SINGAPORE — The chairman of a newly-formed organisation seeking to encourage a culture of honour has rejected suggestions that the group has a hidden religious agenda, despite the fact that all five of its board members hail from Christian organisation.

Responding to media queries, Mr Lim Siong Guan said yesterday: “Honour (Singapore) is not a Christian organisation or a religious group … Certainly, we must not take any religious stand or do anything at odds with the national objective of supporting racial and religious harmony.”

The non-profit organisation was launched last week. Besides Mr Lim, the group’s four other board members — Casino Regulatory Authority chairman Richard Magnus, Focus on the Family chairman Jason Wong, Capelle Consulting director Khoo Oon Theam and UOB Kay Hian director Georgie Lee — are part of Full Gospel Business (FGB) Singapore, an inter-denominational group of Christian professionals.

Honour (Singapore) shares the same address as FGB Singapore. Mr Khoo and Mr Lee are the president and vice-president, respectively, of the National Board of FGB Singapore.

“We used the FGB address to be able to start Honour (Singapore) as soon as possible, hoping to make it before this year’s National Day and the start of Singapore’s 50th year of independence. We welcome offers from anyone with a suitable alternative space at an attractive rental price,” said Mr Lim, who is also group president of GIC and former head of the Civil Service.

Mr Lim said that all the Honour (Singapore) board members “have worked, or are working in, secular organisations, and have many years of experience and know the boundaries between secular activities and religious activities”.

“We are sensitised and sensitive to the multiracial and multi-religious nature of Singapore and the absolute need to maintain social and religious harmony,” he said. “Indeed, we believe that organisations should concentrate on their missions and not be advocating policies or public positions which are unrelated to their missions.”

Mr Lim noted that Mr Wong, for example, initiated the Yellow Ribbon Project, which has “benefited thousands of ex-offenders and their families, regardless of race or religion”.

Board members should be judged by their actions and not their race or religion, Mr Lim said, adding that: “We have to honour the privacy and personal choice of individuals on their religious faith.

“Therefore, we judge people based on their actions and, in this case, based on their commitment and contribution to the well-being of Singapore.”

Mr Lim spelt out the non-profit organisation’s approach to reaching out to the Singapore society: It will “only engage on invitation” and will not impose itself on any person or group. It is not an advocacy group on issues of government or public policies, and its agenda is limited to promoting a culture of honour and honouring in Singapore.

“It is a limited and narrow agenda,” said Mr Lim. He added: “We have to reach out to all sections of the Singapore society, hence the deliberate effort to have a Panel of Community Advisors who are drawn from various fields of business and social enterprises, as well as different religious affiliations.”

The panel includes Far East Organization chief executive officer Philip Ng, Lien Foundation chairman Laurence Lien, Islamic Religious Council of Singapore president Alami Musa and National University of Singapore emeritus professor Edwin Thumboo.