Statement of Support for the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act

2 September 2019

We at Heart of God Church are committed to safeguarding religious harmony in our nation. As a church that is home to many young people, we feel an incredible responsibility to teach the next generation to protect the harmony we have in Singapore. Our religious harmony was painstakingly built by many generations, but it is the younger generation who will carry this mandate into the future.

In June 2019, we came together with other religious organisations to affirm the Commitment to Safeguard Religious Harmony. Heart of God Church has always valued building bridges with other religious organisations within the community, which is in line with the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA).

In a society that is increasingly influenced by the Internet and social media, we applaud the Ministry of Home Affairs for taking initiatives to update the MRHA in order to remain relevant to the next generation. Heart of God Church appreciates the foresight of the government in recognising these societal developments and future-proofing Singapore against potential challenges.

Heart of God Church focuses on preventive measures to safeguard religious harmony, especially among young people. As such, we recognise that the amendments to the MRHA not only enable timely intervention, but more importantly, serve as a deterrent against threats to religious harmony. We also support the introduction of safeguards in the MRHA from foreign influence and any elements which threaten the fabric of our unique multi-religious community.

To make the MRHA more inclusive and comprehensive, we hope that the government will explore a framework of responding to different tiers of grievous acts and disputes, so that affected parties can preemptively resolve their issues without unnecessary attention or unwarranted escalation.