SINGAPORE (AP) — Pope Francis on Thursday praised Singapore’s economic strength as a testament to human ingenuity, but also urged the country to care for the most vulnerable, particularly foreign workers, at the start of the final leg of a tour of Asia’s poorest country. One of the richest people in the world.
Francis marveled at Singapore’s modern skyscrapers, “which seem to rise from the sea,” both in his opening address to Singapore’s leaders and when he celebrated Mass in the afternoon before an estimated 50,000 people at the National Stadium.
“The most beautiful building in God’s eyes, the most precious treasure, the most profitable investment is ourselves,” he said.
Singapore has celebrated Pope Francis’ arrival by unveiling a new hybrid orchid named after him, Dendrobium Pope Francis. Unveiled at an official welcoming ceremony, the orchid’s ivory-white petals with a pink centre “exude a sense of serene and pure beauty,” according to the National Parks Board.
Pope Francis arrived in Singapore from Timor-Leste and began his official engagements on Thursday by meeting with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before addressing government officials and the diplomatic corps at the National University of Singapore.
There, Pope Francis praised the government’s efforts in sustainable development and providing public housing, quality education and health care for its people, but, citing Singapore’s highly competitive work and education culture, urged authorities to be careful about looking out for the poorest and rewarding excellence at all costs.
“I want to highlight the risk associated with an exclusive focus on pragmatism, or placing merit above all else, which is the unintended consequence of legitimizing the exclusion of those on the margins who would benefit from progress,” he said.
In a common appeal as the first ever Latin American pope, Francis called specifically for dignified wages and working conditions for the migrant workers who have helped build Singapore into one of the world’s most advanced financial powers.
“These workers make an enormous contribution to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage,” Pope Francis said.
Singapore does not have a minimum wage policy for locals or foreigners.
Singapore, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Timor-LesteThe economic disparities were clear when Pope Francis landed at Singapore’s hi-tech airport on Wednesday aboard the only aircraft operated by Aero Dili, the national airline of Timor-Leste, where about 42 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.
Singapore has long been a success story, having transformed from a resource-poor colonial port into a financial and trading powerhouse in just a few decades since gaining independence from Malaysia in 1965. The former British colony has one of the highest standards of living in the world and is known for its safety and low crime rate. But it is also one of the most expensive cities to live in, and its competitive work environment leaves people stressed and overworked.
It is significant that Pope Francis praised the country’s phenomenal economic growth, given his long-standing reputation for resenting the excesses of capitalism. Singapore’s per capita gross domestic product of $133,740 is the fourth-largest in the world, according to the International Monetary Fund, ahead of the United States and other developed countries.
Foreigners make up more than a third of Singapore’s workforce. Official data shows that 1.5 million foreign workers, including 286,000 domestic workers and 441,000 in construction, transport and maintenance jobs, help support Singapore’s trade-dependent economy. Many of them are Migrant Workers From Pakistan, Bangladesh and other poor Asian countries.
Human Rights Watch said in a report last year that foreign migrant workers face labor rights violations and exploitation through excessive debt to recruiters, non-payment of wages, restrictions on movement, confiscation of passports, and sometimes physical and sexual violence. It also said domestic workers are excluded from many important labor protections, such as limits on daily work hours, sick leave, and annual leave.
Francis is in Singapore to encourage its Catholic population, who make up about 3.5 percent of the country’s population of just under six million, and has highlighted the country’s traditions. Interreligious coexistenceAccording to the 2020 census, Buddhists make up about 31% of the population, Christians 19% and Muslims 15%, while about a fifth of the population claims no religion at all.
In his address to the Pope, President Shanmugaratnam highlighted Singapore’s commitment to environmental sustainability and interfaith harmony, both of which he said are the result of decades of hard work and dedication.
“We are a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society,” he said, “so for us, unity and harmony have been and will continue to be central to the development of the nation.”
The Pope praised Pope Francis’ consistent call to care for God’s creation, and said Singapore has also prioritized sustainability since independence nearly 60 years ago. Singapore’s green plan to 2030 envisages increasing reliance on solar energy, reducing waste and imposing a carbon tax as it moves towards a low-carbon economy.
“As a small city-state, we have tried to balance development with environmental responsibility,” he said.
Pope Francis said Singapore’s environmental policies are an example to the world, calling it “a shining example of what human beings can achieve when working together in harmony, in a spirit of responsibility, inclusiveness and fraternity.”
In the afternoon, Francis celebrated Mass before an estimated 50,000 spectators at the National Stadium, attended by church leaders from two Asian regions with delicate relations with the Holy See: Cardinal Stephen Chow, Archbishop of Hong Kong, and Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar.
Dozens of children were allowed to approach Francis’ papal car to receive the coveted papal rosary, and one lucky couple got the pope’s signature on a Vatican parchment they had made to commemorate their marriage.
And on the streets of Singapore, dozens of people came out to welcome him, only to cheer as his motorcade passed by.
“We just wanted to get his attention and let him know of our love and warm welcome in Singapore,” said Ms Lissy Puno, who has made posters and bracelets to commemorate the visit.
Pope Francis is due to return to Rome on Friday after visiting a senior citizens’ center and hosting an interfaith youth event.
___
Ng contributed from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
___
Associated Press religion coverage is supported by The Associated Press collaboration It is funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc. in collaboration with The Conversation US. The AP is solely responsible for this content.