Extremist influences becoming more diverse, anyone can be susceptible: PM Wong

Singapore must guard against people “retreating into separate worlds”, surrounded only by others who think like them and gradually losing their connection with the wider community, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivers his address at the 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner of the Harmony Centre and An-Nandhah Mosque held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Oct 14, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)

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SINGAPORE: Extremist influences are becoming more diverse, and anyone, regardless of age, race or religion, can be susceptible, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday (Oct 14).

Singapore has seen more cases of self-radicalised individuals, many involving young Singaporeans, and not all are motivated by Islamist extremism, he said.

These include individuals influenced by far-right anti-Islam and neo-Nazi ideologies, as well as incel ideologies that promote hatred and violence against women, Mr Wong said.

Among the cases he cited were a Protestant Christian youth who had planned attacks on mosques, two young men who called themselves “East Asian supremacists”, and an individual who identified as a white supremacist despite being of Chinese ethnicity.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less “That is why we must continue to look out for one another, especially our young people in Singapore,” said Mr Wong, who was speaking at a gala dinner to mark the 20th anniversary of Harmony Centre and An-Nahdhah Mosque at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore hotel. “We need to keep them connected to the real world, and ensure that they have strong anchors – family, friends, teachers, religious and community leaders – people they trust and can turn to for guidance.” More broadly, Singapore must guard against people “retreating into separate worlds”, surrounded only by others who think like them and gradually losing their connection with the wider community, he added. While extremist influences have become more varied, Mr Wong said the threat from Islamist terrorism had not disappeared. Groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) continue to recruit supporters, spread propaganda and plot attacks around the world, while Singapore continues to be viewed as an attractive target by extremist elements. Recent heightened tensions in the Middle East have added to these risks, with some extremist groups seeking to “externalise the conflict” by radicalising supporters and inciting attacks beyond the region, he said.

“That is why we must continue to look out for one another, especially our young people in Singapore,” said Mr Wong, who was speaking at a gala dinner to mark the 20th anniversary of Harmony Centre and An-Nahdhah Mosque at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore hotel.

“We need to keep them connected to the real world, and ensure that they have strong anchors – family, friends, teachers, religious and community leaders – people they trust and can turn to for guidance.”

More broadly, Singapore must guard against people “retreating into separate worlds”, surrounded only by others who think like them and gradually losing their connection with the wider community, he added.

While extremist influences have become more varied, Mr Wong said the threat from Islamist terrorism had not disappeared.

Groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) continue to recruit supporters, spread propaganda and plot attacks around the world, while Singapore continues to be viewed as an attractive target by extremist elements.

Recent heightened tensions in the Middle East have added to these risks, with some extremist groups seeking to “externalise the conflict” by radicalising supporters and inciting attacks beyond the region, he said.

OVERSEAS CONFLICTS CAN STRAIN COHESION AT HOME

Beyond the threat of radicalisation, Mr Wong warned that developments overseas can strain cohesion at home, particularly when questions of religion and identity become entwined with politics – as seen with the conflict in Gaza and the wider Israeli-Palestinian issue.

In his speech, Mr Wong recounted a recent conversation with someone who has Muslim, Christian and Jewish friends in Singapore.

“In the past, they could talk candidly about what’s happening in the Middle East, even when they did not always agree,” he said.

“But now, they avoid the subject altogether, because the emotions run so high that they worry there would be a disagreement affecting their friendship.”

While it is natural for Singaporeans to feel strongly about events overseas and speak up for what they believe in, such disagreements must not be allowed to divide people at home, said Mr Wong.

“We should not let conflicts elsewhere turn fellow Singaporeans against one another,” he said.

Singapore must also continue to guard against racial and religious intolerance in all its forms, he said.

“Prejudice is like a weed in a garden. If we become complacent, that weed can quickly take root and spread very quickly,” he added.

Mr Wong noted that inflammatory comments have spread online in recent months, sometimes from people who believe anonymity shields them from responsibility.

“The government will continue to take action against such behaviour. We will not tolerate racism or religious bigotry,” he said.

The Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act, which came into force last month, strengthens Singapore’s legal framework for protecting racial harmony and provides safeguards against foreign influence.

“But laws can only set the boundaries,” said Mr Wong. “They cannot, by themselves, create friendship and trust between people. That depends on all of us.”

