Yes indeed, the country is very small but for infrastructure, development and law and order situation, Singapore is heaven on earth. I have spent six months of my life there, and visited it twice. It is the cleanest place in the world. Due to its small size, it is easy to maintain. Singapore is very organized country. Singaporeans are very calm and professional.” Muhammad Faraz
Nations should emulate Singapore!
“Singapore has shown the world its phenomenal success by strictly adhering to the four principles: Integrity, Transparency, Self-Reliance and Meritocracy. There is a famous quote ‘As we sow, so we reap’. I wonder why the rest of the 5.5 billion people are unable to decipher it. A famous author had said that the world has only two things to offer ‘Products’ or ‘Services.’ If we cannot excel in producing goods, we should excel in offering Services. If we do neither, we get nothing.” Fayaz Pasha
Nice place
“Singapore is truly one of the best nations. They know how to handle different kinds of people, assuring that they can do their best to help you. They are very strict when it comes to professionalism. They have discipline and respect. They abide by their laws seriously.” Honey Michie Campos
