<< Be Vigilant Against Foreign Entities That Seek To Divide Us >>

<< Be Vigilant Against Foreign Entities That Seek To Divide Us >>

Singapore's domestic and foreign policies are inextricably linked. 

Foreign policy allows us to create opportunities for Singaporeans. And domestic policy prepares Singaporeans to seize these opportunities. 

Both go hand-in-hand to advance the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans.

Our success is predicated on:

FIRST: Singaporeans’ continued confidence in and support for our foreign policy and its long-term objective of safeguarding Singapore’s independence and sovereignty; and

SECOND: Singapore’s continued cohesion, resilience and economic progress.

ON THE FIRST POINT, an emerging threat would be the proliferation of misinformation in this digital age.

Technological advancements have changed the way we communicate and consume our media.

The same technology which allows information to reach us almost instantaneously is also responsible for delivering distorted and even false information.

The so-called “post-truth era” poses many challenges for both domestic policy and foreign policy.

Big nations and smaller states have realised that they can increasingly achieve their objectives through MISINFORMATION which UNDERMINES THE WILL AND RESOLVE OF NATIONS THAT THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH.

It is not only the larger powers, even smaller players can use social media manipulation to undermine resilience in the targeted countries with little expense.

These techniques may be cloaked in new-fangled terms such as fake news and election campaigns, but the aims of achieving national and diplomatic objectives are in fact very old.

THEY SEEK TO DIVIDE a country against itself.

Singapore is certainly not immune to these advanced, persistent threats. We are one of the most internet-connected societies in the world.

With the free flow of information and dis-information across geographical barriers, the onus is on everyone to exercise judgment and not take information at face value.

So, the next time you read a foreign policy commentary or op-ed, ASK YOURSELF WHO STANDS TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROPOSED COURSE OF ACTION.

What we need is a well-informed society that understands not only the multitude of views, but the corresponding trade-offs in each policy position.

ULTIMATELY, SINGAPORE'S CONTINUED SUCCESS will depend on our resilience as a nation and as a society.

As a multiracial and secular society, our social cohesion has been tried in the past, and will continue to face challenges.

There may be attempts by external forces to divide us along racial and religious fault lines. We already see cases of foreign influences such as religious extremism exacerbating societal divisions in countries around the world.

It is imperative that Singapore remains vigilant against those who seek to mount insidious information campaigns to influence segments of our population for their own ends.

Singapore cannot tolerate attempts by foreign countries or entities to manipulate our people’s sentiments.

Singapore’s future is for Singaporeans to decide.

In the face of such attempts, the ties that bind us together as one people, which I would describe as “social reserves”, are vital.

In the same way that we have built up our financial reserves, we should build up our social reserves as an investment for the future because these social reserves will come in handy and helpful during difficult times.

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