DPM Wong urges Singaporeans to work hard to resist divisive pressures

He expects more of such pressures amid a changing, more dangerous world

- Jean Iau

Finding one's identity in a particular group can instil a sense of belonging and affirmation, but at its extreme, such tribalism can lead to beliefs based on falsehoods or an uncompromising ideology, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

With the world a more dangerous and violent place than before, Singapore needs to work harder to resist the negative effects of tribalism, which can stoke hostility between groups and divide society, DPM Wong said at the Religious Rehabilitation Group's (RRG) annual iftar on April 1.

Speaking at the break-fast event, DPM Wong cited some "tribes" which present real threats to countries everywhere. They include groups that propagate a false and extremist version of their religions, anti-vaxxers during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the rise of the farright and neo-nazis in the West.

The challenge they pose is accentuated by a world where the major powers are competing with an increasingly zero-sum mindset, and where there is a growing number of armed conflicts that cannot be easily resolved by the global community, DPM Wong added.