新加坡主管回教事务部长马善高答复议员：援助加沙，出于人道，更出于小国的长远利益

左图：社会及家庭发展部长兼卫生部第二部长，主管回教事务部长马善高      右图：宏茂桥集选区议员娜蒂雅

    娜蒂雅：谢谢部长分享即将启动回理会全福基金会的斋月筹款计划。我相信上一期已经筹得超过500万新币，这确实说明了新加坡人的慷慨。部长，我有两个问题需要澄清。

    首先，鉴于媒体报道了加沙当地接收援助的实际，能否分享一下之前的援助资金是如何被回理会全福基金会用于帮助以色列-巴勒斯坦危机中的无辜受害者和加沙的重建，以及未来资金的计划用途，以便新加坡人了解他们的努力带来的影响？

    其次，鉴于敌对行动旷日持久，虽然其核心不是宗教问题，但社区领袖如何帮助新加坡不同背景的人处理内心的不公正感和无助感，以防止在社交媒体出现分裂言论，以及对新加坡穆斯林和犹太人社区的影响？

    马善高：感谢娜蒂雅的澄清问题。首先，回理会全福基金会筹集的每一笔资金都需要得到我们政府的批准，并用于被认可的机构和项目。因此，之前的资金我们是与联合国救济和工程处合作，而下一笔资金我们将与外交部合作，确定资金的使用方式。我刚才说过，我们必须继续做我们需要为社会做的重要事情，我预见我们可能还需要再次筹集资金，因为这场冲突似乎不会很快结束。

    至于第二个问题，我们所有人需要认识到新加坡的两点：一是新加坡是一个小国。虽然我们有强大的政府和国家，但我们仍然是小国。因此，我们的外交政策是基于我们小国的长远利益，为了保护我们的独立、主权、领土完整和公民的利益。而这些东西对于一个小国来说是最重要的，事实上，比一个大国更重要。

    因此，当我们发声时，我希望人们理解我们发声的背景。例如，我们在以色列问题上的立场是一贯的。我们从一开始就说，以色列有合法权利保护自己免受恐怖行为的侵害。但这不仅仅是对以色列而言。新加坡也是如此。事实上，每个国家都有抵御恐怖行为的权利。就以色列而言，这就是 10 月 7 日的事件。对我们来说，我们必须防范任何事件，并发出我们将采取自卫权行动的信号。

    但是，我们与以色列的相似之处可能也就到此为止了，因为我们知道，自卫权也必须符合国际人道主义法，包括《日内瓦第四公约》所载的必要性和相称性原则、区分原则和人道原则。正因为如此，我们投票支持了联合国大会的两项决议，这两项决议呼吁实现人道主义停火，以减轻加沙平民受害者的痛苦。我希望，作为领导人，我们要努力教育那些谈论此事的人，让他们了解事情的来龙去脉，了解政府说了些什么，以及政府为什么这样说。我认为，作为新加坡人，我们必须知道为什么要这样说这些话。

    最后，尽管最近，我们看到外交部长维文上周在议会指出，以色列的军事反应太过分了。这也是一贯的偏离，即不只是要求自卫权，还需要与人的尊严和人权相平衡。

    第二，新加坡不仅仅是一个小国，更是一个多元化的国家。如果说小国的解决办法是强大，那么多元化的解决办法就是团结。正因如此，即使身为部长，我可能对巴勒斯坦人、穆斯林同胞有自己的看法，但在我们这样一个多种族、多宗教的国家，作为穆斯林领袖和内阁部长，我也必须在内阁中以一个声音说话，因为新加坡人应该团结一致，以一个声音说话，因为我们需要在国内和国际上保护新加坡的国家利益。

    一个团结的人民，一个团结的政府，这就是我们如何成为一个强大的政府，一个强大的国家，尽管我们是小国。但我承认，新加坡穆斯林确实与巴勒斯坦人有联系。但我们也应该认识到，我们所处的位置很特殊，与许多其他穆斯林社区的情况往往不同，特别是当他们占多数时。

    正如我在供应委员会的辩论中所分享的那样，迄今为止，我们的社区在公民意识方面已经展示并证明了自己。我希望，随着未来几个月局势的发展，我们能继续坚持这一点：我们绝不能分裂，我们必须始终寻求团结，因为我们是多元化的。只有这样，新加坡才能生存下去。[掌声]

The Chairman: Ms Nadia Samdin.

