THE NEED TO MAINTAIN :A STUDY OF THE MAINTENANCE OF RELIGIOUS HARMONY ACT (1979-1992)
JOASH CHONG JING XIONG
JOASH CHONG JING XIONG
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Abstract
The Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA) was passed in 1990.
Beyond Singapore and Turkey, no other country has a law along the lines of the
MRHA. Yet since its enactment, the MRHA has not been publicly enforced. Why was
there the need to legislate religious harmony in 1990? What was, and is the relevance
of the MRHA in Singapore society? This thesis argues that the MRHA was a product of
increasing global and local religious tensions, and just as importantly, the
inadequacies of the existing legislation for the Government to address the rising
tensions. The MRHA was an expression of the Government's reaction to a delicate
religious and political environment in the 1980s. The MRHA was the Government's
response to the need to maintain both religious harmony, and its socio-political
prerogative in Singapore. This thesis contributes to existing scholarship by adding to
our understanding of the religious environment of Singapore in the 1980s.
Furthermore, by relating the religious environment to the crafting of legislation, this
thesis also draws the links between the religious landscape and Government
perspectives and responses in this climate.
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2016
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Thesis