Singapore, stop blaming neighbours and address your own problems
It is also disingenuous to suggest that Singaporean voters are so easily swayed by foreign views that their electoral will must be 'protected'.
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PAS firmly rejects the attempt to cast our party as a convenient boogeyman to advance domestic political agendas in Singapore.
We will not allow a false narrative to stand where ordinary cross-border commentary is sensationalised into a security threat for short-term partisan gain.
Singapore positions itself as a global, hyperconnected hub where ideas and opinions inevitably cross borders. To classify online remarks unaccompanied by funding, actions, coordination or directives as “interference” overstates the case, diminishes the term’s meaning, and paves the way for censoring legitimate public discourse.
If digital connectivity is viewed as a channel for interference, then the only logical response would be to disconnect from the world, which is an unsustainable position for an open economy reliant on flows of capital, talent and information.
A mark of a mature state is its ability to engage in dialogue confidently and clearly. It is also disingenuous to suggest that Singaporean voters are so easily swayed by foreign views that their electoral will must be “protected” from opinions they can evaluate critically.
Blaming outsiders for internal debates is a classic political deflection tactic that conveniently shifts the focus away from difficult domestic issues.
This allows leaders to rally the public against a fabricated threat, a task far easier than the hard work of crafting policy, building consensus, and addressing the actual concerns of citizens.
It is a political shortcut that trades long-term problem-solving for short-term unity against a scapegoat.
PAS's commitment to respecting national sovereignty guides all our engagements, which are conducted through proper and formal channels.
This principle allows us to speak on matters of faith, justice and social wellbeing while ensuring we do not trespass on any country's electoral processes or sovereignty.
In return, we expect reciprocal restraint; therefore, do not manufacture enemies where none exist or weaponise regulatory tools to chill legitimate speech.
Takiyuddin Hassan is the Kota Bharu MP and secretary-general of PAS. This is in response to Singapore's national security minister K Shanmuham's parliamentary speech on Oct 14, in which he referred to PAS when criticising Singapore opposition members for not standing up firmly to foreign 'political interference'.