Malay/Muslim leaders caution against efforts by foreigners to sow divides

They cite recent videos on social media that portray a negative picture of the community

- Syed Muhammad Firdaus

A group of leaders from Malay/Muslim organisations have come together to reject foreign interference in Singapore politics.

Such efforts have used misinformation and disinformation to disrupt community ties, and attempted to weaken national identity, they said.

Around 40 leaders gathered at a dialogue at Grand Hyatt Singapore on Aug 21 to take stock of the community's progress, where they highlighted concerns over this threat, citing recent videos on social media that portrayed a negative picture of the Malay/Muslim community.

At the dialogue, titled "SG60: Moving the Community Forward", the leaders also discussed issues such as the risk of radicalisation among youth, and the welfare and salaries of religious teachers in line with the announcement of the Singapore College of Islamic Studies.

The session was organised by community group Taman Bacaan, or Singapore Malay Youth Library Association, in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Aftercare Group.

Taman Bacaan president Abdul Halim Kader said foreign interference in Singapore politics should be rejected.

Citing recent videos addressing the community by former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff, Mr Abdul Halim said the Government and Malay/Muslim parents must play a role in shaping perceptions, given what their children might see on social media.