Question:
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how does the Ministry support religious organisations in countering radical views, both online and offline; and (b) whether the Ministry reviews possible areas of cooperation with religious organisations regularly to identify and help those at risk of self-radicalisation.
Answer:
Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:
1. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) works with other government agencies, the community, and partners including religious organisations, to counter radical views and self-radicalisation.
2. To prevent the importation of radical views, the Government has disallowed foreign religious preachers from entering Singapore if their teachings are segregationist or intolerant of other religious faiths and practices, which are inimical to our multiracial, multi-religious society.
3. We provide platforms and training for religious organisations to address the issue of self-radicalisation. Since 2017, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) has organised several Counter-Terrorism Seminars to update more than 500 religious organisations on the threats of extremism and online radicalisation. Under MCCY’s 19 Crisis Preparedness for Religious Organisations programme, religious organisations are also trained to build up their capacity to respond to the threat of terrorism and other crises. The training for religious organisations includes workshops on identifying signs of radicalisation and developing capabilities to enhance their online outreach.
4. MHA and MCCY also work with religious organisations to explore new areas of cooperation to build common space and reject segregationist teachings and practices. For example, in June 2019, our religious leaders collectively affirmed the Commitment to Safeguard Religious Harmony in Singapore. This Commitment articulates the shared values to safeguard religious harmony, and highlights the practical ways Singaporeans of different faiths can build common space.
5. MHA has also been reaching out to the neighbourhoods, schools and workplaces, to raise public awareness of the threat of terrorism and online radicalisation, and the importance of early reporting. We have done this through the SGSecure movement, as well as through community organisations such as the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), and the Inter-Agency Aftercare Group (ACG).
6. For example, the RRG and ACG conduct regular community outreach through visits to RRG Resource & Counselling Centre, assembly talks, and youth forums to sensitise members of the public to the terrorism threat and strengthen the community’s resilience against extremist ideas.
7. On top of working closely with community partners and religious organisations, the Government has in place levers to block access by Singapore users to websites that propagate radicalisation and extremism. In addition, in November 2022, the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill was passed in Parliament to further strengthen measures to tackle harmful online content on social media, including content advocating terrorism and violence, or likely to cause racial and religious disharmony. MHA is also 20 working to strengthen Singapore’s legal levers to deal with criminal harms online, including materials disseminated by terrorists.
8. Radicalisation is a threat to our social fabric, and while it is less apparent than any immediate loss of life, it can greatly damage our nation as a whole. We will continue to work closely with the religious organisations, other government agencies, and the community to find ways to educate the public on radicalisation.
