PM Lawrence Wong at the Ministry of Home Affairs Appreciation Lunch for Community Volunteers

My Cabinet Colleagues
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am very happy to be here to celebrate and honour the contributions made by our community volunteers who have worked tirelessly with us to keep Singapore safe and secure.

Tribute to Community Volunteers

This appreciation lunch marks its 20th anniversary this year and I am very glad to see Mr Wong Kan Seng here today with us too, because this started when he was at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Singapore was facing challenging times then, and it is because of the steady leadership of Mr Wong and his team that helped to keep all of us safe. So thank you very much.

As all of you would remember, after 9/11 we took actions to dismantle the local Jemaah Islamiyah network.

The JI operatives had been planning to carry out major attacks in Singapore, targeting military installations and MRT stations.

They were close to carrying out their plans – they had conducted recces and were procuring materials to make bombs.

Thankfully, ISD managed to stop them.

But we also knew that security operations alone could not address the root of the problem, which is, a dangerous misinterpretation of Islam that fuelled their extremism.

We were fortunate that Ustaz Hasbi who is here with us, and the late Ustaz Ali bravely stepped forward to help.

It was a bold and unprecedented approach to rehabilitation, and the outcomes were uncertain.

They risked being criticised, being branded as munafiq, or hypocrites, for working with the Government.

Likewise, volunteers from the Inter-agency Aftercare Group persevered despite hostile reactions when they first reached out to detainees’ families.

But they carried on because they believed it was the right thing to do.

Because of all of your courage and conviction, Singapore is safer today.

So I want to pay tribute to Ustaz Hasbi and the late Ustaz Ali. I also want to acknowledge many of the pioneer community volunteers, who stepped forward to help us in our hour of need, many of you are here. Thank you very much for your efforts and contributions!

Of course, since then, since these last 20 years, this annual appreciation lunch event has grown in size and spirit.

More volunteers have come forward to help those who have succumbed to radical ideologies.

You provide not just counselling.

You also provide hope and practical support to the families of detainees.

Your help keep families together so that when a detainee is eventually released, they have the support they need to start life afresh.

Your efforts have borne fruit.

Of the 150 Singaporeans who were dealt with under the ISA since 2002, close to 85% have made progress.

Many have reintegrated into society.

Some have started businesses.

Others pursued higher education, and found meaningful careers.

Their families too are thriving and doing well.

Many of their children are doing well in school, and finding success in their own pathways.

Through your hard work, you have shown what it means to live in an inclusive Singapore, where everyone can hope for a better future.

So thank you everyone, for all your efforts and service!

Changing Security Landscape

The threat we face has evolved since those early days.

Digital and online technology has made extremist propaganda more accessible than before.

Just look at what is happening around us today. Most recently, the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk in America. It shows how easy online radicalisation can translate into real world harm. So acts of violence that were once rare have become disturbingly more commonplace.

Even in Singapore, ISD has had to deal with cases where individuals not only get radicalised online through the internet, but they even use AI chatbots to draft manifestos for armed struggle, or to find instructions to make weapons, including 3D-printed guns.

Furthermore, the range of extremist ideologies has widened.

It is no longer limited to religious extremism.

We see people drawn to neo-Nazi movements, or the incel movement – Incel is Involuntarily Celibate – that means people, usually men, who are unable to find partners despite wanting them. It is a description of one’s personal circumstance, but it has evolved into a subculture, known for its extreme resentment and hostility towards women.

And the recent cases we have picked up are very telling.

You will have read the news that earlier this week, ISD announced that two Singaporeans were issued Restriction Orders under the ISA.

In the first case, a 30-year-old aspired to take up arms for Turkey in its territorial disputes with Greece. His motives were not religiously motivated. Instead, it was fuelled by personal grievances, and his desire to find meaning in overthrowing what he thought were oppressive regimes.

The second case was just a 14-year-old. But he had himself radicalised by a mix of extremist ideologies. He is an ISIS supporter – professes to be an ISIS supporter – he also subscribes to far-right extremism and identifies himself as an incel. So a very toxic mix of different extremist ideologies.

Both are young. And that is very worrying for us. Because we are seeing more cases of young Singaporeans succumbing to extremist ideologies.

Since 2015, 18 youths between 14 and 20 years old have been dealt with under the ISA.

More than two-thirds of them emerged in just the last five years alone.

How should we respond to these very worrying trends?

First, we will deepen international cooperation.

Because terrorism knows no borders.

We must work together – exchanging intelligence, expertise and resources – to disrupt terrorist plans.

In fact, many countries are keen to learn from our rehabilitation approach. So we will share our experience, and learn from theirs as well.

Together, we can and we must find ways to make the world safer.

Second, we will remain vigilant. In our fight against extremism, we can never let our guard down.

External groups like ISIS continue to inspire followers.

Domestically, self-radicalisation is on the rise as I described just now.

Our security agencies will do their best to detect and to neutralise threats.

But every Singaporean also has a role to play.

If you see a loved one succumbing to extremist ideologies, please help to report them early so that they can receive help.

I know it is not easy.

I too have friends who have gone astray.

I knew them when they were younger, and I would never have expected them to turn to extremism.

But these things can happen. And when they do, we want to be able to act early and help them get back on the right path as soon as possible.

And that leads to my third point – which is, we will strengthen our rehabilitation capabilities.

In fact, now we have to go beyond Islamic religious counselling, because Singaporeans are succumbing to a wider range of extremist ideologies.

We have already started to do this. For example, we have developed a suite of interventions specifically tailored for self-radicalised young people. They include mentorship, cyber wellness, and programmes to improve their social skills.

And we are seeing some positive results.

You may recall the case of a 16-year-old Singaporean Christian youth who was detained in December 2020, after he was radicalised by online far-right extremist propaganda and had planned to attack Muslims at two mosques.

He received counselling from a Christian pastor who taught him the virtues of non-violence and to appreciate inter-faith harmony. At the same time, he had two mentors, including a volunteer from the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) who provided him with social support and guidance.

All this helped to change his way of thinking. He was released in January last year, and is now continuing his studies in an Institute of Higher Learning.

Finally, and most importantly we must continue to build strong and cohesive bonds.

Self-radicalisation often preys on those who feel more isolated. They turn to online sources to find meaning, and they stumble upon extremist materials, and then they get led astray.

To counter that, we have to foster belonging, human connections and trust.

And that is why we have worked so hard over these last 60 years to strengthen ties across race and religion. This remains vital.

But we must also guard against new divides, like those arising from social and economic inequality, because left unchecked, they can weaken trust and erode the cohesion we have painstakingly built up.

So we must continue to do our best to strengthen the bonds between Singaporeans. The more united we are, the more resilient we will be against these divisive forces.

Conclusion

On the whole, Singapore is in a far better position compared to many other countries. We are fortunate to stand on the strong foundations built by our pioneers. My team and I in the government are committed to deepening this reservoir of trust, and keeping Singapore secure and united, even as we embrace our diversity.

This has always been the secret to Singapore’s success – that from many races, languages, and religions, we become more united as one people.

This responsibility does not lie with the government alone. It is our collective responsibility. So, I look forward to working closely with all of you on this shared objective – to keep Singapore safe, secure and harmonious for many more generations to come.

Thank you once again, and please enjoy the lunch today.

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