Singapore has ordered three social media platforms – YouTube, Facebook and X – to block access to 14 posts that targeted the Indian community and undermined the country’s model of multiculturalism, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Saturday.The police issued a disabling directive under the Online Criminal Harms Act requiring platforms to “take all reasonable steps to disable Singaporean users’ access to such postings”.Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong told reporters that the content originated from abroad. Investigations revealed that it likely originated from a China-based platform and was later shared by other platforms and websites.“These videos attack our multiracial society and try to divide people based on race. However, that is not who we are. Every community in Singapore here is valued, and everyone has equal standing,” Tong said.
“Inflammatory novels”
The social media posts, which include videos, depict various claims that Singapore is showing concern about its cultural identity and racial politics. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs said such narratives began circulating online in China’s information sphere in May.
“Shortly thereafter, content appeared online containing inflammatory narratives about Singapore’s cultural diversity and suggesting that Singapore was being controlled by Indians.”
Screenshots of Facebook posts suggesting that Singapore was “under invasion by Indians”. Photo: Ministry of Interior
Seventy-five percent of Singapore’s population is of Chinese descent, 15 percent is Malay, and about 9 percent is of Indian descent.The content claimed that Singapore’s multiracial policy was a “facade” meant to appeal to “Western values”, and that the country’s stability came from its Chinese demographic majority, not from its multiracial policy.
She also claimed that increasing numbers of Indian-origin politicians would work on behalf of Indian immigrants.The derogatory language compared the increasing presence of Indians to a “concentration of curry”.
‘Doubly unacceptable’
The MHA said these were malicious efforts to sow discord by inciting ill will against the Indian community, including Indian migrant workers in sectors such as construction who “contribute to the growth and development of Singapore”.“These attacks coming from a foreign source are doubly unacceptable,” the ministry said, adding that Singapore strongly opposes “anti-immigrant and xenophobic sentiments.”The problematic content potentially violates Section 298A of the Penal Code because it deliberately promotes feelings of hostility, hatred or ill will between different groups on the basis of race, which is punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine.Tong said there is currently no evidence to suggest a coordinated campaign by any government, and that the content was likely created organically by many foreign internet users.He said, “I would like to say that any country that seeks to preserve its social cohesion will agree with us that such content is unacceptable, and will take a similar stance to protect its society.”