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: I thank the Minister for sharing about the upcoming RLAF Ramadan fundraising appeal. I believe the previous tranche, over $5 million was raised, it truly speaks to the generosity of Singaporeans. Just two clarifications for the Minister.

Firstly, given that the media has reported how the receipt of aid has been affected on the ground in Gaza, is the Minister able to share at all how the earlier tranche of aid was used by RLAF to reach the innocent victims of the Israel-Palestine crisis and the rebuilding in Gaza as well as the intended use of the future ones, so that Singaporeans are aware of the impact of their efforts?

Secondly, given how protracted the hostilities have been, while the heart of this is not a religious issue, how can community leaders help Singaporeans of all backgrounds process the deep sense of injustice and helplessness felt, so as to prevent unfortunate divisive postings on social media as well as impact on the ground and which affect communities, such as Singaporean Muslims and Singaporean Jews?

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Thank you, Ms Nadia, for that clarification question. Firstly, every fund that RLAF would have collected would need to be channelled into bodies and use that our Government approves. So, in the previous tranche, we worked with UNRWA and, in the coming tranche, we will work with MFA to identify how these funds will be channelled. And I do not believe this is the last time we will be doing it. I said just now that we will have to move on to do important things that we need to do for the community. I foresee that we will probably need to raise funds again because it does not look like this conflict will be resolved fairly quickly.

On the second question, all of us need to recognise two things about Singapore. It is a small country. We may have a strong government, a strong country, but we are a small country. Therefore, when we go out and say things, our foreign policy is based on our long-term interests as a small country. So, it is to safeguard our Independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, and all for the sake of our citizens. And these things are most important, in fact, more important for a small country than a big country.

So, when we say things, I hope people understand the context upon which we say it. For example, our position on Israel has been consistent. We have said that from the start, Israel has a legitimate right to defend itself from acts of terror. But that is not just for Israel. That is for Singapore, too. In fact, every country has a right of defence against acts of terror. In the case of Israel, it was the incident on 7 October. For us, we have to guard ourselves against any incident and sending the signal that we will act as a right of self-defence.

But that is probably where our similarity to Israel ends because we know that the right to self-defence also must comply with international humanitarian law, including principles of necessity and proportionality, principles of distinction and humanity enshrined in the Geneva Conventions. And that is why we voted for two UNGA resolutions which called for a humanitarian ceasefire to alleviate the suffering of the civilian victims in Gaza. And I hope, as leaders, we try to educate people who talk about this to understand the context, what the Government said and why the Government said it. I think it is important that we live as Singaporeans to know why these things have to be said the way they are.

Finally, though, most recently, we have seen Minister Vivian Balakrishnan stated in Parliament last week that the Israeli military response has gone too far. And that is, again, a consistent departure from just calling the right for self-defence with the need to balance it with the right of human dignity and human rights, too.

Secondly, Singapore is not just a small country. Singapore is a diverse country. We are diverse and if our solution to a small country is to be strong, our solution in being diverse is to be united. And that is why, even as a Minister, I may have my sentiments about the Palestinians, fellow Muslims, but I must also, as a Muslim leader and a Minister in Cabinet in a multiracial, multi-religious society country like ours, speak with one voice in Cabinet inasmuch as Singaporeans should be united and speak with one voice because we need to protect Singapore’s national interests both domestically and internationally.

A united people, a united Government, that is how we become a strong government, a strong country, despite being small. But I recognise that Singapore Muslims do have connections with the Palestinians. But we also should recognise that we are in a unique position and often not the same situation as many other Muslim communities, especially when they are in the majority.

And, therefore, for us being diverse, we have to work together to preserve the peace between ourselves, never be driven, never be divided, and, as I have shared in the Committee of Supply debate, our community thus far has shown and proven themselves where citizenry is concerned. And I hope that as the situation unravels over the next few months, we continue to hold this, that we must never be divided, we must always seek to unite because we are diverse. And that is the only way Singapore can survive. [Applause.]

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