Mr Speaker, the White Paper on the Jemaah Islamiyah Arrests and the Threat of Terrorism brings into focus several issues, which have dominated much of the past year, both locally and internationally. Since 9/11, there has been much discussion about the threat of global terrorism by extremist Muslim groups, and the need for more moderate voices within the Muslim world. To some extent, the discussion has also centred on the faith itself. Being a Muslim and believing in Islam became the subject of intense scrutiny and, in some instances, even the receiving end of hatred and violence. The arrests in Singapore of a group plotting violent terror and with links to other terrorist groups, both regionally and internationally, brought home a chilling reality, which all Singaporeans hitherto could not have imagined: that there are Singaporeans who are prepared to sacrifice innocent lives for their cause. For the Muslim community in Singapore, this is an entirely new phenomenon - the group's total disdain for the sanctity of human life is totally unfamiliar to the community. Nonetheless, this new phenomenon brought undue attention to the Muslim community here in Singapore. For the non-Muslim community, it was a test of their trust and faith in fellow Muslim Singaporeans. It was a difficult time for all Singaporeans. Now, we have the White Paper - a report that puts into perspective these issues and provides enough clarity about the JI group and the threat of global terrorism to establish a rational basis for all Singaporeans to move on with their lives. The Paper has correctly defined the threat of terrorism as a national problem, which must be tackled by all Singaporeans. The Paper has also made it clear that the JI ideology and its exclusivist tendencies and millenarian orientation is but the belief of a small group of Muslims in Singapore. The Paper has also outlined steps to be taken by all groups and Government agencies to tackle the threat of terrorism. In view of this, is it possible for us now to go back to the pre-9/11 and pre-JI arrests days? Things cannot remain unchanged. What has happened cannot be erased. Negative impacts will take time to be addressed, or removed. But, Sir, I am encouraged by the strong consensus shown in this House and by the public in general on the need to unite against the terrorist threat. There is a strong determination by everyone not to let this issue sow suspicion and destroy the bonds between Singaporeans. There is a recognition that greater security challenges are a given in the foreseeable future. There is a valid concern that the security threat is one, which also poses a challenge to social harmony. What will be critical is how Singaporeans pull together to overcome these twin challenges, so that we become more resilient as a people, and come out stronger and more cohesive as a nation. Response of the Malay/Muslim community The Malay/Muslim community and religious leaders are united in their determination to tackle these challenges. The responses of the various Malay/Muslim organisations, such as MUIS, Mendaki, Pergas, Perdaus, and various community leaders to the White Paper again underscore this commitment. We want to play a constructive role in this important effort of building trust and strengthening ties across all groups in Singapore. It is also important for the House to know that the Malay/Muslim community had embarked on this process long before the appearance of the White Paper. During the past two years or so, Muslim community leaders and institutions have come together to work on measures that will strengthen Islamic religious education and development in Singapore. The Muslim Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has initiated a variety of programmes to strengthen both the full-time and part-time madrasah systems, and to train and upgrade the skills of Islamic religious teachers in Singapore so that they understand the context in which they operate. MUIS has also sought to organise public seminars for both the public and community leaders on issues of importance, and to invite non-Muslim Singaporeans to visit our mosques. MUIS has formed a committee with other Malay/ Muslim organisations to study ways to improve the training of local religious teachers. These are but a few examples of the efforts that are already underway within the Malay/Muslim community. What more will be done? Other measures are also being considered. We will strengthen the safeguards against adverse influences from outside Singapore. There is already a vetting system for foreign speakers. We will also leverage on, and strengthen information sharing among Malay/Muslim organisations and mosques so that we can more easily detect activities that are out of the ordinary. The White Paper has helped in educating the public on how to recognise potentially untoward activities. MUIS will provide guidance to students in selecting the overseas institutions in which to pursue religious education. It will also undertake pre-departure programmes and keep in touch with the students while they are overseas. However, Sir, other than adopting a defensive approach, we want to strengthen our own Muslim community's religious education system, not only as a safeguard against deviant teaching, but also to support the holistic development of the Muslim community. Strengthening of part-time religious education for children and adults There is a strong and vibrant part-time religious education system within the Malay/Muslim community. Almost every mosque in