Calvin Cheng ‘deeply remorseful’ for remarks on activists, says he should have been more sensitive
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(From left) Mr Calvin Cheng said he had met Ustaz Pasuni Maulan and Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Hassan at Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands on the afternoon of April 9.
PHOTO: CALVIN CHENG/FACEBOOK
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SINGAPORE - Former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng has said he is deeply remorseful for his remarks suggesting that a group of activists relocate to Gaza, acknowledging that they caused “hurt and anger”, especially within the Muslim community.
In a Facebook post on April 10, he said he had met Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Hassan and Ustaz Pasuni Maulan at Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands on the afternoon of April 9.
Ustaz Hasbi is chairman of the Council of Elders at the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (Pergas), and Ustaz Pasuni is a member of the elders’ council. Both elders are also on the council of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.
During their meeting, they discussed the remarks, with Mr Cheng telling the senior leaders that he did not intend to attack any community or faith. He also told them he had spoken to members of the Malay/Muslim community over the past week.
He wrote: “I realise that I should have been more sensitive with my remarks. I should not have said – even in jest – that people should go to a conflict zone.
“I told the (two) ustaz that I am deeply remorseful about my remarks suggesting that our people go to a conflict zone. They advised me to be more sensitive in future in what I say.”
Mr Cheng had made the remarks about the activists in a Facebook post on March 13,
This was after the activists from the Monday of Palestine Solidarity group turned up and caused a scene at Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam’s Meet-the-People Session
The activist group had been going around to several Meet-the-People Sessions to talk about the war in Gaza.
Mr Cheng said his remarks were directed at the activist group, which included Chinese and Indians, and had a mix of religions. “I was specifically upset with their disruptive activism,” he said. “My remarks were not targeted at the Muslim community.”
He also said some people had wrongly attributed to him other statements that he did not make, and he has had to take legal action as the untrue statements were very damaging to him. The parties he is taking action against include Reform Party secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam and former Singapore Democratic Party chairman Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood.
Mr Mohamed Jufrie said in a Facebook post on April 10 that his lawyer is handling the case. “Actually I have a lot to say, but I abide by the law and reserve my comments,” he wrote.
Mr Cheng added that he was deeply grateful to Ustaz Pasuni and Ustaz Hasbi for meeting and listening to him. “I am grateful for the understanding, patience and compassion of the two elders,” he said.
Hamas attacked Israeli communities on Oct 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people. Israel responded by launching a campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 50,000 people so far.
Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli and Mr Shanmugam had come out to say they disagreed with Mr Cheng’s views.
On April 6, Pergas issued a statement calling the comments “deeply troubling”.
Mr Cheng responded on April 7, saying his earlier comments were directed at a group of people that included non-Muslims, and reiterated those comments mentioned neither race nor religion.
In a podcast interview with Malay-language news outlet Berita Harian on April 9, Mr Masagos said the way Mr Cheng had framed his comments crossed a line, was hurtful to Malay/Muslims here and threatened social harmony.
