Opening Statement by Ambassador Ong Keng Yong at the 11th Session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group, UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, 6 May 2011

Mr President, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1 On behalf of the Singapore delegation, I wish to thank the Working Group for this opportunity to present Singapore's National Report, which was prepared in consultation with local stakeholders from government and civil society organisations. We welcome the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) as a dialogue with our citizens, civil society organisations and fellow UN member States on our achievements and challenges in the area of human rights. Singapore was one of the first countries to propose the creation of the UPR. Today, Singapore has the honour of being the 168th country to be reviewed. Our Minister for Law and Home Affairs had intended to attend today's session personally but was unable to do so because of the Singapore General Election. In fact, the polling day is tomorrow, 7 May 2011.

Mr President,

2 Singapore is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights. We take human rights seriously and we have worked hard to improve the lives of our people as elaborated in our National Report. Singaporeans are now better educated, better connected and informed, better housed, and lead longer and healthier lives, with greater dignity and far wider life choices than at independence in 1965.

3 Let me give a few quick indicators. Life expectancy in Singapore is now 81 years compared to 60 years when we became an independent country. Over the same period, the proportion of Singaporeans who own their own homes has increased to more than 90 percent. Adult literacy rate has risen from 60 percent at independence to 96 percent today. Per capita GDP is now about US$41,000 from US$512 in 1965. Despite a relatively small police force, Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and one of the lowest recorded rates of heroin abuse. Our judicial system has been highly rated as efficient and is well-ranked for its accessibility and fair administration of justice. Global surveys by Transparency International and the World Economic Forum have consistently ranked Singapore as among the least corrupt countries in the world. Singapore's appeal extends to foreigners who rate us as Asia's best country to work in.

4 We know that there is still a lot of room for improvement but we have made substantial progress in our relatively short history. Our progress has been based on some fundamental and interrelated principles. In the course of describing them, I will also be responding to some of the questions submitted in advance.

Mr President,

5 The first principle is BALANCE. Human rights are rights enjoyed by human beings in society. It is a moot point whether a person stranded alone on a desert island could be regarded as having rights. Rights against whom? The very notion of rights has to be contextualized within the notion of society. Rights imply obligations. Trade-offs between different kinds of rights are inevitable. Human rights thus cannot be considered in isolation from the circumstances of the society in which they are embedded. The specific balance between different rights depends on this context. It follows too that while everyone must adhere to a universal standard of human rights, the interpretation and implementation of rights cannot be divorced from their societal context and will evolve as society evolves.

Mr President,

6 The second principle is PRIORITIZATION, which is a logical corollary of the need for balance. Singapore is a multiracial, multireligious and multilingual society. Issues of ethnicity, religion and language are very sensitive in any society because they touch on the very core of human identities. This is even more so in a city state like Singapore, which is smaller in size than New York City, and where 5 million people of different ethnicities and faiths live in close proximity. Therefore, we all have to accept trade-offs to preserve social harmony.

7 Social harmony forms the vital and irreplaceable foundation of our country's survival and development. In a large country, a racial riot in one city has little or no impact on another city. But a riot in any part of Singapore immediately affects the entire country. The maintenance of social cohesion is thus an absolute imperative for us. Singapore has little margin for error. If our social cohesion is ruptured, it cannot easily be restored and without social harmony, Singapore will not survive. Hence, we prioritize social harmony above other values.

Mr President,

8 The third principle is PRAGMATISM. Our focus is on the practical implementation of rights and how to balance them with economic imperatives and social stability. Our own experience has taught us that this is never easy and that there are no perfect solutions.

9 Our pragmatic approach means that we have to be hard-nosed and clinical in specific situations. After independence, we decided to use English as Singapore's working language even though it was not native to our Malay, Chinese and Indian population. We accept some limits on certain freedoms in order for us to live in harmony. For example, we moderate the loudness of calls to prayer from mosques and the size of joss-sticks that Buddhists and Taoists burn in public. Some years ago, Muslims took offence against Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses". Singapore banned the sale of the book to avoid a potential issue with our Muslim population. To maintain such equilibrium, we have to make difficult choices between one right and another right, and make adjustments at the margins.

10 Pragmatism also means that we focus on what is effective and necessary in one's national context. For instance, we recognise that there are divergent international views on the death penalty. While it is openly and vigorously debated today among some quarters, the fact is that most Singaporeans recognize it as necessary in our fight against crime and drugs.

Mr President,

11 The fourth principle is MERITOCRACY, which is the core value of Singapore. It is an economic imperative. As a small country with no natural resources except our people, we have to bring out the best in every person, regardless of gender, race or any other criteria. Recognition and rewards are based on merit. Women, for instance, have the same educational, employment and career development opportunities as men. Every Singaporean has equal access to schools, healthcare and jobs.

12 That said, not all outcomes can be expected to be equal given the inherent differences between individuals. We strive only for equality of opportunity. We will try to ensure that everyone starts the race at the same point, but it is inevitable that they will finish at different points. What is important is to try to ensure that each individual maximizes his or her potential to the fullest. For individuals or groups who face socio-economic disadvantages at the outset, the government will help to put them on an even footing through various assistance schemes.

Mr President,

13 The final principle is the necessity of EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE. Without effective governance, no other right can be realised. Good governance forms the foundation of Singapore's progress and stability and is built upon democratic accountability and the rule of law, a long-term orientation and social justice.

14 The Singapore government seeks a mandate from its people through free, fair and clean elections every 5 years. With an electoral mandate, the government seeks to govern in an efficient and corruption-free manner. It is not beholden to any special interests and acts in the long-term interest of Singaporeans. Of course, good governance relies upon the rule of law. Political authority must be exercised subject to and in accordance with the law.

15 The government achieves social justice through equal treatment of all groups and providing for those who have fallen behind with opportunities to catch up. Hence, the government heavily subsidises social infrastructure to facilitate social mobility, rather than social welfare. We believe that the best way to empower people is to provide them with the capacity to look after themselves. This affirms the work ethic, encourages enterprise and strengthens the family unit.

16 For the vulnerable, who despite their best efforts, are unable to improve on their situations, the government provides them with targeted assistance.

17 On the international level, effective governance means that we take our international obligations seriously. Singapore will only sign on to a treaty when we are absolutely sure that we can implement it. We have ratified CEDAW and the CRC and we are considering accession to several other treaties. For example, Singapore's Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports recently announced in Parliament that Singapore should be able to accede to the Disabilities Convention by the year 2012.

Mr President,

18 This brings me to the end of my initial statement. In sum, we do not claim that our system will work for any other country. But it clearly works for us. Singapore is constantly evolving and adapting to improve our unique society. Singapore must necessarily be guided by the interests of our people and the balance of the rights and obligations and the constraints of Singapore's geography, size and society.

19 We thank countries that have submitted questions in advance and we will address in greater detail these and other questions that emerge in the course of the interactive dialogue. Besides myself, my colleagues from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Law will also address some of the questions relating to their areas of expertise. My delegation welcomes constructive comments, criticisms and recommendations that will emerge out of this process. Thank you.

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