Singapore must act firmly when others seek to divide it: Edwin Tong on blocked online content

SINGAPORE – Singapore must act firmly and reject attempts by those who wish to harm the nation and divide it, Law Minister Edwin Tong said on June 6.

He was referring to online narratives that had surfaced pitting the races here against one another and attacking Singapore’s multiracial society.

Tong, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs, called on Singaporeans to be more discerning when viewing online content and to not disseminate it if it is harmful.

The authorities had moved on June 6 to block access here to 14 posts on social media platforms YouTube, Facebook and X that contained derogatory and demeaning language against the Indian community and made claims such as Singapore is “overcrowded” with Indians.

Tong said to reporters at Siglap South Community Centre: “The content reflects the agenda, unfortunately, of those who intend to divide us as a nation.

“And that is why we must act firmly and reject attempts from those who wish to do us harm.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement that narratives started circulating online “in the Chinese information space” in May that Singapore is displaying anxiety over its cultural identity and ethnic politics.

Shortly after, online content emerged containing inflammatory narratives about Singapore’s cultural diversity and suggesting that Singapore was being overrun by Indians.

The ministry said investigations showed that the content most likely originated from a platform based in China and was subsequently carried on other platforms and websites.

Checks by The Straits Times found that while some of the videos had about a few thousand views, others had much fewer.

When asked if there would be an inadvertent spotlight cast on the videos that may currently not have many views, Tong said that it was not just about traction.

“It is about the fact that these videos may seek to undermine the cohesion we have, and they divide us,” he said.

“So, something has to be done about it, especially when they originate from a foreign source.”

There have been previous reports of similar content from abroad targeting Singaporeans, some of which are artificial intelligence-generated.

These include Chinese-language videos attacking Singapore for its treatment of China and siding with the United States.

Tong said the Government will continue to monitor the sites very closely and will not hesitate to take further measures if it determines that it is in Singapore’s interests to do so.

“More importantly, I think Singaporeans should also be discerning and careful with what they are consuming online, and also question the source or intention of such videos,” he said.

“And, don’t disseminate them if they may harm our social fabric or our social harmony.”

Speaking to the media on June 6 on the sidelines of a community event in Balestier, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo also urged Singaporeans not to further circulate the videos if they have received any.

To be vigilant against such content, daily efforts to strengthen ties in the community are important, said Teo. This goes beyond action taken by the authorities to remove these videos.

“We must always remember that the cohesion we have in our society is very precious. It has taken a very long time to build up, but it can be broken if we are not careful,” she said, adding that the posts do not reflect the views of Singaporeans.

“So, stay alert and make sure that you don’t allow anyone to cast doubt on our national unity and also our very important multicultural identity.”

Teo is MP for Jalan Besar GRC, which includes Chinatown. The area was featured in one of the videos, where there was a photo used of a religious procession of Indian devotees in Pagoda Street, which the minister said implied that Indians are not welcome there.

Teo said anyone familiar with Chinatown would know that there are Buddhist and Hindu temples, a mosque and a Methodist church, all within a short walking distance of one another.

In a Facebook post later on June 6, she said Singapore’s multiculturalism is not merely demographic but is embedded in daily interactions, education and public institutions.

Combined with its role as an international hub, this has shaped a population that is culturally grounded yet outward-looking.

“This may be difficult to grasp for those from more monocultural settings, where identity is often expected to be singular and one-dimensional,” she added.

“Singaporeans, by contrast, have always been accustomed to moving between different cultural worlds. That is not a contradiction. It is a product of our history and environment. It is part of who we are.”

While the posts being blocked are against the Indian community, there could be others in the future targeting various other communities.

“Today, they target the Indians and they pit the Chinese against them. Tomorrow, it will be other races, other communities. We must not allow that,” Teo said to reporters.

“Our racial harmony is precious, and we have to be very vigilant against the attempts to sow tensions between our races and to divide Singaporeans. (These) videos are clearly one such attempt.”

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