The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has directed Meta to block access to several Facebook posts, allegedly published by foreigners, that Singaporean authorities claim attempt to influence the ongoing General Election campaign by invoking race and religion.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Elections Department Singapore (ELD), in a joint statement on 25 April 2025, said the posts in question are considered “online election advertising” (OEA) under the Parliamentary Elections Act (PEA), and asserted that such foreign involvement in domestic politics is prohibited.
While authorities maintain the firm stance that “Singapore’s politics must be for Singaporeans alone to decide”, the timing of the move raises eyebrows, coming in the wake of rising communal sensitivities—particularly among the Malay-Muslim community.
The newly blocked Facebook posts were allegedly authored by foreign figures including Parti Islam Se-Malaysia’s (PAS) national treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad, PAS Selangor youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar, and Facebook user “Zai Nal”, identified by authorities as Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff.
The posts expressed support for specific candidates in the 2025 General Election and criticised the ruling government’s decisions.
Authorities claim they crossed the line by promoting religious and racial sentiment as a basis for political choice.
Two PAS newsletter articles were also cited, one listing the backgrounds of Malay opposition candidates, and another linking immigration policy to housing, a combination officials suggest can stoke communal sensitivities.
Zulfikar, an Australian citizen who renounced his Singapore citizenship in 2020, was previously detained under the Internal Security Act in 2016.
Authorities allege he glorified ISIS and advocated for an Islamic state governed by Syariah law, including the use of violence.
In his most recent post, he accused Malay-Muslim MPs of failing to represent their community and warned against electing more representatives who do not advocate Muslim interests.
Authorities claim such statements have “interfered with our domestic politics” and contributed to a growing trend of religiously framed political discourse on platforms like Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, and Threads.
One post by Islamic teacher Noor Deros listed political demands allegedly on behalf of the Muslim community. He claimed only the Workers’ Party responded, and later posted that if it did not act on Muslim concerns—particularly regarding LGBTQ+ issues—voters should choose individual candidates instead of parties.
In yet another post, Deros alleged that Minister Masagos Zulkifli had failed to safeguard Malay-Muslim interests.
Authorities flagged a Reddit thread in which a post urged Tampines residents to vote for Workers’ Party candidate Faisal Manap to “fight for a strong Islamic community.”
Authorities insist that policies may sometimes involve “matters of religious concern” but stress that public institutions serve all Singaporeans equally.
“We urge all political parties and their candidates, as well as religious organisations, leaders and members of the public to do our part to safeguard the precious harmony we have in Singapore today,” the joint statement concluded.
While the comments flagged by MHA and ELD have sparked debate, some observers have noted what appears to be selective enforcement of election regulations, especially in cases where it is perceived as unfavourable to the PAP.
Recent weeks have seen growing unease in the Muslim community following controversial remarks made by former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng, who is widely seen as being aligned with the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
Cheng’s comments, made earlier on 13 March, were met with widespread outrage among the Malay community, culminating in strong public condemnations and retraction of “likes” from PAP Members of Parliament. Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli was compelled to issue not one, but two public statements in response.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also had to weigh in, publicly refuting Cheng’s remarks. Religious organisation PERGAS denounced the comments as “grossly insensitive”, and called on authorities to take action, warning that such rhetoric could undermine Singapore’s carefully maintained multiracial harmony.
Despite the seriousness of the backlash, The Online Citizen (TOC) understands that while at least two police reports have been lodged, no formal action appears to have been taken against Cheng to date.
Since the incident, Cheng has remained silent on social media, with his last post dated 11 April. Observers suggest he may have been advised to stay quiet during the ongoing election period and in the lead-up to the 3 May polling day.
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