Supporting traditional arts and promoting racial & religious harmony

Introduction

1. Madam Chair, Acting Minister spoke about the importance of building connections between people, as a way to create greater social bonds and cohesion. He also spoke about the challenges which we will continue to face in establishing a strong national identity.

2. In a diverse society like Singapore, social bonds and national identity emerges both out of experiences which we have in common and experiences that are unique to each one of us.

3. Strong social bonds and a sense of identity will help create social capital. Acting Minister painted a picture of this as Singaporeans being able to help, trust and rely on each other. Let me add by saying that it is also a sense of community, and a natural affinity for our fellow Singaporeans. Having tightly knit communities not only gives each of us the emotional support that we need, but also gives us the confidence to bring new Singaporeans into our midst.
   

4. Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr David Ong have asked about how MCCY will strengthen national identity and build social capital through our efforts across various sectors. Madam Chair, MCCY's programmes aim to encourage bonding within communities and a richer appreciation of the diversity across communities.
   

Bonding through shared passions

5. With your permission, Madam Speaker, may I display some images on the LED screens. Allow me to first elaborate on our efforts in the arts sector. Our community engagement efforts will continue to provide opportunities for people to come together and share a common passion. Mr Arthur Fong spoke about the arts and culture interest groups and Community Arts and Culture Clubs (CACC) which have been set up across the island. These groups are made up of community enthusiasts and volunteers, with support from the Community Engagement Masterplan. They have helped their fellow Singaporeans to see the arts as a part of community life, and also as something that they can enjoy everywhere and every day. I thank the Member for his suggestion regarding our funding of such groups, and we will continue to refine our support to the community.

6. Mr Arthur Fong also mentioned the ukulele interest group network during his speech, and other Members may have also seen this group in action, during last month's Chingay Parade. This group's achievements deserve mention.
   

7. Since last September, over 1,800 Singaporeans between 4 and 92 years old have picked up the ukulele from Mr Low Cher Yong and other community champions. For Members who are unfamiliar, the ukulele is similar to a guitar, but is smaller in size and friendlier to beginners. Cher Yong, a community volunteer and musician, thought that it is an instrument that could bring music into the lives of people with no musical background.

8. Being part of this growing ukulele community motivated participants to master 6 songs within just a few lessons, going from novices to Chingay performers in a few short months. So members of this House, if you are interested in learning ukulele, I will be most happy to introduce you to Cher Yong. More importantly, their newfound passion for the ukulele brought these neighbours closer together. Regular practice sessions have also become a place to meet up with new friends.

9. We will continue to support such opportunities for Singaporeans to bond over a love for the arts.

Helping Singaporeans to share their stories

10. Madam Chair, now let me proceed to highlight how MCCY's efforts in the heritage sector can help to promote greater understanding across communities, and bring Singaporeans closer over their shared stories.

11. I agree with Mr Sitoh Yih Pin that heritage is not distant or detached. Heritage actually lives within us. Madam Chair, our memories make up a big part of our heritage and identity. Our memories are created from diverse experiences, and these experiences can be shared through stories. Mr Alex Yam asked about what MCCY would be doing to preserve the parts of our heritage that extend beyond the physical. Helping Singaporeans to tell and share stories will play a big part in MCCY's role to help preserve our heritage and build our national identity. Something that the members of the House has so passionately talked about.
    

12. NHB will be launching a new travelling exhibition to honour and remind us of the brave healthcare workers who stood on the frontlines during the SARS outbreak, and how Singapore stood behind them as they worked to overcome this crisis. NHB is working with Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the Ministry of Health, and the exhibition will be launched next week.

13. The new exhibition is part of the National Heritage Board's Resilience Through Heritage series of exhibitions. These exhibitions tell the stories of moments which have brought us together as a people, and remind us of the strength of the Singaporean spirit. Our programmes will continue to promote awareness of these defining moments of Singapore's history which have played a strong role in shaping our identity.

14. Besides these stories that have touched us all, we have also amassed some deeply personal stories that are worth sharing. We therefore agree with Members' suggestions to go beyond national-level efforts. Our efforts to foster pride in the distinct heritage of different communities will also help to maintain bonds held together by unique experiences.

15. Take Mdm Moslimah as an example. She is a former resident of Kampong Kaji near the Sultan Mosque, in what is the Kampong Glam area today. They may not live together along Bussorah Street any more, but Mdm Moslimah and her neighbours still shared fond memories of the gotong-royong and close community bonds of their Kampong Kaji days.

16. When NHB was creating the Kampong Glam heritage trail last year, these old neighbours came together to share their stories. A place close to her heart now also has a place in our shared history, and the trail is a reminder of the community bonds that she shared with her neighbours. And the memories of Mdm Moslimah and her former neighbours, as well as the many other from Kampong Glam are all captured in a very nice, handy title called the 'Kampung Glam - A Heritage Trail'.

