Opposition politician Mohamed Jufrie Bin Mahmood has lodged a formal police report against former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Calvin Cheng, accusing him of making Islamophobic and extremist remarks that pose a threat to Singapore’s multi-religious society.
The report, filed on 28 March 2025 at 4.38pm, was made at the Bedok Police Division.
Jufrie also shared the contents publicly, posting images of the document online with a message calling for government intervention.
In his statement, Jufrie referred to Cheng’s 13 March Facebook post in which the ex-NMP mocked pro-Palestine activists in Singapore. Cheng sarcastically offered to fund their one-way relocation to Gaza, stating,
“Expenses paid by me. But only if they never come back,” and offered business class tickets and walking shoes depending on their rank.
Jufrie argued that this “clear suggestion in the form of threat” implied “likely death” and was effectively targeted at individuals who oppose what he described as ongoing genocide in Gaza.
He added, “He may have no mercy towards the thousands of civilians killed in the ongoing genocide… but such extremist views should not be allowed in public space.”
The police report drew attention to Singapore’s official diplomatic stance, referencing a parliamentary statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOF) made on 28 February 2025.
The MOF had expressed concern over the deaths of more than 40,000 Palestinians since the renewed conflict began on 7 October 2023 and reaffirmed Singapore’s support for a peaceful resolution.
Jufrie alleged that Cheng’s remarks not only ran counter to the government’s stated position but also posed a risk to social cohesion.
He cited what he characterised as a pattern of Islamophobic behaviour by Cheng, including a prior police report lodged on 16 December 2016.
In that earlier incident, Cheng allegedly implied that a group of madrasah kindergarten children were potential terrorists and therefore valid targets, remarks which drew significant public outrage at the time.
“This person is a danger to our precious racial and religious harmony that is enshrined in our multi-racial and multi-religious country,” Jufrie stated in the report.
The report also referenced international developments.
Jufrie cited a ruling by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 21 November 2024, which found reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant bore criminal responsibility for war crimes, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war and intentionally targeting civilians.
Linking this to Cheng’s post, Jufrie stated that showing public support for such leaders, even indirectly, should raise alarms. “The open extremist show of support to the ongoing genocide by a person such as Calvin Cheng… must alert the authorities to potential harm to society’s harmony,” the report concluded.
The incident comes amid growing criticism of Cheng’s online conduct, especially after advocacy group Monday of Palestine Solidarity (MPS Palestine) alleged that Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How had ‘liked’ Cheng’s Facebook post.
Both ministers later removed their interactions. Tan stated that his engagement was accidental, although MPS Palestine claimed he deleted the comment thread, which the group had preserved in screenshots.
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Reform Party leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam added to the chorus of criticism on 27 March, arguing that Cheng’s remarks could breach the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act 2019.
He urged the government to issue a Restraining Order (RO) and demanded clarity from the PAP leadership regarding its ministers’ online behaviour.
To date, Cheng has not issued a public response, but he has responded to critics via the comments section of his original Facebook post.
In a comment posted on Thursday, 27 March, he defended his remarks, writing:
“Suddenly getting some radicals coming here to comment.
This is the thing: if you believe in the cause so strongly that your people organise groups to aggressively confront MPs, then go to that place to help, no matter how dangerous.
There are many passionate activists who are helping in Gaza, UN staff, etc. They are willing to risk their lives.
Don’t just talk. Go!
Easy to harass people in Singapore.
Stop making excuses that it’s wrong to ask citizens to go to dangerous place.
You guys are the ones who are so worked up about it.”
His comments have drawn further scrutiny from advocacy groups and members of the public, some of whom argue that urging citizens to travel to a conflict zone, even rhetorically, could be seen as incitement.
Singapore’s Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act enables legal action against individuals whose speech or conduct undermines racial or religious cohesion. The law allows for ROs and other preventive measures.
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