[Raj_Copi_Jin]

Don't trivialise beliefs!
Singaporeans are free to profess any faith and promote their religions, but they must do so responsibly.

SINGAPOREANS are free to practise and promote their religions, but must do so responsibly and without trivialising the religious beliefs of others, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said on Saturday.

Religious tolerance was a key principle underpinning peace and social cohesion here, he said, which is why the Home Affairs Ministry had to act firmly when insensitive comments about Buddhism and Taoism were made recently by a Christian pastor.

In his first comments on the issue, Mr Goh said he was glad the matter had been resolved. But he acknowledged that 'occasional misunderstanding between people of different races and religions' may still occur in the future.

'When it occurs, we must act quickly, exercise tolerance, respect any different viewpoints as being part and parcel of our multicultural social fabric and try to resolve the misunderstanding sincerely,' he said.

He was speaking at the reopening of the Singapore Jain Religious Society's Jain Building in Jalan Yasin in Eunos after a $1.5 million makeover last year.

The comments were a reference to Senior Pastor Rony Tan, founder of Lighthouse Evangelism. He was hauled up for questioning by the Internal Security Department last Monday after his comments, posted on the church website, were widely circulated online.