Question 5 : Explore other ways to foster social cohesion in Singapore The other ways are Economic progress plus Security and peace. Economic comes after peace and stability so foreign investors would invest and set up companies in Singapore as their investments would be protected in Singapore. Economic with peace and harmony can benefit a country as tourists usually avoid countries with violence and conflict and being a multi-ethnic country, Singapore attracts tourists from worldwide. People feel safe in Singapore as all SIngaporeans enjoy the security and peace it has which is one of the benefits of living in a multi-ethnic society.

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Question 4 : Why is it important to foster social cohesion? It's important as after Singapore gained independence, Singapore has enjoyed racial and religious harmony among its people. Lots of policies and programmes have been implemented to ensure that all, regardless of race or religion to enjoy harmonious living environment but the challenge to maintain racial and religious harmony is still ongoing. Singaporeans had the determination to maintain harmonious living environment which we were fortunate to enjoy it all these years and the challenge for us is to create opportunities to nurture this spirit and to make it flourish.

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Question 3 : What were the measures taken to foster social cohesion (unity among the people) in multi-ethnic Singapore? The measurements are : 1)Building a national identity - Multi-racialism, Common practices and Bilingualism. 2)Safeguarding the interests of the minority groups - Minority representation and Self-help groups. 3)Developing common space - Events and programmes, Opportunities offered by educations and Common living space provided.

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Question 2 part II : How religious issues could divide the people. In the 1940s, a Dutch couple was imprisoned by Japanese. So they placed their daughter, Maria Hertogh, under the care of a Malay lady called Aminah so Maria was raised as a Muslim. She was married to a Malay teacher at the age of 13.


Maria Hertogh riots was caused when Maria's parents that she be returned to them which followed by a court trial. This court trial had wide media coverage and provoked lots of unhappiness among the Muslim community as the court gave the custody of Maria back to the Hertoghs after much consideration.


The large crowd outside the court felt that the British legal system as it was unfair to the Muslims so this sparked off anger from the Muslims towards the Europeans and Eurasian communities which resulted in the outbreaks of the riots.


During this riot, 5 people are dead and 100 people were injured. This event had much media coverage in the English,Malay and Tamil newspapers. The court's decision to annul Maria's marriage and pictures of Maria in a Christian convent were published. These caused unhappiness in the Muslim community as they felt that the welfare for the Muslims were not looked into.


We shouldn't take what is not ours as we won't be happy and will feel guilty for the rest of our life, we will get rewarded for helping to take care of someone's child but not to own him or her forever. One should not be too greedy or he or she will suffer in hell or be punished by God.


That's because some people are very loyalty to their God and doing evil deeds will make them regret and they would want to repent before they suffer the consequences while some will believe in God after they suffer for committing sins.

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Question 2 part I : What are the challenges of multi-ethnicity in Singapore? The first incident occurred on 21st July 1964 during a Malay procession that marked the Prophet Muhammad's birthday and the second incident occurred on 3rd September when a Malay was found murdered at Geylang Serai which believed to be done by a group of Chinese.


25,000 Malays formed a procession to celebrate Muhammad's birthday by going through Geylang Serai, a group of Malays was dispersed and were asked to rejoin the group by a Chinese policeman but instead of obeying, the Malays attacked Chinese passer-by and spectators too which triggered the July riot in Singapore. The second riot which i believed it was cause due to the Chinese having hatred in their heart which they took revenge by killing a Malay at the place where the Malays had their procession and also the place where the Chinese were attacked.


36 people were killed, 556 people were injured and 3000 were arrested in the first incident. A Malay was killed and a curfew was imposed in Geylang, Joo Chiat and Siglap. This second incident got 13 people killed, 106 people injured and 480 were arrested.


We learned that violence cannot solve anything and it will only make the matter more serious and more unsolvable which results in injuries or deaths. Riots will make the people in the country itself to lose trust of people who are different from one another which does not benefit the economy and the country.


People might think of the riots that happened in their country which cause them to be unhappy as their family or themsevles might have experience the incidents of the riots which will bring back lots of sad memories.

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