SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, on 10 April 2025, publicly denounced comments made by former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng regarding a pro-Palestinian group on 13 March, calling them “completely insensitive and unacceptable”.
Wong made the statement in a Facebook post following his visit to Madrasah Aljunied, where he met Islamic leaders Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi and Ustaz Pasuni Maulan, both members of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS).
The prime minister thanked them for meeting Cheng, who had recounted expressing remorse for his remarks.
He used the occasion to highlight Singapore’s longstanding efforts in maintaining racial and religious harmony, referencing historical tensions during the country’s time as part of Malaysia.
“When we were part of Malaysia, some segments of the Malaysian community called the local Chinese ‘pendatang’ – foreigners or immigrants,” Wong wrote.
“It angered many Chinese who felt that they were second-class citizens. So when Singapore became independent, we resolved never to treat our minorities like that.”
He added that Singapore’s diversity and cohesion were not accidental, but the result of “generations of patient effort and hard work” which must be protected.
Wong reiterated that divisive comments could threaten this stability, particularly at a time when external forces could easily destabilise societal cohesion.
Public questions omission of ministerial involvement
However, Wong’s statement on 10 April did not directly address the controversy involving ministers from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), specifically Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How.
Both were reported to have previously liked Cheng’s post before later removing their reactions.
This drew criticism from segments of the public. Netizens questioned why it took nearly four weeks for a high-level rebuke and why ministers were not being held to similar scrutiny.
Some pointed out that individuals have previously been arrested for making comments seen as disruptive to religious harmony, and questioned whether the same standards were being applied in Cheng’s case.
Calvin Cheng suggests “sending pro-Palestine activists to Gaza”
In a Facebook post on 13 March, Calvin Cheng criticised a group of activists affiliated with the “Monday for Palestine” initiative.
His post followed a statement by the People’s Action Party (PAP) on the same day, which alleged that the group had disrupted Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) held by its Members of Parliament to raise concerns about Singapore’s relationship with Israel and its position on the Palestinian issue.
The PAP’s statement came after a viral video was shared by Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam, showing two women attending his MPS in an attempt to speak with him about the Prevention of Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), which he had introduced.
In his post, Cheng sarcastically suggested sponsoring the activists’ relocation to Gaza, writing: “Expenses paid by me. But only if they never come back.”
Ministers clarify their interactions with Cheng’s post
Cheng’s comments quickly gained attention, with critics labelling them as insensitive and inflammatory. In an Instagram post on 27 March, MPS Palestine also criticised his remark and highlighted that it had allegedly been “liked” by Dr Balakrishnan and SMS Tan.
Dr Balakrishnan addressed the matter in a 2 April Facebook post, denying that he had liked the post and stating, “I do not share those views. I have since taken measures to enhance account security.” This implied that his account had been compromised and that someone else had liked the post on his behalf.
SMS Tan responded separately via Instagram, claiming he had “accidentally” liked the post and had since removed it.
In addition to the two, PAP MP Dr Lim Wee Kiak’s Facebook account also “liked” the post, but he has made no public statement on the matter despite media queries. His account later removed the “like” after the public controversy emerged.
Remorse expressed, but legal action continues
Criticism was particularly pronounced within Singapore’s Malay/Muslim community, where Cheng’s comments were widely perceived as dehumanising and discriminatory.
On 28 March, opposition politician Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood lodged a police report accusing Cheng of making Islamophobic and extremist remarks that posed a threat to Singapore’s multi-religious society.
PERGAS, the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association, issued a statement on 6 April describing Cheng’s remarks as “deeply troubling” and called on authorities to take steps to safeguard Singapore’s social cohesion.
Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs, Masagos Zulkifli, also weighed in, calling Cheng’s post “uncivil” and “deeply hurtful.” He warned that such language could erode trust among the nation’s multiracial communities.
On 10 April, Cheng publicly acknowledged that his comments had “caused hurt and anger” and admitted that he “should have been more sensitive.”
He recounted expressing “deep remorse” during a private meeting with senior religious leaders Ustaz Pasuni Maulan and Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi at Yusof Ishak Mosque the previous day.
In the same Facebook post, Cheng clarified that his remarks were not aimed at any ethnic or religious group but were directed at what he saw as disruptive activism by individuals from the Monday for Palestine group.
However, his expressions of remorse have drawn scrutiny, given that he continues to pursue legal action against those who criticised him.
“During the meeting, I also noted that some people had wrongly attributed some other statements to me which I did not make. I explained that I had to continue legal actions because such untrue statements were very damaging to me,” Cheng wrote in his post on Wednesday.
TSMP Law Corporation had issued a Letter of Demand on his behalf on 2 April — just days before his meeting with the Muslim leaders.
The letter targeted The Online Citizen (TOC) and three individuals, alleging defamation and demanding public apologies and retractions.
It accused the parties of mischaracterising Cheng as Islamophobic and a threat to racial harmony, specifically referencing social media posts by Jufrie Mahmood and Reform Party Chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam.
Those posts criticised Cheng for a perceived history of inflammatory rhetoric and argued that his recent remarks constituted incitement to racial hatred.
It should be noted that Cheng’s 13 March post remains unedited to date, even as he has publicly recounted expressing deep remorse.
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