17. By encouraging Singaporeans to come forward with their own stories, our approach to heritage celebrates not only those things that are common to us, but also those things which make each community unique.
    

Traditional arts as bridges across communities

18. This openness to diversity should also underpin our approach to the traditional arts. I agree with Mr David Ong that embracing diversity should be our hallmark as Singaporeans. Singapore is indeed fortunate to be a cosmopolitan port city, sitting between the East and the West. Our forefathers had brought their rich cultural traditions with them in the past, and we can continue to benefit from the vibrancy that new immigrants and visitors bring to our shores today.

19. Mr Baey Yam Keng highlighted the contribution of the traditional arts to our national identity. I fully agree with him. Traditional arts will remain vital to MCCY efforts to promote mutual understanding and appreciation across different communities, and we will continue to support efforts to help traditional art forms take root and flourish.

20. Madam Chair, NAC had launched the $23m National Traditional Arts Plan in 2010. This has strengthened our efforts to create a more vibrant traditional arts scene that reflects the diversity of Singapore society, and to encourage greater interest among local audiences. NAC supported a total of 60 traditional arts groups last year. Going forward, we will continue to invest significant resources towards key strategies to support the traditional arts.

21. Let me elaborate. First, the National Traditional Arts Plan will continue to support organisational development for traditional arts groups.

22. A new initiative in this area is the Traditional Arts Organisation Consultancy Programme. It was held for the first time between August 2012 and January this year. A number of our Traditional Arts Seed Grant recipients have participated in this programme, and the feedback has been positive. Through this programme, groups have improved their administration, strategic planning and organisational development capabilities, which will help them become more professional and self-sustaining. We will continue to support such programmes to help promising traditional arts groups to establish themselves, and create a strong and sustainable impact on the cultural landscape.

23. Second, we will also continue to support the passing on of traditional art forms from one generation to the next, so that Singapore can continue to draw on traditional art forms in maintaining our links with the past.

24. Two of our valuable platforms are the National Indian Music Competition and the National Chinese Music Competition. Aspiring towards success in these competitions has helped to motivate young talents like 17 year-old guzheng player Nicholas Quek to strive for greater excellence in their craft.

25. Nicholas won 2nd place in the Youth Category of the competition in 2010. He continued to develop his talent, extending his interest in the instrument, so finally he was able to achieve the 1st place last year. Along the way, he took part in the Tong Yan Cup International Zheng Art Week in Harbin, China, where he also managed a first place finish in his category. Young practitioners like Nicholas will help the traditional arts engage and inspire new generations of Singaporeans, and continue to flourish in future.

26. Finally, we will continue to support the creation of traditional arts programmes and activities to engage a wider Singaporean audience. For example, last July, NAC supported 'Muara – Pesta Tari Melayu' by the Malay Dance Committee. The event brought together local and regional Malay dance groups to present demonstrations, performances and seminars in both traditional and contemporary Malay dance. Held over three days at various venues in the Esplanade, the event attracted over 10,000 people, gaining many more fans for Malay dance.

27. Our support for traditional arts and heritage recognises these links to our past as living things, which evolve and strengthen as the different cultures within our shores share their practices. They add colour to the Singapore story, and they form part of the cultural ballast which Ms Janice Koh spoke so passionately about during last week's budget debate. Equally important, our shared appreciation for traditional arts can form bridges across our diverse communities. Madam Chair, in Mandarin.

28. 政府为支持传统艺术所作的种种努力，最终是否能够取得良好的效果，将取决于本地艺术工作者，爱好者和支持者在他们各领域里面的贡献。

29. 比如说，汤申民众俱乐部青年团成立的合笙乐团，这是一个很好例子。这个成立于2011年的笙乐团，主要由30岁以下的年轻乐手组成。他们当中，有许多是在念书时就开始参加华乐团，之后仍然延续这方面的兴趣。

30. 去年12月，合笙乐团获得艺理会的支持，举行了首个音乐会。团员除了展示了他们的才华之外，同时也借音乐会这个平台，加深了观众对笙这种传统乐器的认识。这些为拓展新观众群所作的努力，对延续传统艺术的生命力，起着举足轻重的作用。

31. 所以，我们希望会有更多的传统艺术工作者能尽量应用政府为传统艺术提供的资金跟支持，进一步把传统艺术发扬光大。另外，那些孜孜不倦向下一代传承传统艺术的艺术工作者，政府同样会继续给予他们强而有力的支持。

