Red Dot United (RDU) candidate Liyana Dhamirah has filed a police report after facing a barrage of online harassment. The report was lodged on 24 April 2025, following the party’s recent press conference.
Liyana, a Malay-Muslim woman who wears the tudung, became the subject of targeted attacks after videos from the event circulated on social media.
According to RDU, the comments included direct attacks on her religious attire and identity, alongside derogatory racial and gender-based remarks.
RDU calls out “blatant” bigotry
In a strongly worded statement, RDU declared that the attacks were “not veiled jabs” but “blatant, offensive” assaults on Liyana’s identity.
“We stand firmly behind our candidate, Liyana Dhamirah, and will not allow these acts of bigotry to go unchallenged,” the party stated.
RDU condemned the remarks as racially and religiously insensitive, affirming that such behaviour has no place in Singapore’s political process or social fabric.
The party emphasised that Singapore’s strength lies in its ability to embrace diversity and respect differences. It warned that attacks based on religion or ethnicity threaten the core values of the nation.
The matter is now under police investigation.
RDU expressed confidence in the authorities’ ability to handle the situation seriously.
In the meantime, the party appealed to all Singaporeans to take a stand against racial and religious intolerance.
“Regardless of the parties we support, or the colours we wear in support of them, we are all Singaporeans,” RDU said.
They added that the election should be a contest of ideas, not a breeding ground for hate.
Opposition leaders raise foreign interference concerns
Separately, on 26 April 2025, Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chairman Paul Tambyah raised alarms over suspected foreign interference in the ongoing election.
Tambyah cited activity from bot-like Facebook accounts that appear to be targeting opposition candidates.
He urged the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) to respond more robustly to this emerging threat, noting that some accounts may be linked to sources in the United States and China.
“Singapore’s politics should remain the domain of Singaporeans,” he said, warning against any manipulation from abroad.
MDDI urges vigilance as online accounts target alternative parties with AI-generated disinformation
The MDDI on 25 April has advised the public to be cautious when consuming political content online.
This came after the emergence of suspicious social media accounts designed to spread disinformation about political figures, many of whom are from alternative parties.
The ministry confirmed on 22 April that it had launched an investigation and is actively monitoring for signs of foreign interference.
Although initial concerns pointed to foreign influence, authorities now believe the content may not be orchestrated externally. Most posts specifically target opposition parties, particularly the Workers’ Party.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported a surge in negative posts from unverifiable accounts. Many of these use AI-generated images or impersonate Singaporean users.
According to TOC’s monitoring, these accounts were created recently and frequently accuse opposition candidates of dishonesty. While some have been identified and reported, most remain active.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Elections Department also issued a joint statement reaffirming that foreign involvement in domestic politics is prohibited.
They highlighted that online election advertising from foreign sources is a breach of the Parliamentary Elections Act.
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has since directed Meta to block access to several Facebook posts deemed to interfere in the election by invoking racial and religious themes.
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