Singapore provides classes in religious instruction for both children and adults. There is also a thriving private sector market in this area. Given the extensive reach of this system, it is important that we pay close attention to it. MUIS will set up a Religious Education Advisory Panel. And this panel will make use of a collaborative approach that will bring together all stakeholders, and seeks out the views of parents, teachers, and students on religious education. The comprehensive review will look into the appropriate content and teaching methods relevant to different age groups, as well as training for our teachers. It will also look into enhancing the quality of the network of teachers and institutions providing religious education. Developing asatizah and enhancing their role The Muslim religious teacher, or asatizah, holds a respected place in the Muslim community. Many Muslims can recall fondly a teacher who has made a positive impact on his/her life and values. This respect is something the teacher earns through continuously learning and being able to address the concerns of the students of today. We want to systematically enable our asatizah to enhance their knowledge and exposure. MUIS will work closely with relevant Malay/Muslim organisations to look into their professional development and recognition. Currently, MUIS has platforms to engage religious leaders and teachers to discuss professional issues, as well as generate new ideas for programmes. MUIS also gives scholarships to assist individuals to pursue religious education at reputable institutions of learning. MUIS will build on existing initiatives and develop a structured training and development framework. This can then form the foundation for the consideration and development of other measures, such as the accreditation of our religious teachers. To help point the public to qualified teachers, MUIS will work to maintain an updated and comprehensive database for their reference. Sir, all of the above initiatives are components of the comprehensive regulatory system that the Muslim community is putting together as proposed by the White Paper. With time and greater experience in managing the various aspects of the system, MUIS will be able to provide more precise guidance to Muslim Singaporeans on their religious education needs, either independently or in collaboration with other Malay/Muslim organisations. The hon. Member, Mr Ravindran, noted the issue of the credibility of MUIS in the eyes of Malay/Muslim Singaporeans. I think it is important for the Malay/Muslim community to give their support and respect to MUIS. As the highest religious body in the Muslim community in Singapore, Muslims have a duty to work together with MUIS to build it into a strong and responsive organisation. I would also urge our religious leaders to work closely with MUIS in our effort to strengthen Islamic religious education in Singapore. Building Social Cohesion Building social cohesion is an issue for all Singaporeans, not just the Muslim community. The JI security challenge has been a test of our cohesiveness and resilience as a people. Although the issue is a difficult one, it is good that the Muslim community has not withdrawn into itself, but actively reached out to others - and built bridges across communities. At the same time, non-Muslims should understand that communal worship is an integral part of Muslims' lives, and should not view this as Muslims `retreating to the mosque' at the expense of social interaction. I am glad that other communities have not stood and looked on as bystanders or commentators, but have made a sincere effort to better understand and reach out to the Muslim community. We need that understanding and trust not just at the level of the community leadership but also at the grassroots level. Community leaders have a critical role in modelling the attitudes and actions that promote community bonding. As leaders, they can also help dispel misperceptions, prejudices and encourage members in their groups to interact socially with people in other ethnic communities. The IRCC is one important platform where these initiatives are taking place. But the principle applies to all social environments such as schools, workplaces, and community clubs. While the Government and community can provide platforms and facilitate social bonding, Members of this House have rightly pointed out that individual Singaporeans have to make the effort to interact and understand one another. Sir, as pointed out by the White Paper, there is no quick solution to counter the threat of terrorism. Groups, like the JI, took a long time to form and morph and can exist in our midst without anyone knowing about it. Similarly, building cohesion and trust is a long-term process requiring every one, Muslims and non- Muslims, to stay focused on the real issues. The real challenge for us here, in Singapore, is to build a climate where extreme views will not take root. We must create an environment that is conducive to a healthy development of every one's faith and belief in the context of a multi-racial and multi-religious Singapore. My parliamentary Malay/Muslim colleagues and I are committed to this process. We had started a process of consultation with the Malay/Muslim community and religious leaders long before the attacks on the twin towers and the JI arrests. The process will now continue with a sharper focus on what needs to be done within our community. I recently met a group of such leaders to share with them my views