32. 林美莲女士就是其中一个例子。她获颁艺理会艺术奖学金，到中国戏曲学院攻读京剧学士学位。一直到最近我才知道原来戏剧也有这个学士学位。跟其他奖学金得主不同的是，林美莲女士是一名资深的京剧演员。20多年前，她就和其他京剧爱好者联合创办了天韵京剧社。林美莲女士本身，也从1996年起，就一直在德明政府中学教导京剧。对培养新一代演员的热忱，推动林美莲女士继续精益求精。她希望能够将所接受的专业训练，进一步协助她创作出更加贴近现代观众的京剧呈现方式，同时帮助她改进教学方法。换一个方式说，她希望通过学习传统京剧然后加以创作，加以本土化，把传统的京剧以另外一个更为现代化的程式呈现给新一代的新加坡人。让我们新一代的新加坡人能以新的角度来领略到这个已经有上千年历史的中国文化。我们期待她早日学成归来，为本地京剧界作出更大的贡献。
    

33. 最后，我们也不能忽略，私人机构在推广传统艺术方面所作的贡献。自1987年起，新加坡宗乡会馆联合总会、新加坡报业控股和新加坡中华总商会以及人民协会便开始联办大型新年庆祝活动：春到河畔。这项新春活动在内容上，往往结合了许多华族传统艺术的元素。
    

34. 今年的春到河畔活动，还包括了“和谐之夜”这个演出项目，邀请华族，马来族和印度族的传统艺术团体一起同台演出，以突出新加坡独有的多元文化的特色。
    

35. 所以我相信，这些个人和团体背后的推动力，除了来自他们对各自艺术形式的热爱，同时也源自他们对延续文化传统的坚持。我们将继续支持传统艺术，不仅为了能促进本地艺坛的蓬勃发展，也好让我们丰富的文化传统能够代代相传，与不同群体彼此分享。

Shared understanding as a basis for harmony

36. Madam Chair, in English. While an appreciation for our diversity can bring us together, insensitivity towards our differences can also drive us apart. Mr Zainudin Nordin cautioned us against a further erosion of the sense of community which we have built painstakingly, and I share his concern wholeheartedly. Our sense of community has changed, with the internet and mobile phones replacing face-to-face interaction. Mr Desmond Lee also reminded us that, it is all too easy for a single impulsive post on Facebook, or a single insensitive blog entry to undo what we have achieved in building a harmonious society.
    

37. Mr Desmond Lee also reminded this House that while we work hard to integrate newcomers into our society, we must not neglect to bridge potential racial and religious fault lines.
    

38. Madam Chair, I fully agree with Members that Singapore cannot remain as a society that shows tolerance only on the surface, we should instead work towards building genuine understanding and respect across our racial and religious communities. MCCY will continue to make this our priority.

39. Members would also be familiar with the work of our Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs). IRCCs are set up to promote dialogue and foster friendships across faiths and ethnicities. Since December 2010, the IRCCs have held a series of four IRCC@Heartlands events to increase understanding of our religious, ethnic and community groups in an interactive way.

40. The most recent event was held in September last year. It involved seven religious organisations, and featured scaled-down replicas of their places of worship. Participants were also able to learn about the history and practices of the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Taoist faiths at once, this will greatly enrich their understanding of multicultural Singapore. More of such creative methods of outreach are indeed needed.

41. A genuine attempt to understand our fellow Singaporeans from other races and religions must also come from each one of us, and not from Government policies and programmes alone. MCCY will therefore focus on encouraging more ground up initiatives where Singaporeans of different backgrounds can come together and co-create more opportunities for us to celebrate our diversity.
    

42. Since 2009, a group of passionate youngsters of different races have been organising an annual event called Rafusicul (ra–FUSE–si–cal), which stands for Racial, Fusion and Culture. To promote racial harmony amongst their peers, these youth brought young Singaporeans together through music and dance – common languages shared by people of all races, particularly our young people. Rafusicul has grown in popularity. The most recent event in December 2012 featured a flash mob along Orchard Road, bringing the spirit of the event to even more Singaporeans.

43. MCCY will establish a $5m Harmony Fund to support such ground up initiatives. We want to encourage the blossoming of such activities across the island, so that all Singaporeans will have an opportunity to gain a greater understanding as well as appreciation of our racial and religious diversity.

44. Non-profit organisations will be able to apply for co-funding from the Harmony Fund to undertake worthy projects. These could be projects that raise awareness of the importance of racial and religious tolerance; promote knowledge and appreciation of different cultural practices; encourage interaction between different racial or religious groups; or reduce negative stereotypes or misconceptions about other communities.

45. With this new fund, we hope that more groups will come forward and share new and creative ideas to make Singapore a strong, vibrant and if I may say, more colourful society.

A society that gains strength from diversity

46. To conclude, MCCY recognises that we are a nation made up of different people, all with our own passions and stories. Our efforts to create a sense of community will respect and celebrate the diversity of our experiences. MCCY will continue to support Singaporeans in sharing their passions, stories, traditions and perspectives, to create strong communities that enrich one another, and a nation united not only by our common bonds, but also through an appreciation of our differences.

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    MCCY Budget Debate 2013