Singapore Bans TikTok, Meta Accounts of Ex-ISA Detainee for Inciting Hatred

Authorities in Singapore have taken decisive action by ordering TikTok and Meta to disable the accounts of former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff. This measure follows multiple instances where Shariff allegedly posted content that incited racial tensions, particularly targeting the Malay/Muslim community against the Chinese community.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on November 26, 2023, Shariff’s online activities have sparked concern over racial and religious harmony within Singapore. The ministry noted that he had made posts that instigated “enmity, hatred, ill-will and hostility against, contempt for and ridicule of different racial and religious groups in Singapore.”

In one notable incident reported by the MHA, Shariff published a TikTok video on June 19, 2023, which falsely claimed that Malay/Muslims were compelled to abandon their faith and assimilate into the Chinese community. The MHA indicated that several other posts shared similar inflammatory sentiments. The ministry stated, “The government has received numerous feedback from members of the public, including several police reports, that Zulfikar’s posts threaten racial and religious harmony in Singapore.”

As a result of these actions, Singapore’s police have issued an Account Restriction Direction and a Disabling Direction under the Online Criminal Harms Act. TikTok has been instructed to restrict access to Shariff’s account, while Meta is to disable his Facebook page within Singapore. The MHA emphasized that these actions are intended to prevent further communication from Shariff that could undermine social cohesion in the nation.

The MHA has also confirmed that investigations into Shariff’s “egregious conduct” are underway. This is not the first time such measures have been enacted under the Online Criminal Harms Act; since its introduction in February 2024, the police have employed similar restrictions to protect Singaporean users from various online criminal activities, including scams and cyber threats.

Shariff’s history is also notable, as he was previously detained under the ISA in 2016 for promoting terrorism and glorifying the actions of the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). His promotion of radical views reportedly contributed to the radicalization of at least two other Singaporeans. The MHA further disclosed that Shariff had urged Muslims to reject Singapore’s constitutional, secular, democratic framework in favor of an Islamic state governed by Syariah law, asserting that violence could be justified to achieve this vision.

The actions taken against Shariff highlight Singapore’s commitment to maintaining racial and religious harmony in a multicultural society. The government remains vigilant in monitoring online content that could disrupt social cohesion and is prepared to respond to threats as they arise.