Singapore Orders Meta to Block Foreign Political Posts Ahead of Election

Singapore has ordered Facebook parent Meta (NASDAQ:META) to block Singaporean users from accessing posts made by foreigners ahead of its May 3 election. Under 2023 social media rules, foreigners are barred from publishing election-related content that could influence voters.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) issued takedown orders after posts were deemed to promote or harm the standing of political parties or candidates. The move follows posts by Iskandar Abdul Samad, treasurer of Malaysia’s Islamist party PAS; Mohamed Sukri Omar, PAS’s youth chief in Selangor; and Facebook user "Zai Nal," identified as Zulfikar bin Mohamad Shariff, an Australian who renounced Singapore citizenship in 2020.

Authorities said Iskandar publicly supported Workers' Party candidate Faisal Manap, while Zulfikar accused Malay-Muslim MPs of failing to represent Muslim interests, urging voters to reject candidates based on racial and religious grounds. Sukri reposted Zulfikar’s statements.

The Singapore government stated these actions interfere with domestic politics and could sway voters along sensitive racial and religious lines. Zulfikar responded by accusing the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) of being "scared" and announced plans to launch a WhatsApp channel and website.

The Workers’ Party clarified that it does not control foreign supporters and reaffirmed its stance that religion should remain separate from politics. The PAP, Meta, Iskandar, Sukri, and PAS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This election marks the first under Singapore's new social media laws, with the PAP widely expected to dominate, continuing its streak since independence in 1965.