PM Lee urges Malay-Muslim community to stand with Government to tackle extremism

SINGAPORE — Against the backdrop of more frequent terrorist incidents in many countries, it would be unrealistic to think Singapore can be immune or exempt from the threat of radicalism, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday (June 20).

Following the latest cases of self-radicalisation dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA), Mr Lee spoke to the media after breaking fast with about 200 officers from the Tanglin Police Division, the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the Central Narcotics Bureau, as well as security firms Aetos and Cisco.

He noted that the Republic has seen a steady trickle of self-radicalised individuals over the past couple of years, and although the most recent cases strike closer to home, he stressed that the Home Team and auxiliary police officers have been doing an “outstanding job” keeping the country safe.

Three Singaporeans — two Aetos auxiliary police officers aged 24 and 36, and a female infant-care assistant, 22 — have been dealt with under the ISA this month for making plans to travel to Syria, or for encouraging another person to do so. Their attempts, while foiled, came after a spike in the number of terror attacks in Europe and Asia by self-styled members of the Islamic State militant group. 

In the past year, the Singapore authorities have also broken up two groups of Bangladeshi nationals who tried to form terror cells here.

The Muslim community may feel that they are in the spotlight, and non-Muslims may worry about their children in infant care or wonder about those who have been tasked with security and policing, said Mr Lee. 

In that regard, it was necessary to “remind ourselves” that the security agencies have been making sure that Singapore is one of the safest places in the world, without being one of the most heavily-policed places globally. 

“You don’t see people with guns at every street corner and yet you feel safe,” he said. Mr Lee said he would be sharing an official assessment of the terrorism situation, as well as the Government’s response and the community’s role, in a meeting next month with Malay-Muslim community leaders. 

This would be followed by a second meeting on the same concerns with community leaders from all ethnic groups, said Mr Lee. 

Cautioning against Islamophobia, which is “as bad and as unacceptable as extremist radical terrorism”, Mr Lee noted Monday’s attack on Muslim worshippers at Finsbury Park in London. “We have to make sure none of that happens either because of neglect or because somebody is circulating materials which stoke fear and apprehension, and worsen the situation,” he said. 

Speaking in Malay, Mr Lee urged the Malay-Muslim community to “stand together and shoulder to shoulder” with the Government in efforts to tackle extremism and self-radicalisation. “The Government understands that it is natural for the Malay-Muslim community to be concerned about these cases and unsure of what to do, and where to stand,” Mr Lee said. “The answer is simple — stand together and shoulder to shoulder with the Government.” 

Noting that the community has condemned the terrorists’ ideology, he reiterated that the Government does not want other communities to cast doubts on the Malay-Muslim community.

Commenting on the latest cases involving the auxiliary police officers, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said they were “more chilling” as the duo had been “trusted to protect our society, but instead chose to endanger it”. 

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said the cases were “a grim reminder for our Muslim community that our young need urgent help and assistance”. They also “underscore once again the important role of parents, religious teachers, and the community at large to look out for each other”, and to immediately refer any signs of radicalisation to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Religious Rehabilitation Group or the police, Dr Yaacob added.