11 May 2016
Greetings
Professor Cheong Hee Kiat, President of SIM University,
Professor Tsui Kai Chong, Provost of SIM University,
Distinguished speakers
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning. I am honoured to be invited here today to speak on a serious topic that affects us all. I am heartened in particular to see so many students and faculty members in the audience. No doubt, this issue has salience, given the announcement last week of the arrest of eight Bangladeshi nationals under the Internal Security Act and the repatriation earlier this year of 22 other Bangladeshi nationals for extremist related activities. In that regard, I would especially like to thank my good friend Associate Professor Antonio Rappa, whom I know from our days at NUS, for inviting me to speak to you this morning on this topic.
Terrorism is a Threat to Singapore
2 Terrorism presents a clear and present danger to the world. Like Al Qaeda before it, the rise of the Islamic State or Daesh, and their barbarism, presents a threat towards all civilized society. While it is tempting to think that IS is far away in the Middle East, recent events have shown that Southeast Asia is really not immune. There are areas within Southeast Asia that have become a fertile ground for terrorism. For example, we are seeing an increasing number of people from Southeast Asia showing their support for IS in social media, in some cases of individuals travelling as far as Syria for militant training or even fighting on behalf of IS. Some of these Syria-bound IS supporters have even attempted to use Singapore as a transit point, and we have acted decisively against them.
3 This trend is a real concern, not just for Singapore but also for our region as a whole. IS’ intention of penetrating this region is very clear given that they have even formed a dedicated Malay-speaking unit within IS – known as the Katibah Nusantara. IS has issued some videos and other propaganda in Bahasa, and if you see it, you will be quite surprised by the intensity. In an open message to Malaysia titled Mesej Awam Kepada Malaysia or Public Message for Malaysia which appeared online in January 2016, IS has warned that their persecution would only help them grow in numbers. They have pledged to fight the Syiahs (those cursed by God), apostates, cruel people, and America and its allies! Separately, in January, we also saw a terror attack in Jakarta, reminding us that IS is not only an insidious threat, but also a danger to the region, and to Singapore. Unfortunately, it is not a question of if but when an attack can happen in Singapore.
Developments in the Middle East
4 To better understand the origins of IS, we need to appreciate the complexities of the Middle East. Having recently visited several countries in the region, like Egypt and Qatar, I saw a region that is struggling with several challenges in the post-Cold War era. The post-invasion politics in Iraq, the Saudi-Iran regional rivalry and the Arab Spring have all mixed together into a hazardous cocktail that weakened certain state structures across the region. There are also some genuine political challenges. Some countries, such as Oman, facing issues of succession, as the incumbent ages, with no identifiable successor has been named. Other countries, like Egypt and Jordan, face economic challenges, as the state struggles to find the resources to continue subsidizing public goods. Pressures on government finances force the lifting of subsidies because of the economic situation. This has added additional stress on state structures. In some instances, resilient institutions such as the monarchy in Jordan, or the military in Egypt, together with a healthy dose of economic largesse from the Gulf States, was sufficient to enable a state to withstand these pressures. While in other cases, the leaders were unable to withstand the pressure, and ultimately fell.
5 The weakening of institutions that bound the state together has led to the collapse of the traditional nation state and resulted in the long drawn-out civil wars seen in Syria, Iraq and Libya. The conflict in Syria has also morphed into a proxy battle ground. We see competing powers and neighbouring countries, each vying for influence in a larger geo-political struggle, tacitly supporting their own proxies. So you see, these wars in Iraq and Syria, they are actually proxy wars. These parties have exploited the existing sectarian fault-lines for their own interests. This lack of order, and pockets of disorder, where the state has completely collapsed, has led to conditions conducive to the growth of IS. IS now operates in the gaps between the failure of the state and the disorder. In some cases it provides employment and services and offers protection. However, it largely rules by intimidation and fear, and is the ultimate gangster-state.
