Social media accounts of leaders spammed by barred preacher's supporters

The social media accounts of President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as well as several political office-holders and government agencies, have been spammed with comments from supporters of Indonesian preacher Abdul Somad Batubara.

The preacher was denied entry into Singapore on Monday due to a history of extremist teachings that are not acceptable here.

A check by The Straits Times found comments bearing the hashtags #SaveUAS and #SaveUstadzAbdulSomad on Instagram posts by Madam Halimah and PM Lee.

Other accounts targeted include PM Lee's Twitter page; Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean's and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan's Instagram accounts; the Twitter pages of the Singapore Government and Ministry of Law, as well as the Instagram pages of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore Tourism Board and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

In response to media queries, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) yesterday confirmed that the social media accounts of a number of political office-holders and government agencies were spammed.

MCI's spokesman noted that there were also calls for cyber attacks against Singapore Government social media accounts on public Indonesian chat groups.

The ministry said two events management companies have also had their websites defaced. The websites have been recovered and the Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCert) will contact the companies to extend help, it added.

It advised organisations to be vigilant and strengthen their cyber security defences against possible cyber attacks like Web defacement.

The ministry urged Singapore organisations affected by a cyber attack or that have evidence that their networks have been compromised to report to SingCert.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Somad and his six companions had arrived at Singapore's Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal on Monday from Batam. After Somad was interviewed, the group was barred from entering and put on a ferry back to Batam the same day.

MHA's spokesman said Somad has been known to preach extremist and segregationist teachings, which are unacceptable in Singapore's multiracial and multi-religious society. She added that Somad, in the past, had preached that suicide bombings are legitimate in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict and are considered "martyrdom" operations.

He has also made comments denigrating members of other faiths, such as Christians, and has also publicly referred to non-Muslims as kafirs or infidels.

Although he is one of Indonesia's most widely followed preachers on the Internet, Somad has been criticised by Indonesians, including mainstream Muslim leaders, for denigrating other faiths.

After Singapore refused him entry, Indonesian media reports said he had been denied entry to Hong Kong, Timor Leste and several European countries in the past.

The director of prevention at Indonesia's National Counterterrorism Agency, Brigadier-General Ahmad Nurwakhid, was also reported as saying that Singapore's decision to deny entry to Somad ought to serve as a lesson for Indonesia in preventing radical views, ideology and doctrines that could lead to terrorism and violence.

He said his agency appreciated Singapore's stance, given that exclusive and intolerant preaching, views and attitudes are the foundation of radicalism and terrorism.