SM Teo Chee Hean at the 18th MHA Appreciation Lunch for Community Volunteers

MOS Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon.

I am glad to be here today to recognise your good work and valuable contributions to our ongoing fight against terrorism.

On my visits to other countries in the region, Europe, and also in America, I am often reminded that our whole-of-society approach to combatting terrorism and extremism is both effective and also in some ways unique. In many places they have some parts of our approach, and in some places they do not have any of the parts.

The most important thing that we have is the very strong partnership between the community and the government. In many countries this is absent. In some countries this is because their laws prevent it; they do not allow the state to work together with religious authorities. And in others, because the community does not want to work with the government, often because there is a lack of trust between the community and the state authorities. 

As a result, these countries are trapped in an unending cycle. Their security agencies can detect radicalised individuals, and from time to time they will arrest and imprison them. Later on, they will release them. But when they are in detention, there is very little effort to deradicalise and bring these people back onto the right path, or to support their families. And so what happens after they are released is that they have to be arrested again. These countries are trapped in an unending cycle because the underlying issues of the individuals and their families are not addressed.

In Singapore, strong support from the community allows us to deal with the root of the problem. And we do so at every stage. From inoculating the broader society against extremist ideology, to earlier detection of radicalised individuals, to rehabilitation and reintegration support for both the individuals and their families.

Your contributions have been critical to keeping Singapore and Singaporeans safe and secure. This support will remain critical as the threat landscape evolves in form and intensity.

The Changing Threat Landscape

We continue to face an active terror threat and a troubled global security landscape. This troubled security landscape provides a lot of fuel for people to develop and follow extremist ideology. And this includes the terrible wars going on in the Middle East, which have gripped attention across the world and caused a proliferation of emotionally wrenching content. Some of this content is factual, some of it is untrue. The objective of this content is not to be objective, but to create emotions and rile people up. Whether it is factual or not is of less importance to those who created the content. The wars in the Middle East have inflamed passions and radicalisation by extremists from both ends of the spectrum.

Singaporeans have responded to the situation in the Middle East with compassion and generosity. All of us should continue to do what we can to help alleviate the human suffering. This is what we have done across all communities. We have come together to lend a helping hand and support those who are suffering. 

But like any other country, Singapore is not immune to the efforts of extremist groups who wish to use this as an opportunity to radicalise our people. For example, organisations such as ISIS continue to encourage attacks and project their global presence. They do this through the dissemination of their propaganda and ideology. And this is very powerful because the internet provides tremendous outreach and tremendous ability to create emotional responses. And again, this is regardless of whether what is put out is true or untrue.

These factors, combined with the internet and social media, have contributed to a rise in the number of cases of self-radicalisation in Singapore, particularly amongst our young people, who are very vulnerable and very impressionable.

Since 2015, Singapore has unfortunately had to deal with 40 self-radicalised Singaporeans under the Internal Security Act (ISA). 13 were aged 20 and under. They include a 16-year-old Christian who had been radicalised by far-right extremist ideology. He had made detailed plans to attack Muslims at two mosques in Singapore. Fortunately, our security agencies were able to detect him and stop him from doing so.

In July this year, the Internal Security Department (ISD) informed the public of two cases of self-radicalisation triggered by the ongoing wars in the Middle East. Both individuals were self-radicalised online. One case involved a woman who was a former public servant. The other involved a 14-year-old – the youngest individual to be dealt with under the ISA. Both were influenced by radical materials they encountered online. It is particularly worrying that they were self-radicalised within just a few short months.

The Longstanding and Successful Community Response 

Our measures therefore must continue to evolve in tandem with the changes in the threat landscape.

The Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) offers rehabilitative interventions tailored to young people. Earlier this year, it released its fourth counselling manual, which focuses on counselling and mentoring youths. In my interactions with my colleagues from security and community agencies in other countries, when I mention this to them, they are very interested in this manual. And I have taken the liberty to give this manual out to my colleagues around the world. The RRG has also expanded its outreach efforts to reach a wider and younger audience, including on TikTok. And there is the RRG’s Majulah Gallery, which was launched last year to support public education. The Gallery has welcomed more than 2500 visitors since then.

The Inter-Agency Aftercare Group (ACG) has also been critical in our whole-of-society response. A feeling of alienation and separation from one’s immediate community, or even family, is often at the root of radicalisation. You feel you do not belong, so you search for belonging somewhere else. The ACG has played a critical role in providing the social rehabilitation that is so necessary for radicalised individuals and their families. This support for their reintegration into society is what completes the process of deradicalisation; it gives these individuals and their families a new lease of life. They are able to turn the page and go on with their lives. Your efforts show them and their families that the community will not give up on them. They are part of our community, and we want to see them succeed, and to see their children do well. This is the encouragement they need to persevere in their rehabilitation, knowing that they can rely on the community to walk this difficult journey with them. Your support over the years has helped more than 90 youths pursue tertiary education, and many others to complete their primary, secondary, and vocational education.

Launch of ACG 20th Anniversary Book

The ACG marked its 20th anniversary in 2022. It is my pleasure today to launch the ACG’s 20th Anniversary Book. It is a labour of love by Taman Bacaan, and is titled Serving with a Heart: Securing the Nation. 

This book is testament to how much the Malay-Muslim community has done to promote social cohesion and collectively respond to the threat of terrorism and extremism in Singapore. It recalls the strong support and contributions of the pioneer members of the ACG. They laid the foundation for the ACG’s many successes.

Many of these pioneer members are here with us today. We also remember two pioneers who are no longer with us – the late Ustaz Ali Haji Mohamed and the late Mr Rhazaly Noentil. Their commitment, dedication and spirit of volunteerism continues to inspire all of us. 

The Journey Ahead

Singapore has come a long way since we first detected and dealt with Jemaah Islamiyah members in 2001. As a nation we have learnt and grown from that difficult episode. Our religious groups and communities came together during a challenging time to take ownership of the issue and support one another. As a result, instead of becoming a more tense and divided society, we have become a more united society. Understanding each other better, supporting each other better, and working together to keep Singapore safe, secure, and prosperous.

In the decades since then, our community volunteers have continued to play a critical role in our fight against terrorism and extremism. And the Government works together with the community to advance the community’s interests. One important example is the establishment of the Singapore Islamic College. It will provide us with a strong institution to complement our other strong institutions and promote the teaching and learning of religion in a way that is contextualised to our society, and can help bond all our communities together with a collective drive to bring our people and Singapore forward. 

These are also challenging times, but we can continue to be successful as long as this strong partnership with the community remains. The Government will give you our full support in this collective effort to keep Singapore safe and secure. 

In many ways, when we look around the world today, with all the conflict, troubles, and turmoil in regions and within countries, we have managed to maintain ourselves as an oasis. An oasis of peace and stability where people work together, want to work together, and do work together to achieve many things which in other countries are very difficult to achieve.

I want to thank all of you for the important contributions you have made in this effort. I also want to thank your families for the time, effort and contributions that they have made to allow you to make Singapore harmonious, peaceful and prosperous.