on the White Paper and what I intend to say today. I found the process useful and will continue to consult community and religious leaders in the future. Sir, in my discussions with many Malays from all walks of life in the past year or so, I heard concerns about jobs and livelihood, as well as how the community was being put under the spotlight. These are concerns that the Government, community and business sectors are addressing. However, the Malays certainly did not view the Singapore system as being stacked against them. Nor did they think that the community is marginalised. Indeed, this view is borne out by objective measures of the community's progress in education, income and social and material well-being. Our own Prime Minister has given us the data of the past 10 years achievement of the Malay/Muslim community. The Malay community has seen successful individuals in diverse fields in line with the overall progress of the community. Over time, we will see more of them. With greater interaction between Muslims and non-Muslims at all levels and more visible examples of Malays in leadership, we will strengthen the mutual respect and understanding between our various communities and build on the cohesion that we have achieved in the last three decades. Finding the Common Ground Sir, the Malay/Muslim community has gone through an entire year of discussions, dialogues, meetings, cross-cultural sessions and many other forms of trust building efforts. The community wants to move on. While the White Paper has been well received by most Singaporeans, I understand why some in the Malay/Muslim community feel uneasy about being in the spotlight again and they want to move on. Perhaps, it is useful for us to reflect exactly on what moving on means in the context of what is happening around us. Moving on does not mean ignoring and not dealing with the JI incident and its implications. Moving on requires understanding what the issues and challenges are all about and what needs to be done in order to avoid a similar incident in the future. For non-Muslim Singaporeans, Sir, I hope they do not view the White Paper as proof of a fundamental flaw in the Malay/Muslim community. Muslim Singaporeans are equally shocked at the emergence of a terrorist group within our midst. We did not create this group. Most, if not all, of us are saddened that there exist within the community people who are prepared to use violence, even towards fellow Muslims, to further their own goals. Between the need to move on and the need for concrete action to prevent the emergence of terrorist or extremist groups, lies a common ground where all Singaporeans should converge. And that is to understand this global phenomenon correctly and to see that it affects all of us, irrespective of our religious or ethnic backgrounds. Understanding this global phenomenon In any religious group, as pointed out by Mr Ravindran, there can emerge, and have emerged, groups that are prepared to be different and, in some cases, even pursue a path of violence to achieve their vision. Martin E. Marty and R. Scott Appleby are editors of a five-volume work on the study of fundamentalism. These studies have noted that fundamentalists share a tendency to separate from fellow believers, and to establish strict boundaries between insiders and outsiders. Fundamentalists also define the opposition as including both non-believers and believers who do not share their views. While the term "fundamentalist" is frequently associated in the popular press with Muslim extremists, fundamentalist thinking can exist in any religious system. There are fundamentalist groups, like the JI, who see the modern world as offering no future for them. They manifest this as a struggle between their vision of how society is to be organised against models of societies developed in the West. These groups perceive secular nationalism as a Western construct that has failed to address their concerns. This struggle, which is ideological in nature, has been termed by one author as a conflict of the "ideologies of order". One side maintains that secular nationalism is the glue that can bind groups into a coherent nation, while the other insists that it must be religion. And true to their fundamentalist traits, their vision harks back to a past which they deemed glorious and perfect. In order to achieve their vision, these groups are prepared to use violence. In their minds, they see the world dominated by Western ideals and which holds nothing for them. Hence the need to destroy in order to build something new. People who believed that all symbols of the West should be destroyed, carried out the 9/11 attacks and the Bali bomb blasts. And that in doing so, their own death serves a perceived so-called higher purpose. This form of revolutionary violence has been noted by some writers as being similar to the way in which revolutionary socialism and violent anarchism have seduced young Westerners into terrorism in a previous generation. The JI and Terror If we juxtapose all of the above against what the White Paper has described to us about the JI, we will see a picture emerging reflecting the so-called fundamentalist mindset. The JI is an exclusive group that mistakenly believed that they had found the path to salvation. Those who do not share their belief are considered as "unbelievers", a demarcation that in their mind legitimises the use of violence against everyone, including Muslims. Their vision of a Daulah Islamiyah or Islamic state is anchored in the past, with