Singapore's
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong received the World Statesman Award on Monday,
Sept. 24, for his services to foster a society based on multiculturalism, where
ethnic communities maintain their unique way of life while living in harmony.
The award
was conferred by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation and the annual awards
dinner was held in New York. Accepting the award, Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong said the challenges remain and these could impact the country's efforts
to foster racial and religious harmony.
The award by
the New York-based interfaith Appeal of Conscience Foundation recognises
individuals who support peace, prosperity and liberty, and promote tolerance,
human dignity and human rights, both in their own countries and internationally
through cooperation with other leaders.
President of
the foundation Rabbi Arthur Schneier said the award was for fostering a society
that embraces multiculturalism, in which ethnic communities maintain their
unique way of life while living harmoniously.
Mr Lee was
praised for supporting a knowledge-based economy, an education system that
provides Singaporeans with the necessary skills to survive in a globally
competitive environment, as well as for implementing a world-class health
infrastructure.
Singapore's
Presidential Council for Minority Rights, which scrutinises all legislation to
ensure none of it discriminates against any racial or religious community, and
the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, which empowers the Government to act
against religious leaders or groups who cause feelings of enmity, hatred or
hostility between religious groups, or use religion to promote a political
cause, PM Lee said.
Singapore
has also designed electoral rules to encourage multi-racial politics, instead
of the politics of race and religion. "In Parliamentary elections,
political parties are required to present multi-racial slates to contest
multi-member seats. This discourages political parties from championing
particular racial or religious groups, and dividing our society along
primordial fault lines," he said in his acceptance speech.
"It
also guarantees that Parliament will always have a minimum number of
legislators from the minority communities, so that minorities never feel shut
out."
Mr Lee also
cited the Ethnic Integration Policy, which ensures that every township,
precinct and residential block is ethnically mixed so that there are no racial
enclaves.
Source: ibtimes.sg
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