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新加坡总理黄循财表示，新加坡必须警惕人们“退缩到各自的世界里”，只与和自己想法相同的人交往，并逐渐失去与更广泛社会的联系。

2026年10月14日，黄循财总理在丽思卡尔顿酒店举行的和谐中心暨安南达清真寺成立20周年庆典晚宴上致辞。（图片：中央社/伍华莱）

这段音频是由人工智能工具生成的。

新加坡：总理黄循财周三（10月14日）表示，极端主义的影响正变得越来越多元化，任何人，无论年龄、种族或宗教，都可能受到影响。

他说，新加坡出现了更多自我激进化的案例，其中许多涉及新加坡年轻人，而且并非所有人都受到伊斯兰极端主义的驱使。

黄先生表示，这些人包括受极右翼反伊斯兰和新纳粹意识形态影响的人，以及受宣扬仇恨和暴力侵害女性的“非自愿独身者”（incel）意识形态影响的人。

他列举的案例包括一名计划袭击清真寺的新教基督教青年、两名自称“东亚至上主义者”的年轻人，以及一名虽然是华裔但却自称白人至上主义者的人。

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小小的谜题，强大的脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 “这就是为什么我们必须继续互相扶持，尤其是在新加坡的年轻人，”黄先生在新加坡丽思卡尔顿美年酒店举行的庆祝和谐中心和安纳达清真寺成立20周年的晚宴上发表讲话时说道。“我们需要让他们与现实世界保持联系，并确保他们拥有强大的精神支柱——家人、朋友、老师、宗教和社区领袖——他们可以信任并可以寻求指导的人。” 他补充说，更广泛地说，新加坡必须警惕人们“退缩到孤立的世界”，只与和自己想法相同的人为伍，并逐渐失去与更广泛社区的联系。黄先生表示，虽然极端主义的影响变得更加多样化，但伊斯兰恐怖主义的威胁并未消失。诸如伊拉克和叙利亚伊斯兰国（ISIS）等组织仍在世界各地招募支持者、散布宣传并策划袭击，而新加坡仍然被极端分子视为极具吸引力的目标。他表示，近期中东地区紧张局势加剧了这些风险，一些极端组织试图通过激进化支持者并在该地区以外煽动袭击来“将冲突外部化”。

“正因如此，我们更应该继续互相扶持，特别是新加坡的年轻人，”黄先生在新加坡丽思卡尔顿美年酒店举行的庆祝和谐中心和安纳达清真寺成立 20 周年的盛大晚宴上发表讲话时说道。

“我们需要让他们与现实世界保持联系，并确保他们拥有强大的精神支柱——家人、朋友、老师、宗教和社区领袖——他们可以信任并可以寻求指导的人。”

他还补充说，更广泛地说，新加坡必须防止人们“退缩到各自的世界里”，只与和自己想法相同的人交往，并逐渐失去与更广泛社会的联系。

黄先生表示，虽然极端主义的影响变得更加多样化，但伊斯兰恐怖主义的威胁并没有消失。

像伊拉克和叙利亚伊斯兰国（ISIS）这样的组织继续招募支持者、散布宣传并策划在世界各地发动袭击，而新加坡仍然被极端分子视为有吸引力的目标。

他表示，近期中东地区紧张局势加剧了这些风险，一些极端组织试图通过激进化支持者和煽动在该地区以外发动袭击来“将冲突外部化”。

海外冲突会削弱国内凝聚力

除了激进化的威胁之外，黄先生还警告说，海外事态发展可能会削弱国内的凝聚力，特别是当宗教和身份认同问题与政治交织在一起时——正如加沙冲突和更广泛的以巴问题所表明的那样。

黄先生在演讲中讲述了他最近与一位在新加坡有穆斯林、基督教和犹太教朋友的人的谈话。

他说：“过去，他们可以坦诚地谈论中东正在发生的事情，即使他们并不总是意见一致。”

“但现在，他们完全回避这个话题，因为双方情绪激动，担心会产生分歧，影响彼此的友谊。”

黄先生表示，虽然新加坡人对海外事件有强烈的感受并为自己所信仰的事情发声是人之常情，但绝不能让这种分歧分裂国内人民。

他说：“我们不应该让其他地方的冲突使新加坡同胞反目成仇。”

他还表示，新加坡必须继续防范一切形式的种族和宗教不容忍现象。

“偏见就像花园里的杂草。如果我们变得麻木不仁，这株杂草就会迅速生根发芽，蔓延开来，”他补充道。

黄先生指出，近几个月来，网络上出现了一些煽动性言论，其中一些人认为匿名可以让他们免于承担责任。

“政府将继续对这种行为采取行动。我们绝不容忍种族主义或宗教偏见，”他说。

上个月生效的《维护种族和谐法》加强了新加坡保护种族和谐的法律框架，并提供了防止外国影响的保障措施。

“但法律只能划定界限，”黄先生说，“法律本身并不能建立人与人之间的友谊和信任。这取决于我们所有人。”

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