DPM Heng Swee Keat at the Opening of the Singapore Buddhist Lodge New Building

居士林林长陈立发先生
新加坡佛教总会会长兼新加坡宗教联谊会会长 释广品法师
各位高僧大德、各位嘉宾
女士们、先生们
大家上午好！

非常高兴今天能参与新加坡佛教居士“三庆”盛典，与大家一同欢庆居士林成立八十五周年、全堂佛像开光及大雄宝殿重建落成。

居士林成立于1934年。多年来，经过先贤、历届林长、董事、居士、志工和信众的努力耕耘，成为新加坡一个重要的宗教和慈善团体。

居士林这一轮重建大雄宝殿和翻新旧楼的工程，是在2014年由已故老林长李木源先生所启动的。

在这个过程中，重建的工作遇到不少挑战，但大家都一一克服了，总算是完成了老林长的一桩心愿。

今天，我很高兴能够见证大雄宝殿举行落成典礼。希望以后能够有更多的信徒能从中受惠。

居士林今后将有更大的空间主办更多活动，例如佛法课程、演讲和静坐班。

翻新的斋堂也能够容纳更多的食客。

居士林的斋堂一天免费提供三顿素食。斋堂平日吸引三五百名食客，到了初一、十五或节庆，前来用膳的食客可达数千人。

有了更大的规模后，希望居士林可以更好地为信徒和各群体服务。

新加坡是一个多元种族、多元宗教、多元文化的社会。美国的皮尤研究中心(Pew Research) 的调查显示新加坡是世界上宗教信仰最多元化的国家。我们今日所享有的和谐与和平并非偶然。各宗教、各群体都付出了努力。

社交媒体的发达，给维持宗教和谐的努力带来新的挑战。

例如,在斯里兰卡就发生过有人利用社交媒体Facebook散播回教徒要迫害信仰佛教的僧加罗人 (Sinhalese) 的虚假信息而引发佛教徒和回教徒之间的冲突。近年来，类似事件层出不穷，在世界各地都有人利用社交媒体煽动各族群之间的不满情绪。

虽然类似事件还未在新加坡发生，但我们要居安思危，防范未然。

在新加坡，为了顺应时代的改变，我们也不时修订和制定相关的法律，对付伤害宗教或种族关系的罪犯，保障各种族和宗教之间的和谐。例如，《防止网络假信息和网络操纵法令》去年开始生效。

但是，法律本身不足以维持宗教之间的和谐。更重要的是，我国的各宗教珍惜多元社会的特点，互相包容，高度尊重彼此的信仰与发展空间。

我经常出席不同宗教的庆典活动。在这些活动上，我也经常看到来自各宗教的人士参与其中，例如今天，我们就有来自不同宗教团体和新加坡宗教联谊会(Inter-Religious Organisation) 的代表。

去年，来自各宗教团体的领袖，为了加强社会凝聚力,加入了《维护宗教和谐的承诺》。目前已经有超过400家宗教团体签署了这项承诺，新加坡佛教居士林也是其中之一。你们对维护新加坡宗教和谐的努力值得鼓励。

居士林除了弘扬佛法，多年来也回馈社会。陈林长刚才提到居士林将秉承这优良传统，不分种族，不分宗教，全心投入，为有需要的社会大众奉献力量。我很赞同。

居士林自1949年起开始在农历新年前颁发度岁金给年长者。去年，居士林福利基金便颁发了大约100万元度岁金给一万多名年长者。

居士林早在1979年就开始颁发助学金，帮助来自低收入家庭的学生。2018年颁发的金额高达80万元，受益的学生超过1，100人。这些学生中，华族占百分之48，马来、印度和其他族群则占百分之52。这些资助不分种族和宗教信仰，是宗教机构帮助社会的好例子。

居士林旗下也有一家由居士林和国家福利理事会 (National Council of Social Service) 联合开办的居士林温馨家庭服务中心，帮助淡宾尼区有需要的家庭。

这些善举都体现了“群策群力、共创未来” (Singapore Together) 的精神。我们要的是在现有的基础上，认定共同的目标，并肩前行，让每一个人、每一个群体，发挥自己的长处, 建立一个以行动彰显民主的社会 (democracy of deeds)，为国人、为国家，建设更美好的未来。

希望居士林再接再厉，继续在种族和谐、社区发展、扶贫济困、教育人才等方面做出贡献。

接下来，让我用英语说几句话。

I am pleased to celebrate the 85th Anniversary of the Singapore Buddhist Lodge, consecrate the main Buddha Hall, and officiate the opening of the new building.

The Singapore Buddhist Lodge had come a long way from your early days as a small building on Blair Road founded by about 100 philanthropists.

Over the years, past and present Presidents, management committees, and volunteers have dedicated their time to not only serve believers, but also expand its services and contribute to society in different ways. Today, the Singapore Buddhist Lodge is a key religious and charitable organisation in Singapore.

Believers can now enjoy the new and upgraded facilities. The Lodge can also conduct more activities and events.

As we launch the new building of the Singapore Buddhist Lodge today, it is timely to reflect on how a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society like Singapore has remained united as one people. Looking at how divisions are pulling societies apart around the world, religious harmony is not something we can take for granted. 

So, I am glad that Singapore Buddhist Lodge, and many other religious organisations in Singapore, have been very supportive of our efforts to strengthen social cohesion and maintain religious harmony.

Last year, we passed the amendments to the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act. Many religious organisations, including the Singapore Buddhist Lodge, had supported the changes.

The Singapore Buddhist Lodge was also one of 400 religious organisations who signed the Commitment to Safeguard Religious Harmony, an initiative by our senior religious leaders to affirm the shared values to safeguard our religious harmony, and the norms of social interaction across religions to foster a cohesive society.

The Singapore Buddhist Lodge has also been an exemplar in actively giving back to society – across different races and religion.

You have been working closely with Jamiyah Singapore, the Hindu Endowments Board and the Singapore Taoist Federation when selecting needy and deserving students for your Bursary Awards.

Every year, you also donate rice to mosques during the Ramadan period. Last year, the Lodge donated 35 tonnes of rice.

In fact, this is the spirit of the Singapore Together movement – for our people to partner with one another and the Government, in an expanded democracy of deeds, going beyond giving feedback and ideas, to taking concrete action to helping those around us.

I hope that the Singapore Buddhist Lodge will continue to serve its believers well, strengthen religious harmony, and support families with needs in the community. 

最后，我祝新加坡佛教居士林香火鼎盛，也祝愿各位身体健康，心想事成， 2020年快乐。

谢谢大家！

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