no scope for change or adaptation, and no tolerance of diversity. While not all fundamentalist groups support terrorism, they indirectly provide the ideological motivation for religiously inspired terrorism. The JI showed us that it is a short step indeed from religious fundamentalism to terror. Sir, this may all appear academic. But the point I am trying to make is that both Muslim and non-Muslim Singaporeans owe it to themselves to understand this phenomenon. This phenomenon is not about Muslims versus non-Muslims. It is about a particular orientation towards life that insists that the modern world offers no salvation; it is about returning to an idealised notion of a religious past and accepting a rigid interpretation of religion as the true path. It is about justifying the use of violence for this purpose. We must oppose this orientation towards life; we must believe there is no inconsistency in being both religious and modern at the same time. Diversity and Tolerance: Best Guard Against Extremism The Muslim community here cannot pretend that nothing has changed in the last 20 years. The White Paper calls for a comprehensive system to regulate religious education within the Muslim community. This, as I have explained earlier, is being done by MUIS in collaboration with other Malay/Muslim organisations. But is this sufficient to safeguard against the emergence of groups like the JI? As shown in the White Paper, Ibrahim Maidin and his JI members attended religious classes, like other Muslim Singaporeans would do. But slowly, over time, and for a select group of members, the JI ideology gets introduced. Having taken the oath of allegiance, the JI ideology of violence, hatred and extremism was never challenged by anyone in the group. If we, as a community, allow intolerant and extremist views and ideas to go unchallenged, then we inadvertently allow such views to take root here. If in response to a question on how Muslims should deal with banking interest, a foreign Muslim religious speaker tells a crowd in Singapore that they do not need to live in Singapore, and we allow such a comment to go unchecked, then we unwittingly sow the seeds of conflict and fundamentalism. The response by a foreign religious speaker echoes that of the local JI leader, Ibrahim Maidin, who wrote to the Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, on whether Muslims should all migrate to Afghanistan as he believed then that, under the Taliban, Afghanistan was a true Islamic state. Both Ibrahim Maidin and the foreign speaker reflect the same mind. And this is the nub of the problem: what we are dealing with is a peculiar orientation of the mind. If we allow myopic, extreme and radical views to go unchallenged, even if they do not advocate violence, then we inadvertently provide a conducive environment for the growth of intolerance and a rigid fundamentalist orientation to life. Just like the fundamentalist groups who reject everything Western without a clear understanding, we find today such thinking permeating the Muslim mind in a variety of ways. Articles and journals that present the West as the great evil of modern society and present alternatives, on matters such as politics and economics, couched in religious terms as the absolute truth, reflect the fundamentalist traits. But these articles get published while those with a more rationalist interpretation are blocked. Our challenge, as has been suggested by several Muslim and non-Muslim scholars, is for the moderates to speak up. And I know the term "moderate" is loaded with meaning. But it must be so. To those who view the world as incompatible with their version of religion, they would see people who advocate a multitude of voices and interpretations of the religion as being the enemy. Their insistence on a monolithic interpretation of Islam, with no room for disagreement, must necessarily clash with those who advocate diversity. Hence, we see groups issuing edicts of death to those who advocate a different view from them. We must collectively reject these views immediately. The best safeguard we can put in place is to allow a diversity of views and opinions to emerge. Muslims all over the world will never have disputes on the fundamental principles of Islam, such as the oneness of God, the Prophecy of Muhammad, the five daily prayers, the payment of wealth tax, and fasting. But in the way we order our lives, cherish our women, organise our religious life, exist in a multi-religious society, educate our young, and so on, there can be differences. Of course, the diversity cannot be unlimited. Certainly, if some advocate violence as a basis of their struggle, then we must all condemn it. As rightly pointed out by several Muslim scholars, the proper interpretation of Islam is compatible with democracy and human rights. And democracy is about respect for differences of opinions and consensus building by the strength of arguments and not by the size of your arsenal. The Way Forward - Building the Good Society Sir, Islam encourages all Muslims to build the good society. Elements of the good society include a system to protect weaker members of society, measures to insure a corruption-free environment, the establishment of a safe and secure environment, the provision of opportunities for everyone to grow and develop, a good health care system, and an economic system that promotes development for all in that society. Our contribution to Singapore must be to help build this good society. In fact, I would argue that elements of the