GE2025: S'pore blocks Facebook posts by 3 foreigners for attempting to influence S'pore politics

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Elections Department Singapore (ELD) have identified three foreigners attempting to influence Singaporean voters in General Election (GE) 2025.

These individuals are:

• Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS)'s National Treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad
• Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff, who goes by the Facebook username “Zai Nal”
• PAS Selangor Youth Chief Mohamed Sukri Omar

As they attempted to exert influence through Facebook posts, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has issued Corrective Directions to Facebook's parent company, Meta, to disable Singapore users' access to some of their posts during the election period.

Under Singapore's Parliamentary Elections Act (PEA), foreigners must not direct, fund, or in any way influence Singapore's elections.

It is an offence for foreigners to participate in election activity or publish online election advertising (OEA), which refers to materials published online that can be reasonably regarded as intended to promote or prejudice the electoral success or standing of a political party or candidate.

Details of foreigners' posts

According to a joint statement issued by MHA and ELD, Iskandar had expressed his support for a candidate during GE2025.

Australian citizen Zulfikar, who renounced his Singapore citizenship in 2020, accused several Malay-Muslim Members of Parliament (MPs) of failing to represent the interests of the Muslim community.

He also claimed that the local Muslim community did not need another Malay MP who did not represent their views.

MHA and ELD revealed that in 2016, Zulfikar was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for his "active promotion of terrorism and glorification of the terrorist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) online".

His actions had contributed to the radicalisation of at least two other Singaporeans, added the authorities.

"[Zulfikar] had also called on Muslims to reject the constitutional, secular, democratic state in favour of an Islamic state governed by Syariah law. He believed that violence should be used to achieve this goal if necessary."

The third foreigner, Sukri, was identified after reposting Zulfikar's post.

IMDA blocked access to posts

MHA and ELD said that the posts above "have been targeted at Singaporeans" and interfered with Singapore's domestic politics, which are reserved for Singaporeans.

"All this has the potential to fracture the multi-racial and multi-religious harmony that is the bedrock of our nation," emphasised MHA and ELD.

Given the considerations above, IMDA, as the assistant returning officer for GE2025, has disabled Singapore users' access to these posts.

Government will continue 'engage widely' & hear different views

In their joint statement, MHA and ELD also cautioned about the dangers of mixing religion and politics:

"Singapore is a secular state. Our institutions serve all Singaporeans equally.

Bringing religion into politics will undermine social cohesion and harmony, as we have seen in other countries with race- or religion-based politics."

Nonetheless, the authorities said the government recognise that public policy "may sometimes involve matters of religious concern".

"The government will continue to engage widely, including with religious groups, to hear their views and ensure that they are taken into account," said MHA and ELD.

The authorities also urged all political parties and their candidates, as well as religious organisations, leaders and members of the public to do their part "to safeguard the precious harmony" Singapore has today.

Top images via Iskandar Abdul Samad, Zulfikar bin Mohamad Sharif & Mohamed Sukri Omar/Facebook