The Islamic State
6 Earlier in my speech, I called IS by its full acronym, the Islamic State. However, I must be clear. There is nothing Islamic about the Islamic State. Many prominent scholars and learned theologians, such as Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad Bin Talal of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Grand Mufti of Egypt Sheikh Dr Shawqi Allam, have discredited IS’ theology and teachings in ‘An Open Letter to Al-Baghdadi’, which was published in September 2014. If you should have access to the letter, it is very good, very detailed, and a strong argument against IS preaching’s. The version of Islam they practice is divorced from the mainstream practice of Islam that is found, and thrives for centuries peacefully in Southeast Asia and in Singapore.
7 Islam has always co-existed peacefully and proudly with other religions, especially the Abrahamic faiths. Hence the wanton destruction of ancient religious minority communities in the Middle East is sufficient proof that IS is just another extremist organization using the veneer of religion. By contrast, the Hashemites of Jordan, who can claim a direct lineage to the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him), have made tremendous efforts in preserving and protecting key religious sites, including those of Christianity. For example, it was announced recently that King Abdullah II would fund the restoration of Jesus’ tomb, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He follows the admirable example set by the Prophet who protected churches and synagogues within Muslim lands.
8 Unfortunately, IS has seized upon a certain level of disenfranchisement, and played on the fears of the Sunni populations in Iraq and Syria. This has propelled their rapid advancement. Furthermore, they have been unparalleled in their use of the internet – very sophisticated use of the internet. Not only have they been able to radicalize many second-generation Muslim immigrants from places like Europe and Canada, they have used the internet as a recruitment tool and attracted non-Muslim radicals from across the world to their cause also. Thus, we are seeing not just a radicalization of Muslims, but also the Islamification of radicals, with many disenfranchised non-Muslims joining the IS’ ranks. For some of these people, isolated to the fringes of modern society with little prospects and no jobs, the pay, and the sense of belonging that IS is seemingly able to provide, is quite attractive to them. International estimates approximate that IS has 36,000 foreign fighters, much more than the estimated few thousand that joined the mujahedeen against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s. They have also managed to sustain themselves through a self-funding war-booty economy based on illegal oil sales, smuggling as well as plunder.
Impact on the Region
9 Southeast Asia has not been immune to IS’ expansion. We estimate that there are at least a thousand nationals from Southeast Asia that have travelled to conflict zones to fight on behalf of IS. In addition to establishing the Katibah Nusantara, IS declared in November 2014 its intention to set up a wilayat (province) encompassing parts of Indonesia and the Philippines, reminiscent of the plans that Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) had in the early 2000s, when we first detected JI. They took the first step in January this year, when militants from southern Philippines comprising of Abu Sayyaf Group members and several Islamic extremists from Malaysia pledged their allegiance to the leader of IS. It should come as no surprise that members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, a veritable grouping of gangsters who have for long engaged in bombings, kidnappings, extortions and assassinations, have pledged their allegiance to a group that is equally barbaric. We also see a disturbing trend of radicalised Uighurs from China now linking up with IS-backed militant groups and engaging in extremist activities in Malaysia and Indonesia. The threat from IS’ expansion in Southeast Asia has been amplified by the growing number of IS jihadists who are now returning from the Middle East to the region. The problem is compounded by the ease with which radical ideas can be propagated and accessed via the internet and the digital platforms.
Singapore’s Response
10 Now what is Singapore’s response, having shown you the challenges in our region? Terrorism poses a threat to more than just our physical security. It also threatens our raison d’etre and cohesiveness as a thriving multi-racial, multi-religious society. There are no easy solutions to countering the threat posed by IS. It is a threat that cannot be dealt with by any one country alone. A common threat requires a common response and close cooperation between governments, agencies, as well as our religious communities. This is why Singapore readily participated in the multinational coalition against IS. We have contributed several military assets to the fight such as:
11 Given the transnational nature of the threat, we have also stepped up cooperation between intelligence agencies to exchange information on these networks. However, we are cognizant that there is more to the fight than just the military or intelligence dimension. Hence, in April 2015 Singapore organised the East Asia Summit Symposium on Religious Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration. This brought together participants from over 30 countries to look into different strategies in rehabilitating and reintegrating former militants into functioning and productive members of society.
