Virtual world can be gateway for lonely youth to radicalisation: Faishal Ibrahim

Online communities give them the sense of belonging and purpose they crave, he says

- Shermaine Ang

The virtual world often becomes a “gateway” to youth radicalisation, especially when young people turn to it out of loneliness and an absent sense of belonging, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Faishal Ibrahim said.

Speaking at the annual Youth Forum by nonprofit organisation PPIS, the Inter-Agency Aftercare Group and the Ministry of Home Affairs on Nov 29, he said loneliness leads young people to immerse themselves in online communities that provide them with the sense of belonging that they desire.

At the same time, these communities expose them to online extremist content that gives them a sense of purpose, convincing them that they need to resort to violence to correct the injustices in the world, he added.

Associate Professor Faishal, who is also Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, said: “A typical radicalisation process starts with how we define our self-identity, self-worth, meaning and purpose in life; how we digest the information that we are bombarded with on a daily basis.”

“These are some factors which can render us vulnerable to radicalisation,” he said, adding that the virtual world allows youth to adopt any persona they want, be it a fighter or an activist.

To protect oneself from radicalisation, it is important to maintain self-awareness regarding personal values, attitudes, biases and behaviours, as well as be discerning of the information one encounters, Prof Faishal said.