Archbishop's actions 'consistent with his position on harmony'

Withdrawal of letter to anti-ISA group was in character for Catholic Church head: DPM Teo

By Leonard Lim, The Straits Times, 16 Oct 2012

ARCHBISHOP Nicholas Chia's decision to withdraw a letter supporting a group calling for the Internal Security Act's (ISA) abolition was consistent with his position on religious harmony, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said yesterday.

The minister told Parliament that the archbishop has, throughout his 11-year tenure, shown that he appreciates the importance of separating religion from politics.

"The position he took in withdrawing the letter was consistent with his words and deeds throughout his leadership of the Catholic Church and as a respected religious leader in Singapore."

The archbishop has worked hard to forge inter-religious understanding and harmony, he added.

Mr Teo, who is also the Home Affairs Minister, was responding to questions by Nominated MPs Laurence Lien and Eugene Tan, as well as Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC), on religion and politics.

The issue surfaced last month after blogger Alex Au revealed that the archbishop had written a letter to civil society group Function 8 ahead of its anti-ISA rally in June, only to withdraw it days before the event.

Yesterday, DPM Teo stressed that those who knew the archbishop well would know he is not one to endanger Singapore's social harmony. For instance, the chairman of the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony, Mr Goh Joon Seng, knew that it was not in character for the archbishop to do anything that would entangle the Church in politics, Mr Teo said.

Mr Goh sat in during a meeting between the archbishop and Mr Teo in May that led to the withdrawal of the letter to Function 8. A Catholic, Mr Goh has served on the council for a decade with the archbishop and known him for about five decades.

Others who know the archbishop painted a similar picture to The Straits Times.

Former mufti Syed Isa Semait, who is vice-president of the Inter-Religious Organisation, has known the archbishop for about two decades. He said the Catholic leader "has been very supportive of religious harmony; it's something he believes in strongly".

Mr Gerard Ee, 63, the former chairman of the National Kidney Foundation and a Catholic, described the archbishop as "careful" and someone who valued the importance of keeping politics and religion separate.

DPM Teo also revealed he had met the archbishop from time to time over the years and, after taking over the Home Affairs portfolio in May last year, hosted him and other Catholic leaders to lunch so he could understand better the issues that concern the community. He also visited the archbishop in hospital when he fractured his leg last August.

Describing their relationship, Mr Teo said: "The archbishop knows that any time he needs to discuss any sensitive issue with me, he can see me in private.

"Likewise, I would have no hesitation to share my concerns honestly and openly with him if I felt the need to do so."

It was against this backdrop that the minister had asked to meet the archbishop and Mr Goh on May 30, to better understand the context of the religious leader's letter. This was a few days before the anti-ISA rally was to be held.

"I was anxious to avoid any misunderstanding between the Government and the Catholic Church," said Mr Teo.

In response, the religious leader stated "very clearly" that the Church maintained its stand of not wishing to be involved in political activities. The Church also sought to work closely with the Government, and "does not wish to set itself on a collision path" with the state, the archbishop told Mr Teo.

Archbishop Chia decided on the same day to send a second letter to Function 8, which counts former ISA detainees among its members, to withdraw his initial letter.

Mr Teo said yesterday it also became clear from the discussion that the initial letter was meant to be a private one to Function 8.

On reflection, the archbishop also felt that the letter did not accurately reflect his views and, if used in a manner he did not intend, may inadvertently harm social harmony, Mr Teo added.

Yesterday, the two Nominated MPs also highlighted to Mr Teo that it may not always be easy to draw a sharp distinction between religion and politics.

"If a religious group were to take the view that (the) Government could do more for the poor, would that amount to engaging in politics?"asked Mr Tan.

Such attempts to "further the common good", said Mr Lien, could be perceived as crossing over into the political arena.

In his replies, Mr Teo said individuals here "are free to exercise their political rights as individuals".

But he reiterated Singapore's longstanding principle that there must be a clear line between religion and politics.

That means religious groups should not engage in politics, and political groups must not use religion to further their causes.

Mr Teo said: "If one religion enters into the political arena in that way or allows itself to be used in the political arena in that way, then other religions will do so as well, and then we have a possibility of a breakdown in social harmony along religious lines."

Government leaders regularly meet their religious counterparts, he added, and there are formal and informal channels for religious groups to express their deeply held views.

WHY POLITICS AND RELIGION MUST BE KEPT SEPARATE

Our politics and policies must serve all Singaporeans, regardless of race, language or religion. The Government must not take sides with any religious group when making policies. If politicians use the religion card for their own political purpose and agenda, and seek to sway voters through religious appeals, it will sow the seeds of division in our society, and undermine the inter-religious and social harmony we have painstakingly built.

- Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean, responding to Nominated MP Laurence Lien on the Government's stance on what it means to keep religion and politics separate

What happened

LAST month, the head of the Catholic Church in Singapore was embroiled in a sharp exchange with a civil society group over the withdrawal of a letter he had sent to express support for its cause.

The controversy was sparked by blogger Alex Au writing that Archbishop Nicholas Chia had written to Function 8 ahead of a rally opposing the Internal Security Act (ISA) in June. One of its founders was a former ISA detainee.

Mr Au had not seen the letter, but heard that it expressed support for the rally and the call for the ISA to be abolished.

Mr Au also claimed that government officers visited the archbishop a few days later to warn him he may be "made use of" by Function 8. He also claimed that the archbishop was "summoned" to lunch by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, after which he withdrew the letter.

The archbishop, 73, told The Straits Times after Mr Au's blog posting that he withdrew the letter as he became concerned that it could be used in a manner he did not intend. The fact that the incident had come to light, he said, confirmed those fears. He added that Mr Au's account could have come only from Function 8, with which he had communicated in private.

The next day, a Home Affairs Ministry statement said the "deliberate breach of the archbishop's trust" confirmed Function 8's objective to publicly involve the Catholic Church and archbishop in its political agenda.

Function 8 disputed the archbishop's claim that it had leaked the contents of his letters, and added that his second letter was copied to a third party. It called for him to publish both letters. The archbishop rejected the call.

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