Treat one another with dignity and respect, urges Lawrence Wong

SINGAPORE: Senior Minister of State for Education and Information, Communications and the Arts, Lawrence Wong, has urged Singaporeans to treat one another with dignity and respect.

Mr Wong said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s comments at the National Day Rally about being big—hearted Singaporeans struck a chord with many.

"Since then, there has been a lot of focus on our attitudes towards non—Singaporeans. But the way we behave towards our neighbours is also an important aspect of having a big heart," said Mr Wong in his Facebook post.

He said he has come across many residents complaining about their neighbours.

For example, there were complaints of neighbours throwing rubbish or cigarette ash from their balcony windows, and the neighbours were assumed to be foreigners.

But sometimes, it turned out that the culprits were Singaporeans, said Mr Wong.

Some residents have suggested installing CCTVs to enforce good behaviour.

But Mr Wong said that ultimately, it is up to Singaporeans themselves to decide how they want to behave and what kind of people they want to be.

"As PM puts it, let us ’behave with others as we would like others to behave to us’. In fact, this basic tenet is found in almost every religion and ethical tradition," he said.

"At its core, it is about how we can show empathy and kindness to others; how we can treat each other with dignity and respect."

"We may be a small island, but let us demonstrate with our actions that we can be a people and a nation with a big heart!" urged Mr Wong, who is also part of the committee tasked with steering the national conversation on Singapore’s future.

— CNA/ir