SINGAPORE – As Singapore enters its next phase of development, the question it needs to ask itself is what identity it wants, and how it then keeps its traditions alive.
While the Republic is multicultural, Singapore cannot be just about different cultures, kept exactly as they are. Nor should the answer be to simply add the various cultures here together, or to blend them, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Sunday.
Instead, by staying open to one another’s cultures and learning from others, Singapore’s culture can grow stronger and its people more confident, he said.
In his first public appearance after stepping down from his ministerial roles to run for Singapore’s presidency, Mr Tharman attended the 5th Singapore Sheng Gong Cultural and Folklore Beliefs Festival held at Zhen Ren Gong temple in Redhill.
Mr Tharman and his wife, Ms Jane Yumiko Ittogi, were welcomed at the temple with dragon and lion dances amid loud applause.
After offering joss sticks and paying respects at the temple, he sounded a gong with Mr Tan Aik Hock, chairman of the Sheng Gong Culture Inheritance Committee, to signify the official launch of the festival, which had gathered over 800 devotees from three different folk traditions.
Addressing the crowd, Mr Tharman said Singapore has kept its folk culture and traditions alive, with many temples that are over a century old, with the oldest almost 200 years old.
Noting that temples are not just about deities and religion, he said they are communities where people come together to take care of others’ welfare, such as the elderly and poor, and share common values.
As the country develops further, there are different paths it can take to retain such traditions, said the former senior minister and coordinating minister for social policies. He stepped down after four decades in public service, and resigned from the People’s Action Party last Friday to run for president.
Among societies with different cultures, discussions tend to be whether to take either a salad bowl approach, where cultures are added together but are still separate, or that of the melting pot, where cultures are mixed together.
Adding together different cultures is one way, but it is not likely to result in a strong Singapore culture, he said.
The other way, where Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian cultures are mixed together “will appeal to (some people) intellectually, but it will not appeal to the heart”, he said, adding that this mix will become weaker over time.
He added: “But we cannot just keep separate cultures exactly as they are – we must keep evolving, and one way to keep evolving is to be very open to each other’s cultures, and absorb something from each other’s cultures.”
This does not mean a weakening or dilution of one’s culture, he said, noting that Singapore’s cultures have always absorbed elements of other cultures, whether they be East or West, India, China or from other parts of South-east Asia.
Key to such openness is deepening respect for different cultures, including foreign ones, and for people from different walks of life, said Mr Tharman.
He noted that an Indian boy was part of the lion dance crew that welcomed him, and “everyone is strengthened when they see this happening”.
It may take a few decades, but Mr Tharman said he is confident that Singapore can create a rich local culture. “I have always found that those who have the deepest beliefs in their own culture are very often also those who are the most open to other cultures... I believe we can do it, and it will make Singaporeans a more confident people.”