12 Locally, we remain vigilant and will continue to disrupt the plans of those who have been indoctrinated. In 2015, we took action under the Internal Security Act (ISA) against five individuals that have been self-radicalised. We have also taken action against those involved in non-IS related militant activities overseas. So it is not just about IS, but any militant activities. We have also used the Internal Security Act against two separate groups of radicalised Bangladeshi nationals living in Singapore. While these individuals had focused their plans on returning to Bangladesh and overthrowing the government there through force, they still posed a threat to Singapore, as one of their members confessed that he would carry out an attack anywhere, including Singapore, if he was instructed to do so by IS.
13 This incident shows us that our Home Team has been vigilant. However, the reward for vigilance is the necessity to be even more vigilant, both at home and abroad, and take pre-emptive and proactive precautionary measures where necessary. For instance, earlier this year, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam announced the SG Secure initiative. Another example is our increased security checks at all our immigration checkpoints (air, land and sea). These checks are crucial, given the large number of people that transit in and out of Singapore daily. If you look at the Causeway, you know what we are talking about. We cannot afford to be complacent. While these enhanced checks at our land checkpoints in Woodlands and Tuas may add a delay to our commutes to and from Malaysia, I hope that you understand the need for such checks in order for us to keep ourselves safe. Both Indonesia and Malaysia have also made strides in their respective counter-terrorism efforts, and are doing their best to counter this threat. Singapore works very closely with our neighbours on these issues. However, they are both large countries and will need more time and resources to address some of their challenges, for example in areas like counter-terrorism laws and rehabilitation.
14 We have also taken steps to increase public awareness and fight the extremist narrative. MUIS is doing its part to correct inaccurate and false beliefs, propagated by IS. The Religious Rehabilitation Group or RRG, an initiative taken by the Muslim community when we arrested operatives of JI in 2001, was established to counter false ideologies and beliefs of extremist groups like JI and IS. I am glad to know that our RRG is seen as one of the models for rehabilitation across the world, with several countries, including those with significant Muslim populations, having come to learn from our experiences. People come to see them, and understand what they are doing. Another important aspect is the confidence building measures achieved through the Inter-Religious Organization (IRO). Through these efforts, we have now developed a better understanding of each other’s beliefs and know when they are being mis-represented by others.
15 Combatting terrorism is not just the job of the government nor solely the responsibility of community and religious leaders. As individuals, we can also play an important role in maintaining vigilance. As hard as it may be, there could be a time where we will need to act, if we notice our family members and/or friends are being self-radicalized, and alert the relevant authorities. At the same time, we should not let Islamophobia take root in Singapore. Each of us also plays a major role in maintaining social cohesion. We should be mindful of what we say or share on social media, and not be afraid to speak out against those who are divisive. We have already shown our capacity to do so. Following the assault of three madrasah girls in early April, we saw Singaporeans of all beliefs quickly condemn the unprovoked assault of these innocent school girls. In that case, it turned out to be a false alarm as the attacker suffered from a major psychiatric illness. However, the instinctive response from Singaporeans in the immediate aftermath was encouraging, and indicative of the strength of our harmony. I can only hope that in the aftermath of a terrorist attack should one actually take place here, we maintain our resilience and our social cohesion. After all, the best way of countering the extremist ideology, which narrowly distinguishes between “us” and “them”, is to maintain our social cohesion.
Conclusion
16 Let me conclude by saying that the fight is not just won by bullets and guns, and we have a long fight ahead. Moving forward, we must continue to explore cooperation with like-minded countries to counter extremist ideology. This was one of the matters that PM Lee Hsien Loong discussed with King Abdullah II, during his recent visit to Jordan.
17 For Singapore, this is not just a security threat. It also has the potential to undermine our multi-racial social fabric. Previous generations have worked hard to build our multi-religious society based on mutual respect and tolerance, and I sincerely hope that our students do not take this effort for granted, but instead do their part to strengthen it.
18 I thank you for your attention and look forward to hearing your views, and the views of our distinguished speakers and the panel discussion that follows. Thank you.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
11 MAY 2016