Crossing Boundaries: Foreign Influence Encouraging Singaporean Voters to Align Along Religious Lines Draws Criticism from PM Wong in GE2025
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In the heart of Singapore, PM Lawrence Wong has called out foreign interferences exploiting the nation's religious divides during the upcoming GE2025 election campaign. At a press conference, Wong made it crystal clear that external actors must steer clear of Singapore's internal politics, urging an unwavering rejection of foreign endorsements.
Speaking to the press at the National Press Centre, Wong highlighted the united front of opposition parties rejecting foreign interference in Singapore's elections. He emphasized that political leaders across the board should maintain this stance. The press conference, held during the heat of the GE2025 campaign, was a testament to the issue's gravity for the nation.
Wong's statements followed the government's Friday announcement to direct Meta to block access to certain Facebook posts by Malaysian politicians and a former Internal Security Act detainee, now an Australian citizen. These posts criticized Singapore's handling of religious matters and urged voters to cast their votes based on race or religion.
Wong accused these foreign actors of online activities encouraging Singaporeans to vote for specific candidates in GE2025 based on race or religion. He noted that these inflammatory posts were widely circulated within the Singaporean community.
"We may indeed have our differences, yet we must ensure that external actors do not exploit these differences to weaken us or further their own interests," said Wong, emphasizing the importance of keeping Singapore's political landscape exclusive to its citizens.
He added that while access to the posts had been blocked, the government would not hesitate to act decisively against such activities. The Parliamentary Elections Act clearly outlaws foreign participation in election activities or publishing online election advertising.
Singapore authorities have identified foreign interference in GE2025 attempting to stir up racial and religious disharmony, endangering the city-state's secular democracy. Notable instances include content from Malaysian political figures for specific opposition candidates, Singapore-focused accounts linking immigration policies to housing challenges, and targeted messaging urging religious considerations in voting, among others.
The government's response involved content removal, reinforcing the illegality of foreign involvement in electioneering, and appealing for a rejection of identity politics to prevent societal fractures reminiscent of other countries.
Wong's concern lies in the potential destabilization of Singapore's multi-ethnic social fabric due to foreign interference targeting race or religion. He sees the issue as a "national imperative," stressing the need for vigilance and unity against divisive narratives.
- PM Lawrence Wong urged Singaporeans to resist foreign interference during the GE2025 election campaign, emphasizing that external actors must stay away from Singapore's internal policy-and-legislation and politics.
- Singaporeans should be cautious against inflammatory posts encouraging voting based on race or religion during the GE2025 campaign, as such posts are considered interference and are illegal according to the Parliamentary Elections Act.
- Acknowledging foreign interference attempts in GE2025, the government has acted decisively by removing content, reinforcing the illegality of foreign involvement in electioneering, and appealing for a rejection of identity politics to maintain unity.
- Thegeneral-news and crime-and-justice sections of media outlets have covered the issue of foreign interference in the upcoming GE2025, highlighting the potential risks to Singapore's secular democracy and social fabric.
- In an attempt to stir up racial and religious disharmony, foreign actors have used war-and-conflicts-related topics and specific opposition candidates' names in their online activities during the GE2025 campaign, targeting the Singaporean community.