good society exist in Singapore, and that it is our duty as good Muslims and good Singaporeans to protect this. Hence, I am encouraged by the achievements of Ms Misnati Dollah and Mr Zainul Sarib who are among the winners of the National Productivity Award for the year 2002 in Singapore. In their own quiet ways, they are helping to promote the productivity movement, which is central to an efficient economic system. They, like many other Malay/Muslim workers in Singapore, are building the good society in Singapore. Our meritocratic system has also allowed us to identify talented Malays for key appointments on the boards of statutory bodies and Government-related agencies. And we have been doing this for a very long time, ever since your days as Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Sir. So, today, we find Malays on the boards of organisations, such as the Public Service Commission, MPA, CAAS, LTA, Science Centre, MDA, National Heritage Board and the Singapore Management University. There are many other ways in which Muslims can contribute to the building of the good society. The BBC reported last week on the discovery by a group of US researchers in the fight against cholera. Using old sari material folded four times as a filter for river water, they found that they could cut down the incidence of cholera by half among villagers in Bangladesh. I traced the report and found that one of the researchers is a Muslim from Bangladesh who is currently working in Maryland with other non-Muslim scientists on this project. I communicated with him, and he told me that he and his colleagues have been working for 27 years in a search for a cure for cholera among poor villagers. As a Muslim, Professor Anwar Huq is contributing to the good society. As various Members of the House have pointed out, the current challenges present a window of opportunity for Singaporeans to stand up to defend the society we want to preserve and build upon. Muslims and non-Muslims in Singapore have a role to play in ensuring that the good society prevails. Apart from the need to reach out to one another and to strengthen our social cohesion and community bonding, it is also necessary for us to encourage good behaviour and contributions from each other. By expanding our common space through the encouragement of the adoption of healthy common values, such as the respect for diversity, a commitment to securing peace and harmony for Singapore, a determination to build a strong economy, a desire to provide assistance to the weaker members of society, and to provide a safe and secure environment, all Singaporeans will surely contribute to the good society. It is by ensuring that we all, Muslims and non-Muslims, work together towards the common good that we can ensure a peaceful and harmonious, cohesive and resilient Singapore. Sir, the threat of terrorism is a complex challenge. Our efforts at strengthening our social cohesion must continue with renewed vigour and focus. Everyone must understand that he or she has a role to play, be it in schools, workplaces, recreational centres, and even in places of worship. But I would also argue that the solution to this problem lies more in the hands of those with the power to effect meaningful change. Those in leadership positions, in whichever organisations or institutions that they belong to, play a key role in this fight against terrorism. If we fail to diagnose and understand this phenomenon correctly, then we risk the well-being of our nation. Simplistic analysis of the global terrorism threat and distorted views of history and of contemporary Muslim societies and countries serve only to confuse and detract from real understanding. Fashionable ideas of the clash of different religious communities as the outcome of modern history are no different from the views of the fundamentalists who divide the world into two opposing ethical communities. Such ideas give fodder to the fundamentalist mind. We should not give space for such ideas here in Singapore. When the Government fought the Communists and the communalists, it was the call to, and support for, of those within the Chinese community who were committed to the idea of a modern and multi-racial Singapore, to stand up against such elements, that helped win the day. Similarly, today we should give notice to those who are prepared to use religious sentiments to provoke resentment towards the State or any other group, that they will suffer the wrath of the people and the State. Such elements are destructive to our nation-building effort and should never be allowed to grow. Space and support should be given to the progressive elements in the Malay/Muslim community. This is a struggle for the hearts and minds of our people. The path of moderation and tolerance is the only way for Singapore to survive as a nation. Terror of any kind, and carried out by any group, will bring great harm. We must engender in our people the spirit that is constructive towards our nation building effort. This is the spirit that was seen in Whampoa recently when a fire broke out near a lift-landing and a couple was trapped inside the lift. A Malay family living closest to the lift-landing rallied other neighbours to assist the couple. It was the same spirit that drove my late father and other villagers, both Chinese and Malays, to form watch groups to protect our kampong during the 1964 riots. It is this spirit that supports the common good that is needed now. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion. [Applause.]