The Humanist Society (Singapore) is shocked to read that a 16-year-old Singaporean was detained under ISA after plotting to commit acts of terrorism against Muslims in Singapore.
The Secondary 4 student was self-radicalized by right-wing extremist ideology, influenced by the 2019 terror attacks at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.
We strongly condemn extreme ideologies that promote senseless acts of violence in the name of religion and various identities. Such ideologies have no place in a modern society.
The Humanist Society (Singapore), in solidarity with our allies and partners, calls for greater outreach to make interfaith dialogues more mainstream, especially to the isolated few. Given the increasing influence of the internet on teenagers, interfaith dialogues must now be started at a younger age.
Extreme ideologies could become more influential as the world becomes more polarized. But no matter how deep a fault line is, individuals in a modern society should always opt for honest and civil conversations first, not violence.
In the aftermath of any arrest or even an actual terrorist attack, there might be a temptation to speculate wildly or broad brush entire communities. We encourage everyone to practice good social media hygiene, interpret this incident rationally, seeing it as what it is – an isolated case of a self-radicalized individual.
Amidst a global pandemic, we also call on Singaporeans to look out for one another and reach out to those who feel marginalized or isolated.
In the year ahead, the Humanist Society (Singapore) will continue working with our community partners to facilitate interfaith dialogue (with safety measures in place), so as to build stronger buffers against extreme ideologies that seek to divide us.
Executive Committee
Humanist Society (Singapore)
