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Lee Hsien Loong Urges Singaporeans to Defend Multi-Racialism at Rally

 




Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong criticised opposition parties for only speaking out against foreign interference after the People's Action Party (PAP) government took decisive action to block foreign influence online. Speaking at a rally on April 27, Mr Lee accused opposition parties of responding opportunistically rather than taking a principled stand earlier.

“But now, after the PAP government stood up, acted and blocked the foreign sites, all the other parties immediately say, 'I also agree,'” Mr Lee said. He added pointedly: "Day before yesterday, where were you? You didn't notice, you didn't know or buat bodoh?" — using the Malay phrase meaning "pretend not to know."

Mr Lee urged voters to choose candidates who are committed to multi-racialism “truly and from the bottom of your heart,” warning that racial and religious politics could deeply divide Singapore. He emphasised that meritocracy, give-and-take, and unity under a "one Singapore" spirit have been key to the country's success.

The comments come in the wake of recent action by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which directed Facebook parent Meta to block Singapore users’ access to posts by two Malaysian politicians and a former ISA detainee, now an Australian citizen. These posts criticised Singapore’s handling of religious issues and encouraged voting along religious lines.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had, a day earlier, called on political parties to categorically reject endorsements from foreign entities, saying Singapore’s unity must not be undermined by external forces.

Several opposition leaders, including Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh, subsequently spoke out against foreign interference. Mr Singh stressed that the WP rejects race and religion-based politics, asserting that the party’s Malay candidates had not made any deals with Islamic religious teacher Noor Deros, who had posted supportive messages online.

During the rally, Mr Lee, who spoke in Malay, Mandarin, and English, recalled past instances of racial tensions during elections. In his Chinese speech, he referenced Tang Liang Hong, a Workers’ Party candidate in the 1997 General Election accused of stirring Chinese chauvinist sentiments. Tang had faced lawsuits after making police reports against PAP leaders and later left the country.

Without mentioning Tang’s party affiliation, Mr Lee said the government had gone "all out" to take Tang on to defend Singapore’s racial harmony.

In his English address, Mr Lee warned against the dangers of politics fragmenting along racial or religious lines. "If politics becomes race-based – Chinese party, Indian party, Malay party, Muslim party, Christian party, Hindu party – there are plenty of examples not far from here. And when people fight, everyone loses," he said.

Mr Lee concluded by urging Singaporeans to take the stakes seriously when they cast their vote, reaffirming that multi-racialism is essential for the country’s future.

He was joined at the rally by fellow Ang Mo Kio GRC candidates Darryl David, Jasmin Lau, Victor Lye, and Nadia Samdin.

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