This 21st July 2011 is Racial Harmony Day - a day to commemorate the race riot that occurred in 1964. That race riot took place on 21 July 1964. That riot was between ethnic Chinese and Malays.
Racial Harmony Day is also a day when school children all over Singapore - from primary to junior college - take the opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural and heritage diversity of their island nation. It is a day for them to get to know each other, hopefully, better. It is a day to reflect upon the harmoniuos living amongst the different races and the similiarities that we share.
South East Asia has seen turmoils and upheavels in recent times. The most recent being one that happened so near to home - the Bersih 2.0 demonstration in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. If lessons are to be learnt from history - the spillover from Malaysia of the May 13 incident in 1969 which caused a race riots in Singapore - then, Singaporeans must not get caught up and be swept away in the torrents of upheavals that is gripping our neighbours. Singapore has to be vigilant at all times against whatever threats. There are elements out there that will take every single opportunity to destabilise and tear the fragile fabric of our society. The threats are not from outside alone, but from within, too.
Living in a non-homogenous society takes alot of hard work to keep it harmonious and united. The give and take to understand a culture that is different from one's own, the tolerance to the practices of different religions, the acceptance that we are different yet similar.
In fact, celebrating Racial Harmony Day should not be limited to school children only, every Singaporean - young and old, children or adult - must be involved. That we should reflect upon the fragility of this harmony which can be broken easily with a single knock. That our island nation is not immune.
