GE2025: Candidates urged to fact-check information, guard against foreign interference

SINGAPORE – Candidates in the

May 3 general electio

n

have been advised to fact-check information they receive and stay alert to foreign interference threats and hidden agendas before sharing or reacting to the information in the context of their campaigns.

This reminder was issued in a joint advisory on April 19 by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), and the Elections Department, which highlighted the risks of foreign interference and cyber-security threats ahead of the polls.

Foreign interference includes attempts by foreign actors to manipulate domestic politics through covert and deceptive means, with the goal of advancing the foreign actor’s own interests, the advisory said. Such actions undermine political sovereignty and social cohesion.

While the April 19 advisory acknowledged that such threats have been observed overseas, it stressed that Singapore is not immune.

“The outcome of Singapore’s elections must be for Singaporeans alone to decide. We should safeguard the integrity of our electoral processes,” said the advisory.

The latest warning comes on the back of

CSA’s April 17 advisory for political parties and candidates,

highlighting cyber threats that may emerge and the preventive measures candidates can take to mitigate the risks.

For instance, political parties were advised to have strong authentication controls for all online campaign accounts, educate election candidates and officials on deepfake impersonations, and plan for redundancy measures to resist cyber attacks during the election season.

To help candidates recognise and counter foreign interference, the

Elections Department’s webpage

highlights methods used by foreign actors and precautions that can be taken to mitigate these risks – whether as direct targets or unwitting facilitators.

Among the precautions highlighted on the webpage, candidates are advised to fact-check information they receive to ensure it is accurate and/or authentic, or from a credible source, before sharing or reacting to it in the context of their campaigns.

Candidates are also reminded that they play an important role in protecting the integrity of the election. They are encouraged to remain vigilant, monitor their platforms closely and avoid sharing posts of suspicious origin.

They should also take measures to protect their information technology infrastructure, social media accounts and data.

They should also monitor their own social media platforms for suspicious or anomalous activity, and familiarise themselves with the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, including Part 5 of the Act relating to political donations.

Specifically, the Act mandates that politically significant persons report large political donations of $10,000 or more, and prohibits them from accepting donations from impermissible donors, such as foreign individuals or entities. 

If candidates detect or suspect any foreign interference, or believe their accounts or systems have been compromised or misused, they are advised to make a police report immediately and keep the Elections Department informed.