Shanmugam: Laws, policies in S'pore prevent situations like the UK riots

Little tolerance for fake speech, hate speech or speech that incites violence

- Samuel Devaraj

Singapore has laws and policies to prevent situations like the recent riots in Britain from happening here, said Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam on Aug 16.

Speaking at the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) scholarship ceremony at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, he highlighted how disinformation and hate speech were among causes of the riots that followed a July 19 stabbing in which three girls were killed.

Police arrested a 17-year-old male, and false information circulated on social media that the suspect was an Islamist migrant, which led to violent anti-Muslim protests in Southport the following day and an attempt to attack the town's mosque.

Mr Shanmugam said public figures and online influencers added fuel to the fire, stoking anti-immigrant and xenophobic sentiments, sparking the worst riots in 13 years.

"We have tried to pre-empt such a situation from arising by having a carefully designed legal framework, and also carefully designed set of policies which give priority to law and order," said the minister.

He said that while free speech is important in Singapore, there is little tolerance for fake speech, racial or religious hate speech, or speech that incites violence, particularly if it impacts law and order.