GE2025: Singapore authorities identify a number of foreigners attempting to influence election

Key Concepts

• Foreign Interference in Singapore Elections
• Racial and Religious Harmony
• Secular State
• Social Media Influence
• Corrective Directions
• Internal Security Act (ISA)
• Radicalization
• Sharia Law
• Islamist Political Party (PAS)
• Online Election Advertising

Foreign Interference in Singapore Elections

Singapore authorities have identified foreign entities attempting to influence the country's general election through online election advertising on Facebook. These actions are seen as having the potential to fracture the multi-racial and multi-religious harmony, which is considered the bedrock of the nation. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Elections Department (ELD) have issued corrective directions to Meta to disable access to these posts in Singapore.

Nature of the Offensive Posts

The posts are targeted at Singaporeans and interfere with domestic politics, leading to more social media postings of a similar nature. Some posts urged Singaporeans to vote on racial and religious lines. The MHA and ELD emphasize that Singapore is a secular state where institutions serve all Singaporeans equally, and mixing religion and politics will undermine social cohesion and harmony.

Examples of Blocked Posts

• Iskandar Abdul Samad: A prominent member of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), an Islamist political party in Malaysia, expressed support for a candidate in the general election.
• PAS's Harakah Newspaper: Published an article titled "Don't Repeat the scenario of Malays being expelled from the city," which is seen as interference in Singapore politics.
• Zulfiqar Muhammad Shah: An Austrian citizen who renounced his Singapore citizenship in 2020, accused several Malay-Muslim MPs of failing to represent the interests of the Muslim community. His post was shared by PAS Youth Chief Muhammad Syukri Oma.
• Zulfiqar's Background: Zulfiqar was previously detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 2016 for actively promoting terrorism and glorifying the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). His actions contributed to the radicalization of at least two other Singaporeans. He has also called on Muslims to reject the constitutional secular democratic state and favor an Islamic state governed by Sharia law, believing that violence should be used to achieve this goal if necessary.

Social Media Reactions and Further Posts

The initial posts led to further social media postings of a similar nature.

• Facebook User Not The Raw: Claimed that Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Masagos Zulkifli, failed to protect the rights and interests of the Malay Muslim Society.
• Not The Raw's Demands: Posted in Malay, stating that the Workers' Party (WP) had responded to his list of demands, including issues relating to LGBTQ+ radicalization and Israel. He stated he would encourage Muslims in Singapore to vote for WP if WP made a firm commitment.
• Vigilante Up's Satirical Commentary: Claimed that Workers' Party candidate for Tampines GRC, Faisal Manap, and Not The Raw represented a "soft launch of race, religion, politics in Tampines GRC."
• Threats on Bridge: One post called on Tampines residents to support Faisal Manap to fight for a strong Islamic community.

Government's Response and Call to Action

The MHA and ELD have urged all political parties, candidates, religious organizations, leaders, and members of the public to safeguard Singapore's precious harmony. They recognize that public policy may sometimes involve matters of religious concern, and the government will continue to engage widely, including with religious groups, to hear their views and ensure they are taken into account.

Conclusion

The Singapore authorities are actively combating foreign interference in the country's general election by addressing online content that promotes racial and religious division. The government is taking steps to maintain social harmony and uphold the secular nature of the state, while also engaging with religious groups to address their concerns. The focus is on preventing the exploitation of racial and religious sentiments for political gain and safeguarding the nation's social fabric.