I ‘m very passionate in the HARMONY movement or you can call it the Spiritual & Love movement. As a society we need to wake up the young people like my children to help them to appreciate life and be thankful for what we have so far and that is a stable, secure and prosperous Singapore.

Many years ago, I was involved in dialogue and was interviewed by a journalist about IRCCs.

1. Let me share with you what had happened to the religious dialogue that I attended: -

“Keep Religion Out”

Several participants made it plain that they thought religion had no place in the school curriculum. For many of them, it was better to teach civics.

Businesswoman Sunflower Chong Sun Wah, a single parent, said it was not yet time for Singaporeans to focus on religion when they had not yet fostered a sense of nationhood.

It was important to bridge racial differences and learn each other's values first, she said. Roman Catholic priest and moral education specialist Robert Balhetchet, who has long been against the teaching of religion in schools said that religious teaching was the job of parents and religious organizations.

Agreeing, educationist Zaibun Siraj said it was unfair to leave some religious out, as was the case with the present religious knowledge course. She felt that
civics, on the other hand, was better way of promoting good citizenship.”

2. Here are some letters to the Straits Times 13 August 1989.

“Proposal To Scrap RK Welcomed”

I read with interest the Government parliamentary Committee for Education’s proposal to scrap Religious knowledge as a compulsory subject in secondary
schools.

As an atheist, I welcome the proposal. I would like to draw your readers’ attention to what Bertrand Russell said about teaching religious knowledge and civics in school he ran in the United States in the late 1920s.

He said: “With regards to religion there is no religious teaching of any sort or kind. The children learn about the various religious of the world as historical facts, but no one religion is treated differently from any other.”

“As for teaching the brotherhood of man, I have the same objections that I have to explicit moral instruction in that it tends to produce either hypocrisy or rebellion. Morality must grow, it cannot be implanted by precept.”

R. ASOKAN”

“Make Religious Studies Part Of ECA”

I STRONGLY disagree with Madam Chong Sun Wah’s comment that it is not yet time for Singaporeans to focus on religion when they had not yet fostered a sense of nationhood (Sunday Times, 13 August 1989).

If now is not the time to focus on religion, when will the time be?

Students have been taught civics from primary 1 to secondary 2 and I think that they have learned enough.

School is not just a place where students just study but also a place where they can learn to be better.

Religious studies serve this purpose.

Living in this modern world, I think that it is essential to learn to be tolerant of other faiths and to live in harmony with other races. For example, Buddhism teaches us to live in harmony with all, regardless of race or religion, while Confucian Ethics teaches filial piety. Both have practical relevance in our daily lives.

Wouldn’t it be better to make Religious Knowledge an ECA rather than take it off the curriculum?

ALLEN KOO TECK CHYE

3. My Reply To Mr Koo Teck Chye but not published:

The Essence Of Education - Teaching Values

Dear Mr Koo Teck Chye,

Allow me to take the liberty of introducing myself.

My name is Chong Sun Wah. I am an ordinary Singaporean of Chinese origin, without any paper qualification except born with lot of common sense, guts, confidence and determination to voice out my concerned for Singapore’s future.

I believe our leaders may not help future generations if they introduce religion as a study in schools.

In case my motive is misunderstood, I want you to know that I believe in God. I just do not want the Government to introduce religious studies in Singapore
to create more confusion or unnecessary problems where the presence of racial problems still exists.

It is my belief that the way to lasting happiness, stability and unity in our people is to search within ourselves to find out where our true values lie? Do we really understand the significant of our existence in this world? What we really want our future to be as Singaporean? What is our proper function as a citizen?

I can’t really agree with the statement that Singapore had succeeded. When Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yuan has stepped down (I mean really step down) and the PAP party still united and stick together than I believe Singapore don’t need any religious studies which will complicate our stability?

I believe what we really need is to work on developing a comprehensive and concise Universal Spiritual Education by transforming Singapore’s pragmatic
society into an artistic society, thus the Government must make art part of life.

Without doubt, political stability and economic prosperity do lead us to the heights of success, but the defeat is that they are also fraught with attendant social problems and imperfection, because heartless Singaporeans are there-by produced. They show little concern for others except for personal advancement and greed. Besides, their avarice desire know no bounds, should this unhealthy behavior become our life style for the next 25 years, just imagine what will the behaviors and metal outlook of our children, I won’t dare imagine!

Can’t we do something in time to put the matter right, instead of complicating it by introducing religious studies in all schools. Is it by introducing religious
knowledge then we can have beautiful children? If we have a Universal Religion then I would encourage the Government to implement it. Maybe we should look into such a possibility? What is going to be the universal religion to hold as together as One People, One Nation and One World?

My Belief

There is one religion
The religion of LOVE

There is one caste
The caste of HUMANITY

There is one language
The language of the HEART

There is one God
He is OMNIPRESENT

Yours sincerely,
Mdm Chong Sun Wah