KUALA LUMPUR – Singapore has instructed Meta to block access to Facebook posts made by two Malaysian politicians from PAS and others, accusing them of attempting to influence its upcoming general election.
In a joint statement issued late Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Elections Department Singapore (ELD) said the posts, deemed to be Online Election Advertising (OEA), were part of broader foreign interference targeting Singapore’s domestic politics ahead of the May 3 polls, local media reported.
The content was posted by PAS national treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad, PAS Selangor youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar, and Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff—a former Singaporean who is now an Australian citizen and was previously detained under Singapore’s Internal Security Act in 2016 for promoting terrorism.
Authorities said some of the posts supported opposition candidates, while others urged Singaporeans to vote along religious lines or criticised the government’s handling of Muslim community issues.
“Foreigners must not direct, fund or in any way influence Singapore’s elections,” the joint statement read.
“Singapore’s politics must be for Singaporeans alone to decide.”
Singapore’s laws prohibit foreign nationals from participating in electoral activities, including publishing OEA, which refers to any online material seen as attempting to promote or diminish the electoral prospects of a party or candidate.
Zulfikar’s post, which has since been restricted in Singapore, accused several former Malay-Muslim MPs of neglecting their community’s interests and warned against electing another Malay MP who “does not represent their views.”
Officials warned that religious-based appeals have no place in Singapore’s political process.
“We must not mix religion and politics. Singapore is a secular state,” they said.
“Bringing religion into politics will undermine social cohesion and harmony, as we have seen in other countries with race- or religion-based politics.”
Authorities also flagged a rise in similar content circulating on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and Threads in recent days, including posts from local religious figures.
One notable post by Islamic teacher Noor Deros outlined a list of demands to political parties and claimed only the Workers’ Party (WP) had responded. He later said: “If the WP does not respond to the widespread demands of the Muslim community to reject the normalisation of LGBTQ+ and address other major concerns, then I urge that we vote for the candidate, not the party.”
He also accused Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli of failing to protect the interests of the Malay-Muslim community.
In another post shared on Reddit, a user urged voters in Tampines GRC to back WP’s Faisal Manap, framing him as someone who would “fight for a strong Islamic community.”
While acknowledging that some public policies may involve religious sensitivities, the Singapore government reiterated its stance on inclusivity and equality.
“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 statement added. – April 26, 2025